This morning got off to another slow start. I think I should just resign myself to the idea that I’m
not functional before about 10am, and stop beating myself up over it and vowing to do better. It don’t work…
B watched ABC Kids, had a shower, then tuned into BTN (some interesting stuff on cow burps, and allergies – once again I got to proclaim that I’m not really a slob, I just keep my house dirty to help build strong immune systems in my kids *g*) and Science Clips, while K and I played with blocks. The TV stayed on for a while after that but I don’t think B was watching it as she was curled up in front of the heater working in her new Sudoku book. I wish she would use a pencil though, it’s bloody irritating listening to her getting upset with the fact that she’s made some mistakes in big, black, indelible ink…
K was getting increasingly grumpy and strung-out, and demanded boobie in bed. I wasn’t entirely surprised when she went to sleep, and seized the opportunity to get B doing some work. She didn’t want to go back to her story today so we wrote notes to each other and passed them over the table. Then she read the first chapter (6 pages) in an Aussie Nibbles book, Tai’s Penguin. I was very impressed with how much her concentration span is improving. I was dubious that we’d make it to the end of the chapter but she kept persevering even when she got upset and frustrated about not being able to figure out a word. I was ready to make lunch when she finished that, so I figured after her dose of LISP last night it wouldn’t kill her to miss doing maths today.
After lunch we headed off the the indoor swimming pool, where Nannie had offered to take K in with her. I wasn’t sure how K would take it, given that on previous occasions she has been pretty ambivalent about the whole deal, but she was instantly hooked. I suspect the nap beforehand was a very good idea, as she had enough energy to pootle around for over an hour, and even then didn’t want to get out. Nannie had brought a flotation ring but it was too big to keep K safe, so I went into the dive shop and bought floaties. They were an immediate success! Once K was being held up by these and not ducking her head if she fell over, she got much more adventurous, and kept wanting to go out of her depth. I investigated the pool’s baby and toddler classes, and will see about enrolling her in one if there are vacancies. Nannie has offered to take K in if it is one of the days she takes B to the pool. Just as well, as I doubt there are many maternity swimsuits made in my size, and all my bathers are far too threadbare to wear in public any more!
When we finally prised K out of the pool, we got home just in time for Play School, so she settled down in front of that, and a few preschooler shows that came after it. She wandered off after the shows got a bit too old for her, so eventually I got around to turning the TV off. In the meantime, K played with some of her toys, then collected a big basket of books for me to read to her. She wanted me to put her hair in pigtails, so I managed one at the back and a topknot, but she wouldn’t stay still for any more, despite having asked me to do them. So I went and did the washing up, and she pootled about (I think she was mostly playing with Elmo in the living room at this point). It’s nice that she’s getting more self-sufficient in her play, it means I can get things done round the house even when B isn’t here to entertain her… After Rollercoaster had finished recording, I put on another Play School episode to entertain her until E got home.
I am currently the highest (and indeed only) eBay bidder on a couple of comic novels by B’s current favourite author, Terry Denton. I haven’t been able to find any page views of the book to see what the reading age is (Ooh! I just tried a different search, and now I have!), but given that B seems to enjoy his stuff as much as she did Dr Suess last year, I expect it will probably be a good investment.