October 2011 - Learning to accept our babies are toddlers

[ClimbingPenguin]

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I've hired someone to get all our babies to sleep while we go get sloshed in the corner

Thanks ladies, strawberry, we're not really coping on one wage!!! My in laws help us out and from next week we're going down to two days at nursery. DH's epilepsy is finally under control after 6 years of changing medicines so we're confident for him to have L by himself now (that's why she's been at nursery while he wasn't working). She's going two days for him to have time during the day for the endless job hunt. Still no news on last week's interview...

L will eat almost anything until the box is finished Mummy, she's a wee piggy! Anything except, oddly, macaroni cheese!

School's out for summer, hooray! all round! And so, of course, the rain is pouring down .

turns out DS can open a banana

hooray for school holidays

Seb is like P and L - loves his fruit. He pulled my lunch bag out of my work bag today with a leftover satsuma and apple in it. He was trying to eat the satsuma (still unpeeled) through the bag! Once he'd devoured that (with a bit of help unpeeling - throughout which he didn't take his eye off it) he started on my apple!

We bought some new bath toys at the NNS this weekend. Seb loves them and it results in major tantrum when bath time is over. Yesterday (not bath night) he saw the toys and ran off to get his bath and tried to put it in the main bath so he could have a bath and play with his toys!

Pen Ouch. Poor A.

MrsH Sending

LP Enjoy your night in Bath. We're just down the road. If fact we may end up there ourselves that night as mum and dad are staying for a few days and have offered to babysit . I can feel the man of steel coming on (not quite as high brow as the theatre!)

Another fruit lover here! The boy costs me a fortune in Raspberries (and pretty much all other fruit but they are his particular favourite right now) still I shouldn't really complain its a good thing to like!

Very cute with the bath toys tally my mum gave W some mini home made bath bombs and every bath time he sees the bath and starts shouting 'pizz, pizz' for 'fizz'!

Had a proud mummy moment earlier when he stared pointing at everything he could see that was blue and saying 'bue' it's the first colour he's got!

A isn't really into baths at present, but loves the shower! I worry about him slipping though so usually end up getting in with him

I went through all A's clothes earlier in the week to sort for DD when she comes (nesting early this time!) and was disappointed that some of his nice stuff was stained yellow from when he was in his spilly baby stage between 3 - 6 months Does anyone have any tips to get rid of the stains or is it too late? I washed everything before I put it away at the time, and have washed them since, and don't remember the stains being there before. I am really keen to know as well so it doesn't happen again. Maybe next time I'll be more vigilant with bib wearing if DD is a spilly baby as well!

Pen, put the stains in direct sun, it should bleach them out (although with it being winter for you, not sure how much sun you will have!). Works for all S stained clothes

Loads of Seb's clothes are stained yellow too round the neck. At first I thought it was the formula but even now he's not on it he still gets stains. I think he must have toxic dribble. No amount of washing and sunlight seems to get rid of it.

Pen Seb went through a stage of not liking baths either, he would refuse to sit down and cry the whole time while we were trying to sponge him down. Now he's got his toys (and a couple of bath books) we struggle to get him out!

Straw yeay for the 'bue'! And the 'pizz'! How do you make bath bombs?

I think baby clothes just get stained! Loads of W's have big yellow stain on them, he was a messy eater and liked carrot - bad combo! We got rid of the worst ones as the stains wouldn't budge

tally bath bombs take a bit of time to make but are fun, it's usually my mum who makes them but this link has pretty good instructions www.thesoapkitchen.co.uk/recipe_bath_bomb.htm
W loves them

Thanks for the sun advice, I will do that next sunny day ... which will hopefully be soon. We've just come through the worst storm in 40 years (even lost a fence and a tree!) and sunny days have been rare. Now at least the shortest day is over it should improve ...

But, maybe like Seb, I'll mentally prepare myself not to get the stains out just in case A has toxic dribble too

I love the idea of making bath bombs (for me hehe)

Good advice on stains we have lots too (now just need some sun).

Am about to dig all of E's baby clothes out for my DSis as she's due with a little boy. Can't help being as she had my niece at the same time as E and now is having her second while I'm only just TTC again. Walked into BabyGap yesterday and was SO broody had to walk straight out again.

Cheshire/ Pen/ Ipswitch are oh all feeling ok now?

Am in Bath in our hotel room waiting for DH to wake up. Our only night away from E and I wake up at six am! Theatre was lovely and it's so nice to get away, although I found it so hard leaving him. The little toe rag didn't even notice though and wouldn't give me a kiss goodbye too busy digging Grandma's garden.

LP Aw, I bet he notices once you're back though! Glad you enjoyed your night away.

Pen Sorry to hear about the storms. Hopefully that will be it now.

Straw the bath bombs look cool, just need to work out where to get some moulds.

I need advice from anyone having been on a beach holiday. I was thinking about getting a beach shelter for Cyprus. It will be quite hot and Seb is very pale like me so I was looking at shelters. Some allow you to get in completely (to get changed etc) like this or would it be best to get one like this where the breeze can get through underneath so it doesn't get too hot in there but it doesn't close up, but I'm not sure easy it will be to secure it on a beach. I'm confused.com. Any thoughts/experience?

Re beach shelters we have one like the one in the first link, and it is such a pain to get up and down we don't use it half as often as we should - only when there really aren't other shade options. My only advice is to get whatever's easiest to assemble!

LP how lovely staying in a hotel with DH! I'm feeling ok but starting to waddlle and get a sore pelvis at times as I near the 3rd trimester. But, for the better part for now, keep waiting for it to turn, it's been an easy pregnancy so far, although I def have less stamina.

Oh and you can secure the shelter usually with shoes and books - assuming of course all of your books aren't in a kindle!

Oops - I cut M's hair last night and it looks a bit dodgy. Just in time for holiday photos

eng I get W's hair cut properly now after a few times of me doing a terrible job!

W seems to be going through a development phase at the moment so hopefully that's what all the bad sleep was about as he's sleeping better again now. Over the last few days he's started putting 2 words together, made us play tea party with him (the first time he's really instigated that type of imaginary play with us) and started saying his name!

Straw Awww, go W. I can't wait until Seb can say his name. Apparently the 'S' is quite hard for a lot of kids.

That's cute strawberry! S started to say her name while we were in Canada, but she's 'phia' . She misses the S from a lot of things, a snake is just 'nake' and if she says yes, it's more a 'yeth'.

Funny story, we got some chocolate raisins the other day and ate a few after dinner. I put them back into the kitchen and 5 mins later she comes walking back out with the packet saying 'like it' with the biggest grin . She's a fly one!

On the fruit front, she ate pineapple on Saturday but wasn't to sure of it, then yesterday beetroot!!

duck clever girl! Don't think W has ever had chocolate raisins, I'll have to get some he'd love them.

I think 'Billy' is probably on the easy end of names to say (we always call him Billy not William, in fact I think on here is about the only place I use the W! If someone calls him William in RL it always takes me a second to catch up!)

M has said his name twice, but just like S he tends to miss the beginning of words (nana - banana, ogel - vogel...bird in Dutch).

Just dropped M off at nursery. DH is still snoring upstairs. Packing today! What do I actually need to make sure goes in hand luggage for me and M?

At the moment am thinking...

Nappies
wipes
nappy bags
spare clothes (inc 2 rompers and 2 trousers)
Lots of snacks, sweets for take off
Non-spill cup
Bib
2 Books and a few toys (am thinking puppets!)
Tissues/nosespray
slipper socks

For me...
Spare set clothes
Scarf/shawl - makes a handy blanket
Kindle like I'm going to have time to read
Headphones
Paperwork/passports/wallet/tickets
Basic toiletries (toothbrush/paste/cleanser/cotton wool pads/mois/deo/hairbrush)
Travel pillow? never used one but DH came home with 2 last week
Thick socks

Am paranoid I'm going to forget something vital!

Heading into town to pick up last minute bits and get my hair cut.

strawb I really resent the idea of paying someone to snip a few bits of hair off - M's looks a bit more normal now!

M hates ths shower pen. When it goes on he runs away and he screams blue murder if I put him in there.

Sounds about right engels. I wore a big scarf and used that as a blanket for her. Def a spare set of clothes for yourself, after S was sick all over me last year coming home I learned my lesson with that one!! Think I had..

Nappies
Wipes
Changing mat (small throw away one, but I just reused)
Clothes
Cup
Bib
Snacks
Few books
2 of her sleepy toys
Pencil case with some pens, crayons
Colouring books, note pad
Stickers
DVD player and few DVDs.

I also had my old iPhone fully charged with a few apps for her d/l onto it. Killed a bit of time too.

When do you leave?

Tomorrow evening! I always get nervous before travel (am paranoid I'll be late or forget something!).

Oh exciting!! Worst I done was forget my contact lens case!! Had to send my poor dad back home to get it, thankfully only 20 mins from airport

Ooooops pressed send too soon! But always recommend having a pen handy for annoying landing cards etc. The list looks fine though - my only advice is something warm, I find planes cold.

A doesn't say his name but calls himself Atai. Is very cute, although it's also what he yells when he wants something.

Oh I pay for cuts too after accidentally giving A a mullet!