OOOoo! Got a new sling today, that cheered me up. I love carrying little ones around and it soothes them so much, but getting anything done is impossible. Even more so with a pre schooler in the house asking me to build train track etc...
I used a ring sling with Luke, mainly to calm him down and get him off to sleep and that also works really well with Amelie. But it drags on one shoulder and seeing as my back and stomach muscles are shot to pieces after my pregnancy it's for long periods eg outside.
Will attach pics of the Mei Tei sling. Found it on Ebay, wanted one that was easy to put on. I had a baby bjorn type one with luke and used it loads but got so annoyed with all the straps and bits and the crying baby to put in it!!! Getting all stressed out getting it on and off while people watching thinking I was some loon. The mei tei is soo comfy, just wraps round your body easily and the weight distribution is great for wearing round the house while you're trying to get stuff done ( or build Luke a flipping train track)
Just put Luke to bed, a minor tantrum compared to last night's (and yesterday afternoons) extravanganza. Ohmygod!!!! I think he reached full throttle on the I WILL REBEL front. He also seems to be really tired at the moment and STILL waking up early ( come to think of it, it's coincided with the clocks changing) We went to a music club and he survived it though was really tired. I'm trying to make that a me and Luke thing with Amelie asleep in the car seat... mostly...he had asuch a good time but then decided he wouldn't get into the car or get his straps on ( first was avoided by getting in a pretending to start driving off) but he got sooooooooo hysterical about not putting his straps on, I've not seen him like that since he was about one year old...!!!crying.screaming. hitting everything. I eventually lost my temper too, smacked him, and forced him into his straps ( while Amelie screaming in the back which didn't get noticed at all!) We drove home and by the end of the drive he was calmer but just soooooo not going to do anything. I phoned martin and loudly told him that luke was banned from computer games as a punishment..then he simmered down till bedtime when he pulled off the most massive resistance to both me and martin doing bath.story, bed. IT took about 45 mins to get him into bed and asleep. I ended up picking him up everytime he got out of bed, putting him back in, in a loop, perioidically tunring his light off and walking out when he cried for me, then went back in and he hit punched everythhing in sight, threw stuff out of his bed..got out , got put back in, it was like an episode of supernanny, fortunately i kept my cool this time and he went to sleep. Tonight was a copy but on a minor scale and as a result didn't get a story this time either, because he wouldn't listen to it and kept punching the book.. and then went between i want, i dont want it , in bed back out, in bed, until he gave in and i won ( again) I hope that's it now ...i think he's learning that we wont take no shite any more...
As a result I was completely emotionally fked last night. had the obligatory, i hate you, i want to divorce you, you don't care about me arguement with martin and then we made it up and then I slept but woke up screaming at midnight with a nightmare? How bizarre is that? Must be really stressed! I woke up feeling sooo knackered. Amelie is pimps by comparison. i made a super strong effort today with luke. We even did 'sticking and glueing' arty crafty stuff together ! I was wracked with guilt about him being ignored and needing attention that badly since Amelie's birth that he was turning into a Supernanny case.. which isnt so. Anyway we had a good day until bedtime and that can be put down to tiredness but it's a real challenge with him.. having to be one step ahead all the time!!!! Three is much worse than TWO!!!!!!!!! As for potty training, no way thats working right now...put him in pants and he wet them and i gave up. everythings a fight, i think the past few months of changes are catching up with him poor lukey. am really trying hard to make sure that even when i lose it that i tell him i love him.. and hey he's even started saying sorry to me!!! ( today he wouldnt say sorry to daddy after naughty step but wanted to say sorry to mummy instead! haahaha)
So have been on a bit of a downer .missing my mum's group in Watford and Watford stuff to do and shops ( retail therapy!) and thinking my life had diminshed to a tiny village and nothing more. But feel better today did stuff to cheer myself up.. did some clothes shoppping, had lovely one on one time with Amelie, had a hot choc and sausage bap in a coffee shop (the ONLY one) in Didcot and did ME stuff which helped.
Met the neighbours across the road tonight who seem really lovely, she's the same age as me and he's the same age as Martin ..we were all putting pumpkins out on our steps to show that we 'welcomed' trick or treaters .. the agreed thingy in t'village.....;-)
Pre school is ok for Luke, I'm still not enthralled but hes perfectly happy. keeps talking about a naughty boy called 'Dylan that he plays with, says he will point him out to me ( DISCREETLY PLEASE!) and what a strange coicindence that would be if he does exist and isn't luke's allter ego!!! Are all Dylans naughty by default ?
Going to see the other nursery tomorrow with Martin who has booked a long weekend off work...then fireworks in the village on sat night...might meet some locals?! I just can't be arsed with socialising with people that Im not really going to be feeling Í can be natural with.. if you know what I mean..someone with a sense of humour for a start and not stuck up their own bottoms in rural 4 by 4 snottiness.
However I really haven't socialised enough yet, just enough to get a few familiar faces and brief conversations at school gate... but am busy enough not to have time if you know what i mean?!! Am concentrating on working out a routine for everyone...Amelie really does seem to be in one, have been writing things down and it helps. Still wakes grunting and straining in the morning at about 5am, though no poo, formula really does gunk them up.....but the decision has been made and I cant go on and feel guilty about that one! She does sleep like a trouper..from 7pm till 2am!
Ha! Had a go at Tim Henman by mistake the other day. Came out of the park and two big black dogs came running up barking and jumping at Luke, and me with Amelie in the sling. I was frightened and didn't know whether they were going to attack. Some tall bloke broke off his mobile phone call to call them back and said sorry, to which I replied 'I wouldn't MIND but I'm carrying a BABY' in an indignant voice.. to realise it was Tim Henman himself.. don't think we will be having cosy coffees together soon!
Am itching to return to Watford for a visit but only because of the social thing and the shopping.. I know I just need to sort out a routine here... just the major life changes going on right now, it's falling into place slowly!
