Tuesday 5 October 2010

Phew.

This is the photo I wanted to post yestereday :-)  A very big puddle, just right for jumping in. 

So, today.

Brilliant.  Although it was a day with 2 children again; Rye is spending the day and night with his dad, and will be back tomorrow evening.   Amazingly the presence of a third child, seemed to have a calming effect.  There was no running in and out of the kitchen into the lounge, no screeching, squawking or squabbling.  Bliss.

And I simply must echo Sarah's joy in the power of singing, over on Carried Family.  I have sung my way through the day and through every tough spot.  When the little man arrived at 7:40am this morning, he was smiling, but as mum passed him over he screamed, and he wasn't as immediately distracted by Chuggington Books this time... so I sang the book, Listen, Listen.  And by jolly it worked, tears dried up and he was soon playing happily.
This picture fails to show C sat on a big floor cusion "reading" books and the new boy, A, playing with a pink car and roasting it in the oven of the playkitchen.  I was rather stunned watching them all playing so beautifully alongside each other.  Rye and C quite often  sneakily nick toys/books off each other, when the other wasn't looking - this leads to lots of squawking.. and deep breaths for me.  Absolutely none of this; and when their playing did collide, they were really sweet with each other... although admittedly Rye did take revenge on C.  She got out the little puzzle bricks to build a tower, and Rye kept knocking it over - which is exactly what she does to him - bless, her face did look outraged.

Rye's dad turned up about 9:40am; the children were all having snacks at the table - eating beautifully.  Yah, too, Rye's dad brought me down Rye's old travel cot, which is now needed I have 2 children to mind. 

I took the children out this morning in the double buggy and after running a few errands, we stopped at the park.  The children had a wonderful time - phew, I do take my hat off to all you mums with little ones close together in age - and my friend with twins.  With Rye and C, I could pretty much sit back and let them play at the park.  A is a little too young - although wow, he is wonderful at following instructions... and I've still got that new child anxiety - the one where you, as the minder, dread the child falling/bumping itself and ending up with a graze and bruises! 

Then back to the house for lunch and then naps.  Some tears from both C and A.  C has been ill so it seems to have set her back a little.  Normally I can take her up to Rye's bedroom, settle her on his beanbag bed, with her blanket, give her a kiss and leave.  But oh no, not to today, tears and histronics.  The little man decided to join in too when I laid him down in the travel cot.

So I sat on the end of the bean bag and sang.  The little man fell asleep pretty quickly. C was a little more stubborn, and did fuss when I tried to leave.  I explained to her it was naptime and that she had company because A was sleeping in the room with her... gave her a kiss and left.  Not a peep, she drifted off cuddling her long legged mouse toy. 

Hehehe, I must admit I did have a bit of a victory salute once outside the room, both kids asleep - in the same room! 

This gave me time to listen to the Paul McKenna cd, and even a wee snooze myself before the afternoon fun :-).  When C was picked up at 5:20, the little man did cry very passionately, bless him.  He obviously wanted his mummy.  Singing won out again.  He wouldn't let me comfort him with a cuddle - so I put him down, picked up a book and began singing the words again.  He soon calmed.

Then there were some more tears at bathtime - going upstairs, I think he thought I was putting him to bed, so I carried him up, popped him in Rye's room (there's a stair gate across the door), while I run the bath, singing about bath funtimes an bubbles.  Once in the bath he was a happy little soul.  Giggling as I blew bubbles off my hand and then trying to do the same himself.  Few more tears during getting dried and popped into his sleep suit (oh how I've missed the deliciousness of a squidgy cuddly toddler in a sleepsuit!), this time I just kept saying we were getting dried and nappy and dressed then coming downstairs.. and I nudged the wooden dragon hanging from the light, so it flapped its wings.  That dried up tears :-)

Once downstairs, happy little boy, although he obviously was missing him mum a lot by now and kept pointing to the window and saying, "mammamamamamam"  bless him.  She was an hour early yesterday, so he'd been expecting her since 6pm.  I kept him distracted with books, playing with lorries/buses - blowing raspberries on that delightfuly little pot belly of his, and of course we fed the Hungry Giraffe copious counters :-)

I may be rubbish at singing and I am abysmal at making up tunes... but hey, my kiddies don't care, and I am loving how the day has flowed.  I haven't shouted - heck I haven't felt irritated, needed to deep breath or anything. 

Roll on tomorrow.  Again just the 2 kids, until the evening when Rye comes back home.  To be honest, I couldn't have planned a better week for a new child starting. It's allowed all of us to adjust a bit more gradually and has made for a very successful few days :-)

6 comments:

VAL said...

I was a CM for about a year when my eldest 2 were small so more power to you honey its hard work. Reading your blog brings back some good and a few not so good memories. My kids liked the company of an 'outsider' I think they thought I had the children around for them, never in a million years did they equate it to my 'job'.

arwen_tiw said...

How lovely, what a great day. :) Gosh and three children is entertaining when they're all mine lol, I am in admiration of the much faster leap to three you have undergone!

Woolly Wanderer said...

So glad that your first week is working out well. I bet you sleep well at the end of the day, eh?
Hugs
San xx

Joxy34 said...

It is such hard work. I really did not expect it to be so; but minding is quite a bit different from parenting. I enjoy it though; sometimes it's lonely but mostly it's great fun.

Hehehe, Sarah, I can give 2 of my kids back at the end of the day though - makes coping quite a bit easier ;-)

Hehehe I was in bed pretty early again last night - annoyingly the itchy rash I suffer from, plagued me and woke me up after a few hours and it took a while to get back to sleep, so initially this morning I felt very tired... but I guess adrenalin has kept me going and this evening was lovely once Rye arrived home. The boys had a bath together and it was so sweet! Problem with childminding A is I am starting to feel exceedingly broody and really would fancy brother for rye lol.

mamaUK said...

What has happened to the purple section of your stacking rainbow? We're missing ours and I am rather afraid my little one has binned it!

Joxy34 said...

Rye left it on the windowsill where the stacking rainbow and other gnome/sun houses live :-)

We seem to have lost the green disk to the stacking disks, which has gutted me. It has to be here somewhere, surely, but I canna find it!