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

LBH thinking of you
Good news from here - dd2 completely fever free today , walking lots, and just threw her arms around my mum's neck for a big cuddle. My mum is close to tears today to see her grandchildren having changed so much again since February!

LBH I have been thinking of you (and Stangirl) You must be shattered, hope you get through work OK.

Our night was back to normal, but not too upset as I was expecting it.

Soc :) about your DD2

Having another day of work, much to my bosses chagrin but I want to be fully back to normal before going in and also he's (plus life not just him) stressing me out a bit, so a full relaxing day off should help. Thinking I perhaps did a bit much at the weekend.

Whinging baby at the moment in his cot. Hopefully it won't last long (wonder if the MN sleep jinx has found us again? )

LBH poor you, hopefully CC will work for you.

PA good for you to put your feet up and relax. Your boss doesn't deserve any thought after the way he treated you earlier this year.

sc good news on your dd2

Fecking BT are the most useless company ever. I have had 3 numbers in 6 days...I just want my old number back (hence not online at home, they cut me off - DP promised me he had paid the bill, but he meant the previous one, "yes darling the bills do seem to come round quick". He has had a right telling off!! :)) Easy to place an order with them or pay them, not so easy when you want to talk to a human being, who is not 3 thousand miles away and sort out a problem without being put on hold for 15 minutes, whilst you pray they don't cut you off!! AAAAAAARRHHHHH!!!

Anyway, I am at work - boss isn't in, hence quick update...

DD slept through last night after screaming and refusing to lay down at bedtime last night. She gave up about 8.10pm.
I woke up at 5am when my alarm went off, wondering where the hell I was, and OMG is DD alive?!!!
I have been keeping a sleep diary since the 4th April and showed it to the osteopath, who was shocked at the lack of pattern or consistancy. I have been advised to keep the diary going until her next appointment to see if she makes any progress.

IC Hope you are having a fab time in Germany. Well done on DD sleeping through. I also hope she keeps it up! :) I saw earlier up thread that she is having a fuss at meal times, only letting you feed her with spoon at breakfast? DD did exaclty this. It is a phase (went on for about 6 weeks) Remember when I was anxious she wasnt eating very much? Well now DD is fine and eats like a little horse and we combine feeding herself and the spoon. I found loading the spoon and leaving it in the bowl/plate she will pick it up and feed herself. It is stressful though when they shout and shake their head at you.

Continuing on the food thing, she loves to "Dip"!
As a treat, I let her have 2 frankfurters with a tsp of tomato sauce and sweetcorn and mash potato for tea. She wolfed the franfurters and thought the fact she could dip them in sauce was great fun.
So now she likes to dip bread into her veg casserole etc.

PA Sorry to hear about your asthma attack. Hope work ok and you are feeling better. Havent been on sleep thread, but I guess like me things still pretty up and down.

SC Glad DD on the mend. It is lovely to see grandparents' faces when they see what the DCs can do. My mum goes misty eyed every time she sees DD which is twice a week!

Her is my little (show off) list of what DD can do...
When asked to "perform" she can:-

Wave
Clap
Show us your tummy
Brush your hair
Pat your head
Give mummy/daddy/bear a kiss
Walk
Stand up/sit down
Fetch various toys
Holds a mobile to her ear and says yeah yeah!
Puts my beads over her head looking chuffed with her oversized necklace and loves to put her teething rings on as bracelets and does a royal wave with them on. Until they fall off and then frowns and says "oh"

She has a baby doll that has a milk bottle and she holds it and feeds her! Very cute. Although sometimes she is actually stabbing the doll in the eye with the bottle!!

She also helps me dress her, extending her foot in the air when when I go to put her socks and shoes on.
Also, if she hurts her hand or foot, she says "ooh! whilst frowning and extends her hand to show me!

Now that she has learnt to walk, she will go ridgid when time to put her in buggy or car seat!

I realise that most probably can do some of this stuff and more, but just wanted to share some of her fab stuff rather than moan about what hard work she can be and a terrible sleeper she is. I feel rather guilty that I moan about her more than tell anyone what my very pfb can do!

This quick update is a bit long, sorry!!

Better do some work/look busy.

Waves much more enthusiastically to all.

Ah, LBH, it's good to hear you sounding brighter again. It's amazing the difference a bit of sleep makes, eh?! I love your list....very envious of the kisses!

Thanks for the reassurance regarding the feeding. It is rather trying. I guess DD has sussed that this is an area where she has a modicum of power, so is making the most of it.

I hope you're feeling better today PA.

DD's also enjoying some grandparental adulation, Soc - it's lovely, isn't it?

Well, the nights have been quite good since we've been here, which is a relief - especially as we're all in the same room.
DD's proving to be in a nap-fighting mood at the moment. I've just given up trying to get her off to sleep and DH has relieved me. The temptation is to get her up and go for a lunchtime nap instead, but unfortunately, we've been invited to a barbie, so DD needing a long buggy walk around then would not be terribly convenient for our social plans.....

Pesky babies interfering in social plans, eh, IC? They do tend to do that I find!

Lovely to hear from you LBH and wow on your fantastic night's sleep. We had another 12, 3, 6 from my little lovely and that was after an unprecidented hour's screaming at bedtime. Teething....? Could be, or maybe I need to think about moving her to a later bedtime (she goes at 6pm). I just love getting her in bed at 6 though.

PA my sister said to me in a finger-wagging manner, when I was exhausted from doing a lot of walking one day last week, to remember that I am pg. I was like pffffff. But it is making a difference to my energy levels I find.

I do forget about the pg sometimes

IC is it possible we swopped babies while travelling across Europe? We had the most bizarre night last night with dd2 totally and absolutely refusing to go to sleep and crying pretty much for nearly four hours or so straight. We tried everything including calpol, more water and milk, a snack, new nappy, less sleepsuit/sleeping bag, more books and songs to 'reboot', lying next to her, holding her, getting her up again to play, taking her to bed with us... The lot. She ended up so overtired that at past 10pm I took her into bed with me and actually held her down and wouldn't let her wriggle away until the sobs died down and she went to sleep. dh and I were totally at our wits end and felt qutie helpless. I'm taking my hat off to all of you who deal with this more often!

I haven't quite adjusted to spring continental style yet... It's wonderfully warm in the day with 24 degrees but still gets very cold, down to freezing, at night. I am always either under or over dressed... . If that's my worst complaint, I think it's a good holiday...

waving at everyone. Hope you all get a few days off over Easter to relax a bit.

IC yepee on the sleep

sc hopefully she'll sleep better tonight.

LBH glad to hear from you and great news on the sleep. Lovely list.

DS went to bed without any fuss today, which mean that yesterday was just an error in sleeping (as I call them).

Can't wait for this long weekend. Work is organising an Easter egg hunt on Saturday and I did put our names down for it but now DH is working and I'm not sure if I went to go there by myself as I'll probably be one of the only 'single' parent. I know it stupid...

Hello everyone.
LBH gréât news on the sleeping. Sorry to hear about your BT nigthmare, have had plenty of those in my time, hours wasted on hold, only to get cut off.
SC sorry to hear about your poor dd, she may be out of synch as she was ill.

Scones you and PA need to take it easy! PA hope you are feelling better, poor you.

Stone, hope you go on the Easter Egg hunt, sounds fun!

Hello all. Thank you for all your good wishes the other week. I did manage to sneak a 45 minute rebak in the fields behind my house with only my camera for company the other day so that officially counts as a break! We did also get an hour off together two weeks ago when we went on a rowing boat for half an hour (plus travelling time-I really can do maths ) It was great because we couldn't do anything other than just sit, row and chat. Lovely.

Sorry to hear about DD2 SC and your asthma PA. Hope all the bad sleeping soon eases too. We can add ourselves to it - due to humping - see my thread/cry for help if bored. 'Tis driving us slowly mad, along with both boys coughing for hours. Yesterday started at 3:40a.m.

Scones good news about the scan and very exciting too.

Plans for Easter anyone (apart from you lucky ones who are already holidaying ) We've visiting the in-laws and having some friends over. DH will be off work next week but I have to work on Wednesday after the shortest school holiday ever .

DS2 has become a climber this week and has a selection of bruises to show for it. DS1 is horrifically, horribly whiney and, quite frankly, is in danger of being ebayed!!

Hello to all and am enjoying reading when I get a mo (rarely!)

soc glad to hear your dd's much better!

Sending sleepy thoughts to all the LOs....

Weather over here been quite brilliant, makes me wish I was on holiday already. Thank you for all the advice on marital relations, am now raring to get started.

However DH has become extremely grumpy all of a sudden and doesn't want to talk about why either. Luckily he's only grumpy with me and is perfectly fine with DD. Hope he gets out of it by Easter so at least we'll have a good holiday.

DD has started to climb stairs yesterday, and just before bathtime today wanted to climb up herself - twice. Been very lovely and cooperative when asked to lie down for nappy change, put clothing in washing machine. Wondering if she's listening to me and DH argue about why he's grumpy. I just love spending time with her.

Everything fine here work-wise, and even sleep-wise, so if only DH gets over his funk it would be perfect. It all started when I mentioned that DD shouldn't be watching too much TV, and he got upset as he felt I was criticising. Quite certain this is only the tip of the iceberg but he's now stonewalling. TTSP...!

Oh rainbow I do feel for you. My exP used to sulk and it drove me absolutely up the wall. FGS if you've got something to say, say it. Fingers crossed he comes out with it soon, and you can have your lovely holiday

Great to hear that you got some downtime bethy Will have to look up your thread, I don't know what humping is.

SB you should definitely go on the egg hunt. You will have fun! What else would you do? Don't think anout being a 'single', just go and enjoy yourself.

I have just painted my toe nails I think that is the first time I've done that in about 10 years (and have only had the very occasional pedicure). Not sure what came over me! I always think it will take ages but actually it's really quick! Have cold feet waiting for them to dry, mind.

Well we're off on our Easter break today We're catching the train to meet DH at work, driving to my mum's, and she's babysitting DD while we go for a meal (fair enough) and then on to a gig. Now I go to bed at 10pm every night, and if it's half ten I'm thinking oooh, bit late tonight. So how on earth I'll cope I'm not sure.... But DH bless him is so excited.

We're then staying with mum for the whole of Easter, the rest of the family are coming too, there will be loads of people to take care of make a fuss of DD and the sun should be shining - I'm in a great mood.

Happy Easter everyone, make sure you all eat loads of chocolate!

Also wishing everyone a happy Easter!! I am quite excited myself planning a proper Easter egg hunt (mainly small chocolate eggs over here rather than just large overpackaged ones as in the UK). Might have to find all chocolate eggs quickly though because otherwise they will turn into chocolate goo (26 degrees .
rainbow my dh was also one of the great sulkers but I have cured him in the 16 years we are together. He now knows I won't let him get away with it . I will always confront him after a few hours and if it has nothing to do with me but with work for example he is very welcome to sulk, as long as I know what's wrong.
scones have a fab night out!! We meant to have a few nights out but both children totally refuse to go to bed in the evenings at the moment (far too exciting being here) and now dh has come down with what dd2 had and feels very sorry for himself.
IC how is it going? Judging by the christmas photos, your mum lives in a very special place
PA road trip? Sounds very American.... Tell us more!
Stan all well? Can't remember when you are due but guessing it's getting a bit more uncomfortable esp in warm weather. Make sure you get spoilt a lot
Waving at everyone else and offering and - bit early for

I can now open the bottle of and share it with all my Feb 10 friends to celebrate the Easter break

PA where will you be going for 3.5 weeks???

sc how was your night? was your dd2 better?

scones have a nice break and try to take it easy.

I hope CS, Abs and Stan are okay as we haven't hear from them for a while

Here is our rough plan so far.

SB thanks dd2 has been much better but dd1 is a total pain at the moment. She refuses to sleep until she literally falls over . Too much excitement here, she hates to miss a minute! Tonight she has been totally fascinated by the effect of white asparagus on the smell of her pee..... Not sure I will enjoy dd2's nappy in the morning (she had leftovers of our lunch for dinner).

PA sounds fantastic!! Go for it and commit before life/work get in the way . Are you definitely coming back to the UK then? Or just back for a holiday? Sorry, nosey.

I have almost committed to leaving. I can't help but feel reckless choosing to leave a job and potentially one of us not having one in the UK. However, I don't think my sanity could survive 3 months mat leave. I need a year this time and I know it's easier to find a job if you are there but....

I need to man up about the decision.

We do have flights booked that are one way for the 1st August though.

Also I would like to say that DD had another night of only waking once. We've been putting her to bed this week closer to 5:30, she's still getting at 4:30/5. Next week we'll move to 5:45

PA scary times but I am sure it will all work out well Good news on the sleep, too. dd2 goes to bed at 6.30 and I think a few others on this thread have bed times between 7 and 7.30ish, so I think your LO is moving in the right direction there to help sleeping through

Hello all.

Happy Easter.

Wrote a long thread yesterday but lost it all, grrr.

DD is sick :( I have to take her for a urine test this afternoon. I have to work on Sunday.

My consolation prize is to eat lots of chocolate.

Enjoy the sunshine.

xxx

Hello all. I'm in Brum with my parents and sister - DD2 is poorly (again) and I have laryngitis. DH is driving me mad by complaining that he's ill (apparently he has a monopoly on illness, yet doesn't have to do anything to make himself better or prevgent it getting worse - so last night he drank loads of beer and wine and today has gone to play golf), but DD1 is full of beans!

Rainbow, glad the hair conditioner worked.

PA, it will all work out.

Can't remember anything else and DD2 is trying to insert her own comments so I'd better go. I think of you all a lot though. Funny to think that we've never met. Maybe we should try and rectify that?

See you on the next thread... x