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{The Ordinary Moments} #13 - Of split shifts and porcupines

4/12/2014

15 Comments

 
Last week I wrote that we love to escape the city and explore the beautiful cities and countryside around Milan. There are plenty of weekends where we stay at home too though, because someone's ill, the weather is not playing ball, we have no money, or we're all just feeling plain old lazy.

Often these weekends feel like a bit of a battle. I wish they didn't because after a whole week at work I want to be able to enjoy the time I have with my family, but the truth is that we get cabin fever very quickly. Plus, the Bean's wishes don't exactly match up with our own.

- for example -

Mummy and Daddy: sleep
The Bean: test the bed for bounciness, the light switches for clickiness and the toys for banginess (at 5:40 AM, obviously)

Mummy and Daddy: grocery shopping
Bean: playground

Mummy and Daddy: lunch
Bean: TV

Mummy and Daddy: TV
Bean: Boing boing boing weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee off the sofa

Mummy and Daddy: walk to the park
Bean: Oh I think I'd like a snooze now

We've long since accepted that the Bean is essentially the boss
and that the weekend is in no way our own. Those Milanese parents who take their brood on social dinner dates and look fabulous doing so? Not us.

We have, however, found a survival strategy of sorts: split shifts.

One parent gets up at silly o'clock and the other has a lie-in (although that's getting increasingly hard, as I seem to have given birth to a foghorn rather than a child). One parent stops the Bean from self-destructing while the other showers. One parent entertains while the other clears up the fallout from a meal.

And this is how we often find our groove - though not without the help of gallons of tea as well, of course - and actually enjoy the Bean's company during these ordinary days at home.

It takes a lot to entertain him, but once you've struck toddler gold, it's priceless. I can never tell what will capture his imagination. Today it most certainly wasn't colouring pencils. It was cotton buds. Plus a very patient daddy who turned him into a porcupine. When I see them playing together like this, I end up feeling glad we decided to just mooch at home.
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15 Comments
Carie link
4/13/2014 03:25:02 am

That's hilarious - I have never seen cotton buds being used to make a baby porcupine, but he looks completely absorbed by the idea - simply brilliant!!

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Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork link
4/15/2014 07:28:14 am

I have to say this was a first for me too and I've no idea how Mr P&P came up with it either, but M absolutely loved it!

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Mummy Says link
4/13/2014 04:23:09 am

Love the originality with the cotton buds! We also have a system of split shifts. Sometimes I feel we don't spend enough time together as a result though x

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Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork link
4/15/2014 07:31:51 am

I sometimes feel like that too, compounded by the fact that in the evenings, when the Bean is finally asleep and we get some time for the two of us, we're often too tired to even talk! I don't see any other way for now though - M still needs so much attention.

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Not A Frumpy Mum link
4/13/2014 08:24:46 am

Haha, brilliant. I love the pictures. Isn't it funny what kids find entertaining?

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Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork link
4/15/2014 07:35:38 am

Very funny indeed, and I frequently get it totally wrong too! The 'normal' toddler toys we bought him don't seem anywhere near as entertaining.

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Super Busy Mum link
4/13/2014 10:57:45 am

Loving these photos and who knew cottom buds could be so much fun! #ordinarymoments

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Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork link
4/18/2014 05:28:53 am

I certainly had no idea but I was glad he liked them!

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Katie @mummydaddyme link
4/13/2014 02:15:20 pm

Haha so funny, it's amazing what entertains them isn't it? I honestly don't know why we buy LL toys, she will be happily entertained by anything but. Her favourite thing at the moment is to take all the cards out of my wallet! x

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Eline @ Pasta & Patchwork link
4/18/2014 05:30:42 am

Yeah, I recognise the wallet thing... M is also really into sweeping with brooms and playing with my keys at the moment. As you say, why on earth do we buy these children toys?!

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Donna link
4/13/2014 05:11:30 pm

I don't think I've seen much funnier than those photos! The fun a toddler can have with cotton buds!! haha! x

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Merlinda (@pixiedusk) link
4/14/2014 04:51:59 am

Thats so genius! Creative! #ordinarymoments

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Jenny link
4/14/2014 08:42:57 am

ahhh playing with qtips so cute!!!! i love it. Missy Moo would love to do this. hahaha So funny.

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Sam @ And then the fun began... link
4/14/2014 04:24:30 pm

Sooo cute! They are exhausting at this age aren't they?! It definitely pays off to be one on one with them though. #ordinarymoments

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Ritz link
4/17/2014 02:20:32 pm

This is funny and cool. Love how much fun he is having with the ear buds ! Wish I could shift work too but I essentially live for the weekends at the moment :) #ordinary moments

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