This is a pre-scheduled post, but you you can bet that whatever it is I am doing right now, it is not eating chocolates and reading blogs. Although since we will have just moved house I bet I am wishing it was so.
The chocolates were a gift from our new landlady, who gave them to me along with a hug when I signed the lease. I hope its a good omen.
Valerie
xxx
With just a sprinkling of mischief. That's how I am feeling about Oscar right now. Oscar turned 2 1/2 this month. 2 1/2 can you believe it? It seems like just a fleeting moment since I was holding him in my arms for the first time. As is often the way the first few months of his life went by in a blur, and then suddenly we were galloping full steam ahead. Here are some of the things I can tell you about Oscar at 2 1/2.
:~: His favorite book is The Gruffalo by Julia Donaldson, but other favorites are Tom and Lucy Go to The Seaside and An Evening At Alfie's, both by Shirley Hughes.
:~: He can count to ten, but not past it and goes back to 3, (1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,3,4,5,6).
:~:His favorite person outside the home is his big cousin L, she is aged 11 though.
:~: He has started trying to play the piano with this feet.
:~: If you ask him what he wants for dinner he always says sausages, chips and sauce, but he never really eats it
:~: His passion for witches has faded and been replaced by skulls and monksters (monsters).
:~: He is going through a mummy phase just now and wants to be with me always.
:~: He likes to replay an answering machine message from my mum over and over and has a wee chat to it.
:~: He is drawing some shapes now, squares (sometimes), circles, love-hearts and spirals (which he calls a vortex, like the bathwater down the plughole).
:~: His passion for climbing has not decreased in the slightest.
:~: He now wants to walk everywhere and hates the buggy, but cries to be carried after 10 minutes.
:~: His afternoon nap has almost petered out, but it makes for a very grumpy little guy at by about 4.30pm
:~: He tells me he loves me and hugs me with both arms and it is the personification of cuteness.
Valerie
xxx
In case you were wondering if I ever got around to knitting the Gruffalo, yes, yes I did, and Oscar loves him so. I had to pay for the pattern, but anyone wishing to make it for private use can email me for the pdf.
vl _ beattie at yahoo dot co dot uk > no spaces and in the usual format.
Tonight as I type this post, I am all alone in the bedroom, unless you count the cat on the end of the bed.
Its a very rare thing for me to be alone, because Oscar is always in my vicinity. We are approximately 50/50 with the co-sleeping I would say, and I would quite like it to stay at this level for a while. I would never lift him asleep from his bed to ours, he always starts out in his own bed and as I said, 50% of the time, wakes and is brought to our bed. I miss him when he sleeps through in his own room, despite the bed-hogging. If you co-sleep with a toddler you will know what that entails...... spine climbing, feet digging, elbow pushing and being slapped unexpectedly across the face/cheek/nose by a flailing arm. There are the other times though to compensate, when he snuggles right in and sighs contentedly half asleep when I kiss his little head. When his hand reaches out for you in the dark and you feel him physically relax as he finds your skin. Even just the soft snuffly breathing next to me can be so intoxicating. One night last week he reached out and stroked my face with the backs of his fingers and whispered 'wuff (love) you mummy'. I was almost tearful over the cuteness.
I fretted about co-sleeping in the beginning, what if I rolled on him (or Duncan did), what if it made him too clingy, too spoilt. I soon realised that if we took the proper precautions there was no need to fret about safety (more information can be found here). I also read some very compelling evidence to support infants being less clingy if they co-sleep having not developed significant separation anxiety.
We are off to the new house tomorrow and this will probably lead to a less even split for a while, and thats ok too. I am no where near to being ready to give up my night time snuggles.
The first co-sleeper cradle we had
Oscar's preferred method of using the co-sleeper
Safety - Oscar was 5 months here, we added a bed guard on this side between the co-sleeper and the foot of the bed, when he became more active during the night.
Sleeping safely in the larger co-sleeper (ahem, you get the idea).
Valerie
xxx
With one thing and another today and yesterday have been quite difficult days for both Oscar and myself. This will be my last 'live' post from this house because I think the internet will be going off some time soon, and we have not heard when its going on again in the new house. I have scheduled some posts to run over the next wee while. Its time to concentrate on my family and my new home now, so have a lovely weekend everyone. See you at the other end.
Snaps from the last few days . . . . . . . .
Valerie
xxx
3 - Days until we move into our new house.
10 - Weeks since we moved into this house.
74 - The number of hours until the removal vans arrive
100's - The number of things still to be packed.
4 - The number of boxes still to be unpacked from the last move.
17 - The number of miles from this house to the city centre.
1.75 - The number of miles from the new house to the city centre.
1 or 2 - The number of hours sleep without stress I am likely to get in the next week.
1 - The number of 2 year olds likely to hold up the packing by demanding carboard box city be built in the dining room.
2 - The number of cats likely to exercise bladder spasms due to the stress of moving (grrrr)
1 - The number of older children likely to be sulky over the enforced older child labour required in a house move.
2 - The number of beds which have broken in the past 3 days (I cant explain it).
54 - Mbps, the speed my internet claims to be running at.
12 - The speed my rural BT/Virgin media internet is probably going at.
5 - The number of schedualed post I have written for next week when my internet is off.
1 - People with cars who have offered to help us move.
Oh and while we are at it
123 - Days until Christmas 'Ho-H0-H0'
Valerie
xxx
We ran out of boxes yesterday, and so the packing ground to a halt. We have some more on their way, but today I was feeling irritated to be sitting around in a half packed messy house. Oscar on the other hand, probably didn't feel his time was wasted.
First we took a little wander into the village to the post office to pay some bills and send a parcel. Then we headed to the bank.
Then we went to the wool shop. My last time I expect, I will actually miss this little wool shop here.
Then we headed home and Oscar did some drawing and had some juice
And Mama started knitting a hat and drank some tea.
We had some very lazy lunch of Scottish mature cheddar on toast, but compensated by making some cookies for afters.
In the afternoon, Mama spent some time in the old laundry room (aka spider house), making a dent on the permanent pile of washing.
While Oscar ran about in the garden.
Mama made pea risotto for dinner which Oscar had early at 5pm because he was pooped. Oh yes, and ice cream to follow.
At the end of Oscar's day (7pm), Daddy came home and Mama ran a bath.
So, not really a wasted day at all then.
Valerie
xxx
Yesterday I had a pajama day.
If you are thinking, PJ's, sofa, mugs of tea, re-runs of the Waltons, then you would be mostly wrong, the tea bit stands true.
It was pack pack packing for us. As illustraited by my dining table at the moment.
Oscar has been fairly good about it, even though his little head must be spinning at the sight of the playroom being packed up for the 2nd time in 2 months.
Lest you think we have left the little guy with nothing to play with, we have yet to tackle the yard.
Only 5 more sleeps until we move, its making my head spin never mind Oscar's. Still, cake always helps doesnt it, and we have the left over food to use up.
Cake recipe from Kat over here
Valerie
xxx
In the grand scheme of things, our time here will possibly be remembered as a blink. As in, blink and you missed it. I am ultimately relieved that we are moving back to the city, but that doesn't mean I am plowing on ahead with no regards to anyone else. Aimee I am not too worried about, in fact due to Aimee having learning disabilities she tends to be reclusive and this quiet place possibly accommodates that too well.
My dear husband though has to endure the stress of moving again (financially, emotionally and physically), at a time when his work commitments are pressing down on him. So much so, his boss has told him he is pleased we are moving back, so he can start early and work late, (I am wearing a scowl at this comment).
Oscar of course I worry about, maybe the most. If you have been reading my blog since the beginning you may realise that Oscar is my whole world, and his well-being is a very high (but not exclusive) priority. Oscar not having a suitable nursery and not being able to travel without being sick are 2 of the main reasons for moving. I have been criticised for this, I know certain people close to me think Oscar is spoilt. They think I am giving him too much control over our lives. What can I say? I am parenting the best I can. This is what feels right to my husband and I. Oscar is disciplined, as much as we feel is appropriate for a 2 year old.
I worry about my fluctuating moods lately and the effect they have had on him. It doesn't make me soft on him, it makes me anxious. Oscar has developed a blinking/eye squinting habit, and although common sense is telling me its a habit he picked up when he was extra tired (we have 99% eliminated his afternoon nap), I cant help but worry its a nervous reaction to my moods and the past changes and threats of changes to come.
What I dont need right now is to feel critised and to know that people are saying I havent given it a chance, I should stay longer, I am pandering to a 2 year old, I am wasting money, I am thinking of myself and not Duncan.
The lease is signed, the money has been transferred, I have began packing. We ARE moving.
Valerie
xxx
Re: yesterdays post. Yes we do. We signed for the house tonigh, we get the keys in 10 days time. 10 days to get this whole house packed up. 10 days to transfer all of our paperwork, banking, medical services, and home providers (must not forget TV license this time). 10 days until we go home..........'sigh' with relief.
I went to look at another house today, in the same area as yesterday (a lovely area). The house this time was much larger inside but a 1960s build as opposed to a period property. I have to say its not my usual choice of house, but the room sizes, big garden and river views drew me in. The owner and her daughter showed me around and as we were chatting about floor coverings I pointed out my footwear. It was pouring from the heavens today so green birkens were quite inappropriate, but since I have a broken toe, they are about the only shoes I can wear. I didn't want them to think I was some sort of crazy in sandals in the rain. The conversation went,
owner -'but they are green'
me - 'yes I have a thing for green shoes, actually green is my favorite colour'
owner - 'oh my goodnes, you are a Sagittarius
me - 'em, yes I am actually'
owner - 'I knew it, so am I'
me - 'oh right ok'
owner - 'oh I knew we just clicked, I like you so much, you can have the house if your references are good. When would you like to move in?'
me - 'um, next week?'
owner - 'sure, no problem'
me - ' um'
So, I think we have a house, although I cant be sure, can I?
Valerie
xxx
So, over the weekend we had some of this
Its all good fun if you are 2 1/2, for us big people, not so much. Today we took a trip into the city to see a house. Oscar vomited in spectacular style on the bus, and we had the vague whiff of sick on us for the rest of the day. Ever single time, it re-affirms my reasons for moving.
The house we saw was in my favorite (most expensive) area, and needless to say I really liked it. Keep your fingers crossed it works out for us.
Since we were in town we decided to have lunch with my older daughter, Mum, sister and niece. Oscar loved it, he really is a social creature.
I don't know why they are looking like that?
My niece wasn't keen on being photographed, but I got one of her and Oscar later.
Of course, since we were out of the country into the city, guess what Oscar wanted to do?
Ride a tractor!
Oh yes, and I got my glasses back from the optician.
I love them
Valerie
xxx
