Small changes - big consequences!

After a  lovely swim in the Indian Ocean – with its exciting waves! – and a relaxing time down at the beach we came home to a nice hot shower while Ouma finished preparing a yummy dinner for us. The children were all in bed by 7.30pm and I was very ready to hit the sack!

Aunty Elsa arrived just after 8pm and it was lovely to see her again! She brought with her 2 little fox terriers and they’ve been staying with us while she visits her Mom down in Mossel Bay for a few days. Both Ethan and Aimee woke in the night for various reasons and walked down the passage to our bedroom and were terrified to encounter the dogs walking around in the dark. They hadn’t know they were here and were taken by surprise! It was a rough night’s sleep!

The little ones (especially) had an absolute ball playing with the dogs yesterday morning but gave them most of the afternoon off. We had them running around the house calling the dogs and then trying to hand-feed them and also tickling them under their tummies while they lay on their backs. After lunch we had a 45 min nap before heading out to the Mall where the kids and I explored Game (a large store which sells a bit of everything except groceries) and then bought a trolley load of this week’s specials at Fruit and Veg City. (That visit only confirmed that we get our fruit and veg much cheaper at the smaller store in town!)

I thought the children would sleeper better last night. We closed Ryan and Jed’s door completely and I thought that if the little ones encountered the dogs again in the dark, they’d feel less scared. I was wrong! Shortly before 3am a door slammed, waking me up. I really struggled to get back to sleep. Not long after 3am Ethan woke up and encountered the dogs in the passage. He was besides himself with fear! I found him in Ryan and Jed’s room. He’d woken both of them up: Ryan was crying because he was still very tired and upset that he’d been woken and Jed was standing up trying to calm them both down. I put Ethan back to bed (after a visit to the loo) and closed the door so the dogs couldn’t get into his room. I had just made myself comfortable in my bed when he came running down the passage like a warrior. I took him back to bed and was on my way out when he informed me that I couldn’t leave, I HAD TO sleep in his room. So I closed the door and top-and-tailed with Aimee, sleeping at the bottom of her bed in all sorts of weird positions so she wouldn’t know I was there or else she’d wake up.

Nearly an hour later the door slightly rattled in the door frame and Ethan called out for me  - neither he or I had gone back to sleep yet. We did eventually fall back asleep, but it was a light sleep and we woke often – and were all up early!

Needless to say, we’re all completely ‘out of it’ today and really looking forward to a nice, long nap after lunch. Tonight will be the perfect night to have some home-made pizza and watch a DVD together. I think we’ll watch ‘College Road Trip’!