Feb 2010 - we're stroppy, sassy and splendid (and that's just the mums!)

[BigBadBear]

New thread!

Ouch to the early risers (and sorry about he boo Mous - I realised earlier today tha it wasn't you. Think BC, but I'm clearly no expert!!)

Happy hols BG*. Hope you get some good weather. DD2 sounds very cute! I'm jealous as back at work tomorrow. Hopefully, my mum will collect DS1 early from nursery for a sleep, as he's now got a cracking cough and cold to add to the tiredness and I'm not sure he'll manage three nursery days without sleep.

IC the festival thing sounds cool. PB of eight nights? We're still at 2 I believe, so jealous of you too!!

SB glad your head is okay. Not sure I'd have risked it before a clock change. The boys mananed until 6:20 new time so DH and I were very relieved, especially as only one wake up at 12:30a.m, so got a nice long stretch of sleep afterwards.

I forgot to mention DS2's big positive news of the last week - he has been saying poo and then going on the toilet when put on. Regularly now getting wees and poos on it, although I think he is too big for the potty and much prefers the toilet. On Friday, he took himself to the toilet, I couldn't find him and then he told me where he was and went when put on. I'm in no hurry and have no time for guessing games this time round (the poor child doesn't even get a book to keep him there for a few minutes!), but he seems quite keen to copy his big bro.

Happy Birthday Scones!

Happy Birthday scones! Boo on the sleep - not long now until your LO is here.

IC your festival sounds great. Very admiring of you doing that kind of thing with your DD in tow.

PA lovely pics on FB.

SB good for you on the vodka!

BG enjoy your holiday!

Hi mous and any one else I haven't mentioned individually.

beth your battles with DS1 (gluten) and DS2 (bed) sound hard work. The latter definitely struck a chord with me as I am thinking about putting DD2 into a bed. She is almost filling her cot (she must be taller than DD1 was at the same age, as DD1 went into a bed at 23 months) but another consideration is the fact that if she wakes during the night, she has to have physical contact. As she is in a travel cot (but with proper mattress) this kills my back. DD1 went into a bed with no problems at all, but beth's story makes me wonder whether we were just lucky. Anyone else done it successfully yet?

We have had good news in that DD2 has been discharged from the biomechanics people. Her walking is fine and her odd foot positions have now all but resolved. She will always be quite bendy, I suspect, but she seems to be able to manage it herself quite successfully, so it's all good.

happy birthday scones! babyscone stay put for today, but don't make your mum wait too long!

Hats off for the potty training, bethy!
Sorry if I sounded a bit blase about the 8 days - I'm even more in awe of you than I was before now!

Good news on DD2, BBB!
I feel a bit of a fraud about the festival - it was in our local park, 5 mins walk away and we were only there for an hour..! Lovely little community event, though.

What a numpty I am worrying about Trick or Treaters yesterday...! I've now consulted the calendar and realised it's actually Hallowe'en today.... ahem.

DD woke once last night - too hot, I worked out (luckily, fairly quickly) - once I'd taken her cardigan off, she went off again fine - until 07:35, yipee!
Mind you, she wasn't the only one. I got back into our room from resettling DD and DH had stripped the bed and changed the sheet - he'd had a massive night sweat, for some reason. He seems well enough, though.....

IC I was just being cheeky. I will get some sleep one day and the combo of duvet and sleeping bag over winter will help, I insist . I might just have to inform DS2 of that!

Sending Scones some stay put vibes unil at least midnight. Having to share (read give up completely) Valentine's Day with/for DS2's bday is bad enough, but a sharing a birthday is beyond motherly duty!! .

Have had good news on the work front today as they are reducing my caseload a little. This was very good news as I arrived at work today and realised that the trials with DS1's health (and now we think DS2's as well) mean that I'm really in no fit state to be concentrating on work. Hoping the NHS will take pity on our situation soon. DS2 is seeing he GP tomorrow for a referral to paediatrician as we think he has the same problems developing.

Anyway, tha makes me sound sadder than I feel tonight - having a cheeky Monday night alcoholic beverage and would like to offer to share with you all .

scones Happy Birthday, hope it was utterly fabulous for you.

beth would you put DS2 through the testing or just be confident in your diagnosis if it comes to that? Glad that work will be a bit more manageable, may it continue in that direction.

Was going to say that DD had not had any more monster poos, but had one today. I then however remembered she had some soy sausage yesterday. Next one to try is unprocessed soy i.e. tofu. Will also after a break try soy yogurt and veggie sausage again just to rule out co-incidences. At some point I'll try dairy as well.

I felt guilty earlier for 'cheating' by going for a two nap day. DD decided that wouldn't do and just didn't do an afternoon nap but with lots of distraction and going out again we made it rather painlessly to bedtime, despite her obvious tiredness from 1pm.

IC we're also attempting to be savvy, found out we're getting some tax credits which combined with child benefit and shopping a bit smarter means we should now break even each month. Today got a 70 pound TESCO shop down to 50 (which means we also got the 5p/ltr of fuel) and have another 10pound off voucher for next week. Also being the sad job I am been comparing prices of most of our food so now where to buy everything from.

oh, and thanks for all your lovely comments regarding the photos. My mother arrived this evening and will stay until next Thurs so get to postpone the hard bit for a while longer.

dd2 has added a few new words to her vocabulary: Halloween, monster and pumpkin? I also managed to give her a real fright when a large plastic spider fell on her off a mirror where I?d stuck it. She took some convincing that it wasn?t real!
Poor internet connection here so apologies for not commenting individually.

bc new house? Does RL knows you're pregnant?

scones poor you, just saw your FB status, I hope this new LO come out soon...

DS can now say - in English: nice (often linked with food), daddy and in French: chaussure (shoes), eau (water), tata (auntie), mamie (nan), oui-oui (noddy), chapeau (hat) His speech has really come out over the last 2 weeks (sigh of relief that bilinguism is not delaynig his speech)

PA I found this It may help you with your savings.

PA I'm not sure what we'll do yet with DS2. The GP has suggested waiting until we've got through the current trial with DS1, which is a good news (and is treating him for the constipation and tummy ache type stuff now to keep him going). DS1's results will also help to inform our next moves for DS2. Hope the monster poos are kept at bay for a while.

BG DS2 has also added pumpkin to his vocabulary (monster has been there for a while as he is often referred to as one!!) I can imagine DD2's feelings re the spider!!

SB I's so exciting when they say new words isn't it? My friend's little girl did talk later than my DS1 but she has caught up now and is very eloquent (and can talk German, while DS1 obviously can't).

Hi everyone, I'm lurking at some ridiculous hour as I can't sleep yet again 11 days overdue today and really sick of it now.

I had a lovely birthday though, thank you for your birthday messages And I am pleased that I won't have to share my bday, although on the day I'd have been happy to go into labour at any time. Come on baby.

SB yay re the speech!

PA of your mum staying (my mum is on half term this week so for her to stay to help with baby I need to hurry up and have it )

BG enjoy your holiday.

bethy good news about work.

IC hope DH is ok.

BBB great news that DD2 has been discharged.

I suppose I should go back upstairs and at least give sleep a chance. Honestly I just feel like crying (and have quite a lot). I could cope with it so much better if I could bloody sleep.

scones ha! so sorry, I hope that the fact you can't sleep is the labour starting! Are you booked for an induction? for DD1, mine was booked at edd+12.

BBB great news for your DD2

scones were you late the first time? I was induced at 12 days past my due date with DD1, and remember vividly the whole failed sweep debacle. Not long now. In less than a week you'll be holding your beautiful new baby, and this time will feel a distant memory.

Come on Baby Scones!!
Rubbish it's playing such havoc with your sleep. Won't be long now.

Yay for the words, SB!
I saw (and commented on) your thread in bilingualism. I'm amazed you've had such negative comments from people, what ignoramuses! So far DH and I have only encountered enthusiasm at best or interest at worst from people who have heard us speaking to DD in Spanish. Then again, maybe Bristol-dwellers are more used to being surrounded by other languages. I would have thought with their proximity to France the Channel Islands would be more open to French/English bilingualism, but clearly not. Pah.

Good stuff on the money saving, PA - I take it you've been checking out MoneySavingExpert and the splendid Credit Crunch threads here on MN? Lots of good tips!!
How are DS and DD doing?

bethy, Scones DH is fine, thanks. Well, apart from the general stuffiness from having a head cold. Which he's now given to DD (inevitably...!)
I got an alert when yesterday's nap ended after 30 mins because DD unexpectedly coughed herself awake. Then last night DD woke after 30 mins in her cot all upset, but resettled immediately. She did the same at 01.00 (I got up and had a quick wee before I went in to her, by which time, she had already gone quiet again) and again at 03.00 (DH went in and after a quick cuddle, she just wanted to go back in her cot). I wasn't remotely surprised when she woke up this morning with streaming nose and eyes.
Mind you, apart from wanting a few more cuddles than usual, she's doing alright so far - remaining fairly cheerful. She's now asleep in her buggy with vapouriser plugged in and a pan full of steaming water beside her in the hope she won't cough herself awake again...

Yesterday at toddler group one of the organisers came up to tell me they had "had a word" with the mother who accused me of pushing her child two weeks ago. Apparently they weren't very impressed with her attitude and the fact that she just sat texting people while her little boy ran riot, upsetting other children. The organiser also told me they thought I had handled the situation well. I felt so much better about it after that and was full of appreciation that they had taken some action off their own backs.
Apparently that particular family has just moved up country, so we won't be seeing them any more. Which is a relief.

Dinner victory tonight! I made a sweet pepper stuffed with halloumi cheese (inspired from this recipe ) and he ate it all. I think he gets bored very easily with food and need novelty.

IC great news re the toddler group

bethy I'm soo impressed about the potty/toilets use. I'm still fighting with nursery to put him on the potty at nursery. And good luck with DS1 health.

GET OUT babyscones I hope they'll offer you soon a induction soon.

Well, I am applying for a new job. Same money or more but 10hours less a week (I'm still convinced they've done a typo but nobody dares asking!) now just need to write a convincing letter

That looks delicious, SB!
DD doesn't tend to eat either sweet pepper OR halloumi, so I'd be surprised if she went for it, but I might do it for DH and I and some sort of modified version for DD..... hmmm....

Good luck with the job application!

Good luck with the job app SB - sounds great!

IC I'm very impressed that your toddler group organisers had a word with the mother (and it's even better that they've moved away). Sending get well vibes to your DD.

As for me... I'm still not sleeping and still very much pg after another (admittedly not very thorough) sweep today (well yesterday, seeing as it's now early hours of Thursday AM ). I am booked for yet another sweep on Friday when I'll be 40+13, and if that doesn't work I'll give up and get induced on the Sat when I'll be 2 weeks over. I'm hanging on in there as I want a HB - I had DD at home and have only ever imagined having this one at home too. But I am reaching the end of my tether.

The good news is Mum is here to help yay.

scones FX LO will come out soon by itself or with some help.

Well, after yesterday success, DS had a complete meldown at dinner. A pen was left on the table (for the crosswords) and he had a full tantrum when I put it awy, he refused to eat, tired himself so went to bed without dinner; he just had his bedtime bottle If this is the start of the terrible 2, please give me strength (and gin)

Can you guess what we did today from some of dd2?s chatter? ?Mine shoes on!?, ?water?, ?waterfall?, ?it?s the wrong way?, ?papa wrong way!? , ?puddle?, ?muddy?, ?carry me please?, ?walking?, ?acorns?, ?cows?, ?sheep?, ?sheep poo? , ?picnic?, ?juice?, ?raisins?, ?banana?, ?tired?, ?ducks?, ?stones?, 'feet wet'? (some of it said in German but for simplicity here in English)? We did a lovely four hour walk in surprisingly mild weather and both girls did very well. dd1 managed the lot with frequent bribes promises of sweets to come. dd2 did a spot of fell running (to keep up?) and would have loved to walk more but we would have been far too slow to let her walk all or even half the way, so she had to go into the bushbaby backpack. When she was walking we got a lot more comments on her cute walking boots and her enthusiasm for hiking .

Scones Fingers firmly crossed for your HB

It sounds like you're having a lovely time, BG!

Sympathy, SB.
DD threw a tantrum this morning when DH took the hairclip she was fiddling with as she was about to bury it in her porridge. We got her down from the table, took her bibs off and carried on with our breakfast while she hassled us. Eventually she gave up and allowed us to put her back in her chair, re-bib her and give her back her breakfast. Which she then ate. It's all a bit wearing, though.

Thankfully, this cold seems to be retreating fast. After streaming all yesterday, DD slept through (woke just before ten to six though...) and has been experiencing only very mild cold symptoms today - I didn't have to wipe her nose once. We've been using the Karvol vapouriser and the humidifier for sleep but assuming no relapses, I think we can knock those on the head tomorrow.

Blimey, is it almost the weekend already?!

Talking of sleep, not so good here. dd2 is having none of this time change business and starts calling for us at 5 every morning, then 6, then 7ish. Luckily most mornings she believes me when I tell her it is still sleep time and went back to sleep until 7. Having said that, dd1 was up at 6.20 today and made sure everyone else was, too . I'm hoping we will get back into a decent routine once dd1 is back at school next week.

Scones baby alert! See her facebook page. Hooray and congratulations to all the scones family

Congratulations Scones!!! Hooray and welcome to your new DD x