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'...

Lol Lottie. I do know what you mean about people already having their group of friends but I think it depends - if I met you I'd make an exception

Kate that's horrible about your arriving-drenched-at-group experience, I've had similar, far less extreme but nonetheless unpleasant moments. I do think having twins has made me more aware of overcoming boundaries/shyness/prejudices/natural reserve/whatever and pitching in and giving people a hand or getting involved in some way. I think people generally are terrible at this and I never noticed until I was the one 'in need' so to speak.

I'm useless at watching films & rarely do it Kate. I have the attention span of a goldfish & if it doesn't hook me in mins / mindless enough to drop in & out of then I'm done for. Trying to improve....

We did Tangled & they loved it til the looong dialogue when Rupunzel gets the Prince (?) out of the wardrobe. Too little action for them in that bit. The froggy chameleon meant they kept dipping into it though. Froggies are a bit of a fave at the moment. Dd sung and thrashed about to the music .

That would put you off Kate. I have to say that people have usually been so good to us that when I have any little bad experience I tend to take it to heart.

Just shared the boys' bath cos I was so cold I had pins & needles in my fingers. They were v enthusiastic. See what I've started....

ALL Not impressed with your lack of film watching!
I think we probably have most of the Disney films - I have to admit that I love sitting and watching them, as much as my DD's do. Especially the ones that I used to watch as a child!
Infact, we are having a DVD day today - is just what we needed after a very tedious and painful morning! Emme's PEG leaked everywhere in the early hours, which we didn't realize until we got screams of 'Mumma, I wetted myself!' ( Note. we aren't potty training yet!) this morning. Was just everywhere and it absolutely reeks so the DT's bedroom is being properly aired! E needed a bath, and then obviously couldn't possibly have one on her own - next minute all 3 are naked and in the bath!
Maybe its just coincidence, but E seems so tired and withdrawn after last night - its impossible to work out how much feed she had, but I'm pretty sure she can't be that 'low' after one night w/o a full feed!
Anyway, after bath they all got back into clean pyjamas, and we all watched films under duvets. I love days like this :)
Plus it means I've been able to spend the day showing DH some ideas for DTri's room - he wants to go slightly more retro!
DTri's new all-in-one waterproofs came this morning, so we are planning a proper muddy welly walk tomorrow in the woods. Will take a picnic and hopefully spend all day there! I hate telling DD's not to get too dirty, or not to splash too much - and old waterproofs are too small, so they will be in their eliment tomorrow

Just a bit of lamp porn for you ladies! Neeeeeeed one!

Maybe shouldn't admit to `Marley & Me' (so 2008?) being the last film I saw at the cinema. & that was a rare trip with a friend. I don't even remember the last film with dp

We've had lovefilm for the last year or so so have been a lot better. I need to accept I cannot surf & concentrate. It. Does. Not. Work. Dp can absorb loads of music / film info with seemingly little effort. Not fair! I've seen some good stuff but currently have a lot of chickflicks/ disney on our to-see list. We had Lion King ages ago but boys were too young really. Trailer for it (& Peter Pan)was on Tangled & they seemed v interested so have added again.

Poor E! Do you think her low mood could have been due to the circs of sort offeeling `responsible' (even though she wasn't, of course) for this morning's dramas? I hope she's more like her new self tomorrow.

Nearly replied to your post on the other thread with a `but you have dd1 and dd2 as well as the DTrips'... but realised that would be childish and saw why you hadn't mentioned them at that point. Some people have some interesting viewpoints.

Now... lamp porn. Another glass of vino & I could have a new scheme for the boys' room.

Still needs plans for weekend here. Ils arrived late pm today so had a few hours to catch up with boys before bed. Swim then food tomorrow. Just announced they're staying til bedtime on Mon (would usually leave us by lunch time) so now have to decide what we're going to do - and the forecast is awful for Monday.

Watched Marley and Me with DD1 and DD2 a few weeks ago when it was on telly, and cute DD1 started crying at the end, but couldn't really understand why and just said 'why are my eyes dripping like this?'
Peter Pan is probably one of the only Disney's we don't have!
DD's love Lion King - they all have Simba teddies, and at the beginning where they welcome Simba as a cub and lift him up to show all the animals, DD's all stand up and hold their Simba's up too!

It sounds silly, but I still don't think that Emme realized it was her PEG leaking! She was kind laughing in disbelief saying 'I wetted myself!', and was quite proud! TBH, I think its just coincedence that she was feeling a bit off today. She's leaked twice now in the past week or so (Im sure I posted here a week or so ago with a 'leaky child') - I don't really know whats going on. Maybe its just her trying to tell us she needs to move on to bigger and better feeding tubes! ha ha!

Ahhh was this the twin post? Bloody ridiculous! I really wanted to rant on and on about how hard things are with more than 1 of the same age, but it would be pointless as everyone else had already said it. In the beginning I'd written a whole long post about DD1 and DD2, but just for the effect, I wanted to write that original one.. I was secretly quite impressed with my wittiness!

What are your ideas so far for the boys bedroom? They do a white rabbit version of the Bambi lamp which I think would look cute in a boys room!

How about you take the IL's swimming monday instead? You could go to a Country park tomorrow maybe as the weather is supposed to be better (as good as it can be!) and save indoor things for monday?

Did Tangled again today with the ILs and it was a hit all round! (& now supposed to be watching `he's not really that into you'.... but I'm surfing). Def will try for Lion King - what are your other fave's of Disney? I only really remember Beauty/Beast as the dd of my landlady yrs ago loved it.

Hope you're having more success with the feed tube. I assumed your leaky comment was bum/vom leakage - feed didn't even occur to me, doh.

We swam this morning (pool shut tomorrow) & it was so lovely to swim with boys again. Dp has been taking turns with boys at weekends & I've been taking dd through the week. Possible progress though: was talking to lifeguard this week & they're trying to get council to rethink adult/child ratio rules based on fact anyone can go to beach with any number of children. Not sure it's the strongest argument to convince H&S bods, but glad they're thinking about it.

My plan for the boys room is still in the tiniest of infancy. The curtains are in <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=roar+fabric&hl=en&sa=X&qscrl=1&nord=1&rlz=1T4SKPT_enGB431GB453&biw=1264&bih=621&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=lP52J9noDto06M:&imgrefurl=www.thelittlecurtaincompany.co.uk/roar-natural/&docid=BKWNRv5-BipwtM&imgurl=www.thelittlecurtaincompany.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/09/RoarNatural.jpg&w=338&h=450&ei=QOGmT--RIaWX0QXlrJmlBg&zoom=1&iact=rc&dur=511&sig=111539673341412126104&page=1&tbnh=126&tbnw=95&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:12,s:0,i:97&tx=50&ty=93" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">this fabric. I think they'll outgrow it soon really, but I've had the fabric since last summer so they're having them for now at least. Not sure on a `theme'. They totally love rainbows & windmills at the moment & that would make a nice change to car / choo choo/ dinosaur. Sort of thinking of using wall stickers as a starting point. A rainbow can be a basis of other themes as they get older? But then thinking it might look tatty quickly as they're bound to make it their mission to remove. & the walls aren't flat so not ideal anyway.... early days.

Ahh I'm so glad Tangled was a hit! Is very easy to get into kids films!
At the moment, most of the supermarkets are doing the 2 for £15 deal which is really good as they are normally about £13.95 each.
Toy Story (1,2 and 3) have been a huge hit with my girls - they are all obsessed. Its one of the only films that they can all agree on. Little Mermaid is very sweet, we haven't watched that for a while actually. Nemo is a good one - I love it too! All the Disney princess ones - we haven't watched them for a while either. 101 Dalmatians is one that I love too.
Often with new DVDs, I find that the first time we watch it I have to sit there and give them a running commentary of exactly what is happening, all the way through.

We're quite lucky - our girls aren't particularly sicky/upset tummy'ish children, they just generally get colds - which I'm not complaining about, especially after cleaning up all of E's bedding! Had no more leaks so far, but definitely think its a sign we need to have the new tube fitted.

So glad your pool is rethinking their rules - would be brilliant if you could all go. Glad you boys loved swimming - I always think its something that is good for children to love. I've always loved it and glad my DD's do too - although if we haven't been for a while then sometimes the DTrips get a bit nervous, but within minutes they are jumping around.
Funny mentioning swimming actually as me and DH think that DD2 needs a bit more 1:1 attention. She is such a lovely girl, but quite a demanding child - not in a bad way, but even when its just us she is constantly wanting to do something. Without sounding like I'm desperate for her to be some G&T child, I think a lot of it is down to actually being very clever and wanting to be tested - her nursery and pre-school agree. She gets very excited very easily, but absolutely loves learning new things. Anyway, her behaviour dramatically improves when gets 1:1 attention - in group situations she just gets very hyper and silly. Back to what I was talking about (sorry ) have decided to take her out of nursery one afternoon that the DTri's are there, and take her swimming. We did it for the first time today and she is just absolutely crazy - I was climbing down the steps and she was waiting so I could help her, but decided to just jump in instead...!! This is normal 'adult' swimming pool, so no kids bit, and she had no arm bands on or anything! But would just grapple back to the surface and then dive back under! She is soo close to swimming though, cant believe it!
Sorry for totally useless info!

Love the fabric for your boys' room - maybe just go with the jungle theme? Agreed that the car/train/dinosaur theme has been done to death, and can look so tacky - but I think you could do a really tasteful jungley type theme.
Maybe you could pick the green from the crocodile and do 1 or 2 walls that colour, and then the others magnolia?
I love these bright animal wall <a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=boys+jungle+theme+room+stickers&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=485&tbm=isch&tbnid=f9IHUxkRWCM4sM:&imgrefurl=www.kidswallstickers.co.uk/boys-wall-stickers/colourful-jungle-animal-silhouette-wall-stickers.html&docid=HXODDSmzYULXjM&imgurl=www.kidswallstickers.co.uk/media/catalog/product/cache/1/image/9df78eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/a/n/animal-silhouettes-colours-giant-wall-stickers-roomset.jpg&w=599&h=700&ei=NkKpT4GLCYjY4QS3n5DTDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=650&vpy=4&dur=4&hovh=243&hovw=208&tx=67&ty=103&sig=103030265835404010456&page=6&tbnh=143&tbnw=132&start=72&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:13,s:72,i:264" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">stickers but the curtain material has quite dark colours so I'm not sure it would go!
tree is cute! Maybe not the words.
Oooh they do dark brown animal ones! They could work!
<a class="break-all" href="http://www.google.co.uk/imgres?q=boys+rainbow+wall+sticker&start=183&hl=en&gbv=2&biw=1024&bih=485&tbm=isch&tbnid=joMFlTIZS2PzbM:&imgrefurl=www.thisnext.com/browse/tradingphrases.com-store/kids/&docid=yboErXfmc6bIVM&imgurl=s10.thisnext.com/media/largest_dimension/F9EF049C.jpg&w=400&h=400&ei=VkWpT_nDEMqg4gTCgMXLCA&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=122&vpy=143&dur=296&hovh=211&hovw=211&tx=163&ty=61&sig=103030265835404010456&page=13&tbnh=140&tbnw=140&ndsp=15&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:183,i:219" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">This is nice too - similar to the curtain animals.
Sorry, getting a bit obsessive - I never get to look at boys things! Sorry if its completely not your thing at all!

Wow, mammoth post - sorry!

EURK, we are the house of tiredness here. Since Eve's ear infection a couple of weeks ago, it doesn't feel as though we've recovered. DH off work ill, Juliet has terrible cough and has been sick too... rainy day here and very much a sofa day for all.

We haven't got into full-length films yet for the girls although I have a feeling they're ready for them. We watched some of Toy Story 3 whilst in Cornwall and they were gripped, although it was a bit scary I think

LVB - how was your weekend away? The hotel looked great and we're definitely up for some good recommendations. :)

I'm still umming and aahing about buying beds, starting them on the duvets, potty training... basically anything that requires any extra graft and I'm extremely suspicious. I just feel so tired all the time, can't remember my last 8 hour sleep. Grumble grumble...

Still not sold on the playgroup situation. Went along to one yesterday and just feel like all three of us are a bit aimless there. The one in Switzerland was great because we were all English speaking expats and so had that in common. Basically the mums/parents would all sit on sofas and chat whilst their kids got on with it. Don't know if it's a symptom of where we live or something but here the parents seem to sit on the floor with their respective children playing with them too. I want to sit, drink coffee, and be cynical with people!

Oooh, food for thought there Kate! I like the idea of a green wall. I think I've been limiting myself because of wanting to keep things neutral in case of selling. But I have to keep remembering I'm living for now so I can paint after all. Those stickers are great too - am thinking we should have chosen the primary colours version of the fabric, but never mind. Have made a tiny progress today. Went to Ikea & (amongst other things) got some wall brackets so I can put up the net storage hanger things we've had for almost 2 yrs. A few animals in there will add to the feel..

Can you do me a running commentary for films too - exactly what I need. I've added Nemo & Toy Story to Lovefilm. I think I'll buy some when we find which we like - I see a few years of worth in them so it'll be a good idea.

Great idea taking dd2 out for a swim. I did it a bit last summer with the boys & have been thinking I'll do the same during the holidays when I go back to work next year. I'm a poor swimmer & don't want that for our lot. There was a man swimming on his own with his 3 boys who were so scared it was painful to watch but dp said he's seen them for a number of weeks & they are so much improved. Eldest was almost 6 & all screamed quite a lot. How are they a safer bet than us....?

Well hello LadyMuck - I like it . Sorry you're all feeling rubbish & tired. We're not allowed coffee at our playgp & have to admit I do sit & play for most of the time & just chat to people as we go. But in part that's cos it saves me sitting like Billy-No-Mates on the sidelines. I tried talking to a lady I recognised from elsewhere during snacktime the other week. & of course ds1 chose that moment to spill his drink down himself. & then got upset that he was all wet / people fussing trying to help him. That'll teach me to try to be sociable .

We had a wee on potty the other day. From ds2 too. We were all surprised as ds1 seems by far the more ready of the two. But ds2 asked for potty & to take off nappy / pants & did a stand-up wee mostly in potty. Cue mass praise / cuddles/ jumping round. Then we had to go wave it bye-bye down the loo. I think that was the clincher. Hasn't happened again.

Whoops, forgot I was messing around with a namechange

ALL I know you always bat away any comments to this regard, but I am amazed at the energy you have to do things around the house/in general! I am trying to sort out niggles around the home as they bother me, and just think that it's better to sort something than spend weeks deliberating what the exact right option is and therefore achieve nothing. I was meant to be going to Ikea this week to pick up a bathroom cabinet and this magnetic white board/ noticeboard for the kitchen. We're forever whingeing about not having a noticeboard but every time we think about it I get to the same point of not liking anything enough to get it, or the 'solution' being too complicated or me worrying it will 'date' (painting a wall with blackboard paint for ex.). And so nothing ever gets done...

God a real ordeal getting the girls to nursery this morning - me with a fever, DH on death's door, girls very fractious. Eve with streaming tears down her face, aged 2 and a half: "I don't want to go to nursery, going to nursery is BOORIN, I want to go to the dentist!". Yes, took them for the first time this week - all she did was attempt to count their teeth, and gave them a balloon and sticker afterwards. They still need their final set of molars to come through. She didn't even tell me off for not being vigilant enough with teeth brushing. Anyone else find it a complete pain in the arse?

How do ladymuckbeth. Is this a belated attempt to stay below MIL's radar or just for the heck of it? Sorry you're all ill at the mo and hope it passes very swiftly, it is GRIM looking after children when you feel awful yourself.

Love Eve wanting to go to the dentist! Fair play to her, most people wouldn't find it boorin either. The playgroup thing sounds tricky. I've never been to one that didn't involve mums sitting with/hovering round babies and all conversation being about nappies etc but yes, by your two's age I bet you'd be hoping for a change of tack. Have you had an opportunity to speak to any mums at nursery drop off? At ours no one seems inclined to stop or doing basic niceties like keeping their fecking buggies from blocking the path so it's not necessarily easy but might be worth trying to strike up a conversation??

I like those wall stickers too Kate. Our nursery is über plain, sort of parchment coloured walls with stripy curtains, not in the least child themed which I sort of blame on their early arrival but we really must get them a lampshade at some point as a bare minimum, and I reckon some wall decoration like that would be great.

Good idea to give your daughter some 1:1 time. Maybe her crazy energy is partly an attempt to get attention, and I'm sure you are very careful to give them all as much time with you as you can but it still must be hard with such a big brood. The dynamic in a family that has single children as well as multiples must be so different - I bet the trips get so much cooing from strangers and the older ones get a lot less. Do you find that?

I've started obsessing that I am going to do myself a back injury imminently. I work with a team who seem to be all crocked with back pain and it highlights to me the huge importance of prevention rather than cure. Add into that that S is a huge weight now, and both of them lurch around while being carried and get underfoot so you have to take rapid evasive action just crossing the room and it all adds up to loads of twinges! I need to do some core and back- strengthening exercises pronto, and of course it's just a question of finding the time when I'm otherwise twiddling my thumbs so I could do it! I definitely think they should warn you at school that pregnancy and babies destroy your body in more ways than one. I have never had so many aches and clicks and involuntary groans when sitting/standing etc as I have now...

Thanks Cerubina - I think part of my malaise is that hideous sinking feeling you get when you know you're in it for the long haul. Woke up feeling grotty today and knew the weekend was going to be a write-off, etc etc. Nothing like a PMA, eh?

We have plans to go to the National Army Museum on Saturday morning, which is meant to be excellent for young toddlers with a fully enclosed soft-play area. A friend who goes regularly says it's the closest she comes to actually being able to relax while the kids play, and you buy tickets for an hour's slot for £2.50 per child here. Was looking forward to it, really hope we can go!

Re. the aches and pains, I remember very clearly having these until the girls were about a year old - felt like a very old woman indeed! I don't know if partly I've got used to it (I hope not) but it doesn't feel so bad now. Although I am so so tired all the time at the moment, desperately want to have more energy so I can actually focus some time on ME (I know, imagine that!), on trying to get a job or even get a bit more on top of things at home. I feel like we get carried on one semi-crisis/coping wave to another, and barely have time to feel as though we're wading in any particular direction

Just marking place, MUST CATCH UP!! Museum sounds great lady - at the though of having to play with them at playgroups oranywhereelseforthatmatter

Wow, that looks a total bargain! I hope you're all better to enjoy. Well done on the dentist - I really need to sort it for us. I made an effort a few weeks ago but got a bit bogged down in access arrangements since all our local dentists seem to be located in big old house with step access / no parking so not really double buggy friendly. Would have thought they'd have to have disabled access. But then I guess it won't be that many visits before we can do the nearest without a buggy. I'm not vigilant at all at teethbrushing. We do it but I guess I'm more just getting them used to the habit of brushing / praising efforts. They def take more note of how I do mine now though & copy so I'm working towards helping them and the random toys that also join us.

That has been my problem with decorating too LadyM - paralysed by indecision. Though time is a factor now. Interesting that I sound like I do stuff - my house shouldn't be such a tip! Funnily enough, my trip to Ikea was for a bathroom cabinet too. Tho I'm just getting this which is actually just a cheap & cheerful shelving unit. Couldn't carry it with dd with me so we're picking one up at the weekend. Also been hankering after a noticeboard but I'm determined not to buy the red one I've seen get started on the kitchen til it's had remedial work done.

Cerubina - I agree with the falling apart feeling too. I don't remember when it improved, but it occurred to me one day it had and I felt normal again. At the risk of sounding contrary, pg actually cured me of my worst aiment. I had a recurring slipped disc for 7 yrs or so & dreaded how a twin pg would affect me but must have strengthened my core muscles during the boys' pg & have been fine since.

Joyful, poo-filled evening here before bath. Ds2 managed to squelch his out of his clothes into his high cair . & of course dp is away (well, currently battling to get home due to closed motorway) so I had an interesting time trying to get them all off to bed.

I have noticed some improvements in the decrepitude (real word?) I felt for the first year since the twins were born - I had terribly stiff and achey fingers and wrists for ages, which was just due to physical labour that I hadn't done before really. But in general I've always had rather shonky biomechanics with tight muscles, which is my main concern - I'm a living illustration of how the knee bone's connected to the hip bone etc! Unless I do something to stretch out and strengthen these muscles it seems a racing certainty something's going to ping at some point and then we're really in trouble. Lifting, bending and kneeling aren't really negotiable with young children are they?

That said, glad to hear that pg actually cured you ALL. A slipped disc must have been dreadful.

Poo on the high chair - been there, vile isn't it! If we're talking about poo, we seem to be going through a transition into adult size/form stools which are giving S a bit of trouble. He leaves you in no doubt when he's doing one and it clearly really hurts him. Given that they are sometimes the size of a baby's arm I'm not surprised - poor little soul. Got some lactulose and that seems to help a bit but as soon as I stop it things get painful again. I don't want to use it persistently though. Could cow's milk be responsible? It only seems to have been an issue since we changed over to that, and I'm cutting it down very gradually (they still wolf it, there'd be a rebellion if I only gave them GF recommended amounts!)

It sounds like doing some pilates or yoga might help Cerub - but as you say, when to get time to do these things??

Re. S and the poos - I don't know re. cow's milk although I mentioned a dairy allergy when I took E to the docs re. her (chronic) constipation and he said that if anything you'd expect a lactose intolerance to cause loose stools rather than the opposite. (I haven't read up on that so don't know if he's right...) Please take heed from my experience though - Eve has suffered with painful poos since about 1yr old, and I kept trying new things and tweaking things (it's incredible the amount of time you can waste trying to give them more vegetables or add raisins, fruit juice, etc...) but it never ever improved. Now that she's 2.5, she has a phobia of it because for so long (on and off) it was painful. Do talk to the docs about it - for a long time we tried lactulose, and then it would seem better so we'd stop it - but the problem has just worsened over time. We are now giving Movicol but even now when I lower the dose the stools harden again and the pain comes back. We were at a stage where she was only going once every 4-5 days, and then it was such a huge ordeal - sometimes for a whole day before she had a bowel movement we wouldn't really be able to go out because she would be anxious and in discomfort. It has been very stressful to go through and we're still not over it. I spoke to a friend of a friend who had similar with her daughter and she told me that even now at the age of 5 (having been treated since age 2.5) her daughter STILL needs a small amount of medication and the phobia can take years to go away. In our situation with Eve I found that very depressing. So all I'm saying is that looking back I feel guilty that we stuck our head in the sand with it and now it's a bigger problem than it might otherwise be.... :(

Sorry mucky, I do remember you mentioning this quite recently and not responding at the time. That sounds really hard on you all, poor Eve. It is all too easy to imagine how they can develop a fear of going if it always hurts. Is movicol just a stronger lactulose-alike or a stimulator? I presume you tried giving prune juice etc and no great effect from that? Does she seem to find it easier when taking the movicol, because if so maybe it's just better to keep on with it for as long as needs be and try to avoid a fully fledged phobia. The question I have and would have in your situation is whether those remedies end up causing a dependency, making the gut lazy and so on. This is why I've been chopping and changing with the lactulose but maybe I shouldn't as your experience definitely tells a cautionary tale...

I managed to get a massage appointment today (working from home so easier to take a break) and I think it has helped a bit. Only trouble is I'm the world's most ticklish person and it actually hinders masseuses doing their stuff. Mine told me today I'm the most ticklish client she's ever had .

I know what you mean re. worrying about them becoming dependent upon medicine. We're yet to be referred on to a specialist about it - that will be the next step if this tactic doesn't work. Current tactic being to start on 2 sachets per day of Movicol, and slowly decrease the dose until the phobia seems to have gone ). We're currently on 1.5 sachets per day but I have a feeling that just like every other thing we've tried, it works as long as the dose is high but as soon as we decrease it the problem comes back. Which is down to the phobia of pushing because to push is associated with pain, so she holds it in. And in. And in. It's been one of the most stressful things we've gone through so far, although in itself it sounds minor in many ways and nothing compared to what other parents have been through with their LOs. But without going into too much gruesome detail, seeing the pain on her face after 5 days of not going, and then the sheer VOLUME of compacted matter that comes out, it was horrendous :(

On another 'horrendous' note, we are having major sleep issues with the girls at the moment. I'm at a bit of a loss as to what to do about it. Last night we were up and down all night, both of us with flu and barely able to see straight, to either replace Juliet's dummy or in Eve's case, seeming to wake up for no reason and need comforting with milk. We have GOT to stop giving her milk as a comforter and in fact have decided to stop as of now. DH is such a softie compared to me, but we need to come up with a Unified Strategy. They are also taking a LONG time to settle when we put them to bed, often not dropping off until 9pm. Which means they wake up late in the morning. I kind of know what we probably need to do but am too tired to implement anything!

Sorry to hear about E's horrible constipation :( DD1 was on lactulose for about a year for the same thing - was awful because you know they desperately need to know, but are too scared to because of the pain :( We were shown a lot of exercises that were supposed to help, and I think they did to an extent.

Nightmare (literally!) about J and E's sleeping..
With Eve, have you tried the just 'comforting-and-replacing-to-bed' technique? It is hard to come up with a strategy that you can both do, but we settled on this - just simply never ever get them out their cot, you can cuddle and soothe etc but they are never picked up. Mine seemed to appreciate having their tummys rubbed - we would lie them down and rub their tummy through the bars. DTri's were detached from their bottles a good few months ago - we did offer milk in sippy's; often when 1 decides they would like some milk that night, all 3 do!
I know it sounds like I'm backing away from it all - but we've decided to go for

1. potty training
2. beds
3. dummies

simply because I think when they have their dummies taken away, they are going to take a while to settle - if they're in beds then they may get bored in this time and resort to other, much more fun things! I.e getting out of bed and running around!
So we've started tackling the potty issue - is hard to explain todays results, but on the whole pretty good! It helps that DD1 and DD2 scream and dance around every time DTri's step foot near a potty!
Emme is trying super hard, but is just finding it a little harder than her sisters - though as I said, DD1 and 2 are keeping her spirits high!

Good luck for tonight muck - hope you get some much needed sleep

Poor babes . Although it's obvious when ds1 is having a poo, we've not had anything like that thank goodness. He had constipation when weaning but nothing out of the ordinary.

Good luck on the sleep sorting LadyM but agree new strategies when tired / ill not easy. Nor is having an OH who is a softie...

& good luck on your plan Kate!

Just finished a loong, painful phone call with mum where everything I (& everyone else, to be fair) has done recently is just Plain Wrong. Got a right old earbashing for not keeping locks of hair from first haircut. Like I don't feel bad enough about that. & after seeing most recent pics of dd... her birthmark needs sorting. & she is going to be a Big Girl & clearly overfeeding (still ebf - Mum never convinced cos `you don't know what they're getting'). Feel like the life has just been sucked out of me!

Boys had a non-nap nap time today but it was amusing listening to the hilarity. Wasn't looking forward to the afternoon of tired boys / grizzly dd (has her 1st tooth & next on its way) so I stuck us all in the car & went off on safari. Ds2 fell asleep within minutes but had a lovely chatty time with ds1 who was tickled that the lion cub climbed the tree & got stuck, then the ostrich kept trying to peck at his window.

Safari is genius ALL - everyone amused whilst safely strapped in in the comfort of their car seat! Wish we had one nearby.

Poor old Eve. Feel tentatively hopeful that it will have been caught in time to avoid any longer trm unpleasantness / persistent issues - with your characteristic well-informed, common sense approach to such things i would think there's every chance it can be resolved sooner rather than later... Also hope your flu buggers off asap, you sound done in

kate I like your order for tackling things in- and the logic behind it. I will watch with interest and then copy!

Middle para directed at mucky obv.

Just made two birthday cakes and have sugar strands, pink icing and edible glitter coming out my ears. Goes without saying they're both incredibly tasteful

tarti - magnificent cakes pictured on FB. Definitely an idea-stealer there... and also impressed you make them TWO cakes. I haven't even considered doing that, am obviously a great big meanie When is their actual b'day? TWO YEARS OLD EH?!!!

ALL - that convo with your ma sounds awful. I know it's easy to say but don't listen to that crap?! My god, you are doing a brilliant job, if only we had the time on our hands to be worrying about saving locks of hair, eh? I saved Juliet's first lock of hair but forgot to do the same with Eve. Beat myself up about that for about 5 minutes before I realised I could just save a lock from the next hair cut and that my memory is so bad in ten years time I won't remember. Also meant to say that our apartment in Switz was FULL of Expedit from Ikea, I hope I never see another 4x2 or 4x4 or 4x1 unit of it again - I think it was in every room in every colour way! :)

Kate - that does sound like a good logic. I think I'm going to put potty training to one side of the other two though, mainly because I have a feeling my two will do it at very different times - Eve just shows NO interest. We had a much better night last night, no interruptions save one for a dummy replacement. Eve had no milk in bed, went down okay and slept right through. Fingers crossed for a repeat performance...

Made it to the Army Museum today, and it was fantastic. Easy to drive to, easy to park (surprisingly, for Chelsea) and a really clean and well-run place with excellent equipment. Perfect for all the poshos who live round there - quite a few nannies in there even on a Saturday morning with their charges today. And I had to glare Quite A Lot at some jumped up little madams who told Eve to 'GO AWAY!' when she politely asked if she could come into their little den they'd made ("Pee can I come in, oh PEEEEEEE!" :()

I really do need to learn how to deal with these moments, whenever I see/hear an older child being mean to my girls I feel an irresistible urge to go up to them and say something even meaner in response. For some reason it brings out my worst, most childish side, and I KNOW I'm meant to react differently.