Our Evening With Charlie

Following the lovely wedding of Ant and Emma last Saturday - where Jamie got to spend the afternoon with Will and then had tea with the girls - I organised a night around at ours so we could all meet Charlie.   Charlie is my cousins daughter who was born 18months ago. As they live in Australia this was the first time we had met her. The first time I saw her was walking down the aisle with Emma at the service. As Noah and Jamie did not go to the wedding and Charlie went to bed shortly after the meal it was nice for us all to get together.   Luckily the weather was nice enough that all the children could play outside. This gave us all chance to mingle and chat. When they all came in Jamie and Charlie did some painting with Jon. It was a lovely evening and I wonder when we will get to see Charlie again and her unborn brother Ruben - whose due date is my birthday in January!!

 

 

Changing Television

After a few months of not actually having any time to watch much TV at all, and then a letter from SKY coming to announce an increase in our monthly subscription we decided to cancel and with a one off payment went free view!

To be honest we have not missed it - and all the extra channels - at all.

After a few days of being told he could not watch Umizoomi and Ben and Holly, Jamie has not mentioned them again.  Milkshake on Channel 5 shows a lot of programmes from Nick Junior - including Peppa Pig - so I have been recording them for him.

I did try and get a DVD of  Umizoomi (as I thought it was quite educational) but have been unable to get a copy that is compatible with my (British) DVD player!

What we do love - which we never had before - is the On Demand TV, so we can watch most programmes when we want if we forget to record them. 

One drawback is that Jamie has realised this fact and so demands the same episodes over and over; Show Me Show Me: Pizza, and Justin's House: Little Monsters Birthday!!

Why? Why? Why?

Why is the sky blue? Why do I have to go to bed? Why are there wars? Why do people get hiccups? Why do I have to eat my dinner before my pudding? Why do people die? Why do cats have fur? Why do I have to go to school? Why mustn't you pick your nose in public? Why do you always make that funny face when I keep asking you questions?

Small humans ask a lot of questions. It's how they aim to make sense of the world (good luck with that one) and it's entirely natural. It can also be entirely exasperating at times for parents whose offspring clearly expect them to be experts in everything.

Let me ask you a question of my own, though, one fairly grown-up human to another. Do you think that in general children's answer-seeking makes them happy or unhappy? I suspect it's the former, don't you?

When you're preoccupied with attempting to understand life, you probably have little time left to mope and ruminate. Noticing the world around you and attempting to work it all out is pretty much a full-time job for kids, who on the whole (you may have noticed) tend to take a positive view of things.

Of course, it would be over-simplistic (or would it?) to suggest that acting like a kid is a good mental health strategy, but I'm sure there's value in remembering a few of the things you did naturally when you were knee-high to a grasshopper.

Rather than simply taking everything around you at face-value, why not relive the feeling of being intensely curious? Study things as if for the first time. Take notice. Ask questions. It's what you did as a youngster, so what's to stop you doing so again?

www.moodscope.com/blog/why-why-why

Baby Blog 31

Congratulations to Tracey and Jack.
Baby girl Shinman born about 2pm, 24th September 2012, weighing  8lb 8oz. 
No name as yet!    A new cousin for Jamie.....

Rip It Up!!

Recently borrowed Rip It Up by Richard Wiseman, published by Macmillan (2012) from the library.  This book presents a new insight into feeling better about yourself.  The main thrust of the book is to 'act as if' it was really that way. 

So smile, laugh; even when you don't feel like it.  You soon will feel happy! 

Acting in a relaxed and calm way produced relaxed and calming thoughts.

Acting as if you are not afraid, the situation quickly ceases to become associated with any sense of anxiety.

Tell yourself you are in a great mood, are successful, can do something and it will be so.  It's positive thinking + 1.

Change your behaviour and your behaviour will change your mind!  (It says here....)

Additional Pre-School

Jamie started pre-school on the 5th September.  This has meant a lot of change (for all of us) but I am sure he is finally settling down.  When I picked him up the other day, I casually asked whether he had had a sleep.   I am glad to hear they don't do naps in pre-school!  This means Jamie comes home very tired in an evening.  The trick is to keep him moving til bed time; as if we don't keep him active and let him just watch TV or lie on the bed, he has a tendency to 'wake up' about 9pm!!

I did finally find out why he initially didn't like pre-school.  Apparently its because they tell me off...

He has - up until now - only  been using 4 of his 5 pre-school sessions so I asked last week if there were any spare places.  I had initially asked for Thursday morning - as I thought it might make things easier for Nana - but daddy was upset that it would mean he would not see Jamie on a Thursday.  As it turned out they did not have any spaces free on a Thursday anyway.  They did however, have a space on Monday morning...

Once we come back from Butlins he will be attending on a Monday morning. I am sure he will love this as his 'new best freind' Archie does Mondays!!

Who is (still) sleeping in my bed?

Whisper it very quietly, but Jamie is still sleeping in our bed.  I know, I know, he is well over 3 now and still continues to spend every night in our bed.  

The trouble is that he now thinks this is normal, and I worry that making him sleep in his own bed will only make him feel we don't love him....

But, after an awful night on the Saturday; where I had hardly any sleep due to little feet, we decided to put Jamie in his own bed from then on.  I have had a star chart for a few weeks that I had made by the same lady who made the Fireman Sam chart.  This worked for toilet training, so we sat Jamie down and explained that we needed him to sleep in his own bed and that every time he did we would give him a sticker.  Once the chart was full - 10 stops with 3 stars on each - Jamie could have a trip to the Toy Shop!! 

Daddy was on earlies the week beginning the 10th September so we started on the Sunday night.  Initially we agreed that it would be TV up to 7pm only and then after that it was books - in Jamie's bed!

We managed to get Jamie to at least start off in his bed - even if he didn't end up there.  However, there was one night (the Wednesday that Jamie was sent home from Nursery) when we were woken up at 1am to the sounds of Jamie sobbing.  When I went in he was inconsolable and I had to try and explain that mummy and daddy did love him, it wasn't that we didn't want him in bed with us, it was just he was getting too big!  Of course I let him sleep the rest of the night with us....  After that he kept saying that he would not kick anymore and, to be honest when he was in bed with us, he didn't!

I think daddy found it quite hard work; one night finding Jamie standing outside our door, afraid to come any further into the room.  It was a very difficult week; only helped with daddy showing old Fireman Sam's on his mobile. 

Of course Friday night both Grandad and Uncle Paul came for a visit so it was well past 9pm before he went to bed!!  And then the weekend came....

And then Daddy was on lates again, which meant mummy was not very strict.  She just likes Jamie in bed with her!!   Daddy is not happy that mummy has reversed last weeks 'training' - not to mention Jamie's 3 stars!!

"But I like Cuddles, Mummy."  Mummy likes cuddles too!!

12 Steps to Happiness...

Do more activities that truly engage you. At home and at work, seek out more challenging and absorbing experiences in which you “lose yourself,” experiencing what researchers call flow.

Savour life’s joys. Pay close attention to life’s momentary pleasures and wonders through thinking, writing, or drawing, or by sharing them with others.

Learn to forgive. Keep a journal or write a letter in which you work on letting go of anger and resentment toward someone who has hurt or wronged you.

Practise acts of kindness. Do good things for others—whether friends or strangers, directly or anonymously, spontaneously or planned.

Nurture relationships. Pick a relationship in need of strengthening, and invest time and energy in healing, cultivating, affirming, and enjoying it.

Cultivate optimism. Keep a journal in which you imagine and write about the best possible future for yourself, or practise looking at the bright side of every situation.

Avoid over-thinking and social comparison. Use strategies (such as distraction) to cut down on how often you dwell on your problems, and guard against comparing yourself to others.

Develop strategies for coping. Practise ways to endure or surmount a recent stress, hardship, or trauma.

Count your blessings. Express gratitude for what you have—either privately, through contemplation or journaling, or to someone else—or convey your appreciation to people whom you’ve never properly thanked.

Strengthen your spiritual connections. Religious and spiritual people are happier, perhaps because of the social connections they get through their community.

Commit to your goals. Pick one, two, or three significant goals that are meaningful to you, and devote time and effort to pursuing them.

Take care of your body. This could mean exercise, of course, but also meditating, smiling, or laughing.


Thanks to Stacey Kennelly at: http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/sonja_lyubomirskys_happiness_habits

Home Early...

Feeling a bit under the weather at the moment and so didn't go to work this afternoon!

Good job really, as the nursery rang.  When I saw it was them I immediately thought it was due to Jamie's cough (again) as he has been coughing a bit the last few days.  We both have the snots but at the moment I have been spared the cough.

Turns out they were worried as he had been saying he wanted the toilet all afternoon (they rang just before 3pm) but although he kept going, he never actually went.  I went to pick him up just as he emerged from the toilet - successful at last!!

I had a chat to one of the ladies from pre-school and we wondered whether it could be related to his move to pre-school.  He has been fine at home for weeks now, and has previously 'been' at nursery.  The only recent difference has been his move to pre-school.

Home now and all snoozing....

Happy Birthday Noah!!

"My New Best Friend"

Apparently, Archie is Jamie's "New Best Friend". 

I asked who is old best friend was, but Jamie simply repeated that Archie was his New Best Friend.

First Day At Pre-School

"I don't like it.  I want to go back to Nursery".

I kept asking why this was, but Jamie wouldn't elaborate....

Amelia - who is his keyworker in the Dragonfly Group - had a chat with all the parents as they picked up their children.  Jamie was shattered and she said he had been late going into the Pre-School room as he had been asleep.  This meant he had been a bit mardy when he did go into Pre-School.

Hopefully, its just the change he doesn't like.  All his friends are there, and Tilley will be joining him in the mornings, so there will be even more people he knows.

As for mummy, I can't believe he has started Pre-School.  In a years time it will be Primary School.  Which reminds me, I need to start thinking about which one!

Blog Baby 30

Luke James Malpass born at 3.47pm, 5th September 2012, 5 pounds 10, Caesarian, mum and baby fine....

Weekend With Lucy

Just had (another) fun packed weekend with Lucy.  Lucy et al didn't arrive til lunch time on the Saturday but the weather was lovely so we had an afternoon in Jamie's Park.  Later on I suggested a walk to the Millenium Green to feed the ducks and geese as I had a load of bread that was past it best!  We all had a lovely walk around the lake and had a laugh at being chased by the geese.  Then we walked back to the park next to the green.  Jamie and Lucy made loads of new friends who were also playing in the park and we all stayed out past 7 o'clock as the sun was glorious.

Once we got back we had a chinese takeaway and tried to watch the first episode of Dr Who, but we were all shattered and it was an early night for all.

Sunday we were up early and off to a car boot; which auntie Chrissie always loves for the bargains, and Jamie and Lucy love as there is a little park there.  It was really hot as we walked round, but I got a few more DVD's for Jamie - Dangermouse and Jamie and the Magic Torch - as well as a few Halloween goodies.

After a quick stop for a cuppa we went to see Nanna.  It was lovely to see her, as she was so much better than the last time we went, and I got some lovely group photos.  We took (and made) her a very tasty chicken dinner, and all had a lovely afternoon in her garden playing Butthead.   Lucy and Jamie hardly fell out at all.  There were just a few pushing incidents.  I think Jamie's daddy got most of the bruises though when everybody decided it would be a good idea to use him as a bouncy castle!

The weekend may have started later than usual, but it went on til late Sunday night as on the way back from Nannas we visited Dr Who's Tardis.  Then when we got back to our house Dean got the water bombs out and everyone had a great time getting very wet and collecting even more bruises!!

Can't wait for Butlins in 4 weeks....