Sept 2008 - no witty title as we're too busy dealing with stroppy 3 yr olds.

[MrsArchchancellorRidcully]

Hello all. Couldn't see a new thread so thought I'd do the honours. Sorry for rubbish title, I'm no good at witty! :)

Bookmarking - thanks MrsA good advice on the last one form you

marking my place.

The dc's are both flopped on the sofa watching Something Special. Tis very quiet.

Bookmarking

Will be back later

Bookmarking too!

[and have been taking notes from last thread on how to deal with older sibling behaviour]

bookmarking.
Muppet film remarkably depressing and as A said, not enough Muppets in it in the first half. He asked to go home a dozen times and I was tempted! But with my friend and help of popcorn, smarties and a Kermit cup and lots of cuddles it was a successful day out, bonding with mummy despite that baby being there too.

Hard to eat icecream with baby in carrier tho. And then to feed - think I might have squirted the 5yos across the aisle.

NC didn't you only give birth about 3 days ago? Am hugely impressed that you're out and about doing things like going to the cinema with both the dc!

ha ha at milk squirting NC! I am also impressed you are out and about.

I've been tempted to take M to see the Muppets, maybe I won't now. He has been laughing like a drain at the fart shoes line in the trailer.

bookmarking...

aarrrggh My bloody children are driving me up the wall today .

So far we've had a curtain partially yanked down, a football kicked across my bedroom and tumble of water sent flying and a beaker hurled across the living room spraying water as it went. DS is in a non-cooperative mood (although I've managed to get him outside) and DD is a snotty, stroppy, tantrumming little madam who has just had time out and been sent into the garden with bubbles.

Would it be bad to install a hatch and just feed them through it while I sort out the house?

I think we'll skip the Muppets, DS would probably wriggle and whinge.

bookmarking

Lol at installing a hatch. I don't know about that, but you certainly can open a bottle of very very soon!

ILTMIMI - I never thought I'd say it, but I was begging for more fart jokes! Still, A is very chuffed with his toy Kermit.

I'd never have tried going with 2 dc without a friend, but I live 100 yards from a bus stop, then it's 5 min to outside the cinema, so figured it would be little harder than sitting on the sofa and it would make A happy. In fact once I got the baby carrier undone in the dark thanks to the slowest ever ticket seller taking 25 min to serve 3 people so the ads were on by the time we got in, and then friend could stay with ds when I went to the loo, it was all fine. Bus journey was easy as ds loves buses as long as he gets a seat...

Will be a while before I try taking both dcs myself, though. And will have to choose any film very carefully for A, as he is clearly more sensitive to stuff on a big screen and didn't like the explosions or fight scenes at all.

NC sounds like you did really well at the cinema :)

I also went to the cinema this week. I played hookey from nursery on Thurs (well, DD did) as puss in boots was on the 10am kids cinema for £1.25 a seat. DP was away, so I thought bugger it - I'm going. So it went ok. I pre-booked 3 seats so I had somewhere to put DS's car seat. I wouldn't have attempted it alone before now but DS is 10 weeks and still takes ages to feed so I thought we'll have a while where he's got a bottle in his mouth. It did go ok though the family next to us gave me such a dirty look when I arrived (they had older kids). The film was good, I brought lots of choc for DD and after a small bit of crying, DS fed and then fell asleep on my shoulder for a lot of it. In fact it was me who disturbed people by having a massive coughing fit - I thought I would throw up! 20moins from end DD said she needed a wee. A tricky one but I know her well enough to know she can hang on plus she'll use this request when she's bored amd wants to go so we survived with no wet pants! Afterwards I was feeling drunk with success so went to pizza express with them (what was I thinking?!) But again went ok. The kind waiter pre-cut my pizza and DS fell asleep in the sling while DD and I ate dough balls and pizza.

The next day I took them both to the zoo. A bit easier as they have indoor picnic areas so I took a picnic and DS was in the pram, and everytime DD ran off I put her on reins, so we are seeing slow improvement as she realises I mean what I say!

We took them both swimming yesterday and one of the few benefits of bottle feeding is that DP took DS out for a feed whilst I carried on splashing and jumping in with DD (she did the jumping not me :) )

So we're finally out of the newborn woods and I'm loving getting out and about. Meeting some mnetters on wed at the trafford centre from DS's antenatal thread - can't wait.

Oops long post, DS asleep and DD at nana's house!

Lol at begging for more fart scenes I do wish they would turn the volume down at kids films. Saying that, I wish they would do the same for adult films.

Well done MrsA! It's great when things come together isn't it! It makes me feel like earth mother extrodinaire!

How was your weekend after all Meglet? It's hard bloody work when the kids are off on one isn't it? When M gets in a mood like that I find my mood quickly matches it, so I have to step away and become the adult again. Problem is, I don't always want to be the adult!

Baby I is crawling and is in to everything . Looking on the bright side, it has improved his sleep because he's wearing himself out

And it may only be a phase and not last but something hasd changed in DD recently (DP's 'better behaviour' with her ??) and she has been a delight to be with, really good company. She still has plenty of moments but she has started to hold long, interesting conversations and doing sweet things like offering us some of her food and well just being nice. It is really helping us to cope when she has the screaming abdabs!

Also helps when superstar DS sleeps from 7.30-7.30, DD stays at nana's overnight and DP and I get a bit of an early morning 'cuddle'

Thanks for the new thread!! Talking of delights, dd1 told me today my hair does not look nice I would not mind but I had just dried and straightened it .

Mrsa I think you have cracked it!
Well done on attempting so many trips out. It does get easier with time and now you know it can be done your confidence soars for the next day out.

Am enjoying half term but Robyn would rather be at nursery, we're trying to keep then busy without spending much, with 4 that is pretty impossible, lots of baking and craft stuff this week I think.

Wow MrsA you've really cracked it, well done you! Very at the sleep. When DS stopped sleeping through we started weaning, now he's waking up three times a night again (bang on every three hours, its like he's set an alarm clock) so I think its time to introduce protein! He's 6months a week today. Yesterday he had 4 breast feeds, one bottle and hungrily ate three meals including pudding. And still woke three times between 7 and 7, hungry each time, happily went back to sleep again. I am mrs caffeine today.
debs it was our half term last week and we only left the house twice, lots of baking and craft happened!
I've not taken my DCs to the cinema yet, they scare too easily and I couldn't cope with them all crawling onto my lap in tears! I think the scale of it and the noise would be too overwhelming too. DS1 is into Bee Movie at home, but DD thinks its dull and would rather play on the cbeebies website or watch Mr Maker to get ideas for more craft which I am running out of places to hide love to display.
The house opposite ours was burgled last night, classic in through the patio doors, pick up lap top and mobile phones on their way through, let themselves out the front door . Its the second one like that in our area recently.

We've had a few break ins like that in our village, so I'm now keeping the front door locked at all times. Such a shame, I like to think of our village as a little haven.

I am also of MrsA's sleep. Ds3 still doesn't sleep through reliably He's not hungry, he's just shocking at self settling. But I'll let him off as he now says 'mumma'

Hello all

Just dropping in to say I am not using MN during lent but will pop back after easter.

Glad to read you are all doing so well.

xxxx

bookmarking.

I did consider not using MN for lent but would go insane without the company. Never given anything up for lent actually . I did think about giving up FB for lent but my sister keeps putting her world travel updates on there so I'd miss seeing them and I like to keep tabs on her, naked swimming in NZ was her lastest update .

Ugh ladies, I thought I had lost you and my lurking days were over! What would I do if I could not regularly check up on you all?

As you can see I'm still pretty crap at posting and updating you all. I never seem to find the time! Believe it or not, Inés just turned one and she is about to walk. She is one of those hilarious babies (though I would think that, being slightly biased and that) with funny hair and an incredible character.

I have to set the alarm at 5 tomorrow to be in Manchester at 9 for a meeting. I'll probably throw up in pain. And I bet you Ines will wake up tonight too. MrsA, I am green with envy at your sleeping baby. She still wakes up once or twice a night :(.

Anyway, I am off to bed. I hope I survive tomorrow. Maybe I'll be able to tell more from the train!

So I made it to the train on time - and Ines slept through. In fact, I picked her up from her cot and fed her before leaving because I do not want my norks to explode on the train back tonight - it would be messy. I left her cuddled up to her daddy, while I tiptoed out in the dark, tripped on my shoes and managed to wake Diego up.

Anyway, have just had some scrambled eggs on toast (I'm in first to make up for the shock and because I obviously don't pay for the ticket) and am finding despite the early hour, it is great to have time TO MYSELF! I don't get much of that these days.

I am very impressed with you all adventurous mothers of newborns out and about with your two in tow. Notcitrus, I don't think I even posted a huge congratulations to you, so here goes.

pacita glad you made your train and well done to Ines for sleeping! I was going to ask if you were working, hence the meeting, but is it a one off thing ( was hoping for tips - working whilst having 2 small ones)! I know what you mean about me time. I'll spend every day with DS till I go back to work in Sept ansd by then it will be nice to have a cuppa at my desk in peace ( I will miss him of course).

I've come to the conclusion that both my babies were not good at being born or breastfeeding but I do grow good sleepers! I wonder if it's a gene thing. I thought it was formula-related with DD as she slept at 5 days after her first big bottle but it's taken DS till 6 weeks to go consistently 7-7 and he had bottles at around 2 weeks so it must just be him. I have never sleep trained or forced - he is still fed an demand and leads us, so it is purely chance/genes. Having said that, I'd have swapped the full nights sleep for successful bf any day. As we didn't manage it, then I'm just glad for a good night's sleep.

Right must dash - off to the Trafford centre for a mumsnet meet! Maybe we should arrange one for our group in the north - anyone fancy it? Do it in school hols if easier.

Hello, MrsA. I know what you say about successful breast feeding, but trust me on this, having a full night sleep is allowing you to be a better, more dynamic, more giving mum who is not knackered and washed out. There really are positives here, as you'll see if you keep reading!

In answer to your question, yes, this was a business day trip for a meeting. I went back to work 3 days a week. I think 3 days is the best of both worlds, although I know that it is not an easy arrangement to get from an employer. I'm still quite knackered most of the time, as Ines has not slept through once since she was born. Diego was not a great sleeper, but Jeez, this baby girl likes to party. She is adorable, happy bubbly, and most of the time will go back to sleep with a feed and a cuddle... except when she wakes up anytime after 5:30, which means this is it for the day. Still, one day at a time, eh?

Unfortunately, because I'm not great at sleep deprivation I do think that this has affected my concentration at work, and I don't feel as professionally confident as before. I am hoping this is a passing phase, and that it will improve with time. Any thoughts from any of you mums of non sleepy children?