December 2011 - they'll soon be one, put away the <haddocks> and bring out the bunting!

[seven77]

I loved kate's thread name but thought we needed a birthday theme for this one. We'll soon have 6 weeks of birthdays to celebrate!

[LittleMissFantabulous]

EvT's mattress feels lovely, but I'm refraining from sharing as I'd squish him!

Noo fred; here

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

I have figured our tonight that Sky's cotbed mattress is very comfy! Had to get in at 9:30 just to get her off to sleep sodding teeth poor little lady. At least I know I can sleep comfortably in there if I need too from now on

[NorthernChinchilla]

Whatever you do figgy, don't let someone get him the plane.... I like all the vtech stuff, it keeps him entertained as a nice mix with all the other stuff, but the plane is just weird. It's a little boy singing, and is incredibly irritating.

And that is amazing Kate, your poor brave friend! Hope she didn't tear too badly, and that no-one bought 'newborn' size clothes for him!

NOT a good night here- DS seems to be having a clingy phase, probably because he's out of routine. Settling him this evening was like the other night, hysteria if you leave the room. I tried going out and going back in every few minutes, but now DP has bloody gone and sat with him, so I'm the evil parent .
Really hope this sorts out soon, and really dreading having to drop him off at a friend's tomorrow for a few hours whilst I go to work....

[FestiveFiggy]

Just back from Christmas 2 at the PIL since we were in Scotland for real Xmas, figgyboy officially now has every age appropriate v tech item out there from what I can tell a lettersaurus, toot toot driver thing, a peek a shoe octopus and now a bloody phonics bus.......where is it all going to go!!!! Having bday and Xmas within days of each other means overwhelming amounts of stuff to cram in the house.

[KateKringle]

Just heard my friend had her DC2 yesterday. A boy weighing in at just under 12 lb. The midwives had never seen such a big baby delivered without a c section! One word: ouch.

[jigglebum]

would like to take our tree down too lmf as is shedding needles so badly but have friends coming for new year tonight so will wait until they go on New years day.

Sleep is still a real issue here. I am just co sleeping now as it is the only way to get any sleep. Will deal with it when she is completely well and fingers crossed the cranial osteopath can help.

Had manic but good day yesterday with trip to the beach for a walk/scoot (albeit in a bit of rain), then lunch out (both Dcs really pretty good) and then the pantomine. DS loved it (all 2 hours) but freya unsurprisingly needed a bit of a crawl around but we were near an aisle so that was ok too. She loved the music and the lights but got a bit bored (understandably at 1 !!!) inbetween. I enjoyed it too. whole day organised by me of course! DH has been home days on the trot and is yet to really organise any activities. He wants to do things we did pre kids (ie todays suggestion was to go to a mountain bike centre - an hour and a half drive each way - I suggested we waited for better weather and named a local tame alternative but that wasnt good enough!) He then went to collect his boat from the sailing club and bring it home, not a problem as it needed doing, became a problem when he got locked in and I had to make the 30 mile round trip with the kids to bring him his key! somehow still my fault for being grumpy about it!

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Gary & Northern what is the portion sizes thing. I'd love to know especially due to Sky's allergy x

[LittleMissFantabulous]

Tree is down so out with the old name:o

[NorthernChinchilla]

Well, we've crawled back now, landed just before 1am- poor DS wouldn't settle, so we slept together 2-8am. It was very cold in the house to be fair. Poor thing just passed out in my arms (which is a first ) and I managed to transfer him to the sofa, so I'm now cruising the sales on line and feeling fecking shattered.

Just wanted to say GBT, thanks for that 'guide to portion sizes', really, really helpful. I'm happy with what DS is getting, but I like to know what's recommended so I can tweak if necessary.

We too are playing the put things into things game. Yesterday it was dropping a reindeer headband down the side of the cupboard; today it was the classic of dropping the bottle down the side of the sofa, and every-and-anything into the bath...of course the toys are mainly ignored!

Wow LMF, that must be a cause of some significant background stress, and it must be horrible having to balance the older kids' need? to see their father with a desire to murder him tell him to stuff it and it's all three or nothing on Octoboy's behalf...

Really hope today is better seven, that does sound crappy. Hope the chinese and knitting were enjoyable at least?

Will go and wake DP shortly, but he's two floors up and don't feel I can leave DS asleep on the sofa even for those few minutes: not sure if that's sensible or pfb !

[SevenElvesAndAReindeer]

Meant to say figgy although thankfully our nappies don't take that long if the changing table isn't helping with the stress stop using it. We have a cot top changer but she's so wriggly I've only been changing her on the floor since she could crawl. I figured I don't have to pin her down quite so much, if she escapes the worst thing that can happen is she has an accident on the carpet, rather than falling off anywhere!

[SevenElvesAndAReindeer]

Glad the party went well cheung.

We have the opposite variation of that game, taking things out of other things. A particular favourite is the magazine rack, which often leads to another great game of ripping pages out of the TV mag.

oi 8 hours is a long time, pricey but is there a zoo anywhere nearby? I can't think of much else that takes us that long! Swings, library and feeding the ducks could take a couple of hours if you dragged it out though and doesn't cost anything if you have old bread! Maybe they could wrap up warm and take a picnic with them?

[OiMissus]

I need to find an activity for BOi and DH (outside) for about 8 hrs so I can start decluttering and sorting.
Putting things into things is a big activity here too. For example, rather than ride on his fancy sports car, he likes to drop the remote control through the gaps in the steering wheel. Ahem...

[Aethelfleda]

Morning everyone

we have a FANTASTIC game called "putting Things into Other Things". It has multiple varients. The least good one involves posting bog roll and the holder widget down the toilet .

Today is mostly going to involve ongoing laundry and stuff decluttering. I spent three hours chucking and sorting paperwork from the attic last night. There is so much to do and so much uncertainty about whether the house purchase will work. :( had bad dreams last night after a welleaning aunt told me her last vendor ripped out the lights and left big holes in the ceiling. Guess who's vendor wants to take half the light fittings??....

Glad the party went well Cheung, Does it sound like the thead babies are de-bioHazzing? LMF hope your poorly one was seen at Out of hours Docs in a helpful fashion and they get better .

[OiMissus]

Changing poopy nappies is always a challenge. And shouting at him is not such a bad thing. He'll have forgotten about it in seconds.
We use pull ups. I try to use Active Fit (normal nappies) over night, but have used pull ups over night too - so far without incident.
Lmf - why won't he acknowledge Octoboy? (Am nosey, and like an excuse to rant about idiot menfolk).

[MrsDeterminedandSpecialMum]

Figgy, we've all done it so don't worry.

LMF his first priority should be the children. Does he blame you for 'his mess'?

Am needing matchsticks this morning so tired as Sky kept us awake last night :(

[CheungFun]

Morning everyone :)

Figgy don't feel bad for shouting, I think we all do it! I did have to sort of sit on top of DS once as he had a no.2 nappy and would not keep still. I got the job done, but I didn't feel amazing!

LMF that sounds so immature and it isn't fair for the children either :(

DS and his friend had their joint party yesterday and despite me and my friend nearly having panic attacks beforehand (first time nerves!) it went really well :)
I think we had about 25 kids and 35 adults in the end. I prepared far too much food, but I will do the same food next time, just less of it! I think everyone enjoyed themselves and even the adults. I think my friend is happy to do it again next year so that would be amazing :)

[LittleMissKitschmas]

He's protecting his life from the mess he made. He has his priorities, himself and his life first and foremost - that in his own words.

[ChristmasIsForPlutocrats]

I pin DD down for changes, but do rely on a daily bath to get all the genuine crap out of her bits. I also put tea tree oil in the water, to disinfect and to soothe raw bits.

LMF, maybe he's afraid to meet Octoboy? He (the little one) has such a forthright, happy (trusting) look in the pics I've seen that it would be hard not to respond...

[FestiveFiggy]

seven thanks......20 minutes isn't unusual unfortnuately he creates such a fuss and thrashes like a wild animal he almost fell off his change table tonight so think that's why I got upset. We bought pull ups today but don't trust them overnight so will be trying them tomorrow though last time they didn't seem to make much difference what makes it worse is that I can see red bits and slight rashes because he makes it so hard to clean him!!

At Least he went to bed straight away!!

[SevenElvesAndAReindeer]

Christ figgy don't feel guilty, 20 minutes??!! I have no patience, I think after 10 minutes I'd have given up and just let him pee all over the floor :o. Did you try pull-ups? I can't remember if it was you or someone else who mentioned them a while ago.

[SevenElvesAndAReindeer]

LMF sorry I just sort of assumed Octoboy wasn't his by the way you talk about the older two seeing their dad, why won't he acknowledge him? :(. Get some more maintenance out of the fecker, and I know generally men like that aren't worth wasting your breath on but if you ever have the time or inclination to talk about it we're all ears, well eyes anyway. Sorry about the pox and hope you're home again now.

Crap day here including DS refusing to eat or poo for 3 days, though he has thankfully been now, and a small amount of food has been consumed. Much arguing between me and DH and him blaming me for not making him a dr appointment before his eating got this bad and making me feel like the worlds crappest mother, attempting to return much overdue library books to the library which was shut for lunch, and DH being called into work tonight on his day off, he couldn't leave quick enough :(. Sorry for being miserable, just feeling pants and nothing seems to be going right lately. Anyway, the new plan for tonight is knitting and Chinese .

[FestiveFiggy]

Bad mum alert just shouted at DS as had been nappy wrestling for 20 minutes and couldn't bare it anymore now feel sooooo guilty

[LittleMissKitschmas]

Gary he refuses to acknowledge Octoboy. Tricky situation which at some point in going to have to deal with:(

Got the big ones back early, as Squidge has had a relapse of the excruciating abdominal pain she was suffering earlier in the week. At out of hours walk in right now. Been here an hour, looking at another before we're seen.

Hair is greeny blue in its awesomeness:)

Right. Back to the inane music and trying to gaffer tape Boo to a chair so he doesn't interact with people. Being single sucks in this situation, having to drag all three out to get one seen. Gah! I'll be getting another coffee on the way home I think:)

[mopsytop]

Ended up getting the cybex Pallas 2 without the isofix, it gets excellent reviews and fits our car fine. Thanks anyway ladies!!

[GaryBuseysTeeth]

Britax First Class Plus, it goes from sizes 0-4. Only downside is it's a bulky feccker.
We'll still get the same again for the next one so it's not that bad.

LMF, hope you're having a coffee filled, child free relaxing time? And he's not just taken a couple of 'em off your hands?
How's the barnet looking?