Sunday, July 19, 2009

Noah tries to help

Noah never means badly, he just causes so much extra work for me and then I shout at him and tell him all sorts of terrible things (like how he's wrecking our home and how Hannah wants to move out as he keeps pulling out the wires of her computer) and later I feel really bad because often it was a misunderstanding or he wanted to help.

Yesterday I lost him and came my closest ever to calling the police - he waltzed into the house just as I'd written down the phone number of the local police station and was leaving for one final look for him before I phoned them.
We went to our local library (about 15 minutes walk away) then to buy stamps. There was a long queue in the post office and Noah had been misbehaving by looking through all the children's magazines and attempting to get out any free gifts attached to them, so when he went and sat on the wall outside I just left him as I could still hear him. He was making his usual 'urr' noise that he does while day dreaming. The noise stopped but I didn't think about it until I went outside (3 mins max) and he'd gone! I went up and down the nearby streets calling him, looking through shop windows until I eventually decided he must have come on home ahead of me - he has a good sense of direction - so I started home. I phoned Lily at home 4 times on the way but no Noah. Once home I phoned the library to see if he'd gone back there but there was just an answer machine as the library had now shut. I checked our phone messages, looked up the police number and in breezed Noah"I looked in the shop and no mummy so I came home"
I haven't been able to get a conclusive story from him as to what happened as he is obsessed by the movie 'Horton hears a Who' and the various explanations he has given relate to this eg. he went into hairdressers and asked to be made to look like the mayor of Who ville, he went down a road where he thought Jojo, the littlest Who lived.

Today he tried to help with housework, he unloaded the dishwasher that was unfortunately full of dirty crockery waiting to be washed, then he loaded the dishwasher after brunch but unfortunately did not take pancakes off the plates first!

About two o'clock, I asked why he was pulling the dining room curtains and he told me he was getting the house ready for the night. I opened the curtains told him it was too early and thought no more of it. Later I was baking with him in the kitchen, having a lovely time, when I heard an odd noise of water from above my head which is where our ensuite bathroom is.

I said to Noah "I think I can hear water upstairs I'd better run up and check" He didn't say anything and didn't come near when he heard me screaming for Hannah to get out of bed (poor Hannah has gastric flu and was asleep) and help me mop up the flood.

Noah had decided to run a bath for him and Isaac as part of getting ready for night. The bath was full to overflowing with steaming hot water and our floor (that the flooring fitters told me mustn't ever be submerged) was covered with about 2 cms warm water.

Eight towels and a lot of shouting at Noah later and I've finally calmed down, done the extra laundry and am looking forward to the start of school again tomorrow!

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

Oh no, Angela. What a day. You do a million times better than I would, I'm sure. I hope all is calm and bright tomorrow.
Bridget

Mel said...

Oh dear! I am so glad I am not the only mother who shouts at her children and then feels bad :)

rydon family said...

I can't believe how calm you were and brave to walk home without Noah, I would be in a real state!
As for the helpfulness I hope he grows out of it soon for your sake.

Miz Kizzle said...

Can you get an old computer from somewhere and let Noah play with it? Better yet, can you pretend it's off limits to him and put it away somewhere where he'll sneak and mess with it when he thinks you're not looking?
The recycling center in my town has lots of discarded computers, VCRs, DVD players and other discarded electronic equipment. Anyone can take them away free of charge.
My kids are neurotypical but the two boys used to love taking things apart. They had their own closet full of stuff that they were allowed to dismember.