July 2009: Toddling towards 2 and a full nights sleep!

[Phoenix]

Good one QueenFee :o

I had a few mins at work so started it :o

Hi MissP - I only have mild eczema but find it flares up with SLS so I avoid that in everything I can. I use Halos and Horns on the babies as that is SLS free & I can get it in Morrisons & the Co-Op locally. Also use Green People suncream like Patchy. I use only a teaspoon or so of bubble bath in the bath and I don't use any extra to wash their hair, or to squirt on a flannel or anything like that. I don't use owt with mineral oils in either so I avoid E45, baby oil etc. The Waitrose baby bottom butter is a lovely softener & is basically solid olive oil. I think QF has the key though, with allergies. Mine is so mild that with some adjustments to products, I very rarely have to use a steroid cream. I wonder if any of the manuka honey products might help? On the job front, that's fab news about your DP's contract though! Must be a relief.

I'm looking forward to the extra bank holidays coming soon & the fact that DP will be at home - that extra pair of hands is always, always welcome!!

Lunch out sounded nice Patchy I went out with the girls from baby group last weekend & left the babies with DP. Was great to get out. Boobs were exploding by the time I got home though!

QF - same here with phone calls & keeping up with everyone. I'm forever trying to multitask & use the speakerphone whilst wiping the kitchen down or ironing or something, but then I find I'm only half-listening. Am ashamed to admit that I'm way behind with thank you cards after the baby was born though - just not enough hours in the day at the moment. If I get a pen out then Hetty interferes & once she's in bed, I have the baby nailed to the boob. I've been up since stupid-o'clock this morning just to clean the kitchen as we've got some friends coming for tea tonight. They're good, old friends though, who won't mind a bit of mess so long as there is a bit of

Yay about this weather - hope everyone is having it so good! Very uplifting . If it was up to me, it could stay like this until the beginning of November.

Guessing you'll all be busy from now on, with the Easter holidays & the kids being off!

Hi to all the lurkers.

AARGH! I just had to tell you all about my Sainsburys trip this am! Max saw and wanted a prawn mayo sandwich (all time favourite food), it was only 10.50am so I said no. Big mistake, he had the biggest tantrum ever. I tried ignoring him (Heard a woman saying to her husband "listen to that kid screaming and mother is just ignoring it, not doing anything". He then tried to climb out of the trolly so I had him under my arm while he screamed and I pushed the trolly. People were actually stopping what they were doing and turning to look at me. I decided to abandon the shop, buy the few bits I had in the trolly adn get home so went to a till, a woman turned round, looked at me and said "oh for gods sake!" Honestly, I could have cried at that point. He calmed down while we waited at the till because I took his face in my hands and stroked it until he stopped, but I was drained, sweating and almost in tears! People are so mean. All forgotten now, he had his sandwich for lunch, ate the whole thing and is now in bed!!

Toddlers!

PB: that's awful. people are really horrid. I'm afraid shopping has become more of a chore here too so I can sympathise. Becca bites beth when she tries to hold the trolley or tries to climb out.

I hope you feel ok now. When I see people in the same situation as you I just smile sympathetically and am glad it's not me this time.

Roll on hols when they can kill each other all day and not just before and after school.

Patchy - hope you're OK now. Any more reactions like that I would point out to folks that we were all toddlers, once upon a time! Shitbags. Our tantrums seem to revolve around car seats, which, lets face it, aren't exactly negotiable are they? She shrieks & then stiffens so I end up having to try & force her to bend in the right places, whilst she screams blue murder. Usually I have a window full of dinner ladies watching me. I'm sure if the glass disappeared, they'd be tutting like sodding Skippy the bush kangeroo!

Tantrums aren't they embarrassing? But it irks me how other people react. If there was an off switch to a tantrum of course a parent would press it. Patchy don't let others get you down. Ali I do the same when I see other toddlers throwing a strop. I am sympathetic to it as I have been there soooo many times.

In fact we one at the Dr's just now - going for Tristan's eczema. And the older 2 were being just cheeky ones. Not a great start to my day but hey ho.

I am going to check out the Waitrose stuff, green products and going to push for allery tests when we get the referral. (thanks for the tips Jetli Patchy QF)

Ali how are your holidays so far. Day 2 and I feel like this is going to be a long one! I wish DH could have at least taken some a day or 2 off but as a freelancer he gets no paid leave so no can do.

At least it is still sunny here. Hooray.

So how has everyone survived the first week of the holidays? Radio silence on here so I'm guessing you're all up to your bosoms in bored kids

All OK here. Just doing an early-morning-whip-round-tidy-up. Milly slept through from around 11pm to 5am, which ought to make me happy but its freaking me out TBH she was over 6Kg at last weigh-in so she's isn't exactly going to just waste away.
Lack of feeding always makes me anxious

Hope the Dr was some help with Tristan's eczema Missp. One of the Mum's at baby group has just completed a big round of allergy tests. Egg white has come back as a strong contender in the first set of results & I think its eczema that he has.

Getting my feet seen to today. Not a moment too soon - I'm starting to look like a werewolf. The beautician comes out to Mum's so that makes life easy - she supervises the babies whilst I get sorted.

Anyway, not much to tell to be honest - all very dull. Can't believe the highlight of my post is having my toenails cut

Oh the glamour!!

Have survived (and at times enjoyed!) the first week of the holidays. Always find once we're past the first 2/3 days we settle into a very civilised, although slightly lazy, routine. Definitely been helped by the good weather as we've been out in the garden everyday.

Got asked a question by an elderly neighbour the other day which made me chuckle for days afterwards. He has a granddaughter who is similar age to my DS4 and asked me how many words my DS said as his granddaughter 'had a vocabulary of 100 words'. I just shrugged and said I hadn't got a clue! Does he really think I've got either the time or the inclination to count his vocabulary. If I did count, do I include words that only we understand? Anyway, I haven't counted but it's a lot

Tantrums ... Cerys had terrible tantrums , mainly because of her speech issues. She was very big for her age so I got lots of nasty comments. However the most annoying thing was strangers making it worse by interfering.
I used to say something like well if you have the miracle cure then share it or on my worse days oh yours kids are perfect are they lol it is so trying when you have been battling with them for ages. My tricks now are pre empt as much as possible never do anything just before nap and bed unless i have a sling with me! Always carry a drink and raisins too
Hope things improve as their speech and understanding gets better.
Our kids have only just broken up in wales. We do the same after a few days settle into a lazyer routine.

Surviving ok as DH been off for this last week. First day at home with the cherubs by myself. Unfortunately also a day when we had nothing in for lunch or tea so had to make a trip to "big tescos" with both of them and also get beth's glasses fixed as becca broke them the other day.

By the time I got to the checkouts I was practically on my knees and the children were feral! They had been really good all the way round the shop but suddenly they go mental at the till. I think it's the thought of freedom! :) it was awful but we made it out of the shop with minimum tutting except for one woman with angelic only child [grr!]

I fastened (or attempted to) becca into the car who screamed all the way home as she had lost her croc in the footwell and was going purple with rage as I couldn't reach it and drive on the motorway at the same time! If she was a baby you'd have thought she was dying, as it was I was just mildly concerned she'd make herself sick! She has massive tantrums all the time because she gets very frustrated with things and her speech isn't up to much yet. I understand her but she still tries to form all her words with her tongue sticking out! If she gets upset in her high chair (by anything) she throws all her food on the floor. She has done without tea a few times and today threw her beans all over the floor and wall. Sometimes I think she should have a reserved seat on the step! trying to avoid food being a battle but she can be really unpredicatable. Sometimes angelic and sometimes a nightmare :( Plus she's really fussy which beth never was: no potato, only dry toast, would exist on yoghurt and banana if she could! Crazy baby.

Sorry for ranting. having nice time other than that. I agree the sun helps. must go and stir tea. Making honey mustard chicken for tea tonight. Is pasta based so we should be ok! :)

ha no. She threw it on the floor so no tea for her again!

Jetli how is it with 2 now? Have you found your groove? I look at Tristan and still can't believe how I got through 2 pg/newborns with a toddler. He is a handful!

QF Jlo the same here. The hols has been saved by the sun and made it soooo much easier than the horrid half term I had in Feb. The older DC's are starting to argue but at least DH off on Fri and Monday so just need to get the next few days. Ieven dare say, I have so far enjoyed the break!

Ali Food tantrums are rife here too. Tristan is a good eater on one hand but fussy on another. He likes veg/fruit/pasta/meat/etc but loathes potatoes other than in chip form. And with bread/toast 50% of the time he will just lick the topping. It makes it a mare to do potatoes which of course DS1 LOVES. The amount of times he has just nibbled his main and chucked it is too many times to count. I refuse to make several meals though for all 3. My friend does 2 dinners for hers (as one child likes one thing and the other doesn't) and I refuse to go down that road. I make lovely fresh meals (most of the time) and that is their only option. End of. Bit of a tough stance but I am sometimes swimming with chores as it is.

Language 100 words? I haven't counted either QF lol.

Well today we are off for a picnic then back at home for the pm to relax. I am sooo tired. Tristan came into our bed last night for the first time in ages and I finally had enough of his squirming around 5am and got up. Could use a nap.

miss I also only offer what's on offer. Becca had no pud again today as she refused all veg which is gutting as she used to be really good with her veg. Don't feel like it;' out of hand or anything just know I'm fighting the battles today to save having them for the rest of her life. Still hard work though!

Had a lovely trip to the park again today. Loving this weather. makes it so much easier. i agree this hols been much better than feb half term though I'm still looking at the summer holds like.... 6 weeks... eeeks!

ali agree - summer hols is a whole other ball game. 6 weeks is sooooooo long. I am doing a playscheme for the older 2 for a couple of days a week for a few of the weeks if I can save the ££.

I always think the summer hols are going to be long but then they seem to go by in a flash! By the time you have spent a week getting ready for going on hols away for a week sorting out the ensuing chaos, done the obligatory family visits bought all the uniform and in my case fit in 3 kids birthdays the summer has gone!

can tell it's hols, quiet here. school and work tomorrow. off to buy bunting for royal wedding in a bit.

Been to Edinburgh for Easter - shite weather & DD1 turned into The Demon Child From Hell. Rained up there & down here it was glorious apparently! Oh well, at least it saved slathering the kids in sun lotion constantly...

Hope all are well & enjoyinh some relative peace now the older ones are back at school

Hi

Hope you are all ok, have been up to my neck with children so don't know whether I am coming or going. Such a fab holidays though loved it, the sunshine every morning when I opened the curtains was brilliant. We had a few days away in Weymouth, again great weather and lots of beach to play on.
I will post more when things settle down...oh yes, max had chicken pox too, a really mild case but hopefully thats him done!

Just a quick post to say ahhhhhh! I hate the holidays. I am sick of bickering.

On the plus side Cerys lost her first tooth yesterday. She proceeded to drop it and it had rolled under her bed took me 20 min to find it! Was worth it to see the relief on her face :)

QF: school starts again today for us. Unfortunately this turned me into evil yelling going to be late mummy. :( The bickering has been swapped for trying to get out of the house for a set time! that said the "bickering" has involved biting, screaming and hair pulling so I think I'll settle for trying to make it to school on time for another half term! :)

Hello all :) Just dropping in for my bi-monthly visit LOL. Hope you all had a wonderful Easter. I have been up to my eyeballs in children, cakes, laundry... but what else is new. Right now, I am bedridden with a nasty fever/cold that just wont seem to let go. Work is keeping me busy... I am having surgery in June, so am looking forward to having the ENTIRE summer off!! Yippee!

How are all the babies doing? Marco has been sick with one thing or another ever since he started nursery :( Otherwise he is well. He is finally starting to say a few more words (including Mama FINALLY!!!). I think he is starting in on the terrible twos a bit early as well :( He has started this new thing of screaming for attention. Its shrilling and goes right through me! NOT happy about that!

DD1 became a "lady" last month so the hormones are running rampant! Sofia is still a Diva and DS1 is still a handful. And me.... the grey hairs just keep comin!! LOL

Anyway... just a quick post. I keep up with all of you who are on FB! I miss being able to sit down and "chat" but my time seems so limited right now :(

Thinking of you all xxx

hey everyone
I've been temping this week and took the opportunity to see the Palace and Abbey after work yesterday. It looks soooooo brilliant. So many people camping out, flags, and bunting everywhere. Shame the DC's all too little or I would have gone down with them.

Enjoy the wedding day.

just saw these [cgrin]

hurray for [csmile] been watching it with beth and doing alsorts of royal wedding things. She looked really beautiful. Hope he makes a better job of looking after her than his dad did with his [chmm]

Ali it was such a lovely wedding to watch. DD claimed that Prince William looked at her from the telly. Haha. I do wish them the best and agree - hope he looks after her better than Charles did with Diana.

Hi all - hope all are well & survived the holidays intact & sane. Had a nice break at the coast - plenty of fish & chips

Ali - how are you feeling with the tablets now? Any better?

Not much to report here - pretty quiet all round to be honest