Dec 2008 - Hello 2011 the Year of the Toddler!

[DeidreBarlow]

Totally unispired but hope you all find it...

Spot - we've got one a bit like this. It is totally basic with no frills at all, but DD2 LOVES it. DD1 also liked it when she was little, and still squeezes herself into it when she can. I've still got DD2 in it at 6 months and she sits herself up in it and if she falls over backwards, it doesn't matter because it's a chair - marvellous! Mine isn't this one, but my Mum got it for me from a charity shop for £1!!! But this one looks like it does the trick.

DD1 v keen on giving DD2 gifts at the moment. Usually food. I have heard DD2 coughing, only for a huge chunk of apple to pop out of her mouth - while DD1 is scoffing an apple. Hmmmm. Me thinks I should keep a closer eye on them!!

Oooh, Rubes - I do swimming lessons with DD2 and she loves that too! She is so kicky in the bath and wiggly, so the pool is like wonderland for her! DD1 loved it too, but I can't do two swimming lessons there because they don't have a creche. Gutted!

I took them both to music lessons this morning and DD1 had a ball. She also pulled her trousers down in the middle of the class. I got terrible giggles, which only got worse when 4 other children copied her! Was v funny. Made worse because I don't know anyone in the class as have never been before. They didn't seem to mind and were all laughing away too. Phew.

I am really struggling with DD1's eating at the moment. she hardly eats a thing. Ho hum.

Rubes - same with DD1 wanting to be carried downstairs with DD2. She never wanted to be carried before arrival of DD2!!

Spot - DD2 had a go on this one a friend's house, if you want one with some whistles and bells this one - and she loved it. If I was going to get a basic vibro one, this would have been the one I got!

xx

Beans do you mean you just do their lessons on different days? Ours has no creche but their lessons are 90 mins apart so either I'll take one and dh home for the other and then we swap or if dh working I arrange mil to come and just take them both and come home for coffee in between.

I can add to the tantrums again. Now if I go down the stairs without dd then he MUST go down on his own and I am NOT allowed to even LOOK at him!! He threw a totally hissy fit until I stopped turning around to watch him

We also have the tantrums when either of us (even guests) go out the front door as he obsesses about going out - no doubt thoroughly bored with my company since toddler group on break - however we have enough toys here to rival Hamleys.

No, I don't do swimming lessons for DD1 any more, because I wouldn't be able to do anything with DD2 while it was going on. Do them with DD2 while DD1 is at nursery. I feel really mean not taking DD1 swimming too, but DH usually takes her on her own at the weekend. Although this weekend, I am taking her on Sunday morning, because I want to spend some time just her and me.

Lovely to hear from SuperSpot: no idea re chairs but DS1 was really angry when DS2 was born. Generally with DH. He was fine with DS2 and me but DH got shouted at a lot - everything had changed and DS1 had a sneaking suspicion it was all Daddy's fault. He did settle down :).

Am getting a bit worried by all these tales of unhappy DC1s... DD still quite excited by the idea of a baby sister but I think that's just conceptual.

tantrums - mostly when it comes to getting dressed/nappy changes (still!) which is especially hard given that I am finding it very physically hard to reach her past the bump Then again we had a bit of a revolutionary moment yesterday, the day before she'd kicked me, I said no stories if she did it again, she did it again... so DH did bedtime milk but no stories. Yesterday, asked her if she wanted stories today? Yes please. What does she have to not do to get stories? "No kick mummy tummy legs". so at least she remembers vaguely.

beans the 'gifts' sound very sweet if potentially a bit dangerous!

hello lovely spot! When will ds2 have a name...?! We've got DD2's middle names chosen, and possibly a first one but will have to see what she looks like when she appears :)

V quick message to Spot. I have the Baby Bjorn bouncy chair that Rubes referred to. Happy to lend it to you. My SiL lives right by Preston Park. She's coming here on Sunday. I cld give her the chair and she cld take it to Brighton then you cld text her and pick it up. Let me know & I'll dig it out.

Avo that is super kind of you, thank you very much!

Ok, so we do have a name but no telling on Fbook as I'm 99 per cent sure it's the one but need to make sure DP is too. But I think I've browbeaten persuaded him otherwise. It's William, nn Billy.

Effie that little had arrived today, thank you so much, you are very very kind. It will go very well with his ginger hair. Yup, he's a redhead! No idea where that came from but will post some more FB pix tonight.

Thanks for the reassurance that T will be ok, I know intellectually he will but it's so hard seeing him wishing the baby wasn't here, and yet being so intrigued and kissing him. I heard him say "go away baby" very quietly today. I had no idea he knew those words!

Hooray, another William! Excellent taste . And I like Billy, makes a nice change from Will. If DS1's name is ever shortened, I'm strongly in favour of Bill. You're v welcome re the hat. It is alpaca so v warm but may be a bit stretchy (hope he has a big head). And I forgot to say that it would be safer to handwash. Sorry! But how often do you need to wash hats anyway?

hello all.

avo your story of DD brought a tear to my eye. So glad she's enjoying it. She sounds like a smasher.

Beans hurrah for sleep and showering in peace.

Spot William is a fine name (DS has it as a middle name). I think it's a lovely word to say. And Bill or Billy is great. You do sound good. Hope the pumping isn't wearing you out too much.

Rubes that's very impressive you're doing lessons for both of them. I feel bad that poor DD tends to just tag along with whatever DS is doing. Will be different when he starts school in the autumn though.

Kiwi DD is a proper menace in terms of tantums - she has just taken to screaming in the face of whoever is ruining her day at the top of her voice. She also shouts no and lies down on the floor. She is properly strong willed. I think it's partly because she doesn't say as much as DS did at this age so she gets frustrated. And partly because she's my daughter . My parents find it absolutely hilarious. She's also taken to calling me Daddy and insisting we refer to her as Lola. Sigh.

Have a lovely weekend all - and LadyT hope the MIL is manageable...I am taking DS to his first dance class at the Laban centre. He is not amused and told me the other day that dancing was for girls. We'll see if he sticks with it. Fingers crossed there's lots of stamping about.

William is a great name, and it will be his name. It was my dads name and is my nephews name so you have the Fussell line of my families approval.

Effie it made me giggle your DS1 suspecting DHs hand in the arrival of DS2.

It's date night tonight Hooray. Think we'll do light dinner then pub. Just need these boys to go to sleeeeep.

Spot, your boys will have the same names as dh & his bro

ds being silly walking backwards pulling dh's jeans by the belt fell on dd as he didn't see her naked on a towel in the middle of the bathroom got rather upset with himself then did it again and was mortified and ran away crying! Thought she was hurt at first but really just got a fright. Shame on me for not noticing the whole thing unfold, and stopping it a 2nd time (was in the room just running the bath)

Both in bed now and asleep.

Thats nice of you Avo - it's a great chair - well dd thinks so. I'm taking it to Aus with me as it folds and fits in our carseat bag with the carseat.

GREAT Face Book photo's Jam and Deids

Hallo all
Posting from my phone in the back of my parents car trying to ignore ds next to me saying " eddie sleeping" and then doing an alarmingly good impression of someone sleeping. I am camping out at my parents as dh away on work for two weeks. And bloody thank god as sleep has gone completely haywire with my two and I am knackered. Dd has always been crap at napping in the day and only has tiny up to half hour sleeps but now she is not sleeping at night and not resettling and ds has taken to waking at 5am and shouting the house down. Joy. On the sleep front ds was having 2 hr sleeps in the day and then 7 to 7 at night. But not any more! So trying to cut down on his day sleep and make him go to bed at 730 instead. Oh if anyone has any tips on making 5 month olds nap better they would be gratefully received. She won't nap in her cot in the day most of her mini naps are on top of me! I think a routine and proper naps might help with the nights.

Urbane sorry to hear about you second mc hope you are taking care of yourself.

Spot good to hear from you and glad you are doing ok despite lack of sleep. Poor t I do feel sorry for him being ill and having new baby to deal with as well. Ds was actually fine mood wise with dd. But as you know we had problems with sneaky beating up! Oh and we have the carry down the stairs thing too! Made worse at the beating up stage as he'd get a few sneaky punches in while i was carrying both of them and couldn't stop him.

Vag I am with you on the unfit thing. I have been running a few times since new year but no biking. I need to get more exercise for both my sanity and to lose weight as I am seriously fed up with extra weight now.

Jam i was utterly outraged at how your friend was treated in hospital. Just shocking.

I had better go now sorry for not more personals we are nearly home and my parents will tell me off for being on my phone! Apparently it is unsociable. Tee hee.

Oh and i love William too. Tis ds middle name and my grandad is william/bill

Forgot to ask where is lightening?

Well that'll teach me to post without refreshing the page first. Was just having a beer and thought of you SL haven't read your post yet as I didnt think DH would be oh gotta go...

Hello everyone,

spot Lovely name! Sorry to hear about the feeding problems, sounds grim. DD was jaundiced and we were advised by the midwife to put her moses basket on the windowsil to give her some natural daylight. I think it helped.

beans Wearing a bra for 3 or 4 days without washing sounds like the height of cleanliness to me . I'm with WG on the M&S 5 packs! I'd love to be a matching undies sort of girl but I'm too poor and lazy.

zoe Hope you enjoy your reduced hours! I've still got the sickness. If I stop taking the tablets I start throwing up again.

veggie So sorry to hear about your friend .

ladyT I thought I needed to dig out a Mensa application for DD when she recognised the number 2 on a wooden block today. The whole alphabet is amazing!

Things went very well at the Liver clinic. They were a bit baffled by all the kidney fuss, and think it is more than likely to be just due to pregnancy. My liver is all in good order so they told me not to worry. I do feel much better now .

SL Blimey, that does sound knackering. Does she have a comforter or anything she particularly associates with sleep? DD still has a range of things - a rabbit head on a blanket comforter, a wind up star, naps/sleeps in a growbag etc. Also, have you considered a dummy??! I thought they were awful things before I had DD....

Great news JB. That must be a weight off your mind.

Spot I LOVE the name william, but sadly I have a Tilly already, and tilly and billy would be comical.

Rubes, I realise now that I could have done your passport. Sorry, I should have offered but am delighted Lord G and T has managed to sort you out.

Avo, I am so glad A has got on so well. Long may it continue.

I can trounce all the nappy / poo stories with a single word. WORMS. Beyond hideous. Lucy first to fall, followed by 2 others and then - eek - me! We have all been dosed up and I have painted the black cross on the door. Unclean. I have boil washed everything. Just need to sheepdip the husband when he comes in and then we are done. That'll improve marital relations no end. Oh the joys of school age children!

All that to look forward to here I spose Sybs. When my bro was here his kids had head lice again and I was really creeped out. Thats two seperate visits now. Didn't help when his dp was coming them out at the end and his youngest dd kept yelling downstairs updating me with a running dead nit total and sometimes they got a crawler too you know
Don't worry about passport pics. You have enough going on. I usually get one of dh's colleagues but dh has been so busy that it's the last thing he remembers. Yes the good Lord and Lady have come to the rescue so all is fine

Summer - I shouldn't laugh I know but the beating up stories are quite funny. I can just picture it coming down the stairs! It must be quite a worry at times. can't really help on the napping front. DD is a bit sporadic as she sometimes has 3 mini naps of about 45 mins each and sometimes 2 bigger ones. Depends on how much chaos ds is causing. She likes to nap in our bed but will fall asleep in her bouncy chair if she gets too tired before I notice. I'm a bit crap with watching the clock for her like I did with ds (and still do counting down the hours till nap some days)
I'm sure she'll settle too. dd always settles better with her muslin like ds did - she sleeps with 2 as well

SL DS2 was and still is a pretty good napper but DS1 was a bit of a nightmare, in the end I just gave up on naps in a cot and just took him for a walk in the pushchair or rocked the pushchair until he went to sleep. Probably not much help really.

Rubes nits are a nightmare and a bit of an epidemic in Australia. DS1 caught them from his cousins when we were there a couple of years ago.

Sybs I love the name Tilly.

SL poor Eddie I feel a bit sorry for him being so miffed with his usurping dsis that he wants to give her a knuckle sandwich.

Had a nice evening at the pub, but didn't get out until 8.45 because the boys were all excited for some reason and took ages to settle and now we are back home already because DS2 woke and became hysterical when the poor babysitter tried to resettle him. By that time we'd left our pub as it was a bit noisy and were in the bar next door having an Italian coffee so we lingered over our coffees a few minutes longer before coming home to rescue the babysitter. How times have changed, when we first had DS1 we couldn't leave him with a sitter until he was 18months and when we did we would whiz home as soon as she called. Now we wander back when we fancy it and leave our poor child screaming his lungs out. Well can't be rushing ameratto and coffee.

At least you did leave ds1 with a sitter Vag. We never did with ds, and now we would with dd but I haven't had the guts to use that sittersuk that Beans uses. not sure why. probably doesn't help that mil is always chafing at the bit to have them, but I don't want to always rely on her.
Can I ask how many of you have used sitters.co.uk and what you think / thought of them?

Now I think I'll have a Baileys in my coffee - well gotta use it up somehow, and while it's there I can't be all that healthy can I. It'd be rude not to have some in my coffee.
DH still not home - so much for on call till 8 - never happens. but will be home any minute apparently.

yes agreed Vag - re nits. especially in Cairns - nightmare. Just get passed from kid to kid at school.

Hello jb. That must be a relief re the liver people. Thanks for tips. She doesn't have any comforter I may try grovag for day naps though that's a good idea. She will sometimes sleep a bit longer in adult bed but takes a few mins to settle her and I don't like leaving ds downstairs while doing it. She also used to nap in swingy chair but seems to have forgotten that while being away for Xmas. I might try dummy too. Thanks rubes too what you said was helpful too. Actually I am hoPeful it will settle of its own accord too she has had a few weeks of lots of feeding and being up lOads through hunger and I think she's trying to get back into some routine after that and also Xmas disruption.

Hi sybs meant to say sorry to hear you and dh are having difficulties. On the mis sold front for us I was probably missold as I was v sociable drinking person when dh and I met. He was quiet geek. Now he is more sociable than me. Worms GROSS. I had them when I was little. I can remeber the medicine you had to take for it and it was the most revolting thing ever. I could hardly keep it down. Do you still have to take it? Oh also how do you know they have worms? Look away now if squeamish but my mum got me to take the medicine by saying she found out i definitely had them by coming in my room at night and the were on my bum!!! How she saw them I don't know as I must have been wearing night clothes. I thought she was making it up but it scared me into taking it anyway and was just wondering if it might be true! Ohhhhhh yuk sorry everyone!

Oh and I have skanky old pants too. They mostly match as they are mostly plain black. Chosen because dh has a talent for turning light colours grey/light blue/sludge colour immediately by putting them in a hot wash with something coloured

Right must sleep.

Hi vag. Meant to say awww thanks for missing me. Having trouble posting much without laptop. Dd does sleep in pushchair but stops when not moving. Same with car. And long walks in pushchair not possible with ds as he would either get grumpy in double pushchair or walk too slowly. It's these first borns they make it tricky to put any time into getting the little one to sleep well!

Rubes we use sitter from local nursery. And we left dd with her awake for her to settle her! I would use sitters but only if dcs were sleeping well and I thought them v unlikely to wake which is the case with you I think. Have also left dd with friend when we knew she was likely to wake. She did and he got her back to sleep! We also abandoned her with same friend when taking ds to a and e. She is easy going though just hard to settle