belgianwaffle

Twins

Sleeping Patterns


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Twins, Youngest Child

Michael will only sleep in a parentÂ’’s arms, preferably mine.  Ideally he likes to sleep with his little gums clenched to my breast.  I feel like an enormous soother.  Last night he wailed until brought into bed with us.  Mr. Waffle had earlier been complaining that the bed was clammy (I refuse to change the sheets more than once a week. Who am I? Jackie Kennedy?*  Did baby vomit ever hurt anyone?) ““Obviously, Michael doesn’Â’t find it clammy,” ” I said. ““HeÂ’’s no judge,”” retorted my loving spouse, ““10 weeks ago he was floating around in amniotic fluid”.”

Daniel loves the mobile that hangs over the cot and whenever it is turned on he laughs with delight.  He tends to wake up once or twice a night, eat and go back to sleep.  One night when I
went to rescue a wailing Michael from the cot (What am I doing here? Take me to the clammy bed this instant! WhereÂ’s my enormous dummy?), I noticed that Daniel was wide awake as well
and instead of wailing he was smiling benignly up at the cot mobile.  Clearly, he’Â’s an easy to please middle child.

* My mother says that she had her sheets changed twice a day.  Well, wouldn’t you, if you were married to JFK?

Comments

Bobble

on 07 December 2005 at 10:28

Waffly you never cease to amaze. If your hubby thinks you are the inimitable Jackie-O it’s time to ask for a bigger dress / spa / sunglasses allowance x

giftofthegab

on 07 December 2005 at 19:17

twice a day????

kristin

(Homepage)

on 08 December 2005 at 02:25

i heard that was when she was with Ari. Which, really, just echoes your point, Waffley, about wouldn’t you want to change the sheets if you were married to jfk — well, all the more so if you’re married to an extremely small, extremely wrinkly greek shipping magnate.

Beth

(Homepage)

on 08 December 2005 at 14:40

I don’t know what you are talking about, my sheets are pristine. The duvet, however, is covered in vomit. I wonder what Jackie O’s policy on duvets was?

belgianwaffle

on 08 December 2005 at 15:11

Beth, I am wild with envy. Cannot say what the policy on duvets was..
Kristin, can’t help feeling that JFK was more likely to have been romping about in the marital bed with third parties, whatcha reckon?
GOTG, see previous.
Bobble, you are so kind, I think this is an outstanding suggestion.
Teverde, SECOND chicken little? You deserve danger money.

beachhutman

on 08 December 2005 at 21:58

Now on THIS one I’m with Mr W.

belgianwaffle

on 09 December 2005 at 08:15

Hmm, what’s everybody’s problem with clammy?

All quiet on the home front


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

The boys were 2 months old yesterday. They weigh 5.3 and 4 kilos respectively. Daniel only woke up once last night. Michael stayed awake all night muttering darkly about a cold his father has given him. We have received in the post two very nice tops for the boys and a blank card. Was it you? Did you send us these tops?

It snowed over the weekend. The Princess was entranced. Her father took her to the circus which was ok but not as exciting as the light wand thingy L’s father bought her.

I would like to second Negrito’s review of the Belga Queen and add that seeing these toilets for the first time when you are nine months pregnant is enough to give you heart failure.

Comments

Minkleberry

on 28 November 2005 at 17:42

happy 2 months boys! 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

JoJo

on 28 November 2005 at 20:58

would it be really awful of me to claim responsibility for those tops, making myself look, simultaneously, like an amazingly generous, giving woman and a fashion guru for 2-month old boys?
It would?
Damn. 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

belgianwaffle

on 29 November 2005 at 15:49

FT, wise. Ta Minks. Why, Jojo, thank you for your tasteful gift. 0
Sweetie(s) given ???

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Put Upon


Posted in: Middle Child, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

Parent 1: I’m going to clean the kitchen.
Parent 2: Yes, why don’t you have a little break?

Other things that now constitute a little break: putting out the bins, washing teeth, having a shower.

Comments
If you want a holiday, I have a lot of housework to be done…

Bobble
Waffly, you have my utmost respect and admiration x

giftofthegab
and he’s still alive? mine politely suggested i tend to some laundry of his this morning. i am plotting his downfall as we speak.
Diva
Men are barking mad! ;o)

belgianwaffle
A number of you are making sexist assumptions in relation to who said what..

poggle
But are they right?

belgianwaffle
Um, yeah, but he does the laundry..

poggle
Gotcha. Hee hee.

sarcastic journalist
(Homepage)
Break in my house also constitutes going to the grocery store.

belgianwaffle
Smart pog.
SJ, that IS a break.

Lilo
I’m the same – and I’d add having a pee to my ‘having a little break’ list.

belgianwaffle
You get to go on your own???

Long Night


Posted in: Middle Child, Mr. Waffle, Princess, Twins, Youngest Child

The remainder of the night went as follows:
12.30 FINALLY persuade the boys to go to sleep for the night.
1.30 Well, not for the night, obviously, feed them again and pray.
2.30 Boys wake up again and are anxious to play.
3.30 Boys wake up again and are fed.
4.50 Princess wakes up and demands a bottle and that I lie beside her.  As I am singing “rock a bye baby” hear roaring from our bedroom. Finish “rock a bye baby” and depart.
5.00 Feed the boys AGAIN and hope that they will now sleep.
5.30 Boys are drifting off to sleep.  Realise that I cannot remember the last time I changed them. Change them and wake them up. Castigate myself for extreme idiocy.
6.00 Boys finally go to sleep.
7.00 Princess wakes for the day and promptly prods her brothers awake.

Comments

NorahSplog

on 23 November 2005 at 12:58

I’m tired just reading that.

Minkleberry

on 23 November 2005 at 15:02

Oh lordy. Huge amounts of sympathy.

on 23 November 2005 at 15:57

Gulp. I’m sure you’re fed up with the “how do you do it?” comments but – how do you do it?

poggle

on 23 November 2005 at 17:22

And she still finds the energy to blog. Now that’s true dedication.

kristin

(Homepage)

on 24 November 2005 at 02:21

Oh dear. If i weere a 20six-er, i could give you a bunch of sweeties, but since i’m not, i’ll just hand you a cool cloth for your head. and possibly your bb’s. and i know you don’t celebrate, but it’s thanksgiving day here, tomorrow, so just be glad you won’t be called upon to do all of the above and produce a 20-lb turkey with all the fixins. kisses and sleeping pills for all. ???

belgianwaffle

on 24 November 2005 at 09:12

Wow, a sweetie bonanza. Thank you ladies and, er, ladies. Hunter came home from the neighbouring Grand Duchy last night and was greeted with ecstasy.

Telephone Etiquette


Posted in: Middle Child, Siblings, Twins, Youngest Child

My sister and I spoke on the phone during the week.

Round I

Me:  You’re on speaker and the phone is on my knee.

Her: Why?

Me (triumphantly): Because I have a baby on each breast – Oh God!

Her: What? What?

Me: I dropped Michael.

Her: Oh God!

Me: Not very far and on to the sofa, he didn’t like it much though.

Daniel poos.

Me:  Did you hear that?

Her:  I was trying to ignore it.

Me: That was your nephew doing a poo.

Her: Too much information.

Me: But my life is full of poo at the moment.

Her (tartly): But mine doesn’t have to be.

Me (grudgingly):  Fair point.

Round II

Me:  I was watching “What Not to Wear” the other night; they say that your sister is the only person who will tell you what your clothes are really like (though I must say on the evidence presented in the programme, I believe Trinny and Susannah will as well). So tell me…

Her: No.

Me: Why not?

Her (crabbily):  I haven’t seen you much since you were pregnant with the Princess and I criticised one thing then and I got my nose bitten off.

Me (even more crabbily):  Have you any idea how hard it is to get nice maternity clothes?

Her (hastily): Anyway, I haven’t seen your non-maternity wardrobe in years.

Me: It’s still all the same.

Her: Pregnant silence.

Me: Oh I see.

Knock out

Her: Anyway, I’ve got to go, I have a meeting.

Me: But you can’t go, I’m stuck under two feeding babies.

Her: Sorry.

Me (desperately): But I havenÂ’t got a book or the TV remote to hand and the radio is off.

Her: Gotta go, bye, talk to you soon.

I spend the next while muttering darkly and listening to the telephone beeping while trying to manouevre myself into a position to switch off the speaker button.

Comments

Friar Tuck

on 21 November 2005 at 17:58

I’m trying, unsuccessfully, to work myself up to the expected level of indignation toward sis.

belgianwaffle

on 22 November 2005 at 09:19

Yes, Minks and to add insult to injury a parcel arrived from her in the post yesterday for the Princess and the boys and now I feel guilty as well…
FT, wouldn’t worry, she has plenty of indignation for everyone. 0
Sweetie(s) given    

Quite miscellaneous matters while children nap


Posted in: Reading etc., Twins

Got an email from my father-in-law beginning as follows:

“[A]s I sipped my espresso macchiato this morning (as an aside, this was the place in Smithfield where I asked a new member of staff for an espresso, to be told “Sorry-don’t understand English)….”

It’s far from espresso macchiatos he was reared; this celtic tiger stuff is getting out of control.

I rather like the juxtaposition of the standard signature and the content of this email from a friend and fellow Georgette Heyer fan:

GH [Georgette Heyer I’m reading] is Sylvester – lots of fun, although I think I could write them myself at this stage – the
signposts are pretty clear!

Nxx

N M
Professor of Extremely Hard Law
School of Law
University of X”

Got an email from my sister as follows:

“I know one shouldn’t laugh at names, but Kermit!!!

Organizational Announcement – Productivity Operations Leader – Kermit S

I am pleased to announce that Kermit S has accepted the position of Productivity Operations Leader, and will assume his new role effective Monday, November 21, 2005.

Kermit, has an extensive 25 year manufacturing/production background and a proven record of creating and maintaining high performance work teams. Kermit will be responsible for leading the overall process improvement efforts. X will report directly to Kermit, as will Y.

Please join me, in welcoming Kermit, his wife and his 2 children to the [insert company name here] Family.”

Showed this to Mr. Waffle but he refused to be amused. “It must have been a name before it was assigned to a frog.”   “Oh yeah, there are so many famous Kermits in history, Kermit of Arc, Pope Kermit, Kermit Roosevelt…” But he remains adamant and unamused, think it’s kind of a funny name myself.

Ventured out yesterday and today.

Yesterday my path out was barred by a pigeon sitting in the hall looking at me nastily. It was quite scary. I shouted shoo at it in an entirely ineffectual way and it looked at me in distinct scorn.  I edged past it to the door and when I got there found it was bucketing rain and I had no umbrella so went back upstairs with Daniel attached to me in the sling and
left Michael in the hall in the buggy.  On the way up I began to worry that the pigeon might attack Michael (stop sniggering, it was very malignant) so ran all the way back down to find him safe although the pigeon looked like he was reckoning whether Michael might be edible.  When I finally secured my umbrella, I pointed it at the pigeon and opened and closed it
vigourously.  If pigeons could laugh, I think that he would have. Malevolently. He certainly didn’t move and the three of us edged past very cautiously.

All of this going out is good preparation for next week
when we will be home alone as Mr. Waffle is off on a work trip.  The boys and I will have to drive the Princess to the creche and pick her up (the alternative is worse).  I am nervous, people.

Comments

NorahSplog

on 18 November 2005 at 12:29

Hah – Professor of Extremely Hard Law is brilliant!

dmts

on 18 November 2005 at 12:44

I’m with you on the Kermit – can you imagine having to go on a date with someone called Kermit? I mean, you wouldn’t would you? How could you possibly be romantic with Kermit? No. Mr Waffle speaks false – tell him from me.

poggle

on 18 November 2005 at 13:29

Poor Kermit. But silly Kermit – you’d have to change your name, wouldn’t you?

Kateri

(Homepage)

on 18 November 2005 at 15:05

I met a guy named Kermit once, years ago. I couldn’t keep a straight face. He gave me the eyeball of death and walked away. Poor guy. I bet he’s changed his name by now.

Bobble

on 18 November 2005 at 16:32

Mmm I worked with some wonderfully named people at a German investment bank. Thermos Kartalis was delightful.

kristin

(Homepage)

on 18 November 2005 at 16:44

because i’m all about research:
Kermit
Gender: Boy
Origin: Irish, Gaelic
Meaning: “Without envy.”
Notes: Variant of Dermot, made famous by the popular green Muppet Kermit the Frog.
Keywords: gaelic, irish, famous, popular, green
Popularity: The name Kermit ranked 588 out of 1219 (Top 48%) as a first name for males of all ages in the 1990 U.S. Census. The name Kermit was not ranked among 88799 surnames for males and females of all ages in the 1990 U.S. Census.
“Without envy,” indeed. *snort*

Nicole

(Homepage)

on 18 November 2005 at 20:32

I’m assuming you KNOW there really was a Kermit Roosevelt (he was Theodore’s (eldest, I think) son), and you slipped that in there to be tricky right? Good one! (p.s. I only know this random fact because I heard a review on National Public Radio (in the US) about a book written about the journey through the Amazon rainforest Kermit and his father took after TR’s second run for presidential office.)

beachhutman

on 19 November 2005 at 00:11

Or this guy: http://www.law.csuohio.edu/faculty/lind/
Would that be Carluccios? ON the pavement?

kristin

(Homepage)

on 20 November 2005 at 02:19

hey nicole, i heard that same review!

belgianwaffle

on 20 November 2005 at 14:48

SSC, alas, it would appear that the pigeon is boss.
Norah, ta.
Heather, Pog, Bobble, yes, yes, interesting.
The rest of you: you know far, far too much about Kermits. I am, however, delighted to discover that it means ” without envy”.

KateEvans

on 22 November 2005 at 09:44

What lovely boys. At the moment our own little darling has been complaining about life, the universe and everything for the last three hours and to me they look like peaceful, silent little angels in comparison.

belgianwaffle

on 22 November 2005 at 15:06

Only briefly Kate..