Stepping through April and beyond

[BlackCatinChaos]

Hello and welcome to the shiny new babysteps thread.

This is where we have a go at following babysteps, support each other and just pop in to chat about our day and whatever life throws at us.

Old and new members are welcome.

The main thing is to take it one step at a time!

Hello Cats thanks for the new thread.

So, dinner is done, dogs fed and DDs in bed on time I'm having a rather nice vino and the sandwiches will be made in the morning. I'll be back to report progress tomorrow.

TTFN

Ta Da's

Morning routine, plus
Sandwiches made for packed lunch
DDs shoed out the door for school run
Cleared away breakfast detritus
My breakfast
Decanted 3 open packets of biscuits into 1 zip lock bag
Ooooh, biscuits made another coffee and sat down to MN

Leaving laundry for the weekend as DDs are both going straight to friend's houses for sleepovers this arvo. Must make SD (Soap Dodger) hand over her gym kit for washing this weekend before it sprouts legs and climbs into the WM on it's own

thanks for the new thread catsive been struggling to get it to the very long old one!

scoutcat has stated in today and done lots face rubbing.he better with teh kids and seems ok,as long as not outside then he becomes fearful and wary,poor chap.hoping a few more days and he will be ok.he used the litter tray for first time in 4months this morning rather than go out

todays ta dahs
cleaned litter tray
fed cats
fed kids
popped shop for bread and milk
made hot water bottles and hot choc all round when we got back.its a 5min walk but the wind went right through us
cleaned living room floor
cleaned kitchen floor
emptied bin
swished bathroom
dcs went to play upstair so i sneaked back into bed for a bit with myH.W bottle and read!
made an omelette for lunch-i dont think i used enough eggs for the volume of new potatoes,red peppers and onion.it ended up like kinda scambled egg with bits,but tasted nice!we had that with pittas

this p.m we settled down under snuggle blanky and watched willy wonkas chocolate factory on dvd and ate sweets-the perfect antidote to the cold! theres a seriously huge black cloud outside nowand i suspect we are in for a bit of rain.im told it will be mklder but wetter this weekend.is that better?

i am now off to make a courgette and cashew risotto and a kids curry.the risotto is oven baked

hope everyone finds us shortly!!!

I went all guns a-blazin' Thursday but slowed it down on Friday so I didn't burn myself out. SmallBoy and I spent four hours out yesterday afternoon walking to the park, playing in the playground, walking around the park, playing Pooh Sticks and walking home. The sun was lovely but the breeze (and there was breeze!) had a cold nip to it. We were in our winter coats but it was so nice to go out and run. There are also signs of spring buds on the trees, and a few trees had buds that were bursting with leaves or flowers.

I'm tired of being cold.

Lots of little non-flying things to do this weekend. I have emails to catch up on, samples to finish, pieces to trace & cut out, bottles to cut down (I'm recycling drinks bottles rather than buying loads of pots for seed planting) and labels to create all for S&N club next week. Tomorrow we're going to Pizza Hut in YOUT with my Seniors, so that will be nice to catch up with them. SmallBoy saw me booking the table on-line so he's excited and thinking we're going today--.

MrScout is still sleeping. I think SB and I will get dressed soon and walk into town to take the glass to the recycling and to go to the stationary supply shop to see if they have CD cases. Maybe I can wake MrScout up just before we go and convince him to meet us in town and treat us to hot drinks at the café before we come home.

Morning all, just gonna read through while I have breakfast.

Not much to report here but have done the basics. In holiday mode still!
Might pop back in later on.

I hope you got that hot drink Scout

Just a few Ta Da's as we've been out today, so

OH brought me coffee in bed- bliss
Up and showred/dressed
WM on
Breakfast
Emptied WM
Went to collect DDs from their friend's houses
Into town to drop off recycling and get supplies for OH's office
Spot of lunch
Back home, loaded visiting truck with furniture we no longer use
WM on
Dinner
DDs emtoied DW
Clean clothes hung out and dry towels folded
DDs sent off to bed
Sat down with tea

AF arrived last night and by this arvo I was feeling drained, struggling to keep my eyes open now just after 10 and everything aches- even my shins. OH fed the dog's, and vacuumed after chairs had been removed, just as well really because I couldn't bend to scoop food out of the bag. I'm going to finish this tea and crawl into bed. I might update tomorrow, if I can muster the energy.

TTFN

Adora I'm the same here, I was in bed by 9 last night as I could take no more. Felt completely worn out. Now I am up early (before everyone in my house) and enjoying the peace and quiet.

My kids are driving me round the bend and back again --can't wait for back to school--
It's the sibling fights that really get to me. and DD is very "I want mummy" all the time which is cute but becomes very wearing after a while.
DS is at the pre-teen kind of stage and has all the attitude that goes with it.
He is also jealous of DD because she wants mummy and he kind of feels left out. I love them both but DS doesn't make it easy to love him when all he seems to do it back chat then he wonders why we tell him off.

DH is going to try and give him some one to one time today as they are hopeing to go on a bike ride together.

on the housework front we are kind of staying afloat.

Hope everyone is o.k.

cats-your house sounds like mine-fight.wanting mummy etc.one week and its back to the routine.in the zoo house i think thats the problem.mine like routine -move it and all hell breaks loose!
i was up at 4.30so decided as i couldnt sleep to wash the living room,kitchen and hall floors.the cats go out when i surface to stretch legs etc and i almost fainted with joy at be able to wash a floor and no one walked on it before was dry leaving little feet/pawprints!

got a lift to aldi yesterday and played zoolets

Cats your two sound a lot like mine, and mine are both the same age hope the bike ride with OH helps

Thanks for that XX large caffeine boost Zoo

Feeling much better today, slept like a log and woke up around 9, OH was cleaning cars so I had a coffee before waking DDs up and doing breakfast - shop bought waffles with strawberries and maple syrup.

Laundry's done - 4 loads today
DW emptied by DDs
Showred and washed hair
Lunch, DW on again
DDs have stuffed crapula into bags tidied up their rooms
Dogs have been fed
Clean dry things inside and sorted
bathrooms S&S'd

Just need to do dinner and tomorrow's packed lunch, after another cup of tea

yesterday was fun in paradise.NOT
dd2 and ds were on a mission to wind each other up so we spend a sustantial amount of time ot walking
they still bickered and in total we racked up 6hours walkingby our return they were exhausted into submission
we then watched a dvd together and i then got on a few basics while they played killed each other
bathroom s+s
kitchen floor washed
1xwashing done
TD washing,then fold and put away
wiped work surfaces
made dinner

i put all the kids up together at 7.30
dd2 decided to start a game giraffe world with lil zoo and they were bouncing around pretend to b giraffes at 8.30

riot act read.silence resumed.colapsed into bed

dd2 was up at 6,little zoo just after so anther day of tired kids.stating to feel like groundhog day!

put some apples in to bake for breakfast
bins/recycling out
fed cats
put some harpic in loo

am now ready to eat my lovely apple with some natural yogurt and flaked almonds

i shall be pop out with zoolets for a walk afterthen we shall be flybaby/home blessing

back later

I've rebelled! After my morning routine plus changing duvet cover and washing my sheets, scouring the house for excess pictures for OH to relegate to the garage, turning off all the lights DDs left on, my breakfast plus coffee and toast for OH post school run, emptying DW - I decided to leave DD's dirty breakfast bowls in situ and go for a walk, on my own, because I need to.

Only managed 47 minutes fast-ish, but then I was only aiming for 30. I'm embarrassed to say that after growing up not doing any sports or activities, trying a little whilst working, then moving here where walking isn't advisable I am, in medical terms, knackered. I'm trying get fit enough to enjoy an active life. Which means ignoring what everyone else wants and expects me to do and doing what I need.

Still need to empty WM and put another load on, vacuum bloody dogs with their muddy paws then go into town to pick up something for OH. Then school run, I'm not cooking tonight as OH is booking an estate agent to take pics at 9am tomorrow, I'll buy pizzas and some salad.

Zoo your breakfast sounds delish and I am seriously impressed with your 6 hours walking (see above ), sorry Zoolets were playing up though.

i love walking-i cant drive and even if kids are revoltingi still find a long walk relaxing!

we strolled for an hour after breakfast along the river in places then back for some toast before we dug into chores-

kids sorted laundry into bins/put toys away and polished rooms while i washed cat food off my kitchen floor
checked they had done it properly
washed bdroom floors and windows

got new hoover out and wiped all paintwork on stairs and hoovered them

Anyone around to help me keep my sanity?

Bloody time change!

SB is exhausted awake until 9ish last night after a long, exciting day, awake two hours overnight, up around 8 this morning and pushing my buttins-- awake and constantly rolling around and out of bed since 645 tonight. Normally he's asleep by 7, 715 at the latest.

Bit ons positive note, he did two poos on the toilet today.

I am on holiday & am enjoying not being able to even think about doing chores!

scout DD1 & her cousin are sharing a room & were awake until 10pm the other night!

Twenty past bloody eight he fell asleep. ARGH!

I'll swap you a slice of pizza for that recipe Zoo

So, drove (see, that's my problem) into town - 80KM round trip (my other problem) for OH's errand.
Back home then out again for school run -30 KM round trip
Snack before shopping as DDs were starvin'
Shopping
Back home
Helped OH hang pictures
Washing in off the line
Dinner
Cleared away
Rubbish put out
DDs sent to bed
Sat down with a tea, but still need to sort packed lunch for the morning.

I also enjoy walking Zoo, but here it's just not a good idea. As much as I try not to I look forrin, so people have tried to nick my bag/purse in town and unfortunately any woman walking locally is subjected to aggressive whistling and jeering. I'm okay right here because we're in a kind of secure community, I just can't actually go anywhere on foot.

Glad you're enjoying your holiday Bessie

Scout I hope SB settles into the new time soon, and well done for the poohs

And he stayed in his bed until 630. He had finally started staying asleep all night in his bed then he started coming in again & chatting for hours. . However, I've been awake since 5.

SB and I talked about toilets and no nappies last night and I think he might be on his way this time. I'm going to use pull Ups for a few days but constantly regularly put him on the loo and see how it goes.

well done SB on toileting!

adora that sounds crap.id go nuts if couldnt walk
kid friendly beet soup
1onion,peel and chop
1tbsp oil
2x200g pks cooked beets
4 carrots,chopped
3 sticks celery,wash and dice
900ml veg stock sprig fresh thyme

saute onion in oil til transparent.add beets,carrots and celery and continue saute couple minutes.add stock an d thyme.boil and simmer uncovered for 20-30 mins til veg are tender
blitz and serve

tadahs
fed cats
fed kids
s+s bathroom
washing on
washed up
wiped surfac es
wandered to library and had cuddles and stories
washed floors
washing into drier

zoolets were champing at the bit to go out again as was sunny but with a coolbreeze so we wandered along the river bank and along a cycle path for an hour we then detoured off to the stables where ds rides and saw the horses.its not far from a farm shop and they have a pig an donkey out front so we ambled up to see them too-it was in the sty as was quite chilly there in an exposed spot but we could see her snout peeping out! then into a round circuit along and back home.took 3hours!!!!!

made a quick spinach and almond soup
ate mountains-we werent back til 2 and were all absolutely starving!

i am now officially very tired although i can hear they have recharged after a brief rest and are playingtrashing upstairs

scout mine are all over thte place with sleep too.lil zoo is best at settling but still rises at 5.30/6ish

So... SB has been happy to sit on the toilet whenever asked. He's done a poo and one pee and has gone through three pull-ups. I don't mind that, honestly, as the sitting on the toilet bare-bummed is a huge step and the fact that he did a pee at all is ace. BUT, and here's where I'm confused as to what to do next, the last time he was on the loo, just when it looked/seemed like he might pee, he started to cry and kept saying "Get me off!" Since then I can tell he's done another pee or two but when I ask he says "no" with the look on his face of "yes I have, but I don't want to go upstairs/sit on the toilet again." So I think he knows when he's doing a pee but something freaked him out?

Should I encourage him to sit one more time before bed (and just ignore the toilet between now and bedtime) or give up until tomorrow?

Other than that it's been a good day.

Lots of decluttering the kitchen
loads of recycling and rubbish taken out to the bin
more seeds planted
finally got the potatoes planted
menu planned
grocery list written
bits for S&N photocopied
bits for S&N printed
cut the tops of 21 bottles for S&N and washed them out
stayed on top of the washing up
played lots of board games with SB
did lots of dirt digging with SB
SB & I went to feed the birds (we have a green space/wasteland across the road from us, so went to put out bread crusts and birdseed)

Tonight I hope to go to the supermarket. I will also trace & cut out the last bits for S&N, and glue some of the bits together (the project is a bit fiddly for younger fingers so I'm gluing the pieces together on some so little fingers just need to glue the final things onto their boards).

Thanks for the recipe Zoo

I'll update later, had a bit of a lazy afternoon

Scout I would probably leave SB off the toilet and try again tomorrow.

Okay, 90% of what needs to be done for the morning is done, just DD's disaster zone of a den to be done in the morning. I could do it tonight but I have toothache and I've decided to have a beer instead.

Still to do in the morning,

Morning routine
Throw sarnies together for packed lunches
Shove breakfast things into DW
Clear and clean den, check bedrooms & bathroom upstairs

Estate agent arriving to do photos at 9am.

Must get to my dentist tomorrow, this pain is radiating through the bone.

SB put himself on the toilet last night then pinched his bits and sobbed to get off for his bedtime nappy. He clearly knew he was going to pee but panicked. Have started over today with rewards and so far dry pull up and one pee in the toilet. We're going to do errands and SB has said he wants to take his toilet seat to pee at the cafe. We shall see what happens!