1. Clapped Out
2. A Big Clap
3. Clapping Song
Fireworks, flags and fanfares, Son 2 aged 13m slept in his cot all night. Possibly unconscious with exhaustion after an evening from hell. I had to leave him in his cot to cry himself hoarse while I put Son 1 aged 4y 1m to bed. Then I finally got him to sleep on the double bed. He woke up again, by the time I got up there to pick him up he was frantic. No voice left, heart beating so hard it felt like it would burst through his little chest, face soaked with tears. I gave him the rest of his (bottled) milk, and again, I got him to sleep on the bed. And when I went up I just popped him in his cot. Where he stayed.
He can stand now, for longer and longer. And looks round for attention when he does it and claps his hands. “Applause please, everyone. I did it again.” He’s gorgeous. We went to The Beach in the morning - had to keep ducking for cover in rain showers - and then, for various reasons, went over to our friends’ house afterwards. Son 1 and Friend Aged 3y 11m played, Son 2 stood by the toy drumkit and rumba-d. He pointed at the dog a lot. And snap-snapped with the toy crocodile we got him from the Bird Park.
We’d just got back when Nanna came round. Son 2 was in the Big Pram asleep. Son 1’s school photos have arrived - they’re definitely worth giving his whole nursery class his tummy bug. Son 1 watched CBeebies; Son 2 woke and grizzled and griped until I worked out he was hungry, and sat him in his highchair with breadsticks and hummous. Then they all ate an M and S fish pie I’d efficiently remembered to take out of the freezer before we left in the morning. I checked the bag to see how long to heat it: “For best results, cook from frozen.” At bedtime Son 1 and Son 2 played together in the bath, charming and giggly. Son 1 and I sang “If you’re happy and you know shout ‘we are’” and Son 2 clapped his hands and laughed in a definite “I know that one!” Son 1 and Nanna went to his room for stories while I put Son 2 to bed. I gave him some milk, cuddled him and sang him a lullaby, and then put him down on the floor while I blacked out the window with a blanket. As I finished there was a click. He’d power-crawled across the bedroom and was out the door looking for Son 1 and Nanna. Again, a nightmare getting him off to sleep. Day 5 without feeding him.
Tags: bathtime, clap your hands, crawling, fish pie, Nanna, separation anxiety, Sleeping in cot, sleeping problems, sleeping through, standing, the beach, tummy bug
