February 2011- the one where life gets better for all of us.

[GOLDdebka]

New thread open for business!!

I am anticipating MUCH weight loss, job improvements, sleeping babies, good health and one very eagerly anticipated BFP. :)

reastie Anna is getting the Ikea kitchen its mainly for me, a proper kitchen being one of my fantasy childhood toys

Mr W is working all around As birthday so we're just having grandparents, aunts etc coming round. He isn't going to be there so its a Mr Marks and Spencer sponsored party food party

My niece Emma is 1 the week before so my sister is doing a big party,for everyone and their Mother

Shall I put up a list of birthdays? I know its Miss Dillys this weekend and thats really the start of the birthdays.

I can't believe we're already having 2nd birthdays. Where have our babies gone? [weep] Nothing big planned for L's birthday. My parents and sister are coming for the weekend, FIL might visit too (should be interesting) and I'm going to attempt to make him an Elmo cake. I don't know what we're getting him, he already has a kitchen from Christmas. Maybe some toddler-sized Lego blocks.

wiggles - I love Ikea, I do. I'm away to The Big City to visit some uni friends in a few weeks and I'm scheduling a stop at Ikea. [rubs hands gleefully] Ikea with no toddler = bliss (and coffee and cake from the cafe doesn't hurt).

reastie - I haven't actually been paid yet (still a week to go) but they gave me a nice starting bonus that we're dipping into for L's nursery fees this month. We're trying not to think of my salary as extra money though, nearly all (after nursery fees) is going into savings for a house.

It's bloody cold here, -5C during the day and dropping to -15C overnight (was -19C a few days ago). Our heating has gone wonky and won't shut off so we have the windows open to keep it at 20C. Hopefully the landlord sorts it today because L and I can't sleep very well in that temp.

Hi folks,

A made a miraculous overnight recovery and was back at nursery yesterday and is on top form today. She had her 2 year check with hv today, all well though she only weighs 17lbs which surprised me. Funny story - the health visitor asked if she was talking, I said yes really well, hv asked if A knew 2 or 3 words?! Is it bad I was annoyed she wrote that A knows 2 or 3 words in the book, she knows loads ffs anyway A was chatting away by the end of the visit, hv looked quite surprised at how much she could say.

wiggles and reastie I have decided I too am buying a A an ikea kitchen, it sounds lovely. How much ££ please? reastie massive at pig cuckoo clock, where did you find that?!

No plan for A's birthday. I was thinking we could go somewhere like twycross zoo but keep forgetting how bitter cold it will be, rubbish.

american cold sounds grim :( Stupid heating, hope it gets fixed soon. Am v impressed at your saving for a house. In a years time we will get 15 free hours for A at nursery (fingers crossed) I cannot bloody wait. i will hopefully save the money we save rather than spend it on crap.

Watching the celeb bake off, bless mary berry being nice about Ed byrne's crap cake :)

ponyo this is said kitchen. The girls don't usually get that much for their birthdays but rubber duck it, I want to get it for her

www.ikea.com/gb/en/catalog/products/S49874533

I don't have any clue what Anna weighs - off to have a nosy.

Anna has lots of words but tbh I put that down to S and O and a diet of Something Special, Peppa Pig and CBebbies in general All of the girls were great talkers - again I credit tv

Anna can get into a the prenursery nursery Olivia went to from this December but I'm not sure what to do.

£90?!?! It's ikea, I thought it was meant to be cheap!

Wiggles yes I credit the tv with A's vocab too, peppa pig especially has taught her dinosaur and NO! In a loud voice. When will A start nursery? What is it your unsure about? ( or did I read that wrong!)

Just having dinner at work, it's meant to snow again later then be done by Sunday. Fingers crossed...

ponyo I know, but to be honest her kitchen will probably get more use than mine

The preschool that Olivia went to runs a 2 year course but I only want to access the first year of it, which Anna can start in December 2013 then stay until June 2014 and start her proper nursery school (before she starts primary school) in September 2014 (clear as mud). So I feel guilty taking a place up knowing that she'll not be returning for the second year. Although the year I did it with Olivia it was commonplace and the school are just glad someone takes the places therefore continuing the funding. I just feel guilty .

There's no rush to apply, if there still have places left by Easter I think I'll ring them. I'm not sure why I feel so guilty about it.

Its nothing to do with Anna going to pre-school, you know me I'm a great believer in getting them out to school as soon as you can - its the working class Catholic in me - Education, Education Education

Anna says dinosaw just like her hero George

debka hope all is well and you're floating about?

[snore] [snore] Oh look I bored myself

wiggles . It's the catholic guilt you must have

ponyo we bought a lovely wooden kitchen for Alice for about £30 - it had barely been used and is lovely. I am the same as wiggles - I always wanted a toy kitchen when I was little so I'm living vicariously through Alice a little . The ikea kitchen is a really nice one FWIW - a friend of Alice's has it and the hob lights up when you press the buttons and everything

Am awaiting an appointment for Alice's 2 year check as she hasn't been weighed or checked since she was 6 months . We've weighed her on my scales though and she's 1 stone 11. Also been waiting since August for an appointment with someone on the NHS to check her feet as she still pigeon toes and trips over herself with it.

Ponyo - I always have the same reaction at Ikea. A is tiny. L was just under 26lbs earlier this month (weighed at the GP) and was nearly 24lbs at 1 year. He's tall and slim but solidly built iykwim.

reastie - can you phone the HV (think you might have had some problems with her?) or GP to discuss Alice's feet? Especially as she's tripping over them.

Ponyo - I really got motivated to buy a house after I discovered that it's legal to have up to 4 hens in the back garden. I have also signed up for a class on backyard hens at the college for the spring. DH just rolls his eyes at me but I'm v excited.

L is speaking quite a lot too, even counting (but he sometimes skips from 3 to 8). I blame Sesame Street.

Has everyone moved the babies into a regular bed? I'm resisting with L, I think he still needs to be confined but he sleeps fine on a mat at nursery.

american its weird bcos A doesn't seem small for her age, although at nursery she's one of the bigger ones now, well that'll change when she goes into the next room up next month! at hens and your hen class, sounds interesting though, some hens look quite cuddly and cute. There was a woman on come dine with me who had nice hens

wiggles its not boring, I understand now! I was wondering if you were unsure about sending your precious 3rd born off to nursery but didn't think that was the case Deffo don't feel guilty. That is my advice

reastie agree with american, chase up the doc/whoever re: A's feet. I'd keep ringing until you get to see someone properly.

Yes who is still putting baby in a cot?? A is still in cot, she rolls about a bit in the night so think she'd just roll out of a bed. Plus she's not been settling for the past few weeks nights, so wouldn't want her getting out of bed and coming to us

american I think it's exciting to get hens! We used to have chickens but they kept being got by the foxes . I'm planning to do upholstery classes when Alice is at nursery/school as we've got antique dining chairs awaiting for me to reupholster - it's a few years away but I'm already excited . Btw Alice is in a bed bed. It works really well for us as we like that she can get up herself and come into us when she wakes up rather than just screaming and we don't leave her crying at night . But then, she's a bad sleeper and often gets up in the night. It's definitely been an easy move for us to get her in a big bed, but whatever works for you and Leo really as he might like his cot.

Re: ALice's feet - have been to HV and GP already about this. They've referred me on but it's the referral that's taking so long to get the appointment. Am thinking of taking her privately for one appointment to check if she needs insoles or anything in her shoes so she can get them sooner rather than later.

PIL have a party tomorrow so really looking forward to going

Reastie do you leave a light on over night? Now I'm thinking we could put A in her own bed so she could come into us rather than standing at the end of her cot and crying

We don't leave him to cry if he wakes but sometimes he will whinge then settle himself back to sleep so I'm worried he'll get up when that happens (instead of just going back to sleep). I'm also worried that he'll just wander around the flat and get into things he shouldn't. I'm really undecided about it.

I forgot to mention that we got him to do a poo in the toilet last night. He said "poo" so I rushed him to the bathroom and after a few false starts (including a wee in the empty bathtub). His reward was flushing the toilet which is a special treat for him.

ponyo we have a little night light in her room so she can see enough to find us. I also tell DH to leave the landing light on but usually he doesn't . We have a stairgate at the top of the stairs so there's nowhere really to go except to us. I love the morning stagger she does into my room - reminds me of mad Jack Nicholson in the shining when he drags the axe around at the end . She doesn't really seem interested in creating havoc at night - more at getting one of us up. But, seriously, whatever works for you. Apparently I loved my cot when I was a baby and was in it till I was nearly 3 and too big to lie in it . We have noticed though that often when she wakes at night she'll ask for food so we'll give her an oatcake and drink. She usually settles back to sleep soon after but we're getting a bit as to whether to give her food and if she really wants/needs it or not snd we don't want it to be a habit, but, it's tempting just to give her something to eat as she settles afterwards whereas if we don't she just moans/crys and we find it hard to settle her down again.

American go Leo pooing in the loo. We are nowhere near potty training here I don't think.

Anna has been in a single bed for ages, she's not a wanderer, she just lies there and shouts for us me. Because of Mr W shifts I find it easier to get in with Anna now rather than bring her in with us. He's up at 5.30am some mornings and occasionally Anna will go to 6

americanexpat can you put a stairgate on the door of Ls room? - so he can't get out. I do believe there is a great chicken keeping section on Mumsnet. Well, it might be an elaborate cover for the Bumsex threads but supposeably its good - quite a few posters on here keep chickens/hens - things I like to eat

Anna does a wee in the toilet every night before her bath and today on the school run - she kept shouting "Loo Loo" before admitting defeat and using her nappy. It was all a bit confusing because she calls Olivia "Lou Lou" and it was turning into farce with Olivia saying "I'm right here" for about 2 mins.

Anna has been in a single bed for ages, she's not a wanderer, she just lies there and shouts for us me. Because of Mr W shifts I find it easier to get in with Anna now rather than bring her in with us. He's up at 5.30am some mornings and occasionally Anna will go to 6

americanexpat can you put a stairgate on the door of Ls room? - so he can't get out. I do believe there is a great chicken keeping section on Mumsnet. Well, it might be an elaborate cover for the Bumsex threads but supposeably its good - quite a few posters on here keep chickens/hens - things I like to eat

Anna does a wee in the toilet every night before her bath and today on the school run - she kept shouting "Loo Loo" before admitting defeat and using her nappy. It was all a bit confusing because she calls Olivia "Lou Lou" and it was turning into farce with Olivia saying "I'm right here" for about 2 mins.

So good I posted twice

american I worry about the same things re: putting A into her own bed. Wow at pooing in the toilet, clever boy! at him flushing it 'as a treat' :)

reastie we have a gro egg for A, but when the temp goes below 17 degrees (I think) it glows blue rather than yellow which is really bright! It seems to wake A up. Love the image of A staggering about like Jack Nicholson, so funny. I can imagine my A doing the same thing with being hungry, how annoying for you.

wigs wow at A weeing on toilet too, I'm impressed!

Just had takeaway curry for tea, I'm stuffed For anyone whos not on facebook, A drew on her arms with a pen earlier then said "tattoos like mummy!" and looked all pleased with herself She also got in a huff when I pulled her sleeves down and pulled them back up to display her artwork

Has anyone seen ledkrs thread re: pil and food, very funny :)

I nearly missed the Burns smileys!

Don't give L too much credit for using the toilet, it was a major production. [bgrin] He also kept trying to stand on the seat and squat. He loves flushing the toilet, I let him do it after I've used it. Strange boy. [bgrin]

wiggles - [bgrin] at the chickens being a cover for bumsex threads. There's a girl in L's nursery class who is a month younger and her mum said they potty trained her over Christmas. [bshock] [benvy]

reastie - L has started using "snack" and "hungry" as a delaying tactic recently so I'm never sure if he's hungry or just not wanting to sleep. He wouldn't go to bed last night so we had two separate rounds of crackers, followed by me rocking him to sleep. Then he whinged through the night and was up at 5am.

Hello my friends. Sorry been AWOL.
Re the ikea kitchen we were going to get it for dills but I'm not sure if it will hold her attention. It looks nice but boring can anyone enlighten me?
For now we just got her a train set some pepper pig stuff and clothes and boots she actually loves clothes and shoes. I have her some leopard print ballet flats so cute.
We are having a little family party Sunday (hence pil visit) I have bought a blow up castle for her and her cousins to bounce on. She loves happy birthday and candles cos of seeing Ella's party so should be grand.
I am in bed after a row with dh about getting spare bed ready and putting Hoover around ready for pil. He prefers to lie around in his robe
I am off to the gym then hairdresser to avoid the royal arrival and lunch demands.
We are out later (they can babysit) then tomorrow I'm filling them up with a fry up whilst stating loudly "not cooking later " then party food will be eaten then I'm off out to the gym again leaving dh to get rid!
That thread is funny.
Ponyo don't forget half term. Ill have wed onwards free.

Btw massive lol at Alice's midnight feast! She's a canny lass

Happy birthday dilly pop!! (Led I am lurking on pil thread too )

Happy Birthday D xxx Hope all went well today

Olivia has chickenpox, I think

Oh dear! D has a suspect spot on her top lip. We shall see.

We get a Friday note from school every week, listing bits and pieces - dinners, pupil of the week etc and the principal mentioned that chickenpox was rife atm and to please keep children off school etc.

We were in Mass today and Olivia was on my knee and was scratching the nape of her neck, I thought " NITS", by the time we got back about 20 mins later - she had spots on her torso and a few on the inside of her lip. She is however in fine form and the itching at the minute is very mild but am waiting to see how she goes tonight.

On a completely seperate topic I bought a Kindle Fire - its great and even I the last great technophobe seem to be able to work it, although not as quickly as S who had it connected to our LoveFilm account and was watching tv as I was unzipping its new case