Keeping Busy
Jul. 22nd, 2013 03:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
rwrylsinOur weeks are looking busy again.
Mondays we have our swim class at 9am. The early start in the first class for the day reduces the two main irritations I had last term - I can get a parking spot and the changeroom is more or less dry. Week 2 and Bub seems to be back in the swing of it, although he is still deeply distrustful of the teacher.
Bub has become much more cuddly with me recently, coming up to give me quick snuggles before buzzing off again. They tend to get more frequent as he gets more tired, I like them a great deal.
While parents and cats are ok, he prefers to keep everyone else at a distance. On Saturday he was at his cousins place while I was at fencing, and they sent me a photo of the two bubs sitting on a little sofa watching TV. Cousin looks very relaxed, Bub's body language is radiating "He's in my personal space!"
Any time I stop to talk to someone he doesn't know and they say hello to him, he tends to start screaming - strange face, too close, paying too much attention to him. His personal bubble seems to extend a few meters. His expression when a toddler at playgroup wanted to give him a cuddle and kiss was one of sheer horror.
So yeah, swimming instructor who wants to tip him back in the water is The Evil.
Tuesday is about to become insane fencing day. I have a babysitter lined up so I can teach a primary school again this term. The extra money will be useful as we somehow continue to spend too much. Then I have to get us both dinner-ed and ready for me to go to fencing at 7:30 and Bub to wind down to bed from 7pm. I'm getting a little paid work Tuesday evenings now too, which is nice.
Wednesday is usually the veggie shop, plus chicken necks for the cats. Bub doesn't much care for being confined to his stroller, but tolerates it well enough if we've been to the park first.
Thursdays are usually quiet catch-up days, and also the day most likely to have other commitments crop up. Last week I got a night out to attend a Thermomix demo session. I'm getting a fair bit of regular use from the Thermomix, it's great for getting a few things done in a short space of time, but mostly it's just a small number of regular items. I figured going to the demo would be good for inspiring me to try other things.
The usual things are Pizza dough, bread dough (our breadmaker has gone a bit flakey, so is now mostly retired), Apple&cinnamon porridge for Bub (made in bulk and frozen for quick and easy breakfasts), peanut butter, risotto or butter chicken usually as a Tuesday meal, veggie sauce mixes for Bub, and biscuit dough for my bub-friendly cookies.
Friday now starts with playgroup. The first session had a good turn-out, but Bub did not enjoy it. He took exception to the toy library organiser saying hello to him, and was then rather tired and emotional for the rest of the morning. This is where me being the organiser of the session is a bit of a pain, I couldn't just take him outside where it was cold but quiet and let him play on the equipment, not while we had new people randomly arriving throughout the session. Hopefully that will be easier once we settle down into a routine with regular attendance.
Saturdays begin with fencing. I'm taking the junior class again this term, and with Bub being both highly mobile, into everything and demanding attention, it just wasn't going to work with him there unless David was on full-time child minding. He will be some weeks, but for others We're now leaving Bub with his cousin and Uncle for a few hours. His first taste was on Saturday, he seemed very happy to see us, after some wailing he got quite chatty in the car on the way home. Wish I knew what he was saying.
Sundays we try to keep free for catching up on jobs around the house. David often takes Bub to the park in the afternoon so I have some time for things like cooking or on the computer that are easier without a small person demanding my attention. This Sunday was epic-cook day, which saw the Thermomix working overtime to make bread, soup, cookies and porridge before starting on the roast for dinner.
I'd call myself a domestic goddess, but they probably leave fewer dishes in a trail of destruction behind them.
There is of course also a daily routine.
We start with Bub waking, anywhere from 7 to 8:30am. Tends to be 7:30ish after a good nights sleep, which we had all last week. More likely to be after 8 when he's been significantly awake during the night, like last night.
Porridge for breakfast with a couple of prunes, then lately he's also eaten a whole slice of toast with peanut butter without pausing. Most days he then goes into the playpen to play and watch some TV while I shower, which he is completely cool with now.
Turning off the TV can be perilous, which is why this is now our outdoor time. The ritual of the Putting On of the Shoes is followed by him running for one of the doors out, and I can turn off the TV without drama. Ideally we go to the park, otherwise it's a walk outside, or straight to our first appointment for the day.
Fruit for morning tea, often a banana at the park. Then home for lunch. He will then be ready for a nap in short order, anywhere from 12:30 to 1:30pm. Naps are usually at least 2 cycles these days (1.5 hours), and sometimes extend to as much as 3 hours.
If I'm lucky, that doesn't leave a lot of afternoon.
The recommendation is no screen time until 2 years old, but... he does. TV tends to be on by 5pm as I use the distraction to make dinner. Not that he stays distracted very long, but it helps. He watches for a few minutes, gets bored, if I'm lucky the nearby toys distract him, then when he gets bored with those the TV distracts him again. He has started dancing to the Shaun the Sheep theme tune.
TV off for dinner by around 6ish, then straight to a bath to clean dinner off before he spreads it around the house.
6:30pm is when In The Night Garden comes on, and this has become his favourite tv show so we try and finish the bath in time to let him watch it. Recently I told him if he didn't get out soon he would miss it - he then decided it was time to get out, and ran naked to the lounge to point at the TV instead of his usual vigil watching the water go down the plughole. When I turned it on it was just starting, the start looks very similar to the end and he was very upset for a few moments, as if he thought it was finishing and he had missed it.
It's a strange show that plays fast and loose with relative scale, I can't seem to help watching it closely for size references and noting every discrepancy, which is probably missing the point. It holds Bub's attention relatively well, depending on how tired he is, and he often makes comments as it goes.
At 7pm it is wind-down time, into the bedroom with books and a little quiet play. With luck David is home to do it, otherwise I start and he takes over when he gets back from work. We aim for 8pm asleep, but mostly it seems to be pushing 8:20ish.
In this manner, days and weeks fly by without me noticing. It's a bit disturbing to suddenly realise it's tax time again.
Edit: And tonight we confirm that:
A) He definitely knows what I'm saying when I mention it's time for In The Night Garden.
B) He gets quite upset during the opening sequence
C) After watching it, he dances to the music at the end
Mondays we have our swim class at 9am. The early start in the first class for the day reduces the two main irritations I had last term - I can get a parking spot and the changeroom is more or less dry. Week 2 and Bub seems to be back in the swing of it, although he is still deeply distrustful of the teacher.
Bub has become much more cuddly with me recently, coming up to give me quick snuggles before buzzing off again. They tend to get more frequent as he gets more tired, I like them a great deal.
While parents and cats are ok, he prefers to keep everyone else at a distance. On Saturday he was at his cousins place while I was at fencing, and they sent me a photo of the two bubs sitting on a little sofa watching TV. Cousin looks very relaxed, Bub's body language is radiating "He's in my personal space!"
Any time I stop to talk to someone he doesn't know and they say hello to him, he tends to start screaming - strange face, too close, paying too much attention to him. His personal bubble seems to extend a few meters. His expression when a toddler at playgroup wanted to give him a cuddle and kiss was one of sheer horror.
So yeah, swimming instructor who wants to tip him back in the water is The Evil.
Tuesday is about to become insane fencing day. I have a babysitter lined up so I can teach a primary school again this term. The extra money will be useful as we somehow continue to spend too much. Then I have to get us both dinner-ed and ready for me to go to fencing at 7:30 and Bub to wind down to bed from 7pm. I'm getting a little paid work Tuesday evenings now too, which is nice.
Wednesday is usually the veggie shop, plus chicken necks for the cats. Bub doesn't much care for being confined to his stroller, but tolerates it well enough if we've been to the park first.
Thursdays are usually quiet catch-up days, and also the day most likely to have other commitments crop up. Last week I got a night out to attend a Thermomix demo session. I'm getting a fair bit of regular use from the Thermomix, it's great for getting a few things done in a short space of time, but mostly it's just a small number of regular items. I figured going to the demo would be good for inspiring me to try other things.
The usual things are Pizza dough, bread dough (our breadmaker has gone a bit flakey, so is now mostly retired), Apple&cinnamon porridge for Bub (made in bulk and frozen for quick and easy breakfasts), peanut butter, risotto or butter chicken usually as a Tuesday meal, veggie sauce mixes for Bub, and biscuit dough for my bub-friendly cookies.
Friday now starts with playgroup. The first session had a good turn-out, but Bub did not enjoy it. He took exception to the toy library organiser saying hello to him, and was then rather tired and emotional for the rest of the morning. This is where me being the organiser of the session is a bit of a pain, I couldn't just take him outside where it was cold but quiet and let him play on the equipment, not while we had new people randomly arriving throughout the session. Hopefully that will be easier once we settle down into a routine with regular attendance.
Saturdays begin with fencing. I'm taking the junior class again this term, and with Bub being both highly mobile, into everything and demanding attention, it just wasn't going to work with him there unless David was on full-time child minding. He will be some weeks, but for others We're now leaving Bub with his cousin and Uncle for a few hours. His first taste was on Saturday, he seemed very happy to see us, after some wailing he got quite chatty in the car on the way home. Wish I knew what he was saying.
Sundays we try to keep free for catching up on jobs around the house. David often takes Bub to the park in the afternoon so I have some time for things like cooking or on the computer that are easier without a small person demanding my attention. This Sunday was epic-cook day, which saw the Thermomix working overtime to make bread, soup, cookies and porridge before starting on the roast for dinner.
I'd call myself a domestic goddess, but they probably leave fewer dishes in a trail of destruction behind them.
There is of course also a daily routine.
We start with Bub waking, anywhere from 7 to 8:30am. Tends to be 7:30ish after a good nights sleep, which we had all last week. More likely to be after 8 when he's been significantly awake during the night, like last night.
Porridge for breakfast with a couple of prunes, then lately he's also eaten a whole slice of toast with peanut butter without pausing. Most days he then goes into the playpen to play and watch some TV while I shower, which he is completely cool with now.
Turning off the TV can be perilous, which is why this is now our outdoor time. The ritual of the Putting On of the Shoes is followed by him running for one of the doors out, and I can turn off the TV without drama. Ideally we go to the park, otherwise it's a walk outside, or straight to our first appointment for the day.
Fruit for morning tea, often a banana at the park. Then home for lunch. He will then be ready for a nap in short order, anywhere from 12:30 to 1:30pm. Naps are usually at least 2 cycles these days (1.5 hours), and sometimes extend to as much as 3 hours.
If I'm lucky, that doesn't leave a lot of afternoon.
The recommendation is no screen time until 2 years old, but... he does. TV tends to be on by 5pm as I use the distraction to make dinner. Not that he stays distracted very long, but it helps. He watches for a few minutes, gets bored, if I'm lucky the nearby toys distract him, then when he gets bored with those the TV distracts him again. He has started dancing to the Shaun the Sheep theme tune.
TV off for dinner by around 6ish, then straight to a bath to clean dinner off before he spreads it around the house.
6:30pm is when In The Night Garden comes on, and this has become his favourite tv show so we try and finish the bath in time to let him watch it. Recently I told him if he didn't get out soon he would miss it - he then decided it was time to get out, and ran naked to the lounge to point at the TV instead of his usual vigil watching the water go down the plughole. When I turned it on it was just starting, the start looks very similar to the end and he was very upset for a few moments, as if he thought it was finishing and he had missed it.
It's a strange show that plays fast and loose with relative scale, I can't seem to help watching it closely for size references and noting every discrepancy, which is probably missing the point. It holds Bub's attention relatively well, depending on how tired he is, and he often makes comments as it goes.
At 7pm it is wind-down time, into the bedroom with books and a little quiet play. With luck David is home to do it, otherwise I start and he takes over when he gets back from work. We aim for 8pm asleep, but mostly it seems to be pushing 8:20ish.
In this manner, days and weeks fly by without me noticing. It's a bit disturbing to suddenly realise it's tax time again.
Edit: And tonight we confirm that:
A) He definitely knows what I'm saying when I mention it's time for In The Night Garden.
B) He gets quite upset during the opening sequence
C) After watching it, he dances to the music at the end
