96 degrees in the shade...Since the last post, a kind of mad, happy mayhem now rules in the Turnip household! What used to be peaceful day time naps and deep night time sleeps in the cot have been taken over by chaos and crying! The reason? Jordy learnt to roll over one fine evening (7 January to be exact, 3 days shy of his 5th month birthday)!
D and I went through our regular bedtime ritual with the poor mite, starting first with a nice bath, then a massage (which makes me yearn for one myself!), then what I term "mummy and Jordy time" which is basically a lot of singing, funny faces and tummy tickling, then usually Daddy returns home halfway through mummy and Jordy time, in time for "daddy spectacle time" (no, does not involve D in a Cecil B. DeMille epic) but more Jordy repeatedly grabbing D's glasses from his face and chuckling, then we read a few books, always ending with Goodnight Moon (which I can recite by heart now). Then we put Jordy in his cot, and he usually settles himself after a little cry and a pat from mum or dad (a bit heartbreaking at first, but we both agree that learning how to fall asleep is something we do want Jordy to learn).
Anyway, on this evening of evenings, we put Jordy in his cot, and then there was the usual cry, and then... S I L E N C E. This had happened before, where he settled in literally two minutes, but this time, something felt different. Sure enough, when David went in to check on the little one, he was on his tummy, looking around his cot like he was in Disneyland! Anyway, I could go on forever but will spare you. To summise, Jordy in his cot = mayhem. Well at least until he learns to roll back on to his back! So from peace before, things now look like this...
Jordy inspects all four corners of his cotIn between all this mayhem, I've managed to find the energy to go on walks everyday this week with Jordy. Needed a bit of a kickstart in the old system, but it was certainly worth it. Fresh air I've come to realise, is a panacea for a tired body and mind! And I mean for Jordy too! All this rolling over business has certainly impacted the amount of shuteye he gets as well! Not just ours, poor thing!
Labrador Park has provided much welcome respite. It's been incredibly windy recently which makes the usual humid walk rather bracing. Wonderful actually. Reminds me of all the Wellington walks we used to do. Can't wait to show Jordy Butterfly Creek one day!
Had a rather blissed out moment while Jordy was napping with the wind flapping all around him, I sat on a bench facing the ocean and drank a can of root beer very slowly. My reverie was cut short though by the heavy rain which came very suddenly. Like 10 seconds after this shot was taken!
Weekends are of course also filled with walks (thanks to D, who always has the energy to go for a walk regardless of mood or weather!). We saw the most lovely sight recently on the Henderson Waves bridge on the Southern Ridges walk. A mother and son monkey duo preening for the more than 20 people excitedly crowding around them! I tell ya, it must be the maternal instinct kicking in as I had a little tear in my eye as I saw them in their little urban idyll!
And at the risk of sounding absolutely corny, "mummy and Jordy times" have thrown up many songs buried deep in the recesses of my brain. From fantastic ditties my dad taught me growing up ( who can forget the old favourites Down by the Sea, Where the Watermelons Grow and "Green Grow the Rushes, O") to sappy songs from my youth (Like You Were There by the Southern Sons)! And then this evening, hanging out with Jordy, something kinda special happened, I sang all four or five verses from Perhaps Love, a song I used to rewind and listen to over and over on my walkman, and Jordy stared at me with smiling eyes the whole time! It was magic I say!
The song is by the late John Denver and Placido Domingo (of all people!), and I thought the lyrics kinda summed up the moment pretty nicely :)
Perhaps love is like a resting place
A shelter from the storm
It exists to give you comfort
It is there to keep you warm
And in those times of trouble
When you are most alone
The memory of love will bring you home
Perhaps love is like a window
Perhaps an open door
It invites you to come closer
It wants to show you more
And even if you lose yourself
And don't know what to do
The memory of love will see you through
Oh, Love to some is like a cloud
To some as strong as steel
For some a way of living
For some a way to feel
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go
And some say love is everything
And some say they don't know
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict, full of pain
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you
And some say love is holding on
And some say letting go
And some say love is everything
Some say they don't know
Perhaps love is like the ocean
Full of conflict, full of pain
Like a fire when it's cold outside
Or thunder when it rains
If I should live forever
And all my dreams come true
My memories of love will be of you
ps: I haven't even started on feeding Jordy solids yet! More on that to come!
3 comments:
Enjoyed this post very much, not because of the ditties you still remember but principally because the whole story is based on Jordy's transition and new discovery...the ability to turnover!
That's when I also recalled both of you,( your elder sis too) doing that suddenly one fine day..during your own time, just like Jordy.
Re the rolling over and subsequent sleeplessness, have you heard of safe-t-sleeps? We bought one for Phoebe who is the wriggliest sleeper ever and use it with Lily now too. Keeps them snug ON THEIR BACKS! Might be worth a try. Phoebe was in hers until she was nearly two (also stops them falling out of bed!) http://www.safetsleep.com/
Sarah:)
Clever Jordy - it looks like he's practising his scrums!
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