illness - mocha beanie mummy

Despite being bad for your feet, Lego can kind of save lives. Kind of.

February 27, 2012 By mocha beanie mummy 5 Comments

Ever since I was about 4 or 5, I remember my older brother (by about 7 years) having the most insane amount of Lego I could ever comprehend. It was a HUGE bucket; and I’m not talking nappy bucket size. He and his mate Malcolm (gotta love the 80s) used to play with it, and all the additional Lego Star Wars, and I wasn’t allowed to touch ANY of it.

So of course, I did, all the time, when they weren’t around. Heh.

Now of course, with Noah and Isaac around, I’m absolutely swamped with Lego, and I confess I have my own tub stashed away for er, yes well, let’s just say that my little Lego figures are more grown up than one might expect.

Obviously Noah and Isaac are very young, but they do love Lego. My GOD do they love Lego. They got tons of it over Christmas, and it’s everywhere. Which is lovely, since you know, I love Lego with a passion.

However. It does make me goddam stabby at times. As if it wasn’t enough that you have no choice but to scream to the very high heavens if you stand on one of those sons of bitches, as it leaves a 3 day imprint in your foot (does that happen on purpose? Are they designed with that in mind??) but when you’re trying to build the stuff as fast as possible with a 4 and nearly 3 year old breathing down your neck, it becomes a wee bit stressful, no?

And sweet baby Jesus, some of them are complicated.

Because you know, they can’t just play with the Lego Duplo, for kids their age, no. They got bored and wanted the big complicated stuff.

They both love that orange rescue truck thing, but the top isn’t stable. Every time they breathe on it, it pretty much collapses. So every 2-3 minutes, it’s “Mommy can you fix the roof please?” Rinse, repeat. And the ambulance is awesome (I confess I may have enjoyed building that a little too much) but the inside is small to get stuff in and out, and once dumped in the Lego tub, you can guarantee I’m not allowed to hoover the lounge until all the tiny “lights” have been found.

Much as the stuff can drive me a bit batshit, I LOVE how some of the sets help their creativity. They both obviously have a huge love of anything with a wheel on it, 4 wheels is a bonus, and 6 or more is pure heaven. So using some of those “mix ‘n’ match” sets were absolutely brilliant. Creating their own car shop with stacked tyres and mechanics and workmen and computers and rescue services and “gangstas” and patrol cars and more? Hell yeah.

What with all the chicken pox that went on over the last month (I do not ever want to do that again), I was convinced we were all pretty much going to die. I had visions of us not making it through, for all the stress, crying, scratching, whining, and demands for snacks. And that’s just me. I’m eternally thankful that there’s enough of the stuff in the Lego tub now (yes, including a random pair of socks. I’m yet to figure that one out).

And hey! I’ll even let them play with it.

Filed Under: actual happy times, AWESOMENESS, illness, Lego, MAKE IT STOP, photos, Uncategorized

Pox Watch, Day 6,894/Half Term Day WhyIsItNotOverYet – We’re still alive. Barely.

February 17, 2012 By mocha beanie mummy 3 Comments

He’s eaten his weight in fruit. © Mocha Beanie Mummy

Isaac has succumbed to Facial Orifice Fluid (as have I)

We’ve watched a LOT of crap TV (did you know that 4 hours of back-to-back Fireman Sam can render an adult temporarily brain dead?) © Mocha Beanie Mummy

I used a LOT of this. It’s not in the photo, but in addition to what you see on the table, there’s a massive tub full of Lego too. © Mocha Beanie Mummy

It’s not easy building Lego stuff with a sick child coughing and sneezing down your neck asking “Have you finished it yet? Is it done yet? What is it Mommy? What are you building? Why are you building it? Why haben’t you finished it yet? Can I play with it when you’ve finished it? I want to play with it please, can I Mommy?”

For reasons which should be obvious, Wine o’ Clock is now at 4pm until Monday.

Filed Under: Facial Orifice Fluid (FOF), illness, Isaac, Lego, MAKE IT STOP, neurosis, Noah

Pox Watch Day 4/Half Term Day 1 – Exactly what kind of sweet hell IS this?

February 13, 2012 By mocha beanie mummy 4 Comments

You know when you start celebrating something faaarrrrrrrrr too early? And, you’re not smug about it, but you sure as hell feel victorious on the inside?

Seriously, there was NO smugness, because quite frankly, you were so relieved you were planning a spending a week crying in a corner?

Yeah, screw that.

It’s half term this week, so obviously, Noah has chicken pox. OMG does he have chicken pox. He’s currently sitting on the sofa, Calpol’d up to his eyeballs, almost unrecognisable because his face is PLASTERED in calamine lotion. I thought Isaac had it bad? Ohhh God I was so so very wrong.

Not only is he suffering on the surface, he’s riddled with FOF and a delightful hacking cough (as is his brother). Also like his brother, he cried through most of his porridge and calamine bath, and the only thing that seems to be working on him is the placebo of putting cream directly onto his skin. Which works for as long as it takes for him to feel itchy again.

Which is about 3-5 minutes.

I’m amused watching the effects of Calpol; he looks (and sounds) like crap, then about 2 minutes after a dose, he’s excitedly playing with whatever is nearest, ignoring my pleas of “take it easy Noah” and “don’t roll around on the floor because it will make you sore” and “no, you can’t go and play outside, trust me”. This lasts about 10 minutes, then it’s back to the moaning and groaning noises of a child on their last legs.

The Mr is going to learn the hard way that pandering to this every time will land him firmly wrapped around Noah’s little finger. Isaac managed this in a very skilled fashion; I sat back, played the role of The Tough-Love Mom while laughing behind my hands. Both kiddos call for their Dad in the middle of the night now because they know I won’t sit and have a 10 minute conversation with them.

Hah.

So! Half term. It’s going to be awesome. I suspect it will look something like this:

He’s watching marathon sessions of Fireman Sam on Cartoonito. Good times, right? Good times.

Filed Under: Facial Orifice Fluid (FOF), illness, MAKE IT STOP, Noah, parenting, Ultimate Stresssss

This Week.

February 3, 2012 By mocha beanie mummy 2 Comments

He lives!

Isaac Pox Recovery-1

We are now both suffering from cabin fever, and I’m pretty convinced he’s sick of me now. That’s ok, because Pox Boy is going back to school on Monday, dammit.

It’s been a bloody long week.

~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~

I WON.

And it turns out I didn’t have to pay anyone. You can read more on Jay Mountford Photography and on Ice the Cake. OMFG! And thank you.

~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~

I’ve been asked to go back and perform with an orchestra. I quit professionally a few years ago. My last ever concert was very nearly a year ago, I haven’t picked up my cello since then.

I want to play. I actually want to play. Unfortunately, the thought TERRIFIES me. Maybe I’ll do some of the rehearsals. Play it safe, and all that.

Dammit.

~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~

In the car

Noah: Mommy can I have a drink please?

Me: Yes, would you like some juice when we get back? I don’t have anything on me now.

N: Ok, yes please.

Isaac: Can I have a drink please Mommy?

MBM: Yes, when we get back Isaac. What would you like?

I: Ummm…wine please.

MBM: …would you like red or white?

I: Ummm…white wine, please.

MBM: …okaaaayyyy…

~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~

I was so desperate to get into a bottle of wine last night, I managed to shatter the cork, flip the corkscrew off my hand and give myself a massive blood blister on my thumb.

I’m embarrassed. I may have to revert to screw top bottles. And ask Isaac for help.

~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~≈~

I know we’re over these now, but this one still made me laugh.