You wait a week for a blog post…

Then three come along at once!!!

😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣

But The Great Toy Unpacking ™, though unfinished, has gone so well, that I felt it deserves a post of its own!

Yes that is the Tiny Tyrant’s room!!

It has space to play, room for her stuff, and it’s been hoovered!

It won’t last, I give it 24 hours maximum, but stuff has a place now.

So that is two whole rooms officially cleared and sorted!

(Well the bathrooms are mostly done too, but no-one wants to see that).

Sadly the kitchen is currently a bomb site of empty cardboard boxes due to the aforementioned unpacking, and with recent rain our basement is a bitty bit damp so they will probably stay there a while.

I’m still happy. Exhausted. But happy.

Hallowe’en Jack

Has vomited all over our front porch 😂🤣😂🤣

Hallowe’en is a huge deal here it seems!

I actually think it’s really cool how excited everyone is.

TT loves that scarecrow thing:

Unfortunately (though predictably) she views it as a punching bag. It loses.

And our neighbours are not alone:

That is all from one front lawn, and it has been on display since early September

🙀😱🙀😱🙀😱😂🤣😂😭😂

I see it every time I go to get my nails done.

Oh these are the offerings from the last two visits:

This was three weeks ago. And I had to take photos of my natural nails as I’m just so bloody proud of how well I’ve done.

To give you an idea dear audience, this visit coincided with the anniversary of me deciding to give a bit of a crap about my appearance, just a tiny one:

Thank you Timehop, and thank you lovely Natalie if you ever read this!

And this was last week’s offering:

Sadly these needed cutting short as my nails seem to spontaneously commit suicide after five weeks, so six weeks and they are gone 😭😭😭😭😭

Still pretty though.

Our week

Actually improved significantly.

He was not sent home from school again.

Wednesday he decided to start practicing his makeup artistry skills:

Apparently it’s just amazing what you can do with markers these days dahlink 😂🤣

And on Thursday he had a brilliant day:

I was (and am) so darn proud. He says he earned it for being great at lunchtime, which is a trigger point for him.

Apparently he felt that Friday went less well, and he did leave his class a few times without telling the teacher. But he is apparently building a hideaway of some kind in the classroom next door which is helping so it’s a work in progress.

Thursday was also the Fall Gathering for parents of Kindergarteners and parents of children new to Melrose.

So we fit on both counts.

I even tried to not embarrass my kids by dressing up a wee bit:

I was informed by my daughter that it was “pitty” even though there is a distinct lack of cats or unicorns 😂🤣

There was pizza and games and loads of his classmates. It was really fun.

TT made friends, danced a lot and gave me a heart attack. I kept an eye on her constantly, but I turned around to answer a question and she was gone – she had headed over to the pizza table in a blink of an eye. Panic didn’t cover it!!!

#1 Son had fun, though did get a bit overwhelmed.

They even played together a little:

In TT news, she turned 21 months yesterday and prior to this immense milestone has learned to jump properly, can identify the colour yellow and did her first ever poo on the potty.

She’s growing up.

Also embracing her inner cat 😂🤣

Today we have gone out for lunch after the hus-creature spent the morning assembling (yet more) Ikea furniture.

As a brief aside, he loathes Ikea, but they redeemed themselves by selling giant cuddly sharks.

Yes, the shark is bigger than the toddler 😂🤣

And no, daddy did not forget #1 Son

I am planning on Sharpie-ing a big A on the label of hers!!!!

So TT’s room now contains all relevant furniture and so this afternoon and tomorrow The Great Toy Unpacking ™ will commence.

Standby for much swearing and possible weepage.

So today’s lunch was not at a fast food joint. It is possible to get sick of burgers and chips.

I had this:

I have been craving a jacket potato and this was perfect.

Well except for TT stealing the choice bits. Well at least she ate something?

I have started my Mystery Knit Along and am up to Row 3.

Tough times

Well that’s a tad melodramatic maybe but when the first day of the school week starts with a call to collect #1 Son at around noon I can’t help but feel stressed.

Fortunately it was merely because he had run off. Again.

Having said that it wasn’t as simple as just leaving the classroom. He had actually managed to vanish and it took them 5 minutes to find him.

That’s when it becomes a safety concern and they want me to collect him and we “try again tomorrow”

I’m tired. So tired.

Today I have to collect him, as our lovely J has a hospital appointment at his school pickup time. Can’t be helped at all and she’s so apologetic god love her but I’m dreading it.

He knows, and I’m not ashamed to admit I’ve bribed him with the prospect of a treat of some kind on the way home…

But only if he has a good day at school.

Which sounds oh so simple. We have such a low base line these days. But I’m not sure.

And to cap it all, last night he snapped one of my good knitting needles. One that is part of a set.

I cried. I know it was an accident but argh.

So to cheer us up here is TT “waiting for Na-Noo” yesterday

Oh and in the post I received a lovely parcel from a wonderful friend. She used to send myself and my siblings American goodies when we were little.

I opened this and shouted “That was it!!” As I had been reminiscing with her about what she used to send and could not remember the brand for the life of me!!!

It was a lovely welcome to America and a wonderful blast from the past.

Here’s to a better day today.

We have blinds

My bedroom is dark. It is lovely. I’m going to go to sleep now. 
But as an aside, today I met in person my lovely friend Libida (note: not her real name) her lovely hubby-type person Fauxthepenix (also not his real name 🙃😜) and their adorable children type people: First (only girl aged 6) Second (boy aged 4) and Third (boy aged two)
Both TT and #1 Son adored them. #1 Son played and actively shared his toys and room
This is a huge deal as his room is his safe space!
Also in the chaos it was discovered that TT knows how to climb up into his bed 😱😱😱😱
Fortunately she has slightly more sense than the average lemming and just shouted for “mameeeeeeeeeeeeee” until rescued. 
But the door between their rooms will remain firmly shut. 
I had a lovely time and both myself and the hus-creature may have made a friend – as he and Faux were happily bonding over games. 
I’m still not allowed alpacas though😭😭😭
I may just have to steal Knit and Purl from Libida. 
(I am mostly joking)

School and Toddlers

And destruction oh my!

 

So this week has so far gone

Bad Days – 2

Good Days – 1

 

Poor J (I must ask her if she would like a nickname) was forced to stand in as temporary parent to corral #1 Son when he refused to come home Monday and Tuesday.  She’s been amazing and he loves her to pieces, but he can be an utter shite when home time hits.

 

But at school he drew an illustrated book – one book was the drawings, a second was the narration.  And he was enjoying it so much he refused to take his break!!!!

His teacher sent it home for us to look at because she thought it was so good – and it was, I am so proud of him.

He had a great day today and J had a plan for home time – she asked him what could help him have  better day than yesterday and one of the things he said was snacks – so she brought a box of goldfish crackers and he was great.

 

The woman is a genius!
And with her permission, proof that #1 Son adores her kids:

Don’t think little B is too impressed 😂🤣 but young Master P (I will not call him Baby P) is unphased. 

 

Today the Tiny Tyrant seemed to take pleasure in working my last nerve.  This post was nearly entitled ‘This is why I can’t have nice things

This is mine. It is a bubble bath bar, which I had left safely on a high shelf

And this is the remains of the destruction after initial clean up (she used it as play doh) as I cannot finish until both children are asleep so that the floor can dry safely. 


I managed to put the fear of God into her with my reaction – I managed the Mommy Voice – which I haven’t before and without any yelling. 
Parenting level up
Oh and the hus-creature gave me details of a daycare that we can look at putting her into one day a week – sanity prevails!

I miss curry

That is the one thing I have not yet been able to replace. 
It’s either bland and flavourless, or hot with weird tastes I can’t stomach. 
Apparently I truly am a Brit when it comes to my curry. 
I had a meeting a #1 Son’s school today to discuss action and future plans. 
The upshot is that they want to be as supportive as possible, but their hands are as tied as Dashwood’s was without the formal diagnosis.  
So I went to the paediatrician’s office today and dropped off copies of their full records and it should take a fortnight to have them transcribed and assessed and then we can move forward. 
There’s a lot that differs between the two systems and they need to be switched over ho hum. 
School are also putting additional counselling in place for him if they can (fortunately our insurance is good – they took one look at my card and declared no problems) as they feel it will help. 
I’m all for trying it. 
They also suggested that we look into a certain set of local art classes as they are run by qualified practitioners. 
Again, all for that if he can get something out of it, I looked into it before but was concerned that it was a lot of money to potentially flush if he couldn’t cope with it.  

2 Months

Yes, we are two months into this crazy assed adventure. 

I can hardly believe it. 

Things have changed so much. 

We have our own home, which I’m gradually working through setting up. 
I’ve applied for work – permit application received and dated 31 August – so no later than March 2018 I should know. 

I’m also (thanks to my daughter’s obsession) looking gradually into the options for a companion for the cattatafish.  

You see, if I were to get a job then for the first time since we brought her home she would be on her own during the daytime. She’s such a social creature it worries me. 
But obviously the cat needs to produce little (or as little as possible) Fel-D-1 for the hus-creature’s allergy to not be a problem. And I quite fancy the idea of a different breed if we could – that way it wouldn’t feel like we were replacing Miss Kitty Pants, or upgrading or similar. 
My Google-Fu is not as good as his, but the internet informs me of the following options:

  1. Balinese
  2. Bengal – PURTY
  3. Russian Blue – I adore these kitties 
  4. Devon Rex 
  5. Oriental Shorthair
  6. Cornish Rex 
  7. Siberian – gots one of these 💕💕💕
  8. LaPerm (not a clue)
  9. Sphinx (bleeeeeeeh)
  10. Javanese

There are some definite options on this list. I’ve always loved the look of Orientals generally.  Obviously the hus-creature would need to huff them again to see first. 

He had actually turned me into a cat person!!!!

Don’t get me wrong, I still want a dog oh so much, but it’s just not practical at the moment. 

Behold the might of her catliness

Back To School Night

Is apparently a national thing and was tonight. 
It was good to get an introduction to the upcoming year and events. I’ve popped a couple in the calendar and even signed up to volunteer for a couple. 
Given that I stay at home with TT I can’t help as much as I’d like – #1 Son’s teacher did say I could bring her in, but I don’t think anyone wants to see that!!!
I also got a glimpse into his daily school schedule and, honestly? It’s no wonder he’s been having trouble. 
I’d be kicking against the pricks if I had to do all that. 
So I’ve signed up to ABCMouse and will hopefully be able to support him better. 
I’ve also scheduled a meeting next week with:

  • The SENCO
  • His teacher
  • The Guidance Counsellor
  • Principal
  • PPS lady
  • School nurse

And we should hopefully be able to hammer out a support plan. 
When we met with his teacher we were told to sit at our own child’s desk and they had drawn us a picture. 
Even here he’s unique 😂🤣😂🤣


I’m so proud, if greatly amused!

Things for me

Self care is important yes? I think we can all agree on that. 
I’ve been finding this transition tough. Really tough. 
And honestly? Forgetting about myself a lot of the time. 
So. 

Unicorns, dinosaurs and owls oh my. 


Also the Cheshire Cat – because I’m a princess dammit!
They sold out of the narwhals 😩😭😩😭
Oh, and I have signed up for a Mystery Knit Along (I may have already mentioned this) and I’ve dyed up about half the yarn for it:

There’s been a Fuscia mini and a (hopefully) light grey main skein added since this photo was taken, but we lack natural light right now. 

Add in a hot shower and a glass of wine and I’m feeling pretty good right now.