Jan 09: Summer is here, the sun is shining and now they&#146;re early rising <sob>

[Teaandcakeplease]

Shiney new thread.

Hi Stripey - I sympathise, been there when my dogs caught fleas from PILs house - which is constantly infested. Such a pita to get them all - and worse when you're pregnant.

Poor C as well, being picked on at nursery. If they don't do anything to sort it out with just a chat, perhaps a carefully worded letter is in order? That way you'll have something on record and - in theory they'll have to deal with it.

HKZ, 30 day shred is a murderous workout dvd that consists of 20 minutes of evil circuit training.

Awful day here today, ds1 fell apart last night about going back to school - much trauma and sobbing. Took him this morning all vague and subdued. We were just waiting for his best friend to arrive, when they suddenly threw open the doors and told all the children to go straight in because it was blowing a gale and pelting down with rain. He panicked, ran off up the playground towards his new entrance, did't say goodbye or take his pe kit. Called him back, managed to grab a very distracted kiss then off he went again - still without pump bag. He looked so little and lost among all the y5 and 6 kids. They've all shot up over the holidays and he hasn't grown at all since January, so was tiny by comparison. Fortunately one of his teachers (the one from last year that has a child on the spectrum herself and is staying with him 2 days a week this year) saw what was happening and said she'd take him in, so ran after him - I could have kissed her! Waited and gave his best friend his pe kit to take in, so that was ok.

Meanwhile, ds2 started juniors today and was terrified. Its the first year he hasn't wanted to go back to school from halfway through the holidays. He has a very strict, very big male teacher and is really scared of him. It was his teacher (who is also head of juniors) that opened the doors, so he just went straight in without saying goodbye or looking round, I called him but he couldn't hear me because his hood was up and he managed to leave his pe kit with me as well! Gave his kit to his teacher at the door, but felt like he thought I was crap and disorganised, despite doing a lot of prep and organisation to make this morning stress free for the boys.

All of the above took place in a raging storm complete with black sky, howling wind and torrential rain as well.

Came home feeling like doing nothing but comfort eating and curling up on the sofa, but I am having another go at toilet training with dd this week - starting today. Took her to the toilet, sat there for an age - nothing, got off, walked into the living room and weed everywhere! Gah! Gave in and got the potty out for her to sit on while I did my workout - she sat there from 10.00 to 11.30 (she likes it because its a turtle ) and not so much as a tinkle. Tesco delivery arrived - doorbell went, cue massive wee (and first ever wee either on the potty or in the toilet). Aaaargh! Timing! She was so shocked when she weed as well, that I'm wondering if she's still not ready, she really seemed to have no idea it was coming.

She's now been sitting on the potty again since 12.15 and nothing - again! This despite a half a beaker of water and 3/4 of a beaker of apple juice and water and now we're late for nap, because I didn't want to pop a nappy on her for naptime only for her to immediately wee.

Its official, my daughter has the bladder of a camel!

What a day! Now praying the boys have had good days, because it still has the potential to get worse until after I've picked them up.

oh mm what a start!!

sure they will be fine

betteware is a catologue that does homeware

got dd1 in fine into year 2 had the awful rain here and wind 2!!!!!!!!!!1

Thanks Tink.

Turns out ds2 was fine, had a lovely day and has already earned four merit marks!

Ds1 on the other hand, apparently had a 'horrible day that went on forever'. He is not at all happy and has had a total of three meltdowns and two lots of tears since getting home at 3.30. Apparently I have made it all ten times worse by not letting him play on my laptop as well.

On a more positive note, dd did manage another mammoth wee on the potty. Left her in her nappy to do the school run, because she was still half asleep. Took the nappy off when we got home and it was still dry. Tried her on the toilet - nothing. Put her on the potty and she went. So she went from 12.15 to 3.50pm between wees!

Glad DD is getting the hang of it Moose. DS was like that, would only go on the potty for a few months and now will only go on the toilet. (Or, now that he will only pee standing up, it seems around the toilet is a more appropriate description.)
Hope DS1 has a better day tomorrow. What is his new class teacher like? I hope he has a better day tomorrow, it must be hard getting used to being back at school and all the changes that brings.

Stripey, sorry DD is having trouble at nursery. Lily had something similar with a little boy who was very physical and seemed to bite and scratch her. His behaviour got a lot better over the year and they ended up friends, but it did used to make me hmm when DD would get home and come out with " A only hit me once today." The nursery seemed on it though.

DD seemed fine about school, so am hoping it all goes smoothly.

Right off to sell a ton of stuff on ebay.

She's definitely getting there now HKZ, we've now had 3 wees and one poo on the potty and only that one accident very first thing this morning. Seriously hoping she carries on the way she's started out.

I only met ds1's teacher today for the first time and she seemed very nice. She wanted to tell me they'd organised him a peg in the classroom instead of the corridor/cloakroom to hang his stuff on, as he has issues with being crowded around and also needs to return to his bag more frequently than his peers due to lack of self-organisation. Apparently he told her he wanted a peg with everyone else's, so she's done that for now and told him he can change his mind whenever/if he feels he needs to. (Bit of a theme here based on last nights anxieties, he wants to be the same as everyone else and not stand out, but at the same time is noticing how much he's being left behind by them. He actually said to me last night "Mummy, they are all so far ahead of me, they aren't scared of tv programmes or films or going upstairs on their own any more like I am and they can all have those conversations where there's lots of them all talking at once and going from subject to subject. When I try to keep up, I end up getting confused or misunderstanding what they're talking about and then they either think its funny or call me dumbo etc." )

I'm glad she approached me, I think she was keen to let me know that she is on the case, which is reassuring. She's new to the school as of the middle of last year, so a bit of an unknown quantity, but in addition to teaching she's an assistant head and knowing our HT that means she's probably really good. He seems to be very good at employing the right person for the job. He chose the new SENCO and I can't speak highly enough of her.

Good to hear your dd is happy with school.

Are you all settled in now? Did I read something about you decorating already as well? You put me to shame - dd's room still hasn't been done!

Moose your DS sounds so astute, what a lovely boy he is. Its good you have an approachable, on the ball teacher too, at least with someone on the case who understands where your DS needs support he'll be able to progress socially iyswim. It must be incredibly hard for him unlocking the sort of social code that other children find without trying, but Moose, he sounds so sensitive and bright, he put how he felt so clearly.

We knocked a wall or two downand did a bit of plastering, and ripped up a carpet, so am kind of forced to decorate, sanding the floorboards on friday and just painting the kitchen/dining room and thats all we can adfford for now (due to my rather expensive taste in paints ). Luckily the rest of the house is painted in pretty neutral colours so we can take our time.

Playgroup is beckoning..... Dog, thinking of A todasy, hope he has a lovely first day, looked gorgeous in his uniform.

mm - dd is doing great must start with dd soon

glad school went ok for ds2
sorry for ds1

hi hkz

today delivered 50 more catologues

picked up yesterdays alot werent out and alot wet ;(

Thanks HKZ, he is such a sensitive soul in so many ways, just not when it concerns how others are feeling at any given moment. I had to go away and cry when he said that to me the other night, as its almost word for word what Attwood describes in his book.

Turns out ds1 had a truly awful day at school yesterday, lots of tears and meltdowns last night and school refused this morning, in a big way. I got him there though and today has been much better, thank heavens.

Am very impressed with your DIY, we are so hopeless and never seem to get anything done. Mind you, it doesn't help that we live in a shoebox, which means there's nowhere to move all the junk stuff to when we want to decorate a room.

Dd is still doing ok - just one small accident today, but I'm still not convinced she knows when she's about to wee. The successful ones have all been because she happened to be sitting on the potty at the time, which isn't surprising because she's spent most of the last 48 hrs sitting on the potty with her pants round her ankles!

She seems to go so long between wees though, so if she can not go for that long and isn't weeing indiscriminately she must be ready - right?

I didn't even try training the boys until the summer before they started school nursery - so 3.2 ish and it went without a hitch both times, so I feel a bit clueless about what to do with dd. Have read the potty training topic on MN, but am still none the wiser.

Keep going Tink - you'll build up a customer base eventually. I will guiltily admit to never remembering to put Betterware books out on the right day myself though.

Moose, glad DS had a better day. Goo dthat DD is getting the hang of it. I have no idea about potty training, DD was about 3 and it took ages, started with DS in May and he had no idea to begin with but is pretty reliable most days, but its taken all summer. I hope DD2 is one of those kids that just does it...
AM not really all that hot on the diy, DH's mate is a builder an dlives round the corner, so has helped us and talked us through it, and we had to get someone in to do the plastering. Luckily, as this house is bigger than the onein london, we don't have much stuff to fill it, so its easy to decorate at the moment. I need to paint the ceiling tonight, but really don't have the energy.

Urgh! Ceiling painting is about my least favourite diy job. It always makes my arms and shoulders ache. I might be better at it now though I suppose, after all this weight training.

Ds1 just had a spectacular meltdown - one of his finest I think! He took a game cartridge out of his brother's nintendo while he was playing it - because it was his and he wanted it back - which caused the nintendo to freeze and ds2 to get really upset and cry. To which he decided the best reaction was name calling 'pathetic, cry-baby etc'.

Both dh and I have tried to get him to understand what he did wrong. For starters we have a rule that says if you want to play a specific game, you say so either before, or at the start of nintendo time and even if it's your game you can't have it back if someone else in mid-game. He has enforced this rule many a time over his little brother, so I know he understands it. We have tried explaining to him, discussing how he would have felt if it had been him playing the game and ds2 took the cartridge out of his nintendo, used an example of a different, less contentious toy in both scenarios and finally told him that as two adults - who happen to be his parents, whom he should respect - have told him he was in the wrong he should accept it and move on. BUT - no! He flatly refuses to understand it from anyone's point of view but his own - it was his game, he wanted it, so he told his brother he wanted it back and took it. Aaaargh!

He's not usually this 'autistic', but when he's under stress and full of anxiety like he is at the moment, he gets much worse.

I just asked him to apologise to ds2 and he said sorry, but then qualified it with 'but I still don't agree that I did anything wrong'. Which obviously I then explained to him makes the apology somewhat pointless.

Have given up now and put him to bed. REALLY want to eat lots and lots of some chocolate - but am not going to. Good job I'm feeling strong - or dd's potty training chocolate buttons would be in serious danger!

This transition malarky will have me gaining all my weight back in no time at this rate.

I haven't had time to catch up on this thread for a while and have a million jobs to do today. But do any of you know when we should be applying for the nursery place for our 2009's? I know it must be soon The local authority website says to keep an eye on it's page for the date of application

Closing date for our applications is 2 December Tea, but you can apply online now if you want to. With both the boys, they just sent out the paperwork to us at the appropriate time - good job you mentioned it, as I had no idea it could be done online and don't know if that means they no longer send out the paperwork.

I think the application process opens on 14 November for him. The online system is only open for secondary school applications right now. But at least I managed to find some more info. Can never get my head around how soon you have to apply for them.

Hope Ds1's day was better Moose.

Not much happening here, trying to avoid painting the ceiling, but sould really get on with it.

I think the nursery app process is different in each LA. Here and in Hackney you just applied straight to the school. Also I know in both those LAs that if a sibling was at the school you were pretty much guaranteed a place.

DH finishes work on Fri and still doesn't know about the next semester, so looks like I am going to have to dive into the murky world of supply teaching, I got to be a SAHM for all of 6 weeks...grrr.

hi

dd2 has been down for nursery since a few mnths old she starts in jan

mm sorry for ds1s melt downschildless

betteware went great this morning picked up books and got 3 big orders

off to hull this aft till sun for a wedding

Bookmarking

I'm in awe of all you ladies who have been doing the school run everyday. I'm already shattered after just over one week. All quite chaotic here with them both and housework

hi lenni and tea

where is everyone else!!

had a great weekend in hull went up for a wedding dhs cousin friday night till sunday aft and my parents had the girls
stayed in a holiday inn really nice

having a good week

have 100 betteware books all ready to deliver tom

have ordered girls wknd clothes from next using my accnt and have bought dd2 2 things from boden

Hi all

Been for the weekend, camping in Hay on Wye. Wild weather overnight - but lovely during the day.

Tea - you get used to it, but never really love it, iykwim.

Tink - you are so organised with your girls' wardrobes. I haven't thought any further than uniforms for the boys yet.

I am trying to think of a way of bringing some money in. We are in dire need, but it would need to be home based and flexible due to ds1, dd and my health. Don't think I'm brave enough to do Avon, Bettaware of anything like that. Was thinking maybe something web based? Any ideas?

Moose you make amazing cakes and have brilliant children's parties... Something along those lines? Organize themed parties, pit games and party bags together, make cakes but let the parents facilitate it all? I am in awe at the detail you go into, and have at the rainbow / spy/ zombie creations you have made

hkz is right, there is money to be made from making birthday cakes alone. You're fantastic at it all x

Thanks guys, but I can't make cakes to sell, because my dogs live in the kitchen. Have considered using my Mum's kitchen, but that would be a faff with not being able to drive.

I have thought about the party in a box idea in the past, but don't think I have the confidence to pull it off.

i can only suggest betteware really - have made £30 in one week
get fresh air as so does dd2 and get exercise
feels great to be earning own money

Thanks Tink.

Dh and I had a talk last night and he wants me to get back into doing some of the crafts I used to do and have a go at selling them - in particular papier mache dog figures.

The idea is I would make a few and see how they go on Ebay, Misi and Folksy and try to build it up so I can dedicate more hours to it when dd starts nursery next September.

I'm not convinced, but am willing to give it a go - at least for a little while.

If nothing comes of it, its looking like I'll be heading off for an evening job stacking shelves at Tesco.

His other idea was for me to buy and sell baby/toddler clothes on ebay - but I'm not sure there's enough money in it these days.

Meeting with bank manager this lunch-time.

Sorry, that was a negative post.

On a more positive note, I've lost 3lbs since last Friday, measured my waist yesterday and discovered I've now lost 3 inches since I started working out. Gotta love that shred dvd!