November 09, new skills are fun - look what I can do now, Mum!

[DontWorryBaby]

New thread for our little handfuls!

I know I can ask them to reevaluate the tax credits over the 'summer holidays', I would just prefer not to be in a position where we need to if you know what I mean. Looks unavoidable though. I think I'm a bit OCD about my credit rating and paying everything on time and the thought of not being able to pay everything stresses me out no end. I work in finance so my credit rating is quite important! We'll find a way though. And my mum & dad are fairly well off if it comes to it, I know they'd help. Just hate being in that position. Hopefully we can make ends meet.

Anybody got any good news? Seems to be cuts, cuts, cuts all over the news. Not encouraging at all.

DWB Lucy slept much better due to the fact that once she woke up at 2.30am I swiftly brought her to our bed, shoved a boob in and left her to it. No crying and screaming. I feel so refreshed! How's that for good news?

Ursi That just sounds so sweet. Lucy likes to take her laundry off the drier and put it into the basket. Then it goes from the basket all over the floor. This is such a great age they're in, isn't it? So much fun going on. I need to try harder to remember that when there's trouble with sleeping.

Awwwwwwwwwwwwww! at Paula ursi

Really made me

Aw how cute ursi! what concentration!

skorpion great news! It is amazing how a little bit of sleep can make a huge difference isn't it?

Good news...hmmm...that counts out work. Which is going well but jobs at risk/depts being outsourced here there and everywhere. So. Back to good news...Roo slept from 7:15pm-5:20am. A Record. I found out I get paid CTC/CB etc on this tuesday coming not the following tuesday as I first feared thought. So that IS good news as I have been invited out to celebrate a friends birthday with curry on the Moors. Oh and Roo can now say 'toast' 'bread' 'yay' with excitement for something he wants, and says 'no' while shaking his head vehemently (or rather his whole top half) while giggling whenever he is asked something he does not want to do - like 'Roo go night night? ' cue the body wobbling and No. He also had a chat on the phone for about 15 mins with a friend of mine, who then called me up and asked if I could hang up now as he needed to use his phone!!! Apparantly Roo had been babbling away, and blowing kisses! I heard the kisses, but just thought he was playing. Friend was in hysterics with laughter!

Aww Pav, that's adorable! Made me laugh so well done! Ethan chats away pretending but as soon as he realises someone is there he goes mute! Can't wait til he chats on the phone.

Skorpion that's great news! Sleep makes all the difference.

Scarlotti How's sleep at your house? (meant entirely innocently and re DS2, not you and/or DH!) and Helips? Anyone else I've missed in the poor sleep camp?

Pav Annabelle once took her nana's phone whilst nana was sorting out ds whilst they were staying over there (ds had a poo incident) so dh and I got a phone call and could only here babbling, it was a bit confusing. we could here them all as they had come back into the same room as Annabelle but hadnt noticed she'd phoned us so Dh ended up shouting down the phone, "The borrowers are here!!!" Ds heard this and said "Nana there are borrowers here?!" then Nana twigged and picked up the phone. hehe

sorry forgot who asked about whether i'd talked to my manager about colleague, no I havent but I've been off work and so has my boss. Am hoping it wont be an issue when I get back, but will still talk to my manager and tell him everything that went on.

Lurking here ... sleep isn't going so well so am not always managing to post but enjoying keeping track of you all.

Ioan loves to help with the washing, and will actually put the stuff in the machine!!

Have been trying to phase out the night time milk by watering it down, but given he's just been waking more I've decided to not bother and just go back to feeding him in the night. At least that way, like skorpion he will drink his milk then go straight back to sleep. The other night he was awake from 2:00 until 3:40 as I hadn't given him milk but he was too hungry to settle properly. Not good when you're working. Am now hoping that when he starts walking, he will then tire himself out more and sleep better. Hopefully he'll need more food in the day then and things will change.
A girl can but dream...!

DH has been round tonight to talk to DD and try and repair their relationship. Was very proud of him putting himself up for a fall, as she is very black and white at the moment being 16 and all knowing. I do hope it can build a bridge for them though, as he's been in her life for the last 8 years and it would be such a shame for that to disappear into nothing.
Relationships (of all kinds) are just so hard ... why can't they just stay nice and simple like with a baby?!

ursi M also loves "helping" with the laundry! hehe. And unloading the dishwasher, too.

Pav sounds familiar - we get full-body NO's here when we guess wrong at what M wants. She even waves her finger back and forth for emphasis, if she's very serious

Yes, Lucy does the 'no', too, but a slightly different version: she'll try to eat the compost out of a pot plant, I'll say 'no, Lucy!', then she'll sit there pointing at it and shaking her head 'no' (as in 'yes, mama, I know it's naughty') before proceeding to eat the compost again Willful, who, me mama?

And she loves the phone! Or the remote or anything she can substitute!

Scarlotti, yes I'm hoping the same about walking. There's no point resisting the night time feeding at the moment. I'll do anything for sleep now.

That's very good of your DH to try to build bridges with DD. As tough as it seems at the moment it will be worth it in the long run. Having a good relationship with a father or a father figure is so important at any stage of a young life. And of course throughout life. I am now starting to realise how much I miss my father, or rather how much I miss a father that I ought to have had. And feel sorry for opportunities lost and not having a chance, but also not giving a chance iyswim. I hope it all works out well between them.

skorpion we have the same attraction with remotes/phones/mobiles here too!

Thanks for your lovely words. I understand completely as my Dad left when I was 3 and then my step Dad when I was 12, although not knowing your situation I'm not suggesting it's the same for you. I really don't want DD's life to go the same way as mine as my Dad only had sporadic contact and my step Dad wanted none. Although she's not giving an inch at the moment so it's not going to be an easy journey for him, but I hope that if he keeps up the contact she will eventually relent.

I hope you get peace too.

scarlotti and skorpion do you know, i had not considered it that way but now looking at it, Roo started to sleep through when he started walking, almost in conjuction. So while the controlled crying worked for that one night, perhaps it worked so quickly because he was ready to do it, due to being tired from walking?

Sorry to rub it in for those who are not sleeping well but made some more progress last night. although still ever cautious it won't last. Had a few bad nights, then a good night couple of nights ago. Then last night, 7:15pm-4:50am and I put him back to sleep without boob, and without getting him up. cried for 6 mins in total (controlled crying style) then went to sleep, then woke 15 mins later, back to sleep with a cuddle, kiss 'night night' leaving the room instantly, then again at 5:35am, then woke at 6:10am. Now that might sound horrendous but what he has been doing is waking up at 5am and fussing, feeding, crying all morning til 6am ish when he gets up. So progress. He also missed two mornings of bm a few days ago due to being up in the night a bit then sleeping in and going straight for breakfast, so I really think this is the start of the end...

..so, as that is the case, on tuesday it is my friend's birthday so I am going up for curry in the evening. He lives on Dartmoor, and I am going with NO CHILDREN!!! DH is going to put them both to bed. He was when I mentioned it, but either he wants me to give up bf'ing or not! and he had to agree really

I am loving all the stories about our children and their antics, this is just an absolutely adorable age. The inquisitiveness of everything they do. Just makes me melt to hear about it from you all, and to see it with Roo too. Lovely that they are all doing such similar things as I can identify with it all. I worry about Roo growing older as I love this age so much I am not sure i will be able to resist the temptation to have more not now, but i can't see a time when I don't have/want a toddling one year.

Roo is such a character. So strong and lively and cheeky and fun and happy, but he is also strong willed and knows what he wants and is determined to get it no matter what it takes (a tantrum normally, or stealing it, or bopping his sister til she gives it to him!) And DD loves him so much, they have such fun together. and she is flourishing so well. She is so beautiful and happy and smiley and confident, doing well at school, everyone she meets loves her to bits, she makes people melt and I just feel so very lucky that I am blessed with such amazing children.

Sorry for that momentous gush of love it needs to be said sometimes.

Pavlov, as somebody said before - it is always so lovely to read your posts about the children. Gush away :)

Scarlotti, not the same situation, but it doesn't matter. The sentiment is the same.

I watched One Born Every Minute last night. Made me feel all queasy, the foreceps scene... (that's queasy, NOT AT ALL JEALOUS!!!) I remembered watching the first series last year and am not at all sure it's a good idea to watch it now, this side of birth, but cannot keep away!

Oh, I really love those stories about our funny babies. It is definitely a great age.

Well, we have some improvement sleepwise as well.
The first night on my own (after 3 nights nightweaning only with DH), she woke up once and wanted a feed but stopped crying after being carried around for about a minute. So not bad at all.
And last night, she slept from 8pm until 5.45! (only juice, no wine for me) She was actually quiet and just tried to climb from her cot into our bed. So I took her on my shoulder, she seemed to have difficulties to find the right position for her head at first, then pinched my nose and went back to sleep until 7.10... something she only does when she had long awake periods at night.
What an achievment. But you know what? She was in a terrible mood today! I am now wondering if I have to wake her up several times at night if I want my happy and funny child back

Great to read through some lovely posts . Just a quicky from me. C has chicken pox. He looks and feels very lousy. Spots in every possible place . At least both DS' have had it now. I'm feeling fed up as we've not been healthy since xmas. Hoping we're on the home stretch now.

Fruit are you a namechanger?

Was it you doing the housekeeping thread? Can't remember what it was called. I've done loads tonight, nesting maybe (even have a banana & walnut loaf in the oven!) and it's amazing how good you feel knowing your house is in order! Maybe I'm asking at the wrong time if you have invalid(s) at hone. Hope you are all well soon!

Scarlotti Well done that man! Looks like he means business.

DWB I was on the FlyLady thread just after xmas under my Fruit name. I name change on the childminder threads I started off really well but lost it when DS' fell ill. Really want to get back to it. I still shine my sink though It really does make a difference!

The banana and walnut loaf sounds yum!!

We had an improved night as well. She slept 7.30pm to 4.30am, into our bed, boob in, up at 6.00. Means I didn't really sleep after 4.30am, but it's not bad at all. Must be something in the air...

DWB I am so envious of your energy and time. Our house is a tip and I barely manage to have clean clothes for us every day... Haven't even looked at the oven for ages.

Skorpion I'm very lucky that my DH is a teacher, I didn't get home from work last night until about 6:15 but DH had already collected Ethan and dinner for the 3 of us was ready. DH then went out to rugby, Ethan & I played for a bit then I put him into bed just after 7. I had a bar of chocolate and a cuppa then made the cake (in the blender so it was quick and easy) & washed the dishes while it was baking. By 9pm I'd done 2 loads of laundry, baked a cake, done all the dishes and cleared up the kitchen. Felt great! But that is very unusual for me. It must be the nesting instinct as anyone who knows me will testify that I'm not very good at household tasks!!

Glad you had a better night's sleep.

I'm going to see the Strictly tour tonight, can't wait! Going with Mum and SIL for dinner first. Really looking forward to it. I think that was part of my motivation to do lots of housework last night, knowing that I'm out tonight and DH is on his own. He's more inclined to maintain tidiness rather than tidy up, IYKWIM. Plus tomorrow morning I have a uni tutorial so I'll be out again. Funny how I feel guilty about leaving DS with DH, as though I'm asking him a favour...

Morning all. Was thinking that your banana and walnut loaf sounds yummy too. I want to make some, but I have no bananas. and no walnuts either. maybe a weetabix cake instead.

Fruit have you misspelled Fruit by accident?

Annabelle is fully walking now! yay! does mean Im chasing after her all the time, but is lovely really.

Ds has a school disco tonight til five so have a bit more time to myself before picking him up. Hope he really enjoys it, he was so excited this morning. (his first school dance)

DWB I feel guilty when dh looks after the kids and I go out on the odd occasion that I have. I dont know why as they're his kids too. Hope you have fun tonight!!

juicy that's really stange!! I've not noticed that before! I think it's this blessid iPad I'm using. I can't type on it very well. I must have mispelt it when I changed back to my normal name. Thanks for pointing that out

Testing, testing! I'm back to Fruit!

your welcome, I've done it before. Its easy to not notice.