Wednesday 3 August 2011

Little girl in waiting

We have seen Weeza several times this week already and she will probably come over here again tomorrow.  Less than a fortnight before the baby is due, with a very energetic toddler and the childminder on holiday, both she and Zerlina want distractions.

I'm wondering how you manage with the birth of your second child when you haven't got family on hand to look after the first.  Zerlina knows that she may be packed off for a day or two to us because Mummy will be busy having her little brother, and she's looking forward to it.  She is also looking forward to being a big sister.  Weeza has been putting in some work on that!  There had been a few 'incidents' recently, when Zerlina was reluctant to leave what she was doing to use the loo, so a star chart was drawn up and it's been quite a hit.  The only reward is stickers, but that's fine.  As well as the lavatory, tidying things away and lovely behaviour are mentioned, and it's having an excellent effect.  When I was there on Monday, she suddenly announced that she would tidy up all her toys and did so, and she didn't even ask for a sticker.  She already eats pretty well anything put in front of her, tidily and with cutlery, and she makes no fuss about bed or nap times.  It's pretty impressive parenting on Weeza's part, I think.

Having said which, she is very strong willed and sometimes, because she gets that from her mother, there are some battles of wills going on.   She was a little fractious this afternoon because she had got too hot while she was asleep.  Weeza went off to the hairdresser and z was a little querulous until I took her out into the garden, where she went on her swing.  She loves that.  Later, she did some painting, mostly on her tummy.

It has rained this evening.  It's still warm though.  I'm not complaining about the heat, at least it's seasonal.  I've done most of my work on the iPad, sitting outside in the shade.

5 comments:

Dave said...

Give her some paper to paint on next time.

Z said...

The rest of the painting was done on paper. But one of the joys of being young enough to run around with little or nothing on is painting yourself or getting wet and muddy.

Christopher said...

I'm glad you put a small z in your last but one paragraph, tho' much diverted by the idea of you painting on your tummy, and wondering what you would have painted if you had. Bread-and-butterflies?

Z said...

Indeed, Zerlina is little z.

Her mother had a swirly water scene with fish on her tummy a couple of weeks ago. Bread and butterflies would suit me nicely, I think.

Liz said...

Little z sounds a complete sweetie pie. I'm sure she will enjoy being a big sister - I still enjoy it and my baby brother is 36.