Just one of those days

Warning: this post contains bodily fluids. There are no pictures though – you’re welcome!

Today was a not so great day. Most parents will tell you that a day with a sick child is not good, and they would of course be right. I was lucky this time, Henry was not well but the biggie smalls were fine and so could go to school. This luck would, however, bite me on the butt.

So the day started at 5:45am. This sounds bad, but is actually not too far a deviation from the norm here. If you are awake at 5:45 and listen really carefully you’ll probably occasionally hear sobbing. That’s the sound of a tired mother. I digress. Henry was wiggling in his cot, but happy. He’s often quite contented to lay in his cot, playing with the bars and blankets. So I uncovered him and put him in our bed (he thrashes noisily in the cot and I was tired). Not 10 seconds later, both Rich and I sit up, eyes wide.

Rich: “Has he pooed?!” Now, this question insinuates that I have previously passed a dirty-butted child to him without his knowledge. I can’t promise that I haven’t done that, I literally am not sure of what has occurred at that beastly hour in the past.

Me: “I didn’t think so, check him.”

Both: “ughh/*gag*/what happened?!

Seriously, the smell was hideous. It was everywhere. Thankfully the speed at which the smell hit us meant none actually got on our bed, but his was baaaad. So we got up and started cleanup, while he literally laughed at us. by 6:15, he was all wiped up and in the bath. By 6:30, both big brothers had jumped in too – why waste a bath? By 7, they were all mostly dressed – Sam was topless due to no clean school shirt. I got the boys breakfast and Rich got ready for work. An early, messy smelly start, but still, the day could improve. I got a load of washing done, windows open and rooms sprayed. The day was salvaged.

Rich came down and said goodbye, hugs and kisses, and off he popped. Everyone was fine, and I went and showered and dressed. By the time I was done it was past 8am and we needed to get ready to go. I realised Henry had not eaten and we had 5 minutes to spare so I headed into the kitchen to feed him when he coughed. I froze a second too soon and he was sick onto the living room carpet. I figured I might as well stay in one place and contain it so I waited it out. When he stopped it was all down him and a bit on me.

This is where I thought that the day is ruined. I changed him and we had NO time left. I wiped myself off (ew but how fab are baby wipes!) threw on a coat, and realised the carpet would have to wait. We left and hurried to school and got there just in time, popped to the shop for more carpet cleaner and stain remover and off home to deal with the carpet and the mountain of laundry, and scrub a mattress.

Here’s where the good parts come – snuggles. Henry was very clingy and tired so I got to have lots of cuddles. Second good part – I didn’t have to cook because I couldn’t, when I put Hen down, he screamed. Third good part – When my kids are ill it turns on a sort of autopilot. I am immediately better organised because there are gross piles of washing to be done and a mattress to clean and no time to do it in. Unfortunately this does not last once they’re better. Rich complimented me on not breaking down when he got home and fourth good part – ordered me chinese food.

The afternoon went mostly ok, then came the school-going-butt-bite. Ethan informed me that he now likes school dinners. How does he know? well he had one today, because when he opened his lunch box, it was empty. How embarrassing is that?! Not only empty, but had yesterday’s lunch wrappers in too. Turns out that our fun morning shake up of the routine meant that Rich forgot to make his lunch, and I forgot to check it before we left. Oh and I also left our front door key in the lock while off on the school run.

Tomorrow we start fresh, I’m requesting well boys (but who still want to snuggle) and an extra parent please. Luckily it’s Thursday so Rich will be at home and I’ll get atleast one of those.

Sam the Schoolboy

We were lucky enough to be offered a space for Sam at the nursery attached to Ethan’s school before Christmas to start after the break. He went in for a practise session and was less than impressed with me stopping him playing with Postman Pat to get a picture. He also pretty much refused to leave after the hour when no one else was leaving and he’d just discovered a box of Thomas tracks.

He started afternoons just after the Christmas break and loved it, as you can see he was just a tad excited to be off. He’s been having a blast and has finally accepted, on seeing it written down on his name card, that his name is Samuel, not just Sammy. He also shared a class with at least two other Sams, so points for originality, me!

Last week we were offered the chance to move him to mornings as I had asked if it would be possible in September when the rest of Nursery will move up to year one and he’ll be staying on another year. I said yes and it was all arranged in a day and we swapped over. 

The first day we went in, and he hung up his coat and bag and grabbed his name from the board. Then he looked around, turned to me and said “Mummy, where is Sammy with the black glasses?” I had a horrible sinking feeling, and sure enough, when I explained that Sammy was in the afternoon class and he was now in the morning class, the lip came out.

I felt terrible, and he followed me to the door and asked to come home again. I convinced him to stay with the promise of Thomas trains from his teacher and a fudge from me on the way home. Fortunately he has settled back in fine and loves it again.

Now to the matter at hand, HOW is he old enough for a school uniform? He looks ridiculously cute in it, but he really loves school, even if he gets tired easier and is a bit of a grump in the afternoons. That’s one of the benefits of mornings – he can nap after if necessary, and if he happens to nap at the same time as this lively fella…

Well, then the afternoon silence is absolutely miraculous.

First Day at School, and a not quite so sucessful second morning.

Yesterday was Ethan’s first day at school, and he was very excited! He’s got a new classroom (his nursery class was at the same school) and teacher, and some of his friends are there. I asked him what he wants be be when he’s a grown up. His answer this year? Batman. I suppose it’s attainable, batman is after all a regular guy under all the gadgets, no superpowers!

 He’s not particularly impressed that he has to sit and his table and do a pencil skills worksheet before he can play though. He gets to have lunch at school though, which he’s very excited about.

He also gets to do PE. Yesterday we took his PE bag in to school and he was quite upset that he doesn’t get to bring it home everyday. He came home absolutely exhausted and fell asleep in the car on the way to do the shopping, which will hopefully not be a regular occurrence! He also got a treat in the afternoon for going to school so well, a Batman jumper he’s been after for a while, nicely tied in with his goals!

Today has been a different story. He was not excited, he was grumpy. My guess is he was still tired as he woke up in the night too and they are both early risers. His lunch was not right, even though he chose crackers cheese and mini sausages instead of a sandwich last night. He didn’t want his coat, but then cried because his ears were cold. He wanted to be carried to school. He most definitely did NOT want to sit and do his worksheet (tracing circles today) because that would take him up til register time and he wanted to play. Because it’s Thursday, Rich was working from home and so came on the school run with us, so then he was upset because Daddy had to go (not Mummy you’ll notice. what am I chopped liver?!) When we left he was sitting on one of the teachers lap crying. It’ll be a long day all round I fear.

Also we decided to take Sam in his reins rather than the pushchair. This was a Mistake – note the capitalisation! He normally stays in the pushchair just outside the door, but of course came in and then wanted to play. When we left, he started to scream. He screamed all the way home (sounds worse than it is, it’s a 3 minute walk) and then threw himself on the floor and screamed for 30 minutes. It took cuddles from Daddy (again, he wouldn’t have me – chopped liver) and his dummy to calm him down, but only when he decided.

I think today might be a 2 nap day. possibly 3 if you count Ethan, as I doubt he’ll make it to bedtime. Le sigh. Oh well, perhaps they’ll surprise me and it’ll be fine. Perhaps I’ll be blessed with massive reserves of patience today (please please!). Maybe it’ll be fine. Maybe I should go and make dinner now (9:45) so that it’s one less thing to worry about later. Yes, I think that’s the one that will come true.

In other news, yesterday I noticed in Asda that The Hunger Games is out on DVD. In a special edition double disc with mockingjay necklace. I already have a mockingjay pin on my bag, so I don’t need it do I. Le sigh nouveau.