Archives: sleep

Jude didn’t have his inhaler at school yesterday… Not that he actually needs it… He doesn’t have asthma bad at the moment or anything… Actually, when Louise took him to the asthma clinic the other day the nurse said that as he was seemingly a lot better at that point & the fact that he as on Piriton at the time indicated that it might not so much be asthma, but an allergy, so he’s had a note passed to the doctor, so that a referral be made for allergy tests,

Progress of sorts, perhaps?

So, Jude didn’t have his inhaler. He didn’t need it medically, but psychologically he seems to need crutches. He had got into the habit of having some ventolin at… some point & this was denied him. He became worried & a call was put into Louise who advised that at the moment he doesn’t seem to need it… And therefore Jude had a bad day. I can’t say what his day was like third hand & he’s not really forthcoming on this sort of level, so… All the same Louise got a remark of the likes of, “He’s had a difficult day” fro his teacher when picking him up at school. Louise’s mum was there so they went of to Seventy Two (cafe) & Jude got cheesy toast. & all was happy when I got home.

Not a bad evening.. Esme was vociferous & tired & getting them to bed was a bit of a task in the end (bed times seem to be especially difficult at the moment – someone disagrees all the time). Jude wanted his hair checking for head lice because .. well – the teacher asked then to do so, so presumable there some about… Jude has none, but was out of the bath by 7:15. Not bad.. But then Esme & Eve would not … I had to pick Esme up & plonk her in the bath red faced tear filled eyes calling me stupid, idiotic & declaring that she wasn’t listening (Jude’s 3 touchstone phrases of disagreement). And the some of the usual post bath procrastination & some reading & by the time Louise finished reading to Jude & I finished reading to Eve (these are synchronised as best possible) it was ten to nine. How did that happen? Jack finalised what he was dong for RE & was proof read by Louise & Esme had eventually slipped into slumber by then, but all the same – that was later than ever.

And then…

Jude starts whimpering & worrying – he has a tummy ache half a centimetre above his belly button. The pain in his upper right chest area (between ribs) has died down thankfully, but this new ‘disomfort’ is shaping up nicely as a big worry to present settling. So.. He’s definitely not going to go to sleep before Louise goes downstairs… Louise needs a rest, but reluctantly bids him good night after 5 minutes & later has to admonish Jack for not wring up what he’s finalised for RE (it’s supposed to be a rough to bring to class for something in lesson). But it would be better if it were legible, didn’t have Louise’s ‘marking’ on it…

Many mutterings & sighs later Jude finally drops off to sleep – sneak off out of the room at 9:30 (past). I’ve to still to draw an Uakia monkey for him for tomorrow (animal alphabet) & so on… I mess about a bit & am later to bed than I should be.

Jude arrives in our bedroom at 03:45 – which means he may have been awake a bit before this. I’m not as responsive as I could be (dragged reluctantly from sleep) & Louise tells Jude he needs to settle down & go back to bed, to which he responds with a sulky collapse to the floor & then curling into ‘grump position’. I pick him up & put him to bed & try to mutter something soothing & bland & stagger back to bed. Jude’s back later after I’ve fallen solidly enough & Esme seems to have wrapped herself around me (she’s a fidgety sleeper).

So Louise goes off to settle him, but stays down there on the futon. When I get up at 5:45 they’re both still awake.

Might be an interesting evening…

Things moving at the corner of my eyes this morning; not enough sleep. Must try harder to stop. Jude was in a bad mood on the way home from school & decided to remain so for some time… Not unil after tea & a Kitkat that I brought back fro the swimming pool after Eve’s lesson did he become more loving & playful. I dunno – as Louise says; it’s something from the transition from school to home that seems to throw his equilibrium.

Eve was a star: she did her homework, she was in a buoyant mood, had a good swim, practised her 7 times table & did some quite complicated sums & was generally good company, so got good attention.

Forgot to give Esme a parting kiss & hug this morning – that may have been a mistake… I’ve not been in her good books so much yesterday & this morning (not doing what she wants when she wants it because… well, because…)

Tired this morning – that fog brain thing I get whin I don’t get enough sleep. Esme didn’t sleep well & spent a deal of time kicking about – which is not comfortable when she’s lying next to you.

One day we’ll have the bed to ourselves.

Jude started term with a bit of a bang… They’re starting their history thing & the class learned about the Black Death… It seems a vivid picture projected onto the whiteboard seems to have lodged firmly into his imagination & it sounds a s though he’s nearly had a panic attack about getting ‘black hands’. (There was someone with black hands in the picture). He had his inhalers with him (because of the cold – it is very cold at the moment) & was in need of them. He also needed to sit with Eve at lunch & Louise needed to sit with him for 15 mins in the library (?) after dropping Esme off at playgroup. As I say – his imagination was somewhat transfigured. After some chat & reassurance at bedtime he seems to have slept OK last night. Was not needful of further night time reassurance.

hmm – ok – I was going to write this morning, but I don’t feel much in the way of what I’m supposed to write. I managed to sleep in all beds last night… sigh.
Eve did well at one point – she got out of bed to go to the toilet. She’d decided she needed to go & was off. No protest about the situation – no fuss no bother… that was nice. Back to bed & asleep… wow.
I scampered back to our own bed – only to go downstairs for some medicine for Jude who was running a temperature. Next thing I know Jack’s crying out – so It’s down to him. He’s had a ‘sad dream’ – which he actually tells me about – that Eve had broken her forearm – right hand side from the way he pointed at his. Drifting off to sleep & then he announces he needs a wee as well. Heck, for some reason does not like the cupboard in the bathroom, & thus does not like to go to the bathroom unaccompanied sometimes. He did go to sleep again with little bother & I retired to the futon in the back room as I noticed by my alarm clock that I only had as much sleep as I could grab in half an hour.
Hmmm – well – I’ve slept better.

Happy birthday to me!

What did I get? I dunno – I ain’t seed no post yet. I have bought myself various bits & bats – glasses OSX & all that – so I can hardly feel neglected. I got Louise a card as it is our anniversary as well.
I failed to get Ralphie’s present off to him. Going around in a daze these past few days has not been conducive to remembering to do anything past responding to what’s in front of me; will try to do that today.

Eve slept better last night – in that she did wake up & she did howl – but she stooped howling & went to sleep. Jack slept through again. Bed time was a little less stressful as although Jack was in a hyper mood again (had an enormous tea – completely into food at the moment – his body is up to something to demand this) he was also in a very sweet mood & he played very well with Eve. His play has changed a lot this year. He is much more into initiating ‘imaginative play’ whereas he used to want you to take the lead, he now takes it with Eve, & Eve is well into it (she’s always been good at pretend play).

Jude is still not well. He is better, but not well & apt to getting a little bit of a temperature still.

Jack was a little disappointed to have only the one chapter of Pinocchio read to him. He is very into this rendition of the story (which is good) as he was really rooting for Pinocchio to be a ‘good boy’ when the ass drawn coach drew up & tempted him to go to Boobyland. He voiced his disappointment at Pinocchio’s decision to jump aboard.

Eve cried & cried again last night – twixt 02:45 & 03:15.

I forgot Louise’s hot chocolate before bed.

I am starting to amble along in a wakeful state – but not an especially efficient wakeful state.

Jack was hyper at bedtime & took a long time to coax to sleep. Choice of book not that good at the moment – it being Pinocchio (it’s a bit exciting) but then he was rapt by the telling & was difficult before bed – not in bed.

Jude saw a ‘health visitor’ yesterday & it seems it’s most likely he has rubella at the moment. He can get quite a temperature – so we try to control that. The rash is fading somewhat & he’s never especially been ‘off’ with it. He’s eating better now – whereas last week he was having trouble keeping anything down (to the extent he was once sick at the introduction of food into the mouth). It seems that may have been ‘another virus’ that has been doing the rounds, but he’s over that one. Hopefully over this one soon.

Louise is slowly getting better – is very bunged up still.

Right – after that somewhat perfunctory typing I shall cease & sleep a bit, i think.

A quick type as it’s likely I will surrender the space of a seat next to me in a stop or 2.

Eve woke up yesterday morning with no bleat of tears; quiet & accepting. Granted, she could probably hear me cleaning my teeth in the bathroom or something, so she just came to me.

Last night before I went to bed she woke up. I knew this, not from her banshee howl, but from a sigh; a deep exhale. I popped upstairs to find her sitting on her bed, & she smiled as I came to her to settle her to sleep again.

In the night a storm of screams rose again. She got & & screamed up the stairs. I got her to bed & she screamed…. fell asleep, screamed, fell asleep… screamed… and again, and again.
sigh
I plonked her on the toilet for a wee & she screamed. I put her back in bed & she screamed… & fell asleep… & protested…. & slept.
She’s been ‘dry’ at nights for a long time & as we’ve used up all the pull ups & nappies she now has neither through the night. She’s quite pleased about this.

Oh, & she screamed when she woke up this morning as well.

Train Home

Not that I could not have typed on the train in – I had a seat at which I could type, I had no one sitting next to me & I had a good nights sleep. For the 1st time in… um.. rather a long time, both Jack & Eve slept all through the night without shouting for attention. Wow!
Jude cried a fair bit as we were going to sleep. Not really sure what the matter was – he didn’t especially seem to want to be comforted, & we kinda concluded he was hungry – but would not really settle well for a feed. Still – he did settle in the end… with a feed…

Putting things on the web falls behind again – but it’s been a hectic week. Maybe plough out some time next week.

Present OS annoyance is that my digital camera will not work with OSX. It seems that it should & there seem to be drivers – but it won’t have it. Bah. More the problem is my lack of time to investigate at the moment.

There are more amusing anecdotes to impart. Again – they have evaporated since Louise told me & I come to type. Actually I know my memory holds them, but I cannot grasp them from the fog of here & now.

Train Home

Ha ha – what fun it was this morning – with the train cancelled & the next one no longer running while North Western Trains are in industrial dispute (overtime ban?) the train to work arrived some 40 mins after the one I usually get. No tying – it’s crowded by the time it reaches us.
That may all sound bitter – but I take it all with a pinch of salt really – why should I worry if I’m a little late for work? I still get to sit & I get to read & no one bothers me. I kinda enjoy the farcical nature of it all.

Jack slept a bit better last night – in that he slept…
He went to sleep relatively easy in the evening as well. Counter to expectations Jack & Eve were not really that fractious. Eve was a bit on the hysterical side, but then she does get a mess of tears & shrieks when she gets over tired. Jack did wake up in the night again. I don’t recall what he complained about. I seem to think that he asked whether today was a ‘school day’ – to which it could not be denied – yes. He then was in need of a cuddle & then got one. He then also got a few pokes <jab-jab-jab> on the eyelid as I noticed that he had his eyes open a crack – so, naturally I poked them closed. He complained that it hurt… OK! – OK! – I’m a bad dad. Mitigation: I was sleepy yer honour – stupid things make much more sense when you your brain is not engaged. He does have a sensitive eyelid at the moment. It sometimes gets a little swollen… I wonder what that’s about?
Louise’s nephew called to say ‘tara’ yesterday evening – he’s off to New Zealand for… well – I dunno how long for. He’s got a job & accommodation lined up & everything. I don’t think he’s yet 19 (I may be wrong) but that is such a good example of landing on your feet. I’m well impressed. Louise had a chat with her sister as well – it seems that we get their mum’s good side at the moment in comparison. She is getting her for Xmas as well, while we scuttle off to see my mum & dad (Hurah! – I’ve spoken to my dad &he can give us a lift!). It has been conceded that we should really have her to stay next year.

I can’t really think of much more to add in writing – so I should shut up. It all seems like one long round of sleep derived mutterings at the moment

Everyone awake as I left the house this morning… well… Eve was nearly asleep. Everyone was awake when I got up this morning.
Jack claimed a bad dream at @03:17 & did not settle. I’d be drifting off to sleep & he’d wake me with another plea of some form that I’d sleepily try to placate. Obviously I do a bad job or he’d sleep. At @04:20 I decided that I’m doing a bad job & go & get Louise to swap to see if that goes any better as I do need some more sleep & I can’t see the situation changing. I get some sleep until 05:30 when Jude stirs & my alarm goes off (in that order). Nyurg – time to get up. Unfortunately it seems that Louise has fared little better – if not worse as Eve woke up as well. All downstairs at 05:30 – sheesh!
I get my shower & all that as the usual routine with added baby hanging onto leg when doing the breakfast. Jack starts to falter & the telly goes on. He is going to remain awake now.
It could well be a grumpy evening.

I did not do well getting home yesterday. I was doing a little pottering (& dithering) in town; got an album & some groceries. Went to catch a train & found it cancelled. The next train was crowded & hot. I didn’t notice Todmorden go past until it was too late & had to get off at Hebden Bridge to go back the other way.
Silly.
At least I was able to use Louise’s mobile phone to call her to let her know how dim I was.

Right – well – as might be suspected I am tired… typing stop & I might try some passive reading – some vacant staring into space or some grateful sleeping. Such fun can be had sitting on a train to work.