Tuesday, April 1, 2008

Eureka!

We've struck water! In the kitchen, that is. Dave the Carpenter finished the plumbing and hooked the sink & dishwasher back up today. I am basking in the hum of a full load of dishes cleaning themselves as I type this. I got two coats of hand-rubbed beeswax and linseed oil finish on the counters last night, and oh my goodness but they are stunning. Photos soon. I kind of want to just do the before and after pics, so I don't bore you with the minutiae, but it is hard to resist posting the progress reports.

Pequita has had a stomach bug for the past two days, and awoke to a vomiting episode last night at about 11pm. I'm waiting for anyone else to get it, but so far so good. Tomorrow is the day I call our houseguests arriving this weekend and give them an update and an opportunity to bow out, but all seems well, and Pequita was never really ill, just had some exciting diaper blowouts.

I am stymied at how to deal with Pequita's new past-time, scratching Monito's face until he bleeds. I need to find parents of sibs to ask. He follows her all over the house and wants to play with her. He definitely gets in her business. She pushes him over onto his back and claws at his face, leaving scratches and little bloody half moons the size of her finger nails on his face. It is really upsetting for me; the kids seem to get over it in moments. I recently bought the "Sibling Without Rivalry" book, and like what I've had time to read, but haven't read anything that covers this! Anyone out there have experience & suggestions? I'd welcome some help.

5 comments:

Becca said...

Oh man! The scratching sounds awful. I have no suggestions, sorry. But the water in your kitchen? I bet you all feel so much more human now! That's great.

Anonymous said...

Oh this sounds serious! It's enough to make a Grandma jump in the car and come to the rescue. It takes me back to when my second child was biting us all when she got upset and couldn't verbalize her feelings yet. We all took several good bites. I kept taking both hands and saying, looking directly into her eyes, "No biting! No Biting!" It did work until the next time she was really upset and then it happened again and again. It did stop and we all survived so hang in there. I can only imagine how upset both children are about the scratching.

Alison Williams said...

I am certainly not a mother of sibs, but how about this. I remember that Pequita liked getting into the dog cage thing? I know that they are terribly unfashionable these days, but perhaps she could have her own special play area, aka playpen, where Monito cannot get to her. Not all the time, but for periods. And do you have super nanny there? P also sounds like a child who may respond to a minute or two on a naughty step! Good luck.

Anonymous said...

Ack, did it again. Child's name reviled in the last paragraph. Now i know both of their real names. Don't worry, I won't tell.

Homestead Mom said...

Thanks, Wendie. I would never have looked back if you didn't alert me. No one else noticed! I'm clearly too busy to blog properly.