Warm and Fuzzy Feelings

Today has been as close to perfect as a day can get.  Just me and Little Bear having fun together.

This morning he had a bit of a temperature so I was prepared for a bit of a long and boring day, but true to form he bounced back and has been in a great mood.

We spent our whole morning playing games and doing puzzles together.  There was no moaning or stropping if he lost a game, no getting cross if he couldn’t find the place for a puzzle piece, and no constant demands for snacks – probably the biggest miracle of them all.

Our busy morning…

Little Bear then said, “I think we should go to Ropetackle for lunch”.  Well how could I refuse when this meant I would get a chicken and pesto panini?!  And he had been good so we both deserved it!

The lady in there now knows that he find cucumber slices offensive, so today she did sticks for him and the way he thanked her was incredibly cute, maybe slightly over the top considering it was just cucumber but hey, no one ever got fired for being too polite.

We then decided to head for story time at the library where once again he was amazing.  He joined in the discussions about the stories, sang songs, and did some great colouring.

So nothing about today has been earth shattering, nothing has been particularly special, and yet, the whole day has left me feeling warm, fuzzy, and incredibly proud.

Going back to work, even just a few hours a week, has given me a new appreciation for days like today.  Days when we can take our time, do things together, and just enjoy each other’s company.

💙

What a Day!

Today is a big day for Little Bear.  I’ve got some real treats lined up for him…

Pre-school jabs and the dentist.  I know, I know, I’m too kind to him aren’t I?  We also have to miss swimming because of the dentist so there’s another black mark against today.

The last round of vaccinations were a couple of years ago.  He doesn’t remember them but I do, and it was fairly traumatic for all involved.  And this time he knows what is happening to him so he’s reluctant from the start – he tried to hide behind the footstool this morning.  Wish me luck!

The dentist has always been quite an easy one so fingers crossed that goes ok.  Although it’s a new one today, and that makes me nervous. I’ll just make him go first I think!

But there is a silver lining to the day.  We are rounding off our Tuesday with a birthday party for one of his friends who has started school.  He is incredibly excited about it so hopefully that will get us through the day!

Happy Tuesday everyone 😱😱

What a Day!

Today is a big day for Little Bear.  I’ve got some real treats lined up for him…

Pre-school jabs and the dentist.  I know, I know, I’m too kind to him aren’t I?  We also have to miss swimming because of the dentist so there’s another black mark against today.

The last round of vaccinations were a couple of years ago.  He doesn’t remember them but I do, and it was fairly traumatic for all involved.  And this time he knows what is happening to him so he’s reluctant from the start – he tried to hide behind the footstool this morning.  Wish me luck!

The dentist has always been quite an easy one so fingers crossed that goes ok.  Although it’s a new one today, and that makes me nervous. I’ll just make him go first I think!

But there is a silver lining to the day.  We are rounding off our Tuesday with a birthday party for one of his friends who has started school.  He is incredibly excited about it so hopefully that will get us through the day!

Happy Tuesday everyone 😱😱

The Fear Was Real

Having a child makes you accustomed to hearing strange noises – a dinosaur roaring in the middle of the night, breadsticks tumbling to the floor, milk splashing perilously close to the television.  But some sounds still make you sit up, pause the television, and scramble to your child’s bedroom.

The other night we had one of these moments.  The noise Little Bear made was like nothing I have ever heard from him.  As I fell into his bedroom he was sat up on his pillow pointing down the bed telling me there were spiders.

The rational me clicked that this was just a dream, but a larger part of me wanted to emit the same terrifying noise that Little Bear had used!  Tentatively, but feigning confidence, I pulled the duvet around and reassured him that there were no spiders, that it was a dream, and that he should go back to sleep.

 Gripping tight to his favourite teddy, Teddington, he cautiously lay back down and settled back into far happier dreams.

The spiders may not have been real, but the fear was…for both of us. 🕷

Back to Work!

Yesterday I had my first real day at work since April 2014, and it was good to be doing something different.

When I told Little Bear I would be working he found it hilarious.  Every time I mentioned it he laughed and said, “that’s funny!”…well there’s something to fill you with confidence.

Turns out though that he didn’t find it that funny at all.  When we sat down for dinner, prawn risotto (one of his favourites), he cried and sat on the sofa saying he didn’t want to eat anything.  After a cuddle and daddy pretending to eat his prawns he was giggling and sat back at the table.  We asked him if he was ok and that’s when the truth came out.  He was worried that me going to work would be the same as daddy going to work – all day, every day, Monday to Friday.

I reassured him that only Monday afternoons would change for him, that I would be doing all the other playgroup drops offs and pick ups, that we would still have our special Friday lunches out.  It must be strange for him, a big change, but it will benefit us all.

For me?  It was strange not being the one to take him to gymnastics, strange not being the one to pick him up from playgroup.  But, it was nice getting home just after 4 o’clock and sitting together doing a magazine and then making dinner together, rather than him craving the television and me begging for a bit of peace!

Welcome to our new routine!

Growing Up

So obviously I am aware of the passing of time and of the fact that Little Bear is growing up fast, but last night I made a few eBay listings that really brought it home.

For his first birthday he got a Wheely Bug which was lovingly ridden (and crashed) around the house endlessly for a while.  Then the novelty wore off but it was still visited from time to time, even when he was clearly too big for it.  And so, it’s now on eBay.

The second thing to be listed was his balance bike.  After getting a pedal bike for his birthday this has sat forlornly in the corner gathering dust.  He loved riding this, he used to go so fast and I think it has really helped his balance to develop ready for a real bike – yesterday he did his first few metres cycling on his own, daddy’s back is hoping we’ve had a break through!

So there they are, two toddler wheeled toys that are now about to leave the house for good.  And left behind are the memories and the fast growing three year old who is moving on to bigger and more independent pursuits!

We Survived!

The summer holidays are over and we survived it!  I had my doubts 10 days in but by week 3 we had found a happy balance, and from then on the holidays flowed quite smoothly.

I found that the recipe to success was just letting go a bit, and just relaxing more.  It’s not always that easy but it’s worth it!

I have learnt that you really have to pick your battles.  Does it really matter if he has a snack an hour after breakfast?  Does it matter if he watches a bit more television than I like when outside is wet and miserable?  Does it matter if he walks around a shop not holding my hand? Actually, this one makes it much easier and actually made him happier in Next.  He actually reigns himself in very well when I let him loose! Does it matter if he’s naked at three o’clock in the afternoon??

For Little Bear, he’s learnt to occupy himself a bit more (mainly with Lego), he’s learnt to write more letters, draw people, rhyme words.  He’s learnt to get up by himself for a wee at 6 o’clock without calling out to me – although he’s far from quiet so it doesn’t really change much.  But arguably the most important thing is that he’s learnt most of the words to “Let it Go” and pretty much every song from “Moana”.

And today he went back to playgroup.  He was disappointed it wasn’t school but happy to back nonetheless.  He ran nearly the whole way, had big smiles for his teachers, and settled in as if we’ve never been away!

Our final year before school has officially begun!

“I Drew Nostrils!”

This afternoon I was backing up my photos on the laptop, a long overdue task, whilst Little Bear was in his room doing some drawing.  This, by the way, isn’t a regular occurance, it’s the first such incidence but long may it continue!

Anyway, there I was, uploading photos from March, when Little Bear shouted out, “I drew nostrils!”  Now it may not sound like much but in that moment, it was the funniest thing I had heard in a while!  Perhaps because it was a picture of daddy and, well, his nostrils are quite sizeable!

The yellow dots are the nostrils!

Since the arrival of the nostrils Little Bear hasn’t stopped drawing!  I’m now drowning in a sea of pictures, all of which he requires me to annotate.  Here are a few favourites:

A T-Rex and His Poo

An Ant Carrying a Mirror

Mummy and Baby on a Waterslide

A T-Rex and his poo? He’s a 3 year old boy, no further explanation needed.

Who knows why the ant is carrying a mirror, it’s clearly very vain.

And the waterslide picture?!  Who knows, this one came with a full story that only Little Bear’s crazy imagination could come up with.

After nearly an hour he’s still going and I’m wondering where on earth they’re all going to go!  Ideas welcome?!  And I don’t think Little Bear will accept, “In the bin”.

“We’ll buy you a toothbrush tomorrow”

I said these words to Little Bear on Sunday evening when the battery started to go on his Minions toothbrush mid clean.  And here it is, Friday, and I’ve said those words every day since Sunday.  Surely today is the day I can achieve this small task??

It’s just been one of those weeks where an hour at the park has turned into 3 or 4 lazy hazy hours with friends, where the rain has tumbled down and we’ve busied ourselves with Hama beads, where a 30 minute swimming lesson has turned into a day trip.  And so the toothbrush has been sidelined.

Twice a day I’ve cursed myself for this oversight.  No one enjoys brushing their teeth with an electric toothbrush that has no battery, least of all Little Bear, especially when it’s couple with “the world’s yuckiest toothpaste”.

So today we have very few plans and my sole objective, the only thing on the list, in big bold letters, is to Buy a toothbrush!  Surely I can’t fail.

TV Dilemma

Once again the dilemma of “how much screen time” is being played out in our house.  I’m really not a fan of Little Bear watching too much but some days it feels like one of the only options left.

The summer holidays have been a bit of a washout so far and although we’ve managed to get out every day it’s not always been for as long as either of us would like.  And as many times as I’ve thought, “When does playgroup start again?”, Little Bear has said, “I miss playgroup”…so we feel each other’s pain!

I was talking to a friend the other day and I said that no matter what I do, I end up feeling guilty.  Today we have painted, cut out pictures, built, read stories, played shops, done puzzles, writing practice, explored playdough and made lunch together.  Some of this he managed to do on his own (shops thankfully, and playdough, although I joined in uninvited with this) but the majority we did together whilst having some wonderful conversations.  And yet, at 4 o’clock, I still feel guilty about turning the television on.

Daddy!

I guess the problem is that Little Bear won’t play on his own for long. And because of this I get bored of playing, get tired of reading the same books time after time, get frustrated by the constant “mummy play with me”, and because I’m bored I give in to television.  If he played on his own more, then I could easily wait until after dinner for the television.

So the truth is, although it can make me feel hideously guilty, I actually do it for my own sanity!  Which just makes me feel guilty all over again…viscous circle!