Dec 2011: Running around after our Cybermidgets...

[Aethelfleda]

Roll up, roll up, it's the Dec 11 new thread.
Prepare to be upgraded (if you can catch them!)

Thank you Air for the pro's & cons :) we are lucky in the fact that DH earns £60k + we live day to day anyway. I'm used to budgeting and surviving on a hell of a lot less.

As long as I keep house clean, washing & ironing upto date and girls are fed, watered and happy. Then I knowDH will be fine and won't resent me.

I know I'll be a happier person and better wife & mother as I won't be so exhausted.

Hello air, good to see you back. Sorry your OH was a bit of an arse.

It must've been grim for her, but Darcie vomming into your Dad's hat did make me smile Queenie... Hope she's better now and sleeping OK.

Y'know, I think that the same way all our babies psychically communicate, and we all come on here going "s/he woke at 3am/has pox/won't eat, ARGH!" I think the men-folk must be doing the same. There can be no other explanation for such simultaneous arse-iosity.
I think figgster is being most restrained...we're in exactly the same situation as you with no family to help, and when one gets the chance to go out the other encourages them to- DP has come home reeling from a beer festival, and I've gotten in at gone midnight on work night following a leaving do! It only happens about twice a year, it's fun, so what's the biggie ?!

Is Relate this Wednesday Oi or am I imagining it? Good luck if so.

Right, need to make dinner before I munch the damn laptop through hunger. Throat and ulcer still grim, thank God for buckets of painkillers, anti-b's and some pain-killing throat spray stuff the dentist gave me.

Yah boo and haddocks to all H's with communication problems and other issues - hope they sort themselves out soon and Relate helps those who are going for counselling.

Queen hope Darcie's feeling better and Northern hope those painkillers are still working!

We have a roster of neighbours' teenagers and au pairs for babysitting in addition to our nanny (now on mat leave). Going rate round here is about £20 for the whole evening so we factor that into the going out budget and put DS to bed and then go out for dinner or a movie or something.

Friday I left for a hen weekend in Madrid and DH left for two weeks in Scotland so my parents came to stay at ours for the weekend. I got back last night and DS was sooooo happy to see me, he wouldn't stop cuddling me or climbing into my lap and kept patting my face and saying "mama, mama" appreciatively. Then we had a lovely hour in bed together this morning cuddling and occasionally breastfeeding and reading books.

My parents may have had rose tinted specs on about how much work it is taking care of DS. Before I left it was all, "we've done this twice you know, we could do this in our sleep, we'll show you how it's done!" But as soon as I walked in the door there was a serious feeling of relief in the air and my father said to my mother "why don't you go take a nap", then he promptly dozed off on the sofa! Rather wonderfully DS, who never gets up before 7am for us, woke them at 4.30am ready to play clever boy

My hips and ribs are absolutely knackered from Madrid though. I think the dreaded sciatica/SPD is worse this time but DH said I was in a lot of pain last time too, I'm just blotting it out. This morning I could barely get out of bed and had to take a nap when DS did, thereby not getting any work done today, the house is a disaster zone, and DS had a piece of cheese, oatcakes, smoked salmon and blueberries for dinner.

Oh well...to quote Scarlett O'Hara, tomorrow is another day!

Sorry about the of pains/sciatica etc xiao.
How did you go about finding babysitters? (Not that I want to spend time with DH, mind, but I probably should give it a go!)
Yes, relate is tomorrow night. When i get home from Germany - if I ever get there. This plane doesn't seem to be taking off... Should've left 27mins ago... Paperwork problems apparently.

Air mist be ill he still not up yet

Oi hope the plane leaves soon.

Xiao sorry to hear about the SPD, aqupuntcher (sticking copper needles in preasure points) helped take the pain away for me I highly reccomend it.

Plane cancelled... Still on the Tarmac though. Should've taken off at 7, it's now 9. Can't even get back in the airport!
It's a good job I am not a stresshead. Am perfectly chilled.
Could do with a coffee though. Aethel?

On a train to London for the day lucky me!!

Cm had a chat with us last night about DS speech I knew it was coming as he Is behind I'm not worried as I know it'll come but she has to talk to us about it. She says he's so advanced in relation to everything else his understanding is brilliant, he follows instructions, he knows his body parts he can point to things in his books he knows his animal noises he knows cars go vroom, trains go choo choo etc and he gibbers and shouts at us all the time but we still only get mummy daddy juice ball and bubble. The hv will just tell us to talk to him more wont they? He doesn't need a dr yet does he?

Had a massive long chat about his schooling as well last night as the best school in area is a church school and dh and I are both staunch atheists. DS isn't christened and cm thinks to get him in we we will need to start church and do that at least 2 years before we register for schools I don't think I can lower myself to such hypocrisy and then there still be no guarantee he will get in. if he doesn't get in we will have to lose her (as she doesn't do school runs to other schools) and even maybe move house as the other local school is a dropping off kids in PJs while dropping fag ash on the baby's head kind of school and he is not going there EVER. he's just 18mo how can this be an issue already??

figgy I wouldn't be concerned about speech until he's 2 tbh.

oi hope you've left now.

Stupid argument here last night, apparently DH is fed up of how I speak to him and my shitty attitude. I don't have an attitude, he's stressed with work and takes everything the wrong way. This was after he fell asleep on the sofa and woke up at 2:45 and I was encouraging him to go to bed (the tv was still on and I was sleeping downstairs so DD2 didn't wake the others up, surely that's fair?) Anyway, I've been wide awake stressing and thinking all night, I've had 2 hours sleep. House is filthy and DS Physio is coming later. I've had to tell DS we can't go to the park this morning as I don't have time to take him, feeling like a crap mother. Sorry for me, me, me post.

And yes where is aethel? We need coffee, and maybe Danish pastries?

QOQ if being a SAHM is what you want, and you and DH are both happy with it, then go for it. My only reservations are that is makes you very dependent on DH, and I'm way too used to having my own money to be able to do it myself. But if it is going to help you look after your own health, then go for it.

Oi hope you get in the sky soon, and good luck with relate. I hope it helps you clarify things in your own head at least.

Figgy don't worry about the speech. I think Dr's don't really care until they're two. Sorry your DH is being a nobber too.

AOH nice to see you back. Hope you can talk things through with DH and move forward.

Xiao Sorry about the pain, glad you enjoyed your trip away.

I have forgiven DH, sort of. DS has just been a holy terror all weekend, I think it's a mix of not napping as he does usually, having a cold and he's got two teeth coming through. I have had to take many deep breaths and count to ten quite a few times. Tantrums in the house, in the garden, in the park, in Tesco, in B&Q, in the bath... I'm just over it and quite glad to be at work today (insert awful mother emoticon). Last night he threw a tantrum in the bad and kept hitting and pinching and biting DH. DH got really annoyed at him (he's still feeling like crap too) so I just snapped, kicked DH out of the bathroom and did bedtime myself. Managed to distract DS by getting him splashing water everywhere (and DH had a go at me about that, seriously? What's the problem, it's either water on the floor or a screaming toddler, you choose.) and get him happily off to bed. Then I gave DH the silent treatment for an hour (I'm dead mature me) and went to bed. DH came up and apologised and said he's going to try and be more patient and be better with monkey and said that he's really sorry. I wasn't very gracious at this point, I have to admit, and just said that when he gets like that, it makes me not want to leave him alone with DS. He went really quiet, and that was that. He's been fine this morning.

Looking at this weekend though, I'm going to be honest and say that a lot of it is coming from the fact that we have spent the last few weeks trying to get stuff done while DS is around, and it's really hard and frustrating and no fun for anyone. We're going to try and make an effort to do more fun stuff, just the three of us (like going for walks and to national trust places, oh yeah it's all ROCK AND BLOODY ROLL over here), so that we're enjoying the time we have with DS, not just getting pissed off because an 18 month old doesn't want to stand quietly in B&Q for an hour without touching everything. Oh, and we're off down to B'ham next month to meet a fab photographer friend of mine to get some family pictures taken.

In other news, DS is 27lbs 13oz now. Which is exactly how much weight I am currently trying to lose. It is very depressing to look at my massive toddler and realise that that is how much I need to shrink by.

Figgy - your LO is exactly the same as BOi. He is brilliant - understands loads, and does tasks when asked (showing true understanding), he knows all body parts and animals etc, but he's a BOi of very few words: ammy, addy, ganpa, ganma, andy (sandy - dog's name), apple... He speaks loads, but not with real words. I am not worried in the slightest.

Oi - hope you either get airborne soon or get back into the airport at least!

Sorry to hear about everyone's DH problems...do you think they are communicating like our DC do?!

I've always had my own money too and weary about having to be totally reliant on DH...never been reliant on anyone before but I think it will be okay. I'll be a hippy mommy as I was when on maternity leave lol. DH will give me money to run the household and sure If any of us need anything I can just go and get anyway.

Wish me luck as doing overtime today and handing my notice in today too!

air you star!! I never thought about acupuncture for the pain but I am getting right onto that. Having grown up in China I have seen first hand the incredible things it can do, my great uncle who had been unable to walk for two years from MS flew from the States in a wheelchair for a week's course and it gave him back six months of mobility.

Oi we asked for recommendations from other parents mainly, and the best sources have been kids of neighbours, nursery staff and au pairs looking to earn a bit of extra cash in the evenings - but we've also been prepared to get someone from sitters.co.uk for when we've been somewhere we don't know anyone (eg. when we thought we might go to this wedding up in Newcastle).

Boi goes to nursery right? I would use that as your first port of call because chances are he might get someone he already knows.

Having a consistent amount of time a deux has been absolutely vital for us, even if we did manage to slightly mar our last date night by arguing about what it meant to believe in God (and we are both atheists!!)

Ok, next flight due to take off in 22 mins. No gate staff yet... He he he! Wish me luck.
I luffs Manchester airport, I do.
NOT!

Ooh, sorry, I pootles off to do some shopping and the thread goes crazy!

figgy, DS is -Definitely not a boy genius-- able to say mumma, dada, nack (snack) dit-dit (biscuit) nanaaaaa (banana) duck (ducks or anything remotely birdlike) doh-doh (DD2) dat-dat (DD1) and doo-doo (choochoo, meaning Thomas the Tank engine). He signs for food/drink/more/all gone/hello/byebye.
No other words yet, but he understands lots. So hope this reassured you that your DS is totally normal!

Good luck with the notice queenie! I am itching for September but know there is tons to do at home in the meantime, want to restart part time work before the stuff at home becomes too much to get away from.

Oh the tantrums at this end! There's not too many yet but I have a little diva on my hands if I won't let him reprogramme the microwave/phone/washing machine.....

We've moved on from the TV remote and now the fave toy is the oven and the fun twisty dials that turn it on. We did get some amazing magnetic cabinet locks that are standing up well to a toddler sized beating. Don't think they would work on the oven though.

Word wise we have:
daddy/dada, mummy/mumma, cat, cow (all animals are either cats or cows), more, MINE!, cheeeezzzze, hot, cold, more, all gone, stuuuuuuuck (usually wailed at high pitch), broke (usually said way too innocently), 'wack 'wack (quack quack), rah-rah (broom), vroooom! (any toy with wheels), up high!, down low!, toes, arm, shooocks (socks), shoooooes, hair, up!, NO!!!, yesh, key, lock (think he means door really), pooohs (means those gross baby puffs that look like wotsits but taste of nothing), nana (but means all food), dink (drink), meeek (milk), pappy (grandad), gagad (other grandad), Haaaaadeee (means his cousin who's name sounds a bit like this). I think there's more but I'm losing track. It's awesome being able to communicate a bit better with him, but he's a contrary little bugger at times! He's had a language bloom the past month, before that we had about five words for ages. Oh, and he has thankfully stopped saying 'oh fuck' when he drops things

Still can't eat anything without smearing it all over himself though. Oh, and thinks the best way to eat yoghurt is with his fist.

Figgy if you are concerned give your hv a call and ask if there is any speech therapy groups on.

The ones Air went to started at 18 months old and was called talking tots. Its like a playgroup but fouces on talking games. They give you homework and talking games to do at home or nursary. Its just used to incourage lo to talk more. They also give.tips on how to encourage his language development. Its also fun :)

Its voluntry at this age and Air is only started to go to proper SALT now at 4yo because he needs to be able to say the letters before he learns to read and write them

Oh, we also have 'bum!' and 'poo!' but not sure they mean anything yet. He's just heard me singing 'stink bum, stink bum, you got a stinky bum, you're bum is really stinky so we're gona change your bum! You did a poo, a big poo, you did a big poo, your bum is really pooey so we're gona change your bum' to the tune of Sex Bomb whenever we change a nappy.

Hopes words are
Daddy
Mum
Iuon (aaron)
Pengwin bomber
Ball
Bird
Cow
Gate
Drink
Car
Batman
Triangle
Circle
Coat
Boots
Top
No
Yeah
Ta
Bye
Hi
There (with pointing)
Cat
Hair
Hat
More
Again
Star as in twinkal twinkle little star song with actions
Scok
Bath
Bed
Sleeping
Mine
Share

She.can sign more, bye and shakes her head for yes or no and can moo.

Her latest trick is to headbut me in my tummy and then walk to the door sit with arms folded till I tell her to get off the naghty step and then she comes gives me a hug and kiss. I think she feels left out as Air spends so much time on NS at the mo

Today she was playing with the vtech crawl ball and she was pressing the buttons it would say triangle or curcle and she would say it to so she has started copying word people say like Batman Ball. Air didnt do that till 3.5 yo

She likes colouring and reading books, the same book 10 times in a row, pretend play with dolls so feeding, burbing, pushing in toy stroller and changing nappy.

She hasnt took clothes off but can put top and jeans on herself and takes shoes off and puts wellies on.

Its great watching her. She is also very checky and also headbutted MIL and knocked her tooth out oppsy

Can I just say that Room on The Broom is the best book EVER! Love it!

Room in the broom may be the best book, but Stink Bum is ddefinitely the best song!
(Finally in Deutschland!)

Hop I just guffawed on the train very loudly that is the best song ever!!!

I've lost track of DS's words - he's speaking in sentences (this afternoon he woke up and told me "I saw [au pair] today" and when I said "can you walk down the stairs" he said "I think I can!". But he still can't feed himself with a spoon, can't get himself coordinated to scribble with crayons, and says "noodgight" instead of "goodnight"

Ooh I don't know Room in the Broom! Will have to pick it up for DS. Books in heavy rotation here:
Symphony City
Tiny Little Fly
The baby's catalogue
Summer
Is it bedtime Wibbly Pig
The little engine that could
Squeak Rumble Whomp Whomp Whomp
Not last night but the night before

My parents have just taken him off to stay with them overnight tonight so I am home alone!! My back was so painful I had to call them to ask for more help - I am having trouble carrying him up and down the stairs and if he doesn't want to walk down holding my hand he just bellows and stamps his feet until I pick him up. I didn't realise how much carrying DH was doing until he left for Scotland for 2 weeks. I have dropped a note to my friend who I know had acupuncture a few months ago to ask for the number and I will be making an appointment asap.

Time to get lots of work done as I had a bit of a mauling this morning from someone on the quality of our sales presentation. All totally justified but it's so mortifying when you've checked and double checked and had friends/family check and also sent it out to loads of other people...and then someone points out all these mistakes

Wait air are you serious, Hope knocked your MIL's tooth out!!?? Wow reminds self not to piss Hope off

Wow Hope! walks away reminding self not to piss Hope off

Well I did it and tbh, my manager was shocked but said she knows I've been struggling and a very brave decision and that she's going to miss me. So went well really. X

Yay Queen, that's as well as it could possibly have gone and now every day at work is one day closer to no longer being at work! Very brave, well done

Whenever you post and/or I post moaning about my back/ribs, I hear Christopher Guest playing the evil count in the Princess Bride in my head: