Dec 2007 - Little People, Large Strops

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Will this do everyone?

DS can be very nuaghty. I am trying hard to ignore it but it is difficult when it is refusing to let me dress him when we need to go out! For the most part he is good.
Still getting no where with toothbrushing, if I try and pin him down he becomes utterly hysterical and I don't want to traumatise him :(

Need some new ideas! Potty training has come to halt, he just isn't getting it, no wees on the potty, wees on the floor but he doesn't seem to realise until he is actually doing it! Will try again in a weeks time, though.

BT will be interested to responses on that one ... am intending to try over the Christmas break. And then plan to get the carpet cleaned in January

Apart from a fit of shyness at the beginning when everyone arrived DD's party went off smoothly. In fact much more calmly the DD1's recent parties which have typically involved much screeching and giggling. She loved the teaset.

I'm getting a new kitchen bench tomorrow!

not that I am one to talk asI frequently forget but there is a book recommended on here called how to talk so your children listen and how to listen sho your children talk - a but American but good for discipline issues

I remember buying that with dd1 when she was going through a "stage" - it was when we were in Pakistan, I remember it so well....err, now I remember it. So I had obviously forced it out of my memory (see my comments below about how she was always good!). Tbh I didn't manage to get into it - I think you need the patience of a saint to talk your children into behaving! A bit like this Unconditional Parenting lark - great in theory.....

am v glad that dd doesn#t yet have a baby sibling, cos it means i'm not racked with guilt that her current olympic-level stroppiness isn't because we've ruined her life by having another child.

although as we got BFP at the w/end that will all change in august - here's hoping the current phase of mega-strops and horrible behaviour has worn off by then... and that's just from dh.

Ooh congrats Dundee!

Congrats Dundee!!!

Oh congratulations!

From my extremely wide ranging experience of one other child, they do seem to get easier as they get closer to being 4-years-old.

here's hoping.
now all i have to do is make sure that nobody closes down our local birth centre.

anybody got a spare homebirthing pool just in case?

Congrats Dundee!!

Gone back to being cold here, drat...

Fingers crossed DD2 has been marginally better this week, no major strops. Perhaps I'm in her good books following her birthday party

woo hoo dundee how exciting - and I like the way you just casually drop in to tell us as if you've never been away!

Just found out DS1 has a place in preschool starting in January. Am very ambivalent about it - on one hand he will be in the same room as DD, our childcare costs will go down, he has a few friends already there BUT he isn't even three yet and is he ready for all this??? My little beautiful baby, how can he already be going to SCHOOL [sob, sputter, screech]

Skid ds starts pre-school in Jan too

Did you sort pressies out in the end? I asked ds what type of birthday cake he wanted and he said a pink one with stars and sparkles on

Oh and how come he'd be in the same room as dd? Do they mix pre-school and reception children there?

Blimey dd2 been at preschool since September 8-3pm! And before that was in toddlers 8-1 every day. It's been great. All that time to myself. I just terrified we won't have a place for her in January and I will have to get used to having a child with me all the time. How will I ever get anything done???????

Did you mean ds will be in the class that dd used to be?

(disclaimer - I wouldn't have sent her to preschool full time but for the fact there is nothing to do with her here,no playgroups, playgrounds, toddler activities etc, and all my friend's children are also at preschool).

ohhh dundee - I am so jealous! Poppy already seems massive.. Many congratuations

skid I do lurk quite a bit but don't always have much to say...

slight surprise today at gp - she found a heart murmur (on me) so have to go for ecg next week. collective wisdom and much googling (for once it was okay) suggests this is actually quite common and isn't the one-way ticket to consultant led "care" that I so enjoyed with dd.

hormones seriously wonky - was in floods of tears at dd singing (quite badly) away in a manger when she got home from nursery. Ah me, but they grow up fast, innit?

off to attempt to rid my mind of all the cardiovascular nonsense I have picked up today...

clara - DS1 has been in nurseries/with a nanny since 6 months but somehow this just seems like a bigger deal as it is part of the school that he will go to, and he just seems so young compared to a lot of his peers. They have the preschoolers and reception in one big room with four teachers so he will see lots of DD which is (hopefully!) good.

He wasn;t very happy at the prospect initially but now that we've been through all the different coloured paints they have that we don;t have at home, he is a bit more enthusiastic!

clairey - getting him a fire engine I think - still not sorted. On top of everything else my friend (if I can still call her that) put my name down for class rep in the PTA without my knowledge so now I have to organise mulled wine and mince pies for 60 children's parents for DD's nativity tomorrow - aaaaagggggggggghhhhhhhhhhh!!!!

crossed posts dundee - gosh what a shock re heart murmur - glad it's not serious though

I also well up at my DC singing Xmas songs - DD is Mary tomorrow and she says she is too shy to say her lines loudly so she is going to whisper! think I am more nervous than her!

Skid - that sounds like a nice school. A small one?

Dd1 had to sing a "local" version of the 12 Days of Christmas at their "Christmas Assembly" (which was a shortened version of the usual Christmas Concert cancelled due to the school having to be shut for so long following the hurricane). Her line was "7 black cakes" which she sang in a strong St Lucian accent. Had me and dh shaking with laughter - she never uses her St Lucian accent with us.

Dundee - t the heart murmur, glad it is no serious.

Buzzy had a bit of a breakthrough with DS, he was running around refusing to get dressed and brush his teeth and so I switched the TV off (he was watching Waybaloo) and refused to switch it back on, sat on sofa, got out my book and read. Eventually he agreed to brush his teeth and get dressed, woohoo!!
Let's see if I can repeat it today...

Still getting no where with potty training - still no wees on the potty, in fact no wee at all for over 2 hours!

Stranded - ds has been in preschool for 2 days a week since October, he'll be doing 5 days a week from January.

at DD's accent clara

BT Both my now-potty-trained DC shocked me at how infrequenctly they needed to wee. My DS only needed to go 3 times a day, and held poo in for 2-3 days at a time so it might be that he either doesn't need to go very often, or that he is holding it in in protest, which apparently is very common. It is stressful, isn't it (esp. when pg)? but he will come round eventually - probably when you're 8.5 months pg, or else have a tiny newborn to deal with!

Great news on breakthrough with tooth cleaning, long may it continue!

EEk at heart murmur dundee, fingers crossed for non consultant led care.

Ds doesn't wee very often either, dd however does 3 or 4 wees per drink and still has wet pants most days

DS is so not interested in his presents for tomorrow, we've had a couple come in the post and he caught dd wrapping hers and has just asked what they were and when told birthday presents for you he's just said oh and wandered off. Weirdo

He is however very excited about his pink and sparkly cake and wearing a number 3 badge (shit mother is not only abandoning him on his birthday but has also neglected to buy him a card with a badge on, whoops)

Right need to go and make the cake so I can pink and sparkle it up tonight

Clairey - Martha is ridiculously excited about her birthday on Saturday and I have been able to get her to do all sorts of things by threatening to cancel her Princess cake (BT - take note!).

Dd1 can hold wee in forever as well - she has never once been at school, and I have known her go 24 hours without peeing. Needless to say she was pretty easy to potty train - she has never wet her bed, ever. Dd2 unfortunately not quite so good!

Dd2 woke in the night and would not go back to sleep. She came in with me (dh went into her bed) and wiggled and kicked and squiggled. I took her for a pee thinking that was it but no. She kept on kicking. Eventually she admitted she was scared to go to sleep in case the dinosaurs came back into the room! Eventually I told her the story of Cinderella and sang to her and she went to sleep. But this morning I am shattered!

aw poor little thing! DS1 has had a lot of nightmares recently - is this nightmare age?

I am also severely sleep-deprived today - DS2 is teething, has a cold, and has separation anxiety extraordinaire so was up about 3495875940 times last night - as they say in my March 2010 antenatal thread TTSP (This Too Shall Pass)

clairey - how's the cake? Hope it's sparkle-tastic!

Happy birthday to Douggie and Martha DS1's is on Tues and he is also only excited about his cake (chocolate with fireman Sam on - how on EARTH am I going to manage that???)

Sure it was only 3495875940 times Skid ?

As for cake - cake shop?

I made cupcakes for DD's party with bright pink icing and little sugar animals I got from the supermarket. It was very easy and "cutting" the cake was even easier! DD would no doubt have loved a cake with Dora on it but she was pretty ecstatic about the cupcakes to be honest :)

Today I purchased DD a special dress and shoes for her real birthday (30 Dec) and a 5-pack of undies!!! I plan to make that the start date...