FEB 2010 Coming on in leaps and bounds and little steps

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Where did our babies go?!
Anywhere and everywhere, the moments our backs are turned!!

Oh yes, tantrums! DS throws himself backwards or on his knees, screaming... It'll happen if he wants food and you refuse it, want me to go somewhere with him, ... I thought this was due to happen with the terrible 2 not the terrible 1!

BBB I taught DS to crawl upstairs and tried the same with going downstairs but he much prefers to walk up and down the stairs like a grown up! So gates are a necessity to keep me sane.

yep even though DD is quite capable of getting down off the sofa correctly, she still head dives off it every so often.

DD had another rough night, but then again so did I. I was thinking how I can expect her to sleep through when I've been lying here awake for 3 hours . She's waking up too early and still clearly tired so is then grumpy.

Also struggling a bit with the fact that she prefers DH now a lot of the time, which I know is a good and natural thing, but still.

PA your dd seemingly preferring your dh to you is probably just a little girl and her daddy thing rather than to do with you working. Both mine do that and dd2 now greets dh with her arms outstretched and a dirty look towards me 'Save me from that mad woman!'

Stan Sorry you feel a bit rough. At least you know it's not too long now (is ist 39 weeks you'll have your cs?) with no chance of going overdue and adding a few weeks... And four flights of stairs? Wow. You either live in a very narrow or very large house

BBB I was quite prepared to go without stair gates (because with dd1 it's the gate that caused her to fall down the stairs, not the stairs themselves) but dd2 is very quick and the layout of our landing makes it quite likely for her to lose her balance and tumble downstairs. You are lucky yours listen to no! If I say no to dd2 she gets the giggles and walks or crawls even faster towards the top of the stairs . Having said that, she was most annoyed about the stair gate/safety guard I put up today in the doorway of her room. I won't use it too often but it will come in handy if I am trying to tidy and fold away washing, going from room to room.
As for tantrums, dd2 had one major and two minor meltdowns today and has two lovely new bruises on her forehead and chin. (Our floors are tiles or floorboards mainly so no safe area for her to bang her head on...)

BC have a fab time on holiday and make the most of the sunshine (hopefully) and food etc.

IC dd2 also often sighs with relief when put in her cot after a busy day. She is in bed by 6.30 and can get quite vocal about wanting to go in there with her cuddly bear and sod the rest of the book we are reading

PA same thing here for coming down the sofa

BBB I like the way you taugh your DD1 to stay in bed, I'll steal that for later

Tantrums! Excellent - so glad to hear that they are the norm. DD's don't seem as spectacular (yet) as some of yours but I'm sure they'll get there. DP and I have decided to consider DD's tantrums an indicator of great advancement - the terrible 2s when still under 18months. sc I'm liking the calpol idea.

I think I'm getting quite hormonal. A couple of threads I posted on have really wound me up. On one I was trying to encourage the OP to go for another child in her 40s - and was accused of being "smug". The poster who called me this had had a terrible time healthwise after a child in her 40s - which is rotten - but I was only trying to be positive to help the OP. In the other - my ante-natal thread - someone who is some kind of health practitioner was all snooty about my praise for ELCS. Again - I only speak of what I know and my experience was fantastically positive. Again, I was trying to reassure someone who is expecting to have to have an ELCS.

Lastly - I remember a few of you were interested in my fascinating but depressing job working with families bereaved through murder. There was a programme on Radio 4 at 8pm last night about the Victims' Commission (my office) which included some really powerful, though upsetting, interviews with victims - if you are interested it'll be on iPlayer for a week.

I was most amused by your description of your mum's holiday, Bc! I spent a day in Zagreb once - I really enjoyed it.
I'm totally with you on the Sean Bean thing too. Mmm. DH got me the entire box set of Sharpe purely based on the fact that I'd mentioned I found Mr Bean rather attractive...
How's your throat, btw? All better now?

Thanks for the 07.00 early rising tips, BBB!

I'll try and find that prog, Stangirl, it sounds very interesting, as does your job.

Bad luck on the crappy night, PA. I sympathise with the insomnia. I woke at 05.00 this morning and couldn't get back to sleep, too much activity in my brain.

Some impressive tantrums by the sounds of it, Soc. I wonder if second children are more inclined to throw major wobblies? My sister's second was the same. Not exactly a statistically significant sample, though!!

DD's breakfast eating has improved since I started making sure she always has something to keep her occupied while I'm feeding her. Today it was three coffee spoons. They got us through a generous bowl of porridge, two prunes and half a slice of toast and butter. She's now put them in her brick trolley for safe keeping, along with two clementines and once of her birthday cards.

Hello all as usual I have been reading your news regularly but not having time to post.

I must say those tantrums don't sound like much fun to deal with. Ds gets a bit stroppy but nothing as bad as that. Yet...... Ds is doing fine and I have finally got him to settle at bed time without being fed to sleep. It hasn't stopped him waking every 3 hours in the night for some reason, so I am going to start working on that tonight. Feel tired just thinking about it.

Some of his new little things are feeding himself with his spoon and fork. He actually eats much more that way as long as we are all eating the same thing, and he can steal it from my plate. If he has something different from us he won't eat it. He is also obsessed with scribbling and will sit for ages with a pen and paper creating little masterpieces. My dad also built this thing called a fun pod which is basically a box with adjustable heights, which they can stand in and be at the same height as the kitchen counter etc. Well he loves to stand at the sink with the tap running and pour and drink and generally create a lot of mess. At least I get to make dinner at the same time.

Going to have to cut this short as I can hear ds has just woken up. Hopefully be back later.

I'm glad to see I'm not alone in the tantrum season.

DS is having settling in session in the toddlers' room at nursery. My baby is out off the babies' room on Monday!

PA I hope you had / are having a better night.

stan it is your right to be hormonal! Sometimes forums are a bit 'odd', I once was told in a gardening forum that because I was French I was mistaking the word spider for ant as what I was describing wasn't a spider attitude! WTF I know the bloody difference How long do you have left until your ELCS?

Good luck tonight chinook

Well, we had an interesting night of it last night.
DD threw a wobbly just after lights out (unusual nowadays) and refused to go to sleep until I stood in her bedroom while she settled down (took about 25 mins).

Then she woke at oneish and didn't go back to sleep for almost 2.5 hours. She didn't feel hot, doesn't seem to have any new teeth coming through, but in the end I gave her a dose of ibuprofen in case something was causing her discomfort and eventually she went back off until 07.00.
DD then decided she didn't want her morning nap, but went into meltdown over lunch, meaning a quick transfer into the buggy trundler. She was asleep within 3 mins and stayed asleep for more than 2 hours. Even I managed to grab a nap, hoorah!

Anyway, I did a few calculations and sure enough, we are three weeks short of the 66-week spurt (corrected) - DD usually gets a bit restless a few weeks before these things, but generally recovers again by the time we hit the spurt itself. It would explain why she's gone back to night-waking again over the last week.

TTSP....

How did it go, chinook?

Spookily similar to you actually IC. Ds took 2 hours to settle at bedtime, which is practically unheard of. Then he woke an hour later, completely ruining my date with The Apprentice, which I love. By this stage I gave it up as a bad job, took him into bed with me, and I think he woke one more time for a quick feed before getting up at 6.00 ish. (v. early for him). Sleep regression here too methinks. Dd normally sleeps like a dream but I found her asleep in our spare bed for some reason at 9 pm. Luckily for me ds is at nursery for 6 hours today so I have time to myself. Unfortunately I have had to spend most of it doing housework. I did manage to catch on iplayer a programme someone recommended. It is one of those inside the body ones explaining about conception. How any of us got pregnant is a mystery! I can highly recommend it if you have a spare moment (!). There was a really fascinating bit which explained how we are born with all our eggs, so a part of us has been in existance since our mothers were foetuses inside our grandmothers. So any of us who have dd's have already created the eggs for them which will turn into our own grandchildren eventually. Mind blowing stuff.

I have remembered a couple of things I wanted to ask yesterday. Ds is biting a lot. I don't think it is teething as he has practically got them all. It is not vicious more cheeky. I know I am not supposed to react, but it is so hard not to yelp in pain when he takes a chunk out of my leg. Of course he thinks it is hilarious when I cry out. Am I raising some sort of sadist or can I do something?

Also I have been finding my feet ache a lot now, especially my heels. When I put my pre-ds work shoes on a few weeks ago they felt too narrow so I think my feet spread a little when pregnant, which I know can happen. Is anyone else suffering?

Oops, been blabbing so long it is time for the school run.

IC, chinook sorry your nights were bad. Mine was a bit hairy at the start - I got home from work to discover that DD2 had been massively sick and the ILs were flapping, so I bundled them out, then did dinner for the DDs. It was hairwashing night, DH was late home from work, DD2 took exception to not being given milk at bedtime (I try not to if she's been sick as it usually makes her worse), then DD1 decided she wanted the world's longest book read to her so I had to negotiate that while DD2 was howling in her cot. Sat with DD2 but MIL phoned so I had to leave her, but she seemed settled by then so I went and tucked in DD1 before going downstairs to clean the vomit-covered car seat. Twenty minutes later DH walked in, asking what was for dinner and why it smelled of sick - I could have killed him!

And breathe...

Anyway, DD2 seems fine now and had milk this morning with no problems.

I don't know if anyone other than "mous" has seen my other thread, but I took DD2 to the local children's centre for advice on her feet, and then to the HV on their recommendation. She has been referred to podiatry, so I am hoping we can start tackling what I think is a bit of hypermobility. If linked to poor muscle tone, it may explain the constipation she suffered from for a long time as well (though that is thankfully now in the past).

chinook my feet seem to have grown since the DDs as well, and I certainly can't wear heels like I used to!

chinook DS was bitting and then stopped (go and touch wood). I think it is just a phase (hopefully).

BBB at your DH. Good luck with the referral.

IC glad to see you're okay.

Sorry to hear about the bad nights. DS woke up at 2am ish and only resettled once I gave him the dummy.

Also having unsettled nights here... are we approaching full moon again?
dd2 is now having at least two complete meltdowns a day and I am trying to avoid triggers (hunger, tiredness, attempting to help her in any way etc.). Feel a bit embarrassed about her being covered in bruises but what can I do with a house full of hard floors? She's also taken to climbing on things and doesn't always remember to come back down backwards...

Feeling a bit about jobs. Are they like buses? I've got one job offer (massive pay cut but cosy job and part time) and another interview next week (would be much better pay and prospects but more stress). Spent the day begging dd1's old nursery first on the phone and then in person to see if they can possible shuffle around a few children to create a place for dd2 for me to start work in about ten days time (I'm not jumping any queues, I am at top of the waiting list... It's a workplace nursery and they offered me a place twice but without a job I couldn't take it...)
Oh, and I am already having nightmares that dd2 will absolutely hate me once I 'abandon' her at nursery for three days a week...

Waving at everyone...

Full moon is Tuesday (17th). So it can affect 2 days before and after (it does affect my little werewolf 2 nights before).

Hi all quick update as I am at work.

Well DD is now sleeping through 3 - 4 nights out of 7 for the last two weeks! I cannot tell you what a breakthrough this feels. Now that she is walking and running about with confidence she is a much happier girl. Not so frustrated. Although we do have tantrums when I put her in her buggy or car seat and she wants to walk. I have reins for her now as she slips my hand when walking outside!

IC I had EXACTLY the same feeding issues with DD. I used to dread breakfast. It upset me because the mornings used to be my favourite time with her. I ended up giving her fruit pouches that she could suck. This phase lasted about 8 weeks. Then she got ill and had a growth spurt and then ate for England. She still has the odd fuss. Now I have stopped giving jars and do more food she eats herself. She uses a fork rather than a spoon as she likes to "stab" bits of pasta and peas! I also taught her to "dip" bread into the casserole she wouldn't have off a spoon.

Hopefully be back soon. (Hoping to be back online next week!)
Waves to all.

Another shocker last night - DD was awake for bliddy hours. I was lucky if I managed to get four hours myself. I can only assume she was a bit hot (although she didn't feel especially warm) - I put her in a 0.5 tog sleeping bag, but she still didn't settle. In desperation I gave her some paracetamol in case something was bothering her, although I don't like medication unless I'm fairly sure the situation warrants it. Tonight we'll go for a short-sleeved body with the lower tog sleeping bag and see if she's more comfortable.

Anyway, DD woke for the day at 07.10, so we're going for another early lunch/one nap combination. It seemed to work okay yesterday.

Lots of unsettled nights at the moment... (with the exception of LBH - way to go!) - it could well be to do with the approach of that 66 week spurt - another lovely sleep regression.

Soc congrats on getting the job! What a dilemma, though.
PS I'm sure DD2 won't "hate" you at all!

BBB sounds like the evening from hell - I hope last night was okay.

Eating isn't too bad at the mo', LBH. Although we're tending to stick to mainly tried and tested foods for her main sustenance and just offering DD new things when it doesn't matter if she likes them or not.

I was quite chuffed with myself because I made a batch of high protein, healthy cookies which DD seems to be fairly keen on. Basically, peanut butter, half wheat and half quinoa flour, an egg yolk, butter and sweetened with agave nectar. (PA I expect you could do a vegan version replacing the butter with marge or oil and maybe just leaving the egg yolk out, or replacing with some other binding agent)
Dead easy to make and cook - all done in 20mins.

I just bought DD a travel cot - it's of the mini tent variety. She was a bit dubious about it at first, but I've left it up and filled it with her toys so she's already getting acclimatised to going inside. We're hoping DD may be willing to sleep in it so before we go back to the UK so we can ship her cot back. FX.

LBH well done on the sleeping.

IC when are you moving back? I like the sound of your cookies.

Rubbish night over here too. DS started whinging at 2.30am then went louder and louder until 4am when I gave him his dummy. I think the reason why he wakes up and doesn't settle down again is that he knows I'll give him the dummy in order for all of us to sleep. So tonight, we're going cold turkey. I have warned DH that it'll be a hard and sleepless night...

soc well done on the job. DD2 will be fine and settle at nursery.

I'm also giving DS food that I know he'll eat but I always give him something new to try on after the meal (it also help just in case of allergy). Today was feta cheese, he loved it.

We're heading back at the end of June, SB.
Good luck with the sleep training!

Hi everyone

We've been back from holiday a couple of days but this is the first chance I've had to catch up. We cut our holiday short, we were planning to stay two nights in a really lovely-looking and very child-friendly hotel (creche, baby listening etc) but after one night staying with my cousin, with DD in our room, realised we there was no point paying out for a lovely hotel if we couldn't get any sleep At my cousin's we had the worst night since she was born - I got 2 hours sleep and DD only got about 3. It was awful, awful, awful. She will not sleep if we are in the room with her. Does anyone else have this? She's been in her own room since 7 months but has stayed in ours on and off since, the last time being Christmas when she was unsettled but nothing like this. I'm still totally knackered and trying to catch up on the lost sleep.

But other than that we had a lovely time in Cornwall, staying with DH's uncle, eating many pasties and cream teas

She's walking really well now, last night slept through to 7.30!!!! but that's after a few really bad nights while away.

It has been so lovely having DH around and I'm dreading him going back to work on Monday.

Sorry not to comment on everyone individually but SB how is your friend's baby? Congratulations on the job Soc. And Stan please explain how you have four flights of stairs in your house! (I think I heard your programme on R4 - repeated a few days ago).

I turn into a pumpkin in 10 minutes... goodnight everyone.

Oh Scones what a shame you had to cut your holiday short

Love the descriptions of what all your LOs get up to eg helping with the gardening or collecting and hoarding precious (to them) items...
Well, dd2 likes to walk around shouting, lifting her top to show her tummy, and climbing on things and falling down when she forgets to go backwards. Oh and she is adding to her varied diet by trying stones, twigs, soil and earlier she chewed on a mouthful of rotten wood from a shed door (while dh was 'watching' her...). As for real food items, she refuses to eat hard boiled eggs, strawberries or white bread and still likes to spit out the first mouthful of whatever she tries, even if she actually likes it. It's as if she is always surprised by the taste or texture. And she likes to go through an entire meal telling me with every mouthful it is hot and trying to blow on it (when it's already in her mouth so not so effective ).

Oh scones poor you. Shame about the holidays.

DS has now been whinging for 10mn. Fingers crossed he'll stop soon.

Sc what a diversified diet DS also sucks gravel and eats soil. He learned to blow on food too.

How do you get your LO to eat food warmer than what they are used too? His food is never really warm as if it is he will scream like if it's too warm for him (but fine for me).

scones I live in a late Victorian terrace house in a design that is common in London. Basically from the front it looks like a 2 storey house but once through the front door it expands like a tardis and is three storeys at the back. So there are 4 stairs down from the entrance/reception floor to the kitchen, there's a normal length flight from the entrance to the "first floor", half a flight of stairs (10 or so steps) from the first floor to the second and another half a flight from the second to the third. DD's nursery is at the top of all the stairs (along with the main bathroom) and so it's a bit of a slog from there to the kitchen in the morning.

Similar to many of your DCs my DD seems to be a bit grumpy at night the last few days and so last night we gave her 2.5ml Calpol in case it is teething. Haven't heard a peep from her since.

scones we can't sleep with DD in our room either. We all wake each other up. If we go and stay at someone's house we always put her in a different room to us overnight. I always read with astonishment about co-sleeping - we would never have slept!

IC we have one of those travel cot tents and have used it with DD since she was 3 months. She loves it. A friend had the same make being used as a sunshade in her garden recently and DD went over and commandeered it, playing with toys in it etc.