28/31 Flower

Flower made with portraits of Ben, overlaid on a photo of today's painting efforts. Done in 5 minute bursts during the afternoon!

I had a lie-in this morning til 10.30am. That was amazing. My sleep levels have been going down as the week has progressed so to catch up a little this morning was wonderful. Charley made sure I didn't get too complacent by filling his nappy to the brim but I don't mind - it didn't leak! Can't believe he's in - and filling - a size 3 nappy already. It took Ben months (i.e. more than Charley's current 2 months) to get to a size 3.

Ben is getting very good at the Wii, or at least with the idea of aiming the remote. He's got a level of 900 for swordfighting expertise - although I think in his case it can be called a "ferocity level" instead! He is properly ferocious. But so far it's working. He and daddy were swordfighting this morning.

I've been filling in the calendar (from photobox) that arrived yesterday. Very pleased with it. Had a hard time selecting just one or two pictures for each month (this is where a daily blip becomes an issue!) but now it's done I'm very happy. But filling it in is posing its own problem. I've lost my favourite blue ballpoint pen. Lost! The level of general detritus on the kitchen table increases daily and, with it, in direct proportion, becomes the number of things lost. Can't wait to have a bit of time to sort the table out. Thing is most of it does actually does have a home, but it's the few bits that don't really have a home as yet that are causing the problem. And the fact that I will start something with Ben, then Charley wakes up and I can't finish it and just end up dumping things in a hurried heap on the table.

Steve was darning socks this morning. I am seriously impressed. I could do it, but I'm usually too busy writing my journal to do little things like that. (That said, I do tend to write the journal (I write it on my phone) as I'm pacing up and down getting a tired Charley off to sleep, or as I'm sitting feeding...) I wonder if he'd be up for trimming the bedroom curtains to length and doing a quick running stitch along the bottom while we wait to tidy the kitchen table to find the iron-on edging strip?! Then there's my teeshirt that needs fixing.... ;-)

Saturdays are odd days. I sortof imagine that because Steve is at home, I will only have to deal with one child at a time but whereas that is actually true, in reality what happens is I don't get dressed and I sit on the sofa for hours at a time with a feeding/sleeping Charley because I'm not having to deal with Ben. So I still don't get around to having some important one-to-one time with Ben, or time to prep any activities for the following week!

If I got my head together and treated Saturdays like weekdays Steve would get chance to do some also much-needed work on the house, and I wouldn't end up feeling like a slob which I honestly hate. I think cloth nappies actually help in that I'm forced to get up to change a nappy at least every hour and a half, which then means I can wrap Charley up or let him have a kickabout depending on what he feels like doing - but I don't know what he feels like doing if I don't get him up on his changing table frequently. Today he was in a disposable nappy all morning so didn't need changing for quite a while...

As it has turned out today hasn't been too bad. Took some pictures of Ben - bribed him with sweets, and pulled funny faces at him. Got round to doing some more painting with Ben while Charley sat in his bouncy chair and watched. Steve dismantled the old wardrobes, and Blake came round to help move the old printers drawers. I've started making a second batch of citron tea using a couple of pomelos - my word but they are thick skinned. Have ended up completely peeling each segment. Smells lovely, really fragrant! And of course made this picture.

Almost went out this evening but clingy children - and the fact Charley cries at the moment if he's not in my immediate vicinity - meant that getting dressed just hasn't happened. I may need to wrap Charley up onto Steve and send them out for a walk if I'm to have a bath without Charley waking Ben up this evening...

At least getting into the bedroom is going to be easier tonight. Sideboard (that stuck out 6") gone, new wardrobe assembled! All that's left is the chest of drawers to assemble tomorrow :) Very exciting.