ALICE ENJOYING SCHOOL

If you know where Alice goes to school you can see her on their school website. She's on the Events / Visitors page and the School Life / Charity page.

If you want the link then email me! Once this blog is private I'll post the links directly.

SNOW, JANUARY 2010

Last February was Alice's first experience of snow, when we went for a walk we didn't even make it into the field as she had to examine every snowflake that we passed.

This year it's very different, the moment Alice sees snow she's picking it up to make snowballs and then to eat it! But actually she's more interested in the hot chocolate when we get back to the house! We had major snowfall (for us) last Tuesday night and then a fresh lot (not as much but enough) last night, Alice isn't really that interested in going out in the snow - she mentioned it but then didn't ask again. I hope that the snow isn't going to last much longer (it's due to get warmer by Friday so hopefully it'll melt then) and I'm ready for it to be gone. This is the seventh week off nursery routine, I'm not missing the early starts but more than anything I'm ready for routine again!

A VERY LONG DAY

Alice was slow to wake but quick to say that she was hungry, so hungry that I got up before the second alarm to shower so that we could go downstairs. Alice's appetite varies, she's often hungry first thing but then doesn't eat much for breakfast, usually the popularity of breakfast inversely relates to how well she's eaten the night before. Yesterday she ate very well, this morning (unusually) she ate exceedingly well - 2 W*eetabix, a banana and then 3 sultana rolls, so I wasn't very surprised when she complained of tummy ache in the car.

Wednesday isn't a usual Nursery day, but they were having a special trip and all the children were invited to go to the theatre. Things went down hill when we got to school, she asked to be carried (not a good sign) and was clingy when we got through the door - moany crying when not in my arms, so after 5 minutes of not settling I asked if she wanted to stay or go home, home was chosen so that's what we did. I prompted her to try sleeping in the car and she did (another bad sign). We got home and snuggled for a while and she revived significantly, by lunch she was far better so I decided we'd go to the garden centre to have lunch and choose our Christmas tree (I was going to choose the tree while she was at nursery). Alice said she was hungry so we went for lunch first, ordered and sat looking at the decorations while waiting for our meal (Alice really wanted mashed potato), after 10 minutes or so she wanted a cuddle and then started to cry, within minutes she'd vomited over me. Once I'd cleared up and she'd calmed down I started to take her home which only made her more upset as she wanted her mashed potato. It's not a good feeling to walk through a garden centre, covered in vomit, leading a screaming child - I hope not to do that again!

She was better for most of the afternoon and ate some dry biscuits at about 3pm, but by 5pm she was hot and flushed and not at all happy, then within minutes she'd doze off for a little while, by 6:30pm we were both exhausted and she tearfully agreed to go upstairs for some TV and a cuddle. When she got to bed she curled up and didn't want to know, telling me to leave her to go to sleep. She's in one of those states where nothing makes her happy and she thinks she wants something only to cry when she gets it and change the request to something else. I hope that this is only a 24 hour bug, it's awful watching her go through this, exhausting too, meanwhile we're running low on the pink medicine, I'm down to the sachets so I must get out in the morning.

NATIVITY

Yesterday Alice was in her first Nativity. I was at work so Nana and T took her to school and stayed to watch the performance. I found it very hard not to be there.

Today was the second performance and my turn to watch. Alice was a lamb. School provide the costumes, Alice would tell me nothing of what she was doing. As a 'little one' (still in nursery next year) she didn't have an acting role, she had to join in the songs and she had an instrument to play during one song. She stayed sitting throughout the performance, she told the others around her what to do, she remembered the actions for each song in the opening bars and generally was the first to start the actions or clapping, but she didn't sing! She wriggled a bit, she scratched her head a lot and even picked her nose - general 3 year old stuff! The performance was delightful and luckily it was filmed by school, the DVD is on order and I can't wait to see it again.

THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE!

This morning I finally was able to talk to Alice's nursery teacher - our meeting had been postponed twice, first she was ill and then meetings were rearranged for the day I had my wisdom tooth out.

Alice is very happy in Nursery and well settled - I knew that and she confirmed it. Apparently she followed a couple of bigger girls around at the beginning of term but now she plays where she wants to, no surprise that she particularly likes sand and water play! On a Friday afternoon the children have a dance lesson with the specialist dance teacher - Alice tries hard to follow instructions and join in, that's made my decision that I will get her to try dance lessons in January. Apparently she is quick to follow instructions when there's an incentive - first to wash hands at snack time, but she's slower (and they need repeating) when it's a less desirable activity (ie no food involved) - no change there then, just like home! She's particularly bonded to one of the assistants, I knew this as she talks about her all the time at home. She's gregarious and doesn't settle to just a few children.

Throughout the meeting I was reminded of a former parent (now a friend, I've taught both her children and now she works in our school!), she always states that Parent Consultations and Reports shouldn't surprise parents as long as the parents are interested and involved - hopefully that's me and this morning certainly played out that way!

All in all a great report, no surprises except for hearing about the dance lesson, well done Alice Ming!

CHRISTMAS COMES EARLIER WITH CHILDREN

Alice's term finishes next week, so nursery are in the midst of preparations for Christmas. Once it's started at school it's hard to avoid at home, so today we got out the little white light Christmas tree and, more importantly, the F*isher P*rice Nativity scene (Alice takes great joy in 'whacking' the angel to hear Away in a Manger!)

The countdown has begun! 22 days to go!

NIGHT AND DAY WITH ALICE

I hardly slept last night.

I've resolved to try and get to bed earlier (as I have a guarenteed alarm clock!)

Last night I managed to turn the light off just after 11pm, that's early these days, I fell asleep fairly easily but then woke just over an hour later. I'd forgotten to make a phonecall earlier in the evening and found myself wide awake remembering at a time when it was impossible to act on it. I tried lying quietly, I watched a little TV, tried lying quietly again, after several hours I got up and made a PE bag for Alice (whole 'nother post!), eventually I went back to bed, nearly 5 hours after I'd woken, which made for a sore head and a grumpy me! I turned off the early alarm and slept til 7:30, Alice didn't make any noise til I got up, but that's fairly standard.

Breakfast was a challenge, I was grumpy and Alice was off-form. She started to eat and then refused her usual 2 W*eetabix and ended up eating 3 fruit pouches instead. I thought that she felt a bit warm but she didn't complain. She was slightly tearful going into nursery - which is highly unusual for her new school.

When I collected her she complained that she was feeling cold (despite wearing tights, normal uniform, hoodie and fleecy coat), she wasn't keen to talk and when we called in at my school she didn't want to interact at all. We came home and she want to curl up with Mummy and a blanket on the sofa - a nice cuddle but not usual, by 6pm 1 cheek was rosy and she definitely had a temperature and despite choosing her supper she only ate a few bites.

I think that my baby is poorly.

THERE'S A MESS IN THE KITCHEN

I've been so busy for the last 2 days that (as usual) the kitchen's been neglected and it's obvious, very obvious.

Yesterday - work and the general exhaustion that follows it.

Today - I dropped Alice off at the beginning of the drop-off time and went on to Coventry. Bought clothes and some Christmas presents, didn't manage to find ELC to use the birthday discount voucher (so ordered online when I got home!) I got back to Alice's school in plenty of time and sat and listened to the radio (it was nice to stop for a while). Home to usual post-nursery chaos, dirty uniform, lunch bag to sort, proper supper to provide (usually it's a snack after a proper lunch, but that reverses on nursery days), bedtime and then where did the evening go? Bejeweled Blitz's newest version!

THERE'S NO DOUBT . . . BUT WHY?

There's no doubt that Alice is happy in her new nursery (which we call school as opposed to the old nursery that we called by name). It's evident every time that she goes that she's happier now as she goes in so willingly and I have to find her to ask for a kiss!

Last night we were having a snuggle on my bed before Alice's bedtime, it was obvious that she was in a 'chatty' mood. I took the opportunity to ask about her new school and why she preferred school to the old nursery.

Her first response amazed me, 'The dinners!'

(At her new school she has to have a packed lunch - hot meals aren't provided until she goes into Reception. I've spent MANY hours worrying about Alice having a packed lunch, searching for a bag and boxes that she can open and what to put in them that she can eat easily and that she likes enough to eat without prompting!)

After this revelation I continued to ask about other aspects of school and she agreed that it was better than nursery in every way - but I suspect the 'chatty' mood was gone and she was just agreeing for an easy life!

BOOT ON THE OTHER FOOT

Today Alice's nursery went on a visit to a local (ish) fruit farm, I volunteered my help. We walked through several orchards, saw pears and apples on the trees, the black watering system, the wooden crates, the fruit pickers and even tractors!! (It's a glamorous life I lead!) The children 'helped' Farmer George to pick some cooking apples and then they got to pick some Gala and Coxes Orange Pippin to bring home before returning to the farm buildings for a delicious drink of apple juice and a quick visit into the cold store. The farmer and his wife were delightful with the children and got the level right. The children were very well behaved (except Alice - she had her 'moments', but then she was the youngest in the group and I was there - which never helps on school trips when a parent attends). I'm in awe of the nursery teachers being brave enough to take over 20 2, 3 and 4 year olds on an educational visit.

We were back in school for lunch. Luckily Alice did understand why Mummy was there and why I was leaving and was fine with it. I then went out to lunch with GFN - to a great pub that I've only been to once since Alice came home. Good lunch, great company and I got back to school just in time to get a parking space and collect Alice. For the first time she kept falling asleep on the way home, but giggled as I kept tapping her leg to wake her up, she even fell asleep with a cheesy biscuit in mid-air - ready to eat it!

I didn't tell Alice about seeing GFN until we were on the way home, she was fine at the time but very cross at bedtime and demanded to see him!

GOOD DAY, SHORT DAY

Yesterday started early with the alarm clock. The first alarm goes earlier than necessary so that I can 'come to' slowly whilst listening to the news. Sometimes Alice wakes early and comes in for a cuddle too, more often she sleeps later (or, I suspect, 'comes to' as I start moving round!) Yesterday I asked for a kiss, she refused with a giggle, so I started tickling and it turned into a game, shortly afterwards she lay back and said, 'I like tickles and giggles!'
I added, 'I like cuddles too!'
Then she said, 'And hugs!'
It was a lovely way to start the day and it was a good day, productive at work, organised at home and a different routine in the evening - Alice has usually had supper by the time I get home, so I planned to take her straight upstairs for a major bath (hair washing included!), then PJs before a cuddle in front of the TV and a story, it worked really well and we spent better time together than usual.

Today was a short day - Alice's new nursery has different hours (as I found to my cost last week!) and it leaves me with a short day to get my jobs done. Today I managed to get several jobs completed that Alice doesn't enjoy so it was an effective day.

RECENT NEWS

Alice hasn't got any worse, the spots have scabbed and are slowly going (very slowly). We stayed at home until yesterday when we went to a local soft play centre. She is getting better but she's still very clingy and tearful with a very low tolerance threshold. She missed nursery last Thursday but went back this morning, she didn't want to go and cried as they took her away, but she was settled and focused on playing her musical instrument when I returned and I got her 'usual' response when she saw me, 'Mummy!' runs to me, jumps into my arms and tells me that she loves me - it's a wonderful feeling to be on the receiving end of such love and joy. I also gave our notice of leaving to nursery today, it made me sad to write it, it was always the plan to leave in August but the time has gone so quickly and they've been so lovely with her that I will definitely miss it and I'm sure that she will too.

Meanwhile I've been researching holidays - I wanted to take Alice to Eur*disn*y and thought that I'd found a recent deal, but with single person supplements etc it was still beyond what I wanted to pay. Instead of ED I think that we might be going to Swansea - quite a contrast, but I think that I've found a good deal for a hotel with a pool and it's also across the road from a sandy beach, seems too good to be true but I hope to be proved wrong - it's only just over an hour from home so if it's awful we'll come back!

TODAY'S NEWS OF ALICE

Alice spent the morning at Nursery. It was cheesy pasta for lunch, they missed her off the list and so at first I was told she'd eaten it all and then that was quickly changed - she ate 1 mouthful and gagged on it, so she had lots of bread and butter and all the other lunch bits. For now, it's official, she doesn't like cheesy pasta, she used to eat it but recently she's shown that she doesn't like it and I think that if she's refusing it at Nursery then it's a genuine dislike rather than being 'challenging' for me!

She woke up on Sunday demanding, 'Lollipop' - so I told her that she could have one if she went all day without an accident. She's had a few such days but I remembered today. So at 6pm she had her pick of lollies and sat (at my insistence) to watch M*isie (a double treat, that d*mned mouse), she was very proud and happy. But within 30 minutes she'd p*ed on the carpet - right next to the potty, ugh! The rewards seem to be the undoing of us!!

Tonight, for the first time in over a month, Alice chose to sleep in her cot. We've been having issues with night terrors (more to come in a separate post) but tonight, despite being exhausted, she's slept peacefully, thank heavens.

PAPERWORK FIASCO

On Tuesday I went to C'diff to visit the notary.

I went early, I went to M*thercare and bought LOTS of underwear and bits for Alice, then I collected a photo collage that had been ready for a long while and then I went into the city centre. I did a bit of shopping and had a bit of lunch before I set off to find the notary's office, I was early but was happy to arrive early and sit for a while with my book! The first address didn't appear to be a lawyer's office, so I dithered for a few moments before ringing D*rectory E*nquiries for a new address, they sent me a few hundred yards further but the second office still didn't look right but I went into ask, they directed me to the third destination. It took me 3 attempts to get them to answer the bell, but finally I was in the right place.

The notary was delightful, our meeting was quick and then I went to collect Alice from an extended day at Nursery.

NURSERY TREASURE

Alice made the wolf and 3 little pigs at nursery - she loves playing with them. (She was eating the Gingerbread Man that she'd made there that day!)

AWOL AGAIN - AND A GENERAL CATCHUP!

Me, poorly. I got conjunctivitis last Thursday, I've still got it and now a throat infection too. I'm feeling rough, I didn't go to school and I've slept a lot during the last 3 days. I'm on my second lot of antibiotic eyedrops and I'm on pencillin for my throat too, I think it's beginning to take effect. My right side has been worse than my left, my throat feels like I've swallowed razors, my voice is a little hoarse too.

Alice is fine. Her speech has exploded again, her vocabulary's getting bigger, pronunciation clearer, she's saying more and parroting less. She's also really showing that she's got a very cheeky sense of humour, she's such fun!

I decided that after nearly 4 months of going 1 whole day a week to nursery that it was time to increase her hours, she's finally back to enjoying the day but still a little reticent at dropoff time. I asked to add another morning, they told me the following week that the morning I'd requested wasn't available until July, then this morning they rang and said she could start whenever I chose?! I'm pleased, but a little confused about the situation.

BUSY AGAIN!

Monday - popped to the neighbours, then the supermarket and we were at soft play by 10:30am - that's quite an achievement for us! Home for lunch, took Alice upstairs and then decided to reorganise my wardrobe while we were up there. Then a neighbour brought her new baby over for coffee and a chat before Nana arrived to look after Alice while I went to school for Parents' Evening. I didn't get home until after 7pm and then later in the evening GFW and AJ came over for coffee. I didn't stop all day but the bits that should have been were great fun!

We had a very quiet day on Tuesday.

Wednesday - we went to nursery for an open session first thing in the morning, I'd prepared Alice for it but she cried nearly the whole time and didn't really want to play. I had a quick look in her 'Splash Book' before we left early for T*ick T*ock. Time seemed to slip through our fingers when we got home - I caught up on some laundry and phonecalls and later on Nana popped in for some photocopying. With Nana in the house Alice wasn't going to bed without a struggle so she stayed up. Later in the afternoon we had to pop out, when I asked Alice to put on her shoes because we were going out she responded, 'Not today Mummy!' Unfortunately Mummy over-ruled, 5 minutes each way in the car but she was still asleep before we were halfway home!

Today was another busy, busy day. Alice declared in the car on the way this morning, 'No like ***' she knows how to press my buttons and did so repeatedly all the way there. I was asked last week to swap my days this week, so I worked today instead of tomorrow. Usually there are 2 teachers in my class but today I was solo, I did half a day's playground duty and then followed the school day with more parents' consultations before collecting Alice from nursery (she was happily playing the drum to 'Tommy Thumb' when I got there and she said that she'd had a good day - playing with A and playing outside.) Meanwhile Pud has been raiding the laundry piles and has been wicked this evening too.

Tonight I'm very excited about a special weekend. I'm not organised and I'm concerned that expectation will spoil the event.

MUMMY DAY AGAIN

With my plans for my special (crucial) shopping trip it was vital that Alice went to nursery today.

Every time Nana mentioned nursery Alice went rigid and shutdown but for me she was more straightforward and just denied that she was going to nursery. I've made the drop-off as quick as I can and nursery are very good at jumping straight in and distracting with cuddles and 'Jo-Fish' the rabbit (Joseff - he's Welsh!)

I collected her early on my way home from Coventry and she came out beaming (as usual), so we took the time to have a quick talk about the happy feelings before coming home.

NURSERY AND SO ON

Alice started to cry on the doorstep. I kept up my sing-song jolly voice and kept reminding her about the sticker if she didn't cry. She was OK on the journey and the way into nursery, she began to lose it when we got into her room so I made a swift exit and they found the sticker! She was fine all day and delighted to see me this evening.

I spent the day asleep on the sofa - my tummy's still bad and I've warned school that I might not be in tomorrow. I meant to get my letter to Thailand finished today, it will have to wait until Sunday at the earliest now, oh well.

THURSDAY, MUMMY DAY, BUSY DAY

In this house Thursdays are generally now known as 'Mummy Day'. Alice is in Nursery for most of the hours between 8:30am and 5:30pm. It's the day that I get the non-Alice jobs done.

This morning's drop-off wasn't pleasant. 3 weeks ago it was a snowy day - they put Alice's group with the older children in the older children's room, Alice was most unsettled by being in a different room. 2 weeks ago Alice struggled going into Nursery, big tears, screams, hysterical but not funny for either of us, I cried and found it very difficult too. Last week she was 'poorly' (before I realised that her illnesses were a symptom of teething). Today she started to protest as we left the house, demanding, 'Go Home!' She was fine in the car but started to cry as we arrived at Nursery, the crying ramped up as we walked towards her room and once we got there she was hysterical again. Amidst the tears I told her that I loved her and that I would be back later, reassuring her that 'Mummy's always come back!' I left as they were trying to distract her (unsuccessfully) with Joseff the rabbit. I could hear her scream as I walked down the corridor - I could hear that scream all day.

Not having had a day to myself for 4 weeks I was determined to make the most of it. I went straight to A'g to have passport photos taken for my adoption application to Thailand. Then I went on to the supermarket before going home. I didn't stop once I got home and had a very productive day.

Today's achievements, I:

• got info on a new mobile phone package - which will hopefully save some £££,
• did a major supermarket shop, including (hopefully) all the Easter eggs
• got home, unpacked all the shopping, cleared out a cluttered kitchen cupboard and debugged the fridge,
• did loads and loads and loads of washing (Pudding is now barricaded away from the that end of the dog room - I now have a laundry area!)
• made several vital phone calls,
• got some prep done for school tomorrow,
• sent an urgent email or two,
  
• parcelled up some unwanted Internet shopping, wrote some cards and got them all in the post (which is a major achievement for me!)
• and somewhere in the middle of all that I had lunch in front of the computer!

I had 3 goals for today - I achieved 1 by sending an email, but the other 2 (application form and letter to Thailand, both for Little Sis's adoption) remain goals - hopefully for next week!