Feb 2010 - turning two and turning heads

[BigBadBear]

Thanks everyone. My mum came round with DD and helped with the evening routine, which was lucky as DD was showing off a bit and wouldn't go to bed.
I have had the weirdest Easter ever.
I came home, made a cup of tea and cleaned the floor! I then took the dogs for a walk and tried to clear my head. I am so happy to be alive and felt a bit tearful when DD said "Mummy I love you" tonight. I feel strangely calm.
BC I'm so impressed that you are here on MN. It took me about a month to write anything coherent when DD was born.
Right, off to find a drink

Abs you were amazing today. We're very glad to still have you with us.

Back soon. Hope to buy laptop lead tomorrow.

Happy Easter everyone, and welcome bee
( and Welocme to your 2nd lease of life abs!!). Do you know how/why your bonnet suddenly popped up?
And welcome to your easter baby DD bc

Well we've had an interesting few weeks. DD fell quite ill the 2nd week of holiday, pretty bad cough and cold, in the last 2 days completely went off her milk, and refused to drink the foreign water, and only ate a minuscule amount of food and what ever breastmilk I had left. She lost about 1 kg of weight. On the flight back was completely listless, and had to be held the whole way back. Nearly decided to take her to A&E, except that she was asleep by the time we got home from the airport. Then as soon as she got back, her appetite came back gradually and in the space of 3 days was eating nearly twice what she used to eat prior to trip. Not quite back to her previous weight, but gaining fast thank goodness. On the bright side, at least it was great to be back in the UK [busmile]

Some friends came round for lunch on Friday, one of them had a DD 5 months younger than DD. They had a great time jumping round the sofa and armchair obstacle course they made. No nap for the whole day and had a bath together too, before everyone left. DD decided she was responsible for cleaning my friend's DD as well, and poured a tub of water over her head. Thoroughly enjoyable as us parents were ignored for most of the afternoon. Took DD to Marwell zoo on Sunday, that is a great place for toddlers. Tractor tides and train rides, face painting plus all the animals. DD said her favourite was the leopard, though she talks mostly about the rhinoceros and giraffe. So a very lovely relaxing Easter, which we needed after the stressful holiday!

sb speaking of sticker obsessions! Am currently conducting an experiment to see if DD would ever get sated on stickers. So far after having a hole dy of unlimited stickers -due to a 300 sticker activity book from the local discount book store (and stickers stuck all over the house and our clothing / body parts) - I am noticing some discrimination on the types of stickers.... Last night she turned up her nose on some snake stickers in preference for glitter stickers, refusing to play with the snake stickers when the glitter ones were put away. [bushock] no tantrum either, mind. Just calmly decided she'll do dominoes instead. That would never have happened even a week ago....

Whole day, I meant to type. Not hole dy.

Goodness, RW that sounds a bit scary - I'm glad she's back to eating now. DS loves stickers too but he won't just stick them down in the book and leave them. He peels them off and re-sticks them until all the stickiness is gone. One of my mum's friends bought him an Usborne one with loads and loads of trucks and diggers and scenes to stick them in. It's gigantic. I keep finding forklifts stuck to my coat.

The baby sleeps well - but only on my chest. I'm sure it's not recommended practice but DH is sleeping downstairs at the moment and I'm waking every couple of hours - I don't think she would fall off me and anything bad happen. She will sometimes be swaddled and go in her moses basket (she is now actually) but not so much at night.

I'm really surprised not to be crazy-tired like I was with DS. He would feed for over an hour at a time and then need feeding again after an hour's sleep. She only goes on for half an hour max and seems sated for another 2 to 3 hours. I guess he was a lot smaller so had less stomach capacity and wasn't as strong a sucker. I know it's early days and could all change.

Bee - DS is ok about the baby. He did say he didn't like her last night and DH says he heard him say to put the baby in the nappy bin (!). I make sure I do story time with him alone before bed and DH has the little one downstairs. Re being bilingual - I should really be teaching DS a bit of Italian as my dad is Italian and lives in Italy and I've got lots of aunts and cousins over there. My Italian is not great though.

We had BIL and SIL over yesterday, today a friend, tomorrow PILs, Thursday another friend. BIL and SIL bought lunch with them AND took DS to the park. The right sort of visitors.

rw poor little thing, hope she continues with the great recovery.

rainbow glad she's getting better. It's always a worry when they stop eating.

PA how are you?

bc enjoy your volunteers

Back to work tomorrow, I'm not looking forward to it as after 9 days off, I wonder how much is on my desk... Also I worry that DS is going to play up at nursery when I drop him off...

Waves to all

Forgot to say - it is a free listing on ebay until tonight if you're looking to declutter raise some money I've managed to sell some sheets locally and now got a tenner to add to DS fortune.

She has woken up four times already, I feel this to be another rough night. To add insult to injury she appears to be in teething pain.

rainbow that sounds quite scary re the not eating, that kinda thing makes me worry about going anywhere other than visiting family.

BC I think its amazing how they change their minds so frequently between wanting rid of the baby and wanting to smother them with cuddles :)

DCs are the mend, DD has a been a bit tired and grumpy this morning but managed playgroup OK and got through to lunch for her nap. DS is even in his basket atm (normally only lasts 30 mins but still lovely).

Sunday night wasn't great. DD woke at least every 30 mins and was awake for 3 hours at one point. DS slept but couldn't be put down after 11pm (well only for 5 or 10 mins here and there). However DD did three naps yesterday, although were tricky to put her down for and spent a lot of the day crying/shouting. We did have moments of play here and there. Still got a bit of rash and she seems uncomfortable every now and then. There have been some horrendous nappies which haven't been helping. Last night DS spent more than half of it down and DH was able to rock him back to sleep so that I only fed him every 2 hours.

Hopefully tomorrow everyone will be back to normal.

I put together DS a treasure basket which he like, but DD loves it even more. Especially when the saucepans etc. come out, funny how you forget the basics. Then again to start off with, she loves the playmat, baby toys etc.

I had one of those days where there were a few things that I realised DD could do now

I'd agree with you penguin, when DD1 was tiny she hated her bouncy chair/playmat etc, but since DD2 she thinks all these things are amazing and has a screaming fit if DD2 goes near them

Just a quick one to say that yesterday nursery drop-off went fine and that work wasn't too bad. Need to rush as I need to wake up DS.

Hi everyone, DD1 is at nursery and DD2 has fallen asleep while patiently waiting for me to finish washing up and feed her, so I have a hot chocolate and the laptop

Abs your motorway experience sounds just terrifying. So glad that you came through it unhurt How are you now, and is your flu better?

rainbow so glad to hear that your DD is better. And that the sticker-saturation policy worked! (Not sure that I would have the patience for stickers all over the house, though...)

bc it sounds like you're doing really well Her feeding pattern sounds like DD1's, she fed well for say 20 mins and that would do for 2.5-3 hours, at night too. Then when DD2 came along it was a bit of a shock as she wanted little and often, very often... She still feeds every 1.5-2 hours in the day but I'm not fussed. I sometimes get funny looks from people and the odd "feeding again ALREADY?" if I'm somewhere for the day. I just smile and say yes.

DD2 slept on me, usually latched on, for about the first five weeks too. At the time it seemed to last forever but now I miss those newborn days! She just suddenly seemed to 'get' her moses basket at that age (or it was her P&T coccoon actually come to think of it).

PA really pleased to hear that the DCs are getting better. It is so hard when they are ill Mine have both had a cold for what seems like weeks but it doesn't seem to get them down apart from constant runny noses. Or I'm hoping it's the cold that is waking DD2 up at night and not the blasted 4m sleep regression which she wasn't allowed to have

What is in your DS treasure basket? DD2 has outgrown her baby gym I think (but we still put her under it as somewhere to put her ) but can't sit up yet and doesn't seem that happy in the bumbo.

Bee I am so impressed that your DD1 is TT. My DD1 has done (drum roll) one wee on the potty!!! But it seems to have been a one-off. I can't decide what will be more hassle, making a real effort to TT or washing two sets of nappies.

SB glad you had a good holiday, sounds fab. Wow you and your DS get up early.

scones I'm up at 6.20am weekdays and DS is awake and up by 6.45am. Then a pre breakfast snack and off to work. I'm out the door by 6.15am at the latest. The reason why we're up and out so early is that 1) I can park in town easily and 2) the earlier I start work, the earlier I can finish so DS is at nursery at opening 7.30am and I'm starting work at 7.45 which means I normally finish at 3.30pm.

Good to hear that the refurb has started in your house and that your DD1 is now happy at nursery

quick one for scones

Scones we were just lucky with timings for TT - DD2 was a month old and DD1 was desperate for attention and there were no groups on as it was the christmas holiday so we went cold turkey and she got it in three days and really enjoyed being out of nappies (she really hated nappy changes). She is excellent although she is not dry during longer naps (2h+) or night time.

Gaaahhh no fridge, washing machine or any kitchen appliances !!!!

Bee I think I have missed the boat with DD2 she is back in nappies after 2 months of going in the potty for every pee in doors.

DD2 had weet a bix with black pepper on it I did wonder where the pepper mill had been hiding...

I hope everybody is fine

Waving to everone (and special welcome to bee). I'm lurking but can't post much due to rubbish internet connection... Back in the UK middle of next week and can't wait to join in the conversation again!

scones also as we use disposables as I don't keep up with the washing it was producing too much rubbish having both in nappies

Has anyone tried those hand leash type things for toddlers? I had a rucksack leash but DD1 hated it... do they have to be used to using them from the get go or do you think it would be ok for use on holiday?

Hello everyone! Bee I have two DDs - a two year old and a five year old. I am also busy! Well done on the toilet training, my DD2 is nowhere near.

Sorry I haven't been posting. The iPad app for MN is pretty poor and I haven't been doing so much work so haven't been on the main PC for a while. I have been reading though.

So much to catch up on...!

PA how are your DCs? All well yet?

bear huge congratulations if I haven't said so yet.

Abs I am also at your early mornings. DD2 usually wakes before 7am but waits for us to go and get her. We often find her lying in bed looking at her books as her bookcase is next to her bed. DD1 knows not to get out of bed until 7am otherwise she will just get sent back!

Abs your car thing (sorry, can't think of any other way of putting it ) sounds a nightmare. Glad nobody was hurt but sorry you have been poorly since. Are you feeling better?

*rainbow" glad your DD is eating now. Did you have a nice time apart from illness?

scones good luck with the renovations!

mous did you find some electricity?!

soc hope you had a nice time.

Hi BBB nice to hear from you.

Well, I'm home and working! I decided to take some work home in order to get up to date and also because people keep on nagging me to get their exams results

I should say that I'm normally lucky that DS gives me a lie-in at weekend (7am )

mous oops! I hope you can get an electrician quickly (and don't need to get new appliances). How are your plans progressing?

soc hiya

DS happily sit on his potty at home and nursery but very rarely produce anything. I'm planning to train him the 2nd week of July as I can take one week leave to start and then my mum is over and she can continue before he goes back to nursery (I know I'm weird to plan so far ahead)