March 2010 - Babies: "Climbing like an evil genius". Mummies: "Avoiding the Shred DVD"

[Arcadie]

Welcome to those with a March 2010.
Happy Easter from me....
Unwrap it quick!..

Oh, it's a new thread. I was hoping for chocolate.

hey all- lovely to see some of you lurkers reappearing x

thread is pretty quiet isnt it x

news here- loving the school holidays we have done such alot and the kids are having a ball :) cannot believe were heading into week 4 already!

Elliott is as ever just adorable :) i know i am biased! her is getting really stroppy when told no tho! am slightly worried i have another Rosie on my hands!

hope everyone is well x

Evening

Been away a while... Life very busy!

Slowly being killed by the pre 6am starts every day and no end in sight :-(

Very pleased to hear SHROOMERs good news and also much congrats for FLISS!!!

Hope the christening goes well EVITAS
X

No great advancements here. Climbing like an evil genius but no words. Literally only says there, in there and mam! Too busy moving! Babbles tons tho nothing coherent. Eats anything I give him on a spoon- whilst distracted by toys, tv etc etc hmmmm but will only feed himself dry things like toast, apple, crackers. Won't even try self feeding with a spoon---- clearly thinks why do yourself what mam will do for you!

Life still as tough with sleep and partner but won't dwell on it here.

Hope you're all well xx

This is my take on motherhood today - tis a bit crap, sorry!

scooby [hugs]

evitas, hope your trip and the Christianing are all goingn well.

Replied PD for some virtual

Scooby but lovely to hear from you. Can I just say, re the early waking thing, it may well get a little better as he gets older. And, if it doesn't, as soon as you think he's old enough to understand, maybe get one of those clocks that lets them know when they can get up. My 3.6 yo has had a monkey clock for over a year now, and he is not allowed to come into our room until the monkey wakes up. It doesn't always work (e.g. this morning he was in our room at 5.55) but it does more often than not. Also, once he's in a bed rather than a cot - and can get out of it himself - perhaps you can encourage him to play with his toys by himself in the early morning. I never thought my DS would do this but his brio trainset can absorb him for a pretty long time. Well worth the money we've spent on it! Now, if only he'd play by himself a bit more during the day.....

......which brings me onto Pacific. I've just read your AIBU thread and, frankly, even though I only have the two children, had to avoid sobbing in recognition. Which would not have been a Good Look in the office. I, too, had this vision of my DC enjoying a joyously untrammelled childhood, playing together in the garden or Peppa Pig playhouse playroom (thus giving me time to drink tea and read books unload dishwashers, hang out washing, generally keep the house in order blah blah blah), eating (mostly with enjoyment!) my carefully thought-out and well cooked meals and, once past baby stage, sleeping 12 straight hours a night. I envisaged summer afternoons with them running shrieking through the spray of a hosepipe, autumn walks with ruddy-cheeked children sensibly bundled up in woollies and rainy days spent baking, reading stories and finger painting. I'm sure those are the memories of my childhood...... (Note to self: must check to see if my mother agrees with me.)

And, yes, to be fair, we do have a good deal of fun but almost nothing is easy because someone is always tired, someone always says something like, "Yuck, I don't like peas!", someone has an absurd tantrum because I have suggested he puts a jumper and trousers on rather than shorts and t-shirt if the thermometer goes into single figures; someone else is cross because she is made to go into the pushchair and so screams all the way to the park; someone gets possessive over ownership of the Peppa Pig house; someone pulls her brother's hair hard in retaliation, demolishes his lego castle and makes him cry with heartbroken sobs; and someone wipes cake mixture all over the kitchen walls and then runs into the living room laughing when I tell him to go and wash his hands. Oh, and as for the silly someone who thought it would be a good idea to give the 17 mo home made gloop to play with while making biscuits with her brother......well, she really should have known better!

Oh, I do love my children. Really, I do. More than I could have imagined possible. And I'm sure the same is true for you, Pacific - for all of us on this thread - but, jeez, just as I could never have imagined how much I would love these small people, I could never have imagined how hard work it would be to bring them up and, hopefully, see them safely to decent, responsible, pleasant adulthood. SAH parents have my unavowed admiration. One full day plus weekends with the DC is a balance that, just about, works for me at the moment. ....although when I stop work to return to studentdom/freelancing, sometime next month, I am looking forward to seeing a bit more of them. (Another note to self: must stock up on wine for the evenings.)

All that notwithstanding, though, something inside me was sad yesterday when I went to collect my - as I usually think of them - toddler and baby from nursery yesterday. Really, I know DS is a proper pre-schooler now and I don't actually call him a toddler anymore even if I sometimes think of him in those terms. However, DD is still "baby" to me but, yesterday, as she toddled towards me, smiling and jabbering and pointing proudly at the tiny ponytail that she had persuaded someone to put her hair into, I realised that, no, the baby is gone. The child has arrived in her place.

Sorry, mammoth post. And probably complete rubbish too .

Oh, and Pacific, I am eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Merrell Wakefield. Liking the sound of long arms - I am tall - but hoping I have chosen the right size and it isn't too tailored for me......

Yey Fliss I knew it would be that! Congrats! (hope to follow in your shoes soon!) Looking forward to 'meeting' the Flissling in a few months.

I had my job interview a few days ago. Seemed to go ok, but don't know result yet. I hate being so vague on here, but you never know who can find you on here I suppose...

Ah Pacific [Shroomer puts on her Agony Aunt hat and pretends she's Mariella Frostup in her advice column for The Observer...even has her sexy voice]. There's one important sentence in your post: 'I'm envious of parents it seems to come to so much more effortlessly'. SEEMS TO - it probably isn't coming effortlessly to them. I sometimes try to project an image of carefree mam - it's not real. When I'm at home (and I have only 1 child) I can often be found staring into the middle distance wondering if I'll ever be stress-free again, ever have me-time again, ever come off auto-pilot, ever have an adult conversation. You are not alone. It will pass. Or rather: hopefully your feelings will come and go. I hope so. God you summed it up though - loss of control. You have to take back control in bits. Take back the odd weekend. take back one night a fornight (oh yeah - I should take my own advice too!).

PACIFIC- u are not alone. I bet 90% of this thread feel exactly the same- me included. If I could give him back......... Would I??

SARISKA- DS already in a bed- made no difference to his sleep it was just that he was able to reach door handles nd I wanted to con him that he can't get out of a bed while he's still impressionable (!) and in a sleeping bag ( can't walk!!) worked so far - he plays with his teddies for up to 45m every morning from waking quite happily- I'm just one of life's unfortunates who wakes at the slightest noise and never gets back to sleep!

I am now slightly that I vented yesterday - I feel better today after a full day at work...
DH, of course, had a "lovely day with the boys" . Maybe he is just making it up
Sariska, you made me well up, you eloquent woman .
Re asking your mum: my mother just told me the other day, when she was expecting my brother and had a lot of all-day-sickness, I was about 1 1/2 years old and had totally stopped sleeping during the day . Poor woman. I am now, of course, very keen on daytime sleep, but never get the opportunity.

Re early wakening and sleeping bags: I found darling Joe standing in the middle of my parents' house looking slightly bewildered with his sleeping bag in situ. With bag on, he managed to find a way off the double bed with cot side and made it half-way down the hall, towards the stairs! So, don't trust sleeping bags.
I am hoping that the more active he gets, the more sleep he will need during the day. It worked for the others.
And yep, as per my "eats no vegetable" thread, he has bitten his tongue again, his tongue is in the shreds, he ate next to nothing yesterday or today and today his breath is stinking to high heavens again, aaaaaaaargh! He has been to our GP, to the dentist and to Yorkhill, Glasgow's children's hospital. And forcing an antibiotic on him 3 times a day is just Such A Joy - NOT.
TTSP, TTSP, TTSP.

I havn't been on in ages but gather that there are a few congratulations due!!! Congrats ladies! You know who youbare (and so will I once i have caught up.

I will be back soon

Got the job!!! (runs off like a headless chicken, in search of something with alcohol in it...)

PACIFIC - hugs for bitten Tongue. Know how you feel after a full day or work tho!

SHROOMER- wow! Well done you!!! Start Oct? X

Great news Shroomer, well done

celebratory with Shroomer and commiserative with Pacific. Poor Joe and his poor tongue, and poor you :(

Shroomer well done you - congratulations

PD sorry to hear about Joe's tongue, poor wee man...hope he heals fast xx

Shroomer well done!! How exciting!

PD I'm so sorry to hear about J's tongue, poor wee baby. Also wanted to say that I meant to write something on your other thread but did not have time. But I was very touched by what you wrote. I only have 1, but I can relate so much to your feelings. Thank you for having written that!

and Sariska I loved your post. I'm sure you'll do great in your masters :)

Over here everything is well. Being with family during the day and work during the evening. We have 3 Scottish couples arriving tonight to spend a few days with us. My mum's flat will have 8 adults and 4 babies ... hope we can survive! Wish me luck!
V's baptism will be on sunday. I bought him such a cute outfit! :)

one note: the weather is not that great, it has been cloudy and it's not particularity hot for August.

x

At last! A chance to catch up with the MMMMs. This has been the Most. Hectic. Week.

DH has had a tonsillectomy. One week later he's got an infection, so still in quite a lot of pain, so lounging around the sofa A LOT looking pale and feeling sorry for himself

DD1 has started P1. There were tears. First day, not too bad. Second day I had to PEEL her off the buggy, then off me, then DRAG her over to the door screaming. Not good. She's settled down a bit now, thank goodness, but I reckon it'll still be a good couple of weeks before she's skipping merrily off to class. She looks great in her wee uniform though! [proud emoticon]

DD2 has regressed in terms of sleep. Where previously she would sleep most of the evening without needing re-settled, she's now up every hour and usually going into the bed with me around 10.30 for the rest of the night, where, of course, she sleeps great. The poor patient (DH) is relegated to the sofa. Well, he says he's got peace and quiet and is closer to his drugs [bad wife emoticon]

I just had a job interview this morning! I think it went ok - I had lots of experience to talk about, felt pretty relaxed, liked the interviewer/boss dude, although of course I thought of stuff afterwards I wished I'd said! It's for a FT role so I will have to make a Big Decision if I get offered it. I never thought I'd consider FT with two small children but I'm beginning to realise I'm not going to get anything in my industry if I don't compromise on something. So, I reckon if I take FT for now, it could lead to more options in the future. Anyway, I'll worry about that if I have to - and I've got to wait two weeks to hear - that's AAAAGES!!

So, thanks to all that I'm running round like the proverbial headless chicken, imbibing more coffee than is recommended and generally feeling knackered by about 6 o'clock. I might have a wee tonight - I think I've earned it!

In no particular order:

Fliss Congratulations! That's fab news. I hope you're keeping well.

Shroomer Fantastic news re procedure and job! Double whammy! I'm so glad things are going well.

Arcadie Well done on being an Auntie again!

Evitas - enjoy the baptism and the Scottish visitors - sounds like you're having a busy time of it as well!

Manda thinking of you, too.

PD I SO know how you feel. We bumped into each other on a similar thread recently so I can sympathise. I think it comes in waves, for sure, and the holidays were never going to be easy! I hope venting, getting other people's views and getting some time to yourself will improve your outlook. Main thing is - don't feel guilty. You are normal. Do what you have to do to make it work, whether that's more time at work, getting a nanny, running off to the Bahamas for a week by yourself...whatever. I worry sometimes that I'm considering the FT work as a sort of escape, but that it just won't improve things and all the same issues will still be there - lack of sleep, whining, not eating, boredom - except I'll be tackling it all even more exhausted from working all the time too! On the other hand, it could be just the thing to balance out work and home life and I might then really cherish the time I get to spend with the kids. Me me me. Sorry, I'm just giving my perspective I guess, hth.

OK. Gotta go and pick up DD1 from school. This new routine's going to take a bit of getting used to!

Happy Friday, hope it's a good weekend for you all.

Heckle why a two week wait? That is ages!

Shroomer, both the interviewers are going on annual leave for a week then doing more interviews the following week. It's going to drive me crazy!

Congratulations, shroomer, I hope you are still on a high ! V well done, here have some .

Heckle, I am keeping everything crossed for you - 2 weeks is a looooong wait. We felt bad we had to let a recent interviewee for the post of practice manager wait for 48 hours.

evitas, here's hoping for lovely day tomorrow. I am sure V. will look adorable.

Hi, DizziDoll, nice to 'see' you.

We went to soft play hell this morning and Joe decided that the baby bit was, well, just for babies and marched straight over to the Big Boy bit. Up the squashy steps... and back down again, bumpitybumpitybump, on his bum or lying on his tummy, over and over and over again!! His teeth must have rattled, but he always came up laughing and made his way back up again.
BTW, he is about to drop his rubbish daytime sleep, I think; 15 minutes yesterday, 25 today. . Apparently, I stopped sleeping during the day aged 1 1/2 years... (when my mum was pregnant with my brother and had a lot of all day sickness ). And I thought, I was the ideal child, seeing that I turned out to be the ideal mother NOT .

Have a nice weekend, all!

....oh, and I fed a troll today

I saw PD and I hadn't clocked AT ALL that it was a troll until right at the end. I get sucked in EVERYTIME there is one.

I thought your responses were amazingly calm, witty but you took no prisoners. I nearly posted just to cheer you on. Gutted that it got pulled cos the troll ones are some how the funniest....sorry you got pulled in.

you ok?

I am fine. I genuinely don't care whether it was genuine(-ly weird) or a purposeful troll - but did you see the reaction she/it got ?!

Talk about a raw nerve. Blimey.

And of course you're fine. You're PD What was I thinking?

Dammit, I missed a troll thread? Which one?

OP: I'm foreign and don't want to BF or have skin to skin after birth, can they force me to?

Everyone: No.

OP: What? WHAT? How DARE you tell me my choices are wrong?

Most people: Oh. Troll.