Feb 2010 - turning two and turning heads

[BigBadBear]

and and and possibly also for all of you feeling a bit off, myself included. I made some lemon drizzle cake this morning... any takers?

So sorry to hear so many of you are feeling below par. and hugs to all.

Not much to report here, really. DH is back at uni, which means getting up later than he does when in school and usually getting back earlier too (not to mention having today off!) so a pretty soft landing after the Easter hols, really.

Fosbury is full of action inside my steadily increasing bump. DD has got over her cold and is on good form. We're mainly keeping our eyes peeled for houses as ideally we'd like to find somewhere and be moved in before DC2 arrives and DH's job starts in September. There's not a heck of a lot that takes our fancy at the moment - I think a lot of people are just trying to ride out the downturn...

hey up all

again sorry people are feeling down. I am bit too but that could be related to the fact I have sinusitis again, this time in the sinus above my eyebrow. DD got the cold on holiday and is almost over it.

Holiday was great, weather meant didn't get as much done as wanted but was still really nice. Just a shame we couldn't spend more than 4 nights there.

I am now on my old for three days

Hoping DD will sleep later than 5:30. Speaking of her, we have had a great week with food. She has tried and eaten at least a few mouthfuls of loads: green beans, formed lentils, rice, quinoa, mushroom pate, olives, mushrooms, spinach potatoes (normally if something is on them she won't eat it), celery (and more but I can't remember)

sorry to hear that a few of you are poorly.

IC glad that Fosbury is active (it remind me of DS when he was in) and good luck with the house hunting.

mous fx you'll find a solution to your problems.

soc I'll take a slice of the cake if I may

PA x-posted.

Good luck with your 3 days by yourself. Good news that your DD is more adventurous with the food

Hi everyone.

What's going on Mous?

I would love a slice of lemon drizzle cake, thanks Soc

IC good luck with the house hunting. You just never know. This was only the second house we looked at, and here we are (spending money like water on structural stuff but never mind about that). When are you due again?

PA best of luck. That will be me in a few weeks, I am dreading it soooo much. I'm sure you'll be fine tho. Yay to the eating.

Hi to everyone else...

So DD1 has had a personality transplant the past couple of days. She has screaming tantrums whenever, and I mean whenever, she can't have what she wants. Fine and cheerful to screaming, kicking, tears, the lot, in about s second.

It's out of character for her and even DH, who is very calm, is losing his rag with her. I'm at my wits ends. I hate to say it but I think she's a horrid little girl when she's being like this. How do I deal with? Any good books on the subject....?

scones i am all done for the evening, a fair bit before DH is normally all done. I knew he was very slow at washing up, however he is even slower at cooking.

I think it will be the not sharing the nights/early morning that will be my downfall.

DD is starting to do that, but I find if i am really light and breezy with her she's fine. If she's starting laying on the floor i can get her up quickly etc. I normally come undone if DS is crying, that's when I act before I think. I think (IME so far) the state of your mind has a massive impact on how things progres.

I found that the best way to deal with DS tantrums (rare but string) is to either make a diversion or to ignore it. Alternatively playing good cop / bad cop works. Having say that he nearly went dressed in his bath yesterday as he was refusing to undress and want to eat cheese crackers. I have found that if he's tired or hungry, tantrums may occur more often and I have learnt to know which situations may start them and therefore I will find a new way to do things.

also a large bottle of gin helps me staying calm and composed

I'm in the middle of a work overload, coupled with a nearly new sale to prepare all our baby stuff for. Going away this weekend for a night with a friend - yeehaaaa! !! Hope to be back on here possibly next week and definitely the Wednesday after, once the sale and work stuff are out of the way.

SB loving DH's possible change of heart!

SC Yikes about the fall. I don't think I'll ever forget DS1 landing on his neck at the bottom after a bloody-Buzz Lightyear -induced flight from top to bottom last Summer! I felt like the luckiest parent in the world for some days to still have my gorgeous boy.

Scones you poor thing with sicky children - I hate it, as previously mentioned.

As you can see, I really need to be in bed now I've stopped working, so will say a group 'hi' to the rest of you and hope to be back soon. Think of me strolling in the Peak District on Saturday, munching a cream tea and sipping a relaxed glass of wine while DH tears the rest of his hair out (and there's not much of it left ) at home with our two monsters!!

Hi Ladies - sorry it's been so long since I posted.

SB I hope that your DH does have a change of heart if you want to start TTC sooner than 2013. It's horrible yearning for another baby when you can't have one (or think that you probably won't). Hope DH's eye is ok as well.

Sorry to hear that so many of you are feeling poorly or a bit miserable. Hope things perk up. This shitty weather doesn't help one's mood much does it?

IC Good luck with househunting. Are you sorted for maternity clothes? I have a really nice purple knitted dress from H+M Mama if you'd like me to send it? Also you can have all my maternity tights.

survival - Hope you have a lovely trip with your friend and the weather isn't too disgusting.

SC Hope DD2 is over her fall. How scary. Nothing you can do when something like that happens so fast.

DD is doing well, I actually ventured out on a short walk to my friend's house alone with both of them (DS in mclaren and DD in ergo carrier) - felt inordinately proud of myself.

She's up from 6lb at birth to 7lb 3oz at three weeks. She feeds well and not too often. Doesn't mind being put down (she puked all over her moses basket liner so is currently snuggled down on a beanbag). It's a totally different experience to DS. So much more chilled out and less sleep deprived. We are cosleeping so that probably helps with the sleep. I was too scared to with DS, so frightened I would smother him but having read up on it I feel pretty confident. I make sure the covers don't come over her waist and I wear something warm on top like a cardigan so I don't pull the covers up too far.

I am having a wonderfully quiet time - DS is out with my mum and DH is out at a meeting and the baby is asleep. You appreciate these moments so much when they are few and far between.

Stangirl - My mum spoke to my dad yesterday and told him he needed to take anti-depressants. I really hope he listens to her. Apparently he has a new psychiatrist because his last one died. Mum said she burst out laughing when he told her that.

Mum seems fine now she's had her antibiotics - has to go back next month for a chest x-ray to make sure it's all gone.

DS has been a bit more challenging lately. He has discovered screaming. He screams "MUMMY" if I don't come to him immediately. Also says everything is 'mine' and is having a few more tantrums than he used to and they seem more intense and go on for longer. I had to leave my friend's house becuase he kept screaming for a whistle that his friend wouldn't let him have. It's hard and I feel guilty when I feel irritated with him because he's had his whole world turned upside down by the new arrival. I am a bit tetchier than normal, it's just a bit more stressful with two - wonderful and amazing but I am so new at this, and I need to learn the ropes with regards to looking after two rather than one.

Ooh, Bc, that's a very sweet offer! I think I'll take you up on that! I'll PM you with my details.

I can already feel my patience wearing thin when trying to get DD out of the house (or other activities on a deadline) so I suspect I will also be somewhat tetchier when dealing with two as well. Very pleased to hear your new DD is gaining weight nicely, feeding well and generally being fairly easygoing!

As for tantrums - huge sympathies, Scones - my second niece turned into a monster between two and three, her meltdowns were spectacular to say the least and a real shock for my DSis after her DD1's fairly chilled toddler behaviour. But the good news is, she grew out of the tantrums after a little while and is the most angelically behaved out of my DSis' 4 DC now. TTSP!

In the meantime, Dr Christopher Green's Toddler Taming has good suggestions, I liked Positive Discipline, The First Three Years and a lot of people say Jo Frost's Confident Toddler Care has a lot of useful practical suggestions for dealing with behaviour issues.

We're lucky in that DD throws wobblers rather than has out-and-out tantrums, but we usually deal with them (if distraction doesn't work) by calling her bluff, or walking away for a while until she's got it out of her system. But it can certainly try the patience of a saint, sometimes.....

We've noticed that DD's behaviour is particularly linked to her bowel movements - she usually poos every other day and gets very clingy; a bit miserable/cranky and bordering on the edge of panic when she needs to go. I'm not sure why exactly - they're very soft, so it doesn't hurt her, I think she just finds the sensation uncomfortable. But it's very noticeable that once she's been and has a fresh nappy on, she's like a different child...cheerful, independent, co-operative. Quite a transformation!

Hope your Thursday's passing bearably, Survival!

bc I find myself a lot more snippy with DD than I would like at times. I'm OK until DS is crying or needs something, like me trying to put him down without her running everywhere.

Or this morning when she was up at 5:30 after DS not going more than an hour in the night. Plus I have a big red patch on my boob again and it's not but I don't think it's quite mastitis yet. Luckily I'm taking painkillers anyway for the sinusitis.

Great news on the weight, that's an amazing climb.

IC do you think you will want these clothes othewise I will start to freecycle them?

Ooh, sorry PA - didn't realise you were hanging onto stuff for me!! Leggings/tights are useful as I'm wearing the knees out of those or laddering them rather quickly, otherwise I reckon I'm okay for the top half. If you've got those sorts of things, I would love them!

I hope your sinusitis gets better soon and you don't develop mastitis. Argh at the 05.30 starts......

opps sorry I meant baby clothes and it's less hanging onto them and more haven't got round to getting rid of. BC offered tights

Ah, cool!
That's lovely, thanks! Depends on how much of a fag it is for you to send stuff - if it's no great effort, that would be splendid. But there's no urgency

bc nice to hear from you and great news on the weight gain

PA boo about the possible mastritis, I hope you'll manage to get rid of it quickly

survival I hope you survive your day with the 2 boys.

I've starting folic acid today Doctor only prescribed it for 28 days why?

IC wait the meeting in June to get the stuff from PA it's just a thought...

Ah, you're right of course SB!
Folic acid? Sounds promising..!

Meeting? June? I think I have missed something but maybe would be too far in a car with three flat-ish tyres

soc how is your DD2? Did she recovered from her fall?

DS has a black eye, bruised cheek and noise his head landed on the edge of the coffee table as he misjudged the width of his tramopline the sofa

It's on the fb page soc. Half term week somewhere near Oxford. I think ic is coming so could you lift share?

Sorry not noise but nose!