Feeling better on the Mama front

[celticdragonfly]

So I'd been feeling pretty bad on the Mama front recently - Maggie's been having some weird behavioral symptoms that are apparently, according to my doctor consulting with a pediatric specialist, stress manifestations. I think some of it was her brother was gone for a week, and some's probably the upcoming-move-stress. But I was feeling pretty bad at not doing better for her.

So I managed to talk one of the local Gymboree places into giving us a 4-week rate for multiple-times-a-week classes, instead of their usual 12 weeks. After all, with us expecting a likely move, 12 weeks looks a bad bet. And she's outgrowing our childproofing, and BORED here, and Mama is NOT up to the park. (Plus a few weeks ago she got tons of bugbites that way) So I'm taking her to the GymRunners class. We went to our first one last night.

I think it's exactly what she needs. Free play in a big safe room with tons of interesting stuff, interspersed with group activities, climbing stuff, baby songs, bubbles, etc. She's on the young age for this class - but then she's been walking since 9 months and is quite confident, the cruisers-to-walkers class wouldn't challenge her. I think she's the littlest one there - I usually get all these comments of "She's so CUTE!" and yesterday I kept getting "She's so LITTLE!"

I'm going to TRY to take her every day, and going to try to find ways to get her there for the "open play" times whenever I can. I have to juggle Brendan care around this, too. Last night I managed to get respite care for him, and they're coming again Friday. Tonight's is late enough Karl said he could come home in time.

Hopefully this will keep her more entertained, let her interact some with other kids, give her language stimulation, etc.

Comments

[archangelbeth]

And keep Mom from going crazy...

I have been taking da minx to playgroup at the local HUB (I forget what it used to stand for...), for the three days out of the week that it's open. Helps. Two of the days, the moms can sneak away to a mom-meeting upstairs, too...

Next week, no playgroup, but gym classes start. Wheee!

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

Well, I have to stay within reach of her at all times. I don't know any of these mothers, anyway. What it ends up is Mama being very TIRED. It's something of a workout for me, too. Saturday I had Karl come with us, and stuck him with as much of the physical chasing her and bouncing her through the songs as I could.

[archangelbeth]

Ahhh. At least it's not bouncing all over YOUR home? O:J (Yeah, our gym class is pretty well like that. She's old enough to go into the bigger-kid class, but that doesn't have the moms directing traffic at all, and neither of the teachers particularly want her in it... We'll see, tomorrow, if she's gotten any better that way.)

[celticdragonfly.livejournal.com]

It's much better than bouncing all over my home. I have one room that's MOSTLY baby proofed. And it's not big. There she has this BIG room that's safe (well, except her falling off something - but that's why I'm with her), and she can't run out of it, and it has lots of interesting things to play with, and other kids, and music. She's enjoying it.

Today I took her to the 1:30 class, then right after it had to drive up for an hour to the park at Wilshire to pick up Brendan from his 4 day weekend visitation. Then drove back. Now I'm waiting for Karl to get home, so I can take her back out to the open play time, or at least the 2nd half of it. I wanted Karl to take her and let me collapse - I'm SO tired - but he wants to do some writing.

And tomorrow school starts for Brendan, and I'll take Maggie to Gymboree again, then I pick him up early 'cause they have short days Wednesdays, and he has OT starting again that afternoon....

Tired tired tired.

[archangelbeth]

Gweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeetired.

Yeah. I know what you mean. (I'm usually the one who wants to do some writing, mind. But still...)

Luck!