Our first sickness bug!

It's been a busy few weeks, not with anything in particular, just those times when every day seems to fly by! Jacob had a check up at the Royal London Hospital last week, and he was stable again! I'd had a really bad feeling (like always) that he'd need treatment but he's still fighting those nasty cancer cells off! He was so good again after coming round from theatre. He just inhales a whole bottle of water and a punnet of blueberries every time. Then continues to eat everything in sight for about an hour. The nurses find him hilarious as a lot of the children are very grumpy when they come round, understandably of course. But he just sits there eating. We took the iPad with us too so he was well set up for the morning! Although his new favourite is Finding Nemo, and we haven't put that onto the iPad yet! We are still waiting for Jacobs new artificial eye, which seems like its been forever. They finally called yesterday and he is getting it next week! His current one is so small, he keeps turning it round and it has been so weepy where its building up gunk. Lovely I know! I'll post a before and after pic next week. Hopefully he sits well and let's Sylvia take it in and out this time. He was not happy with being messed about with last time.

Jacob has started to say so many new words, in the last month or so his speech really seems to have come along. And he understands pretty much everything you say to him now. Especially the word "sweets." He says "seets?!" I wouldn't mind but I don't let him have chocolate too often and is usually after dinner if he does get anything. Although I've managed to make him think that raisins and these organic real fruit jelly things are sweets, so that's good! He also thinks Soreen malt loaf is cake. He looks like he's won the lottery when he gets real cake. The kid doesn't need sugar to give him energy, he's like a little Duracell bunny! The most impressive new thing he has been saying is "I wanna go in the car" and "I wanna go outside" He knows what car is and says that a lot on its own, but the "I wanna go" part is more of a sound I think. But it is hilarious because the second he opens his eyes in the morning or after a nap, it's all he says.

We've also had to start doing "The Naughty Step". I really like this as I am totally against punishing a child through smacking. And most of Jacobs naughty behaviour involves him smacking or hitting someone he shouldn't. Mostly, its the dog getting a pasting. So I don't see how punishing smacking with the same thing would ever work. Everyone is different obviously but I remember getting a good few sore backsides when I was younger and it never stopped me, it just made me misbehave, then run with my legs about ten feet in front of my body with my bum tucked underneath me as far as I could get it. Jacob however, also thinks the naughty step is fun. The first time he went on it he got up straight away, I didn't put him back, but when he went back to whatever mischief he was doing, then he went back to it. This only happened twice before he lost interest in being a rogue. The next time, after hitting the dog over the head with his Henry Hoover, he sat there for about 30 seconds maybe, I asked "are you going to be nice?" To which he said yes, so I said "come say sorry to Lex, (the dog)" so he came over, gave Lex a cuddle and kiss and I felt like I'd won. Until he slapped me round the face, laughed, and went and sat himself back on the naughty step. I couldn't help but laugh behind a pillow. I think it's going to take some practice.

We went to one of our friends little girls birthday party on Saturday, it was in Eastbourne and we'd planned on spending the whole day there and going to the seaside, but it was so cold that we avoided that! Jacob slept nearly the whole way there which was great as he was full of beans when we arrived. I'd expected him to be really clingy and not go off and run around with the other children. But after about ten minutes, he was off! It was so lovely to see him just toddling around, kicking balloons and having fun. He sometimes stands there just watching everyone and you can see he is just taking it all in. He must have been exhausted from all the running around as he fell asleep as soon as we got into the car to drive home with his hands in his Happy Meal box clinging onto a chicken nugget! We just grabbed him one as it was easy for him to eat in the car and he'd been picking at food all afternoon anyway. He isn't a huge happy meal fan and I've gone off McDonalds since the beginning of my pregnancy, so they are a rarity in our house these days. He fell asleep around six and we managed to get him in, changed and into bed without him waking up and he slept until 7.45 the next day. Not uninterrupted of course, but that was a good stretch for him!

He wasn't quite himself all day Sunday, and the same on Monday. Off his food and very clingy. And cuddly. And I rarely get cuddles from this boy so I knew something was up. And at 5pm on Monday, that "up" was projectile vomit. Now, if you know me, you know I do not cope well with sick. I can't even talk about it without heaving (which I'm currently doing). But apparently, when its your child, you block out that fear. Don't get me wrong, I was still a state and wanted to heave my insides out, but the fear in Jacobs face was so much worse. He honestly looked petrified and didn't have a clue what was happening. I was absolutely covered in a lovely grape and rusk concoction but the quivering little wreck that was hanging on to me for dear life was way more important. I went into germ killer overdrive, Jacob was stripped and washed, the bed was stripped and put on the hottest wash I could get it on, and all dummies and drink cups were sterilised and I had the Dettol out and ready for any more explosions. Except there wasn't any, that night anyways, Jacob didn't want to eat anything and climbed into bed without a bedtime story which is very unlike him. He slept surprisingly well, I laid there awake nearly all night waiting for the next lot. He woke up asking for breakfast so I gave him some porridge which he practically inhaled where he must have been starving, but within ten minutes, it all came back up. Now this time, because Rich took Jacob and was dealing with him, it was just me and the reversed porridge. I didn't do well. That blocking out didn't happen. My eyes were hanging out of my head by the end of it.
This all happened at the worst possible time too as one of my friends was getting married yesterday and Jacob was spending the day with my brother and his girlfriend. I didn't want to leave him but he managed to keep down some plain biscotti and ready salted crisps (that's what he wanted?!) and seemed to perk up, so Rich missed the ceremony and came for the evening as by then Jacob seemed pretty much back to normal. He slept so well last night too which was great because I was exhausted from the no sleep the night before, to spending the whole day in heels, (my toes are like little swollen cocktail sausages today.) He woke up this morning pretty much his usual self and ate 3 bowls of dry cheerios. So fingers crossed the bug has left the building! It was so horrible seeing him so subdued. Quiet, but horrible! It made me really miss the chaos!

On the pregnancy front, I have been nesting like crazy. Everything is organised, rubbish thrown out, garden cleared and all the toys and trampoline all cleaned. I am starting to feel a bit more prepared now. However, at my 28 week midwife appointment, she said that Lady Wright is growing nicely and "isn't a tiddler". She said don't worry she isn't big! But this has still terrified me. So many people have said how big the bump is too! I am definitely carrying a lot higher up this time, so it may just " look" bigger. I hope so!

Oh, the last thing, Rich has caught Jacobs bug. In fact, it's actually wiped out my brother, his girlfriend and half of her family too! Not good. I am so hoping I don't catch it. I am pathetic when I'm sick. We (I) had planned a little trip to Mothercare today but I don't think that will be happening! I think Rich planned it that way... ;)

A few other pics from the last few weeks...