Archives: swimming

Don’t half feel better.
I had to give up the thought of going to work last Friday as I was feeling right horrid. My tongue was starting to swell up a bit as well. It was painful to move it too much, so it was very difficult to eat – to the point where I judged it better not to. I managed to get an early doctor’s appointment & as suspected, it was a salivary gland infection of some form. I said that I thought it was rather like what Louise had, & he agreed, & gave me the same treatment – a course of antibiotics. Homeward bound was hard work – cold & wearing. Got in – took tablets, fall onto the bed determined to get more sleep. Louise woke me later returning with Jude. Chatted, Jude fell asleep & I was left to fall asleep with him while Louise went to get Eve from playgroup. Ah whatever – with Eve in the house that was my last snooze for the day. I’m sure I must have been starting to improve as by Saturday I was OK enough to go on a much needed expedition to the shops (Xmas is coming after all).

Sunday, & I was basically feeling fine – feeling better than I have in a long while in fact. I wake with one heck of a (hangover style) headache, but that fades soon enough.

We went swimming (Jack & I). He can do the backstroke (at quite a pace) but not swim unaided on his front as yet. There is one more ‘duckling’ class & then he’s onto a Thursday evening class next year; something a bit more difficult. It would be pointless he repeating what he’s done so far in this class again.

Jude is better – well- he was last week as I was in decline. He’s giggling & smiling more & is the happy soul he usually is. Mind you – he basically was when he was at his spottiest. The spots & blotches are fading well. You’d hardly know that they were there. The doctor I saw asked after him as he was due to see him on the… I think it would have been the Tuesday evening when we thought that he was getting better & called to cancel – then regretted it later when more spots came again.

Hah – this machine would hardly work this morning (the eMate on which I type) as I’d filled it so with all my waffling. I deleted a stack (to free up the memory stack). I’ll concede I need to look at deleting some apps I don’t really need either.

On Friday last week they came to fit the new windows in our house. They took just the one day to do it. They did rather a good job. It’s all rather gratifying. I was sceptical about moving to PVC double glazing, but it has made quite a difference to the aspect of the rooms – they seem much more light & airy without the heavy coloured wood of the previous windows. The Kitchen door is rather pleasant as well. We have not done the windows in there as we are looking to change the room round before we do that – but the door is such an improvement. We decided to have a big window on the door to let in more light & it works a treat.

Been quite a good weekend. Jack’s was a bit cocky on Saturday, but we put that down to the fact that he refused to have any breakfast. By the time we were going out he’d got himself cranky (& was demanding food – but we were going out!). Got present for Leila’s birthday party – forgot most things – back home & off to the party in the pouring rain. We arrived half an hour late, but it was the best we could manage & it was to little ill effect. Jack was not keen to join in musical bumps & other party games. Whether this was because we were late or because… it’s not what he likes (not a great one for competition sometimes – he comes over shy all of a sudden) I don’t know. He was happy enough to join in hide & seek & run around like a mad thing though. I wheezed about the place a bit as i had forgotten to bring my inhaler. I’ve been more reliant on it the last week after hardly using it for ages. I have a cough. Got soaked on the way home as the rain was even worse. Paced quite well as not to get too out of breath though.

Took Jack swimming on Sunday morning. He’s starting to have lessons – this being the second now. He really, really likes going swimming. He enjoys himself to the extent where he doesn’t really listen to the instructor sometimes. I have to strain my ears to listen to what she is saying. Did backstroke & practiced getting legs straight & kicking well – which Jack managed fine. I seem to recall that I was happier swimming on my back to start with. I never was that coordinated & it’s nice & simple on yer back. That breast stroke… eesh – all those odd arm & leg movements.

Off to Leeds for the afternoon – & pottered about very easily. Pleasant bit of consumerism & then home. Yeah – that went well.

Yeay – my parents came a visiting yesterday. Was very good to see them. Jack was kept in the dark about it & I had just got both he & Eve downstairs & settled in when there was a knock at the door. “Is it Neil & Jess?” he asked. He may have heard Louise & I talking of something going on the day before & maybe was having a good guess… almost right…
Had a very good day. There was no rushing off early this time – they stayed around a nice long while – all day! No stress & so forth. We did not opt to go rushing off to Skipton or anything as, for a start Eve was not that well still (& is still not better this morning). She was a lot perkier, but not 100% & certainly not well enough for a car journey of any distance. Went to Hebden Bridge for lunch & that was about it. It’s a shame… Eve is rarely unwell, but when mum & dad come it seems to coincide. At least her temperature is more under control. We think she has met a quite nasty cold just at the same time as a bit of teething is starting up or the teething is exacerbating the cold – either way one seems to multiply the other & she’s not having a good time of it. Still she manages to be happy most of the time, she’s just rather fragile. Jack seems to be at least hitting the cough/cold side of things this morning (all awake before I left which was too early). I don’t know if Louise is going to manage to get him off to school, but it could prove a bit of a difficult day if not – fragile Eve & Jack being… less accommodating because he is not feeling great & is suffering a lack of sleep. Oh, & not forgetting Jude who is on a ‘feed me’ session at the moment. He was insatiable last evening/night, but then he sleeps mostly through…. Weird. Good, but weird; you don’t expect a 3 week old baby to be so compliant in their sleeping.
I wonder when Jack will master the art of sleeping through? Hey ho, why bother when we don’t really mind?
Took Jack for his first ‘swim’ on Sunday Evening. I was worried Leaving Louise with an upset Eve (& a feeding Jude) but we had said to Jack that he could go if he wanted, & he wanted. It’s been a rather long time since I went swimming, so I was rather nervous as well. Still, we figured out how the changing rooms regime & were ready. Slightly perplexed by the lack of footbath, (…but there’s always a footbath…) but there was a shower thing & then you were at the pool. Goggles on & down the stairs & into the pool. Jack enjoyed it greatly. I was worried that he would not like getting his head submerged, but it didn’t worry him. I don’t think he swallowed that much water as we floundered around for half an hour or so, and he was not unduly upset by water up his nose.

The kids actually slept through last night. Jude woke to have a nappy change at 2 ish & another feed at 5ish – so all in all quite a good night’s sleep. Shame I had to get up & go to work, but reality has this nasty habit of gatecrashing your life.
Quite a good weekend, the tantrum level seems to be abating a little. We went out to Halifax on the train for a couple of hours yesterday. Not my favourite town, but it does have a couple of shops open on a Sunday, & it’s not too far. Jack seemed to really enjoy it – happy to be on the train. We managed to get him a pair of swimming trunks. Louise mentioned that we might go swimming (he & me) on Saturday. We set off for the park & the kids enjoyed a run about in the howling wind that cuts through it. We got to the warmth of the sports centre & while I waited at the desk to see if there were things we could buy, (Jack has never been swimming & it’s been years since I went – so we have no kit) Louise, (with Jude) Jack & Eve went to look at the baths. Busy on a Saturday. So then… they had no trunks for either Jack or me. Too small for me, too big for him; Jack was very disappointed & mad that ‘we’ let him down in not having what was needed, but there was not a lot that could be done. After stating that he never ever wanted to go swimming he eventually came round & walked with us & even put his coat on.
I have yet to get a pair of trunks. Once I have, I will have to dip in the pool. As it’s all going to be focussed on Jack, I will not have to worry too much about doing anything as tedious as keeping fit.
Hmmm… I’m going to miss being at home. Taking Jack to school (Thankfully we have done a couple of ‘trial runs’ so Louise if happy that if she can get Jack dressed, they will get off OK) playing with Eve & holding Jude. He’s not even been sick on me yet!
Jude is starting to look about with more focus. He is quite a content baby. He can be changed without the screaming ab-dabs. Eve could at this age as well, but Jack could not. His general reaction to things is not to cry. He can wake up & look around & not cry. He will cry, of course, but there are definite levels from pay me attention to I’m rather hungry, to AAAAAAA! The latter is rarely reached. Eve is fascinated by him & thinks it’s really funny when Louise feeds him. Jack is loving, but for the most part he knows that a baby does not do that much, so lets Louise get on with things. Neither show any sign of resentment & both like to try to kiss him occasionally.