March 2013 - we're gonna need a bigger wine rack

[Plonkysaurus]

Ta da!

Thanks Wotta, I'll take a look, and go and speak to the manager armed with as much information as possible. DH isn't as bothered as me, his view is it is 2 meals out of her entire week, and it'll do her no harm to learn how to eat a variety of foods she wouldn't get at home. I don't think it would hurt to say something, as even swapping the baked beans for some vegetables would be a start.

On the plus side, the ladies who run the nursery really love the children, and it's a happy place. They also teach them a lot. I guess that's why it is so popular despite the rubbish menu. The sunburn incident was a one off and I can see how it happened. Someone took off her long sleeved top as she split food on it, and then someone else took her outside for 15 mins before pick up. The second person assumed her arms had been sun creamed with the rest of her earlier on. It was a genuine mistake and I'm confident it won't happen again. They were very upset, and it wasn't bad sunburn, just a bit of pink.

Having a good day today as DH is working from home so there is at least the prospect of some rest. Yay! Rest is something I don't get as a rule.

Ds is having a pretend conversation on a toy phone. He is doing the laughing and hand gestures as well. The cutest thing ever.

That sounds adorable, yummy. Wonder Weeks said something about play becoming more imaginative from here on, so there should be plenty of adorableness still to come as well. . Fartypants keeps offering Mahoosive Ted sips of her juice, which is cute if a bit sticky.

Awwww fartypants is so cute. All that craziness with the ww is definitely worth it.

Hi all, sorry for the recent radio silence, busy busy with work and madam and the dreaded ILs visiting and DH being on call and parents visiting and goodness knows what else.

I have big news no I'm not joining Doli's club ....... Madam has started sleeping. This is massive for us and seems to have just happened for no good reason. I'm sure it's just a phase but it's definitely my favourite one so far

Doli our nursery menu is somewhere in between yours and the great ones, nothing amazing but nothing to complain about and to be fair, my madam only eats the carb heavy and fruit portions anyway. I'd say something too though, just a small change like you say would improve it a lot.

The toddlers are somewhere between sweet and horrendous at the moment aren't they? The tantrums are epic and madam has become mega clingy again but the cuteness factor is unbelievable! DD likes to have a fake tea party complete with 'aaagh' at the end of her fake cuppa, she brushes my hair, she pretends to talk on my phone and likes to go and fetch all the shoes from the hall and pair them up again in the living room while chanting 'shoes, shoes, shoes'. She's also working on 'silly Dadda' but still no sign of Mama.

Eco, Dorset sounds amazing. It's definitely what you need. Plus I too love a puzzle, you're not alone!

Yummy is DS better now?

Hi to everyone else too, can't scroll back any further!!

I just deleted a huge post and am severely pissed off so hi to everyone.

It's back!!! Yay!!!!

Congratulations on the sleep betty you definitely deserved it and long may it continue. We had that 13.5 months for 2 weeks and its gone shit shaped again. Booo. Your dd is adorable. I am loving this stage but not the tantrums. How embarrassing are they in public. Ds is scabby now but the itching hasn't been bad. He is well in himself but last night and today was hard. He was nap and food refusing. I thought i would feed him before we went out but he hit the plate and weetabix was everywhere.

Im off to zzz. Ds has gone bed 1hr and 30mins earlier tonight. Yay.

Sorry for killing the thread

I'm still here, yummy. But I got sucked into a thread on FWR, and I'm on my phone - if I came and checked this thread I'd lose my place. How is everyone today?

Betty, the chanting of shoes while playing with same sounds far too lovely. These toddlers, they're trying to overpower us with cuteness, aren't they?

Right, back to FWR. See you all in a few hours, assuming I do eventually manage to disentangle myself...

Are you all playing somewhere without me or have we all got lives?

Betty great news on sleep!!! Epic news in fact. Long overdue and all the sweeter for it I imagine.

I read a great thread in fwr too Stormy. You inspired me. It was about role reversal and the shock factor that'd have. Same as you? I want all men to read it. The one about clothes with pockets tickled me.

Seriously vile day yesterday. Six hour journey. Forty minutes of sleep from Ecotod and a shed load of crying. I had a migraine. Now back home thankfully. I realised when I picked up a pair of shorts not worn for ages that I could do a (bad) photo for a cheesy magazine where I hold out the waistband and exclaim at how much weight I've lost. In my case this is a very bad thing. I am making an effort to eat more as of now. This happened twice in the past too. Once when knob ex left under haze of ridiculous affair and once after mum died. I guess my body does this in times of stress and unhappiness. Got to sort that out pronto or I'll never have get up and go needed to move house!

Doli how are things with you?

Plonky did you have a nice break and how much stag carnage was there?

Something how is puppy world?

Shattered tell us about your holiday. It was ages ago now but can't recall you saying how it went.

Yummy is ds into half seven bedtimes now? Sounds like you were headed in the right direction.

Best go I guess as there's a heap of crap that needs doing. And a badly neglected husband that I will cuddle whilst nipper sleeps. That was a bad holiday we just had. Need to get some feel good stuff back in life! Cuddle o'clock

It was a TERF thread actually, eco, but I remember the thread you mean. Some of it is quite shocking to picture, isn't it?

We've just been to the park. Fartypants had a grand time, as usual. She's ever so good at making friends. Next time we go I'm thinking of taking a stake and an extendable dog lead. Stake the lead into the ground, attach the other end to the toddler, and hey presto, no more ambling tours taking in every group on the park. She insisted on pushing the pushchair the whole way back. Screamed blue murder when the man picked her up to cross the road, and again when we got back and she realised there was no more pushing to do.

Also, she keeps pointing at me and saying, "Mama! Mama!" She's also been pointing at Mahoosive Ted and shouting, "Dada!" I am trying very hard not to be smug.

Very cute Stormy. Ds has been trying to say grandad this afternoon. I think he's feeling pretty smug too.

Oh Eco. So sorry the break wasn't as restful as you needed. Was there any opportunity for you both to take stock and reconnect? I'm not surprised you're losing weight with the stress of it all.

We're having a nice time down here, sandbanks is beautiful. I miss my man though. Too chicken to go home with ds on my own so we're staying an extra night and going back first thing with my mum. Ds has sprouted two molars while we've been here, and we resorted to skin to skin with a lot of bonjela from 9.30 last night. I had apricot brioche this morning to compensate.

Oh and we've just had a lovely nother night terror. I think I'll be having ice cream and gin for dinner.

Morning all,

eco i wish bedtimes were 7.30. He has been sleeping at 10pm but it is in an improvement on 11pm. I am sure even the worselet is dreaming away by then. Sorry you had a rubbish break. Life has its up and downs and hopefully you will be on the way up.

stormy what is FWR? So I don't lose this thread I usually have 2 pages open for mn. One with active topics and this thread.

plonky we had night terrors too last night. There was 3 of us in the bed by the morning. Ds is still tired and a tad miserable. There is always something to battle with.

I want to take ds to toddler group today but scared parents will freak out when they see ds' scabby spots. Looks like he has ring worm too. What next. I hate June.

Afternoon all, and isn't it a glorious one? Sun, sea and surf, for those at the coast, and just sun for the rest of us.

Eco Hugs. Feel better soon. As a fellow skinny minnie I can empathise. Rest, relaxation, and peanut butter is my prescription. I hope you manage to fit in at least one of those.

Yummy, same cycle here - 10pm lights out. I'm kind of used to it now, and have to admit any earlier and I'd be wondering what to do with myself! last night was a bit epic though, which was my fault. I couldn't fathom what the shouting was about until DH asked if she might be hungry. One slice of bread and butter later and she was out like a light. The moral of that story, lentil and sweet potato casserole may sort a toddle's sluggish tum, but it won't fill it up.

As for me, well I'm full of the joys of spring and raring to go. Morning sickness? A mere thing of the past. Actually I don't think it was morning sickness at all. I think it was a thyroid thing. I'm hypothyroid... which means when pregnant I need more thyroxine. This is basic rooky GP stuff. Only basic rooky GP stuff is obviously beyond the capabilities of the GP I saw, as she wouldn't listen to me. She insisted I had to wait for a referral to get it managed. Last time a referral took 27 weeks. A bit slow then. What with the first 12 weeks being the critical period, for preventing miscarriage, and protecting the baby and everything. So yet again I had to sort the whole damn thing out myself, same as last time, which took a week, and funnily enough as soon as I did, and got the correct thyroxine dose, BINGO, all solved.

I really should file a formal complaint. That's twice now, and the first time it took some MN research, and a letter from a private doctor to get them to take the issue seriously. Betty why aren't GPs trained in this stuff? It makes me so angry. I bet it makes you angry as well. It must be very frustrating mopping up the problems caused by unnecessary delays.

But enough rants. Did I mention the sun? It's out, so I'm going out, with the toddle, as it's nap time, and there is no better place to nap than in a pram under a tree.

Oh, PS, for those of a similar frame of mind, don't forget it's tick season. DH found one on his hand when he was sitting on the grass earlier. Ticks aren't funny, they carry all sorts, so check the littlies, and yourselves.

Hi Doli, sounds like a fab day there. Unfortunately GPs are just trained in what they see and for the rest rely on the theory of medical school. Most do an obstetric placement but don't go to antenatal clinics because they're not senior enough as GP trainees to see patients themselves so it doesn't make financial sense to have them sat watching when they could be discharging postnatal women and assisting in caesareans and so they come away without knowing the stuff that's actually useful in primary care. This used to be fine because so much of antenatal care, especially diabetes and thyroid cars, was managed by the GPs so they'd learn it there but now it's all done in antenatal clinic because we do pregnancy care better so they end up never knowing it and then passing the buck, as you have found out. It's a crap system isn't it, although if they don't actually know the answer they'd be better off getting over themselves and looking it up and learning about it than just fobbing you off!

Rant over!!!

How the hell do you two cope with such late bedtimes? I'm done in by 7.30! You're wonder women!

Well wotta will understand when I say

doli glad you are all sorted and feeling better. You must need some energy to look after the doli tod.

eco sorry you're still not better and losing weight- have you been back to the apparently useless GP? Might be worth double checking not all stress related? anyway yep !

yummy and doli I agree with betty you must be knackered. We have pushed bedtime back a bit to try and get a later wake up only worked a little but 7.30 is also my limit. Speaking of which- off to give a large bottle of milk then hopefully watch a bit of Wimbledon !

betty ds had an earlier nap today so I am hoping for an earlier bedtime because I cannot cope with late nights and 6am wake ups.

doli I have no idea how you have been doing late bedtimes since birth. Feeling inspired from another thread I wonder if there will be any pfb parenting differences with baby no2.

I can see a few more spots coming through. Not 100% sure it is pox though. Will see how it is in the morning.

I am all hot and bothered and feeling anxious about work tomorrow.

eco how are you feeling? Has the dire rear stopped yet?

Betty you've just made me laugh, as your question about late bed times reminded me of the time I asked a friend who was pregnant with her second 'how do women with two under two cope?'. She fixed me with a whithering stare and announced 'they cope because they have to'! Although you don't warrant the whithering stare. I did, because I was stupid, childless, thoughtless moron

As for GPs, well I don't expect them to be an expert on all things, but I do expect them to know if something requires immediate attention and can't wait the endless wait of a NHS referral. In all seriousness it's dangerous. Leave a developing baby short of thyroxine in the first trimester and they can end up with cretinism. That's medical negligence in a big way

Yummy differences second time round - none I can immediately think of. I'm pretty relaxed around babies, so haven't been particularly pfb about anything, other than perhaps saying no to CC. I'll be doing that next time too.

I really must go and make the bed now or we will be sleeping on a bare mattress. Why do sheets fresh off the line smell so nice?!

doli appalled by your GP's failings and you have reminded me yet again why I prioritise my private health insurance over many things! I find it scary that the front line people have so little training - when I got pregnant with DD2 I fully exercised my right of choice as a taxpayer and simply refused to take no for an answer and it was surprising how well you get treated when you are assertive.

eco I recommend high calorie smoothies with various nut butters - sorry you are having a tough time at the moment.

betty haven't yet had a chance to say yay to the sleep improvement - what kind of nights are you getting now?

Have any little ones started to cut out naps in the day completely? DD has done a whole day without a nap and was absolutely fine by bed time - we were holding our breath to for the inevitable meltdown and it never happened. When naps happen, her naps are only one a day for a max 30 mins. She goes down well at around 7:30 so I'm assuming she just isn't a sleepy person!

On a potty training related note, DD started signing for the potty when out and about so we bought a pottet (travel potty with disposable lines) and it's awesome. Rainbowtoddle loves using is and we have two successful uses on the two trips we have taken it with us. Recommend it to those turning their thoughts to potty training in the near future.

We also got a new sling this week - a toddler sized connecta which is super comfy and light for these hot days. Rolls up into my handbag too so DD can walk holding my hand even in the busiest places whenever she wants. Still totally in love with babywearing and not having a pram!

Doli for you having to DIY your own care but for fixing the sickness.

Eco, I second Shattered's suggestion of getting checked out. Stress can so lots of nasty things I know but this does sound quite extreme. Big hugs anyway.

I'm in a bath. But it's now a bit hot... So best do some sandpaper ing exfoliation and get out...

Yes doli that's true, I don't know if you thought I was saying it wasn't. Put in a complaint if you think it might help.

Well DS isn't asleep yet which is frustrating! He isn't complaining much but just still awake. Given that he was tired 40 minutes ago I don't know what he's doing! Let's blame the heat as we do for everything else!

Doli you're absolutely right to complain, otherwise it could carry on the same for others too.

Rainbow, she goes down at about 7.30, sometimes wakes up at around 10 for a Daddy cuddle, squeaks a couple of times overnight but doesn't actually wake up and wakes up sometime between 5 & 6.30.

Eco, it sounds like you've had a really shit time. How are you? Do you want to talk about it and if you don't have you got people in RL that you can properly offload to?

I'm with Betty on the sleep. By 7.30 I'm desperate for my own time, and my own dinner for that matter. It's rare he goes down later than 7.

Kudos to those of you dealing with late bedtimes. Not that your kids give you the option, but you're real heroes!

Rainbow our first carrier was a connecta and was perfect for warmer walks. How would you rate the toddler sized one for comfort? Do you ever use the pram? I can't imagine trying to get round the shops or have a civilised lunch out without mine! Well done on the potty too - you're a very brave lady!

Eco how are you feeling today? Please take care of yourself. Maybe see GP? It sounds like something's got to give though, you can't live with this kind of stress.

Doli pretty shocked at GP - not the not knowing, but the lack of action given your current knocked-up-ness and history of hypothyroidism.

I think someone (eco?) asked about the stag carnage. As some of you know DP's surname is bird-related, so he spent much of Saturday with a plush version of said bird attached to his head. This went on through go-karting and paintball, and he said he felt like a sitting goose duck. Seems like they had a great time, and only one person made a twat of themselves (the usual suspect, not DP thank god). My hen is this weekend and I think we'll look angelic boring? by comparison, but then I have no idea what's coming up. My mum and MIL will be there so I can't get too pished.

Wedding is no longer looming. It feels imminent. fuuuuuuuuuuck We have flowers sorted, photographer paid, we've chosen our vows (gone for long winded and old fashioned to really milk it), DS has a little shirt to wear, I've customised a scrapbook into a guestbook...and there's still so much to consider. We have no menu or beer, just vague notions (but they're quite filling, aren't they?)