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

[Plonkysaurus]

Ta da!

plonky the toddler connecta is great. Still a bit on the big side for DD but need to get used to it for our long holiday later this year when she will be 18 months. You can roll the waist bad to shorten it though which works well. Its a solarweave version so super lightweight and brilliant for sun protection. We don't own a pram at all - with DD on my back I pretty much don't feel like I have a baby with me at all so shops and being out an about not an issue . We eat every meal together including when going out so DD always in a high chair for that kind of thing. We don't live in a pram friendly place in any case - narrow country roads and cobbles everywhere in town so works well for us. Good luck on the final wedding planning - best your DS is going to look super smart!

betty that's fantastic sleep - so glad things have turned the corner for you on that front.

Rainbow your life sounds idyllic sometimes although I'm sure is bloody hard work in reality and I love how you've made it work so well for you as a family. I'd love us to all be able to eat meals together but it would mean DD eating at 10pm some evenings! Shift work is not the most family friendly and I can't see an imminent career change that lets me work from home! I love having DD in her little life backpack but I'd have got a connecta if I hadn't got the little life so cheap, but we definitely still need a pram as she has all her naps in it!

Is your DD still in your bed or have you progressed to the Montessori floor bed yet? I think that's a fab idea and might go that way with DD as I've had to catch her by a foot off the side of our bed twice this week!

Eco check in soon before I start Facebook stalking you and nagging about high calorie foods!

Plonky when is W day? It's really flying by now isn't it? Have you got butterflies yet?

Doli have you had the nursery menu chat yet? If so how was it?

betty I can assure you that our life is far from idyllic but we have found what works for us and made our peace with limitations it sets for us if that makes sense. Ultimately DD babyhood is such a short part of our lives. It helps that we both have jobs that allow both or at least one of us to share every meal with DD despite both working full time and we know how lucky we are in this respect. Other things like babywearing just fit our style of parenting and feel like the norm to us.

As for beds, DD goes to sleep in her montessori style floor bed (i.e. Single mattress on the floor) in her own room ( which is pretty much fully baby proof and we have a video monitor) when she stirs between 10:30-11pm we take her into our bed where she sleeps between us for the rest of the night. We moved to this arrangement about 2 months ago when DD started sitting up suddenly in the evening sleep period and I got worried about her getting to the edge of our bed before I got there. I lie down with DD at bedtime and we cuddle till she drifts off to sleep so she didn't notice when we moved beds.

Hello. Am here. Just still not got anything decent to say. I am eating properly though. Have for last couple of days. I am migraine free today and have not had diarrhoea either. So hoping on be on the mend physically. I really appreciate all of you asking after me and showing you care, thank you. I'm just struggling to see the positive in stuff at present and that doesn't make for nice reading. I feel like I'm being a bad mum to Ecotod, missing out on precious (probably not to be repeated) times and bad company generally. My Mil has taken leave so she can come and stay we dd and I for a week, she arrives Thursday so I'll have some company. And maybe a smaller ironing pile when she goes. I've been facilitating some training in the woods today which I was well able to pretend to be normal for and which I enjoyed. Old colleagues the re told me I look rough though. So that's nice
I'll come back when I have something more chipper to add to proceedings! Hopefully that won't be long. Meanwhile sorry to be a miserable cow and for not replying to your posts. I am reading them though and enjoying hearing your updates. Sounds like some good stuff is happening in this brief period where none of us are in wonder week You guys rock

Hello. Am here. Just still not got anything decent to say. I am eating properly though. Have for last couple of days. I am migraine free today and have not had diarrhoea either. So hoping on be on the mend physically. I really appreciate all of you asking after me and showing you care, thank you. I'm just struggling to see the positive in stuff at present and that doesn't make for nice reading. I feel like I'm being a bad mum to Ecotod, missing out on precious (probably not to be repeated) times and bad company generally. My Mil has taken leave so she can come and stay we dd and I for a week, she arrives Thursday so I'll have some company. And maybe a smaller ironing pile when she goes. I've been facilitating some training in the woods today which I was well able to pretend to be normal for and which I enjoyed. Old colleagues the re told me I look rough though. So that's nice
I'll come back when I have something more chipper to add to proceedings! Hopefully that won't be long. Meanwhile sorry to be a miserable cow and for not replying to your posts. I am reading them though and enjoying hearing your updates. Sounds like some good stuff is happening in this brief period where none of us are in wonder week You guys rock

Hello. Am here. Just still not got anything decent to say. I am eating properly though. Have for last couple of days. I am migraine free today and have not had diarrhoea either. So hoping on be on the mend physically. I really appreciate all of you asking after me and showing you care, thank you. I'm just struggling to see the positive in stuff at present and that doesn't make for nice reading. I feel like I'm being a bad mum to Ecotod, missing out on precious (probably not to be repeated) times and bad company generally. My Mil has taken leave so she can come and stay we dd and I for a week, she arrives Thursday so I'll have some company. And maybe a smaller ironing pile when she goes. I've been facilitating some training in the woods today which I was well able to pretend to be normal for and which I enjoyed. Old colleagues the re told me I look rough though. So that's nice
I'll come back when I have something more chipper to add to proceedings! Hopefully that won't be long. Meanwhile sorry to be a miserable cow and for not replying to your posts. I am reading them though and enjoying hearing your updates. Sounds like some good stuff is happening in this brief period where none of us are in wonder week You guys rock

See! I shouldn't bother Sorry to spam our thread! My finger went nuts

Eco Fingers crossed things have turned a corner for you and you will be fighting fit again soon. I'm so glad MIL will be helping out.

Not done the nursery food chat yet as Dolitoddle is only there 2 mornings, so she hasn't actually been back yet. I don't have high hopes though, as why would they change given they are fully subscribed as it is?

Exhausted - bed calls.

Eco, glad you have RL cavalry support on the way and in the meantime (it's a bit early for even if it is Wednesday but by all means have one later!). I totally get why things feel rather bottomless now but mercury stops being retrograde 1st July so that should help (so someone informed me recently anyway ). Big hugs in the meantime (don't tell mn).

Hello everybody else. Nice to hear from you Rainbow. I have been using a pouch sling recently as everything else too hot but only works for short periods. Great to pop from car to shops or to visit my dad etc though. Might look at connecta...

I am enjoying things here even if still no walking without help (either fingers to hold or a walker/truck or cruising furniture) although it's still all he wants to do all day. Not many words, mama and dada and that's it though understanding not bad and babble incredible . I am struggling with tooth brushing at the moment. I hope when he can stand unaided it will get easier but nightmare at the mo. Food still mixed. He eats lots but still not very interested in doing much work for it! Slow slow progress there (for which I suspect I have nursery to thank anyway). And temper tantrums at all no scenarios and several others which I suspect are about inability to communicate his desires (which would probably still result in no!) so slightly nervous about 2!

Work mental so best get dressed and gone. Love to you all and happy wine Wednesday.

Eco I love a good negative moan so don't feel you have to be positive all the time, it's the whiney, moaney complaining that makes us humans as opposed to supermums!

Doli I hope you're getting good sleeps despite the sticky heat. You definitely need it at the moment!

Wotta, walking on your fingers all day must be hard work! I definitely started enjoying things more when DD was walking despite everyone saying how much harder it is! We have similar tantrums here too, full on throwing herself on the floor with head banging and kicking if she doesn't get her own way definitely her mother's daughter We still don't have mama either and just a couple of approximations of words but all with the same sounds - ba, da and sh - and no signs of any other sounds being made. She's definitely starting to get frustrated when I don't understand her now which I can imagine goes on quite a while !

We have a fun day of loads of washing, a supermarket shop and some cleaning today because I'm ok call for the next 4 days so need to get the house in a decent state before that because I won't be fit to sort it in the couple of days after.

Happy Wednesday everyone! Mine's a rum punch!

Wotta we also still have cruising and hand holding. He will now walk just holding onto one hand, and can stand unaided for nearly a minute. I'm sure it's right around the corner. I can't wait for walking, he's so frustrated.

Eco glad mil is pitching in, you deserve a break. And that your rear is bootilicious again. Now go eat Pie and put your feet up!

Im seriously considering getting a cleaner for 3 or so hours a week. I can't be fucked anymore.

Betty I've got big ass butterflies. It's about a month away now. Your list of jobs to do sounds very familiar! Fun times eh?

Wotta, Plonk, don't forget there's actually a very big up side to taking their time with walking. When they do get it, their understanding will be much better than that of the earlier walkers. It's really hard having a walking toddler who isn't yet able to grasp what's possible, what's dangerous, what's bloody stupid.

For example, Fartypants doesn't yet understand that leaning against the closed front door when I've only popped out for twenty seconds to put the bin out is a really BAD idea. I was pleased to see how quick my reflexes are though!

eco hope you get a bit of chill time when MIL comes to stay (I accidentally wrote MILK then and made myself laugh at work. Little things) Also, I reckon it's time now, right? I think you asked me about four years ago what puppy life is like. It's stressful lovely. He's a really good boy actually, it's just now having to monitor two little things who like to nip and pull each other about is tiring.

I think you're all super strong wonderwomen for using slings. I think I'd fall over if I had DS in a sling; the big lump he is. And the big weakling I am.

I'm back to work now after a week and a half off, and I'm not particularly happy about it. Add to that, my nephew is staying tonight - 4.5 year old, 1 year old, 4 month old puppy, and DP. Am I justified in stopping off at the Co Op to pick up a bottle...or two?

All praise to those who use slings. I love my pram. I can hang all my shopping bags and just push away.

wotta tooth brushing is worse when they are mobile. Ds runs away with the toothbrush and I later find it here there and everywhere.

eco I wish I was close to give you a big hug and yummy cake. You know we are always here for you even if it is just to have a moan. Hope you have a lovely time with your mil. Can I send some ironing up to your mil?

We had a 7.30pm bedtime last night only because I was working and ds went to dm and hardly naps there. We shall wait and see what today holds as ds still hasn't napped since being awake at 6am.

There is some development on the speech front. Dm said yes baby to ds and randomly ds said yes baby very clearly. We all laughed and a little shocked. He won't say it now though but at least I know he is capable.

Despite the tantrums, running away from me and being interested in anything but toys especially dangerous objects, I still love this age. Ds is just too funny. He does know how to embarrass me though. At the park there were a couple of teenage girls. He runs up to them gives them a big cheeky grin. They talk to him and walk off. Then ds starts running after them until we run after him to get him.

Oh and feeding wise ds thinks he is too old to be spoon fed now. Cue me scrubbing weetabix off walls, floor and hair.

Yummy 7.30pm to 6am sleep? I think that's an excellent trade off for no naps. Some kids just don't seem to need as much sleep as others, and if that night allows you to function properly at work then all to the good, no?

Stormy your DD started walking a couple of weeks after DS first crawled. I don't know how your poor nerves have coped. I'm hoping that he's mature enough to know better when he actually does start walking.

I have the mother of all headaches, a big pile of data entry that I should have already ploughed through and a load of 'clean' washing that needs to go back through the wash because my poor neglected washing machine has failed to properly de-armpit-smellify it. It's been one of those crying in the car and eating mississippi mud muffins on the sly kind of days. I have paid out over £1100 in two days on various bills, I haven't exercised in over a week and I seem to have contracted a minor (IBS related) dose of the dire rear.

Best get off Mumsnet and fix my life a bit.

Eco is your DMIL doing a good job of keeping you sane?

We're sufficiently babyproofed at home that there aren't many catastrophes available to DD. Falling off the sofa's the main one, and she doesn't do that often. It's when we're elsewhere that things get hairy.

I'm praying for 7-7 sleep tonight. Much resistance at naptime today. Only slept an hour. After lunch we went to my dad's. She was in the pushchair until we got over the main road, then I let her out and she pushed it herself (with me steering) the rest of the way there (half a mile). Then had a good run round the garden. Then walked back as far as the main road, screamed blue murder when I strapped her back in so we could go to the shop. It's a lot of walking for her. She's knackered.

plonky unfortunately ds woke at least 6-7 times last night between those times. So we both had broken sleep or maybe my expectations are just unrealistic. In an ideal world I would like a 7.30/8pm until 7am bedtime where he would sleep through or maybe 1 wake up. I saw two bottom molars trying to come through, so they are the likely culprit. The thing is he does need that day time nap. When he is overtired he is uncontrollable. He flits from one place to another completely not knowing what to do with himself. Also I NEED him to nap so I can recharge my batteries.

It's ok to have one of those days. No doubt with the wedding getting closer you are just stressed more than normal. Take a deep breath and tackle each task at a time. A real motivator is to do a to do list and start with the smallest/easiest task and you will be more motivated to tackle the rest. I'm so excited for you.

Guess who slept 7.15pm - 8am? Big walks, they're the way forward.

Wow! I once read a post on mn on how to bring up boys. Treat them like dogs : long walks and fresh air, lots of food and cuddles. I thoroughly intend to take this approach. Sounds like littlestormy responds well to it too!

Yummy better night?

I have been struck down by the sinus fairy. That bitch.

Sounds a good way to bring up boys and girls. As Fartypants demonstrates, girls aren't delicate little flowers that just need to sit demurely and play with their tea sets. Will be doing my best to fight against socialisation and bring her up to know she's just as strong and fast as the boys.

Oh aye course I didn't mean it like that Stormy. It was a thread where the OP had just found out she was expecting a boy but had been hoping for a girl. Everyone piled in to tell her it doesn't matter - but you know that anyway.

We had 10pm-8am bedtime with a wake up at 1am and 3.30 so a very good night. I cannot remember sleeping in til 8am. It felt very unusual.

We had our 15mth jab today. The mmr 2nd dose. Its hard work as they get older but at least it was only 1 jab this time. Next time its 3.5yrs unless nhs want to add more vaccines because we live in contagious London.

plonky that advice sounds about right.

I can't imagine why anyone would have a preference for a gender though. Each baby/toddler/child has their own quirkiness about them.

Me and the man both wanted a girl, yummy. Nothing against boys though. The man's only model of a father-son relationship was a bit screwed, whereas with a daughter there's no such issue. And I knew we'd save a fortune on clothes with a girl, because I couldn't really dress a son in my nieces' hand-me-down skirts. Also, I've Bern a teenage girl, I know how they think, but I've never been a teenage boy, and also they tend to smell worse.

Ah but with girls you get the 'she said and then they said, and we're not talking to her because if we do then other she won't talk to us'.

Although I had a preference for a girl. I still do, ever so slightly, want a girl next. But I'd be over the moon with either now I know what it's like.

Well ladies I'm officially wearing a size 10 tee and encapsulating all the worst parts of body obsessed, materialistic femaledom. Sinuses are fun. It's like being beaten up under water.

To be honest, I suspect the teenage years will range from grim to hellish regardless of gender!