Sunday August 10: So we’ve been here at the cottage just over 24 hours and it is wonderful. Maybe it’s because CJ and I met with a counselor on Friday and she helped us (or maybe mainly me) realize that it’s important for us to get Sebby going to bed by himself and sleeping through the night. So CJ and I started a new bedtime routine 2 days ago. It goes like this… We put Sebby in bed, read him a story and then he’s expected to lie down and go to sleep. If he gets up we put him back in his room without talking. If he throws a fit.. we ignore it. We tell him that we’ll check on him in 10 or 15 minutes and we do… every 10 minutes we go back to his room so he knows we’re still around and he’s safe. Anyhow… Friday night sucked – it was 11:15 by the time he passed out. Last night was MUCH better and today at naptime time it was PERFECT… he climbed into his bed and went to sleep for a 2 hour nap.
Anyhow, long story short… it has made me happy that we’ve had one successful bedtime scene. It also made me happy that we had good weather today. It was supposed to be rainy all weekend and then clear up tomorrow. Yesterday, true enough was very rainy. We mainly hung out in the cottage and played games and watched TV.
Today though, despite a few random showers it was sunny and nice for most of the day. We have done lots of fishing, swimming in the pool and we even took out a couple canoes. We also hit the game room and the kids and I visited the alpacas (they now have 6 alpacas, not just 2).
Now we are back and CJ is almost ready with dinner (bbq’d burgers, corn, salad, and fries) - YUM. It’s 7:15.
After dinner we are going to play some cards and then try to have a successful bedtime again. I am not holding my breath but am hopeful. So there you have it. Day number 1 of our family holiday and it’s been good. Oh yeah… I’m reading a book called “Eat, Pray, Love” and I am really enjoying it. I think one of my favourite things to do it read. I don’t think that before kids I ever appreciated enough the ability to read a book. Just having the time to read is a luxury… then being able to be in a completely different world and get into the book is so cool. Like watching a movie – but better. Finally… the Olympics are on and I love watching gymnastics so much.. :)
Monday August 11: Thoughts of the day:
- Exercise makes for better naps/bedtimes (generally)
- I am sad to say that I think I am harder on Kenzie than I am on Sebastian
- Maybe the thing that I think I am too scared to pursue, is not what I want after-all
- I sometimes take my husband for granted – especially when the kids take all my energy and focus. He deserves better
- I am tired
- I envy the author of the book I am reading
- I need to laugh more and sigh less
Tuesday August 12: The kids and I went to feed the alpacas. Kenzie was a bit timid but Seb got right in there and put his hand out for the alpacas to take the apples. The alpacas really like apples.
Kenzie caught a fish today. Right off the beach. She was so proud.
I went swimming for the first time this week today. It was very fun. Despite being embarrassed about being in a bathing suit. Looking forward to going again this afternoon.
I found a little dolls baby bottle in the fridge today and it made me just want to hug Kenzie. Sometimes I treat her like she is much older than she is. I need to remind myself that she is just a 5 year old girl.
I am still so envious of the author of the book I’m reading “Eat, Pray, Love”. I mean how luxurious to have the financial ability and lack of responsibilities to be able to take a year of your life to travel the world and find yourself. I wish I did.
Omi also came to visit - she arrived around lunch time. This is us having dinner together.
My two men.
Wednesday August 13: It’s been a day of ups and downs. I’ll start with last night (one of the downs). Last night the kids had smores after dinner. Altough they enjoyed them at the time.....
...I think Sebby has a hard time with sugar before bed. To make matters worse he was in a ”no-Omi” mood for most of the day. When it was time for bed we had a hard time getting him to sleep. He was just wired – but overtired too. He kept insisting that he did NOT want Omi sleeping in his room. Finally I lay down with him (a big no no according to the counselor) but he fell asleep really fast. I ended up staying up really late watching Olympics. When it was time for mum to go to sleep she said she’d sleep on the other bunk bed in Seb’s room. I figured that he was asleep so it would be okay.
She proceeded to go into his room, turn off all the lights and sleep on the other bunk. (Seb always wants a light on… whether it’s a night-light, a table lamp or the hallway light – it just can’t be dark). So it’s not surprising that he woke up in the middle of the night quite distraught. Not only was Omi in his room but it was dark and when he woke up she was short with him (told him to go back to sleep) instead of being comforting. So I came down and lay with him. He was tossing and turning but finally fell asleep again. A few times he’d cry in his sleep :(
I couldn’t sleep so I tried to tip toe out but he woke up and wanted to come. So I was in the living room trying to pull out the sofa-bed, Seb was hovering around talking way too loudly and Omi stormed out of the room saying “I am going upstairs to lie with Kenzie. I can’t stand watching him manipulate you like that”. Ugh… she is so dramatic and just sucks the life out of me sometimes and makes me feel like a shit mom. In this case though I knew she was wrong. CJ came downstairs to hang with Sebby (who was now wide awake – at about 4:00 am) and I went back to bed. But I couldn’t sleep cause I was so angry with my mom.
The morning was a bit stressful with mum and I hardly speaking and kind of tip toeing around each other. I could feel her just watching me interact with the kids. Just judging. Always judging.
A few “up” moments were when CJ and Kenzie put on a few puppet shows (with puppets that Kenzie made). It was really sweet but what I loved most of all was how into it Sebby was and how heartily he laughed when – for example, when the cat lost her head (maybe you had to be there).
I also enjoyed playing the connect the dot game with Seb. Then we went into town to go for a walk but the weather was kinda crappy (rainy). So we headed back to the cottage for lunch. CJ stopped along the way to pick up some fries from the chippie van. I just knew that my mom was probably sitting in her car “judging” what bad parents we were for giving our kids crap food.
Anyhow, we got through lunch and then I read Seb a story and told him to take a nap – he was out like a light. CJ got Kenzie to sleep and then he and I took a wonderful afternoon nap. Omi left to go home while we were sleeping. I woke up at 4:00 to the sound of CJ playing the guitar and singing a beautiful melody downstairs. It sounded so warm and comforting and happy. It was one of those moments that made me so happy. In any case, I realized that immediately I felt SO MUCH BETTER! It’s amazing what a relief it was to have my mum out of the cottage. I really need to deal with the issues I have with my mom… I made myself a G&T and hung out on the deck reading my book in the sun. Kenzie was watching CJ play his guitar and Seb was still sleeping. CJ decided to take Kenz for a swim and I hung around until Seb woke up (after a 4 hour nap) and then brought him to the pool. Kenzie and I are now back at the cottage relaxing and CJ and Seb are still swimming. When they get back we’ll have some dinner and hang out.
Right now the part of the book that I am reading is dealing with getting rid of negative thoughts, being able to forgive yourself, get rid of guilt, don’t harbor resentment etc. It seems very appropriate. It’s hard to do though. Thank goodness for CJ – he is truly a gift to me. So kind and solid. I know that sounds so corny and cheesy but it is so true.
August 14 – 16: The rest of the week was nice. Thursday was a fairly lazy day.
We went swimming in the morning. Then had naps, then swam again in the afternoon. It was the perfect, lazy, do whatever-you-feel-like-whenever-you-feel-like kinda day.
Kenzie and I went for a walk while CJ and Seb went to see the alpacas again.
Before dinner we went into town and let the kiddos play at the local playground. Then we hit the local library because I wanted to check what was playing at the drive-in theatre that was in the next town over. Unfortunately the movies that were playing were a bit scary for the kids so we decided to skip the drive-in and go out for dinner instead.
On Friday we started the day with a swim. Shortly after lunch Helen and the kids came to visit. They spent the rest of the day there. It was filled with the usual – fishing, playing outside, swimming and a trip to the local dairy parlour. CJ made us a yummy dinner and then the Woods left around 8:30. We were pooped.
This morning we woke up early. CJ and I were anxious to pack up and get home. Being away is nice, but by the end of the week we were very ready to be back at our own house which was a bit less sandy and a bit less cramped.
It was a great week but I am really glad to be home and looking forward to sleeping in my own bed now.
