May 2005 babies:Our babies are nearly toddlers [sad]

[SHHHH]

Thought I would start a new thread as the old one was getting long..!!!

Logic, that sounds lovely and a real bargain for a handcrafted chair, have you got the details of the supplier?
I'll let you know how I get on with the playdough too!

Hi, ds (4yrs 4 mths)is doing really well in school so far, he wouldnt let me hold his hand going in today but too!
Dd is biting now, I dont know if I mentioned that already? She does it for the reaction I know, but it really hurts and is very difficult to ignore. She sidles up and sinks her teeth into mine or dp's leg. She loves it because we jump and shout "Ow" and she could try to do this for 20 minutes at a time until we divert her attention.

Any suggestions?

LittleB, the chair came from Golly!Gosh Trading on ebay!

Right. About biting, Toddler Taming (our bible of choice) says (I'm paraphrasing) that biting is a habit formed between 1-2+1/2 years and is a symptom of little sense due to age. It's not malicious just reactive. Warn after first bite; after second bite put them on the floor immediately. Persist. Be reassured that unless they take up rugby, they won't be biting in adulthood :-)

Northstar - glad to hear your ds is enjoying school. My ds is about the same age and also started this week. He loves it ! I won't be surprised if he wants to go on saturday too!!

dd has slotted into her new routine too. This morning I told her it was time to go to nursery so she grinned, waved to dh, ran up to the front door and tried to open it. Really cute

Work is going well but I am completely shattered and there is still friday to go. Sometimes I wish I had a job where I could take a quick kip under my desk, or at least sit down for 5 minutes! The hardest bit is after the kids have gone to bed (ie. now) and I have to start the prep for the morning. After so long doing none or part time I've got very little stamina.

I've also hardly seen the kids this week. yesterday dd refused to come to me for a cuddle, insisting on dh which was a bit upsetting, but I suppose he had been looking after her exclusively for 2 days. I certainly intend to make the most of the weekend with them both!

Thanks Logic, will stick with the stern approach for a while longer before I start painting the whole family with that disgusting stuff you paint on kids nails to stop them biting them LOL!
Wow tiggerish, you must be exhausted. I work 3 evenings and that's tiring enough. There are so many wise people on mn who all know that kids are extremely capable of making us feel guilty from the minute they are born. Be happy knowing you are out earning money to make their lives that little bit better (and not just to get a break).
Also I think the independence they are gaining by learning there is another person to get hugs from as well as mummy is a godsend as they get older. HTH?

Hi all, glad to hear everyone is doing well. Northstar no advice about biting..sorry. I know my friends ds went through a stage of biting ( he's 20 months) and I don't think they did anything major to stop him, just to keep an eye to him and to tell him off if he does it. Like logic said, he's not going to be a 21 year old in a club going around biting people..! LOL.! TBH thats my attitude to most things that the hv says. When she says she should be doing this or that I tend to reply well she's hardly going to be in her 20's and not able to drink from a cup or unable to use a fork..
Good luck though.

Tiggerish glad work is well, I wouldn't feel to harsh on the lo's as they are quite adaptable. LOL I'm a sahm and come 8pm I'm shattered as well..! At times I wish I had an office job just to sit in "peace" BUT I suppose we are all like that. Whatever job we have is demanding in one way or another.
If you enjoy it though keep it up.

DD & I have just started back at Music & Gym club following the school hols, amazing but I never thought she would remember them...BUT she surpised me, as soon as we pulled up outside she was kicking her legs and squealing with delight.! Also although we can't understand a word she says she understands us 100%. I think it's amazing when I ask for her ball or doll and she brings it to me..Usually she stands looking around, finds it and brings it straight away.Sorry guys but I'm still at that "amazed" stage. Does it ever end.!!??

What do you do Tiggerish? I started back at work 6 weeks ago after a 5 year absence! Luckily I have a desk job and I get to sit quietly and drink tea :-)
It was appallingly hard for the first month but it's getting better. The worst part is the constant illness that is affecting us all. Dd still cries every morning when she is dropped off but I know that she stops as soon as we leave the building. I have proved it! I got to the gate the other day and realised that I still had her bag so I went back in and there she was gurgling away happily and the staff were trying to teach her to juggle. It's a put on job. They adapt very quickly. One downside is that ds (4) is picking up bad speaking habits.

Does anyone do the BBC Muzzy course? We are thinking of getting the italian one for the kids (and us) because we want to go to italy in a few years time. I'd like some feedback about how good it is...

No Shhhh, ime it never ends!! It just keeps getting better

No advice on the biting Northstar, although DS2 bit me once a few weeks ago (seemed like out of temper) and I gave him a stern telling off and (touch wood) he hasn't done it again since. He did throw a biscuit at a friends house tonight in a bit of a paddy because i wouldn't let him dunk it in my cuppa He's quite firey when he wants to be lol!!

Tiggerish, I agree with Nortstar about working to make their lives better. Also I think dealing with any separation issues now will be easier than having to deal with them when they are older i.e. school age iykwim. Are you working full time or part time??

Hi Logic I don't know anybody who has done the Muzzy courses, but it'd true that kids pick it up so easily. We went to France when DS1 was about 3 and he started picking up French then. They also do a little bit of French at school too. I remember last term DS1's class had a performance in the school assembly and the whole class sang a song in French. It was amazing

I'm a secondary school teacher, Logic. So the pace of the day is pretty hectic. I have been doing supply and tutoring on and off over the past 3 years or so but this is full time and permanent. On the whole though the week went pretty well, and I do know it'll get easier as I get more into it. I just wish I was at the end of the first month not the start!

the dc's have coped remarkably well too, although they were both shattered last night - both in bed and asleep by 7.15pm up early though hence the early post!

What's Muzzy, Logic? I've not heard of it before.

The amazement and pride never goes Shhhh :-)

Work will get easier Tiggerish and I am much happier having a career again. In my case it is definately better for the kids for me to work because I was quite unhappy being a SAHM. I have so much more energy and enthusiam now although the 6:30am start is plain rude. I appreciate the kids more at weekends. The first pay packet is great too :-)

Muzzy is a BBC language course for 1-12 year olds. It's supposed to be very good and fun for them to do. Apparently they pick up the new language in no time. It is expensive though, more than £300 last time I looked .

The singing sounds so cute, Maddison!

Logic, that course sounds ideal.! I had heard about children picking up languages quicker than adults and dh & I wanted dd to at least be doing a language at school...just so it was something she could learn iykwim.

You find that this is the case with other countries...kids have more than one language..spain, France and even wales I'm sure teaches them english as well. I remember my cousin being able to speak fluent english and welsh aged around 3... Crumbs I still struggle to speak english ..!!!

How do you find out more info about the course.?

Flannellette pj's hows the bump coming along..?? Not heard from you for a while...and booge.? I'm sure baby is due around now..??

Hi guys,
thanks for asking, I think everything's going well. I've had 1 scan at 9 weeks and am due another in a week. I'm now 11 weeks.
DH has just taken DD out for a walk (no doubt to the local coffee shop) after our 'words' last night about me not getting a break at weekends.
It's just started pelting down (he he).
DD has started spitting out her food in the evenings when I feed her so I'm giving her a try at feeding herself - not working too well so far, but I'll persevere.
No advice about the biting Northstar - DD does it too, but only to me. I tend to say "no" sternly. I'm obviously really scary cos then she'll do it again. Hay ho!

I had the same problem with biting a couple of months ago with DS. I emailed my lovely maternal health nurse and she came back with this advice:

"Biting not uncommon and very much a stage. Baby's way of saying he is a little put out by the changes in his life!!! over which he has no control. It does become a game so continue to say NO!! and put him straight down on the ground and walk away - no further conversation about it. With any luck he will see he is not getting any attention and give up. Distraction is always a good ploy too, if you see it coming (not always easy) tempt him with something else."

And since then, DS doesn't bite anymore! I also think it was a boredom thing, so I knew when it was coming (and then would distract him with something else).

Totally agree, the biting will stop. Ds didn't bite but he did headbang for much the same reasons. He would continually bash his head on the wooden floor at about 16 months old. We had to walk away anbd ignore him. It was one of the hardest things I've ever done but it worked!

Logic, dd has started to headbang too. It's really upsetting as I know it must hurt. I'll try to ignore it now and hope for the best....

is anyones lo eating/feeding themselves..? DD is now 16 months and I do let her have a fork or spoon and try to encourage to feed hersel and at times she does it but them at times she gets frustrated and wants me to do it. Sometimes she refusses to eat and it's coz she wants to feed herself lol.

Thing is my friend is obsessed with her lo and that he's progressing as per the 0-5 book (yawn) and akthough he is a few months older than dd about 4 months ago (he was around 18 months) she made me feel inferior iykwim by saying "oh yes he can feed himself..they are supposed to you know by the time they are 18 months". . I spoke to my hv who said dd will do when she is ready and usually I don't worry about her progress but sometimes..well you know.....Anyone..??

Oh, ignore friend shhhh. Mine does sometimes but usually flips it all over the place. And sometimes she can't be bothered to. Is that friend's first baby by any chance

Don't worry shhh, she'll feed herself when she is ready and not before! Really not worth worrying about, honest!

Tiggerish, she isn't hurting herself, believe me! Watch her very very carefully - I bet you she is accelerating her head violently towards the floor and then stopping an inch away and bumping her head gently on the floor. If it really hurt, they wouldn't do it :-) We were given two cures: either walk away or pick her up and put her on a cushion and then walk away. It won't last long.

Ignore friend shhhh! The longer they sit and let you feed them the better as far as I'm concerned. Faster, easier and way less messy! dd loves feeding herself porridge though, she shows off because she can turn the spoon upside down and STILL not lose any.
When she does try to feed herself she makes a great show of saying MMMMMM! as if to prove that she did actually get some into her mouth LOL.

I completely agree with feeding them for as long as possible.
DD occasionally wants to grab the spoon but she knows and I know that she will get her food much faster and more efficiently if I feed her. I don't mind doing it til she's 5!
I figure in a month or 2 she will have much more dexterity than she has now and will need less practice to get it right. And I'll have 2 months' less mess.
In the same vein I won't be hurrying along the toilet training.

i know a couple of 18mth olds who just started feeding themselves - they just initiated it on their own. funnily enough both were on holidays, and the mums think it was eating with mum and dad three times a day that might have triggered it? yes don't think my DS is too coordinated to eat on his own yet. although i have been giving him a fork and showing him how to eat small pieces of fruit with it. he can't actually master the putting the fork in the fruit yet but he can put the fork/fruit in his mouth on his own. it's a bit of fun anyways...

DS starting to have tantrums by opening his mouth really wide with his eyes all scrunched up with no sound coming out fopr about 10secs...then a pitiful 'agh-agh-agh' ...then a huge wallow! I shouldn't really laugh at him should I ?!

...need to ask some questions about milk feeding your 15-16mth olds...

i just officially weaned DS two days ago (was previously b/f morning and night). how often, what times, and how much milk do you give your kids? do you warm it up? are they drinking from a cup (with/without straw?) or bottle?

agh, boobs are feeling pretty sore...not sure whether i should express - but just want to stop the milk demand quicker!

thanks in advance...

Aquablue, ooh waiting for the milk to dry up really hurts doesn't it. I basically had to express once in the night in order to get some sleep. If it's too unbearable express an oz or something just to take the edge off the throbbing.

Dd still has a bottle 3 times a day of SMA Progress. In betwen she has plain water. I will keep going with the follow-on milk until she is two and then switch to cows milk.

DD has 2 cups with straws of cold cows milk a day. About 500ml in total is offered and she probably drinks about 2/3 of it. She also gets milk on her cereal and lots of cheese and yoghurt aswell.
I just startde giving the cold milk as I didn't want to have to be heating it up and she took a day or 2 to get used to it. Now she loves it.
Congrats on feeding for so long. Do you feel really liberated now?