Luke's Mummy

Wednesday, August 30, 2006

The Nap

Sorry I've not posted for ages but I've been a tad weary lately.

The two things I've dreaded since Luke was a little one were Potty Training (as previously posted) and The End of The Nap, the latter finally happened about two weeks ago (yawn) and was actually not Luke's idea.

Luke has always been a really good napper, some afternoons he could be snoozing away for 3 hours and still be back in bed for another 12 hour sleep a few hours later but recently (actually about the time that he became dry throughout the night) he had started to wake up after a few hours and seemed restless during the night. He'd always been a really sound sleeper so Richard and I decided to drop off the afternoon nap and see how he got on. Well, RESULT!! Yes, I now have a very tired Luke, in fact, come 6.00pm he is visibly dropping poor little thing, and by 7.00pm he is practically leaping into his bed. And as for me, well, .....

I'M BLOODY KNACKERED!!!!!

By 1.00pm I'm yawning! You see, when Lukey Sam was napping I did Paula things. Y'know, having an entire hot cup of tea (I don't think that parents actually drink full cups of hot beverages, we always end up abandoning them on work surfaces to do other things, like rescuing small kids from precarious situations), checking emails, maybe typing out a blog, flicking through the newspaper, watching 30 minutes of adult tv, and oh, yes, IRONING. I haven't been able to do any ironing since the nap was cruelly snatched away, I find it impossible to happily iron while Luke is around. Don't know why, but, Luke can happily play in his room for 40 minutes or so on his own but the minute I get the ironing board out he suddenly requires my full attention. Grrrrrr. Yes, those golden nap times were my little mid afternoon reward to myself and I would feel refreshed, revitalised and AWAKE.

So, that is why come 7.00pm when Luke is safely ensconced in his bed I limp downstairs with Richard, wash the tea dishes, think about ironing, consider checking emails, wonder about my blog and then fall asleep to be woken by my husband a little while later who then wonders why I'm unsympathetic about his tiring day at work.

But hey, Luke sleeps through 'till 7.00am without a single disturb (oh yes, apart from that 4.00am wee break.

Zzzzzzzzz

Saturday, August 12, 2006

Why Toilet Training Is A CRAPPY Idea

Toilet training was something that I had been dreading for ages and ages and ages (actually since Luke was conceived). Luke and I decided (yes it was pretty much a mutual decision) to embark on this dreadful process about 6 weeks ago and I have to admit that he was amazingly quick to train. Thing is though, I'm starting to miss pull-ups .....

Luke has now started to develop "toilet humour". Oh yes, something which I had never really thought possible in a "just 3" year old child. He has taken to prancing around public places clutching his willy shouting "I need a wee wee" or even worse stopping dead in the middle of Church Street (busy main street in Runcorn) crouching down and yelling "oh no, think I need a poooohhhhh!!!!". At first, I was alarmed by this, would grab his arm marching him to the nearest public toilet only for him to grin and shout "not really, just practising". I was impressed by his eagerness to learn but now it's wearing a little thin.

He now wakes me up at 2.00am, 3.00am or 4.00am for a wee. Yes, very, very good of him to not wet his night time nappy but, really, I wouldn't mind on the odd occasion just to be sociable. I've tried restricting his night time glass of water but no, the little darling still gets up for a leak.

Wiping his bum is just not pleasant, and he insists on having a go himself .....enough said.

I don't get to go the toilet during the day on my own anymore. He now thinks it's a sociable event and even takes his toys in with him to sit and watch me "go". Then when I'm finished he claps me.

He is getting very "over interested" in the ladies toilets, thinks various dispensing machines are arcade games, and the other day we went in, he wrinkled his nose in disgust and he shouted "ooooh someone's had a good old pooh in here" just as a little old lady was walking out of the cubicle.

He always has to "go"just as we are walking out of the door.

So, if anyone out there is struggling with the idea of potty training, do yourself a favour and maybe leave it a little while, just relish the "freedom" of the pull up.

Friday, August 11, 2006

A Car Ride to Heaven ....? I need Jenn

Luke has reacted really quite well to Grandad Colin not being around anymore, when we lost dad (6 months ago) it was one of the many, many things I worried about as they were really close. I told Lukey that Grandad Colin had got very poorly and couldn't live with us anymore, he had gone to live in Heaven which is way up in the sky amongst the clouds, sun, moon and stars (at which point a plane flew past and Luke shouted "Look, there he is flying the plane". Anyhow, it seemed to work really well and mum and I were quite comfy with it. But now .....

So the other day Richard, Luke and myself went to see the other Grandparents in Manchester. They have a really cute blue car called a Micra which is very similar to the old Mini (for those who aren't familar with them). Luke adores this car and is allowed to sit in it on the driveway (which is gated off from the road) and play at his pleasure pretending to drive. I was having a cuppa in their living room when Luke came haring in shouting "Mummy, Mummy, let's go for a drive, come on". So, I trundled out and got in the passenger seat next to him.

(Me) "So where are we going then Luke"
(Luke) "For a drive of course"
(Me) "Where are you taking us"
(Luke) "To Heaven"
(Me) "Where?"
(Luke) "To Heaven to see Grandad Colin"
(Me) "Why?"
(Luke) "Because I haven't seen him for ages and I miss him and so we are going, FASTEN YOUR SEATBELTS I'M COMING TO GET YOU GRANDAD COLIN."

So, I bit my now trembling lip and played make believe driving to Heaven with Luke which included picking dad up and taking him for a drive around and then delivering him back there.

I couldn't help thinking that it would be so cool if it were only that simple and that dad would actually be laughing about it and really happy that his little Lukey was still playing with him.

On the other hand though, is it really healthy? and I couldn't help thinking that my cousin Jenn (Vetmommy) would have maybe handled the whole telling Lukey thing a tad better than me.

My friend Nikki (a regular commenter on this blog) has just lost her dad a little over a week ago, I know she hasn't told her son Cameron (2 1/2) yet and is probably dreading having to explain what has happened to him, it is such a sensitive thing to have to handle, I often wonder if there is any such thing as "the right thing to say".