FEB 2010 Tottering into our second year...!

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

A few first birthdays left, then we're full tilt into walking/talking and a mountain of mischief

BG I agree with the loo situation. Dh doesn't understand why when he came home, I always tell him I need the loo and rush there!

PA everything is fine.

jardins nice to have you back. Sorry to hear you had a tough year.

DS ate his waxy crayons and nursery said that he likes leaking the paintbrush!

I've just been sent that clip. It's great!

Good luck PA!

Ha, yes BG - DD likes to stand up holding onto my knees and grin at me knowingly while I'm on the loo....

Love the clip, SB - the hand gestures are priceless. I have a feeling DD would know exactly what all that "Da da da da da da...." means, too...

Well done on getting a reprieve for the baby gym, Bc! Great effort on your part. Most impressed to hear about DS' walking and his new shoes, splendid!
Thanks for the comment about the blog too x

Oh well, at least Vit E is a useful antioxidant, LBH

The latest parenting book I'm reading is Positive Discipline: The First Three Years (Nelson, Erwin and Duffy). It's very good. All about non-punitive guidance when navigating the sometimes choppy waters of the first three years. I kind of wish I'd read it earlier, but hearteningly, it looks like DH and I have been on the right lines anyway.

DD slept through last night, but despite waking before 07.00, her two naps were both pretty short (35 and 40 mins respectively). Having said that, she was fine and went to bed without a fuss, so I guess she's had what she needed! I'm enjoying being more relaxed about nap duration now I know DD doesn't seem to need that much day-sleep - and as long as she has enough to get her cheerfully through the day, her night-sleep seems to be fine with it too. It does take the pressure off somewhat.

It went fine and there was only one in there :)

Glad all is well... I did wonder about twins How far along are you then (if you don't mind me asking)?

Ooh, good stuff PA

PA

Yippee!!! PA

thanks all

Just shy of 12 weeks which matches what I thought, glad that my obs was wrong. I'm joining the ante thread now and so will try and not talk about pg and bean so much (unless asked)

IC hope you're OK

Congratulations PA!! Hope you are feeling good and not too tired/ nauseus/ windy/hungry!

Great news PA. Talk about it as much as you want - I'm always keen to hear and I'm sure the others are too. x

Tehehe... changed my name on an experimental basis (it's BG here) and promptly forgot my new nickname...
Told dh earlier that I would happily marry him again... he seemed very pleased . A friend of mine is insisting on babysitting this weekend so dh and I can actually go out for a meal by ourselves to celebrate our 10th anniversary. We really should make an effort! With no family around and most friends with very young babies themselves, we don't get out much. Mind you, maybe I am showing my age but I am quite happy with a log fire and a glass of wine these days.... Still, I am getting surprisingly excited about going out as a couple this weekend!! As for presents, I sounded out dh earlier and we both agreed we'd not do presents this weekend (well, I did joke as it was 'tin', would he like a tin opener or a tin of beans? ) and will treat ourselves when we go on holiday at Easter.

that's sounds lovely BG and love the name change as well

Blimey, another new one to get used to! Nice name, Soc!
I like the tin of beans idea

Bless you, PA, I'm fine. And more than happy to hear how you,
Scones and Stangirl are getting along. I hope to join you myself again before too long (fingers crossed)!

Jardins it is tough! DH went through all that as well and is now bullied in his new job when do men grow up? . It takes over the all household. Hope you are settling well the loire vallee is a nice place to live. (that is why there is so many castles ).

PA glad everything is well and only 1

soc

Wait for them to be "helpful" and want to wipe your bum . I was just getting my privacy back with DD1 so I do know what I gave up again!

DD2 is saying "buddha" "bite bum" " yoda sucks" "I don't know" and other of the sort....very clever, not always really polite I am just assuming she doesn't talk yet (I am not expecting her to speak english first either)! But she "talks" almost constantly, like in "your" video SB but with more variations and intonations.

IC definitely "les enfants terribles" for me !

I stopped talking about sleep because she sleeps through now . Now I have to train myself not to wake up at every whimpers. She is still a noisy baby. She does take naps as needed, no definite routine is what works best for her. Can be 1 or 2, very short or longer (between 40 min and 2 h per day in total) nothing like like the 3 or 4 h needed by her sister . But she goes anywhere (carrier, bed, push-chair, laps, floors ... so not too painful for me)

PA great that it's all going to plan How are you feeling these days? Still no bump? The first thing two friends said to me (separately) yesterday was "ooh look at your tummy"

IC really glad to hear that you're feeling ok. I read your blog and think it's very brave of you. Everything crossed for you this month! How is your weaning going, does DD take any (cows/other) milk yet?

Abs have you started giving DD cows/other milk?

jardins so lovely to hear about your l'enfant du plaisir. How long are you coming to the UK for? Your milk supplies may hold out? (spoken from a position of complete ignorance I have to admit)

bc just fantastic about the baby gym. What a shame the services are goint to targeted-only. I have to say, round here (pretty deprived area) there are lots of children's centres which used to be Sure Start but in the main they are used by fairly middle-class parents and children I have no idea why the targets families don't use them as much. They don't even turn up to the free post-natal classes etc (from limited experience of mine and mum-friends' pn classes). Great news on the steps too!

BG I read the trickiest parenting thread too and just thought at potty training basically. Is it going to be awful?! (Can't think about teenage years yet. Far too far away!)

When I'm on the toilet DD is fascinated by my pubes

Sorry BG should have been calling you SC! Have a fantastic time out this weekend, enjoy every second

What horrible weather eh? Luckily we don't have far to walk today.

Scones I think the horrors of potty training is typically british (or at least alnglosaxon). If your child see you do it, and knows what is going on and is ready, there is absolutely no reason for it to be stressful. You just have to remember that you have to take them to the toilet until about 5 when they actually start going by themselves. Don't ask: do you want the toilet? Do tell: we are going out you need to go to the toilet now. If you remember that it will be fine. Some kids needs "reminding" every 2 hours, DD1 could last 4 h straight away, some need every hour. You will see not hard at all. I think a lot of parents are loosing perspective, they are thinking potty training is nappy one day, self sufficient next day which is .

schrodinger agree on the potty training. I think a lot of people try too early and the children just don't get it. I had one trial day with dd1 when she was just over 2 (because HV went that she was in nappies). She wet herself 7 times that day and got very upset. I left it for a few months and at 2 1/2 she took the happy off herself and that was it. Oh, and she needs no reminding at all (unless I see her doing the toilet dance and ask her to stop playing and please go ).

er, 'nappy'... where are my glasses?

Can someone post a link to the trickiest parenting thread please?

BC is it that one? link

morning everyone

BC I meant to say well done on your group thing. Is there not an option of non-targeted families being able to pay?

DS and I went out to a colleague retirement drink tonight! He was sleeping when we got there, then woke up, nibbles on a few organix crips and then when for a walk either by himself or holding my hand while I had 2 pints

He's now in bed, sleeping.

I think too that there is too much pressure on potty training. I would like DS to be potty trained earlier than later just to help his bum as it seems we have a constant nappy rash. GP told me not to worry

what about going in own beds, I would like DD to be on a mattress maybe by the time the next one is ready for a cot, because that's how cheap I am I know my mum had us in beds when we started walking so I assume I was 1, but I wouldn't trust her to stay in bed rather than just walk around everywhere

SB I always mean to ask, what is it that you do?

(I have a long day so expect a healthy presence from me )

Agree about not pushing potty training too early, Schro, Soc and SB. All the books (I love books!!) I've read recommend leaving it until the LO is properly ready to minimise stress for all. Although I can see why those having DC2 would want to try and get DC1 out of nappies before the new baby's arrival if possible!

I've given up on cow's milk for the moment, Scones - although will offer it again soon to see if DD's ready to change her mind on it. I've been making her morning porridge more milky in the hope that she will accept milk as a familiar taste from her breakfast (which she eats with gusto usually). We shall see! Meantime, she has yoghurt and plenty of other dairy products (she adores cheese...could eat it until the cows come home )