Tuesday, October 21, 2008

A new stage worth toasting... nightly.

Today I picked up Tricky's little friend, Midget Vampire Boy, from daycare along with Tricky and they had a nice play together at home with Naughty Nephew the 3rd on our new trampoline. Tricky calls it 'dumping' and I find it hard to contradict him because it makes me laugh when he asks if he can dump on the tam-peen.

I say 'new' because we bought it last Christmas, or at least Santa did, but after having four boys dump up and down and wrestle and fling themselves from mesh wall to mesh wall, the trampoline is looking a little on the sad and saggy side.

Not unlike me.

When Midget Vampire's mother turned up, the very beautiful and talented Opera Singing Mummy, she looked at me with concern and said I looked drab and weary and a small vertical frown had developed across my forehead. OSM can say these sorts of things because we have been friends since first year drama at Newcastle University, when she was a buxom virgin in wholesome gingham and I was still learning to draw my eyeliner on straight.

Anyway my point is that the two of us sat down and watched the toddlers at play and OSM saw how Tricky soon tired of innocent dumping and instead took to wicked flinging all the wooden train tracks off the table and onto the floor, all the while with an evil little smile playing across his lips.

And then I explained about the hellish no-sleep nights we'd been having and she nodded. Midget Vampire Boy has just turned 3 and indeed has been responsible for many a hellish night himself. So she knew and was sympathetic.

She leaned across and patted my arm.

"Tricky's just going through a stage but I'm concerned..." she said and her voice was warm and caring, "that you won't have anywhere near enough alcohol in this house."

Interestingly I had thought the very same thing - not that there wasn't enough alcohol because I knew there certainly was - but that as the mother of a toddler it would be so easy to become a complete lush.

And then tonight, I put Tricky into his bed, and led him back twice and stroked his back and sat on the floor beside him and tried to be calm and not think about a glass of wine and by 8.30 he was asleep.

By coincidence (and not because of OSM's observation) I am having my First Ever Facial tomorrow. I am taking my other friend from uni, Screen Writing Mummy, for her birthday treat. She rang me tonight and we discussed plans and lunch and clothing to be worn.

And my big tip, said Screen Writing Mummy, re the facial, is this: Don't Fall Asleep.

And I swear I'll try not to, because obviously one wants to experience one's full money's worth and also one doesn't want to do that embarrasing snorty snore thing where you just catch yourself dropping off, but lordy if I'm horizontal and even just vaguely comfortable without a toddler screaming in my ear for water, I don't really hold out much hope.

6 comments:

Grit said...

sigh and toast your daily successes! they are greater than any setbacks!

and... things get better, give or take a year or so... it must do, because i used to take time off for the hairdressers to escape the toddlers, but then the hairdressers became so horrible what with the fire, that staying at home with the kids became the indulgence and the hairdressers became the horror...

Betty M said...

So sorry about the sleep. It does improve but unfortunately in my house it is taking years and years for there to be no issues at all. My daughter still comes into our bed regularly at the age of 5. We solved that pretty much with the world's biggest bed so she can get in and we don't notice except for the stamping feet and the turning on of every light in the house on her way up the stairs.

As a sleep deprived person I say sleep through the facial - I managed a good 40 winks during a salt body scrub and it was fantastic. Enjoy!

OvaGirl said...

well as it happens i DIDN'T sleep, thanks to the phlegm dripping down the back of my throat BUT it was utterly fabulous (facial not phlegm)

Mima said...

So glad that you had a lovely facial, and really hope that the sleep situation manages to restore itself very soon so you can have a decent night (even if it is only one!). However wonderful Tricky is, you do need a quiet 5 mins every now and then, but resist the urge to become a lush - just wouldn't suit you!!

Betty F said...

I understand the urge to become a lush. I myself had to fight it off when my kids were young(er). I dozed off at the dentist once. :) and considering my fear of those people, I must have been real tired. Glad you had a wonderful facial. The massage is wonderful too. I use to treat myself monthly (you know... Muscle Spasms due to M.S.- It was a medical need!) until I went on disability. The beauty of being a Grand Parent, which WILL come sooner than you expect, is that you can smile at your son and say... Good Luck Daddy, I'M OFF DUTY.

Anonymous said...

Yesterday I was told that I look just awful. I was even wearing make up. I'm not even in a situation remotely like yours.

God help us.