I have this uneasy feeling that my computer time is starting to compromise what I do with the children to a degree which is not acceptable.
Although they do enjoy each other’s company and play quite happily there are definite elements of attention seeking and trying to prise me away from the laptop – particularly by Davies. This is always more pronounced on days when we are mostly at home (well clearly, as I do leave the laptop behind when we go out for the day!) and whilst I am still not really up for sitting on the floor all day pretending to be Jessie from Toy Story, Wendy from Bob or some sort of scary monster I do worry that they will remember me in years to come as half a face from behind a computer screen.
We were planning to see Ali today but as she cancelled due to work deadlines (hope you got it all done btw Ali – look forward to maybe seeing you next week) we were left unexpectedly free today. I had a list of stuff I needed to get bought so we headed into town and did some of that. Tarly needs a princess outfit for the weekend and Woolies currently have a 3 for 2 on dressing up so she got 2 princess outfits (both of which she assured me she really really wanted and would definitely wear and both of which I have persuaded her into very briefly to show Daddy – she looks beautiful! – before she shrugged them off again in favour of being a naked princess!) and Davies got a spiderman one. Got various greetings cards from Clintons (one ex employer I don’t mind continuing to support with my custom!), a pressie for Karen’s Emma (the home educated child formerly known as Little Chick!) for her birthday (which yes, we will bring to Kessingland Karen, it is a bit heavy for posting 😉 ) and a new black T shirt for me as all of last summer seem to have faded to grey or just plain disappeared.
Bought the kids a cake each for being good and came home. Big news of the day was that Tarly did the whole trip (over 2.5 hours) nappy-less 🙂 🙂 🙂 She did ask for a wee when I took Davies to the toilet but I hovered her over the loo and she changed her mind. I think we are probably still at risk of the occassional accident and I’m not sure I will be going everywhere sans nappy (I think TT2 would be a bit of an issue if it went wrong and given how much physical exertion it involves perhaps it would be just asking for trouble!) but we can certainly start building up to it. Which leads oddly onto me popping into Mothercare and getting all misty eyed at the realisation that I won’t be having any more babies. Totally unexplained really, although I do *love* Mothercare, for me it was the venue of making the pregnancies ‘real’ where we went and had a big spend up (I know, for me its always about shopping!) and started to prepare for the new arrivals. There were several pregnant women in there and just that air of excitement about being about to have a baby. And there was me without even a child in a nappy! 🙂
Anyway!
This afternoon the kids played at dressing up, some drawing, some playing with blocks and lots of books. Much as I do know they are gaining loads and learning through play it is definitely time to take it all up to the next level and perhaps engage a bit more with it all. Davies is so clearly ready for more input and challenge into his reading and writing and perhaps some direction and inspiration on his arty stuff, Tarly also likes to be challenged so maybe I should get her started on something new, whether it’s something on the computer, some very early letter recognition or something totally new and different I don’t know, but will endeavour to be more involved with them both this week and also to start thinking more about moving stuff to the next level.
Tomorrow we are off to Paradise Park with my old reunited friend and her two children. We were supposed to be going to the Science Museum for the Snot workshop and a meet up with a couple of people but having checked the tickets it starts at 11am which would mean getting a train before 9am to get there which will be expensive and packed full so we decided not to go this time. Weather is supposed to be good so we should have a nice day at Paradise Park tomorrow. Lucy and I have been emailing each other with ‘do you remember this?…’ type memory flashbacks and I also promised to dig out some of my teenage diaries from around the time we were ‘hanging out’ together to see if I could dredge up anymore but she has confided that she had her first ever alcoholic drink when out with me (we were both 17 but I had apparantly given the aura of knowing what I was doing and even appeared to enjoy the taste!) so my friend Vicky’s mum could have been right about me being the ringleader and a bad influence after all 😉
Nic have you seen the posts (not sure which list is was posted on) about the site in the states where people send postcards to a journalist with their biggest, badest, darkest secret on them? I reckon we ought to have a session on ‘things we got up to in our former years’ LOL I seem such a goody, goody but keep my secrets close to my chest LOL I love the ‘home educated child formerly known as Little chick LOL) xx
Comment by Karen b — 06 June 2005 @ 11:04 pm
Think Tim blogged it on mine actually…
Comment by jax — 06 June 2005 @ 11:19 pm
I do love a good nosey 😉 IKWYM about the computer. Life is def more pleasant here as I’ve been making a conscious effort not to hang about wasting time on it. It doesn’t need to be on for work anymore, so I just have it on first thing, and then switch off when I’m finished. I even didn’t take it with me all weekend, and I survived 😉
Comment by Joyce — 07 June 2005 @ 7:31 am
I knew I’d read it somewhere Jax LOL
Comment by Karen b — 07 June 2005 @ 6:26 pm