New experiences, new levels

As most of you know I am expecting our second child. It's been a rough first trimester and I'm glad to see it go. Fingers crossed for a much better second trimester. Being pregnant and taking care of a toddler is definitely a new level of patience and finding nonexistent energy. Especially in the first trimester with the fatigue and all day sickness and nausea. It's been a challenge and there's been days of constant crying from exhaustion and not knowing when the sickness would stop. Thankfully I feel much better now.

Poor Lance has had to miss some classes that he normally attends and has for sure learned how to entertain himself with a mummy who can't move from the couch without having to run to the loo. He would come with me and copy me hanging over the pan and come give me cuddles on the couch. Such a wee angel some times.

So now we are trying to get into a weekly routine again, trying some new classes to see what he enjoys and what he's bored of now.

I had no idea what I was getting into but I'm sure it will all be worth it in a years time.

Xx

Trying new things

Lance ended up ill with croup and a virus at the same time, so we have been locked up in the house for over a week. He started getting better over the weekend and his energy came rushing back, which was lovely to see. It's not nice when it goes away and all he wants to do is hang on to me. It kind of brought me back to when he was little and I had to carry him everywhere and all the time. As much as I love a cuddle, personal space is something I need and value and I become almost claustrophobic when I have someone that close to me for days on end. Even if it is my son!

So this week we are fit and healthy and going all out. We have been out for morning walks every day and then on to some activity before lunch.
Monday we decided to go check out a so-called toddler group at brewers fayre, however it was as simple as you pay £3 and get to play for an hour and a half, and you can have your breakfast there while the kids play. It was fun, a great wee soft play but it definitely requires company since the mums are not interacting at all.
Tuesday we also tried something new. We went to a musical class at Coco's moo music down at calendar park. Which was lots of fun and Lance really enjoyed himself and all the new experiences. Coco is great, just simply one of those people that kids love instantly.
Wednesday was mini gym day same as every Wednesday. It was great today as alot of people didn't show up so lots of space for us to play and take our time. Lance did three laps around the obstacle course. Usually he does one then gets bored and loses focus.
In the afternoon we went to the milk barn for some late lunch and ice cream. They have a great play area aswell so Lance could play away while I waited on the food. I was trying to get someone to come with us but everyone had plans so on we went on our own.

I'm looking forward to the rest of the week. It's so nice to get out and socialise abit, even if we are on our own sometimes.

Xx

Forbidden fruit

We have had a few battles lately. It's always the same thing. The obsession right now is the dog's water bowl or her bed.

He's always loved playing with water but for a year and a half he's never bothered about the dog's bowls and I thought to myself that we were lucky to have escaped that battle. Little did I know it was yet to come. Everything needs dipped and bathed in the water 💦. Time out after warning after time out and still no effect. Not even sitting in the same room and repeating the word no a million times will have any effect.

For some reason a new obsession about the dog's bed has emerged. I don't mind them cuddling up together and sharing space but the fact that he pushes her away so he can sit on her bed is just point blank bullying. I've tried to from day one differentiate what's the dog's things and what is Lance's, which has worked great until now.

Patience patience patience and consistency. Alot easier said than done but what other options do I have?

Xx

How fast can you grow

Ones in a while I get taken back by how much Lance seems to grow overnight. I've got the luxury of being with him every day so usually I grow with him or at least I'm there to see the learning curve.

Today I woke up and all of a sudden I have this little dare devil on my hands. He was climbing up on our pillows to throw himself right back, just like that. That should be scary to anyone. There's such a huge amount of trust in something like that. Either he trusts me or he all of a sudden trusts that the bed is not going to move. He found this hilarious and kept doing it over and over again, free falling from the headboard, backwards.

I took him swimming this morning, which we have not done for a few months now. But I decided to get him some arm cushions to see if that helped him be a bit more independent. He was a bit unsure at first but he kept them on which is all I could ask for. They did not work as well as I had hoped but he was having so much fun splashing around, paddling to try and get places. He just loves the water. But seriously when did he all of a sudden get so big he can now stand on the bottom and keep his neck and head over the water?

On top of that he got up and down his wee stol he has to reach the sink when he brushes his teeth all by himself like a little pro.

It's been a morning of surprises for me but lots of fun and experiences for Lance! I can't believe he's 18 months and such a brave wee boy already.

Xx

Ill with a toddler

I have been very ill the last week and the reality of being "couchbound" or even worse "toiletpanbound" when you have a toddler to look after is anything but easy.

Lance started copying me throwing up in the toilet. So at least now he knows how to when it's his turn.

He's not been very amused when I've told him I'm too tired to play with him or just playing in the same area all day. Thankfully my husband has been off work so he could look after Lance. I don't know how I would cope if I had to do it all by myself. Poor Lance would be so bored and fed up. It just seems to stop everything, every little plan you had made, every class you had scheduled.. All scraped when the flu decides it's your turn.

Moving forward now and starting fresh for 2016!

Xx

Going out

When we go away somewhere, whether it's to someone's house or out for dinner I find myself really drained afterwards.

When we are at home I know what Lance can get up to and where he usually goes when he sneaks off. I can predict the outcome of most situations because we have been there and done that before.

But when he realises he's in a new setting with lots of new stuff to discover it's game on. Everything needs to be looked at by picking it up or poking at it. Every new floor area needs a test run. Every knob or handle leads to something else. Everything is new and exciting and all of a sudden energy comes from nowhere. Where's my energy? To keep up with him I could use some of that.

It's really nice and needed to get out and enjoy life and meeting up with people, but sometimes I do weigh up the pros and cons. After that I can decide if I have enough energy and patience to leave the house. Besides I usually never get to actually have a conversation anyway. All I do is try to make sure Lance is ok and not breaking things.

One day I will have an adult conversation again!

Xx

Gifts, toys and pictures

With Christmas just passed all these pictures and posts appear all over social media of what and how much the kids got for their Christmas. I also see the anti post posts, where people get offended for seeing other kids getting more stuff than theirs.

I can see where people are coming from but in my opinion each to their own. Just because a child got 20 gifts doesn't mean they had a better Christmas than a child that got 2.

Personally I just loved seeing Lance take to any of the gifts we got him and playing with it. To be honest the thing he got most excited about was a book. But most importantly he had fun with his cousins, grandparents, aunts and uncles and that means more than any toy.

And no toy compares to someone sitting down with them and play together. The parent is the most important "toy" in the house. They will learn so much more from an adult than any toy.

Xx