May's Fledgling Flyers: shed that clout May Flyers are out

[elliepac]

Welcome to the May edition of the fledgling flyers where we are going to merrily fly around the maypole, dusting as we go.

Here you can do any of the following:

• repeat or start baby steps (again!)

• repeat baby steps + do 15 mins a day decluttering in the current zone

or

• reinforce babysteps and do daily missions if you have finished decluttering

For those who are curious, these are the Babysteps, which we all hope will restore order in our homes and make our lives a little bit easier with lots of support (and chat, and wine, and a little more chat )

So please come and join us, old and new, from May 1st.

evening all

missb redbush would be lovely thx and I have my good book at ready unfortunately i have eaten enough to sink ship as well!
om well done to DS
PA hope DH ok and back safe and sound
DM glad you had lovely day
mrsd can I swap dc mine hated staying in today so think we gonna bluebell hunt come rain or shine!!

Never did tackle cobweb gigantoria but Hoover is in position so fingers crossed will do tomorrow!

However I did
change our sheets and Ds and dd
tidied all bedrooms apart from dh pile of dirty clothes his side of bed (still waiting for flyladys instructions on what to do with lazyarse Dh who can't walk to laundry basket)
hoovered dc rooms and hall
made spaghetti and meatballs
made some oat biscuits not pa as got no drinking chocolate!
Make borcht soup!

Off to be with my redbush tea and Edward Cullen.

Night night everyone

Am I first up? DS was up at 6.45 (why won't he do that on a school day?)

Still in pjs but breakfast in a mo then dressed, put washing away and off to get train to Birmingham for shopping - DS needs new trainers.

Sink is still shining here so going well so far (need to put Shiny Sink on my Teaso order!)

Have a lovely Bank Holiday everyone! Kettle's on

Morning all - I'm up - kids up at 7 DH came down with them and I was looking forward to nice little laze, but SOMEONE let one of the cats upstairs and he came and sat by my bed meowing incessantly so I have had to come down! Just having a coffee!

Today:
Poss trip to Brighton to grandmas
Finish sorting wardrobe & making pile for charity shop
shine sink!
Maybe do something in my porch!

Have a good day everyone, will come back later.

Morning all,

Woke up feeling very positive - start of the first week of a new month so a clean slate, and time to get a few things done this morning as I caught up on work yesterday.
And then DS's Kindergarten teacher asked to have a word with me - it turns out he has been pinching and biting other children there. She was very nice about it and just wanted to ask if he was the same at home or if this was something that was just happening at Kiga - I was horrified though, and am going to have to think about the best way to deal with it.

Anyway, I think I need to get stuck into my list so that I can feel as if I'm actually doing something (even if it's not dealing with the most pressing problem):

Food shopping done
Washing on
Routines
Pay overdue subscription
Send letter to bank
Mission
15 minutes decluttering
Finish translating menu
Make dinner

Onwards and upwards!

Morning all,

Here is the link for this week's Zone. We are in the Entrance, Front Porch and Dining Room. Remember, those of us on babysteps are under no obligation to do this. If you are not ready for zone cleaning, the aim is to declutter for 15 mins a day and see the difference that makes.

The Mission today is cleaning the front porch/door. I don't have a front porch so that solves that but I assume we all have a front door !

Happy flying ladies!

On a personal note, all very quiet here this morning without DS. Dh has just informed me he is going to take DD to see his sister for the morning so that should leave me with a couple of hours ON MY OWN! So am planning to make the most of it and :-

washing
mop floors
mission
shine sink
tidy DS/DD bedroom

This week is a big week in the life of DD. We are going to try potty training (literally my most hated task as a parent, DS was a nightmare) and we are also going to take the sides off her cot which is why I need to sort her room out. I also was given a massive bag of clothes for her by a close friend who has a DD exactly a year older so I need to sort what she has and bag up what is too small for best friend who has a DD exactly a year younger than her. Perfect chain going on there.

Have a lovely Bank Holiday everyone. The sun is shining here but it is mighty chilly.

Morning all,

Not much planned yet, DH is working, we were going to meet up with a friend and their DD, but the DD is poorly, so that's off. Weather still looking particularly un-spring-like.

Ellie - good luck! That's handy, the friends with older and younger DDs, we have been fortunate to receive mountains of hand me downs for DD, most of which get passed on again. Never been able to do it for DS though, no friends with older DSs, and because he is small for age, the younger DSs of friends are also too big by the time he has finished with things. Mind you he trashes most of them anyway!

See you all later.

Morning all...

Thank you all so much for your lovely messages yesterday! Needless to say all my DC are stillin bed - one of the joys of teenagers!

A quick couple of things; Linzer don't worry overly about the biting and pinching thing it really is just a phase but horrible when you are told that your precious DS does it!! Our DS2 did it too and it was just a passing phase (he's 13 now)

Ellie - imo girls are much easier to potty train than boys! DS1 took 6 months ffs and I should have waited til he was 3. DD was 2 and was trained in a fortnight! Good luck!!

Just put a load of washing on as it seems to be multiplying in this house and it is now pouring and thundering!! A minute ago it was sunny

Today's list is:
washingdryingironing ad infinitum
Quick hoover downstairs
Room rescue masterbed
Have a look at mission.

DwM - have a lovely shop in Birmingham!
netti - Brighton sounds like a great option.
MrsD - enjoy your quiet day...
MissB - lovely that you're back we've missed your chat too!!
PA is DH OK????

See youall later. Off to make a cuppa and try to get motivated. May just go back to bed!!

Well, I've calmed down a little now - thank you for your supportive words OM (and a belated well done to your DS!). The Kiga teacher also thinks it's probably just a phase, but I don't feel like I can just sit back and wait for it to pass. I'm thinking about introducing a reward chart, although I know that rewarding him for not doing something he shouldn't be doing anyway isn't ideal...

DWM Hope you enjoy the shopping. We occasionally go shopping in Birmingham when we're back in the UK, despite the fact that it's three hours from my parents!

ellie Enjoy your time on your own! I only have about half an hour of child-free time left now - where has the morning gone?!
Re potty training - our PFB (DD1) was also an absolute nightmare to potty train. I tried everything and none of it worked - she wasn't out of nappies until a week before her 4th birthday. I was absolutely dreading it second time round but DD2 was a breeze - it only took about a week and she was out of nappies a month after her 2nd birthday. It does seem to help if they have an older brother or sister who already uses the toilet; DD1 was very proud of the fact that she could show DD2 the ropes!

New and updated list:
Food shopping done
Washing almost done
Ironing
Morning routine done
Pay overdue subscription done
Send letter to bank done
Mission
15 minutes decluttering about to do
Finish translating menu
Make dinner burnt
Afternoon and evening routines

Morning!
Had a bit of a lie in and just had scrambled eggs for breakfast. Yum!

Today I am going to:

-keep washing going - one load of drying done already!
-house bless as far as I can
-mission - definitely, and DD2 told me yesterday the front door was filthy. Second thoughts,that might be a job for her
-try and do something about clearing the front garden though this is weather dependent and am not confident that the sun will continue
-stick to weightwatcher's points - so far so good
-relationship/careers counselling for DD1 - done - so not cut out for this!!!
-work I brought home on Friday

So that should keep me busy today!

linzer, try not to worry too much about DS - am sure it will be a 'phase' and lots of children go through it - and go on to become adults that don't bite and pinch. But I know it's horrible when a professional tells you about a less than appealing aspect of your child's behaviour (happened a lot with DD2!) but sounds as though this is more of an issue in school so for them to lead on a strategy and you to back it up.
elliepac enjoy your peace and quiet and good luck with potty training.
OM hope you conquer the washing mountain
biddy trip to Brighton sounds lovely
DWM I am still in my nightie too. very un-fly lady!
mrsd shame about your friend's DD but hope you have a good day anyway.
See you all later - DH is getting into watching back-to-back films of an evening which does free up the computer

X posts with linzer - glad you're feeling a bit calmer about it all!

Thanks too missB - it's good to know I'm not the only one who has experienced these kinds of problems. He has a couple of good friends who he plays with outside Kiga so I'll have to ask their mothers whether they've noticed anything, but it does seem to be more of a problem at Kiga than anywhere else at the moment.

Sorry, thread hijack over - will get back to flying now! I've just done 15 mins decluttering but am waiting for it to warm up a bit and/or stop raining before I tackle the mission... Typical bank holiday weather, and it's not even a bank holiday here.

Right - new month, new me!
I have nearly cleared this horrible lurgy, just a bit of a cough and slight hoarseness left and I almost feel like a new woman. Sadly the house looks like the old, completely trashed, hasn't-been-touched-for-a-month version. Wonder if I could swap it?

I am also going to try and concentrate on Babysteps and decluttering this month as I have been trying to do too much cleaning around clutter up till now. Might have to swap DH too to achieve this successfully tho

Linzer - how old is DS? My DS went through a biting phase at about 18mths. I had to follow him round like a shadow for a while to try and divert him whenever teeth threatened! Don't think it went on for too long though it felt like ages at the time. He's 4 now and going through a shoving phase atm

OM - well done to DS, sounds VERY exciting. Hope you are enjoying the peace and quiet this morning.

MrsD - staying at home playing is an EXCELLENT way to spend a BH

Ellie - can't comment too much on toilet training as we took the really lazy easy route and waited until they virtually told us it was time - DD at 2.3 whilst camping and running around in only a t-shirt, stopping to wee in potty when she passed (we only noticed when it was full ), DS at about 2.7 got a bag of hand-me-down clothes including a HUGE Chelsea top and some pairs of 6-7yr old pants! He insisted on wearing both there and then and didn't wear a nappy again (still not dry at night though at 4.6 so can't win 'em all!). Good luck.
Enjoy time on your own, make sure you do something for you as well as all the housework.

List for today is hopefully small and manageable:

• Morning routine
• bath and hair wash for DC (DS in at mo)
• finish making rhubarb and ginger jam (rhubarb patch seems to grow every year and I can't waste any of it hence rhubarb crumble and Nigella's yummy Brown Sauce yesterday and jam today!)
• meet DH and friends for pub lunch (DH and the dads are off on a cycle ride at the moment)
• Declutter tiny hallway
• Shiny sink
• Ironing to keep myself awake whilst DH watches snooker!
• Bed by 10.30pm

Have a good day everyone

Back to mammoth posts, must be feeling better!

Hello again - today not finished clearly but very pleased with self and had to post immediately!

I have just cleaned out my wardrobe. Started as 15 mins bedroom tidy and ended as 2hour wardrobe clear out. I now have:

1 bag of old bras to give to some charity that will take them (?)
1 huge pile of stuff to give to charity shop

1 small pile of stuff that doesn't fit but I'm still clinging to hope that I will lose weight & be able to wear one day

1 spacious wardrobe with only things I wear and that fit me in, i.e. not that much! (time to go shopping? )

I do feel as though a weight has lifted having done this, it's one of those things that has been hanging over me nagging away! Now all I need to do is make sure I actually get rid of this stuff sharpish before it ends up clogging up somewhere else in the house.

Decided not to go to Brighton by the way as DH forgot he's got a rugby dinner to go( which starts quite early ) with step-DS!! We'll go in a couple of weeks instead.

See you later

Hi Everyone,

Aw, can't believe I missed your dinner Biddy .

Ellie don't worry, all you need to do is link to whatever is showing for the current day and then when people click on it in the morning it will update to the new day, IYSWIM...ah, I now see MrsD has explained much more succinctly, thank you .

Not done very much today - went into town to do some much needed shopping (supermarket, holiday clothes for DS), accidentally had lunch at Wagammama. Now procrastinating while DS has a nap!

Hello all,

I'm feeling a lot better today - got out to the supermarket with DS today at least, even if the walk there was a bit of a trauma with stone collecting and tantrums!

biddy - the wardrobe clearout sounds very satisfying. I've lost weight while pregnant and am looking forward to losing a bit more BF and then having to raid my savings for a new wardrobe

MM lazy day sounds nice, and I do love wagamama

feetheart Its miserable when things were going well and then something you can't control happens to send you back!

ellie we were having a half hearted attempt at potty training, just to get DS more aware of his wee/poo activitity, but he keeps sitting on the potty and then getting up and weeing over the floor, so rather than getting stressed at him, I'm giving up till after the baby!

Today we're been taking it reasonably easy:

• Morning routine (sort of) done
• shopping for DS's friends coming to play tomorrow done
• chocolate cake for tomorrow in oven
• tidy DS's bedroom done
• finish clearing kitchen
• evening routine

I also lay down with DS while he had his nap, so although I didn't sleep I did get a good rest.

Hello - just diving in and out and waving to all ....

Caught out by unexpectedly busy day ...errands that should only have taken 30 mins each ended up filling six and a half hrs

Must go and cook supper ...

Well done to Optimistic's ds for triumph at the w/e

Glad you are feeling better Chairmum

11 trips in one day PA????? [aghast-open-mouth-face] I would wither and die given your work-load!! [pathetic emoticon]

Oooh I love Wagammamma Mini and so does dd
(although she usually ends up with more noodles down her shirt than in her mouth)

Well done on your clear-out Biddy I think a number of uses for old bras were suggested here on a previous thread ... melon supports in the greenhouse being one of them. I seem to remember Joanna Lumley making little slippers out of her bra on some desert island survival programme too...

Good to hear you are back on form Feetheart!!

Repeat 100 times "it's a phase" Linzer and you'll feel better I hope!! Good luck with reward chart. I know lots of people on Mnsnet don't like them but they've always worked well for dd and me

Good to hear you had a well-deserved lie-in MissBennettMrs Dinky - hope your dd feels better soon

Good luck with the potty training Elliepac and thanks for steps/links etc

Waves to everyone I have missed

See you all tomorrow!!

Biddy we did have quite a lot of suggestions for old bras a while ago - I had to get rid of about 20 due to dramatic post pregnancy droop size change. The best/easiest place I found was my local bra bank at my local supermarket (melon supports came a close second of course) .

Evening all - just flying by to say I have managed my list - yay!! A first for me for a couple of months!!

Have a nice evening everyone and see you all tomorrow!

Thanks Chairmum and MM for suggestions re: bras. Thing is, DH got a bit flyladyish himself (very odd) and took them (while I was doing something else) to the clothing bin outside Age Concern (just across the street) and put them all in there. Apparently they use what they can and recycle the rest. There were a few old pairs of pants in there too

Was rather hoping they will send them to a developing country or somewhere - had visions of some quite nice bras being worn around the world!! Oh well, fingers crossed!

globetrotting bras, there's a lovely vision...

Evening!
Dh has repaired my laptop But is only temporary pending new part!
Have got through my list I think.....
-house bless..hoovered and dusted sitting room, swept and cleaned kitchen floor and tidied the hall of shoes. Good enough
-washing - several lots of drying and two of washing
-garden - not a chance as in spite of some sunshine we also had torrential rain and hail

• mission - just done now as sun shining

-work brought home? Not yet -made turkey casserole for tomorrow and cooked tea for tonight -sink shined

feel very smug pleased with myself. Sounds like good bank holidays all round

Evening all,

Turned out to be quite a productive day too here. Have managed to:-

washing x lots
general tidy
shine sink
cooked sunday roast (DS was most confused because as he said 'it is clearly Monday mummy so why are we having sunday dinner'. Ungrateful child
DH did DS's room
started potty training so mopped up lots of wee
spent twice the money on peppa pig pants than supermarket own brands and she won't wear them! Another ungrateful child!
cleared away/dw on
bathed dc's
bathed me
clothes out for morning
Sit down with wine and laptop.

Sounds like we have all had a busy day!

biddy I shall watch out for your bras as they globetrot past my house! Well done on the wardrobe clear out, good excuse for shopping if there ever was one!

om well done on the list clearance! IMpressive!

sc at least those errands are done now!

chairmum glad you are feeling a bit better , never easy towards the end of pregnancy especially with another DC.

mm mmmm wagamama, long time since i've been there, living in the sticks as I do.

feetheart gladto hear you are back on form. Rhubarb and ginger jam sounds divine. I hope DD is as easy as your was!

linzer DS really is in just a phase I am sure but that doesn't make it any easier to deal with. Reward charts also have worked in this house so \i think that is a good idea. In a few months time, you will wonder what you were worrying about .

missb impressive list today. That wonderful lie-in must have given you lots of energy!

mrsd thanks for the tip re: the links, no need to stress tonight now!

dwm hope you enjoyed the shopping trip!

nettie impressive list today, I scoured the flylady website for a babystep to deal with lazy arse DH's but came up a blank. . I suggest you leave them there to pile up and wait until he realises that the laundry fairy isn't real!

Big waves to everyone else pa, lpp pmpy pw and everyone else. Hope you all enjoyed the Bank Holiday!

Evening everyone,

I still haven't shined my sink yet, but other than that my list is almost done. I was very tempted to give the evening routine a miss and must admit I let DH deal with a lot of the chaos created by six 3 to 8 years old this afternoon - but I've done most of it so am now rewarding myself with a glass of wine.

feetheart DS is 3 and so well past the age where he should "need" to use biting etc as a way of expressing himself. He's going through the shoving phase as well unfortunately... Both DH and I have given him a stern talking-to this evening but he doesn't seem to be taking it very seriously, so I'll try the reward chart approach and hope it has an effect.

biddy Well done on the wardrobe clear out! I also try to get things out of the house straight away as otherwise they end up in the cellar for months on end... The fact that our nearest charity shop is about an hour's drive away doesn't help matters.

MiniM You have a bra bank at your supermarket? I've always sent my old ones to the charity shop as they take all kinds of old textiles and I assumed they would be thrown/recycled if they weren't needed.

Off to shine my sink now. One day I will manage to be in bed by 9.30 pm, but not tonight - I'll have to start making a concerted effort again once that particular babystep comes round.

ellie DD2 loves her Peppa Pig pants. We bought a ridiculous amount of pants in the vain hope that DD1 might decide she preferred to wear them rather than a nappy (including some Bob the Builder ones that are coming in useful for DS now!). We even bought a musical potty - although the batteries had gone by the time she was finally out of nappies. But I am sure you have a far less stubborn child.