chapter 16: scrummy dumies, yummy mummies & daddy dramas

There were 3 in the bed, and the daddy one said, " get out and go back to your room, its 5 in the morning! no sunshine! no sunshine! see???!"

While Jo and the new bub stayed in hospital for 6 days, I had the pleasure of staying at home and looking after the two chidlies. Surprisingly, I managed to feed them, bath them and even hang a load of washing out in the rain, however, i made the fatal error of letting N into bed one night, as he had a terrible cough (possibly consumption, I thought to myself), and within seconds my bed was overrun by both of them.

at 1am, G demanded that I read her a book (no, i didn't). at 3 am, G demanded to go to the toilet. From 3am to 3:30, G yelled repeatedly , "It wont come out, it wont come out, it wont come out!" At 4am, N got up to give G a drink of water to "help it come out". At 5am, I woke to find G holding my nose, and listened to the following conversation between N and G.

N: "G"
G: "Yes"
N: "Gramps said that if you dont eat and you dont breath, then thats it. Ptttttth, your dead!
G: "Why?"

N: "I dont know why, but you have to let go of dads nose, or he will die, and wont make us breakfast".

It was 5:30am and only day 3.

Anyway, if the opportunity ever arises for a Dad to spend a whole week with the kids, without mum, he should jump at the chance. Even though it was hard, I got to hang with my 2 year old daughter, scoot with her to the park, graciously loose too many games of chess, and teach my son how to loose graciously. Drop him at preschool, and discuss the intricacies of Bottle top Bill, Angelina Ballerina, and roary the racing car.

It also gave my kids an opportunity to get to know me, and for me to appreciate what Jo does every day. I am so happy to have my girls back home safe and sound.

...and I am happy to be here. Our beautiful baby girl is a delight, she seems to actually understand the concept of sleep, which is a new experience for us. She feeds, burps, sleeps and poos like clockwork, every 4 hours and that has meant that I get to have some sense of 'normal' which helps when, like this morning, I still need to get ppl fed and dressed, lunches made, washing on, and out the door to preschool by 8:45. How long this will last...well we'll see. Joe is highly sceptical, I on the other hand (being more of an optimist) just keep telling myself 'it might last, you deserve an easy one, that is just the way she is and will remain...for ever...damn it...!) up to day 10...

I came home to beautiful painted 'welcome home' signs, a mopped floor (still impressed) and the grocery shopping done. Joe did a great job. N and G have adjusted to life with their little sister though G wandered into today with a huge plastic cricket stump and a coy look on her face as she quietly tried to cross the kitchen in front of me, I was immediately suspicious, "What are you up to bubbles?"

G: "Just goin in to hit baby R with this"
Me: "No my lovey you're not, that would really hurt baby R, and make her cry and you don't want that to happen do you?"
To which she agreed (thank goodness)...but like I said, adjusting really well!

N calls the baby "Cutey Head" which he thinks is hilarious, so much so that he managed to fill his entire "news" time at preschool today with a discussion about why he calls his baby sister "Cutey Head".

anyway it is ten past 8, and we have to go to sleep... having the time of our lives!

next week will be filled with many garden delights as the first buds of spring have sprung and we are gettin busy for our challenge countdown.