May 2004 babies - new thread

[helsy]

Well, d'you think anyone will bother?
I feel like I'm having a party and waiting for people to turn up. Dorito, anyone?

Ooh very irritating title, helsy.

Don't talk to me about parties. Have currently making a balls-up of DD's.... Anyway gotta dash.

Paaaarty! Let's see if we can lure back all our old chums to give us an update.
DS is having a tea party next Friday afternoon for 5 (2 his age, 2 dd's age, one in between) and then we are planning a family outing on the Saturday to somewhere like Chester Zoo or Gullivers World (DD's favourite). He's getting loads of old stuff down from the loft and also some books, a pretend telephone, and a paddling pool. Hopefully plus the ELC microwave and some other ELC items from grandparents - going wild with their 20% off voucher

DD is getting Baby Annabel doll and possibly a new sandpit - DS's has seen better days. Also some Happyland item from DS but we are still negotiating on that one. I bought her a new dress for her party (only time I ever buy her dresses although she ends up with loads) and it is 18-24 and fits quite nicely. Also bought a hat for nursery age 2-3 from Matalan and it is too small.

Hello everyone and Happy birthday to all the babies who've had their birthdays and for those still to come. Congrats to Spots on the arrival of dd2 and to Ponka on the arrival of ds2. and to anyone else who is expecting another baby congrats.

Dd2's birthday is 2 weeks on Sunday, I can't believe she's almost 2!
Not sure what we're going to buy her, I've suggested a small trampoline in the hopes that it will stop her jumping on the bed, sofa's, her sister etc But I'm not sure if we have the space for it.

I'll do a quick catch up while I'm here, she eats, climbs, sleeps, climbs, runs, climbs, jumps, climbs, talks non stop, did I mention she climbs? If I had the space in the garden I'd buy her a climbing frame.
She likes to fight with her sister, won't share anything but she is only little. If her sister has something she then has to have it. If dd1 says something dd2 will copy her word for word or if dd1 does something dd2 will copy her. A bit of a nightmare since dd1 goes to gymnastics and dd2 tries to copy her doing forward rolls, a very scary thing I'm sure she'll break her neck one day.

I just don't seem to have the time to pop in as often to catch up on news, what with work and rescuing my monkey from whatever new heights she has scaled.

good news for me is that I passed my driving test at the end of March and I'm going to look at cars on Sunday. And my sister is expecting a baby and I'm going to be an aunty again I'm so excited.

Going to go now will try to catch up more often
bye for now
Linnet

I remember from last year Linnet, our dds share the same birthday.

Must send out birthday invites as it's a weekend and people tend to be busy. Dd2 is getting more vocal by the day - she seems to be a very confident little girl. I still haven't decided on what kitchen to get her.

We all went to a friend's 40th last night, lots of children there, very relaxed, and the girls stayed up until 10. Never again - dd2 woke up at 6 this morning and I had to take her downstairs as she was insisting very loudly that she was ready for her banana, then by 8 of course she was knackered but fighting sleep, you know when they're wandering around bumping into things, crying with tiredness but insist they aren't tired? She fell asleep by 9.30 and didn't wake up until 12.30.
Dd1 had another party to go to today (that's FOUR this weekend) and was horrendous all day - misbehaving, being cheeky, crying for no reason.

And I should be working now.
Sod it, going to watch telly.

Glad you like the thread title, Bozza. I live on the edge, me.

Have taken DD's hat back to Matalan to exchange. Did wonder whether it was worth queueing so long to exchange a £2 hat. We went to a party at soft play on Sunday and watching DS and his friends (note DS and not DD ) make a real mess with jelly and ice-cream determined me not to have it for DD's party. She can have it on her actual birthday when her cousin is coming to tea.

ooo a new thread.

i'm at my parents in norwich for a sunny hols. dh is in south africa!

Got dd a kitchen from an nct sale. yes i am a cheapskate but is in good nick and will do fine for outside in her house. she'll love it. also picked up a brand new baby dolls elc wooden high chair, basket of plastic food for the said kitchen. magnetic letters, (ahem) foam letter tiles that interlock, a wooden rocking chair, another aquadraw (put mine in wash - ahem ahem) but that was in bad shape when i undid the wrapping. but anyway - all for about £30. bargain.

we are having a huge family bbq on 28th so praying for nice weather.

cant believe your dd is 7 months susi!

lovely to hear from everyone xxxx

Hoooray for all the birthdays! DS's is today, and I think Georgina's DS must be as well. He keeps saying "I be two in May" and jogging up and down on the spot with excitement. We're having a little party tomorrow for 7 children and then hopefully a family farm trip on Saturday. There's SO much I need to organise for tomorrow but I can't do it today as it's all food related. But DH is away until tomorrow lunchtime and I've got to get DD to preschool and DS to tumbletots and them both back home for lunch before I can crack on. AND they are both rubbish at watching TV at the moment. Ten minutes into anything and they are both in the kitchen on little chairs, poking their fingers in butter, demanding "cheese to try" and just generally driving me round the bend!

And I shouted at them at tea time which has really upset me. I keep looking for confessional type threads to reassure me that other people have shouted and I am not overly foul, but I can't find any.

PS> At bathtime yesterday, I heard DD saying "can I make you a cup of tea, sir?" to DS. Then I heard "And please can I hold your willy?" Lawks.

lol judd!

and dont feel guilty at the shouting. the mere fact that you feel guilty shows you are a great mum. i have to admit i smacked dd's hand once when she wouldnt stop throwing her dinner on the floor. she cried and i cried and i vowed never ever would i do that again. still feel sick thinking about it.

Judd - another shouty mother here! Most of the time I'm just a bit sgt. major-ish, but sometimes I do get very annoyed if I've asked for things to be done/not be done endless times and it feels like I'm talking to myself. I've never shouted at dd2, though, just dd1 and DH!

Still on a kitchen hunt - better hurry up, only a week to go. Have about 16 coming next week, including adults. I'm about to go downstairs and look for a recipe for an easy/very easy cake...

helsy _ I am reasonably happy with DD's butterfly cake. It is basically an ordinary round cake (I did a lemon one) cut in half and then the halves turned round to make the wings and four mini rolls in the middle to form the body. Then obviously decorated. I am just printing off a couple of pictures of DD to stick up tomorrow - one in her Easter bonnet, and one covered in cake mix - soooo cute.

And I have shouted at DD. She just will not leave me alone and sometimes I just feel so hemmed in - she is always so close to me that she is standing on my feet - and when I am wearing flipflops and she is in chunky soled toddler footwear it is not good.

Judd she also spends half her life stood on a chair next to me in the kitchen trying to eat margerine directly from the tub, then going rooting in the cutlery drawer spreading said margerine over everything etc....

Funny incident this morning. We were laying in bed and DS and DD were playing when they both appeared at the side of the bed and there was a distinct odour. So I said "DD, have you done a poo?" and she said "DS, poo" trying to blame DS. Then DS got all defensive and said "I haven't done a poo, see, look down my pyjamas". Cue, DD looking down his pj shorts.

How was the party Bozza? Ours was indoors from start to finish - started thundering at 2pm, guests due 2.30pm. It still seemed to go OK, although 7 children did made a heck of a mess!
DS is my shadow at the moment. If we get to the top of the stairs and I say "I'll just get some socks" he stops going down, turns round and follows me back up again. And if I try and dart from playing in the garden into the kitchen to grab something, he is with me every step of the way! I do feel an overnight stay chez grandparents could be in order......
People with 2 children - do they squabble? We have entered the phase of "I'm the gruffalo, raaaaaaa", "No you're not, you're a lion, I'M the gruffalo, raaaaa" ad infinitum. However, when they are not squabbling, they are very loving and even share (sometimes!)

I read your post on the other thread judd. I have been banished by DH for being drunk. But what better time than after a 2yo's birthday party. I think drinking on an empty stomach contributed. It went quite well. We put the castle on the patio rather than the lawn due to the damp condition (drizzling on/off). And the kids went on it. Then we played musical statues, musical bumps, pass the parcel and sleeping lions (3 games of each except the parcel). Then had food, then more free play. All in all, I had 12 children and 17 adults (and a 6wk old baby) and then my Auntie and Uncle turned up later. So quite a full house!

DD was quite full of it (Caity's party, Caity's cackle [castle]etc) and I was amazed at how she blew the candles out.

Also conversation with DS:
Do you like Caitlin's birthday cake? It's a butterfly.
Yes it's symetrical.

DD spotted the table laid in the dining room this morning and after dragging her chair with booster on through and haveing it unceremoniously returned to the kitchen insisted on having her cheese on toast on a party plate.

And well done you, Judd!

Judd my dd's squabble, all the time. I thought I might have missed out on any major squabbling because of the big age gap but no apparently not.

It's dd2 who starts it all. she wants so much to be just like her big sister. so if dd1 is doing something, playing with something, eating something dd2 has to have it too and she just goes over and tries to take it away from dd1. Cue lots of screaming crying shoving, I feel sorry for dd1 who had 6 years of peace and quiet and now has to deal with a little monster following her everywhere.

My granny informed me the other day that I'm bringing dd2 up far to roughly compared to dd1. dd2 follows me everywhere saying mummy, mummy, mummy, mummy and after a while it really gets on your nerves! SO at granny's the other night she was doing this and I told her to go away and do something else I gave her a toy to play with but no she still nagged and nagged. And granny told me I was a bad parent. I felt a little bit upset at that but when you've been with dd2 all day and this has gone on non stop from the minute she gets up it does get very wearing. Am I a bad mother?

Granny also seems to think that I'm a bad mother because I shock horror go out to work 3 days a week and I should spend more time with dd2. When I'm at work Dh has dd2 so it's not as if she's missing out on being with a parent. I don't think there's anything wrong with children going to nursery by the way but Dh works evenings so obviously he's there during the day to look after her.
I try explaining to granny that if I didn't work we wouldn't be able to pay our rent and have food etc, well it's not that bad a situation but you know what I mean. Granny's answer is that if you can't afford to give up work then you shouldn't have children, aarrgghh

Sorry I'm feeling a bit put upon this weekend by her. She's in her 70's and on her own now and not in the best of health. and since my mum died when dd1 was born there is no buffer in between my granny and myself.

Anyway, I'm sorry to moan didn't mean to put a dampner on the thread.

bozza glad to hear that the party was a success. We're not having a party as such as dh has to work on dd2's birthday so we'll do presents in the morning and the cake when he gets home at tea time. Still haven't decided what to buy her yet, better make my mind up quick only a week to go.

Linnet - of course you are not a bad mother. Have you not read us all saying that we all do the same sort of things!

I have a friend who is in the same situation as you. Her Mum died a few years back and she lives next door to her housebound Grandma who has a tendency to come out with these kind of comments. Sometimes old people loose their perspective a little IMO.

Oh and Happy Anniversary!

Oh no you all sound like perfect mothers compared to me. I think im forever shouting at DD. Her newest trick is to kick you and run away when you try and get her dressed etc after 10 mins of chasing her around the room I get fed up and threaten her with something ie you cant go and see nanny now or the naughty step, although today she wanted to be carried everywhere and wouldnt let me unpack the shopping and was generally being naughty and throwing things. I said to her' Do you want to go on the naughty step? and she replied 'yes' hmmm.. I wasnt planning on that one also heard her telling her doll she had to go on it so I think the desired effect is wearing off. I find it so difficult that no amount of telling off does anything and then what do you do?
We have had a lovely fornight in spain with her and she was well behaved most days. She didnt like the pool though as it was too cold but she walked everywhere and actually slept through every night.
Her new thing at the moment is to combine words that weve said to her, so so far weve had daddy is a fluff bag, she called my mum a madwoman and everyone is a cheeky monkey!!

Happy 2nd Birthday to everyone.

Well kbaby I went downstairs without DD today. And she sat at the top of the stairs and cried for 15 mins while I unpacked the Asda delivery. Every time I went past the stairs I said are you coming down and she refused. Backfired in the end though because she was too miserable to eat her lunch.... She was covered in snot and her top was soaked. So good mother, me?

Thank you Bozza, did you have a good anniversary?

Dh and I managed to get out for a meal, went to a nice French restaurant in town, was lovely.

Dd2 had her 2 year check up yesterday. We got our new books from bookstart, yeah! and she built up the bricks and drew circles on demand and named all the pictures that the HV pointed to, I was very proud. Especially as she'd been a grumpy little madam all morning.

Fights between dd's haven't been as bad this week. Last night after dropping off dd1 at Brownies dd2 and I went to see my granny, who has been ill again but is now feeling better. Granny asked where dd1 was and dd2 said "At Brownies" clear as a bell, so cute. today dd2 spent all day wearing dd1's brownie jacket, lol

Dd2's birthday on Sunday, still don't have a present Aarrgghh!!!
I keep thinking we could get her this and then remember that we already have that because that's what we got for dd1 on her 2nd birthday/christmas etc. It's so hard.

Going to make a determined effort this week to finish the glosswork in dd2's bedroom so we can get her moved in. She's still in her cot in our bedroom All I need to do is paint the skirting boards and the round the window and that's it done. Maybe I should spend less time mumsnetting

ok, going to go talk soon
Linnet

We're going out tonight. After DD's party on Sunday, her birthday on Monday we just wanted a quiet night on Tuesday. Also mid week babysitting issues. So DS and DD at grandparents and we are off to an Indian where you take your own booze - interpret that as, we are skint.

I had the skill to have a boy and then a girl which I think helps on the pressie front. So we are now surrounded by mounds of pink plastic because apart from the replacement sand pit nearly all DD's pressies were very girly. Don't think DD can draw a circle. Shall I start training her?

Bozza I was thinking the same re drawing a circle, crikey I dont think DD even knows what a circle is. We keep concentrating on colours not shapes!!

So this is where you are all hiding.

Happy Birthday to all the May babies! Ours is next Sunday. We are so disorganised. DH is just out buying a sandpit now. We are having a small family party on the day and then going to a play place with his little friends on a weekday. I don't think I'll even have time to make a cake this year, which is really because I'm a trained cake decorator so I feel extra guilty.

All is well here but we are in that newborn no sleep dream-like state still. DS1 is adapting reasonably well to DS2 but he is very attention seeking at the moment. DS2 is very good and snores really loudly, just like his Daddy so you can imagine with both of them in my room, I'm getting no sleep at all! I remember at the meetup, Prufrock saying that when you have a second, you wonder how you ever were so busy with just one last time round. I've certainly found that. He's sleeping a lot but with both of them it's pretty hectic. My house looks like it's been burgled at the end of each day!

Have all the birthdays been now?

Hello Ponka, hope you're enjoying the chaos!
Dd2's party was on Saturday, she was 2 on Sunday. Saturday was lovely, 7 babies and their mums and dd1, dh and me. She had a great time, wimbling about playing with her presents and ignoring the other children - a room full of two year olds all playing next to, but not really with, each other (except to nick toys). She plays with dd1 but that's about it. Sunday we'd hoped to go to the zoo (I don't really like them) but it was raining so we ended up in the local soft play place.

She's not very well today - she had the runs in nursery apparently and she kept saying "tummy ache" but she ate a whole bowl of pasta with veg sauce and she's livened up a bit and is wide awake in her cot now.
We will get her into the little (IKEA extendable) bed soon, but we haven't found a nice big girls' bed for dd1 yet.

We bought a potty last week and she keeps sitting in it but doesn't seem interested in taking her nappy off. She just sits on it to read books!Still it's a start I suppose. Anyone potty training yet?

Helsy we are going for it at the end of next week. DD has started taking more of an interest in the potty. But we have to have the doll sat on the doll's potty alongside (somehow propped up) and read a book and.... so it is quite a faff. Not that she ever does a wee on the potty because she is quite capable of waiting until she has a nappy on - so it will have to be the whole hog approach for us.

Hope DD2 is better soon. DD has been a bit under the weather this week as well.