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!!!

So with children's birthday parties if people bring presents what is the done thing? Do you open them then and there and thank them to their face or leave opening them until everyone has left? And do you write thank you notes to people who you have thanked in person?

For me, I thought you open the presents then and there and thank people to their faces but I went to a party the other day and they just put the wrapped presents to one side.

I know it's not really important but just wondered what you did.

bc the only party we attended the presents were put asidecand I guess open later. The only issue is that I didn't put a card with the present so they probably wonder who bought it

BG she's so cute but full of vitality! may I suggest investing in a stairgate?

BC we opened all DD's presents at her party in one sitting. The older children "helped" with the opening. We just thank to faces - I've never sent a thank you note in my life. I find them unbearably twee.

Wotcher All!

Glad to hear he's getting back to normal, Bc. What a relief!

Good napping, PA! I wonder if all the dashing around on two legs helps with that?

Thanks for the Scones!
In fact, I did have a very small glass of Cava with my MIL last night - and the night before. Not something I'll be making a habit of, though!
Regarding pg symptoms, apart from aforementioned flatulence and momentary giddiness, I've had a few cystic spots (which I tend to get when there's a bit more progesterone swilling around my system) and I've been feeling a bit warmer (regardless of the weather) but otherwise, nothing much. Mind you, last time round I didn't really start to notice any symptoms until I was about six weeks gone, so we shall see....

Ah, BG, your posts made me laugh and cry. Your DD2 is a character, all right!

DH and I have just been enjoying a bit of quality couple time while PILs take DD out for her nap. It's been a flying visit, but lovely to have them. DD's been enjoying all the attention enormously and although she's a bit dubious about Grampy touching her, she loves playing with him and he gets lots of smiles. She's happy to get on Granny's knee, though. Funny little thing. It's been lovely watching her with them...

Scones 2 times 45 min is fine for naps DD2 usually does 1h 1h30/day. if she is tired at 4 pm I put her down for 10/15 min (her choosing, I never wake her up).
or she will go in the carrier when I pick up DD1 from ballet.
I found that she sleep much better without the dummy. it seems to help her settle but keep her in a semisleep i.e. no deep sleeping with it. I would try without if I were you.

We open the present on the spot (no way to hold back DD1 ) and say thank you then and there.

We had a day off friday we don't celebrate valentine's but the anniversary of our first date (10 years!). DD2's godparents kept both girls over night . yummy restaurant, moon light walk, not much sleep DH woke me 5or 6 times a night with snoring ... not really romantic and not what you think . trying hard to avoid the PG jinx.
I wouldn't be able to cope with DC3 and DH admitted he couldn't either (he wanted 4 or more). We have 2 very active, headstrong and imaginative DDs instead filing all the space

SB teach him to get down safely, move furniture to avoid combination climbing (i.e. chair, table, window frame or book self..) That is all you can do with climbers, and make sure he is never unsupervised. good luck! It got better at 3 yo with DD1 when I didn't have to be after her around the climbing frame (much earlier than her peers), apart from the few times she got stuck in trees.
DD2 knows how to go down safely, so she can climb the sofa, chairs and bed without me panicking all the time.

BG your DD2 remind me of mine.

Pass around it is getting cold again.

BC good to hear that you are all doing better

We also open presents on the spot and say thank you. I guess it depends on how large the party is. Went to one once where things were just stacked in a corner (30 plus children invited - do you need that many presents at 3?). Must admit I was a litte that I never heard anything back (at least to say present was received/unpacked) despite putting in a little surprise for the older sibling.

HB, BG

schrod at the end of your romantic night. He can go down the sofa safety, he tries another method to get off the bed - he goes head first but climbing the chair is a novelty so I'll see how it goes (I have arnica pills that he takes without a fuss )

Watching Ireland - France of TV as DS is too unsettle to be in a busy pub and it's lovely to be home with Dh and him [aww]

I don't think we've had much to do with her naps except for working on her being able to get herself to sleep. It was common spending 30 mins to 2 hrs trying to get her to sleep, so of course she would be incredibly overtired. She cannot be settled though, so if something disturbs her, we get her up for 5-10mins and then put her down again.

No symptoms yet, although I feel more tired than the situations warrants but I'm probably just symptom spotting. A few cramps but all quite normal really. Apparently IC we can expect more uterine contractions with the BF. I'm looking at buying 'adventures in tandem nursing'.

DD has no interest at all in opening presents, been a bit embarrassing with the two families. We won't get any for her B'day anyway so don't need to worry about that.

Oh yes, Happy Birthday BabyGiraffes. Hope you had a great day. x

ah that's what HB is for

HAPPY BIRTHDAY BG

Crawling in today instead of dashing, after two days of cleaning and baking! Cakes and cookies well received by all eaters, not just the allergic lot so hopefully they were pretty good! I will ask IC to post a photo of the cake and a pic of DS2 as well in the next few days, if it's not too much of an imposition. Tomorrow is the big day itself and I reckon I truly drew the short straw - I'll have time to celebrate Valentine's Day with DH in approximately 2028 I reckon (and even then DS2 will roll in drunk!!)

We opened presents today in front of people, with help from DS1 and his bigger friends, but also write a brief thank you . Don't know why-just what I got into doing with DS1 as most of my friends and MIL do. Would always recommend labelling your present for children unless you want it to be anonymous!

I'd recommend a 'scuttlebug' to anyone who hasn't decided on a present for their DC yet - we thought it might be a bit big for DS2 at the mo but it fits him perfectly and he is very excited about it (but remember he is quite a big boy!) Afraid I don't know how to do a link but they sell them as named on Amazon for about £25, are light and fold up really small.

Happy birthday BG. at DH not listening carefully enough!

Naps? Still 30 mins 3 hours after waking and a further 2 hours or more after lunch at the same time as DS1. Best thing I ever did and still have a nap myself if we've had a bad night! We're sticking with the dummy for getting off to sleep and it goes back in when he starts coughing. DS1 gave it up at 5 months but then coughed for 6 months so for us it's the lesser of two evils. As a teacher, I would say don't let them learn to talk with them in as they start to form sounds round dummies differently to natural speech and find it hard to relearn. Otherwise, as you like and each to their own...

PA your DD sounds like both my boys - confident and outgoing. It has ups as well as downs as you never quite get to the end of a conversation when you have to traipse off and get them down from the top of a slide/someone's paddling pool etc..

Right, off to relax before day two of the birthday tomorrow. Have a lovely day/evening tomorrow with your partners - I'm not jealous at all x

Hello laydees!

DD had a fab day with all our family over yeaterday. She got lots of lovely presents including her late great grandmother's pearl necklace.

Happy birthday BG

Pics to follow tomorrow.

DD had another session with the cranial osteopath yesterday morning, she also massaged her tummy and lower back. As a result DD had 8 poo nappies yesterday

Only 1 wake up last night but was awake at 5am and didnt go back off.

One of her presents was a pop up tunnel. She wont get in it yet but will play boo and look at me from the opposite end!

She is still fussing with food, refuses breakfast unless it is petit filous :(

Oh and still waking half hr into afternoon nap but will do 1hr and a half in total.
I am off to bed..shattered. Not working tomorrow though. Phew

Thank you . Had quite a good day and my cold seems better today (and about time, too)

Beth I always get half my birthday cards late because royal mail is too busy delivering valentine's cards... and I have to insist on getting a valentine's card myself . Also feel like I have drawn the short straw... . Didn't even get a birthday present this time - dh complained it's too close to Christmas... I didn't mind because I couldn't think of anything I wanted anyway and feel all partied out after dd1's birthday.

happy birthday BG and Beth'DS.

Happy Birthday Thomas

Of course I'll post your pix, bethy, no worries.
I'll even try and caption them correctly this time

I've utterly lost track of who has birthdays when... and who is pregnant... and people's FB and MN names...

Anyway, happy birthday if applicable!

DH and I went to Fifteen (the Jamie Oliver place) on Saturday night (a friend had booked it, then he split up with his girlfriend). It was lovely and we had such a nice evening, but I woke up a few hours later and was sick. I have a shellfish intolerance (which is gutting as I love it), but I think this was the chocolate fondant I had for pudding, which has made me vom before. I'm still feeling poorly now. But on the plus side, I'm utterly off chocolate!

DD2's pooing continues to be an issue. Back to the GP methinks.

But in the style of BG here are a few things I love about her:

• the way she smiles and claps her hands when I sing
• the way she kisses me (openmouthed and enthusiastic)
• the way she giggles and collapses if I chase her crawling
• her perfect skin and amazingly long eyelashes shen she sleeps

Which reminds me that I haven't written her first birthday letter yet... a silly little thing that I do each year on my daughters' birthdays telling them what they are like, what kind of year we have had and how much I love them. I'm hoping it will build into a written photo album for when they are older.

Have a good day all x

Groan... dd2 has just eaten something she found on the floor in the kitchen. From what I pulled from her mouth I think it was probably a small slug . Feel like I need a lie down... (dd1 once tried to eat a dried up beetle but didn't like the texture.... what I fished out of dd2's mouth just now was GROSS, slimey and smelly)...

dd2 just took one step forward from standing and then lost her nerve . I think she may start walking while I am with my parents, which will be extra special for them because they only see their grandchildren a few times a year (not so good for dh who stays here working but he'll live)

CS love the idea of a birthday letter. Wish I'd thought of that when dd1 was little. I do keep a little diary though noting down things they did and said. I got the idea when my mum found a few notes she'd made on me on and off in my first year (I was the 3rd, so not much time to write a lot).

Oh, and happy birthday Thomas!

Happy birthday Thomas! And to BG for yesterday too.

Hope Thomas is having a good day :)

Our naps have been difficult after the success of last week. My mums place (well the men/boys) are far too loud, so every time she's just getting to sleep, someone disturbs her . I know it's not right to expect everyone else to be quiet, but they just stomp around the house. Once everyone's out its OK, so the afternoon naps are still working.

Happy birthday Thomas

Just a quick visit. More to come soon

Happy Birthday Thomas!

BG URGH about the (possible) slug. Maybe it wasn't one.

We had a shit night last night, DS just started SCREAMING the minute I finally got to bed and kept it up most of the night unless he was attached to my boob. I've had a headache most of today.

LBH Glad Isla had such a lovely time. The necklace sounds gorgeous, it's lovely when you can pass things down through the generations.

CS Sorry you got ill from your meal. I went there once years ago - I remember there was some very nice charcuterie on a wooden board but can't remember anything else (apart from drunkenly stealing a tea light candle holder).

Glad to hear you all open presents in front of people. It seemed like a massive, pointless faff to put them aside and then thank later.

Well at least DS has gone down to sleep nice and quickly today - hope he stays there. I am just going to wrap his present and tidy up a bit.

We went to Greenwich today with our friend and had a pub lunch, quick look round the maritime museum and a walk in the park (saw the deer). DS was sick really violently over DH in the pub garden. I don't think it was the tummy bug coming back because he was perfectly cheerful afterwards. I think it was more likely me feeding him loads of chips to keep him quiet.

Blegh!!!! BG that sounds GROSS!

Sounds like your DD had a splendid birthday, LBH - here's hoping she shows her gratitude by giving you a decent night's sleep!

I wonder what in the chocolate thingy would make you ill, CS? Sounds like a delish meal though. Shame about the barfing, hope you're all okay again now.

Aw, Bc, sorry to hear about another crumby night. I hope he's more chilled out tonight.

DD was similarly unsettled last night (not yelling, but wailing lots) and I also ended up with her on the boob for a good few hours, which is never especially conducive to my own sleep. In retrospect, I think she was a bit cold. I'd started her off in the new sleeping bag, but she was clearly too hot again (even thought the night was colder) and wouldn't drop off at bedtime. She did fall asleep soon after I changed her back into the Peke Moe, but she usually has a short-sleeved body on under her sleepysuit in that one and I had left it off. So that's the theory, anyway. She's back in the PM tonight WITH a body, so hopefully....

It was the start of the toughest part of my insomnia course, too. You have to take the average amount of sleep you had in the previous ten days, then count back from your ideal getting up time and not go to bed earlier than the resulting time. That meant bed after 23.00 for me, instead of 21.30 (and that included allowances for DD's earlier rising and nocturnal wakefulness). Upshot was about four and a half hours of sleep in total. Hey ho.

Anyway, I've now got a time-table in mind to fully wean DD and do some sleep training. Being pg has focused my mind somewhat and although I totally applaud PA's decision to tandem feed, I don't think it's for me. Besides, DD is taking less and less at each feed anyway, so I think she's naturally moving away from BM.

Out of interest, I've been thinking about offering DD cow's milk between meals (along with other things) once I start dropping feeds. You can get fortified milk in our supermarket. Any thoughts, experienced mums? Is it worth getting the ones with added vits and stuff? Bearing in mind most of what's available here is UHT....

Also, given my sleeping bag stresses, can I take a survey as to what your LOs are dressed in for sleep? What tog bags (assuming they're in bags) and what they tend to wear underneath....?

TIA

IC DS drinks normal cow milk but only once a day (bedtime bottle -which is his only bottle of the day) but he has yogurt at 3.30pm. He is in a growbag/sleeping bag thingy (no arms) tog 2.5 with as said vefore a few layers.

bc as he didn't eatfor a while the chips may have been too much? But still good that he's eating something I guess

LBH glad it all went well

bethy glad all your baking was successful.

Happy Valentine evening.