A high drama of new youth, parenthood and smelly nappies

Posts from December 2007

01:30pm Thursday, 20th December 2007

Brief entry before escaping to southern climes for xmas. Manic week in the Henley household. Gethin was a nightmare all weekend but we survived and a few days on he seems to be chilling out a bit. Atop the exhaustion of a screaming bairn, sad news on Saturday that Cole’s sister, Leiske, was taken into hosptal. The latest news is that she has had a second stroke (having had one before 5 years ago). Our hopes and thoughts go out to you sis for a speedy recovery from this setback and look forward to seeing you over the festive break.

Eslewhere, Cole is in a surreal position where he was selected for a second interview at the marvellous design agency Whitespace in Edinburgh whilst at the same time being offered a permanent contract at his current place of employ, RCAHMS (where his contract was due to expire in May). Fingers crossed for a successful second interview today and then some nerve-wracking decision making from this indecisive Libran…

Finally, RIP to Cole’s aged goldfish Jeremy who passed away at the weekend. Won at a fair whilst Cole was in the Boy Scouts back in 1983, Jeremy was an admirable animal who out-lived many fellow aquine pets (and one feline one) and survived long periods of neglect. Jeremy, you may not have remembered me (and even if you did, only then for short periods of time) but you were my first pet and I will think of you the next time I tuck into a fish supper.

09:15pm Saturday, 15th December 2007

what a day ! oh my lord, Gethin has really put us through it today. He’s got a stinker of a cold, the worst he’s ever had – I guess we have the croup to thank for that. And, Boy! has he been a reet pain in the backside. Poor cole nearly collapsed with exhaustion earlier, and I am not surprised as he has been over-working recently and was out on the p#ss last night and walked home from the station. what a wally! Anyway we’ve stuck together and shown Gething that a united Mummy and Daddy are no match for his screaming fits and demands – which today have numbered in the thousands. He’s really not being very nice to cole either, lots of pushing and (half-hearted) hits. I’ve pointed out to Cole I reckon Gethin is doing this to get a rise out of him as he really only spends time with him at the weekend and tries my patience throughout the rest of the week, so he leaves me be at the weekends and concentrates on pushing daddy’s boundaries instead! Plus he’s really not well and all little boys want their mummies when they are poorly, right? (and big boys too!) at least he’s gone to bed now so cole’s washing up while I write this before we settle down, perhaps finish the christmas cards and then watch Lemony Snickett.

Although it has been a really trying day, I’m really proud of us being strong and not backing down to Gethin’s demands. I feel a good sense of achievement and calm because I think any other time I probably would’ve been turned to jelly, but I stayed patient and firm. And as my dad said – at least he’s getting ill before Christmas and not during! Hopefully gethin will wake up in a better mood tomorrow….

02:56am Wednesday, 12th December 2007

evening all

just a wee post that the henleys are reet knackered after an impromptu trip to the hospital (again) with bairn. hopefully all is okely dokely, though looks like gethin has a touch of croup. a dose of pink, sugary, syrupy steroids should sort things out but could be a bumpy night…

everytime something like this happens it feels like being shaken from our sense of comfort and security. cole in particular still struggles with gethin being ill, especially if it is anything affecting his breathing. each time is a reminder of when G was first born, the minutes old boy being taken out of daddy’s arms as he struggled with his first few lung-fulls of the outside world, whisked away into the room next door full of alien machinery. feeling helpless and making that micro-second decision to prepare yourself for the worst.

sorry to sound melancholy but can’t shake this feeling. i hate to be the dad that wraps their kids up to protect them from the experiences of the world around them. with gethin being so curious and mobile, throwing himself off things, onto things and into things, shaking off scrapes and bumps, we often forget that he is still a fragile wee bairn.

oh well, time for paranoid dad to hit the sack. thanks for tuning in.

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04:43pm Sunday, 9th December 2007

Can’t believe it’s been almost 3 weeks since we last updated y’all. it’s been business as usual for the Henleys 3. Work, bairn, mortgage, etc. A couple of weeks ago saw Mme. P head down south to Londinium for work, just an overnight stay but long enough to freak Cole out as he played home alone dad. G had a wee tummy upset so puked up before bed on the Sunday, then again the next night as we went to pick P up from the airport. 2 nights running spent cleaning up kiddy vom into the wee hours – not one of my highlights as a parent. yuk.

Last weekend we had a short visit from G’s cousin Samuel along with aunty and uncle Leiske and Will. It was great for the boys to hang out together and G has really been missing Samuel since he headed back south on Sunday. On Saturday we all headed into Edinburgh to supp on the chaos of christmas shopping in the big smoke (as well as on some fine French fodder for dejeuner).

On Sunday we were up quite early. Leiske and Will had a lie-in after their long drive up on the Saturday so Cole got to observe the boys playing well together and blethering over G’s toys. Once everyone was up, we headed out for our usual fayre when with guests: a trip to South Queensferry for a spot of coffee. The High Street was closed off for a street party, bedecked with stalls of food, drink and gifts. We headed into the town hall for some kiddy crafts with the boys, making some xmas cards for the grandparents, before some face paints. G was like a statue whilst he was getting made up into a ferocious tiger, grrrrrrrr.

We stopped for a spot of lunch before strolling back to the cars and then home for hot bevs before Leiske, Will and Samuel had to hit the road on the long road home. The boys got on so well, G is really missing his cousin (and wanting to call him daily) but will get to see him again over the festive season (can’t believe that christmas is just around the corner).

This last week has been quite busy. Cole has been busy with web-work and Peta continues to be a supportive house-wife and mum when she’s not at work. G is coming on leaps and bounds, quite the chatterbox and despite being a bit soft at times (like his daddy) is now liking a bit of rough and tumble when playing. He is saying ‘please’ and ‘thank you’ unprompted and is amazingly empathetic. He is loving his food (though has a nasty habit of spitting out food if he puts too much in his mouth) and is sleeping much better (touch wood) than previously.

Cole went out on the town with Ryan on Tuesday night, a much needed tonic (though wish hadn’t had to go into work the morning after and not quite sure how we ended up in a gay karoake bar at 1 in the morning) – thanks Ryan for a greatnight out. Saturday night then saw some farewell drinks for friend Susan who is heading back to the states after 6 months in Scotland.

Well, 2007 is almost at an end. We are thinking it is definitely about time to give the bairn blog a refresh with a new lick of paint. Any suggestions for appearance then drop us a comment on this post or in the visitors book….