November 2012 - Lots of mummies going back to work

[StuntNun]

Previous thread: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/1761048-November-2012-Weaning-is-messy-fun-what-does-your-baby-eat

finally LO asleep after waking at 3.30 with a giant poo and not going back to sleep.

6.30 - 6.30 ! We have this nailed for now

I tried a rusk, and purred mango. No to both.

Evil

Sorry for abandoning the night crew Luis last night. P did the night feeds so I could sleep. If it is any consolation P was up at 3am.

Well done M! You certainly have it nailed MM. We really do not

Evil no good advice, but s
empathy from me. Weaning is much more difficult than I had anticipated. O will 'eat' finger foods but usually refuses to be spoon fed. I don't think he is actually eating much at all.

Erm, please tell me there are good things about having a little shit toddler

Good morning.

Checking in from my parents' house. I haven't run away - DH is here for work.

evil I am certainly not one to be giving advice on weaning as I do not have a baby bird! However, I find we all have lots of fun if I just take a step back. Twice a day she and I sit down at the dinner table and usually eat the same thing. Toast, fruit, bagel or similar. I find that when I am eating what she is she gets much more engaged in actually eating it. If I eat something different she tends to stare at my food. Yesterday I offered her a quarter of a bagel spread with tuna mixed with a touch of olive oil and some melon. After a while of this I gave her a couple of loaded spoons of pear purée.

While this is going on I try to be interested but not too interested if that makes sense. I might drink some tea, fiddle with my phone, jut blether away and so on. Lots of 'oooo! Is that delicious? Om nom" but no biggy if she doesn't engage.

Oh, and, I have noticed that she tends to go at it longer if DH and I are both at the table. She loves that.

Tell me this. Why, if I have not slept and decide I will nap when p goes down for her first nap, does she sleep for 30 minutes but if I decide not to bother, she goes 1.5 hours??

And lots of hi-5ing to the sleeping babies! Good job kiddles

chasing toddlers are random and hilarious and sparky and fun. I love toddlers. Granted, I have never lived with one but I do like ones I meet. Of course they are infuriating and naughty and bizarre in the extreme but it is all part of learning and building their personalities - discovering the world and their role in it.

Morning all . didn't get to reply last night, glad today is sweary cunting weds. Boy is awake so can't post now either even though I have plenty to say

Chasing to a toddler the world is filled with toys and new things to discover. When O first says ma-ma-ma you won't be able to get enough of it. He'll start to point at things to tell you how excited he is about them and he wants to share his excitement with you. If you can step back with a bit of perspective then toddler tantrums can be hilarious. You'll love the look of concentration on his face as he tries to build a tower out of blocks or stacking cups. You won't love it when he works out how to get his nappy off! When you dress a toddler they put their arms and legs through the clothes for you (most of the time) - much easier than dressing a baby. Just imagine next winter some of our babies will be walking and able to toddle around outside in the snow. They'll be surprised when you help them take the wrapping paper off their Christmas presents and they'll probably spend Christmas Day playing with only one of the too many presents they have received, or even with the box or paper. Toddler baths are much more fun with wind up toys and pouring water out of empty bottles. And it won't be long before you can hand a bottle of milk to O and he'll drink it by himself. Going for a walk with a toddler is the slowest you'll ever move as they walk a few steps, stop to look at something, go back a bit... eventually they'll end up on your shoulders. Oh and holding a toddler isn't like holding a baby as they cling on to you instead of being a dead weight. HTH!

Agree with all the comments about toddlers. Mine is the most awesome fun, whilst being super hard work. Babies are sweet and lovely, but toddlers are brilliant.

luis no time to post due to vomming toddler and awake baby!

We say 2 year olds are like tiny drunks and 3 yos like tiny drunk dictators! Funny, charming, mad, unpredictable and given to extremes of emotion. They drive you nuts and melt your heart. My 3 y o DD1 is amazing and exasperating in equal measure and it is incredible to watch her learn and grow. It's exciting knowing DD2 will take the same journey. None of the above means I haven't lost my temper quite a bit recently when sleep deprived though!

Re weaning, food is for fun until they are one or at least in this house. Keep the milk going and offer healthy food but don't stress. It will happen.

Thank you for all the toddler reassurance, it made me smile and I am excited now

Stunt, O can almost take off his nappy And can almost feed himself his milk

I agree with PR who said that this is a lovely stage. O gets so excited by everything, this morning I made him laugh for ages by whipping my hair back and forth ala Willow Smith

I can't wait to hear what O's voice sounds like, for him to be able to toddle around and see if his personality develops the way I think it will. It's given me a warm glow just thinking of it

Oops smiley overload there

Chasing It won't surprise you then, when I say my O has whipped his own nappy off more than once now! I am sure he is going to be a very, um, willful toddler.

I still feel really sick. I think I know why. I tried pork last night - only a small bit, but I remember this feeling when I first started eating chicken. It happened every time the first 6 times I tried it. Then my body got used to it I guess.

I just feel like my stomach is churning. I'd blame DP's BBQ skills, except everything was well burned cooked.

I feel to sick to be down on the floor playing with O, so I will watch from the sofa today, and DP can get off the fucking computer and play with him instead.

*Too. Not to!

Sorry, didn't mean to scare you chasing with the toddler comments. 9 days out of 10 it's massive fun. Lots of laughing and learning and cheekiness and challenge. Then there are the bad days, where you end the day knackered and feel like you've spent the whole day shouting 'no!' and 'don't'

Then there are the really bad days like yesterday which are rare and are normally caused by lack of sleep, or attention seeking, or testing boundaries. And those days end in tears, wondering why the fuck you ever had children, and masses of guilt over feeling like a bad mum, wondering what you have done to have turned your little darling into a little shit. Then night comes and the next day is anorher day and normally much better. Like today.

And life seems much sunnier again :)

The morning kiss from a toddler is wonderful - warm, bleary eyed, and with a faint smell of piss. Magical.

They do not need feeding the second they wake, and can often be persuaded to snuggle down, especially if you chuck your iPhone at them.

They sleep 12 hours usually, and wake early do you can get a good start on the day if you wish. They also nap so you can watch Doctors.

They give you an excuse to go around soft play, and cannot eat a whole happy meal, thus enabling you to eat guilt free junk. They run fast enough to counteract any weight gain.

They cannot eat a whole ice cream.

They cost less in child care and are nearer to school and leaving home than a baby.

They can pick their own nose and eat it, thus saving money on saline drops and tissues.

They are better able to cope with bronchiolitis and can sit up to puke.

They are an excellent contraception, although not to be relied on solely.

They love you. A baby will appreciate almost anyone if they are fed, cuddled, clean etc, but a toddler loves YOU! Because you are you.

:o

Excellent list vq

Re: sleep. I don't sleep partly because I am running round all day and night is my calm thinking time. The other main reason is that DD1 pushes me to the edge of the bed, nicks my pillows, kicks me, headbutts me etc etc (in her sleep, not deliberately). I am sure I will sleep much better when I can finally get her to sleep in her own bed.

After the holiday I am moving LO either into the spare room or our room and I am solving the DD1 sleep issues. I have to get it sorted before I go back to work because I wouldn't be able to cope otherwise. I know that once nursery starts the routine and very structured day there will help a) knacker her out and b) make an evening routine easier to set up. But I need her out of my bed well before then.

Plus it would greatly improve my sex life. Co-sleeping toddler is excellent contraception while we're waiting for the go ahead from the snip doctors :o

Perhaps you should ask for sleeping pills for DD1 to enable the transfer to her own room? (Joking)

It's the sixth anniversary of my SIL's sudden death. Am remembering her and thinking of her four awesome girls who have grown into amazing young women. She would have been proud. DD1 adores them.

Ah.

I can't wait for the toddler years, but am loving this age too. Just trying to savour each bit really. I have to go back to work soon :(evil and others worrying about weaning. I was told look at the week. Look at what they consume over a week and its ok. As adults this is how we should really look at our calorie consumption too. See patterns emerging.

If he's playing, let him play. Last night I made ds some pasta sauce (mushroom) and some little star pasta things. To spoon feed. I had the same sauce with spiral pasta. He didn't like the stars off the spoon. So I just popped them on his high hair and he made a right mess. He ate a fair amount though along with cucumber. It should all be fun , and if you get stressed, he'll wonder what's wrong and not eat. So relax, try to eat together and enjoy it. If he has a bad day, he has a bad day, start again tomorrow.

(((Meals))) how very sad, but lovely to hear of her legacy in her girls.

Horsey has E been on a horse yet?

J has just spat out almost all his sweet potato and pear purée. No taste as it was scrummy. He has also been left alone (but watched obviously) with a rusk. It is everywhere. Places he cannot reach. I found it very stressful as I do not like mess ignores shit heap of a house but he loved it and looked very proud. He is now chewing on a mouse (toy).

DH is doing slimming world so by default so am I. I will begin to enjoy it soon no doubt. There is a sweet potato, chick pea and random veg that needed to be used up curry in the slow cooker.

I took the Maclaren on the school run. After my tank of a Mountain Buggy it felt like I was pushing him in a toy pram, but he loved it as his view of the world is much better. It is a Techno Classic. Not the model it was advertised as, but I am utterly delighted with it.

Take a deep breath and count.

To 1,000,000.

meals

VQ great list. Not sure about cheaper childcare, or perhaps my toddler isnt old enough yet. I'd add their increasing language skills are an absolute joy to witness, because they are often very funny, reflect your own mannerisms/sayings back to you, and the way they casually drop in new words and sentences is amazing.

PR we have the similar issues re toddler co-sleeping. Got into very bad habbits when DD was 16mo and ill, having never done it before twats. Stayed like that for an easy life when pregnant. Once DS was born, DD slept with DH in the spare room. Nothing we could do didnt try all that hard, mind could get her to sleep in her bed or her room. WHen DS went into the spare room, we popped the double spare bed into DD's room. She and DH sleep in there now. The idea is, that once she is used to her own room, we can start to get her used to sleeping alone. I am of course ignoring the fact that (a) I love being on my own in my bed, and (b) DH loves snuggling with DD So not advice, but a post in solidarity, although I am much less keen to sort out the issues!

Ha yes, the way they copy what you do and say. So funny.

except when you accidentally swear in front of them