Sticking to our guns

I had my 2 year old GD overnight recently and she was up at 5.30am wanting to play..

The joy overcame the tiredness though as opening my eyes to her precious face looking at me and touching my face was enough joy to keep me going for a very good while!!!

She fell asleep in my arms in her bed the night before during bedtime story number 3 but woke in the night so I carried her in to mine

We played 'shopping' 'tea party' and bowling etc and she is slowly getting used to my puppy too

I used to lie down with my GS at about 8-9pm and PRETEND to go to sleep as him lying there , bored , used to put him off to sleep and he felt comforted I was beside him ... But you guessed it - I used to genuinely fall asleep even though I had PLANNED to have a couple of hours to myself first at least lol

The longest ( so far , but that is a different story ) I have had him all on my own is 16 days with getting him ready for school etc and it was difficult even though I loved every second of it , teamwork is good , it takes a village to raise a child after all

Actually I find Soutra that my bladder control is much better when I am with the boys as there just isn't a second to go to the loo ! Also I don't notice all my aches and pains so much as I am too busy changing nappies or wiping bottoms.

Ah I reread your post and think I must have "gone" in my sleep !!!

Younger DGS did get up a couple of times once because his duvet had fallen off and once because he "wanted a wee wee and had "lost" the toilet"! -or was it my or DH's loo breaks you meant?
I was also profoundly grateful for the DVDs of Aladdin and Peter Pan however!

Thanks so much everyone.

I have been wanting to redress the disappointment of the non event in November and prove that we will give them a break, but not at the expense of our younger grandson's health. I'm pleased to say he was in fine form and virtually bouncing off the walls, as well as the sofa.

Just a DVD recommendation that I got from the library called 'Andy and the Dinosaurs'. They were ecstatic with this tv programme which I am pleased to say was educational as well.

Well done NanKate and Soutra - good news posts

Well done NanNate and Soutra

I'm glad it worked out well in the end after last year's upset, NanKate

It's such hard work but so worth it! Well done to you both nankate and Soutra

So glad it went well and you all enjoyed yourselves - and you soutra.

I'm so glad everything worked out in the end.

Must have been a brilliant weekend if you're so exhausted lol.

Thanks for all the kind words and well done to you too Soutra. In fact you flagged up all the feelings we experienced of not having the energy we used to have.

Also both boys slept through the night but were wide awake at 06.30 and like you we had to hit the floor running when they came into us. No lie ins with a nice cuppa or my book.

So true we only have limited time with them and it is important to make the most of it.

The other grandparents both have health issues, one of them terminal, so we count ourselves as the lucky ones to be with the boys.

One last comment to you Soutra impressed you managed 13 hours straight through, now tell me truly wasn't there at least one loo break during the night.

Congratulations NanKate on surviving -no, enjoying your weekend. The DGC clearly loved it and while the DC may not appreciate that it is not easy, you coped brilliantly and have earned mega granny brownie points!

We had our 3 DGC (4 3/4, 3 1/4 and 6 months) overnight recently so that DD could celebrate her 40th with a massive birthday bash. SIL brought them just after lunch on the Saturday and their mummy and daddy plus our youngest DD and her DH came to rescue join us and all go out for lunch the next day as it was Mothering (Grandmothering?) Sunday.
It was made slightly harder by the fact that DH is quite poorly and felt very washed out that particular weekend because of low haemoglobin, but although I would not rush to repeat the weekend and I was shattered, we coped! The boys were as good as gold (but are like Duracell bunnies), all 3 were asleep by 7.05, the baby slept from her 10 o clock bottle until 5.30, but none of that stopped me being awake every hour checking she was breathing!
It is like a military operation though. I think the hardest thing was hitting the ground running at 6.45 when the boys' Gro-clock decreed "Sun's up!" At 7 the baby was strapped into her high chair clutching a Farley's rusk while I sorted the boys with Cheerios and toast, prepared another bottle and downed my second cup of tea. DH slumbered on!
I wish I had more energy, but I just don't function that well after so little sleep and so 2 nights would have been out of the question. But one's DGC are so precious and being the age we are we shall not have the years with them that we had with our own children, so time spent with them is precious too.
I was in bed by 9 after they had all gone and slept for 13 hours straight through BTW!

Glad it went well NanKate. One of my DGCs needs structure and tasks, I always find a bit of forward planning makes for a more enjoyable time.

Well done NanKate. It was good your co-inlaws supported you as well.

Lovely! I'm glad the overall outcome was good after all that stress for everyone.