Babies in the bed, grand openings and who says gender specific play is a learned thing?
Oh, just to have one night without a baby in my bed! It would probably feel weird, actually. Last night was the first night that Noah slept through, since his last bout of illness. In absolute contrast to him was his sister and my resident teddy bear, Ivy Hazel. Last night, I went to bed at 11pm after thinking that I had settled Ivy post 4 hour sleep cycle tanty. Ha ha, what on earth was I thinking? Half an hour later I found that child back in my bed. She proceeded to knock around the bed in its entirety. David, who has come down with a severe flu, was shivering with rigor next to me, in a male, comatose, kind of way (only women will know what I am talking about, males who read this will deny that they can sleep this way at all). So he was unaware of the tumbleweed daughter between us. At 3am, I had had enough so I put her in her cot and shut the door. For the next half hour she stood wailing ‘doordoordoor’ I tried all the tricks but nothing was dampening the door baby down. In the end I took her back to bed, where she slept for an hour before waking up for the day. It’s been a while since that girl has done an all nighter and boy, did I feel it this morning! (Notice the VERY dark circles under Ivy’s and my eyes in photos provided as evidence).
I guess we have always had babies in the bed, except for a brief interlude, Immy and Maddy, although excellent night sleepers, would come in at around 5am until they were about six or seven for a cuddle and Lily was an early morning ‘ I’ve had a bad dream, can I snuggle with you.’ kinda girl. You’d 
think that having Ivy (and occasionally Noah) in the bed would be no big deal and it isn’t - if we can both (all) sleep. It’s just that Ivy DOESN’T. She thinks my bed is a party and she’s the only one invited! For those of you concerned about David’s sleep, don’t be. He sleeps well, thank you very much. The only time his sleep is disturbed is if I kick him hard enough! (Joking people, he is a good man).
Yesterday I had my first ‘time out’ in ages. Mum and I went to the grand opening of my fave internet scrapbooking store Shop & Crop, going real life! Yep, a real shop! Although it was busy and crowded, I had a great time. I bought some goodies, ate some food, talked to people, bought more goodies and generally felt inspired to scrap - just what the doctor ordered. It was good because I came home to a very sick husband and you definately need happy things to draw on when you have one of those. (Thanks, 
Davey for letting me out for the afternoon AND for looking after the kids AND for putting dinner in the oven). While we were there we booked in for a class with Jennifer Hall ( a scrapbooking celebrity) in a couple of weeks time. So exciting!
While I have acknowledged that Noah’s play is very boy oriented, as in cars, cars and more cars I don’t know that I have waffled on much at all about Ivy’s play. I have to mention though her play with a dolly yesterday. Firstly, she cuddled and rocked the baby, then she stripped the baby off to change the nappy. When Maddy gave her a wipe, she knew EXACTLY what to do with it. She cleaned up baby’s bum, of course! Who says gender specific play is a learned thing? I think Ivy just naturally knew what to do with the doll. A very distinctive female instinct of nurturing. It is amazing to watch, especially having a boy/girl twin combination. Noah also cuddles the doll when it is given to him but soon loses interest and nappy changing and wiping bottoms - forget it!!!!!
