Coping with Two

I've touched on the fact that Jamie is at University at the moment, but I don't think I've fully gone into details. He finished his Open University degree earlier in the year and scored himself a place on a Master's degree to study Creative Writing.  It's technically a full-time degree, so he spends two days a week physically at University, and has gone part-time at work, working 2 half-days and 1 full day.  I thought this was going to be incredibly difficult, having a new baby and a husband with so many commitments, but actually it means he's around a lot more than he would otherwise have been, even if he is constantly trying to find some peace and quiet to do some writing.

Friday is his full day in work, and at the moment it's really the only day that I'm left alone with both children for any prolonged period of time.  I haven't quite got the hang of it yet (and the state of the house is testament to that) but I'm getting better all the time.

Today, I came up with a Winter Walk Treasure Hunt (I had to be careful to omit the word 'treasure', or J would have been expecting an x-marks-the-spot and Actual Treasure) to keep us busy, and act as my activity for the day to boot.

I found this tiny clipboard in my stationery drawer and scribbled down the first 5 things I could think of (the first on the list was 'a crane', because there had been a crane at a house round the corner earlier on.  When we got outside, I could immediately see it had gone, so I changed it to an unimaginative 'bird'.  Will do better next time.).  I gave it to J and he almost exploded with delight.  We then spent about an hour getting our coats and boots on, and stuffing drinks and snacks and tissues into J's rucksack, and persuading him he didn't need to bring Tiger with him, and yes he did need to wear a coat and a hat, and no we couldn't leave Little J at home, and could he please not walk back into the lounge once he had his wellies on but wait patiently by the door while I got her in the sling and PLEASE I'll just be a minute and stop hanging off the coatrack and don't hide the front door key okay ready let's go .

Finding 'something unusual' - a pile of chopped logs

One of our last-minute Christmas presents for him was the Early Learning Centre digital camera, and at half-price with an extra 20% off it was a mere £17ish.  He was very excited about it when he opened it, but hasn't paid much attention to it since.  His treasure hunt list said he had to take a photo of everything he found today, so we took it with us and took photos of all his finds.  I mostly took photos of him finding his Things, and was pleasantly surprised with how they came out.  The ones he took were much more out-of-focus, but I'm sure he'll get the hang of it in due course.

 Finding an evergreen tree - Holly

It was extremely muddy and surprisingly warm, so we came back very dirty and sweaty.  After a feed for little J and beans on toast for big J and I, we all decamped upstairs and had baths.  I had a bath while J read to little J, then I bathed her while he got undressed, then he bathed himself while I dried and dressed her.

Back downstairs, she fed again as he watched Room on the Broom for the seventy-billionth time, and we ended the day warm, clean and snuggly.  I even had him in bed and asleep by 7.15, which I haven't managed even with Jamie here for weeks.

To anyone who's had more than one baby for a while, I'm sure you're laughing at me and my feeble attempts at a normal life.  But right now, it feels like a huge achievement merely surviving the day, let alone getting out and about and doing something that J deems fun.  I even managed to squeeze a nap in before Jamie came home and J woke up for another feed.  I can totally do this ;)

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Day Four

Sport: Walking
Distance: 1.48 mi
Duration: 01 hours 02 minutes 24 seconds
At: 04.01.13 15:12

(info courtesy of runtastic)