Hello, hello! Thanks for all your thoughts and good wishes and sorry for going incommunicado. I've been reading and meaning to post but just haven't got round to it - one of those weeks.
My dad is fine and is out of hospital. The op ended up being the more major one, but went very well and was filmed as it was the first in the new operating theatre at the new QE hospital in Birmingham, and was very unusual. The surgeon has been popping in on dad a couple of times a day (professional respect as dad was an eye surgeon, but also because it was the same surgeon who messed up a similar op on my dad a few years ago!). The next few days will dictate how much use he has in his arm (he plays golf a few times a week so this is very important to him) but so far, so good.
DD2 is now more or less over her cold, bar a runny nose and a nasty bout of constipation. She's sleeping well again and is eating. Phew. Unfortunately her daytime naps are being cut short as we are having some building work done and is always seem to get noisy just after she's gone to sleep, but she's coping well.
AbsB sounds like you had a wonderful time in Paris. Hope the sleep returns to normal now you're back.
I can't remember who asked, but I'm not planning on babyproofing either. I didn't with DD1 and hope not to with DD2. I found with DD1 that if I said no firmly enough and moved her away from whatever it was that could be dangerous, she didn't bother again. And she also learnt to do the stairs while crawling so they were never too much of a risk.
Like IC, I am still using a carrier. I put DD2 in it when i do the school run as there as so many pushchairs at the school gate. Like IC's DD, mine is still quite little and has only just grown out of her 3-6 months clothes, but I am starting to feel it a bit in my back and shoulders so may have to start using the pushchair more as I never got on with my baby backpack (unless anyone has a recommendation?).
Someone asked about regular Calpol or Nurofen. It's fine and they can't get tolerant. But try and give Nurofen after food as it can be harsh on the stomach. I'm just jealous that other people's DCs take medicines - both mine have refused (like DD1 at her age, DD2 screams and then is sick) and DD2 still isn't that keen now, but since she was two has managed tablets quite well.
Still no teeth or crawling here! But she is feeding herself proper food - I give her whatever DD1 is having (last night was macaroni cheese, the night before was salmon and noodles), and then she will have fruit puree and yogurt (not self-fed!). She seems happy with most things, though doesn't seem terribly successful with bread bizarrely.
Oh, very long post, sorry. GF well done on the sleep training. CC how are you? Is work better?