We've had a busy weekend. We took the boys to see their Grandma and Grandad yesterday.
Presley loves it there. He is the fifth grandchild (Cash is the eighth), so there are plenty of exciting new toys to play with. He spent most of the day pushing a bus around and around and around. His Grandad also took him round the garden. Presley had his Thomas The Tank Engine Wellies on but that didn't stop him getting soaked. We had to dry his trousers on the oven door!
I usually give Cash some food before we have our lunch, then leave him strapped in his car seat playing with some toys while we eat. Yesterday I thought I'd try something new and have both the boys sitting at the table. Andy's parents have a plastic booster seat and we took our portable booster seat. We've used both seats before without incident.
Today there were incidents.
Firstly Cash must have pushed against the table with his feet. The chair started to fall backwards. Luckily I had peripheral vision and lightning fast reactions. I caught his arm and stopped him falling. I moved the chair and wrapped my foot around the leg!
A few minutes later I watched in horror as Presley fell ..... in ..... slow ..... motion. He must have been leaning over sideways and the chair fell away from the table and landed on its side. Luckily Presley was still strapped into the booster seat, hanging upside down. He started to cry. He wasn't hurt, it was just the shock of it. His Grandma lifted the chair up as I lifted him up. His Grandma wrapped her foot around his chair leg!
My nerves must be bad. I didn't stop shaking for five minutes, I thought I was going to be ill. I know neither of them was hurt, but it didn't stop me thinking what if?
After lunch I took Cash for a walk to get him to sleep. I'd been out for half an hour. He was too busy watching the world go by to go to sleep. I wheeled him back and left the pushchair outside the back door. Cash then went to sleep, he must have been bored looking at the wheelie bins!
Andy and his Dad were in the garden so I went inside to read the paper. Luxury! A little while later I realised everyone was inside the house and the back door was shut. I ran to check on Cash. Of course he was still there and still fast asleep. I panicked, again thinking what if?
Perhaps I need to chill out.
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Today was busy too. I spent most of the day cleaning, dusting, vacuuming and tidying. My Mum arrives on Wednesday and is staying for a month. I don't want her to think we live in a s***hole!!! I may have to cut down on my social media addiction while she is here, although I'm sure I'll be able to write the odd post!
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In other news....
I'm a winner! I won Leslieanne's July giveaway at Kooky Boutique. She's having another competition this month. If you'd like to enter here's the link.
Having an escapologist for a son, you have my sympathy. Honestly, I think he could road-test any so-called baby-safe piece of furniture. He managed - somehow - to dangle upside down from his high-chair, just inches from the tiled kitchen floor, having been strapped in. Still not sure how he managed it.
ReplyDeleteI think that uptight panic just comes with the job!
ReplyDeleteIf Dylan goes 10 minutes over on his nap, my first thought is *yay* I'll have another cuppa, but then the 'what if??' monster jumps in & I have to go check up on him :P
and thank you for the plug :D
Also think I comes with the job......Zak is a complete escape artist..so much so that my mum & dad have had to extend the height of the fence round their back garden..sure all kids have a Houdini gene built in!!!
ReplyDeleteI think we all constantly live on our nerves....I always worry about booster seats, my 2 year old refuses to go in his highchair now so either sits on a normal chair and makes a big mess or I have a wooden chair, I think from Ikea which is higher but has arms so there is a bit of protection.
ReplyDeleteTry not to worry too much...you're doing a great job.
Sandy, your boys (fab names by the way....) totally need Stokke Tripp Trapp's in their life!
ReplyDeletesian.xx
How scary, I don't think anything is truly childproof but I'm glad they're both OK :) Good luck with the cleaning, I know what you mean - the internet has a lot to answer for!!!
ReplyDeleteWe are blessed with artex as well, I've seen cakes with less swirls than our ceilings but because it's such a big job and so expensive we're ignoring it for now! When we decorate I do it (with my brother's help if I can persuade him) while my husband has the kids or takes them out - they are instantly attracted to paint as well.
Mel xxx
I don't think we can ever chill out where children are concerned. I am constantly thinking "Where is she? What is she doing?" Luckily she does have a self preservation instinct and doesn't like climbing or I'd be a nervouse wreck!
ReplyDeleteOnce you have kids you have to eyes in the back of your head, my kids were always making my nerves feel very frayed, my middle child was like houdini in the car seat no matter how tightly strapped in, he always managed to get out, how I never had an accident, was a miracle!!
ReplyDeleteAah, kids - they're so robust but we think they're like china!
ReplyDeleteI've found the best way to deal with a small child that's had a shock like you describe is to laugh and cuddle them and say in a loving way, smile on face, things like "wow! that was fun, let's do it again, but more carefully" - well, something like that.
The key is that, after the initial shock, they take how they are supposed to react from the people around them and if those people react badly, so does the child.
I'm a god-parent to the kids of 2 sets of friends and it works with them :)
WMy stomach is constantly in my mouth - i think it's part and parcel of the job unfortunately, but your right it's no good for the nerves! Hope you have a lovely time with your mum too x
ReplyDeleteYou can't keep thinking what if. You remember last week when my daughter nearly rolled off that mountain? I still haven't recovered from that, but when I told other parents they all had similar stories to tell. Live and learn, as a wise Irishman told me.
ReplyDeleteThe D, lucky the straps were shorter than the drop!
ReplyDeleteLeslieanne, oh yes, the 'what if?' monster. I've lost count of the number of times I've woken mine up to check they're breathing! You're welcome for the plug :-)
Lorraine, Presley likes to climb, but he hasn't started on fences yet. Oh dear!
Chic Mama, thanks. I'm glad I'm not the only one living on their nerves (although in my case I also live on packets of biscuits)! I think Presley is getting a bit too old for a high chair, but now I'm not happy about him going into a booster seat!
Sian, thanks :-) You're so right, I love all of the Stokke stuff. Wish I'd invested in it instead of my impossible to clean high chairs! x
Mel, thanks, the cleaning is going according to plan! It's impossible to child-proof a house when your toddler climbs from a dining chair onto the table (as happened today)!
I'm thinking of doing a post showing some of the worst of the decor in my house, but I'm friends with the former owner and wouldn't want to upset her (even though I'm sure she doesn't know about my blog)!! x
Working Mum, Presley could climb long before he could walk. He can climb in and out of both high chairs now, thank goodness for harnesses!
b, yes, I definitely need eyes in the back of my head! At the moment I just have to wait for silence to know there's mischief being made. Presley even closed the kitchen door today so I wouldn't see him get on the dining table!! Luckily he hasn't tried to get out of the car seat yet. Oh dear, it's stressful being a parent!
H-R, welcome :-) Yes, great advice. We usually smile and say to them 'you're okay' and change the mood too.
Wife of Bold, I'm glad it's not just me that worries constantly! Thanks, I haven't seen my Mum since October so I'm really looking forward to it x
Mwa, oh yes, I remember that post. I bet your heart stopped beating. Wise words from the Irishman. We tried Presley in some reins today. Just in case! x
ReplyDeleteI was on the alert for years, as long as I had little ones under three. My youngest is 6 now and only now I feel mentally free! But the worse days were when the elder ones were small. It definitely got easier as time went on. Thanks for your visit and comment, feel free to use that Enid Blyton answer. You're not borrowing because it's your answer too. It's amazing how many of us reading addicts cut our reading teeth on Enid Blyton. There's a lot of us about....
ReplyDeleteGaelikaa, I'm glad to hear that I'll be able to relax in a few years! Thanks for the Enid Blyton thing :-) x
ReplyDeleteI'm always on tenterhooks with my two, and there is always a 'hurt cry' to be heard if I leave them alone for 2 minutes! Well done for winning! x
ReplyDeleteClare, oh yes, I hate leaving them on their own for that reason! x
ReplyDelete