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!!!

dd2 has just helped me pack... . I am taking the children to see my parents on my own for two weeks (what was I thinking?? ). Depending on whether I can 'borrow' a network I may be off-line from next week...

IC Congratulations! Lovely news.

Well I've just finished my first, full day at work and it was fine. I even managed all the getting ready on the morning, getting to nursery and back without it all going tits up. Was also quite relieved to find out that apparently my brain hasn't atrophied whilst on mat leave and I was able to hold both professional conversations and those about interests eg new music, Sleigh Bells and the new PJ Harvey album. Now to return to this motherin' malarkey for the weekend.

Have lovely weekends everyone!

...only if you've got suspicions, Scones - I don't know about France, but they're 9 Euros a pop over here!!

Bc - don't worry about being chuffed about a good nap! The fact that previously ropey sleepers like your DS CAN do it is always a sign of hope for the rest of us, IMO!

We'll miss you BG! Bon voyage, have a goodun!

Good stuff on the first day back at work, Stan!
So what DO you think of the new PJ Harvey album, then? I wasn't hugely grabbed by the last one, although a couple of the songs are very good and I'm not really sure about this one so far....

Hello all.

Have been struggling to keep up with you all. Being back at work, I have little time to post. So sorry!

DD still eating rubbish but she seems to be getting over her cold. CM is going to have her weighed next week for me.

IC Congratulations!!

I am in shock at so many will soon be having a bump again. I am in awe of you. I dont think I will be.

Anyway, the laundry basket calls..not to mention my grubby bathroom! :)

CS Sorry..happy belated birthday for your DD.

Happy Birthday SB.... I really don't think I'm pg this time, it would be fantastic as I really don't want to wait another three years!

HUGE congrats IC and your DH... fingers crossed for you, how exciting. I feel premenstrual more than pg... so don't think anything is happening here... watching my alcohol intake just in case, well I'm doing that anyway since I'm bfing... wow, I'm so excited for you, and PA and Stangirl of course!

Scones your dog is ADORABLE. Did your DH have him as a puppy? Have you had any interest yet? I've sent your ad to my mum, she has a deerhound and her other dog died last year so you never know...

Enjoy your trip BG... two weeks away from MN, it will take you about a week to catch up!!!

Yes BC I think it is Taggart... it's hilarious! I don't watch telly during the day... she's desperately trying to say a word but still haven't figured out what it is but it definitely sounds like "murrrdah"!

I'm so impressed with those of you back at work. I don't know how you do it... I struggle just to look after DD and the dogs... can't imagine having to get to work on time without food stuck to my clothes!

Just stuffed myself with thai takeaway... feeling a bit ill, where's the chocolate?

Abs I think that regarding work, the thing is not to think about it IYSWIM. I have been back for already 8 months and as much as I enjoy what I do, I will swap motherhood for my job at any time. Unfortunately, finances mean we can't. It's also all about organisation. I'm lucky DS is in bed no later than 6.30pm which gives me the time to deal with the laundry sorting/meals... but in the other hand, it is nice to have an escape door (ie work) where your brain is active and not baby orientated.

scones get one test, to see if there is really a new jinx on this thread.

We had a lovely meal and had to change the time of our taxi as we were much earlier than plan!

Have decorated the living room with balloons and banners for madam. Hope she likes the tacky effect!

This time last year was finally given the gas and air...

Off to bed..hoping for a decent night.

Sweet dreams all.

Happy birthday to SB, BG for Sunday and LBH's DD for tomorrow. I'm not sure whether I'll get on here tomorrow or not as I have a date with a gluten and dairy-free cake to make for the first time and am bricking it, especially as MIL is Mrs Bucket in disguise and queen of cake making!!

Huge congrats to IC and thinking very sticky thoughts for you. I'm hoping the TTC jinx doesn't strethc too far towards the Midlands!!

Well done Stan on work. I go cos I really like it (and hope you don't all hate me for that!)

Words? We've got Daddy, no (since today, and accompanied by head shaking which came as a surprise), yeh, hiya, ta (child minder has taught him and I personally don't like it. No bloody sign of mummy of course!! Very glad he's starting to communicate as he gets barely any conversation compared to that that DS1 got!

Congratulations IC

Bon voyage BG

well done stan

Happy birthday SB

Mumsnet keeps shutting down their server. I lost some long post over the last few days.

happy birthday to the next boys sand girls if I can't access again.

Happy birthday LBH DD. I hope you have a good day.

BG have a good trip. Good luck and happy birthday for tomorrow DD2

Happy Birthday little Isla!!

Have a fab day, LBH

Happy B'day Isla. Hope we see the pictures.

DD loves peas and will spend ages picking them up, chewing it, accidentally drop it from her mouth and repeat. She was also trying to eat the lentils one by one yesterday, but thankfully took some from the spoon as well, otherwise that could have taken a while. She has started bashing her spoon into the bowl now as well. Of course she's had no success, but she still does really well taking the spoon off me and feeding herself (unless she's hungry and then she's not prepared to wait and will simply lean forward, mouth open). I'm sure she eats a whole banana is less than 60 secs as well. Though I always forget about the banana hands that will inevitably find their way to my trousers as it's a snack food.

Went our for a lovely authentic southern indian last night. My old work people told me that if I ever needed a post, they would do all they can for me. It was very yummy and quite cheap, but maybe I've got used to CA food prices. I fed her just before I left and she was still asleep when I got back.

IC I added my stats but don't plan to talk to them until 12 weeks

Happy Birthday Isla!

What advice would you have for someone who's DS wakes after midnight and sleeps unsettled form there until morning. A part of me just thinks, that's probably how it is for the next few months and you'll have to ride it out. I've asked what he's like at self settling or taking himself off to sleep but am stumped for some reason. I think that's because this was the error we didn't tackle too much and figured would work itself out if we worked on other areas.

PA can it be hunger or that the room is too cold/warm?

I'm trying to get rid of the day dummy!!! So far this morning DS had a 20n tantrum rolling on the floor... but I won that round of the battle. I just gave it to him now to get him to nap as he was fighting the sleep without it. I'm not against the dummy for napping but DS is using it all the time at the present and that's what I want to avoid.

He has discovered that the dinning chairs can be climbed

Happy birthday Isla! Has she had a lovely day? Did she like her balloons?

PA that's what DD was doing after Christmas and again after we left her with my mum while on our mini-honeymoon. She was unsettled by all the moving about at Christmas and then being without us at mum's, and it took until a few nights ago to settle down . In the end I had to leave her to cry to sleep on a couple of occasions, as she was waking to be resettled every hour from midnight or 1am and I just couldn't do it any more.

Also PA I have to ask, how did you get your DD to nap so well, if she didn't used to? I have to do something about DD's naps. She's clearly tired by about 4pm as she just doesn't get enough daytime sleep (two naps of 45 mins each).

IC and PA any preg symptoms yet?

Abs DH had Zippy from a puppy. He does look very cute, I must admit (and was INCREDIBLY cute as a puppy). He gets lots of adoring attention whenever we go out with him. But he is very stupid (not just saying that, he is) and also disobedient but that is more DH's fault than his, for not training him properly. We've had no responses yet. I think DH thinks I'll forget about it. I won't - he's got to go . What did your mum think?!

Schro hate it when that happens!

SB you are brave to be getting rid of the dummy. I can't imagine how I'd get DD to sleep without it And this from the pregnant lady who would never give her child a dummy

bethy fantastic re the raffle We keep meaning to take DD for some proper picture but I'm definitely put off by the cost.

Well DH and I are having a romantic night in tonight with sparkling wedding wine, as Valentine's Day is on Monday which is not a night we want to be drinking sparkling wine. He's cooking so I'm chilling out on the couch

Happy birthday Isla! Hope she had a fab day.

Scones We are also having fizzy wine (sainsbury's prosecco was on offer) but he's in his office and I'm in the living room. Hopefully we'll be together once the Chinese arrives.

DS was a lot better today and even ate a little bit of proper food for supper.

PA Visit to your old work sounds great. I agree that the more secure you make them feel, the more confident they will be to go off and explore and come back. Glad naps are good.

BG Hope you have a good trip.

bc yepee on the eating.

scones I got rid of the night dummy since November. It was actually easier that I thought it would be. Today was tough. But I'll carry on tomorrow and see how it goes. But I still give it to him for his naps as he won't drop.

bc aren't naps suppose to be short (20mn) and twice a day? I am told some baby sleep longer but I don't believe that story! I am also told that some baby are happy been seated playing and do no have to be on the move all the time

SB mine only sleeps after lunch (ie. nicely full and sleepy) and usually sleep from 12 to between 2 and 3 (so anything up to 3 hours). She gets up at 7ish and goes to bed at 6.30pm and it seems to suit her fine.

'sleeps'

dd2 has been a little monkey today. Just a few highlights...
...dismantling my alarm clock and chewing on the battery
...unrolling a toilet roll and trying to eat some of it
...taking off and hiding one of her shoes
...feeding raisins to a baby doll (how am I to get them out without cutting off the head ???)
...crawling from the front room down the corridor, past her room and the bathroom, down a steep step, past the staircase (no stairgate!) and into dd1's room, without dh and I noticing . I was seeing to dd1 on the loo and dh was on the computer and supposedly in charge of the baby. Quite spooked us to hear the baby and not know where she is...
...trying to brush her own teeth and sticking the toothbrush in too far (cue gagging, bringing up her milk, projectile vomiting her dinner all over herself, me and the bathroom interior - I had to throw away my slippers...)

More anyone?

Ah, I've just found her shoe...

I have followed orders from my three year old and just baked a heart shaped chocolate cake for myself for tomorrow... to be decorated with dark chocolate and white and milk chocolate hearts... dh was only half listening when I told him I had a cake in the oven and went visibly pale.... tehehe so I had to repeat cake, not bun .

Realised my previous post just talks about dd2 being a bit of a handfull, so here's another one of my declarations of love for her
I love?
? the way she collapses with laughter if I crawl towards her or behind her on the landing (well, I guess it does look rather silly for me to crawl?)
? the way she dances to music. There is something about a one year old in nappy and leggings shaking her tiny bottom that makes me tearful with happiness.
? she helps with dressing and undressing by putting her hands through sleeves etc., and the eagerness with which she gets her shoes and holds them at her feet, looking at me expectantly.
? she notices small things, such as dd1?s swim bag hanging from a doorknob, and will point and ask ?Da??
? her generosity. She willingly shares toys and food with others. Earlier she ?fed? raisins to one of her soft toys and dd1's baby doll
? the way she leans her cheek on mine and says ?Ahhhhhh?

And much much more