December 2012: Now they're all 1

[Barbeasty]

We needed a new thread!

We went to friends this aft for what should have been a lovely relaxing BBQ. Weather was awful so all inside their small (but lovely) house - t was a pain running all over the place, putting small things in her mouth, refuSing to eat etc, dd1&2 both had meltdowns over nothing, DH got pissed and left most of the dds work to me - trying to eat with dd2&3 alternating between my lap and boob, dd1 next to me requiring assistance etc. most pissed off. As soon as T is in bed I'm going in the bath with a book, DH can tidy up downstairs.

Major whinge!

WL I'm not surprised you're pissed off! Fwiw neither dc ate any of the lovely roast mil cooked but ate all their brownie and ice cream. I'm sure they were judging me but meh. Life's too short to argue over food. Hope you enjoy your bath and dh has a horrible headache in the morning!

wl that does not sounds like a nice Easter Sunday. Here, you can have one of DS's chocolate bunnies. :) yesterday I was missing the array of grant eggs in big boxes that you take for granted in allll UK supermarkets. You get bunnies and eggs here bit nothing giant.... Or I'm looking in three wrong places

Today I was glad they don't exist here. Ds got a couple of small bunnies, couple of kinder eggs and that was about it. He ate one bunny - a small dark chocolate one; because the wrapper came off he saw what it was and quickly gave it a good chomp.

My favourite BIL bought DS a sit on car thing, it's amusing because it's a bright orange BMW thing. I'll post a pic of DS riding it tomorrow. He can only go backwards

He is my favourite BIL because he is so relaxed. He also commented on how he feels a bit sorry for DS. DS is the only grandchild, BILs are both much older than DH and a big fuss is always made about DS which I generally find just a bit overwhelming and stressful. It was just nice to hear from someone else that they can appreciate one toddler with about six adults looming over him is perhaps a bit much.

Anyway, sorry about the whinge. It's been a long day. I'm off to share DS's Easter goodies with DH :)

Thanks nutella - I'm actually just ploughing my way through a massive slice of chocolate roulade! That's nice that bil can see that - I used to feel like that about dd1 as the first long awaited grandchild. Pil were particularly bad about being all over her and taking her out of my arms/pushchair/car seat as we arrived at any family do and parading around with her. Whenever I tried to hint at it being a bit much it made me sound like an ungrateful whinger. It's so much nicer now the novelty has worn off a bit with us having 3 and bil having dn - novel for being a boy so I hide while they pounce on him!

spotty I agree about not arguing about food. Ime you can try to negotiate but if you really go head to head no one wins.

We do lots of 'oh dd, daddy would be so surprised if you ate those peas whilst he wasn't looking...!' 'Wow did you just eat those?! I can't believe it!' etc but if she really doesn't want something it's fine. She's going through a fussy phase anyway. And a phase of not falling asleep on her own. And a phase of ending up in our bed every single night...

spotty totally agree. I try not to fight DS about food, but I feel bad if he won't eat so he usually gets something else. He is generally easy to please but he can be a bit picky, particularly with meat. But I do get annoyed when he starts to wriggle in his seat, normally when he doesn't want to eat anymore. He wants to get down and that's it, meal time over. Then about half an hour later he'll be shouting at me and emphatically signing -"food!!" Over and over at me arrrgggghhhh!

wl I wish sometimes that DS was a DD [tubconfused] I think the PIL would be a little less smug overwhelmingly proud intense... Perhaps, who knows. And it's unlikely he'll have any cousins here, ever, to ease the pressure... Hmmmm maybe we need to have at least 5 kids.....

Nutella I've been known to put R back in his highchair and serve breakfast Mark II when he does that otherwise he runs round filling up on rice cakes! Although it doesn't work on days like today when he pulls a 3 hour nap out of the bag, eats an egg and a slice of toast, wants breadsticks half an hour later then dinner an hour after that

That's great signing though nutella - most impressive! I'm sure T shouted milk at me today - after she fell over and banged her head (which she's doing a lot of atm - cold maybe affecting balance?). All roads lead to boob for her, I tried a cuddle and I'm sure she yelled milk! Cheeky monkey. I did call her a monster earlier (in a playful way) after she weed on the floor and she roared . Cue laughter and tickling - hmmm positive reinforcement for weeing on the floor?!

I need to come and hang out here more - lovely to hear about all the hijinx. And thanks for the reassurance about walking - I will arm myself with the 'no shoes for six weeks' in case mil brings it up again.

Just woke up and I can hear C in her cot saying 'more? More?' which she uses to mean milk, so I guess she's hungry. I will come and posy later to ask you all to solve my next problem of terrible night times. Was up 12-2.30am. Blargh.

I'm struggling with DS and food again. He had a good week of eating, and is now back to eating what really seems like "not enough". I'm trying to stay relaxed about it, but it's hard sometimes. At lunch he just wanted to pick the carrots out of the soup and eat those. It's soup! Everything tastes the same in it .

I've had a difficult day with DS today, he was up at 6 and has been grumpy with a cold all morning. Finally got him down for his nap and the cat wants attention. So I've come and hid for some 'me' time. Really been struggling with my temper the last couple of days, but it's been ok as DH has been home so I've taken myself away to calm down. There's no where to go when I'm home with just DS though. I feel terrible being angry with him, he's just ill and miserable, not naughty :( Cuddled him for extra long after he fell asleep for his nap though, assuring myself that I do love him and think he's the most precious thing in the world. Just a shame it's been hard to do that when he's awake.

The last week we've been out in the garden loads and DS (and I) have loved it. Today is cold and cloudy though, so we're stuck inside and I think he's bored, again. Really hope he manages a long nap and wakes up a bit happier though. I need a break from the temper.

Had anyone else seemingly hit "the terrible twos" way early? DS will throw a tantrum about everything and nothing recently. For example, when eating breakfast he'll give you his spoon occasionally to feed him a mouthful. Except recently he'll give you the spoon, then cry and scream and bang his head off the back of the highchair because you put food on it, or because you put it down without food on, or you offers it back to him etc etc.
He's also taken to banging his head on purpose, starts crying then wants picked up. I can't tell if it's manipulation because I wasn't picking him up, or giving enough attention or something else. He does seem to actually hurt himself doing it, so it's hard to ignore. :(

Stacks R gets like that when he's overtired - doesn't know what he wants, gets clumsy, hits himself in the head. Can you have a routine reshuffle to see if he sleeps better? Or plan a looooooong drive somewhere if he'll sleep in the car seat, just to reset his body clock? Have some quiet pottering time, R loves stickers at the moment and will happily sit in his high chair for a bit with a piece of paper, his crayons and some stickers. Also, nowt wrong with a bit of telly

I hide in the kitchen with a while R potters in the living room (gated in) sometimes just to catch a break

I'm waiting for R to stop eating. It's at this age that the massive growth suddenly stops and they stop eating because they just don't need as much fuel. Behaviour is communication, although it's bloody hard going trying to figure out what they're trying to tell you!

I've given up expecting A to eat lunch unless it's really late and he's eaten nothing since breakfast.

We were driving home this afternoon and it went like this:
DD: mummy, A has an ant on his cheek.
me: can you brush it off?
DD: no! (With utter disgust)
DH stops the car and opens the back door to see what's going on
DH: where's the ant?
DD: it's gone. He must have eaten it.

And her question as we drove up to the national trust house? Daddy, which pub is this?

wl the funny thing is DS's newest sign is milk! He gets a bottle at bedtime (we're so happy he sleeps through finally I'm not going to fight him on it... Possibly ever ) but at the mo he signs "milk" when you try and put him down for a nap. He is a monkey!

stacks I agree with Pidj. I think it's a lot about being tired /they don't know what they want / they can't properly express what they want... Sorry, no real help to offer. But I totally understand your frustration.

DS woke a bit early today so we ignored him willing him to let us sleep a bit longer. It sounded like he napped a bit, woke and napped again. Then he slept until 8am! I think it mucked up his day though. His morning nap and afternoon nap were pants. Oh well. Since we moved his mornings have been a bit funny, I think it will just take time for him to adjust and settle.

Beasty I do love your DD's comments.

Thankfully DS ate his dinner nicely and completely. Even the meat, which is practically unheard of. He then had chocolate for dessert as it's Easter Monday (even though DH won't give him the yoghurt I bought because it's "too sugary"). DH chose chocolate for bedtime, we shall see how this goes!

I guess it could be overtired Pidg, he's been doing it for a few days, but also not napping great and waking up early. Unfortunately DS sleeps best at home in his cot, but once he's awake there's no chance at resettling him. Especially now he's weaned (which has only been the last couple of weeks). He's been ill with a cold and a cough, so maybe that's a factor and will pass soon. He's much less snotty today, so fingers crossed we're on the road to recovery.

Quiet time would be great unfortunately he has no interest in tv though. I planned to do some painting with him this week, but haven't managed to make it happen yet. I need to try him with his crayons again too, he doesn't like them much though, he prefers felt tip pens - taking the lids off and on, off and on, ad infinitum. Sometimes I can get him to obsess over something fiddly for a while, but it usually involves him learning something he shouldn't - like how to plug things in to the sockets .

How has everyone enjoyed their Easter Monday? I've been sat next to DS's only Easter egg while he's in the bath. I may have eaten all the accompanying chocolates. Oops.

Nutella we do that, but we're only on one nap now. Worth a try?

R doesn't really watch telly in the sense of sitting down in front of it but will potter round with his toys while it's on in the background iyswim. It's like a signal "Mummy needs to get the jobs done and will be in and out" in this house. He turns it on and off when he fancies as well!

We went fairy hunting at a lovely gardens nearby :o

We're just coming back from easter at my parents which has been utterly lovely even though I have been doing a bit of working too. Dh was at a stag do till yesterday but made it down from Sheffield in time for the afternoon which was great as Ds was so happy to see him!

I've been to an open farm today. DS absolutely loved it, especially the sheep. He laughed his head off when they baaed.

His sleep is totally messed up, I think because I've been away from him too much these last few weeks (combination of work and contact at DP's). He went to bed at midnight on Saturday and 10:30 last night. I get a nice lie in but he's exhausted. He then fell asleep today and I couldn't wake him (either by shaking, talking, or standing him up) until 5:15pm. As a consequence he's full of beans again.

Mini Beasty is hilarious

willyou the farm trip sounds lovely - did you catch a video? The sleep issues do not. Poor you. Ts sleep seems to be getting back on track after a terrible few weeks of rubbish nights and naps. Not sure if it was a cold or teeth or what but of course was compounded by our little holiday.
DH has been at work pretty much all day and a bit sheepish. I should think so too - when he was supposed to be watching her, I found her on her back down the stairs, and then with 3 Barbie shoes in her mouth. Idiot.
Another moan I'm afraid about another of my nearest and dearest! Dm is generally an all round superstar but currently is doing my head in. She questions everything in an attempt to be helpful but it comes across as treating me like a child (a 38 year old one) and won't accept a first answer...ever. Today's typical conversation:
Me: I'll drop dd1&2 over about 2
Dm: or I could come and get them
Me: whatever works for you
Dm: well whatever is best for you
Me: ok I'll drop them at 2
Dm: text me later to confirm.

Sigh.

I'm so fucked off. I didn't want this separation, I didn't want DS having overnight somewhere else and yet I'm the one dealing with a hysterical 1 year old who's completely unsettled and refusing to go to bed. FFS.

Oh willyou you poor thing. That's so so tough. Does exp follow your routine with ds? My dds are always really hard and a bit hysterical if I've been away. I do hope he settles down for you soon.

Oh Willyou .. Poor DS too. He is young to change his routine and regularly sleep some getter else? Could you agree for his dad to just see him in the day? Or is it actually better if he stays out? Do you WANT him to stay away I mean? If he's really unsettled it's not unreasonable for you to put a stop to it and change the current situ.

It might just be a temp thing because he missed you?

I hope he has gone to sleep now