crikey - what a shed load of posts!! we're all sounding v busy with one thing or another (even if it's just daytime tv and dairy milk!
For those with crotchety toddlers - DD (now 3.2) never really had the terrible twos... until about 6 weeks ago, when they arrived with a sudden throwing herself on the floor and shrieking for 10 mins (can't remember why now)... after the first couple of days i started ignoring them, and they now happen maybe every few days and last about 30 seconds (which of course feels like 3 weeks if it happens to be in the supermarket, but is otherwise ok!!) Basically, if she's not in any danger of hurting herself, i leave her to it, and once she stops, we have a cuddle and sort out whatever it was...
having said that, bath/bed time is really bad for me - i completely lost it a few nights ago cos she wouldn't do as i asked - ended up carrying her into her bedroom wrapped in a towel, threw her pj's on the floor and said 'right then, good night' and closed the door on her ... made up a couple of minutes later, and she hasn't pushed it the last couple of nights!
dunno if any of the following is helping with dealing with the imminent arrival, but we're;
reading books including there's a house in my mummy and brand new baby... plus any from the library that happen to be in when we're there. She's been helping me sort out her old clothes etc and has 'chosen' the things to go in the hospital bag for her little brother. She's also bought him a little rabbit which she's currently looking after for him - she says we've got to wash it next week so its ready! She's obsessed with babies if we see them when we're out and about, and always say hello! We've been lucky enough to meet a couple of people with new babies the last few weeks, so she's been able to have a cuddle too, and she's looking forward to being able to help look after her little brother too. We've also been looking at photos of her when she was a baby. Finally, I've made sure that i'm talking to her a lot about what she and i will do once her brother has arrived, or what she and her dad can do, or nan etc.... not making any ridiculous promises, just some things that we'll definitely be able to do, just us. I've not tried to make her feel the bump or anything - she's started doing that of her own accord the last few days... hmm ... it'll be good if she stays this positive once he actually arrives, but i'm not holding my breath!!
guernseyfrench the only thing the mw keeps saying to me is try to get him into a good position - hence lots of on all fours cleaning and playing, lots of leaning over the back of chairs when on the computer or watching tv, and lots of bouncing on the gym ball any other time i get to sit down (like meal times etc!) am hoping it's working - he seems to have moved to the middle now, rather than the side, tho i haven't got the foggiest which bit's where and can't feel him at all from outside... mw says i've got really strong core muscles, and in fact ended up bruising me last week when trying to suss out if he was head up or down! i was sure it was the flab, but she said that's easy to get through - it's strong muscle that is tough!
I've a couple of friends who swear by going up and down the stairs sideways endlessly too when they're close to being due - reckons it helps them drop down, but dunno if there's any truth in that!
sorry everyone about the length of that, i'll shut up now!!