Ideas for amusing an indoors baby

Today is an ‘indoors day’ as my beautiful bub, Ethan has his first cold (I can’t find a section in the baby book to make note of this momentous occasion!?). I have resorted to warm layers, our column heater on high, and a quarantine from the great outdoors. Whilst a breath of fresh air would do us both the world of good, the view from the third floor bears witness to a ferocious wind, coupled with the weather report from the Today show confirming a maximum of 20 degrees – brrr! What happened to Autumn?

In all honesty, a day out of the public eye is probably best for all concerned. Sleep was elusive last night and so I am looking worse for wear and may be bordering on cranky or teary. Attempts to return to bed this morning were thwarted by a hungry 6 month old and so I started downing tea and dark chocolate to perk up. Appetite sated, Ethan has decided that NOW is the opportune time for a long 1-2 hour nap – unfortunately, my investment in caffeine is now paying dividends and sleep is off the table for mummy.

Instead, I am pondering what I can do to keep Ethan amused for the remaining 6 hours before daddy arrives home. A few things come to mind:

1. Eating! He has lunch and dinner to go. That should take 10 mins each.
2. Changing the nappy several times. Unfortunately, I do have this down to a fine art and call myself the ‘fastest nappy change in the East’. Would probably total 5 mins.
3. TV - is there such a thing as too much? Thank goodness for Giggle and Hoot on ABC4Kids
4. Rolling time. This is Ethan’s latest trick and if he is well rested, he quite enjoys being left to roll about on the lounge room floor. I am yet to finalise child-proofing however so he also has to endure mummy repositioning him when he rolls too close to exciting foreign objects. If I am lucky, we can achieve perhaps two x 15 min sessions.
   
   "Look at me mummy!"
   
   
5. Sitting practice. Not perfected yet and so I have built a pillow-fortress to cushion any toppling. Practice is usually in front of the TV to distract from distress of toppling (see point 3).
6. Nursery Rhymes. After an extensive google search, I have managed to find lyrics for several songs from childhood. We had been stuck on ‘3 little ducks' for some time, gradually increasing number of ducks each time to draw out length of song. Poor mother duck trying to keep track of 20 little ducks…no wonder they went over the hill and far away. 15 mins.
7. Another nap (fingers crossed!) – 40 mins.
8. Sitting in the bumbo or bouncer whilst watching mummy doing the housework. Surprisingly effective! 20 mins.
   
   
9. Jumping time in the Jolly Jumper. Timing is crucial – at least an hour after a meal and not too close to bedtime. I also limit jumping for fear of long-term effects. 5 mins.
10. Mirror Possum. I have an affectionate nickname for Ethan – ‘my possum’. He is quite fascinated by his reflection, so we spend some time looking in the mirror. 5 mins.
11. Cot Fortress. See point 5 and relocate from in front of TV into cot. 10 mins.
12. Apartment wandering. This is a desperate, last pitch attempt to keep Ethan amused by walking through the apartment and looking at all the furniture. Rarely successful, mainly because, I admit, I get a little bored. 5 mins.

Ok, if my mathematics skills prove sharp, I have 360 mins until Cam arrives home and if I act upon all above ideas, I will chew up ~155 mins or 43 % of time.

Looks like point 3 is the winner for today!