Packing

by Veronica on February 21, 2008

in Life

I contemplate the boxes in front of me. Amy runs riot around the house, content in her own company. I take the time to pack some things up.

I start with Amy’s books. I have about 90% packed when Amy discovers what I am doing. Suddenly it is like Christmas and she gleefully starts removing books from the box.

I stand up and remove her from her discovering. She gets plonked on the couch with 2 of her favourite books, they won’t be packed until the day before the move.

She tosses the books aside and returns to helping me. I wonder if sitting on her would be a bad thing. At least then she wouldn’t be undoing everything I have done already?

No, she squirms too much to be sat on. Plus, I think I am probably a little heavy for her. It is still tempting me though.

I put it out of my mind.

I repack all the books that Amy has removed from the box and try to convince her to help.

‘Sweetie? Put the book back in the box. No, Amy, put it IN the box. Don’t take another one out! Look, okay, now you have 2, surely that is enough? HEY! No no no! You can’t climb into the box as well! Get back out of there! Help Mummy put the books into this box.’

She looks at me as if I am daft and keeps removing books from the box. I end up with a vision of my daughters head poking out of a sea of books, unable to move, but happy because the box hasn’t defeated her.

I shake my head and try to move on.

Amy runs away and looks back at me inviting me to chase her. How can I resist? We spend 10 minutesrunning around the house giggling before I sit back down to pack.

I get all the books done and start to pack DVD’s. Amy decides that it is great fun to open all the DVD cases and hand me the discs and covers separately. Unfortunately I can’t seem to teach her how to match them back together.

Amy runs away again and I resume the packing of the DVD’s.

I close the box up and lug it out to the sunroom, where it joins the boxes of computer stuff that Nathan packed.

I wander around the house, wondering what else I can pack before I completely lose motivation. Maybe my novels? No, they will be going in plastic bags.

The kitchen? Great thought, but we still need to eat for the next 8 days.

Maybe the linen.

Maybe the non-essential clothes.

I pondder these, but I come to the conclusion that as soon as I pack all the linen, Amy will guaranteed get sick and vomit over everything.

I resolve to not tempt Murphy. I leave the linen in the cupboard and the clothes where they are. I will pack them the night before the move.

I start on Amy’s non-essential toys. Funnily enough, everytime I put something in the box it becomes the NEWEST! FAVOURITEST! toy and god forbid I should dare take it away from her.

Finally after I pack the box eleventy hundred times, I am able to close the flaps.

I find myself wondering is packing the toddler is a bad idea….

*******************************

I did a pregnancy test this morning and got a negative. The spotting changed to bright bright red before I went to bed, but by this morning had gone back to brown.

No idea what is going on, but it certainly isn’t a period. (yeah, my periods have never been that shade of bright red)

I probably need to see a doctor, but I won’t be able to get near one until Wednesday and by then I would imagine that whatever is going on will have stopped.

Ah well. Onwards and upwards. I still have an entire kitchen/bathroom/loungeroom to pack.

witchypoo February 21, 2008 at 2:13 pm

Oh, my, I am so sorry about the spotting and strangeness.The hoping and wishing. And the timing being off.

witchypoo’s last blog post..That Poor Man

Just a mom February 21, 2008 at 2:17 pm

it is so much fun to pack with kids around they seem to find that stuff that they NEVER played iwth before so inviting,, hang i there and I hope everything is alright.

Just a mom’s last blog post..KATY’S IS DONE

Ree February 21, 2008 at 2:36 pm

We moved once when Shortman was 2. I just remember both me and Mr. Hot sitting on the floor crying at some point. 😉

I feel for you babe.

Ree’s last blog post..Looking at the Moon

talina February 21, 2008 at 2:51 pm

Ah, a fellow packer… I am also a packing fiend! Maybe if you give her a box to play in she will be distracted..

talina’s last blog post..Where is your family tree?

river February 21, 2008 at 4:23 pm

Uh oh I think a woo hoo may be in order. Don’t want to get your hopes too high but this sounds EXACTLY like my first pregnancy. Wait a few days then forget about the home pregnancy tests and see a doctor. I thought I wasn’t pregnant but the doc told me I was 5 weeks along. I had some further spotting in my third month and spent a day in hospital but the kid stuck and she is now 35 years old with two gorgeous children of her own.

Anja February 21, 2008 at 5:09 pm

Give it a few days and then visit a doctor. Sometimes the urine tests do not show a positive, but the blood tests will always show a positive. And if you have any pelvic pain, get to a doctor quickly.

I’m hoping for you that you get the result you want.

Anja’s last blog post..You’re a retard, son!

Sarcastic Mom February 21, 2008 at 5:27 pm

Said a prayer for you and your uterus issues. Try to take it easy (I know, I know, but just TRY).

I loved the visual of you giving up on the packing for a bit and running and giggling with Amy. Looks a lot like things around here on any given day. Wish you were moving next door. 😉

Sarcastic Mom’s last blog post..I have a confession.

Nicole February 21, 2008 at 5:29 pm

Grin, putting the toddler in a big ol’ box would have been tempting I bet 😉

And regarding your period, maybe it’s the stress?

Good Luck for both!

Marylin February 21, 2008 at 8:09 pm

aww, sorry bout the pregnancy test 🙁

Glad to hear the packing is going so well >_<
I moved when Zack was a similar age to Amy… it’s almost pointless trying to pack with someone “helping” isn’t it? lol

Marylin’s last blog post..13 Random Facts my friends and I came up with last night.

Kelley February 21, 2008 at 9:21 pm

As someone who has packed up and moved too many freaking times with a toddler (once with 2 with chicken pox on a bajillion degree day!) here are a couple of tips.

Do not pack their things while they are with you. It freaks them out.

Give them their own box full of pots and pans and unbreakables.

Pack as much as possible behind the scenes and put the boxes out of their line of sight if possible.

Keep a pillow handy. To scream into in frustration.

Moving is a bitch. Even more so with a little helper.

Kelley’s last blog post..Um, excuse me, what just happened here?

frogpondsrock February 21, 2008 at 9:54 pm

I think that I might just have to come and amynap that grandaughter of mine…

kisses mum

frogpondsrock’s last blog post..Zucchini Pickle

Taz February 21, 2008 at 10:30 pm

ahh

packing sucks..

i hope all works out with ya period issues..

take care..

cerebralmum February 22, 2008 at 12:16 am

I can’t help but laugh because the same thing is driving me insane at the moment. Everything put in a box must be taken out of the box. Over and over again. Kelley’s tip about having a pillow to scream into is a good one!

cerebralmum’s last blog post..You just need a little vision…

Dawn February 22, 2008 at 12:52 am

GUH! Hang in there.

Dawn’s last blog post..Carseat

Lou February 22, 2008 at 12:56 am

I was looking through the comments … I can just see the Mum, creeping up on the house, dressed exactly like Hamburgler (a cross between Dopey and Zorro the Gay Blade), getting ready to do an Amynapping.

Oh well. Back to reality. Ta.

Lou’s last blog post..Words for Wednesday

Burgh Baby's Mom February 22, 2008 at 2:38 am

Ah, packing with helpers. It’s the best, isn’t it?

Burgh Baby’s Mom’s last blog post..Birthday Wishes

Jenty February 22, 2008 at 3:05 am

Hope you find out what the problem is with your periods. (((HUGS)))
And good luck with the packing, sounds hectic!

Jenty’s last blog post..You know you’re getting old when…

Sandy (Momisodes) February 22, 2008 at 5:15 am

I feel your pain, and felt it just last week. Packing and moving with a toddler is a nightmare. I was only able to do it while she was sleeping ….hence my new 2am bedtime 🙁

Sandy (Momisodes)’s last blog post..Home Adaptation

Sandy (Momisodes) February 22, 2008 at 5:16 am

Oh! and hang in there! Soon you’re be in a new place unpacking all of this stuff to stay put for a loooooong time 😉

Sandy (Momisodes)’s last blog post..Home Adaptation

zoe February 22, 2008 at 7:18 am

god i hate to pack. i imagine it is a horror with a toddler. best wishes!

zoe’s last blog post..The Vector

Old Knudsen February 22, 2008 at 7:42 am

I have moved many times and know how crap it is. I also know how hard it is to just tidy up toys with a toddler about also when they have eyes like a hawk.

Weemen can do alsorts of crazy stuff when trying to get pregnant and there are no set rules for anyone. Getting their period and still be pregnant, incorrect tests, using two types of birth control and still getting pregnant, you’ve done it once so don’t stress.
Just don’t believe people when they tell you the second baby is easier to have cos there are always exceptions….. ouch! glad I’m a bloke.

Old Knudsen’s last blog post..Farmers Find Love

Tasina February 22, 2008 at 10:57 am

It’s all worth it though. You’ll be so happy unpacking all this stuff and settling into your new home!

Tasina’s last blog post..Embarrassing

julie February 22, 2008 at 12:15 pm

I feel for you…We are very lucky having the Army move us all the time, which means somebody else is packing the boxes. My biggest problem is figuring out what I don’t want them to pack. Which I have to do before the last week of May, which is when they come to pack us for the move to Alaska…

julie’s last blog post..Thursday Thirteen.

river February 22, 2008 at 5:29 pm

I was going to add some packing tips but Kelley covered it. I was like Julie and had the army packing and moving us around, they even unpacked at the new place while we watched and listed any damages caused, which the army then paid to have repaired or replaced.
And Lou? Ha Ha!

Leslie February 22, 2008 at 5:58 pm

Packing is hard, especially with a toddler! When we moved, Julia was a little more than two. We gave her one box and let her pack it. Really, she packed it and unpacked it full of all kinds of crazy things over and over and over, but it kept her busy enough that I got everything else taken care of. I’m so excited for your big move!

Leslie’s last blog post..When I Cannot Sing My Heart I Can Only Speak My Mind, Julia*

gareth February 23, 2008 at 12:47 am

Good luck on the packing, it sounds like you have your hands full!!

when Jayne was pregnant she had frequent spotting, even a serious bleed, and a night in hospital, it maybe good to get it checked out, in britain they told us if there were clots, or brown blood to get checked out, i’m sure it is ok though !!

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