FEB 2010 First birthdays beckon and toddlerdom approacheth...uh-oh!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

It's humbling to look back at the last year and see how our LO's have gone from helpless newborns to action-packed pre-toddlers.

BRING IT ON!!!

bethy why no praise for eating well? I'd always been told/read the opposite. I don't make any fuss over dinner time, if rejected it is just taken away and something else offered until I have exhausted all possibilities. But if she is eating we say "well done" and clap and smile. I'd always thought that was the right thing to do. Isn't it? Yesterday was a bit better - a dozen shreddies and most of a banana for breakfast, couple of handfuls of my beef and red wine stew (oops) plus rest of banana and blueberries for lunch, a couple of handfuls of pasta in creme fraiche and ham plus more blueberries for dinner. Also snack of coffee and walnut cake (double oops).

Am actually going out tonight without DD - am very excited but don't quite know what to do. Hope you all have lovely weekends.

Abs good luck on ttc

I can't comment on the feeding as DS will eat anything put in front of him (except beetroot) and most of the time will cry/tantrum when the food is gone!

DH is gone out with his friends tonight, I'll enjoy his drunken company later on. I need to make the most of it as as from next weekend the 6 Nations start. I use to enjoy working at the pub during the matches as I was with DH and watching the matches. But now with DS, I can't help so he's more tired, get more annoyed by staff... Even if when people ask, I always said that DS will be on the floor cleaning glasses for this season.

Hello...

I am all on my own too Abs DP went out at midday, I am picking up in the morning. He has promised to not be in a state, we are off to a soft play centre on the way back.

Two things I want to share with everybody..the first one is horrible....

DD is grinding her new teeth together. It is horrendous. I cant stop her doing it all day long. The noise makes me feel sick and worried she is going to do some damage.

The second thing...she is using her wooden walker (full of bricks) unaided with a big look at me smile!! So chuffed!

pix
She loved the tart but then she is the same as SB's DS. The only food refused so far is frozen french beans (fresh or tinned is fine), rice cakes (but she will eat card board ) and chicoree.

LBH both my DD's did the teeth grinding (I agree it is horrible) it will pass, it is just the novelty of having something in their mouth, it will pass soon. DD1 grinds them in her sleep now but that is a completely different problem and that is when the teeth get damaged.

Sorry short post sorry not to answer your posts.

Aww - lovely pics. She is adorable.

I started a thread on Chat that didn't disappear after 5 posts. It's gone to 6 pages! www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/1136997-What-really-normal-things-have-you-never-done

Also mine did the teeth grinding too, less so now.

Stan How was your night out?

I can't believe it, for this weekend DS woke up at 7.45 and 7.15am!!

mama lovely pictures.

I'm planning on doing chocolate cupcakes for DS birthday (on Friday! OMG, it's already a year!!!!!) Im thinking on doing more and bringing them to nursery for the girls and the kids - will you do that?

How did you manage with your night by yourselves with DH/DP?

Great pix, mamaloco Looks like she had a lovely day...

Interesting to hear what you say about food, bethy - it's kind of what we do with DD. Fingers crossed she won't be TOO picky in the future (I was pretty fussy when I was young - I hope she'll be more like DH in that regard...)
I hope your DS has perked up a bit now.

Good night, Stangirl?

Your OH behaving himself, LBH?!

Good news on the sleep-through, Abs! I hope her cold's getting better now...

Ah, the Six Nations SB...DH contents himself with reading The Guardian's minute-by-minute internet coverage...

Great thread, Bc - made Discussions Of The Day, I see...
I've thrown in my two ha'p'orth...

DD is now pointing and has just started clapping today, very cute! Also, tooth number 7 has finally broken the surface, with number 8 close behind.

Looks like DD's fast going off being spoon-fed with purees, even though DH is still a puree-making machine. I think we should just move to finger foods and give her stuff closer to what we're eating - although getting essential proteins in her that way can be a bit challenging (although chick peas etc. become pretty good pancakes, which DD likes...!) Times are a-changing....

Fantastic pictures mamaloco and IC! Love the look of those birthday cakes! I am getting quite excited for dd2 now but upset dh yesterday by saying that we won't have a baby any longer on Thursday - she'll be our toddler.

The only thing dd2 has refused so far were medium egg noodles. I don't think she liked the texture. Apart from that she's also on a see-food-diet (love that term). We've been away for the weekend and went out for a fantastic Italian meal yesterday. Both girls were incredibly good and were made a fuss of by several male Italian members of staff (I know it's a stereotype but they really do adore children!). dd2 surprised us by being very happy and chatty despite missing her normal lunchtime nap and she spent ages stuffing bits of pizza into an empty box of raisins (and then eating the box...

Belated Happy birthday to mama's DD2. She is adorable! What lots of hair!

LBH DD grinds her teeth too, she did it first when her top two came through, and is doing it again now her second top two are coming through. She did stop for a while though. I really hate it too. How was soft play?

Abs we're ttc this weekend too! (not trying very hard, actually, but it only takes once right?!)

Great thread BC I'm going to have a read in a sec (DH watching Top Gear...).

SB at the wake-up times. Much, much better!

Stan how was the birthday party - it was this weekend, wasn't it?

bethy you made me with your DH's plate/dishwasher comment. I thought, ah, he sounds lovely!

We had to leave DD to cry last night. She woke at 2, I gave her calpol and a drink of water, woke again at 2.45 and I resettled her, woke again at 3am and I resettled her, cried again three minutes later, so I left her. She cried for 42 minutes solid . But then went through to 6.30 which is so much better than she has been (waking hourly ). I'm dreading the same again tonight - but we have to do something. I am a shadow of my former self. And getting very bad wrinkles which I'm blamign on lack of sleep.

Scream! I didn't notice it had made Discussions of the Day. I am stupidly happy about that.

IC How cool about the pointing. I can't wait for DS to start pointing, it's so cute. He has clapped and waved for a while and will hold bits of paper or clothes in front of his face to play peep-o.

Day before yesterday we started him with his own spoon and fork. He can't get stuff on them himself yet but if we spear something on the fork and hand it to him he will very delicately nibble the thing off it.

In-laws are fine. I always feel slightly tense when they are here and there was a bit of an awkward conversation about my mum (she is a bit a lot hurt that they don't want to stay with her when they visit us and are staying in a guest house now. We don't have a spare room.).

We went to Dulwich Picture Gallery today with MiL while kind FiL started on loads of odd jobs round the house. He's hidden away all the cables in the living room in a wooden box thing he's contrapted against the wall that will also serve as a shelf for our DVDs.

DS has just been amazingly cute and sweet and well behaved.

BG Your night out sounds excellent. Italians do love children, I can't wait to take DS to meet my extended family in May. My Zia Paula is my favourtie auntie and she lives really near Papa and her two daughters both have two children, the younger of whom are just a bit older than him. I think Tommaso is 4 or 5 months older.

SB Chocolate cupcakes sound yummy. Hope he has a wonderful birthday.

Hi All. Bear congratulations on discussion of the day! I had already put on that I've never taken a driving test but had forgotten that I can't ride a bike - I'll add that now.

Had DD's birthday party today. Was mayhem with about 20 adults and 8 small children but we managed. My DP's Mum and Stepdad turned up yesterday by accident - they had the wrong day - DP was at work and I was lying unwashed in a dressing gown on the sofa when they turned up at 2pm.

Today we had fruit shoots and sausage rolls (sadly not Greggs) and M&S chocolate cake so the kids were bouncing off the walls on e numbers. My Stepmum saw the kids all scrabbling after some mini cheddars that had been spilled on the carpet and none of the parents chasing them and said it was "refreshing" how none of us were worried about dirt etc. She said "your lot will all grow up to be very healthy" - sounds like she was taking the piss but she genuinely meant it. Winter (my DD) had loads of lovely presents including 3 shape sorters (it was my default suggestion when someone asked what they should get) which I then had to spend some time finding all the shapes for and matching them up to the correct sorter after the kids left. My Dad bought her a silver bracelet which I'm embarrassed to say that I love - it's one of those things which I know is common but I can't help liking. Like reading Grazia.

Happy birthday to Winter Stan. Glad to hear the party went well.

I'm not really sure what the thinking behind not praising eating is (and I'm mainly dealing with the toddler on this because DS2 is also on the see food diet!) except that I guess not eating is not a naughty thing, if you see what I mean? We eat to fulfil our needs, not to get praised? Will ask HV if I ever make it back to clinic amongst the work/bugs etc..

DS2 is still poorly. Think DH is having him tomorrow as I've just had a year off work, so I'd rather not have another day just yet. Unfortunately, we don't have handy relatives to nurse the children when they are ill so have to take turns. I do get paid tomorrow though which is very exciting!!

Oh yes, and have a black eye today from DS1 throwing himself haeadfirst at my cheek bone and eyebrow. Will look forward to explaining that tomorrow at work!! In fairness, DS2 has one too where he pulled a book off a shelf above his head and the corner hit his eye. We look like a right pair!

bethy the feeding thing does make sense now - thanks. Sorry DS2 is still unwell. Best wishes for a speedy recovery. My friend had a black eye from the same kind of injury for 3 weeks. My worst injuries to date are a series of small but dark bruises across my chest where DD pinches me hard. Almost all my tops are low cut and so they are on show. I had to keep explaining them at the birthday party yesterday. At least 3 of my friends said they hadn't wanted to mention them because they thought they might be dodgy sex injuries. Let's see what the mums at the singing group this morning think of them.....

Junk food might be the answer for my LO's weight issues. She can't get enough of cake and mini cheddars seem to be the best thing ever. I'm sure the nursery will be giving her all sort of crap from next week so perhaps she'll start gaining. I'll worry about her salt intake once she's a bit heavier.

Happy Birthday to Winter stan (for yesterday). Glad you had a good day. Who's next?!

We seem to be more or less back to normal. DD2 is a lot better (apart from the pooing, but we're tackling that), and only has a slight cough and a bit of a runny nose now. Until the next cold, that is. Howver, I'm finding it very difficult to separate from her at nursery - she cried and cried this morning and one of my friend's found me sitting in the hall (out of sight) listening for when she stopped. I do remember doing this with DD1, and it isn't any easier the second time round.

DD1 has picked up DD2's cold and is wheezy with it, so we're back on all the inhalers. Fortunately, she loves her pre-school, so no such issues there. Though she is being a bit of a contrary madam. When she's good, she's an absolute dream. When she's bad, I have to do a lot of counting to ten in my head...

I'm coming to terms with returning to work, and have a meeting with my boss next Monday. It'll be good practice on the droppingoff and commute as the meeting is at my usual start time.

Any of those who have already gone back suffering from lack of confidence? Or does that all go once you're back into it? I find myself fretting about stupid stuff like what I'm going to wear, as well as all the big things (like juggling it all, and what I'll do if the DDs are poorly).

LOL at the baby-inflicted injuries, Stangirl! Sounds like the party was a grand success.

Sorry to hear about poorly DS2 and all the black eyes, bethy. I hope everyone mends soon.

Meh on the crappy sleep, Scones. I hope it improves soon.

DD woke twice last night, once before I'd turned my light out and then only needed about ten mins to resettle. The second time was at 02.15 and she was awake for a good 1.5hours. No reason, just wide awake. And she didn't even have a proper lie-in as she usually does after a long overnight stint awake. She was awake again at 06.30. I did persuade her to get another half an hour or so snuggled up with me, so it could have been worse.

I'm now on Week Two of my Overcome Insomnia course and so far, so good. I got myself back to sleep within about 15mins of DD finally succumbing, despite being wide awake before that. And also when I woke feeling suspiciously conscious (!) at around 01.00. Usually I would take much longer to get myself back off.

at the Italians making a fuss of the baby, BG!
Spaniards are only slightly less dotty about babies and little children, it's one of the constant delights about living here.

Sounds like you've got one handy FIL, Bc! Make the most of that one.
Weirdly, you were in one of my dreams last night. I can't remember exactly what you were doing (nothing untoward, I promise!) but it was definitely you, I recognised your voice.

Quick recap of the birthdays so we don't have to keep scrolling back so far:

IC DD 26 Jan
ML DD 28 Jan
SG DD 2 Feb
BG DD2 3 Feb
SB DS 4 Feb
CS DD2 9 Feb
LBH DD 12 Feb
BL DS2 14 Feb
BC DS 15 Feb
Scones DD 22 Feb
PA DD 5 March
Abs DD 7 March

A busy week coming up, then!

Oops, X-posted, CS!

Good luck with the return to work. I'm not returning anytime soon, but I sympathise with the loss of confidence.
How about a bit of positive reframing?!

It must be tough leaving DD2 at nursery.

Just got a snotty kiss... lovely . dd1 tried to teach the baby at breakfast to cover her mouth when coughing (dd2 had no idea what this was about, so did a 'wah wah wah' noise instead with her hand over her mouth- one of her party tricks)

Our 'alarm' didn't wake until 8 (!) so dh was late for work and I am still trying to catch up with myself . Walked dd1 to preschool because I thought it would be quicker than to de-ice the car, but regretted my decision when I had an asthma attack on the way home (it's -5 outside and I am not good with cold air...).

Was going to write something nice about dh but he annoyed me this morning, so it will have to wait until I feel more charitable

I'm very good at positive reframing for others IC, and pretending to others for myself. Just not very good at actually doing it myself. I tend to present as very confident and capable, but am not inside at all.

Go on BG what did your DH do?!

DD2 also gives me snotty kisses. But I don't mind, she's so lovely!

thanks for your comments. I agree she has past the ugly baby stage, both my babies were ugly , but they do changed into fun and cute toddlers.
She had a pull along rainbow snake which she loves a dress, a potty from her sister . All in all a nice day.

Stan Bethy* I am a hardcore french women. I don't praise for eating food, and if the food is refused I just get them off the table and try again when they complain of hunger. Yes already with DD2! from about 8 months with both (actually I do it with DH too ). No alternative offered ever (I am not at their service), if hungry they eat it anyway. I never had to do it more than 3 times.
If they really don't like it, I let it go when they slow the eating and removed it before it is completely finished and offer the next bit without any comment (or pressure to eat).
It works well with hungry babies (not sure what I would do with a child who is never hungry )

Stan they have been reports that some "health mums", have been feeding too healthy food to their young children. They need carbs, fat and proteins to grow properly, and brown bread and too much fibers restrict the vitamins absorption. They need fruits and veg too, but that shouldn't be their main food. I.e if is fine for a baby and a toddler to snack on bread and cheese instead of cucumber .
Any sauce that your DD might like? One of my friends with a very skinny and active DD would dose everything in bechamel, to plump her up.
Popular ones are pesto, cheese sauce, bechamel, homemade mayo.. not so much ketchup (very salty and the tomatoes sting when teething)

BC hope you are better. And congratulations on your post!

CS I didn't go back to work after the DDs, but went back after a year of employment. Your confidence really is low and that is normal, it will get back, may be not as quick as you hoped, so be kind to yourself. You don't have to be prefect in every way. Good luck.

DD2 not sleeping that well again, but she has a slight fever today (no other symptom) and is sleeping already, she fell asleep in my arms after lunch .

stan that should be: I.e. it is fine
CS that would be: un -employment
may be I should nap too?

IC Just used your dance video clip to distract dd2 when she forgot she can't walk yet and banged her head... Thanks for instant entertainment! Also meant to say that Rosie is very comfortably near the 9th centile on the updated UK growth chart, and higher for corrected age. Interesting that the Spanish one is different...

mamaloco I disagree, all pictures of your dd2 were very cute!!!!!

I wish I could see IC's DD video, site I can't find the link .
BG that is nice, but I looked at their pictures yesterday and I was yeeeewww until about 6/7 months. (I probably didn't post ugly pictures anyway )

mamaloco here

Hope you didn't mind me giving the link again IC - it's a fab blog!