March 2013 - by the time we finish this one we'll be shopping for elf outfits. Eek!

[ecofreckle]

Here we go again then ladies. Plenty more shiny new space to fill up with ramblings :-) Link to last thread

Oh and first two years are not complete and utter hell! Anyone who is saying that is trying to frighten you or had quite an extreme experience!

Hello Enjoying. We're less chatty here than we were, honest!

I think it depends on so many factors. Support networks, personalities of children, how well you cope with never a minute to yourself. My dad reckons my first two years were bloody difficult, but that's because they were only anticipating two nicely spread apart children, had my brother three years after my sister, then a condom disappeared when my brother was only six months old, resulting in me. It took him years to forgive me for stealing his mummy's lap. Add in parents working opposite shifts to make ends meet, and I can see it must have been a challenge.

Oh it's a challenge alright. Three children and one with only a 15 month age gap? Makes me anxious just thinking about it.

I wasn't underplaying the impact of two children. However I was trying to assure worse that a two year age gap is very average and whilst can be very challenging, it's not the hell that some people try to make out it is. There's more good than bad I would say in the first two years.

And thus coming from someone that lost both her parents in her twenties and her in laws live abroad. So no support. It will be fine

Hi Enjoying that's quite reassuring for those of us who are considering dc2 (which I think is a fair chunk of us). Bit of wisdom from those who've been there and done it is always worth hearing.

Worse I love your relationship advice quotes. Why is it that weekday lunches tend to involve heating soup or gnocchi or mushing a load of leftovers into a pan and heating, whilst weekend lunches involve me saying "well Tom Kerridge does this great thing with pastry..."?

The house saga continues to, er, be a saga. Having problems with the deeds because there's a shared driveway. As in, we have to drive over the neighbours boundary to get to our garage. This is proving problematic. House has been sold once since 1901. All documentation is missing. Fun! So after signing our contract we came home and opened our bubbly anyway.
Work Xmas do no 2 last night was thankfully spike free. Feeling a bit thick headed today though. DH's boss and wife asked us some great questions. Why do I work? why do I have tattoos? Why did we have a baby before we got married? That was FUN

Stormy stopping medication and getting pregnant is quite normal. As is going back on medication during pregnancy. Are there any drugs that do the same thing as amitriptylene but may be lower dosage etc so you'd feel mentally more ok about medicating during pregnancy? Tis one of those v personal decisions.

Quite tired. Best mainline some coffee before going to fetch ds from my lovely mum.

Hi Enjoying lovely to have a new member, and really not a problem if you don't have time to post often. We go in phases here, and lots of people dip in and out as life allows.

Totally agree, 23 months is very average. I'm 18 months younger than my sister, and my neighbour has just had her second 23 months after her first! I'm trying to be her. Obviously . My comments are in the context that both Stormy and I breezed through first pregnancies, hardly noticed them. In fact I didn't notice at all until 10 weeks, and was training for The Three Peaks up to that point. Proper full on interval training. Walked 5 miles a day to pretty much the last few weeks when I was felled by SPD too. This time, so different. Had some fairly hellish moments . Factor in coming off the type of medication Stormy mentions, and well, that's going to be tough.... and is is easier if you wait until tiny1 is in day care, or even school. Totally a personal thing though, but there is no denying the sleep deprivation with two is tougher.

Plonky speaking of weekend lunches I had better get cracking. Sigh. At least the toddle is eating now though, and she even slept last night! Sleep is so nice. I was beginning to forget.

Lovely welcome, thank you.

Worse, I see reference to thyroid med. I was diagnosed with under active thyroid on Monday! It's odd because I am so scrawny, but explains how tired I have bee feeling. Do you have over or under?

Yes having number 1 at daycare or school when you first have number 2 would be easier i imagine. Although speaking with a friend who had that, she said it's a stress because you have to be up and moving so early. Every. Single. Day.

I have honestly found that the workload didn't double for me with two. I reckon it went up by 30%. You will be surprised how useful your number 1 is. Seriously! I manage to get so much done in terms of housework because number 2 just loves being in the same space as number 1. It's awesome!! A hell of a lot better than a y jumperoo... that's for sure!

Under active and scrawny with it too Enjoying! Welcome to the club. I've found it a real pain in this pregnancy as the delay between me needing an increased dose, and actually getting an increased dose has had me cracking up at times. It's so much easier when you aren't pregnant. I've had the same prescription for about 10 years, which makes life very straightforward. It's a bit hit and miss at the start to find the right thyroxine level for you, but once it is sorted out you will feel about 20 years younger. All the exhaustion and stress just evaporates. It' magic! I could have kissed the consultant that diagnosed me, as I'd reached the point where I honestly believed I was either dying, or going mad.

Oh and print off the NHS exemption form for prescription charges and ask your GP to sign it, as the only upside of an under active thyroid is free prescriptions.

Having a lovely day now, as the although her lungs are still crackling away the toddle is markedly better. Lunch was eaten with gusto, and she's now reading books with DH, repeating all the words. Her approach to talking seems to be on a par with her approach to eating. Slow starter, but quick to catch up.

Thanks So Much Worse. Ok to pm with a couple of questions? I was a bit upset to learn of it. No bother if you would prefer not

Hi enjoying. Welcome. Its nice to hear that two is not so bad but I am still scared. I had really bad sickness throughout why pregnancy and had a hard time sleeping at night which is why I am scared of having baby 2. Like you said I have heard that both children like each others company and less likely to cling to you.

plonky sorry to hear about hiccup about the house. Hope it gets sorted soon.

I have found the cure for ds to stop having late nights. No nap during the day so come 7pm he is veryyyyy tired. I put him into his cot and I then sing twinkle twinkle which has been his favourite song since he was a newborn. He fell asleep with in 2mins. However, tonight will be a different story. Whilst cleaning I found him asleep on the sofa. Oh well.

Sounds like a good opportunity to get the hoover out, yummy - if it wakes him that's good, and if it doesn't at least you have a clean floor. Win win!

Not clinging to parents much sounds familiar too. I'm sure they played with my sister when it was just her, but they didn't have much time by the time I came along. Siblings were my playmates and my enemies, often both at the same time. My memories of childhood feature parents as mostly absent or background - they doled out instructions, food, and discipline, but otherwise left us to it. It was fun, albeit chaotic at times.

Enjoying pm away, happy to help if I can. You've done the hard bit, which is surviving without a diagnosis. Now it's just a case of some tablets every day and feeling normal again

stormy my experience is similar too. I have no memory of my mum playing we me. I remember her working a lot and resented that. She was excellent caring for me but wasn't so in tune with my emotional development. My experience has shaped me the way I am now. I make sure I praise ds and encourage him to learn skills I tell him I love him and give lots of hugs and kisses every day.

Me and db argued a lot when we were kids now we are very close. We help each other and never take each other granted.

Things I have heard over the baby monitor this naptime:
The Mr Tumble theme song
Twinkle Twinkle
Fake snoring
Mournful wails of "Zebra!"
Counting
Inexplicable thumps.

Things I have yet to hear:
Sleeping!

Nap time? What's that?

Nap time has been a wild notion since DS was poorly last weekend. His body clock is all out of sync. He'll sleep 19:15-09:00 but is so very grouchy by 3pm, which takes its toll on poor mummy.

eco is plum and gold a no no for a winter wedding? we found our venue yesterday, phoning the registrar tomorrow and should have our date

enjoying it's really reassuring to know that two close together isn't too tough. DP and I were planning on one soon but will now wait til post-wedding so DS will be 3 and a half, which is the gap I always wanted anyway.

It was the opposite to most of you with siblings, but the same outcome. I don't remember spending much time with my mum because my sister (14 years older) often was lumbered with me. I have lots of lovely memories of thinking I was very cool to hang out with her though!

Nap time, Plonk, is that enforced period of quiet time when Fartypants entertains herself in her cot. The actual nap part appears to be optional... But she won't chill for a while and rest downstairs, and with no quiet time she hits meltdown by four in the afternoon.

On the plus side, no nap means she'll sleep from about half six until half seven tomorrow. Can cope with that!

In other news, this evening she tolerated an unknown foodstuff on her plate! Okay, she may not have agreed to even taste the fish finger, but not freaking out at its mere existence is definitely progress!

welcome from bloody Bedfordshire enjoying! I'm Eco and I only have one daughter. I don't feel like I'm coping brilliantly so the idea of another scares me but I see plenty of real life friends coping. Albeit coping with the usual meltdowns every mother seems to have from time to time, regardless of the brood size. It's nice to have you with us. I'm a real dipper in and outer.

Plonkydonkey you haven't exchanged yet then love? So the house hasn't been sold since 1901? Or have I misunderstood? That's pretty remarkable. Unless it's a mansion. Is it a mansion?

We've been at parties with parent friends back in Norfolk which has been lovely. And I'll tell you what else is lovely. Between five and seven santa and his deer paraded up and down every street in our village, elves knocking doors as he passed, lights sparkling around his sleigh and festive tunes blaring. I bloody loved it. As did ecotod. Bloody Bedfordshire isn't so bloody after all.

And I'll share something else. The alarm went off in the kitchen. Ecotod was in her room with me and she said 'beep beep, get cakey, hot'. Like every alarm is signal that a cake's ready. it was

and something....plum and gold for a winter wedding? Sounds perfect to me! Lovely. Save me doing the maths....when you getting married? Am very excited for you!

And shattered.....please pop in and say hello and tell us how you are

Hello eco no we're hoping to exchange, complete and move by Friday, otherwise we're looking at January! Not exactly what we had in mind but needs must. The house has been passed on through three generations of the same family, hence missing documents and not being registered with the land registry. Sadly not a mansion but that's just as well as I suck at cleaning.

Glad to hear Dd's cake alarm comprehension is sound. It a vital life skill so well done you for imparting it at such a young age. If that's not coping I'm not sure what is! Village festivities sound lovely! We're not getting a tree or any decorations up until we know what's happening house wise, so I'm rather jealous.

Stormy quiet time here is most likely a chilly walk or a sit down together to watch a bit of Sarah and duck. If I leave him in his cot he just stands at one end mithering and trying to cling to me. Naps just don't hapoen at home, but if we're in the car around 3 he mgit nod off for 30 mins.

yummy I remember you saying a few days ago that ds slept well at night after dropping the daytime nap. We found that, but also realised (as you seem to) that they'll nod off at precisely the wrong time the following day. It's a pita, but means we aim to not drop it straightaway but gradually. Some days he has it, some days he doesn't and it is so bloody liberating to not have to factor a nap in! Hope it continues to improve for you.

Something I think the gold and plum sounds lovely. Can I wear a massive hat please?

Strangest moment of the day today : out for lunch, ds had had about 20 mins kip in the car before, and he sat playing quite nicely with bunny and tractor while we waited for our food. The lady at the table next to ours had a young baby, maybe 7-8 months old and they were BLW so he was smashing broccoli up his nose. Lady looks at ds and proceeds to tell her fella how she'd like to have such a well behaved little boy one day. I nearly choked on my wine water. Oh such innocence.

Just as I thought things were looking up, dd has a vomiting virus. She also has a chest infection, but can obviously no longer keep antibiotics down. What the hell do I do? Betty? Anyone? I'm really worried. I'm also really worried about me, what with being 32 weeks pregnant and all. I'm going to get the bug too, there is no way I can avoid it. Oh hell

Oh no worse! Are you worried enough for a&e? Can she keep water down?

That alcohol hand gel needs to be slathered all over your hands after you've cleaned her up. Don't kiss her neck And just be super vigilant about hygiene. Crossing everything for you.

Oh worse, bum. I guess
you're doing your syringe of water trick already? And as far as you go, I think you could escape it. Vigilance with cleaning, including handles and taps and stuff. Scrub your nails. hot washes on sicky stuff. Get dh to do most of the dealing with. Good luck my lovely.

Sorry, I've been dipping in and out and not posted for an age but couldn't ignore you in a time of need Worse!

Is she keeping anything down? If she is then syringing in antibiotics when she's had a nibble at something and has a small amount in her stomach is probably best. If not hold off them for the next 12hrs as long as she's not got a high temperature and has had the first couple of doses and then start again once she's keeping things down. Where are you in the course and how many times a day are you having them? If you're worried about her I'd probably have a fairly low threshold for getting her seen by someone with having both things going on.

As for you, everyone is right, you need to be super vigilant with hand washing and cleaning (which I'm fairly sure you are anyway) but really you could do with DH taking over as much as possible and staying away from the vomit and ideally DD too for a wee bit (obviously this is not likely to be possible but is ideal). A D&V bug isn't dangerous for babax per se but irritation in the GI tract can make your uterus irritable as can dehydration so you need to stay hydrated and rest up if you do get it.

I've had a very hectic baby free few days and now have a stinking cold, feel like crap but have my baby back which is lovely!

Something I think plum and gold is a perfect colour scheme. When's the date?

We still have a 1-1.5hr nap every day here and if it's missed there's a complete meltdown by 3pm! I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing!

worse let dh take over if you can. If not, lots of hand washing. Poor dd and poor you. A great big hug from me.