TTT.....

[AtLongLast]

OTT / self-indulgent I know, but Toddler Twin Tantrums..... aaargh! Just as well they're so cute too. Ds2 was v funny today wiggling his bum singing uh, uh Bobby' in response to me dancing round the kitchen to Bobby's girl'...

I don't know how you'd decorate a boys room ALL !
I am totally 'evil mummy' and don't allow anything 'characterised' in bedrooms...!

Ooh Lottie Really hope you go ahead with house planning - will both be able to do some room designing! Will be lovely for J and E to have a nice big double to themselves; much easier to plan a room when you have space too!

Haha, I have the memory of a goldfish so it works for me. Found some flapjacks in there the other day. Though granted, not in the same league as choc cake!

We don't have character stuff there yet Kate but I can see me giving in to it. I didn't think I'd buy them character clothing but they get so much joy from it and will keep clothes on on occasion that I enjoy it too. I'm already thinking that they'll soon outgrow the curtains I'm making for their room but they were so excited when I showed them the material today.

Me too Kate - my head is still spinning after the architect's visit last night! We are planning for it to go ahead, just won't be for a year (architect is heavily pregnant so will be a bit of a gap, along with normal delays for planning approvals, building planning, etc). But in theory it will make an enormous difference and all told will include a new kitchen, new bathrooms, plus two extensions. We must be quite mad...

Can you believe that it is ILLEGAL for us to remove our downstairs loo, btw? The architect said there is no way the planning people would approve us taking it out because it would make our house less accessible to disabled people. Words fail me. It's a private house, why can't we do what we want with it?!

Wow, I didn't know that. I did comment on how spacious the downstairs loos were in the new-builds we've been viewing & that is all for disabled access. As are the child unfriendly height of light switches. Interesting though because one of the plans we always had for our Wales house was to move the bathroom upstairs. Presumably that means we would have had to retain at least a loo/washbasin downstairs since it's already there. Maybe for the best we never got that far with it!

I have to say it's the only thing I've ever bought from Heals

Bloody IPad autocorrects everything

Uh oh..... ds1 escaped out of his cot last night! Think he had a nightmare or something as he woke up screaming for Daddy at 2am. Dp went in & calmed / resettled him but he threw a tantrum when Daddy dared to leave resulting in him falling out. Hopefully he had enough of a bump to stop him trying again but not holding much hope since he went to try it again when dp put him back in. By 3am he was beginning to settle. The stairgate has been installed on their room today & luckily I had a guy in to fix our unsafe stair area just last week!

Eeek! Glad he's okay and well done re. the stairgate reinforcements. Tried J on the duvet/pillow combo. Not a success. Screamed for her sleeping bag in the end. So it seems the duvet/pillow is seen as a toy and not a functional object. Might hold off on the old bed purchase then... damn, had got all excited. Also was looking forward to putting the yellow butterflies duvet cover on...

We've just been at my bro's, who has a newborn and a DD the same age as the girls. She is Minnie Mouse crazy or at least has had it foisted upon her from the moment she was born and has just been bought an entire matching set of Minnie Mouse bed linen, with giant Minnie cartoon figure on the wall, etc etc etc. I always feel like a real judgypants stick-in-the-mud when we're there - like Kate I'm hoping to stave off character stuff like that for at least a few years. Am sure we'll get to the same point in the end but hopefully I can aim for something a bit more delicate in these early years. Selfish moi? :)

Just a quick note tonight as I have a leaky child with me!

With regards to character things - I draw the line at anything in bedrooms; and always said that none of my children would have character clothing - but you're right ALL , it makes them so happy!
Mine had some gorgeous minnie mouse dresses last year (only had a teeny minnie head on!) and DM sometimes gets them Disney Princess stuff in M&S sales that I save as nursery clothes. DM can't stand them either but they are perfectly fine for DTri's to wear to nursery to wreck with paint etc. I don't mind pyjamas too much - I prefer just some plain starry ones or something, but if DD's desperately need new PJ's and we happen to see some they fall in love with, then I don't mind (as long as they are skinny ones!).

Lottie building criteria can be ridiculous sometimes - it will all be worth it in the end though!

More time for toddler bed research though . I was holding back from asking what bedding you got. It's lovely. Maybe use it as cot decoration & she might decide to use it? I think that's how ds2 finally gave in to blanket.

I think there's something about girl character stuff that I like far less than boy things. We were given Minnie stuff for dd. It's red so I should love it, but....? Also missed where the show is to form any sort of craze. I have a real dislike of Hello Kitty but don't know why - was there an ad a few years ago using the term as a slogan making it seem a bit unsavoury? & I remember my niece having stuff that I'm sure was like playboy logo?

Boys definitely not having a character room though. They'd both want different things & are a bit fickle in their devotion. Peppa (well, Daddy Pig & George actually) has taken Thomas`crown for now. Have to admit to getting Peppa pig now too & think Daddy Pig is rather lovely .

ALL Got any toddler beds for me to have a look at?

I'm putting the Ikea one out there..
DD2 already has one, so even though I love it, I'd like something different really.
Thing is, I quite like the extendable-ness of it. 1 because buying 3 junior beds to replace in a year or so is a bit silly; and 2 because DTri's would look lost in a full size single.

I'll keep looking!

White saplings

Ooh, lovely . We're sticking with cotbeds for our lot though I may have noticed extendable Tobermory beds on Lottie's Aspace Cody bed link.

Dd had her first lie / kick about in her cot today. Her room is now functional (cot and blackout blind) but not finished (curtains / wall stuff). The boys are very impressed she now has her own bed!

A friend with same-age twins put a post on FB today re. beds - she's just put her boys into beds as one of them was climbing out of the cot. Last night they were up until 10pm refusing to sleep or calm down... it's put me RIGHT off this switching to bed malarkey!

when this thread needs bumping, we always need a bit of shoe porn

LVB Ha ha ha, you're so right!
I'm happy with shoes/clothes/bed porn to be honest!

Although none caught by eye apart from these little beauties !

I'm moving onto birthdays now - My big girl DD1 will be 6 next MONTH!! Haven't organised party/presents/anything yet... She's so easy going that shes happy with everything shes got - but is such a good girl, so deserves a treat.
Think we might go for a maxi micro - decided to get DTrips mini's for their birthday (OMG NEXT MONTH TOO! Shit, that has literally only just dawned on me.. my babies will be 3 next month. They can't be 3 - they're still too babyish! Am actually very )
I'm reverting back to DD1's birthday, because I really can't think about DTrip's birthday right now.. pushing to the back of my mind!

Love the black and white but will be taking the bottle holder off, and might swap handle bars for some purple ones. Purple and white will be cool :)
Oh sweet jesus, bedazzles

No ideas for her party - and she is just as indecisive!

Goodness yes, birthdays. The girls' 2nd birthday is 2 weeks today. Have no presents, no particular ideas for cake, no party planned. Probably ought to give this some thought...

I'm toying with the idea of getting rid of dummies altogether. They only have them in cots but even then it is a seemingly endless nightmare of throwing them at each other/onto floor and then screaming that they don't have them - many nights they are still awake at 8.30 despite 7pm bedtime and I'm sure this rigmarole with the dummies doesn't help. Also don't want getting rid of them to interfere with potty training, which I'm planning to nail Gina-style sometime during the summer...
Not sure I'm brave enough to actually take the plunge though

Having to wait in today for delivery of new phone. Had brand new iphone delivered last Friday, it stopped working on Sunday! Not massively impressed. Not loving being housebound today, we had friends over this morning and girls rippedtheplaceapartandbulliedtheotherchildren did not exactly cover themselves in glory... So hoping the delivery man will come SOON and we can escape to the park to blow off steam.

Hmm, if you do that tarti I might join you. J still has her dummy whenever she can get it at night, but I'm desperate for her to get rid of it. We've had a rough few days with ear infections (Eve), dummy retrieval duties (Juliet), and both girls thoroughly taking the piss at bedtime. Last night they didn't go to sleep until 9.30pm, and at lunchtime took over an hour to drop off despite complaining of tiredness and wanting to go down for a nap. Need to change something but not quite sure what PS: whatever it is that needs to change, it is most certainly NOT to drop their lunchtime nap!

We're just back from looking around a local nursery/pre-prep which was suitably impressive. Not sure about switching the girls there for nursery as they only have afternoon spaces left and they only offer either mornings or afternoons until kindergarten. The main thing driving me is that having moved back to London at this point, I don't have any local mum-friends and am really feeling the need to start making a bit of a network for playdates/etc. My days at home with the girls feel a bit too me-and-them and not enough distractions/stimulations/break for me from it all for my liking. And I can't see it really happening at their current nursery because it's more of a day nursery type of set-up and doesn't seem to be any cohesion amongst the parents - most of the kids are dropped off/picked up earlier/later than we do, and most of the kids are a bit younger too. Don't know what to do really.

Kate - we bought the girls those mini micro scooters and at the moment they've not yet got into them, maybe they'll get more into it as they approach the age of 3. Whenever we go to the park Eve just stares forlornly at any child on a bicycle, looking like the saddest most deprived child in the world. But can't face getting them two more of something they don't use!

The FB friend who just put her twin boys into beds is now reporting that by Day 4 they go straight to sleep, after three days of 'rapid return'. I think the first night took a couple of hours but each night got easier and easier. Still not sure I'm up for another few sleepless nights....

Thanks Lavita... I now have a Zara account . Don't know why I've not looked there before for children stuff. I was drawn to the sandals you linked Kate, but I did like lots of others too. & they have a good selection of sandals / canvas shoes for boys too. Maybe next year when I can be sure items bought won't be rejected naieveparent.

A friend with dd same age as the boys put her into a bed last night. Was all going OK at 10pm but haven't heard this am. She's also been potty training on/off for weeks now. I feel like I'm being a bit militant but with 3 to look after I really am not in a hurry to do things before they're ready.

What a pain with the phone Tarti - such an anticlimax, I hope it's arrived already & you're off to the park.

I feel for Eve having similar stuff myself Lottie. I've felt fluey & rough all week & the left hand side of my throat is really swollen & sore. I think that's why I forgot to save ds2's curls . So determined to check the job of my list that I went & did it without thinking about it too much. Stupidly thought since I was feeling a bit better yesterday that I'd pop down to the allotment & get the spuds in & I'm knackered today. Lovely dp let me sleep in this morning & went into work a bit later (lucky me!).

Hopefully the boys will be in a good mood when they wake up. Honestly, the drama we have with weeping, wailing & neediness makes me think twice about putting them down for a nap in the first place. We have Tangled to watch though so hopefully can just slob out to that curled up on the sofa together

Re. potty training ALL - we've started a BIT with Juliet but only because she is instigating it. I have it in the back of my mind that we'll tackle it in the summer but she started picking the potty up and asking to use it - for about a week now we put her on it when we change her nappy in the morning, after lunchtime nap, and while we run the bath - and she almost always manages to do a wee. The look of pride on her face is priceless - so sweet. When she can't do one she tells us her tummy is empty... I also bought this book about Pirate Pete and his potty which is actually for boys, but the girls love it... might be worth picking up and see what your boys make of it. But my experience so far is that if they're up for it, it's no bother at all, but if they're not interested it is pointless and stressful to force it. Eve shows no interest and has actually got upset when we've asked her if she wants to use the potty, so other than showing her that book I'm leaving her well alone.

Let us know how tangled goes ALL, am always on the lookout for distractions...

Hmm about nursery Lottie. Can you bear to join some classes/groups and network manically? We currently do a music bugs one which I actually quite like, and am thinking about tumbletots and/or ballet - I basically go to get out of the house and am quite lazy about mingling with the other mums as I have my nct group for matters of moral support/coffee dates etc, but there is ample opportunity if you were that way inclined. Agree that nursery doesn't provide any opportunity to talk to the other parents although perhaps in the next year or so there will start to be more playdate-type opportunities...
Was freaking out mildly about that actually last night - will other parents feel they always have to invite both twins over to play, will they ever be able to make their own friends independently of each other, will they have a weird twin bond that I/others can't penetrate/don't understand... And so on.

Is anyone watching the Bridge? Am LOVING it.

ALL you are so good with the allotment. I've totally given up pretending to show an interest and let DH deal with it all. Garden is also looking a little unloved. Although doesn't look like we'll be using it this year much anyway at this rate

Oh tarti shut up with your practical and useful suggestions - I've TRIED playgroups but frankly find it almost impossible to muster up the enthusiasm to talk to anyone - it just feels like I'm a bit late to the party. And at the ones I've tried most of the children seem a bit younger. I know I need to try harder but I've met a few mums in the park and although everyone is being 'nice', I just get the sense that people already have their groups of friends and no-one's really looking for new ones. God how much of a loser do I sound??!

Talking of gardens - just bought this <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?hl=en&sa=X&biw=1279&bih=594&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=4S75zlC9n5fWyM:&imgrefurl=thegreenfamilia.co.uk/outdoor-play-with-hen-hammock/recycled-tyre-horse-swing&docid=OdaRGOGziMLAvM&imgurl=thegreenfamilia.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Recycled-tyre-horse-swing.jpg&w=292&h=292&ei=WImiT53FPIiM8gPMpendCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=256&vpy=129&dur=2173&hovh=225&hovw=225&tx=132&ty=134&sig=105550521792854460835&page=1&tbnh=125&tbnw=142&start=0&ndsp=21&ved=1t:429,r:1,s:0,i:69" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">recycled tyre horse swing to put in the garden. Think it's a bit old for the girls at the moment but hoping it'll last a while... :)

I don't think you sound like a loser Lottie but I do think a lot of people feel that way to some extent. I certainly do & have been using our local groups since the boys were tiny. I know lots of people to chat to superficially while there, tho am mostly doing stuff while many of the other mums are chatting while their one charge is off playing nicely. I feel visible on the basis I have twins+1.

Will have a look at the book in a bit - wonder if it's the one I heard Chris Evans talking about getting his ds at Xmas. I think it went down well there. Boys are good at sitting on potty fully clothed. & we talk about wee / poo going in there but not been a reality yet.

Haha, not so good at allotment Tarti but have been helped in that the council have recently `accidently' cleared it. Now I've discovered my asparagus survived I'm a bit happier. Good thing really cos means it's safer for boys. But doing anything with them there is impossible cos they stick limpet-like to my side, and need constant pick-up from falling over clods of earth. My tatties have been there & back 3 times now without making it into the ground.

Ohh, I did coriander seed planting with boys the other week & they're loving it. Seeds were sleeping to begin with & we have to keep giving them a little drink to wake up. Now woken up & we have to check on our baby plants every meal time (on the kitchen window sill) & give them a little shower ever now & again. Ds1 looks at me like this when I mention eating them when they get big...

Right... noises. It's either the builders next door or ds1 and his cot..

Lottie I know what you mean about new groups and the mums - we go to loads of groups at the moment, so not really looking to get into some new ones. But I remember going to some kind of group when DTri's were only a few months old, and DD1 and DD2 were 3 and 4 - decided to walk to the group, start torrential raining on the way (baby brain too stupid to think = no coats) so all 6 of us turned up, looking like drowned rats, and all 5 girls screaming. Cue every single mother turning, silently, and looking us all up and down...
Decided to stick it out and ignore the other mums and just get on with it, but it lasted longer than expected and so it was time for DTri's feed - all 3 hysterically crying, but DD1 and 2 wanted me to sit with them rather than feed babies - so DD2 had the biggest, almighty strop. No one came to help or even ask if I was okay, I never went back. They were clearly all very cliquey and I wasn't welcome in their little club.
Just keep trying Lottie - we go to some lovely ones - sometimes you can tell the moment you go in whether you'll like it or not, other times you just need to get to know some people. We go to a toddler music group now that we've been to since Dtri's were really small - the second I walked in they were all so pleased to see babies that all 3 girls were taken from my hands and cuddled the whole time!
Came off her and reminded DH that DT's will be 3 next month and even he nearly choked on something! We've decided that they need to grow up, and fast! Before they are 3 we want dummies off them really, and then once that is done we are going to start potty training. Beds are the least of our worries so they will come last.

Lottie DD1 and DD2 already have Mini micro's, but DD1's is too small for her now - and although they're expensive they are the best things we've ever bought and we know she will love the maxi. Once your DD's get going on their scooters, they won't stop - it takes them a while to get used to the leaning rather than steering, but then they suddenly get the hang. DTri's fight over DD1's small one and they're already brilliant on them - they are so good for 'nipping'!
P.s Welldone on J's potty training so far - sounds brilliant!

Ohhhh ALL I can't believe you haven't watched Tangled yet - is probably our favourite DVD at the moment! We are desperately trying to find a little Pascal for the girls - its a cute tiny lizard from the film, and they love him!

Pascal

buys 3 Its just the sheer price - for anyone else that would be a nice £16 toy - not too expensive... but there is no way I could only buy 1, so thats £48 on 3 Pascals!