Tuesday, October 23, 2007

Transitions

Short one this week! We have had several 'transitions' hit us all at once - transitioning from 2 kids to three, Billy transitioning from two sleeps a day to one and Erin transitioning to being a big school kid doing some phonics work every day. So at the moment the routines are in constant 'tweaking' mode trying to work out what still works and what doesn't. Add to this a trip to the mainland to see my Granny before she goes in for surgery next Monday and it makes for one rather flat out mama!! I really need to get everything done before I sit down at the end of the day too because once I sit down, Jon usually has to wake me up to send me to bed!

Erin:
is now a big school girl!! She started writing 'letters' and has been showing an interest in reading herself so we have started doing a page a day of 'school work'. We combine it with lots of good books and conversation ("what does Billy start with Mummy?") and she seems to be thriving on the one on one. Of all of my kids, she seems to want the most attention and sometimes resorts to very "look at me, I'm 3!!" behaviour. I don't like to reward that behaviour, even when it is particularly funny (i.e. removing all her clothes during nap time and then jumping out and yelling "surprise!!") so her 'school work' is a great way for her to have the attention she seems to crave. Her hair is needing to be tied back every day now or she looks like an Old English Sheepdog with the hair flopping over her eyes. She looks very cute in pigtails though! As always she is my bright, bubbly little girl and she is trying so hard to be good and obedient and soaking up anything and everything like a sponge at the moment it is a pleasure to see.

Erin quotes:

Erin: can I talk to you Mummy?
Mummy: Yes sweetheart, what do you want to talk about
Erin: Me.
(She's honest I guess!)

(on finding her naked in bed at nap time)
Erin: I'm naked!!
Mummy: Yes, I see that, why are you naked??
Erin: Because I took all my clothes off!!
(You just can't argue with that logic!)

Billy:
is turning into a couch potato. We rarely have TV on, but I have been making use of it recently because things have been so topsy turvey. It helps entertain short people until tea is ready when tea is running late and Mummy is frazzled!! Anyway, if I look like I may be turning on the TV, he runs and gets Erin's little fold out foam couch and sits down with his eyes glued to the screen!
He seems to be skipping words and going straight to sentences. When he had finished his tea the other night he turned to me and said "Mmmmeeee ahhh finniii" which translates to "Mummy, I'm finished!".
Billy is actually the least adaptable of my kids at the moment and he really gets emotional when there are changes to the routine or environment, so he hasn't been coping well with Mummy being out of routine. He gets very tired and emotional by the end of the day and if tea is late we often get a series of tantrums which I am not sure how to manage - other than applying the usual consequences at the time and trying to get tea ready on time in future! It will be interesting to see how he copes with the trip to the mainland.

Christopher:
smiles and LAUGHS!! Still sleeping and eating like a champ. He has finally gotten rid of most of the baby acne so his bum is now REALLY as smooth as a baby's bottom!! He has a slight strawberry birth mark on the back of his head, but nothing huge. He is a bright, happy little baby. We spent some time outside on the lawn today in the sun getting some fresh air and then he fell asleep in the sling while I hung out the washing.


The house:
the kitchen has always been my hot spot. I love cooking in it, hate cleaning it! I also find it hard to make a good time to empty and fill the dishwasher as I need to go too and fro from the laundry and kitchen which involved going through the garage. When Billy helps, he often gets distracted and tries to play with Daddy's tools! So the kitchen is a bit of a bomb site and I have been flat out because of that. I can't quite seem to get completely on top of it. Jon is out tonight though, so I will use this time to tackle it properly!

Jess


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Lilypie Baby Ticker

Lilypie Baby Ticker

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