*~*~* August 2010 *~*~* where does the time go?

[CherryPie3]

Only 5 spaces left on the old thread - wonder how long it'll take us to fill ths one up?

Happy chatting :)

Great to hear everyone's news - illness is par for the course here as well. F has had an ear infection for nearly 2 weeks right over Easter (typical) resulting in:-

3 trips to docs including emergency docs on Easter Monday
2 courses of antibiotics
10 hideous nights (watching Fireman Sam at 4am)
5 days annual leave being taken (that's my week in June gone)
1 slightly demented MaidenDevon

She has gone into nursery today for the first time since before Easter.

Still really undecided about no. 2. DH def wants another, I don't . I love our little set up with just the 3 of us, I fear another would tip me into a place where I just couldn't cope. As much as DH promises he would pull his weight (and he does), sometimes only mum will do. F has literally not been put down at all by me for nearly 2 weeks, screaming the place down any time I tried - yes I even used the loo holding her. She doesn't want DH, she wants me when she's ill. Gah, what to do???! I feel awful about denying DH another child but I can't do it just to please him - I tell him he might end up a single father to 2 children with a wife in the insane asylum.

On the plus side with my limpet toddler and being confined to the sofa I have managed to get loads of reading done lately - "Me Before You" by Jojo Moyes had me weeping buckets and I re read "The Help".

I have manged to put a stone on since I returned to work last August (not pushing pram everywhere and eating too many cakes/biscuits that people bring into the office has taken it's toll), so that's my next project...

Love to all. x

maketea and soontobe, how are your pregnancies going? Hope all is well.
Belly Sorry to hear that DH was so ill with the pox, hope all is better by now, can you look at his face now? Is he gorgeous again . I know what you mean about childcare being so expensive. I pay just short of £900 per month for Thomas and not sure how we are going to cope when DS2 arrives. The prices are outrageous. How are you now that you've been ill too. Sending you lots of get well vibes.
CazBX lovely to hear from you. I was broody soon after having T, and I think the age gap you have suggested is a good one (as mine will be 22 months apart) . Enjoy Xander as they grow so quickly.
Marzi how is J after his fall, you are not being overprotective, I think it's normal to be worried. I hate it when T just slightly scratches himself so if he fell and got he injuries J had I would be beside myself, Hmmmm maybe I'm over protective???
Well I am now 33+2, so not long to go to until we meet DS2, we've named him Christian and Thomas kisses my bump and says hello baby. DH is still working away, not due home until 10 days before LO is due, I will just to have to keep my legs crossed. I have found my actual pregnancy easier than first time, its just the circumstances have been harder. DH away and having to work full time with a toddler, all the while getting bigger and bigger with the pregnancy. At the weekend when I want a lie in, Thomas is awake by 6 am, I am not sure how GYA copes, you are a star in my book.
Hope everyone is well and the bugs and illnesses are all gone. Take care xx

Hello everyone! Eek maiden what a lot of illness! We had a similar run, it seemed that poor S was on antibiotics for one infection after another since January but thankfully, all well at the moment. It was really baffling as I had felt we had done all the "right" things re: good diet, BFing etc but the poor mite kept picking things up. You've got plenty of time maiden our LOs are still young, don't fret about another one just yet.

I am 18 + 3 now and not felt baby move yet, I am sure I was feeling S around now so trying to relax that all is well - 20 week scan is in a fortnight and we are going to keep the sex a surprise again. We're decided on a boy's name but not settled on a girl's yet.

Wow dog 33 weeks already! So close now! When I return to work Sep 2013, we'll be looking at £1200 a month childcare - isn't that insane?! That and my exorbitant commute means it will cost me money to return to work which is ludicrous but I fully intend to go back as I've really enjoyed it plus hopefully once S starts school, the pennies will start trickling in again....

A very kind pal donated a Phil & Ted's to us, yay!

Just back from a week in Centre Parcs for MIL's 70th. S loved the pool etc but it really wasn't my cup of tea at all. I'd never been before but found it too busy and too restrictive what with needing to book activities in but I know people love it. Any fans?

Hello all
Do you realise that this thread has been running for over a year!!!!

Maketea I've never been to centre parcs, have often wondered.

I do plan on trying a Haven holiday place later this year, just something simple with having the 2 DSs by then. Anyone had any experience of them?

Hope everyone is well, take care xx

Gosh over a year - wouldn't it be nice to have everyone back again for a little virtual reunion?

S has started biting - we had some instances at nursery earlier this year but they seemed to have eased off but she was like a terrier at Centre Parcs, savaging her 4 year old cousin! It was mortifying and v stressful for me. Then a friend came to stay for the weekend with her 3 year old and same again, the poor little girl was terrified when she left. S bit me yesterday on the leg - it bloody hurt! What can I do?! Worried it might escalate out of control - she has 3 teeth pushing through currently but it doing it out of anger, over a toy or when another child gets too close [sad}

Oh that's hard MakeTea, J is a biter too but thankfully it's almost always me he bites. I have a nasty bruise on my thigh at the moment! We have the travel cot up in the kitchen and plonk him in there for a minute or 2 when he bites as a 'time out'. It worked really well at first but less so now .
There are some threads around on biting if you search. Hard to know what the best approach is though.

J has recovered from his fall except for a faint scar above his eye but hopefully that will go. He is a bit more cautious with steps now but otherwise his usual bouncy self.

dogwalker that's so sweet that T kisses your bump and says hello to the baby! Sounds like he'll be a good older brother :)

Last night J climbed out of his cot for the first time, eek! He came downstairs looking very pleased with himself and then wouldn't go back to bed until I bfed him to sleep. I don't know how we're going to manage bedtimes from now on as he won't bf to sleep every night :( Anyone else in the same position or am I the only one with an escapologist?

The thing is I often feel sorry for her after I've told her off for biting as she looks so confused and miserable, it breaks my heart. But I'm on edge when we're near other children, it's awful.

S is still in a sleeping bag so hasn't tried to escape the cot yet thank goodness, i'd get a terrible shock if she came into our room at night. Can J open the door then?

S can now say her name and surname, it's soooo cute! And when we ask her what Mummy likes to drink, she yells "CUP O'TEA", love it!

OMG Marzi, at J climbing out of his cot . Thankfully T has not done so yet and I've not encouraged him to climb anything either. But T is the same as Maketea's S, as he still wears a sleeping bag to bed, so it prevents him trying to climb out.

Maketea No idea about the biting. T has bitten me a few times, out of anger, but they have been far and few between and he hasn't done it to anyone at nursery. However, he does like to push other children if they are playing with a toy that he wants and they won't give it to him. Sorry but I have no sugesstions.

I have already started the naughty chair for T, don't want to put him on the step, as he would only climb up and down and find it fun. But when T, throws his toys down and on the odd occassion he has slapped me across the face, then he goes on the naughty chair. He knows he is doing wrong and sometimes, smirks whilst doing said naughty thing. Did think I was being awful at first, but they are at the age, when they want to push boundaries and see how far they can go, well T already knows that he can't push that far. I know it's harsh, but I don't want T thinking he can do whatever he likes.
I do hope S, stops biting soon and that you find a solution Maketea, if you do, then let us know, we all may need it in the future.
Take care all xx

J sleeps in a sleeping bag too - unfortunately he can get out of it in about 5 seconds flat!
We don't shut his door at night (he can't open it) and I worry that if we did, he would trash his room and then fall asleep on the floor in front of the door so we couldn't get in (it opens inwards).

Argh! He has just gone to sleep now (I think) after about an hour of repeatedly climbing out and being put back in with a stern 'No', him giggling hysterically all the time. Eventually he got too tired to be able to climb out any more and cried a little bit before giving up and lying down.

Ooooh a flurry of updates

F bit me a couple of times, but in excitement when we were playing, not intentional, though I did give her a stern "NO BITING"!

Sleep seems to have gone to pot here particularly since she was ill and now she is getting some major molars coming through, she's in agony poor thing. Is Calpol with infant nurofen the strongest thing they can have, it just doesn't seem to touch the pain for her (with Bonjela and teething powders).

I bought "The No Cry Sleep Solution for Toddlers", will give it a go when she is feeling more herself. I honestly haven't had a full night's sleep since she was born and am running on empty (and we're co sleeping!)

On a positive note, we have booked a 10 day holiday to Majorca in September, hopefully days on the beach and swimming will wear her out she's so full of energy and never wants to "give in" to sleep. Only a 2 hr flight from our local airport and an hour transfer on arrival - just about doable with fractious toddler. We'll have our wedding anniversary and DH's birthday whilst we're there so at least we'll be marking the occasions, unlike last year and 2010!

MakeTea Childcare for more than 1 is ridiculous, it's what puts me off having another one - I worked out by the time 2 were at school we would have spent more than £36,000 on childcare and that's with my parents doing one day a week for free! I agree that the nursery nurses deserve a decent salary as they have a very responsible job, I just think there could be more assistance from the Government (DH & I claim maximum in childcare vouchers in exchange for salary sacrifice).

Some for you ladies cooking the next batch of babies and for everyone else

Well we now have an escape proof sleeping bag (hopefully), so no more difficult bedtimes thanks J!
Maiden my Dsis has used the No Cry Sleep Solutions for babies and had pretty good results so really hope it works for you

Maiden Hope the sleep solution for toddlets works for you. I can't imagine going this long without a good night's sleep. Will keep my fingers crossed for you.
Marzi Hope the new sleeping bag works, keep us updated, what have you done, put a padlock on the zip .
Had a lovely day with T, we've been swimming this morning. We normally go on Sundays, but the pool is ever so busy. So now that I'm on ML again and T only goes to Nursery 3 days a week, I thought we would try the swimming on a week day and oh it was so much quieter, will be going again through the week.

Well my DH has been working away 6 months today and I've still got another 4 weeks until he comes home. LO is due in 5 weeks. Hope DH makes it back in time . I need him home so that I can have a bit of a rest, being a temporary single mum for 6 months whilst pregnant is not ideal.
Hope everyone is well, take care xx

dog will you keep T at nursery while you're on mat leave? I'd love too as my head is reeling wondering how I'll manage a 2 year old and a newborn but it's so costly, I'll probably withdraw her from nursery (which is sad as she loves it and I am really happy with her there, she is thriving) then save up my childcare vouchers so I have a wodge banked for return to work next year.

Good on you, I can't imagine not having DH around for such a long time - hold on lickle baby, don't arrive before Daddy!

Hi Maketea Yes keeping T in nursery 3 days a week whilst I'm on ML. It is expensive, but slightly cheaper now that I've dropped 2 days per week. He just loves it so much and has so many friends there.
With a newborn and T being so active, I don't think I could keep him properly entertained every day. I know that was the norm 30 years ago, but honestly I just don't think I could do him justice. I'm just too old .
It's a big decision isn't it. Will have to decide what to do with both DSs when I go back to work next March. Thinking of keeping T with his 3 days, putting LO in for 1 day a weekk, to help with socialising etc and then having an au pair again. DH not keen on au pair, but we cannot afford 2 x full time nursery spaces.
Have you managed to stop S from biting yet? Hope you've had some success.
Take care x

Sorry I've been absent, everyone is pretty much well again now. Can't believe how soon some of you are having more babies! Exciting times.

Hope your DH makes it home for the birth, dogwalker and lucky that you are able to afford to keep some nursery time to give you time with the newborn - it wouldn't be remotely financially viable for us if/when No 2 comes along as I would only get SMP.

Biting sounds embarrassing maketea but rest assured you won't be the only one with a biter. When E gets angry with me sometimes she has been known to bite me on the bottom but as far as I'm aware she hasn't done it to anyone else. She has taken to pulling me off the sofa, getting me to sit in her little chair, then taking my seat. The cheek of it!

marzi the idea of E managing get out of bed terrifies me because it means we would have to completely move everything around, as I currently work from her room two days a week so has lots of computer cables and such - not good for a toddler running around on her own! Hope the sleeping bag helps. We have just recently stopped using sleeping bags as E was getting out of them and she now sleeps with a little quilt her auntie stitched and gave her when she was born. I do usually go in during the night when she's asleep to cover her feet back up again though.

I am so sick of this weather. The only good weather we've had this year either myself or E was at one end of a D&V bug. I am longing for just a little bit of sun. Is that too much to ask.

Hola Popstars!

Oh my goodness, so many of you are duffed up again...huge congratulations & big awe from weehector, who can barely manage to run a brush through her hair & wash A's face before making it to Gymtots in the morning (late, obv).

I'm still not working...more awe to those of you juggling that & wowsers to the astronomical costs...so I'm having the loveliest of simple times at the moment. A is huge amounts of fun & still very physical so we're out & about a lot - collecting shells & throwing stones on the beach, endless trips to the park & the back garden resembles the It's a Knockout set. No trips to A&E yet but it's only a matter of time. Sleeping great (about fecking time - 17 months of party, party or night feeding), feeding great (still bf & obsessing about breast reduction now - boobies ruined), developmentally he's doing really well (loving that he can speak now) - so it's all good here! (sorry, if I'm sounding like a smug cow). I've also got a bunch of fab mums to drinkwineduringthedaywith chum around with & it's fantastic seeing all the babies starting to play together now. I've no regrets whatsoever about staying home for 2 years but we're both ready for nursery now so a proper, scary job will probably loom on the horizon from August if I can squeeze into the suit & anyone will have me. I hope they do as I'm fed up with beans, holey socks, grey bras & a car where the audio system & windows won't work & the back door won't open. How I dream of doing a M&S foodshop..& using my brain again.

Next stop potty training & big beds I guess. Anyways, hope you & your toddlers are all happy & well.

Much love...WH x

Hello hello hello! Sorry for not posting in such a long time. Really lovely to hear from hector - sounds like you're doing brilliantly! Would be v interested to hear how a return to work goes after 2 years off as that will be me once I've had number 2... keep us posted!

Had my last scan at the hospital today - King's College is doing routine scans at 32 weeks now (think it's for a study) and it was lovely to see the baby again. Still can't quite believe we've managed to hold off finding out the sex this time round. It's making choosing a name really hard! In fact, the name conversation is basically off-limits at the mo. DH either makes hilarious suggestions along the lines of 'Wayne Rooney Jeffers?' or zones out while I try and give him my list, rejecting each name in turn. Grrrr. Reckon we'll end up being one of those couples with a 5 week old without a name, panicking about registering the birth!

Speaking of DH, he's buggered off to Thailand for a week for work - although has suspiciously been reading loads of street food blogs, making lists of places he wants to visit and has borrowed his brother's fancy camera. THAT doesn't sound much like a work trip to me! It's the longest and furthest he's been away since E was born, so I'm feeling a bit pathetic tonight. I find being in charge for days on end quite exhausting - dog I honestly don't know how you do it. You're properly amazing.

We're keeping our nanny share going until my SMP runs out at the end of the year. From there... it's probably just me looking after the two kids, with hopefully a few half days of something or other for E to do so he can run around with older kids and get used to being in a noisy/hectic environment (he is a bit of a wimp, bless him). I have literally no idea how it's going to be having two kids to look after. I feel like I don't have a spare second in the day as it is, so I'm a bit, err, nervous about that. That said, everyone seems to just get on with it, don't they? I'm sure it'll be okay!

In the meantime, I've just started maternity leave and Eli will still be going to his nanny share three days a week, so I'm really looking forward to some daytime naps, pottering about in the garden, getting some LOOOOOONG-standing stuff done to our flat and generally making the most of mat leave this time round. BECAUSE I WILL NEVER HAVE THIS MUCH SPARE TIME AGAIN! Mwahahaha!

Sorry, think this heat has got to me a bit. The sun is lovely, but do spare a thought for the sweating preggos out there right now. It is HARD work.

Before I go - Maiden how is the sleep going for you now? Bless you. We had a year of no sleep and I thought I was losing my mind. I can't imagine having disrupted nights for almost two years. Sending you good sleep vibes!

Much love to you all xxx

Hello my lovlies - I don't know where the time is going, have to start thinking about a birthday party for Felicity soon as we did nothing last year bad parents, she's off to parties all the time so I kind of feel it is expected - am sorely tempted to outsource the whole thing, the thought of toddlers rampaging through my house is more than I can cope with.

Thanks for asking about the sleep Nat, the latest "fun" thing is that as well as waking during the night, she now isn't getting remotely tired until 10pm, so we've taken the brave step (started yesterday) of stopping any daytime sleeping. She's never been a great napper anyway (needs complete darkness/movement/absolute silence) so it's a relief really to stop it - too stressful. I managed to get her to 4pm yesterday, but she fell asleep for 15 minutes in the car on the way back from the supermarket. She still had a bit of fight in her at 7pm and messed about for a bit but went off within 20 minutes, woke at 8.30pm for a drink, then again at midnight (no reason other than I'd normally be in bed with her by then and I wasn't), then she slept through until 7am with just a bit of shush patting needed in the night - woohoo.

My only problem is the nursery have a very strict routine for their babies (F doesn't move to the toddler room until August), and they won't stop the nap cold turkey - all the babies sleep from 12-2pm (except F who wakes early and goes in with the pre-schoolers while the "good" babies sleep like err babies). This morning they said they would wake her after 45 minutes if she was still asleep, and gradually reduce it - she will be SO grumpy if they wake her up, but that's their shout. I'm sure it'll all work out (eventually...)

Nat I hope your DH brings you something very lovely expensive from Duty Free. My DH has been working stupid hours since his promotion and am feeling a bit like a single parent during the week , I don't know how you service wives do it for months at a time. It's so lovely seeing the babies on the scans isn't it, I had one at 32 weeks with F, not long until you meet your little one now.

Is anyone potty training yet? I've started leaving the potty in the dining room so F can get used to it before we start, but I can't see her being ready for ages yet.

Sounds like the right thing to do, Maiden. Some kids need their naps, some kids need to drop them when they're still pretty young. I'm glad the nursery is bending the rules (!) a bit for you - having your kid up until 10 just means absolutely no time alone. Or, frankly, tidy up shit in the house to get ready for the next day! I know a couple in Paris and their kid goes to sleep when they do, pretty much. In fact, last summer when we were in France, the French people we met could not BELIEVE that Eli went to bed at 7pm. They thought it was really mean. I love Eli more than anything, but by 7-8pm I want a quiet meal, telly and some good old internet time with no aggressive keyboard banging/demanding to look at pictures of buses, THANKYOUVERYMUCH! (Oh, and some time with DH, obviously!)

Anyhoo, I hope you start to see an improvement with F's sleep at night.

Eli has started telling me he's going to do a poo before he does one - admittedly about 2 seconds before, but it's a start. We've had a potty around the house for ages, but it's mostly used as a place to store small plastic toys. He likes to sit on it with his clothes on, but no dice with a bare bum. I keep meaning to start taking his nappy off in the evening before bath so he can roam around a bit and we can try and catch a wee or two in the potty so it clicks for him. I must confess, I'm usually so tired by about 6pm at the mo though that I can't be arsed. Plus the baby will be here soon, so it feels like maybe we should just hang off potty training for a bit until the first 3 months are over... Dunno really. Anyone else trying yet?

Hi all
soontobe when is your LO due. I'm only 12 days from due date and I'm hoping the LO won't keep me waiting that long. Wish I could have had another scan at 32 weeks, but my local hospital doesn't do it for none risk pregnancies.
Maiden, I do hope the sleep keeps on improving. I've been very lucky with T, he has a bath at 7pm, then bed, he plays for a short while in his cot, but is normally fast asleep by 8pm. He wakes anytime between 5.30am and 6.30 am, but he happily plays in his cot for at least an hour, then I hear him calling out "Mummy breakfast", so I know it's time to get up.

Thankfully DH came home last Friday, YIPPEEE, I'm so happy to have him home. With me moving from Germany last year, DH and I haven't lived together for 14 months. He would visit as often as he could whilst he was still in Germany, but then the last 7 months he's been in Afghan, so no visits. So it's great to have him home at last, and for him to be properly living here. I don't think I could have coped being a single mum of 2. At least I'm not back at work until next March. Loving the maternity leave again, shame I will never have this time again, but I turn 40 later this year and so 2 LOs is plenty, no more for us.

Hope everyone is well, take care xx

Yay for Mr dogwalker being home!!!

And how exciting that there'll be new babies popping out in the next few weeks :)

Sorry for my rather long absence, just haven't had much mental energy for posting really! We're doing ok, although having a rather crap week. I think it might be the heat but J's not been napping well and difficult at bedtime so hopefully that'll settle down soon. J is finally getting going with talking which is nice, although most of his words aren't very clear (triangle is 'gul', bus is 'buh', and milk is 'muk'). It's very cute though :)

Great to see you again Hector, sounds like you are doing really well. Would be great if some more oldies popped in to say hi (hint hint)

Hi all
DS2 made his appearance on Sunday night at quarter to midnight, weighing in at 6 lb 15.5 oz. Put T to bed on sunday at normal time, then told DH I'd been having contractions all day, he was . Waited til cx were 2 mins apart then went to hospital had DS within 2 hours of arrival. No pain relief again, think I must be mad. Had 2nd degree tearing again, but was home at 4am in my own bed.
When T woke on Monday, he came in bedroom, saw LO, gave him a kiss and cuddle. It was so amazing. I'm a very happy new mummy again, with sore boobs.
Hope everyone is well, take care xx

Wow dogwalker, that's amazing!!! Congratulations
Hope all is well and the boobs settle down soon. How lovely that T didn't even know you were gone, just woke up to find a new baby brother!

Hi, its Caz, have namechanged. Just popped in for a nose and seen lovely news. Aw dog congratulations! :)

X is amazing. He was 8 months old yesterday and he's so desperate to be stood up all the time and is trying to crawl. He'll be a mover before long I think!

Tomorrow it will be two years since we lost Belle, and her 2nd birthday is next Thursday. This year its all much more low key compared to last (no massive fundraising events this year!) but we're going to the annual Sands service in the national memorial arboretum tomorrow and have lots of pink things planned for her birthday.

Time moves by so quickly doesn't it, I have a should be 2 year old.

However this must be the slowest moving thread of MN I reckon!!

Wow Dogwalker what an amazing birth story, does the new arrival have a name yet? Seeing T with him must melt your heart all over again.

Fioled You and Belle (and Xander and Jon!) are never far from our thoughts, Belle will always be our first August Baby. Xander sounds like an absolute joy, when they get on the move, it provides a whole new set of problems, but more fun in a way! I remember leaving F sat on her mat in the lounge playing, when I looked again after being out of room for 2 mins she was nowhere to be seen - she had steathily rolled from the lounge to the dining room and was wedged between a chair and the table leg. She was 9 months old and it was the first time she had rolled anywhere, within a couple of weeks she crawled, then started cruising and walking at about 12/13 months. Once they get a taste for it, there's no stopping them.

After months of worrying about her lack of talking (lots of gobbledegook but nothing more than mummy/dada/water that we could understand) she turned to me at the weekend and said "Me get icecream" so it appears she has been listening to everything we've been saying she was just waiting for her moment (of course we bought her an icecream ).

Dropping the nap completely didn't work, so we are down to 30 minutes at 12pm which makes for a reasonable bedtime. Her night time sleeping is much improved as well, I feel nearly human again