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

Great to hear your news, chinook Sorry to hear the DC have been poorly. And wow, what a teeth-growing erogeny! I'm not surprised you're relieved at the prospect of a break from it now. Also, a big well done on losing all that weight, great effort.

Yes, CS, are you okay? I was thinking myself that we hadn't heard from you for a while. I hope all is well.

Very impressed at your DD getting so used to her trailer she took a nap in it, Scones! How lovely to see a new lamb emerge, too.

Did your DS have a stake on any of the runners, SB?

It's been a lovely weekend - we got a lot of socialising in, meeting friends for drinks, a picnic and attending a first birthday party yesterday.

DD has had a couple of disturbed nights (I'm pretty certain) down to premolar number 4 making its debut. She woke up yelling last night. DH got to her first, but she wouldn't be calmed. I followed fairly quickly and administered ibuprofen (thanks for the advice on that, folks) and a bit of teething gel. DD fidgeted snuggled up with me for a while, then thrashed around in her cot for a while before finally relaxing and dropping back off again. She was awake for around an hour, which wasn't great, but an improvement on the previous night.
Damn tooth still isn't through today, so we may have another night of it tonight.
Ne'er mind. We've had teething pretty easy on the whole, so can't complain.

Sympathies with the teething IC. DD has numbers 15 and 16 coming through and is still drooling a lot (so much so that she has sores around her mouth), eathing everything and fairly grouchy at intermittent times.

Thanks for the bath advice. We don't have a shower, but we do have a shower head, which is what did it in the first place. DD won't lie back in the bath, so her hair either gets rinsed with a bit of tupperware or the showerhead, resulting in water in her eyes and lots of coughing and spluttering.

We got the old baby bath out and tried that - to no avail. Then last night (it was hot and we were out all day DH and I both working and DD in tow, so she needed a bit of a scrub) we filled the baby bath, put it in front of a full length mirror, put on fun music (Jungle Book, Teddy Bears' Picnic, etc - me singing along to all the songs with much gusto) and DH and I both tried distraction techniques - it seemed to work, the screaming was less of the "my parents are torturing me, please come and save me" kind and more of the "you are really bothering me by forcing me to go in the bath.... oh listen to mummy's funny singing" kind.

Lovely blissful weather, we went to the chateau after which our town is named on Saturday for a stroll round the gardens, was a lot of fun. Will post a pic on FB.

Hello hello!

Sorry for my absence and for causing concern. I've just been so busy with work/home, but I won't go into another "working mums have it hard" rant. Not now anyway.

Hope everyone is OK? We're all fine. DD2 has a cold and isn't sleeping terribly well, but is fine otherwise. She's started trying to pull up a bit, but someone pointed out that she seems to be super-bendy so I'm trying not to worry about hypermobility (as I think schro suggested a while back) for at least another couple of months. She's still only got four teeth too!

Other news: DD1 got into the local primary school (hurrah!). I've said no to the editorship (it didn't feel as though it would solve any problems), and feel better for doing so. My boss is really pleased with my return to work, and has OKed me working from home as I see fit. And I survived a trip to the Midlands to see my family a couple of weekends ago when DH was in Amsterdam on a stag do (he survived too!) - the girls were great with the journeys, my dad seemed OK (my mum less so, but that's another story), and we had a nice time. So all is well in the ChestnutSoup household.

Re. difficulties at bathtime. DD2 went through this a while ago, and I conquered it by bathing her in the second bath we have (we have a family bathroom and an en suite). It definitely worked, and within a few days she was fine and back in the usual bath. So I think you are doing the right thing fc. Changing the environment seems to help.

Can't remember anything else, but I'm fine really. Is everyone here on the FB group? If so, and I'm not friends with you please send me a request as I manage to get on there much easier than here (probably because there's a FB app for my phone and not an app for MN).

fc chateau? Where? Which one? Sorry I'm curious as I used to live in Blois and worked in one of the numerous chateau.

CS nice to hear from you. Glad you had a good time away and kind of sorted your working issues.

chinook hope the dv is out and keep out for a while. I'm impressed by the 16 teeth! (DS has 11 now)

Waves to everybody else

DD now likes to be chased around. It's funny how they can make it clear what they want. She can also kick things now. So upshot is, she likes to do new things as long as it involves movement and not staying still like block building requires . It was nice because I discovered her new game before work yesterday.

Teeth: I think we're up to 7. I can see where the next one will come through, but hopefully, we'll have a few more days off yet.

Sleep: A good night for us, 5pm bed (no feed), 10pm, 2:30am then 4:30 again, but she stayed put until 5:30. She hasn't really napped well the past few days though.

We run her bath from the shower and there is a shower at swimming, so she has got used to those. Swimming means she doesn't mind her head getting wet, in fact she quite likes it (for the time being)

oh she has also taken to standing on her head (well not standing, just leaning on it forming a bridge with her body)

Hello all, having a short holiday of 2 days enjoying the lovely sunny weather we've had over the past couple of days. Though after a brief stint out yesterday I confess to having a bit of sunstroke and now have a slight sore throat to boot. Getting too used to the british weather and have completely lost my equatorial origins.

chinook 16 teeth! DD's 2nd tooth is just peeping out.... DH and me are very excited we've been looking forward to DD at least having a companion tooth for her first one for a while. Though DD does wonders with her single tooth - demolishes whole nectarines skin and all. She's also rather partial to the odd salami which she filches from our plates though I think we let her far too often given that she really shouldn't be having them.

chestnut Nice to hear from you again and thanks for the tip on the conditioner.

What has DD been up to... We had a couple from our NCT class pop round for lunch the other day and DD decided to show off her block stacking skills, despite never having stacked blocks before. Today we gave her a small cooking pot and a wooden spoon with her own drawer, and she was happily "cooking" away. She then went to get an oven mitt and used it to hold her pot! Loves hide and seek games, and her current favourites are just before bath time to run to the other side of the bed, crouch down, until we ask where she is then she pops up giggling, or to shut the door on us then open it.

Been inspired by bethylou to see how DD gets on with potties so placed an order for a couple to at least see how she takes to them, if not then they'll go into the loft for a few more months. Arrived the other day and DD seems to likes trying to sit on them...now waiting in anticipation for the first potty poo!

and one more thing, DD learned to clap today. I like to think I showed her, but I know it was just her getting it. Sorry I know this is showing off, but it still surprises me that I get to work and witness first things. (obviously there are some things that I miss)

Urgh. Up since 4.45am when dd2 woke with teething pain and I couldn't get back to sleep. Gave dh the fright of his life when I suddenly appeared in the kitchen just now from hanging out washing in the garden... He was half asleep and hadn't noticed that I was not in bed next to him, nor that the kitchen door to the garden was open when he came down.

Just marking...bloody laptop cable broken. Working today. Hopefully post later!

Aw, bad luck Soc.... you have my sympathy.
Thankfully, I think we're out the other side of the teething (for this tooth, anyway) as I could feel a hard bit on DD's gum when I applied a little gel before bed last night and sure enough, she slept through.
So we're up to 12 teeth now. It's an amazing the range, isn't it?! From 2 to 16 in our babies' cases...

Showing off, Schmowing off, PA - it's lovely to hear about your DD's new tricks and it's great you manage to catch so many of them, despite having to be out working!

DD managed three steps today so I've been out and bought her first proper pair of shoes as I don't think it will be long before she's walking. Also, she needs something on her feet (that she can't get off) when I've got her in the sling as protection from the sun and occasional coolness (not much of that now, though - temperatures are nudging towards 30, which is very hot for this time of year, even here. Yikes.)

Hi rainbow! Lovely to hear from you. I'm very impressed with your DD's safety conscious approach to cookery

Hi CS - I realised after my last concerned post that of course you've been updating your FB status (and I've even "liked" some), so I don't know why I was so worried!! I should be more worried about my absent mindedness, I think!
It sounds like you made the right decision on the editorship, go with the gut feeling, I say! Good news on your DD1 getting into the local primary school. I hope your DD2's cold gets better soon.

Great approach to bath time, fc! FX is does the trick and you'll all be able to relax about it again soon.

All this walking! I'm a bit jealous. Mind you, DD2 seems a bit stumped by grass which means I can put her on a rug and she won't crawl off it. Very handy.

PA love the clapping. DD2 has been clapping for a while, and has recently mastered waving, nodding her head (she got shaking it for no ages ago) and silent cheering (though sometimes she will accompany it with a little "yay", which I find lovely).

Slightly better sleeping here the last couple of nights, so I'm feeling a bit more human. Am also working from home today, which means I get hours of my life back from Network Rail (hoorah).

Ooh, ok, update on DD's development and behaviour.

Teeth 5 & 6 on way through.
Wants to walk everywhere, all the time. Actually runs fast enough that I can't catch up. Falls over and picks herself up. She doesn't get this athleticism from me.
Are moving her on from Baby Bjorn to Bush baby back pack - looks unbelievably cute.
Sleeps so well I normally have to wake her to go to nursery.
Seems to actually "dance" in time to music - which would be lovely if she does have good rhythm. Music is my passion.
Absolutely pants at block building/shape sorting or anything intellectual.
Hates being bathed - now regular struggle (see above).
Seems to occasionally say more words than "daddy" now but not regularly. "da" for cat, "oh oh" for when she drops things, possible "ok" the other day and an elongated "mmmm" with a cuddle that may mean "mummy". Claps hands when we say "clap your hands" - but has done that for months. She also high fives to request.
Has no idea what "gentle" means though despite multiple attempts - she nearly killed a chick at a nursery yesterday when they brought it to her saying "gentle". i spotted it from afar and ran over saying "noooooooo! Don't put her near it."

She's in a fab mood too - always chuckling and playing peek a boo. Anything slightly frightening is her favourite - swings, being turned upside down, thrown from a height onto the beanbag etc etc.

I do hope my next DC is more of a quiet geeky type - I'll be exhausted otehrwise.

Awww, Stangirl - lovely descriptions of your dd. Mine is pretty useless and stacking and shape sorting too. She blows kisses now too, mostly to random strange men, or about five minutes after someone has left the room. Tis very sweet.

All your DCs sounds lovely and cute.
waves at rainbow, chinook, CS long time no see!

I am with the teething club at the moment. nb 14th is stuck and making the gum bleeds. 15th and 16th are also on their way. Can't wait until it is finished.

DD2 is her crazy self, stuck on turbo speed, says bye, pa and aurevoir with a little wave (super cute!), and does the signs of a few songs (more or less) but is trying anyway. No interest in anything which required sitting for more than a few seconds. She also try to surf everything with wheels on (tractor, ride-on, little car, scooters.... ), she likes to keep me busy.

Thinking about the thread for the worts stage, I am entering the best one so far with DD1 who is fantastic! She has even make an advent calendar for my birthday with little boxes to tick (she counted it right) and a fantastic cake drawing on it

That would be worst stage

Chantilly fc I've never been there.

Been to the hv today and DS weighs 10kg59 and measures 78.5cm (2 feet 7)

DS can send kisses on demand or randomly, waves goodbye, claps either when he's proud of himself or with singing/ music. He can empty the washing machine into the laundry basket (and then empty it on the floor)
He also doesn't understand the concept of gentle.

Ha, CS, mine's another one stumped by grass - very useful at picnics! It means DH and I can actually sit in a fairly relaxed way without having to gallop off after her every two minutes.

Great rundown, Stangirl! Maybe invest in some reins and a dog lead so you don't keep having to try and catch your DD, especially in your condition

Blowing kisses, how cute fc! (Maybe get her out of the habit of doing it to random men, though )

Ha ha, your DD2 is a right handful, Shro!
I'm very impressed with your DD1's advent calendar, what a lovely thing to do for you!

Good early training on the housework, SB - your DS is going to make someone a fabulous husband one day

DD actually helped me put her toys away today before bedtime. Well, for a little while... Then she enjoyed pushing her toy box back to its home under the table. I'm all for getting them doing their chores early!!

I love to hear about all the new tricks they've learned.

DS's new one is copying me do birds tweeting. I make my hand into a beak and go "tweetweetweetweet" and he does his best to do the same. I need to get a video of it. I've put a video on the facebook group of him playing with a balloon and saying 'that'. He had more words before he discovered 'that' - but 'that' is so useful (especially when combined with pointing) all the others seem to have fallen by the wayside.

He likes dancing, other babies and children, eating almost anything, holding leaves and flowers and showing them to people, balls, balloons and flipping through books but the best thing in the world is PRESSING BUTTONS. He has to press the button to cross the road, in lifts, in trains, for the bell on the bus etc.

The other day I got a black sheet and we hid under it with his ball that lights up and flashes - he thought that was amazing. Obviously a disco baby.

Sleep has still been right through (frantically touches wood) but waking for the day has been earlier the last two days - 5.15 - 5.30 which isn't great but at least I've been getting 7-ish hours in a chunk which makes such a difference. My mood's so much better and I can concentrate on things more easily.

FC Blowing kisses is so cute. Bless her.

IC Very exciting about first steps/shoes. Well done Rosie. DS hasn't progressed much since he took about 5 steps and I whisked him off to the shoe shop - I still have to hold one hand when he walks outside and he hasn't done more than 4 or 5 unaided.

SB Very useful skills there. 2ft 7 sounds really tall!

Schro Lovely about the advent calendar.

SG I don't think any of them understand 'gentle'. My cat doesn't think so anyway.

Hah, at last something mine can do (among a lot of things she doesn't do!) . dd2 will very carefully use her index finger to touch flowers and leaves! I have taught her that when she first started grabbing handfuls of things in the park. She now insists on going up to every daffodil and stroking it ... It takes a long time to go anywhere! Mind you, haven't tried her skills on animals yet (we have none) and she is strangely fearful of cats that approach her.

Love hearing of your DS' button pressing bear He's a true London baby :)

PA that head down pose could just be the first step to yogi-hood for your DD

No discernible words yet from DD, other than various consonant and vowel couplings. She gets by well with "ah" and pointing/gestures. "Ah" gets her raisins, open jars, mobile trade ups, breast milk, peeled oranges, illegal objects during nappy changes so that she'll lie still etc. So much so that I think she's reduced her sounds recently. Though she does sometimes say "meh" for milk. DH and I now considering whether we should pretend not to understand her a little to see if she'll increase vocab a little.

SC your DD2 could be a horticulturist one day!

schro stangirl you sound extremely fit from keeping up with your LOs :) no need for a gym membership....

I think I'll tussle with technology this evening and post on the fb group a video of DD toddling in the park at the weekend. Unfortunately the park in question was London Fields, which is covered in cig butts. Now to DD these looked like mini breadsticks and she ran around trying to eat them. The video also has an unfortunate commentary by yours truly saying that DD was on the lookout for more competent parents and that is why she is running around and up to other people.

at stangirl. I am sure she thinks the best of you though. may be that why DD2 is running around so fast, smiling and talking to everyone she meets.

rainbow I don't feel fit, I feel OLD

DD2 loves "row the boat" not so gently, and she wait for the "roar" or "scream" to growl. She is very pleased with herself too!