March 2013- the one where plonk gets married!

[Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife]

Perilously close to filling the old thread suddenly!

eco don't worry about the headbutting. If it really hurt, she'd stop doing it. Just make sure you don't leave anything spiky and headbuttable around. On the breastfeeding/conference, bit of a long shot, but any chance you could take a friend or family member Ecotod is comfortable with, they entertain her in the day, and you can still breastfeed morning and night? I really want you to be comfortable about going, because I'm sure it'll do you good.

My memory sucks too. What else were we talking about? Sleep? We haven't had a ten past six start for a few days, which is lovely. Also lovely is Fartypants's beautifully enunciated 't' at the end of 'out'. I was getting a bit worried that she only seemed able to produce glottal stops, and was having horrible visions of having a child with a broad Hull accent.

Toddler clothes - what size trousers are they all in? We officially hit eighteen months old on Monday, and I'm just starting to put her in 12-18m. All still too long and some far too big on the waist, but 9-12 are finally mostly getting a bit tight.

Stormy I think DD may be looking down the barrel of impending childhood obesity with the size of her belly! It's a good job she's got my giraffe like limbs. She's in some 18-24m trousers and some 2-3yr.

DS is in all 18-24 now. Some are too big on his tummy but they're all the right size length-wise. He looks ginormous next to 13 month old niece. She's still light enough to pick up and forget you're actually holding something. No chance of that with DS.

He's becoming such a little copycat. I got his toy camera and told him to say "cheese", and he did same with shoes, socks, shift (to the dog), and trees. They're really quite wonderful, these small humans, aren't they?

We have all 18-24 months too now, have had for about 6 weeks. And lots of head banging to boot.

Apologies for my essay last night. Think I'm trying to make the most of this but it's actually more stressful than being at home. Silly flapping MIL.

We're still very much 12-18 though tops are getting hard to fit over his head and a touch short. Trousers vary between fitting well and being too long and many only fit round the waist cos of his cloth nappies - visiting dsis last week I had him in disposables and it cut out 3/4 of his wardrobe! Excited about moving up again in clothes though. I had a little shop a few weeks back and he has some v cute clothes coming up . It also suddenly seems like he's been in the same size for ages. Pretty much 6m which feels like forever after the every few weeks changes of tiny baby.

Ds is in between sizes. We are in 18-24mth trousers but they are a bit long and loose round the waist however 12-18mths are too small. Tops are 2-3yrs. We have a couple of 18-24mths tops but mostly 2-3.

Ds has a long body and short legs just like his uncle.

I love clothes shopping for ds. Mothercare have some cute clothes. Primark's are horrible. They have clothes with characters on eg, spiderman, thomas tank engine, cars. I am not keen on them. I prefer plain clothes like checked shirts, chinos etc.

I usually send ds to nursery in joggers and t shirts so he can stain them all he likes with all the messy play he does there.

We've got every size from 3-6 months (a really oddly sized cardi that has just kept fitting ) to 2yrs, I can only glean that just as with women's sizing, it's different everywhere you go. We bought some 12-18 month trousers that I could probably wear!

Btw all if I start repeating myself please forgive me, I'm also lacking in the memory dept

So yes, the weight loss thing... Well, I'm loving being thinner, and feeling less sluggish, but it would be fairly easy to end up on that slippery slope once more. I'm being sent for 6 weeks of therapy, one whole day a week, if my insurance will fund it, so hopefully that'll stop me sliding.

DS now has a cold and I can hear him coughing in his bed. We're meant to be going to a baby shower tomorrow across town and I'm dreading the journey, plus not sure I'd have welcomed someone bringing me a cold at 37 weeks duffed - should I go?

Forgot to say yes the no childcare thing happens every weds when I work from home but DS isn't at nursery. Also most Fridays I do the same, even though technically it's my day off, my workload is crazy so I'd rather log on and know Monday will hurt less! I do find it hard work because I feel guilty that DS is bored and resentful that OH gets days at home whilst DS is at nursery and I get none. Of course I feel guilty for feeling that way too. Can't win!

alba you do very well working from home with ds. Talk about multi tasking.

Ds hasn't napped today which is veryyy odd. Maybe linked to the sleep regression. Everything is wrong today and there are lots of tantrums today.

Doli, you know those crazy walks where you're somewhere new and you get lost? I've been on one since half three and I don't have packed dinner for Ecotod. thank heavens for blackberries

I don't do it well though, I do it all terribly!

Anyone been reading my blog btw? I got my letter from the therapy centre today, giving me an appointment on Thesday morning, when I already have 3 diary clashes.

We've had a sleep regression too!

Thanks eco. I felt a bit guilty at the thought of getting tips that you'd paid for though!!! hope you got home for tea eventually...

DS fell from about 3ft this evening and is sporting a rather impressive egg on his forehead

Oh no something. Apart from the bump I hope he is ok. Hugs to you and ds.

eco I love your crazy adventures. Something not our something, lol tells that things are looking up for you if you are getting back to your adventures again.

Sounds like a rite of passage, something. Would marking the occasion with wine help your nerves?

I went through the Way Too Big Heap in DD's room yesterday. It is just her legs that seem to be short, because she's been in 12-18 for tops, vests and pyjamas for ages. Most of the 18-24 selection (which is admittedly sparse) is too big. But I did find some footless fleecy sleepsuits in 18-24 that fit a treat and look adorable. American. Clearly it's just that English baby clothes are weird sizes!

Hi shattered nice to see you.

Eco trust you made it home in the end

Hope bumped heads are de-egging - sounds scary but I'm sure we'll all go through it at some point if we haven't already...

Alba, have read some of your blogs. You're doing really well to be tackling stuff so head on. Hope this course is good and gives you the tools you need now.

Can't remember any more and heading for bed. Back to work yomorrow, boo. But Hols have been nice.

Oh - did someone mention nap refusal... No naps for the last two days. Unheard of! My boy sleeps two hours of a morning... Or at least he did. Been struggling to get stuff done!!!

How's Wottatod coped with the extra long days? I hear instituting an hour or two of "quiet time" when they do drop the last nap can be very helpful.

So, today I selected 12-18 trousers. Big baggy but they fit okay. Chose an 18-24 top. Bit long and loose but otherwise fine, except for the arms - so narrow I could barely sing the Rolly Sleeves Song at breakfast, and this on a skinny child with no spare arm fat. Clothes sizes = still bonkers.

Eco I have to know, did you make it home or are you still out there, surviving on blackberries? I'm beyond envious, it is far too long since I had a proper hiking adventure. The bump is not proving favourable to backpack wearing, so the toddle and I are pretty much limited to road walking, which is boring. Although I did used to find it quite interesting in London, where it was also possible to get completely lost within a relatively short period of time. Thank goodness for tube stations. Where ever you are in London you are never that far from a tube station, and once at one getting home is child's play.

Clothes, 18-24 here, with arms and legs rolled up. Comical though that may look it is marginally better than the too short look of the 12-18 sizes. Might be where I shop, but there seems to be quite a big jump between the two. As for where I shop, Sainsbury is my latest favourite. It may not be posh, but it sure is practical.

Better day today, after an epically awful week. If you're wondering why I haven't been around much, you won't go far wrong if you blame the pantry. After the stream of vomit virus induced broken nights, we've had a run of snotty cold induced broken nights, and I, consequently am a tad broken. At least I was. DH did last night's wakes, and dd has just napped for 2 hours, so I have nothing to complain about! Currently. That may change though as sleep had regressed to the 11pm will only go to sleep on me, never in the cot, and absolutely won't self settle stage of about 6 months ago. I don't know how we got there, and I don't know how to get out of it, but it is a complete pain in the bum.

Oh and before I forget. Kiddicare. Didn't someone say they were good? Or was that a RL recommendation. I can't remember, but no matter, because they are not. Paid for a saturday delivery. Potty and some toddle chairs. Urgent stuff not. It's still not here, and by my count it is Monday, which is most definitely later than saturday. Not impressed.

Parents here for a week on Thursday. Wish me luck, it will could be a long week .

doli I got ds' cot from kiddicare and had no problems with delivery. There stores are closing so perhaps this is affecting the company as a whole in some way.

I am back from the dentist and having a quick lay down before craziness begins when dh and ds arrive home.

Oh and I am going through a stage of broodiness. This is what happens when I have 5hours of unbroken sleep for a couple of nights in a row.

Succumb to the broodiness, yummy! You'll be in good company - there's a new royal pregnancy just been announced, and far more importantly our own dear doli.

Help me. I need to plan a wedding. I can barely leave the house without forgetting something really important...

Alba would this be your wedding ?! If so, how exciting for you. Correct me if I'm wrong but I think Trumpy, Eco and Betty are our resident wedding experts. I'm rubbish at such things. I arranged the entire of mine over the phone and totally failed to get into the spirit of things. It's an efficient approach, but rather uninspired.

Yummy I'm still waiting for that potty, which according to the tracker thingie is still sitting in a warehouse somewhere. I probably ought to kick up a stink and start demanding delivery charge refunds and the like. Sigh.... internet shopping... never as effort saving as it should be.

As for broodiness, well, what can I say but go for it! I would say that though, what being in the 2nd trimester so blissfully free from any weird and wonderful crippling awful pregnancy symptoms. Her Maj Kate however, might be less positive, given she is spending yet another pregnancy clutching the toilet bowl. Poor cow.

Hi! I did make it back. The packed dinner was in the car just in case things went wrong so we had a picnic in the light rain It's very hilly on the edge of the Chilterns. My Norfolk muscles are getting a work out.

Wotta shh with your nap refusal chat! I go into meltdown when I think about the bit between end of daytime nap and start to school. A whole day of toddlerworld without chance to retreat would drive me ever so slighty madder.

Something how's ds?

Yummy you crazy cat! You need six months to a year of unbroken nights before you'll have energy to even do the stuff needed to make a new baby. Two nights of five hours does not a libido make.

Doli I thought perhaps it might be getting a bit pantry down your way. Maybe she knows you're feeling blooming and wants to spoil any illusions you might have. Monkey. Hoping tonight is better for you all. Can you remind us of your due date please? There's little babies in wombs popping up all over the place. You started a trend in

Trumpy are you back with us now? Have you got a nice freckle tan?

The moon is fecking awesome tonight ladies. Go fill your lungs with its aura!

Ecotod had her first solo settling in session with childminder today. She was totally fine and didn't especially care that I'd bothered to show up to collect her! I loved the one and a half hours of peace and ability to focus solely on my own needs. Novel. Tomorrow I leave her for the whole day I am mildly anxious about whether she'll nap. I have a twisted view of reality that says the world will fall apart if she fails to nap so it might be interesting.

Dh back to work today and I managed to get through remaining generally chipper. Bloody lovely weather helps. That and prosecco (once she in bed of course) and an eclair.

Word of the day: wet. Yes, DD, pouring your juice all over yourself does result in wet pyjamas...

This morning I learnt not to keep roll-ups in the pocket of my work shirt. There was one in there when I put the toddler to bed last night. It was in her cot this morning. Whoops. Must have fallen out when I was putting her to bed in the dark. How many bad mummy points does that get me?

Eco you're dead right. I'm a proper trend setter me. The merest hint of a bump and even Royalty start copying me . Due date is 6th Feb (mine not Maj Middleton's) which seems disconcertingly soon.

Stormy as bad mother points go that one is pretty much up there top of the list. Kind of lucky dd isn't the midnight snack type! I'm no paragon either, I just yelled 'NO' at dd for chucking toys around. It wasn't fair, it wasn't a NO kind of situation, just a 'oh would you please cut that out' one. So I'm feeling kind of sh*t about that

Eco I bet she does nap. There is nothing like an unfamiliar new and exciting world with other children around to tire these small people out. I'm glad the childminder is working out well for you. See, child care is a good thing after all! I have yet to convince my MIL of that though. She thinks my two mornings off are an unacceptable indulgence and damaging to the precious grandchild.

Another good day here today, despite my misgivings what with DH being away for 2 nights. To be honest, I'm beginning to wonder if the manic unsettled phase we have been enduring of late might not have something to do with him being around so much. We have different parenting styles. I go for the settled routine, and calm evenings, with books, cuddles, and bed by 8pm approach. He's more into rushing here there and everywhere, food at random times, naps all over the place, and loud music, TV and dancing before bed. Net result, one very happy but totally wired little nightmare.

As for where DH is, he's looking at another hotel, and apparently he loves it. I do too. BUT it needs a colossal amount of work. It would be a money pit. Turning it around might very well kill us. The very idea is madness..... however we both want to give it a go. The thing is, I'm 41, I have one and a bit kids and no career. I have a nice (but boring) life. I haven't done anything remotely interesting, challenging or risky for years. I'm either looking at 20 years of doing the respectable middle aged mum thing, or I could do something FUN. Although obviously fun can't happen if the numbers don't work. So that's our weekend sorted. Spreadsheeting.