June 2008: new year, new diets, new resolutions, but when push comes to shove creme eggs are still the solution!

[KnittingRocks]

Sorry, couldn't cope with Christmas anymore!

We're unexpectedly attempting dummy withdrawal tonight. Couldn't find S's dummy anywhere, so had a really big chat about being a brave big boy, blah, blah... DH is up there with him now - fingers crossed it goes ok! (Incidentally, the dummies have since turned up, but after making such a big fuss of going to bed without one we thought we'd give it a bash...)

Hope everyone has had a good weekend.

Good luck. Be strong!

Started well - he went to sleep without it, but just woken up howling now. Not sure we're ready for S to give it up!

Amber - hope Luke is feeling better. Keepcalm - how did it go with S? Did he manage to get back to sleep?

Keepcalm how did it go? We have to do the same with bottles for luke. Luke still had a temp of 39 last night even with calpol and I've been up 4 times in the night. He seems cool now though and dropped off back to sleep at 6am. I however am exhausted and have not slept much for at least a week now. I have to get luke's sleep sorted. He wakes up usually about 3 times a night at the mo and cries for mummy. He wants milk every morning at 5am (our fault trying 'wake to sleep' with milk and never stopping) and another couple of times for unknown reasons. Any ideas? I can oy imagine it's because of the babies.

It wasn't too bad. Had a few wakenings and he came into bed with us in the early hours. He woke up about 4 am though and was inconsolable. Wouldn't even have a cuddle. Managed to talk him round though and eventually he went back to sleep. DH and I shattered this morning though!

Oh dear, have I killed the thread? Dummy withdrawal going well, bit tricky to settle last night but he slept, in his own bed, all the way till about 6.30am. It's the first time in ages he's stayed in his own bed all night!!

Hello everyone , dh has sorted out some better internet for us so I am hoping to be able to get back on here more regularly.How are you all?

We are all Ok, still not bought a house yet, nearly put in an offer on house #1 but then heard about some new houses in the village so we're just waiting to hear about those before we finally decide.I've been volunteering at school but no paid work as yet because they completed the wrong CRB check so I have to reapply as a supply teacher again - it is madness.Dh is more settled now since we went back to Austria for the week, and he's also helping out in school.

Boys are fine, Stefan is 11 tomorrow and loving being back here, both big boys spend most of their spare time playing in the fields,woods and streams round here, it really is a lovely location. The garden is a mini nature reserve with birds, a wild baby rabbit that is gorgeous, and a pond with 12 frogs(at the last count) and loads of frogspawn.Tristan is still struggling at school but seems happier since I went in to talk with his teacher.Ethan is happy at playgroup but just started stammering on Saturday, it's really painful to watch him trying to get his words out. Anyone else experienced this?I'm sure someone did?

Sorry I've been away so long , I will try harder

Hi Deb, it's good to hear from you. Toddler stammering or dysfluency is very common between 2 and 4 years - it's just cos they have so much to say and not necessarily the maturity of language to get it all out! A does it, as do at least 3 of his toddler friends. Nothing to worry about .

Good to hear you're more settled. Need to email you about August as we're all booked and ready to go . Can you PM your address so I can work out logistics of popping by and find local accommodation? Thanks .

Hi to everyone else. Too knackered to catch up properly, going back to my knitting .

waves.

knackered, will try to catch up soon. x

Phew, I didn't kill the thread after all!

Nice to have you back Deb, and glad things are more settled. S definitely seemed to stutter a while ago, but it doesn't seem so much of an issue now.

3rd night without the dummy tonight and S went to sleep again ok without it. He's going to bed a bit later though - but that's probably more to do with the clocks changing.

Amber - bribery has worked wonders for us on the dummy, so you could try that with Luke and his bottle? I showed S some very tempting toy story duplo online, which he was very excited about. He found it under his pillow when he came home today - it was a huge hit. Although he seems to think he'll get another present from the dummy fairy tomorrow...

Keepcalm that's how I potty trained Luke - major bribery! It's cost a fortune bit it's worked and Luke is even dry at night now - rhankyou buzz lightyear! Thing is Luke also expects a present every day. My sister still had a bottle now and then aged 4!! Went cold turkey with luke's night wakings and have not heard much grizzling. I may well have been so tired a just slept through them. He's moaning a bit now but it's stopped so fingers crossed.

We had Luke home two days this week and I thought he'd be bored but we've had such a lovely time I never want him to go back to nursery! I'm sure I'll change my mind when I get a daytime nap today though

hi deb hope the new houses are fab and glad to hear all going well. Your home sounds idyllic - most small boys dream!

Thanks for the welcome back

Knitting - I'll send you my address through FB or e-mail me directly fletfam at gmail dot com. Not sure what our plans are for the summer yet but we would love to see you if we can.

Keepcalm - thought it was S with the stutter, glad it didn't last too long.Sounds like you've cracked the dummies!!

Amber - wow, dry day and night is great. Ethan still has a looooong way to go on the potty training.

to Shoulders.

Yes, the dummy is finally cracked - yay! S hasn't stopped playing with his toy story duplo and slept through again last night (well till about 5am when he came in with us, but I can live with that for now).

I've got exams in May so as usual I'm hopping on the last-minute bus to revision land. Passed my final assignments, so just two exams in May, one in November and a 10,000 word report to write and I'm done!

Hey Deb - the countryside can be idyllic can't it? You all sound much happier.

Well done on the dummy Keepcalm. Did I mention that having refused his dummy sometime around weaning, R decided he wanted one again a week or so ago. Clearly related to F having one, but I was wondering how on earth we were going to stop it. Luckily it was just a two day phase or so. Esp when he realised he couldn't eat sweets and the dummy at the same time. Was he offered more sweets during this time? Maybe....

I'm also not sure that I told you some funny, lovely things that have happened recently:

I take R to a church run music group. It has the odd religous song* mixed in with the usual stuff about sausages in the pan, but doesn't ask for belief or anything. They have a prayer box where you can ask them to pray for something and one lady said they welcome requests from non Christians? Anyway, one of the ladies there told DH that we shouldn't cook that Sat, they'd be dropping something round. 6pm on Sat, lady turns up with bread rolls, lamb casserole, roast veg, apple shortcake and custard, all homemade. Plus a giftbag with smellies for me and a bib for Felix. They do it for all new Mums apparently, but it still bowled me over.

The local quiltmaking group (that I didn't know existed) dropped off a homemade quilt and teddy bear for Felix.

Lovely, old fashioned, real community stuff that is so touching.

• Their version of Twinkle, twinkle little star makes me laugh, so Christian Kiwi: Twinkle, twinkle precious Star, Jesus loves you as you are. He loves your smile, he loves your voice, He thinks you are pretty choice. Twinkle, twinkle precious Star, Jesus loves you as you are.

Anyone still into Chuggington? DH and I were worrying we were swearing around R too much and he might pick it up....R dropped something today and shouted out in frustration "Oh bumpers". I couldn't stop laughing.

Maya how wonderful - and you want to leave?!!

That sounds lovely Maya. I love the 'oh bumpers' story! On tv programmes, it's all about the octonauts in this house now. Although Thomas/Roary/Fireman Sam occasionally get a look in. It's funny, I've very deliberately not tried to encourage him towards stereotypical boys things, but he's all about fireman and trains and cars right now. (Not that I think these are exclusively boys things or that kitchens and hoovers etc are girls things IYSWIM).

Actually, I think I'm going to get S a fire station for his birthday this year. Anyone else started thinking about birthday presents? Yes, I know June/July is still a while away but with a 40th wedding anniversary, 40th birthday, 60th birthday and a 30th birthday (all close family) and our summer holiday within a few weeks of S's birthday I need to be organised or June will be VERY expensive what with presents and cost of meals/parties/hotels/petrol!

Having now done some research on fire stations when I should be revising , can I ask your opinion on these 3? Especially those of you with older children...

nice wooden one which I like the look of (but wooden toys aren't always the biggest hit...)
Lego duplo - S is really into duplo just now, but would it have longer term play value?

playmobil one - think it looks nice, but a bit flimsy maybe? Playmobil seems to get raved about on MN though, so thinking it might be good long term.

Each of them have a matching fire engine. I'm not keen on the wooden one - well I am, but S would prefer the playmobil one (which would be the right size for either the wooden or playmobil station) or the duplo one to go with the duplo station.

Fire stations - Ethan votes for the duplo one, asked if he would be getting one! I love Playmobil but not at this stage, the fire engine would be OK but I find the buildings are difficult to put together and are not particularly toddler proof.There are also LOADS of tiny parts with Playmobil. It does last ages though and I did get Ethan a Playmobil police car for his Bday as it was on sale in Tesco and I couldn't resist. I like the wooden ones but I think Duplo is probably the best bet. Not a bad price either.

Duplo is still A hit with ds1 here - he's turning five in June but still plays with it, although that could partially be because he's got a younger brother. Older kid Lego is tricky until they are about five - ds1 is just mastering it (and we have tons as we've dh's Lego collection).

Deb - how do boys tend to play with playmobil? We've not got into it yet and I'm wondering if it's not ds1s thing.

Abdn - Stefan had construction scenes from playmobil like these and he loved them, he would spend hours setting up construction sites.

Having finally decided to take some action about being generally unhappy with my lack of fitness and body shape I've just done day 1 of the 30 day shred. I don't think I'll be able to move or speak for some time.

wow keep calm, looks hard work. I'm going to my 1st class of Zumba tonight, to work off the choc chip cookie I've just eaten

I'm all zumba'd out !!

Did you enjoy it Deb? I just got up early to do day two of Shred, but not sure if I have the energy to walk to the shower!