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: ***The All New 2 or More Under 3 Thread!*** Join the Madness Here!
(723 messages)
Thanks Chaotica- it actually turned out to be quite a good day- I had a lovely rest and felt a lot better. DD1 is doing ok, and DD2 is feeding well and sleeping, despite her snuffles, bless her, so I think she'll be fine.
The baking sounds fun. I can't wait to get back into baking and generally doing fun stuff with the dcs.
I have persuaded DH to help me sort out the playroom, which is looking a bit tired, so I've been thinking up some decorating ideas today.
cazwa your weekend sounds fun, not sure about the house selling. Not that many going here, and it's a bit of a property bubble area.
Cazwa - you're putting your house on the market? Are you mad? Actually, our neighbours are, but then it turned out that they've done some sort of part exchange for a new one (I guess the builders are desperate).
Sorry you and the LOs have got flu, Pinky.
Had a fine day here doing nothing in particular. Took the car to the car wash which was a hit with the DCs (for 1.70), went to the market to buy fruit (and flowers at Freya's request), made a cake without getting too much flour around the kitchen. And just about avoided tantrums until DP came home (although I had to threaten to leave DD in town a couple of times).
Can we have a nice new tinselly thread festive thread soon? (Can we? Can we? <<chaotica stamps feet and whines>> ) I'd start one myself but it's against my principles to get festively inclined until december.
Hello all! Been v busy this week with a work trip to London (incorporating a boozy night with old friends ), a night out seeing the Mighty Boosh, and putting the house on the market ! Possibly the worst timing ever. We've seen a house we love round the corner that is a wreck but affordable. So, we have one more estate agent coming tomorrow then we put it on the market on monday. Just in time for no-one to look at it over xmas! Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.
Sleep vibes to everyone, been catching up with posts and my god, I dont know how some of you cope.
hello all. Glad it's not just me having some fun and games at bedtime. DD1 is putting on quite a performance at the mo at bedtime, wailing her head off but chatting quite normally when I go in to her. Seems to be abating now- only lasted about 5 mins last night instead of the record 1.5 hours last weekShe has bee waking up pretty early, too.
I have the flu. The baby is snuffly too and DD1 has it too, so things not great here. DH has taken the day off to look after us, bless him.
Grrl- hairdo sounds exciting! I can't waitto get the christmas decorations out, too. Mum has got the children a fab advent calendar with little toys to hang on it and I can't wait to start it![big kid emoticon]
it'll be more a stump than a strand! Think Mia Farrow in Rosemary's Baby! Chaotica- i can remember not minding what colour my hair went aswell.
well i've been up since well before 5am, but nothing to do with the kids. I drank too much wine last night, so i woke up with a mouth like arse, and the smoke alarm battery is running out so is beebing quite annoyingly. The kids slept until 5.15am, i wasn't going to make an issue out of them getting up because of the alarm beebing right outside their door, so Dyl is down here with me, and i put George in bed with DH (and all is quiet!) George's been going to bed at 7.30pm too, rather than shortly after 6pm, so feeling positive-ish.
Going to buy loads of decorations for work and home today- yay! Get to skive out of work for a bit to do it too, which is nice
Grrrl - Wise words from Jewels - do a strand test. I used to deliberately put highlights in in black then bleach blonde so I had hair 3 colours - I quite liked the orange that resulted. (But I was young then .) Doesn't look so good if you want to go properly blonde.
I am a bottle blonde grrrl and shame you still have some plum left - in my experience hair takes on any chance to turn orange rather than a fab pink. Do a strand test and see what happens first?
bah there's still some plum in my hair! I am tempted to dye it anyway, but the hairdresser said the plum ends might go pink (lush!) or orange (icky!) Do i dare? Any bottle blondes here??!!
Don't get me started on grandparents and discipline (fortunately -- or not really fortunately because it is a bit sad -- we don't see the GPs very often as mine and DP's parents live too far away). But my mum does both - making out the DCs are hard done by if we tell them off, and then being so tough on them herself that I am and relieved that my dad was around to make sure we weren't stuck in a cot all day with the door shut. I exaggerate a bit, but my mum is of the "don't feed your 2 week old baby or you'll spoil her" school, another gem was telling us just to put the DCs in a room and shut the door when they were crying as babies... Not surprisingly, I ignore her when it comes to childcare, and my older nephew doesn't want to visit his granny any more because all she does is boss him about.
(I warned you not to get me started )
Good luck with the reward chart, Grrrl. We have the opposite at the moment - Freya won't go to sleep at night any more.
jewels and grrrl I totally agree with you on the 'discipline' front with in laws and parents....it drives me insane. I also try and play down minor falls and injuries jewels, I know it sounds funny, but I work as a physio and I have treated many teenagers with chronic pain syndrome (we're talking 13 yr olds who are in wheelchairs cos of 'back pain' ) and thru my studies I have learnt that how we deal with injuries etc right from a young age can influence their behaviour with illness later on in life. (sorry, bit of a ramble!)
I was brought up pretty strict catholic and was taught old fashioned values and good manners, and I am feel it did me the world of good.
And <<rant continues>> when DD1 doesn't finish her dinner at MIL's so I say "OK, but no buttons cos you didn't eat your dinner" and MIL says "ahhhh, poor DD1, not allowed any buttons, isn't mummy mean?" !!!
Grrrl sound like you had a positive start. Keep up the good work. Good luck with the haircut.....post a photo on your profile when it's done!!!
grrl - that sounds better - and you sound more positive. keep going with it, we had ds1 up at 6.30 this morning he got an extra smiley face & 2 grandma sweeties
and didn't feed ds2 again, just 15mins of crying on and off, i went in twice, dh went in once. so feeling hopeful about that too. hooray!
well George woke at about 5.15am, i told him to go back to bed and he did (although not sleeping) then at 5.45am he starting calling DH to say he'd pooed, so got up. I told him what a brilliant boy he was for going back this morning, and he looked really proud of himself. Dyl was a bit of a mare though, woke up wet at something past 3, took ages to finally settle in our bed. I was determined to not get up with him, but i did give him some milk after 4am and he finally settled until 6.30am.
Getting my hair chopped uber-short today so that the plum colour is all gone and i can go blonde
Jewels i can relate- everytime i take the kids to my Gran's and i tell them to be careful with something / not to rub food on their clothes etc etc she always pipes up with 'oh leave him alone he's alright' and i bite my tongue.
Good luck grrrl with the reward chart and you do have to be firm - Agree with gooddays that they have to know you mean business, and that the only option available to them is doing that you want. My mum thinks I am a bit mean with the girls and I am! [also be prepared for it all to go well and then have some regression - this is totally normal and you will experience this from time to time - perservere!!]
gooddays glad your doctor is taking the appropriate proactive approach with you and that chest infection sounds like hell! It must be sapping so much of your energy too, no wonder things get a bit much sometimes!
All quiet here - Izzy still sleeping fine and we [me] are all getting excitied about putting up the christmas decorations. I have bought loads of LED outside lights too, to put in the front garden and on the trees etc so cannot wait
I am having a with my mum though. When Freya falls over I cuddle her, but if it is like she falls on her hands on the carpet really softly then I do not over-dramatise and generally ask if she's ok before administering hugs etc. But my mum is the other way around and picks her up and cuddles her for the slightest thing. The result is an increasingly whingy cry baby Freya. Also (not I am on a rant sorry girls) if I am having a conversation with someone - usually DH or mum - Freya hates it. And I expect this to a point, but have been making a point of telling her that mummy is talking, and that she can talk when I have finished. But my mum again! When Freya interupts (she starts shouting "no talking!") and my mum straight away tells her she can join in the conversation and explains what we are talking about, and to me, this is just endorsing that if she interupts she gets to take over the conversation! Grrrrrr! *rant over*
My advice is bestrictandstrong and make sure DH is on side and does exactly what you do too.
Some would say I am too strict with my DDs, but they are good sleepers and good girls generally. They also get a LOT of love and affection but they know Mummy means business.
I did a facebook test and apparently I am a 'firm but fair' mummy .
Do let us know how it goes.
I'm off to my parents til Monday now, so won't be on for a bit (they have no internet).
There's a brand of margarine called 'Pure' which is dairy free, and Vitalite is dairy free too.
Having a good day- amazingly! I think it's because i'm so determined instead of feeling hopeless and annoyed. Have bought a nightlight and a Mr Tumble reward chart for him, just have to wait for them to arrive. I also only let him sleep for 45mins earlier- it was hell waking him, he was very annoyed and upset, but i stayed calm and kept him awake. Been for a nice walk, where George touched every tree we passed and collected stones and sticks, and we went to a cafe for a sandwich.
George is coming on loads- he's putting 2 / 3 words together and he can count to 5 and recognise the numbers written down too.
Can't wait for bed later- but not looking forward to the morning. To start i'm going to have a 5.30am 'curfew' and then 6am when that's cracked.
Think I am going to have to dust off our reward chart too as DS keeps weeing himself Its always after he comes back from pre school so think excitement, tiredness a big factor. All he won't use loo at pre school so holds it in too long I think.
Well good feedback from hosp and DD is definately intolerant to dairy She has had a couple of soya milk bottles now and no dairy at all for nearly 24hrs and we have just had our first "normal" poo in nearly 4mths!!!
Now just need to think of things to put on toast instead of butter/margarine....
JKS - Glad H was ok with CC last night!! Hopefully tonight will be better
thanks justkeep...have told DH that we have to be consistent and strict from now on. Reduced nap, later bedtime and refusing to let him out of his room. Going to def do reward chart, because his behaviour is getting a bit challenging anyway, so even if it doesn't work for getting up time, i'm sure it will work for tidying / not shouting / hitting etc.
I caught myself shouting 'Stop shouting!' at him yesterday...and yes, i did feel stupid
Grrl poor you. I have been there so can sympathise. Ok maybe not quite as bad but have felt as awful.
I just drew a grid on a plain piece of paper in desperation one day. I have a red pen and a green en - just happened to be what i could find. the red face draws a 'sad' face (often rather angry looking tbh!) and the green pen draws a smiley face. i started a bit softer but have got stricter.
talked to ds1 about it first, then if he got up before 6 he was put back in bed until 6 (or until he was shouting the house down at the beginning). I would say you need another 10mins (regardless of actual time), if you stay in bed for 10mins, you can still get a smiley face. if he kept getting up, then a sad face. it sort of worked to start with, then got MIL on side with 'special sweeties' (milky bar buttons in a big tube) and she rang every day on skype to see chart and talk about it. that really helped. then she went on hols (how dare she?!) and it lapsed a bit. have restarted with a vengeance, and had 2 days of 6.18 & 6.01 today 5.45 and he lost his smiley face cos he kept getting up. he's 2.5 btw and well able to understand bribery!!
good luck. you have to do something before (if not too late) you all go mad.
i went for first night of CC with ds2 last night - was ok actually he cried/shouted/screamed in outrage when i left the room/lay there quietly for half an hour, then we must have both fallen asleep. he's still sleeping now so can't be STARVING, lol.
must stick with it. By Christmas i want decent sleep!
aarrrgggghghhhhhhhh it gets worse. I've been awake since 3am, ended up all 4 of us in our bed in a desperate bid for sleep. What a disaster. After screaming and wrestling for 10 mins Dyl is up with me, DH still in bed but i can hear George ransacking our room
Where do i get a reward chart? Or do i make one? I'm going to have to be a sleep nazi now- this is silly and the kids are starting to take over. Dyl keeps asking me for a banana, at 5am! Taking after his brother
It comes to something when before you've even got out of bed, you're wishing the day was over and you could go back to sleep!
I'm putting up the office Xmas decorations today. I'm pretty sick of making paper chains, but i'm starting to feel Xmasy!
Sleep still crappy here, but last night was about 7 hrs i think- Dyl slept through until almost 6am, George got up at 4am, faffed around in our room for 45mins (climbing on our heads, asking us questions) then started to drop off! But then when i tried to creep out of bed when Dyl woke he woke up too. I think bringing him into our bed but ignoring him might be the way to go. Let's see!
In other news, Dyl has started eating like a horse! He's usually just had a bite or 2 of whatever he's given, but the last few days he's eaten more than George- he especially likes pasta, chicken, nanas (bananas) and ready brek.
So I went to the GP, who was lovely. It did feel a bt weird as I have felt good since last week, but I took chaotica's advice and told her everything. She was very helpful and has referred me to a support group, and also given me a prescription for low dose ADs. She also gave me a prescription for more (different) anti-biotics for my chest infection (which I have now had for 2 months and is really getting me down) and an inhaler as I'm getting wheezy and tight chested with the chest infection. She suggested I treat the chest inf first, and see how much of a difference that makes, then try the ADs if I still feel bad. I am hoping not to need them, I didn't even collect the tablets from the pharmacy, but I know I have the prescription in my purse, should I need it.
DD1 is at the CM all day today so I only have DD2 to contend with. I have washing on the line, and the house isn't too bad so I might even wrap some Christmas pressies while she is asleep! Only a month to go!
Hope it goes well at the docs tomorrow, Gooddays. Don't let the few good days put you off telling him/her the truth about what you've been feeling like when you're down though - I know it's hard when you're not feeling that way though. You'll regret it if you have another slump (which I truly hope you don't) and you have to go back to the gp because you didn't have anything to say first time. Just describe what you're like?
Gooddays - wow 2 weetabix Glad you have had a good weekend and docs is helpful tomorrow.
Chaotica - crumpets a big hit in this household too
Had a lovely roast dinner at my mum's today which was fab!! Dcs are always spoilt rotten when they go there which is nice and lots of people to help with them as DH at work.
DD2 eats 2 weetabox for breakfast every morning.....since she was 6 months old. How boring. She won't eat anything else (although she loves eating our bran flakes and all bran, but I don't feel she's quite ready for all that fibre!!!). I've tried giving her different stuff but she's not interested. She is such a creature of habit!
I've had a good weekend here. Been feeling very positive, really hoping it lasts. I'm seeing the GP tomorrow, but not really sure what to say now??!!
Also, as far as xmas/birthday presents for one year olds go, we got DS a ride-on thing which is also a walker (and makes lots of tunes) - he loves it, although he hasn't worked out how to sit down on it yet without falling over.
BTW Jewels - how is breakfast going? I seem to have a couple of cheerios and shreddies fans, but also we try chopped up fruit, toast/muffin/crumpets with cream cheese, marmite, peanut butter or houmous; or eggs of various sorts, even avocado (on toast or in chunks), baked beans (which were a hit), pizza (which was a hit with Connor but not Freya (who seemed to sense that you're not supposed to eat pizza first thing in the morning )... ...all sorts on non-breakfasty things really (Connor was a fussy eater to start with so I tried anything for a while). They both like porridge with fruit in too though.
Hope you're all having a nice weekend (and if you're snowed in, you're making the most of it - our snow had melted by the time Freya got up so she didn't even see it ). So we went swimming instead .
You poor people with sleep problems - so far Connor just seems to be getting me up before everyone else (and several times a night); and I'm so knackered... Nothing compared to Grrrl and JKS though. I like to blame teeth at the moment (poor guy still only has 3 and about 10 coming through which is upping my calpol bill) but I know I might end up with some habits which are hard to break. So DP and DD are getting a lie in and I've once again been up entertaining Connor for hours...
grrl - we are on a similar behaviour 'phase' at the mo. we got MIL in on the act and we have a chart. ds1 either gets a smiley face or a sad face (different colour pen too) drawn in the box for the day. if he gets a smiley face he can have a 'grandma sweetie' - a milky bar button from a big tube she bought. if i remember, we do it at the end of breakfast so he gets chocolate for breakfast, ah well! it's worth it if it works.
the thing that really seems to make it work though is reporting back to grandma - either by phone/skype/when we next see her. the way she talks to him kind of grates on me but seems to work wonders on him - and i am prepared to try anything after weeks of crazy earlyness.
we had a bad run of quite a few sad faces - not helped by MIL being away on holiday (how inconsiderate, lol!). so i bribed him with TWO sweeties the next day = 6.18 hoorah! (we had just had 5 days full of solid activity and i was shattered, but so was he! not sure if i can manage that every week though).
back to 5.35 this morning i told him he could still have his smiley face if he went back to bed for 10mins (figure 25 was too big a number for him) - he went to 5.58 (we can count that as 6 i think!.
babysteps....and we have tried 2 different clocks, no real improvement from either. have tried slightly later bedtime but i'm not prepared to give up my evening entirely - no diff. tried more food/drink before bedtime - no diff.
i know what it's like, sympathies by the bucketful
i'm not sure if he'd understand Gooddays, but he does seem to understand more than we give him credit for. I've basically been awake since around 3am. Dyl woke and i settled him, then George started getting out of bed at 4am. I sat next to his bed and he stayed there, only tried to get out once. I was knackered and freezing though, so after 20mins i went back to bed and he got straight up. Been up and about since just before 5am. Maybe i'll try the chart, he can have a Cbeebies magazine when he gets enough stars maybe.
Grrl Is your DH off work at the weekends? Could he take the kids somewhere for a couple of hours to allow you to have a sleep in the day to catch up.
I truelly believe that lack of sleep is a form of torture and I really do genuinelly not know how you are managing. I'm not suprised you shout at your kids, I do, and I get 6-7 hours sleep a night.
The other thing I wondered (last night when I couldn't sleep and I was thinking about your situation ) was is your older DS old enough to understand the concept of a star/reward chart? As in, he gets a star if he stays in bed and doesn't get up and when he has 5 stars he gets a treat? I used one for DD1 when I potty trained her and it worked a treat. Worth try? Kids seem to repsond well to them I think???
Gooddays, you said 'I feel tremendous guilt that there are many women out there coping with so much worse than me (like 3.5 hrs sleep a night'....i don't think shouting at the kids, telling them to leave me alone and swearing alot is coping!
Glad you're feeling positive right now
Jewels- the laptop sounds a nightmare. Threaten them with Watchdog!
I think i got about 7 hrs sleep all together last night! They both slept better through the night, but both up 5am- Grrr!
Am in work now- hoping step MIL offers to have boys tonight, but DH said he probably wouldn't visit her today because she had DS1 overnight last week and he didn't want her to think he was taking advantage. But it was her that offered...and a break would be lovely!
Going to take the kids to the Winter Wonderland that's here each Xmas- huge ferris wheel, food stalls, hot chocolate, ice rink...I gots that Xmas feeling!!!!!
Hope you all have happy, restful weekends guys. xx
Jewels - fisher price do a fab buggy which is a walker as well its about £20 in Woolworths and Mothercare sell it for £25. Can't do links sorry but am going to get one for DD's first birthday. When she is walking well, then she can use it as a buggy iyswim. It's called stroll along walker by fisher price.
Gooddays - Glad things are going well Just take each day as it comes!!
Had a bit of a nightmare yesterday as our sink has been blocked. Finally realised we had to call out plumber and it cost £124!! Just what we DON'T need before Xmas!!
jewels Thanks somuch for what you said, it meant a lot to me .
Today is another good day, and at the risk of sounding negative, I am fully aware that I have bro and DH around, so I'm not getting too cocky!!!!
Re-toys for Izzy, someone boughtthis for DD1 for her 1st birthday and she LOVED it and still does, and DD2 loves it already, and all the children who come to play love it too!!! I can highly recommend it.
Hello everyone sorry I have turned into an intimitent poster - F&cking HP are a really shit company. Seriously, if any of you are thinking of getting a HP just don't. Because my laptop has a known HP fault and they won't fix it, even though their website says they will and they have been very rude and had me in tears the other day after they started insultng me on the phone. So, here I am on DH's laptop again and will connect the old vaio again.
Anyway, enough about me, simpson yes sorry to hear your DH is unwell again and do hope this bout passes swiftly, and in time for christmas.
gooddays just a general high five for you, since you manage to look after your two children with PND and still find time to come on here and offer kind words and support to us others
cazwa will try the wheats. Gave her cheerious this morning and she just kept pulling faces, but then I know it will take her a few attempts so not willing to give up on the cheerios just yet.
I am just trying to sort out christmas shopping and it is so hard to buy for izzy, since she is now standing, alot of the baby toys I don;t think she will be interested in as much (and that sit,walk,crawl, stand thing from fisher price is like £65 and we were going to get her this, but now she stands I think we'll not bother) All else is fine. Izzy is consistently sleeping til at least 6am for a few weeks now so ket's see in the old MN curse kicks in [let's bloody hope not!!]
Freya is fine too, though she did have a nosebleeed the other day after a finger strayed up there but It was scary for me, and there seemed to be so much blood! She got upset too because she had to sit still while we held tissues to her nose and let's hope there are no more.
Well everyone, hopfully will be able to post in a few days again and then when the other PC is wired up then I can be online again perm.
Wine here too, although Freya is wailing intermittently so we're hardly having a wild night.
Gooddays - your brother sounds like a cool uncle to have around. My younger sister is great with the DCs too - so much so that Freya treats her as an imaginary friend (she and my nephew live in the garden ).
Simpson - sorry to hear your DH is not well again. How did it go with the GP? I think you're right that working is sometimes better than not working (not that it's much good trying to tell a depressed person that). Things must be really hard for you - glad your mum is stepping in .
(I threatened to leave DD at my sister's the other day (dd has a habit of refusing to anything without a fight) and the look on my sister's face was great: a mixture of pure terror and disbelief. (Fortunately for her I was bluffing and DD did go for it ))
Hi Cazwa - your inlaws sound worse than my outlaws (didn't know whether that was possible). At least I don't have to spend xmas with mine. BTW are you sure Billy hasn't got a form of asthma? Freya had chest infections and a long running night cough last year and it was sorted by being on an inhaler for three months (we didn't believe the gp at first, but it worked...). Maybe it's worth asking the doctors if it doesn't go away. I hope it does though.
Sorry simpson I popped off to watch I'm a celeb!!!
Yes, my bro is really good with them. He's older than me, and he's gay so he knows he won't have any kids of his own, so he just adores them. He is a fab uncle. He lives by the sea, as in, practically on the beach, where there is a permanent funfair too. The girls will love it when they are old enough to appreciate it. DD1 was so excited that he was coming today.....
My DD1 was the most perfect textbook baby, she slept loads (and still does for her age) <<hopes Grrrl isn't reading !>>, and has always been just perfect in every way, eats everything, behaves herself, no real terrible two's, she is a joy. DD2 is a very very good baby, she sleeps a lot <<still hoping Grrrl isn't reading !>> but not as well or as much as DD1. She is pretty chilled and not really a problem. Obv she gets grizzly, but only when she's tired really.
I think this is why I have found my diagnosis of PND so hard, as I don't feel a should have it as I have 2 lovely girls (and I always wanted 2 girls) and a wonderful DH/family/friends etc. I don't feel I warrant having depression IYSWIM. I know it's not logical, but I feel tremendous guilt that there are many women out there coping with so much worse than me (like 3.5 hrs sleep a night ) and they still cope.
Anyway, I'm off to bed now. Got a busy day of church and bouncy castles tomorrow (not at the same time...although they might get more people going to church if there were bouncy castles there ).
Don't think he can changes meds really think they are all the same
It's a worry and a lot of pressure on me.
Before DH had this episode we were thinking of having another Lo but that is a definite no no now which i a bit sad about but its for the best.
I am lucky my family are very good...my mum was going to have both Dcs this weekend but she can't because we have a birthday party to go to. So maybe next weekend. I am not sure if my mum knows what she is letting herself if for but I'm not going to turn her down!!
simpson I'm sorry to hear about your 'woes'. Must be very hard for both of you. I don't really know a lot about it, but could he try different meds? Or something else like the CBT thing?
Melt downs are a very regular event in our house.
How anyone copes with more than 2 kids is completely beyond me. My neighbour has 4 and wants a 5th. I think she deserves a medal.
Gooddays - am glad you have help How long is he staying for?
Yes DH has a form of depression and he tends to not cope with things very well. The medication he is on makes him very tired so he finds work a struggle Thank God it is not something he has all the time but has bouts every 4yrs or so
Its not helped by DD who whinges ALL day and will NOT nap in the daytime. Ds has just started pre school and comes home VERY tired cue a few melt downs etc.
Cazwa at your PIL. I get the same saying DH looks tired etc implying I don't look after him...drives me mad!!
Hey cazwa I can totally sympathise woth the MIL thing. I don't need to say anymore...IYSWIM!
simpson does your DH have depression? (not that I'm obssessed at the moment !)
Grrrl sending you lots of sleep vibes.......hope tonight is better. Maybe you should get supernanny to move in . She would just scare them to sleep!
I've had a really good day today, and it's been refreshing to feel like me again. My very wonderful and helpful brother has come to stay, so I'm sure that's why.
Just thought it might be nice for me to post something positive for a change .
God, so sorry to hear everyones been having a hard time with PND, early starts and poorly other halfs.
Im doing ok but had a difficult weekend visiting inlaws. They keep banging on about how we should get an extension like theyve done, even though theirs is illegal, but they say spiteful things like our backyard is an eyesore and we might struggle to sell it. We arent planning on moving for a couple of years and weve told them we dont want it, but they keep harping on. She also told me my varicose vein op coming up in january is a very old fashioned way of doing it, and cant believe how quickly Im getting it done, i should be waiting years like they do round where she lives. She then rang last night and said DH looks too tired, and pretty much implied I expect him to do too much . She is such a cow So not looking forward to xmas with them, thank god we dont live near them. Rant over! Jewels - Breakfast ideas, Billy got sick of porridge but now loves raisin wheats. I soak them in milk for a couple of minutes and pop them on his high chair for him to pick up and munch. You can also get cranberry, apricot, blueberry wheats so no chance of being too bored. He did like philadelphia and bagel for a while but I think I overdid it with him. Oh, and eggy bread for a special treat.
Billy has a bad cough, it cleared up for a bit with antibiotics but either a different one or the same one has come back. Means he coughs all night long. No sleep for me as I am on constant alert to get up .
Grrl really hope you get some sleep. And can I just say I totally relate to the shouty mum thing, that is me all over.
3.5 hours, Grrrl? Oh that sounds terrible (I wouldn't be sane after that much). It does sound like you need some extreme measures (like putting them back into bed time after time). Don't know how well it works though [optimistic emoticon]
Sorry to hear those of you with pnd are suffering (and welcome, Cloudbase ) - I don't have pnd and 2 was much harder on my sanity than one. Hope you're all having good days.
Things not good here ATM and DH had another wobble last night saying he couldn't cope etc
He has just left to go to doc's and am dreading him coming back as if GP signs him off from work again he will use that as an excuse iyswim. Think the best thing is for him to go to work. How will he know what he can cope with if he doesn't try?
DS doing my head in. On Halloween I hid sweets round the house thinking he was too young for trick or treating and EVERY day since then he has nagged me to do it again. Grrr.
jesus...3.5hrs sleep. I should be dead. Time to start sitting next to his bed in the mornings and putting him back in over and over until he stops this. I did everything right yesterday- he had lots of exercise, a nap, went to sleep around 7.30pm
cloudbase welcome......Your story sound just like mine. I was fine after DD1 (now 2.5yrs old) but since DD2 was 3 months old (she's now 6 months) I've been feelign pretty much how you are describing. I kept wondering if I had PND. It sounds awful to say this, but I just didn't think I was the sort of person to get it (that's not meant to sound derogatory at all btw), just that I am normally so strong, happy, in control, mega organised (to the point of envy of all my RL friends). I feel like I am the complete opposite to my normal self.
I kept putting off seeing the HV/GP as I was scared that it was PND, but also, I kept having good days, even good weeks....the thing that made me talk to someone was one of my BFs telling me she had had PND (never told me at the time although I had my suspicions) and she said she didn't get help for 9 months as she would have the od good day. It made me think I had to speak to the HV, which I did last week.
I have since spoken to several friends who have 2 young kids, and they all agree to finding it bloody hard work, but when I described the tearfulness and extremely short temper (poor DDs ), feeling of not being able to cope and that I'm just about treading water, they all said they didn't feel like that. It was hard to admit, but it did make me realise I do have PND.
In a way it's been easier now I have a diagnosis. DH has certainly been a lot more respinsive (instead of just thinking I'm a moody cow!).
I'm not saying you have PND, but I do strongly suggest you speak to either your GP or HV about how you are feeling, esp if you had PND when DS2 first born and have a history of depression.
So sorry for the 'selfish' post the rest of you...
Thanks for the (((hugs))).
I'm sending good sleep vibes to all the little early birds.....
Hi cloudbase- you're not alone, unfortunately Gooddays is feeling down too, so you're not alone. I'm no expert, but i'd keep in touch with the professionals and try to make time for yourself. (Which is easier said than done!)
new to the thread but really impressed how upbeat you all seem to be about having such little ones. I have 2 under 3:-
DS1 - 25 months DS2 - 8 months
and to be honest I find it really really hard. When DS2 first born I was diagnosed with mild PND and went to a brilliant support group, but a referral for extra counselling fell through, and as I was on anti-depressants before having kids anyway, GP an health visitors feel that it is taken care of. Thing is, I love my two more than anything, but just recently,keep crying all the time, as although I love my kids, I really seem to hate parenting. Is that awful? Did another Edinburgh questionnaire which came out quite low, but how I feel seems to fluctuate so much from week to week that sometimes they have come out high and sometimes low. I just need to know whether how I feel is actually normal and am I just in a slump (had very bad back problems following SPD with DS2 and also had 2 weeks solid of colds/gastro with the bubbas)or whether it's not normal to feel like this and I should go back to GP? I was absoulutely fine with DS1 and all this has happened since having DS2. Apologies for the long depressing thread!!
Took Dcs to Ds's old playgroup today as they had a photographer and got a lovely (I hope!) pic of the 2 Dcs together. Don't have one nice pic of them together at all
Sorry to hear of the early morning awakenings. DD wanted to start the day at 5am this morning Thunk its because we went to a baby group yeterday afternoon and DD was so excitied, she didn't sleep in the day at all Surely 9mth is too young to not sleep in day? As predicted we had melt down at tea and she went to bed at 5pm
Gooddays - Not very MN but ((hugs)) when are you seeing HV again?
Just a quickie as I really must do some housework while DD1 at CM and DD2 asleep.
Yes, my weekend was lovely, but unfortunately the PND seems to have struck with a vengeance since I've been back. I was sobbing (literally ) into my bran flakes earlier.
Thankfully my girls are good sleepers, think I would be leaving home if I had to cope with that aswell. I really do feel for you all. I have been shouty horrible mum from hell for the last few days, but not due to lack of sleep (although I'm not sleeping well with PND....typical).
One day all this will be a distant memory.........
Aaaaargh! The curse of MN strikes again . Why oh why did I say that we didn't have problems with early mornings (see previous post)? I've been up since 6am (which is early for a baby who went to bed at 9pm) - now we have one child who doesn't want to go to bed and another who doesn't want to stay in it [yawn].
How will I survive work today? (Although I have the same problem as you Grrrl and tend to be all shouty when I need sleep, so maybe it's better they're at the CM's.)
Justkeep- i'm trying pushing tea time 30mins later and their bedtimes 30mins later than usual. Managed it last night, and they slept until 5am (although i did get up in the night with them both)I'm going to keep this up and see what difference it makes. I was HORRIBLE yesterday morning- so shouty and horrible Felt better in the afternoon though, and went to bed at 8pm again.
Taking them both down my Gran's on the bus this afternoon, then DH will pick us up after work.
Sorry to hear all the early morning folk. As usual, no suggestions here. We've got the opposite problem as Freya has finally realised that she doesn't have to go to bed (or doesn't have to sleep when she does)... and so she refuses to. Actually, she refuses to do most things at the moment and seems to be growing out of being easily bluffed into doing what we want. Two-year olds <<chaotica continues breathing exercises>>
my day started at 4 too i'm sick of it too, had a meltdown about 4.30 sat morning and dh took over but he's nor here most of the time during the week.
Good days - the weekend sounded lovely - just a bit! Once i've stopped bf......
welcome newbies
i'm rubbish at keeping up sorry. serious sleep deprivation building up. gave both boys some calpol night yesterday in hope - will do a few more nights i think and hope ds2 gets out of his night-time habits. not sure what to do about early mornings though - chocolate bribery isn't working!
he seems much better gooddays, but has been up since before 4am. George has also decided he wants to get up, but i've refused and put him back to bed several times. He was hollering upstairs, but has now gone quiet.
I am so sick of this sleep thing, or no sleep thing. I went to bed before 8pm last night
Oh and I ended up buying this dress to wear to the wedding and family do's I have coming up. Looks great with black opaque tights and patent dolly shoes .
Afternoon all <<Gooddays breezes in all refreshed after her weekend away>>.
Yup, I had a fab weekend of girly gossip, pampering spa treatments (although I did manage to fall asleep during reflexology and let out an enormous snore !). Had nice meals out, shopped til we dropped and danced til 2am at a reflex 80's bar!!! Got home at 7pm last night, DH had done a stirling job looking after the girls on his own all weekend and even admitted that it was actually very hard work looking after 2 young kids on your own all day long .
grrrl how is dyl today?
jewels can't believe both you and your DD2 were born on Christmas Day.....you should definitely be playing the St Etienne song in your house on Christmas Day!!!
traceyface I am in complete awe of you.....5 children?? I know the older 3 are old enough to look after themselves (I'm guessing?) but wow, you do have your work cut out!
I have done well over half of my Chrimbo shopping...might start wrapping them soon as it's too much doing it all in one go.
DD1 saw a big Christmas tree in Sainsburys today and was saying "WOW! mummy, look at the big tree!!!" This year is gonna be so cool cos she is 2.5 yrs old now and really will understand the whole santa thing.....
<<gooddays skips off singing 'ding dong merrily on hi'>>
pinky yes the odds are very slim that we have the same birthday - never mind that that is xmas day! Mad or what!! Yes, we do need a regime of sorts because our current savings are just looking too small [never mind paying for our christmas goose - free range organic farmed locally - think that alone is about £70!!]
simpson the rice crispies is a good idea, and letting her eat them with her fingers. Will try that, and yes, she can always have a yogurt too just to make sure. Am going to try that tomorrow infact! And your poor DD - must be very awful for her because I hate having a sort throat and obviously she cannot help but cry, which makes it worse! Maybe try some ice cream!!
Oh I know 31 is not old at all and I am not one to wallow on birthdays - time is just whizzing by right now though, have to get Freya enrolled in nursery in Jan - nursery!!!!
Jewels - When DS was 11mths or so he used to love rice crispies with a tiny bit of milk. He used to pick each rice crispie up one at a time to eat Kept him quiet for AGES. Cheerios would work too!!
Or bite sized shredded wheats??
I used to shovel a yogurt in afterwards so I knew he had eaten enough!!
Got back from docs and DD has a sore throat, bless her. Doesn't seem to stop the crying though
jewels the odds on both you and your daughter being born on the same day- that must be unusual. But gosh you are going to need quite a savings regime to cope with christmas! I agree. though, we onlyspend about 12pounds or so on the first birthday present, thye mainly like the box anyway.
Both my daughters were born in October- so that's going to be s dear do, just before christmas.
PS must apologise for my typing- new baby sleep deprivation,maybe?
Hello Simpson hope your DD gets better-it's horrid when they are poorly.
re-christmas.. well I was doing ok budget-wise but our dishwasher finally gave up the ghost last night so that's a big chunk of the christmas savings money gone!
Exciting morning shopping for d/weasher for us, then!
Yes chaotica I had Izzy on my 30th birthday...could have thought of less painful things to be doing on my birthday so this year I am making the most of being a) not pregnant b) not actually giving birth and c) not breastfeeding. yay!
simpson yes do hope all is ok, you must be worried.
And ladies I am after breakfast ideas for Izzy. She is 10 months and is no longer that interested in anything babyfood related and I am wondering what to offer her for breakfast - she did like fruity musili but no longer, cheerios?
grrrl we are skint this year for christmas, just not used to having my birthday, Izzy's birthday, christmas for the girls and christmas for us - in other words we have not enough money! I guess the girls would have no preferance over cheap toy V expensive toy so that's something. I don't plan to ever be one of those parents who spends several hundred pounds on firth birthday and christmas presents though as I think that is just silly.
All Christmas shopping is done here I ordered the last thing online yesterday (a wheelybug for DS)
Am looking forward to Christmas this yr as DS will be old enough to know what is going on. Going to make reindeer food and have got a special "key" for Santa to get in the house as we have no chimney (this was DS's worry )
DD still not better Got her weighed at baby clinic on Friday and she has lost 6ozs so going to doc tomorrow (if we can get appt!!)
Hello ladies sorry not absence but had to send laptop off to HP again and let's just say it is an ongoing fight with them to get them to just bloody well fix it.
So, welcome newbies
Massive welcome back to hazey and lovely dress cazwa!
Izzy has stopped the bunny in the mouth at 4am thing, strangely enough, since we dropped the cot down again (she has started to pull herself up) and now for the past 10 days or so she has been waking about 6, but just crawling around and chatting, instead of crying which is a much nicer way for me to be woken each morning
Nothing else to report, just been getting ready for christmas and for Izzy's first birthday (Yes, I really cannot believe she is 1 on christmas day, and cannot believe that I will be 31 too!!!!
speak later when I abduct DH's work laptop again.....may be a while...hopefully not too long
Glad to hear you've settled safely Kaybee- jetlag is not fun at the best of times.
Dyl has been up since 4.30am...spent an hour convincing him to go back to sleep, but now i give up
Are we allowed to talk about Xmas yet? I'm having Xmas tea party for the boys Dec 20th, and inviting 4 other kids. Going to make snow-topped rice crispie cakes and all sorts...i can't wait. Have bought all my presents, which sounds amazing, but we're only buying for the boys and my baby nephew, so the total cost has been £45! To buy for everyone i usually would would have meant putting it all on credit card, so for just this year we're not buying for others / each other. It's quite liberating! PIL have invited us for lunch, and we've said yes for once. Step MIL starting squealing with happiness / shock when i said yes. So no dishes / cooking for me either! Plus i get a whole week off work...
hello tracyface sounds like a fab brood you have there!
Chaotica thankyou so much for that.I had an emcs with DS, an elcs with DD and this sort of unplanned cs with DD2. It's a complication bunch of emotions. I am enjoying my baby very much, and I don't feel quite as wretched about the whole thing as I did in the first days.
I have only met the HV once, and I think the nurse is coming next week-I may try having a chat with her. The cmw who came was very young and very new and I really didn't feel like loading her day with all my baggage. It's really hard to talk about these things in RL, isn't it?
I have five kids aged 18, 16 and 10 (all boys) but 2 under 2. My dd is 21 months and my ds is 9 months. So yes they are 12 months apart or 363 days.My friends all think I am very brave but I think I am a bit mad.
I have found the only way to cope is to just take each day as it comes and to try to keep happy positive.
Hope to get some hints or tips for my sanity please.
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) I'd start one myself but it's against my principles to get festively inclined until december. 
! Possibly the worst timing ever. We've seen a house we love round the corner that is a wreck but affordable. So, we have one more estate agent coming tomorrow then we put it on the market on monday. Just in time for no-one to look at it over xmas! Oh well, nothing ventured nothing gained.
She has bee waking up pretty early, too.
I am tempted to dye it anyway, but the hairdresser said the plum ends might go pink (lush!) or orange (icky!) Do i dare? Any bottle blondes here??!! 
!!!
and I've once again been up entertaining Connor for hours... 
. She would just scare them to sleep!
