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

Ah yes Yummy, sadly I am indeed the resident expert on baby constipation. My tips: water, water, and then more water. Do whatever you can to get him to drink more. Ella's prune puree pouches are also fairly useful, mixed into weetabix or yoghurt, and if all that fails the best rocket fuel I have come across is an Annabel Karmel recipe based on red lentils and sweet potato with red peppers, tomatoes and a few spices. That comes out pretty much in the same form it went in... and fairly quickly. The things we talk about as parents... honestly

Eco hope the singing dies down and you get that peaceful dinner. Here the tune of choice is twinkle twinkle. She can keep that one up for hours. Tonight however she has been a sweetheart, which is a godsend as after many many nights on bed time duty DH has earned a night down the pub. His sleep training has worked. I am astounded. I was ready for a full on battle of wills, and several hours wrestling her back into her bed, but no, all I had to do was put her in, turn the light off, and sit on the bed rubbing her back until she went to sleep. Just have to hope she stays that way now!

Yummy No... I refuse to entertain the notion I may go overdue!!! The very idea... It's enough to have me hill walking and main-lining curry, possibly even at the same time. Failing that I will pull the age card and cry until they induce me. Well maybe not cry. I'll just let DH loose. He has a way of making things happen. I'm not sure what this way is, but if DH wants, DH tends to get, and in this case it's a skill I am more than happy to exploit.

Speaking of age, bumped into an acquaintance today, gorgeous, stunning, glamorous granny type, and nearly fell over backwards when she announced herself to be 21 weeks pregnant at 48! Not only does she look amazing on it, she has the teeny tiniest bump unlike the bowling ball I was sporting at the same stage. Thrilled for her. Scared for her too... but wow, 48!

Plonky I keep forgetting to say, cornettos??? Really? But they are vile ! The cone is all wrong. Ice cream has to come in one of those melt in the mouth 1970s style cones. Fact. The chocolate is all wrong too. Plus it gets stuck in your teeth. And they are too big. I can just about get my head round those mini canape style ones, but the real thing. Nope. Chips I can do though. My weight gain poison of choice this week is almond butter and chips. Although not together.

I love a screwball, the ones from the ice cream van. A brown derby from wimpy is the best dessert ever.

Thank you for the constipation tips. Ds drinks loads so it's not a lack of fluid issue. I will try to mix a pouch in a fromage frais see if that will help. The golden egg or little eggs was proof of weetabix hes been having.

My rl friends have toddlers same age as ds and we talk about poor, vomit etc. Oh how our lives have changed.

It's amazing how ones capacity to discuss poo suddenly changes, and this is even after nearly 20 years of IBS. Hard to not be that person among childless friends though. The cotton buds left me queasy.

Yes Worse, cornettos. And I completely agree on every point, especially the shit chocolate. I majorly comfort ate throughout my pregnancy, it was quite a stressful one as dh was unemployed for a lot of it and my work situation hung by a thread. If memory serves they were Sainsbos imitation ones, which are marginally better.

A wee bump at 48 eh? I take it it's her first? My bump was tiny until about then, then the fatness happened.

eco did you get your peaceful dinner and sleepy middle of the night snuggles with dh? The only song ds tries to sing is Baa Baa Black Sheep. Thankfully he's been exposed to real music and happily rocks out to the Clash on a regular basis, because hipster toddlers are way cuter.
Yeah I missed him because I was back working and he was nursery bound. It didn't take long to get back into the swing of things, but I'd become accustomed to having my sticky little milk smelling comedian at knee height at all times.

Betty have you tried the liquid chalk pens? Might save your sanity.

So despite working all my days this week I now have to work the weekend. A clerical error by somebody else in the office means I need to redo everything. We're now in a dispute with the old landlord over the deposit (out of interest what constitutes wear and tear after a 4 year tenancy?) so that's fun. And we're doing ikea again this weekend! I feel so lucky

Ask in the property section, Plonk? Is your landlord trying to retain your deposit because the house isn't exactly identical to when you moved in? If so he's a pillock.

Not much else to add, except to repeat: aaaaargh, molars!

I asked on chat and got some interesting responses.

As we moved quite quickly we left some things behind, for which he's charging skip hire (which is a-ok). He wants an additional £200 to cover things like broken curtain track (which broke within 6 months, and he knew of) and tiles in the shower coming down, which he knew of. He is a pillock. He didn't maintain the property and our case will end up with an adjudicator...who may find he didn't renew the correct documents when we signed a contract with him, and could slap him down with a hefty penalty.

The posters in chat are quite informative!

It's her third Plonky, and she already has 2 grandchildren! 25 years between this one and the last though so I guess the old stomach muscles have gone back to where they should be. Unlike mine.

Wear and tear after 4 years in my book is pretty much everything except for malicious damage, very obvious breakages, or fire damage. I wouldn't charge for anything you mention. We completely redecorate on a 3 year cycle, repair tiles etc as needed, and assume flooring will get trashed. That's all wear and tear. Admittedly I am a soft touch as a landlord, and have only ever taken a deposit deduction once in 20 years. That was from 2 lads who'd had a BBQ inside, leaving the entire place smoke damaged . I no longer rent to lads. I appreciate this is sexist and probably illegal, but I always take the most suitable tenant as opposed to the highest rental offer.

2 wakes last night, probably to make up for the easy settle. Hungry I think, which surprised me given the size of her tea. Law unto themselves these toddles aren't they? Some days she eats hardly anything. Others she'd give DH a run for his money.

Her third at 48 and she already has grandkids! Has she been watching Father of the Bride (part 2) by any chance?

That's interesting about the wear and tear. Our fault is that we didn't always tell him about problems as they arose. Our reason for this is that he would periodically state he'd do an inspection, so we'd think ok we can explain when he's here, then he'd not turn up. However considering his lack of due diligence in other matters, this could turn out expensive for him. Frankly, it's a mess.

What's everyone up to on this lovely day? I need to take ds out for a long walk and persuade him to fall asleep. He's definitely having a growth spurt and its disturbing his sleep. Woke up at 5.30 asking for toast. Dh has been up with him since so I think I owe him a break.

I made the mistake of telling dh your story worse about your 48 year old friend who is pregnant. He now has a card to play when I say I can't face a second child anytime soon. He will say if she's anything to go by we have all the time in the world. Yikes what an incredible experience it'll be, to be parenting a newborn after such a long gap when trends/advice/gear has all changed so much. Lovely that she'll be able to share baby chat with you. How is your dh faring now?

Plonky how was your weekend of work? I did ikea yesterday too. We stayed for lunch. Along with half of Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire and Buckinghamshire. I have new dishcloths. Tune out now if you have a life. I change my kitchen cloth daily and wash them on a hot wash with the tea towels. Perhaps due to hippy wash liquid they look grey and yuck. My new brain wave is to use coloured flannels as kitchen cloths so I stock piled loads of turquoise ones. So much cheerier and less skanky.

Yummy did you get poo yet? I hope there was more to your weekend than poo.

Betty have you come up for air from your chicken and choc fest?

Stormy with regards the molars is it intuition that you think they're on their way or can you see/feel anything on the gum? We can't see or feel anything but guess that there might be some teeth related ouch going on.

Relaxed weekend of getting things done, walking at Woburn abbey, doing some yurt stuff and writing some grant bids. The toddle is eating so much. Do you all supply something when they say 'want Snacky please?'. I don't but wonder whether I should. I have a crazy metabolism which can result in hunger within an hour or two of a large meal. I guess she may be feeling the same. Naps have shortened generally this week but we were a bit nap tastic. She's tending to wake after two hours ish now rather than two and a half. Nowt else of interest to report so I'll wish you a saucy Sunday and say ta-ra.

Hmmm, eating patchy here (as blooming ever!) but I am fairly sure due to teeth. He can ask for calpol now, does that make me a bad parent?

No Wotta it doesn't. It means he knows what's good for him and his speech is coming on a treat. How's the house vending going? I can't recall any action before Christmas with regards shifting yours....or am I wrong? It's virtually spring now so hoping it hots up for you soon.

Wotta the other day I was putting DD to bed and she reminded me that I'd forgotten her calpol. It could be bad mummying. Or they could have just figured out that it's a) tasty and b) stops pain. Not sure when that degree of understanding causality develops though.

Main symptoms of these bastarding molars: a return to the good old days of chewing everything; intensity of toothbrushing strops ramped all the way up to eleven; and bumpy, sore-looking gums. The latter are only visible when she's screaming (bottom ones) or dangling upside down (top ones).

Yes Wotta I've been meaning to ask about the progress of the vend. Also I'm a firm believer in that generally with babies you get good eaters or good sleepers. There are exceptions of course, who do both or neither with alarming stubborness, but you have a marvellous sleeper don't you?

eco my weekend of work utterly failed to materialise. I'm shattered and I've not achieved anything. No clean house, no work. I'm very frustrated by it really, but at least someone else has owned up to the error which means I have a bit of leeway timewise. Your weekend of Woburn sounds lovely. What is it about ikea at the weekend that makes entire counties turn up? The Notts one was horrific, it took 3 hours to buy our shelves. Upon getting them home we found that our walls are made of kryptonite and adamantium. So they're completely solid but our two drills are not up to the job. Fun!

Asking for calpol is most sensible. I think it tastes minging these days because they took the sugar out of it (seriously try it) so I don't think ds asks for it for the taste. Maybe because it's delivery is accompanied by softer voices and lots of snuggles, but ds asks for "palpol" right on time usually, when the previous dose is just wearing off.

eco we have voracious eating too. He's been having seconds at nursery, so days when he's there it's a veritable feast. At home he knows there are no set meal times and I generally do give in to snacks. At the moment he asks for them twice a day "nack pee" which is fine. I've been making soup with pearl barley added and that plus toast seems to fill him well. Porridge, beans and chicken (separately ) seem to be good options.

stormy we have sudden tooth brush aversion but I'd be surprised if it's molars. More likely bottom incisors in this house. I've had to start pinning him down again

Can't believe our babies are two soon. The realisation hit me this weekend. I think we're going to have a party. Some of the new neighbours have tinies so it would be nice to invite them. His first birthday was a disaster of family arguments and scarlet fever so I want to make up for it. I am going to attempt to make a very fancy cake.
Party planning aside, my to do list this week scares me.

Incisors? What is this, 2013? Of course I mean canines.

Oh god, parties. One of the aspects of parenthood I've least looked forward to. One of DD's friends is two tomorrow. I have to navigate buying presents for other people's kids now? Argh!

So I thought we might make her some buns. Everyone likes buns on their birthday, right?

The Tidy Fairy visited over the weekend. All my dangerous cleaning products are now in a box on top of the fridge, well out of reach. Top of the fridge has, for the past two years, been home to my birthing ball. Fartypants had a grand time pushing it around the house and trying to balance Zebra so he'd stay on it as it rolled. Then we deflated it. She howled.

Oh, and on the topic of having grandkids before kids - I know a bloke who's 46, planning DC3, and has two grandkids already. Youthful indiscretions and so on. Have to say, the idea doesn't appeal!

Morning all! My weekend has been poo and illness. My wonderful dh has passed on his germs to ds. I should've had a me day with ds in nursery but of course it doesn't work out like that. I have been alternating between neurofen and calpol to get ds temperature down.

In relation to poo ds has been going everyday but it is hard and he is struggling to push. I have been giving him weetabix, seeded bread and upped his fruit intake. I think the problem is milk. He has a bottle morning, bedtime, overnight and sometimes he asks for milk during the day. So about 3/4 in 24hrs. That is a lot I think. (Nursery days he has a bottle in the morning and he eats breakfast there)

eco your dish cloth story made me smile. I love ikea but once you get in it's really hard to get out again. It is like the shop drags you in. To get out you walk through a maze and it spits you back out with an armful amount of things.

I think our 2nd birthday plans involve a day out at lego land or cbeebies land. If the weather is still cold we will go towards the end of the month. Ds was completely overwhelmed with his party last year so never again until his 3rd/4th birthday.

something I have finished watching Lost. What is up with the ending? I have been confused with so many unanswered questions so I have been googling and reading peoples theories on the ending.

yummy that's certainly not how one should spend a weekend!! That does sound like quite a lot of milk, have you tried substituting it for water? My friends have twins and say they won't drink anything else so they fill them with milk throughout the day, but the way I see it is, if they're thirsty, they'll drink the water! Milk could be more of a comfort thing for him but is quite a bit heavier than water. And re: Lost, I know, right?! It's mind boggling! You sailed through those last 2 series, I'm still catching bits here and there. Managed 20 mins before work today.

eco I'm devastated for you and your Hunters. I live in mine usually. What colour were they? I'm hankering for some red ones.

worse when I'm 48, I'll have a 24 year old, and you can bet your bottom dollar that there won't be another newborn at that time!! Crikey. She's a brave lady!!

I woke up at 6am today. Not because of DS but to do a workout dvd! I feel so dedicated, then I took the dog on a long walk and have the healthiest of healthy snacks while I'm at work. Promise I'm not overdoing it eco, I'm actually enjoying this positive lifestyle change

Now, parties you say? We had a swimming party last year then had people back to ours for food after, and it was lovely. This year, we're looking at hiring a hall in a leisure centre with a bouncy castle and soft play type thing. It's the puppy's 1st birthday 2 days after so should really think about a joint party

Ta for the reminder, Something - the little cat's birthday is two days after DD's. Maybe we'll celebrate with a chippy tea, as she's perfected calling "DCat! Fooo-oood!" in exactly the tone I use to call them, and she still won't eat fish, so the cat'll be happy and the child will be doubled over with laughter.

When I'm 46 I'll have... ...an eighteen year old. Sweet, she can buy me a pint!

Ah, never say never guys as my friend has a 27yo and a 25yo, and you can bet any money that when she was 25 she'd have laughed at the idea of having another in her late 40s!

The way I see it, it's more likely if you have your family young, as by then you have no other childcare commitments so time and energy for a new born. Me, I'll have an 8yo and a 6yo, so not a chance of even beginning to think about the logistics of managing 3.

Men however, it's different for them. I know far to many that have off-loaded the first family, and had a second in their late 40s.

Speaking of men, mine has just appeared having settled dd for the night so I'd better go and be sociable. I was on the night shift last night, which was gruelling, as it was a tough one. Teeth I think. His turn tonight.... bet she sleeps through!

Hmm for me to have another baby when ds is 27 I'd have to be... counts on fingers 53. Not outside the realms of possibility as DM started the menopause at 53, but I'd rather spend my fifties not feeding through the night. One more in the next year or two, and potentially another after a v big age gap and I'll be well and truly done with the messy business of procreation.

Yummy the end of Lost is a conundrum. I think lots of people hated it but it made me smile in a 'well, of course!' way.
Interesting what you say about being overwhelmed by a party. Initially I was thinking just family but then dh suggested two of the neighbours as a way to get to know them. We'll see. I might have bought invitations...

I don't want to speak too soon but I think we've managed to ditch bottles. We tried it a couple of months ago and it wasn't a goer but this time ds is actually taking 6flozzes from a dippy cup at bedtime. And sleeping. Whoever wrote the guidelines that you should ditch bottles at 12 months obviously never had a toddler.

For me to have a baby when DS is 27 would be a miracle! I'd be really old 61.

Plonky I have beaker envy! The toddle is ridiculously wedded to her bottle. We've made some progress with a cup and a beaker, but at times she just point blank refuses to drink from anything else, and that's for water. Milk is apparently undrinkable from any other vessel. Unless she's at nursery, where beakers have magical properties so are completely ok

NCT meet up today, and you know what, I think I might be a convert! It is actually quite a nice way to meet people, entirely normal people, which was not my expectation at all. I'm not sure what my expectation was actually, but it probably wasn't to make friends. First baby of the group will be arriving by induction on Thursday. That's made it feel very real all of a sudden. You'll all be impressed with me though, I have packed my hospital bag (fanfare please ). Not much in it to be honest other than maternity pads. I'd forgotten just how chunky those are, and just how many you need.

Yummy things any better with ds today? I think we may be joining you on the bug bench, as the toddle has eaten precisely nothing today, although she has had a couple of bottles of milk. That says sore throat to me. It also says broken night. Last night was bad... so bad in fact we didn't get up until 10am, as we didn't get to sleep until about 7am! If anyone had told me that sleep got worse as they got older not better I would have appreciated the 3-6 month phase of sleeping through slightly more.

Something how's the New Year fitness drive going? I may join you, next year. I have hit the slightly depressingly realisation that I have never been this unfit before. Literally never. Although looking on the bright side I am as good as 37 weeks now, and have yet to be crippled by SPD, which is marginally better than last time.

Parties? Arghhhh, are parties for 2 year olds a thing? I was kind of hoping she was still too young and I could fob her off with a big parcel and a day with the PILs. When do cakes become compulsory? Didn't do one last year, should I this? She won't eat it, but that's not the point is it. The point is the candle blowing out photo isn't it?

Hotel news, exchange tomorrow. Scared? Me? You betcha. Also resigned to the fact I really really really need to sort out proper childcare as DH is going to be spending weeks at a time oop north now, and I'm going to be on my knees if the toddle and her smaller yet to arrive partner in crime have any say in the matter. Which they will.

News everyone.... what are you all up to? Something exciting I hope, to balance out the extreme lethargy going on in my own life.

Ooh exchange! Do you have a completion date? I'd be tempted to up DD's nursery hours. It'll be good for all of you! Failing that...wet nurse? Cook? Cleaner? Glad the NCT meet was a good 'un. I can't believe you're 37 weeks!! Wow.

News here is a mixed bag. I had a boring day of work, work and more work, broken up by playing fetch with the cat and eating eggs on toast. (Btw Lidl rye bread is the nuts.) our ex landlord is still loopy, but has "thoughtfully" lowered his expectations. He now wants £108 for skip hire and a mere £150 to cover the cost of replacing the letterbox draft excluder, plastic bath tap cover and screwing the oven door handle back on, so there's been a very strongly worded email sent. I also ordered a new camera lens (it's an addiction now), and faffed about with facebook advertising for my fledgling business. Result! I may have my first booking (tbc). The toddler filled up on soreen and only had 2 flozzes of milk at bedtime so we shall see how that pans out.
DH is off on a last minute trip to Seville tomorrow while I prat about with invoices in sleety Derbyshire. His job sounds so romantic at times.

Hope you get a better night tonight Worse. Strange to think that I was up for the day an hour before you lot crashed out for some sleep . Has the toddler realised you're upduffed and possibly in need of a rest?

Thought i'd post as i'm sat outside DD's room, waiting for her to drift awf. She's had a temp for two nights now (took her to out of hours Dr after vom last night) but assured it's only a bug so got to ride it out with team Calpol and Nurofen.

Worse exciting stuff with only a few weeks to go. Can't quite believe how the time has flown. Slightly nostalgic for the pre-birth build up but bump back down to earth when I remember I didn't sleep for the whole of December.

Plonky saw your post on fb and quite pleased that we're pitching the same way! Great news on your first (potential) booking so keep up the good work. I have two in the pipeline thus far but fx for more. Otherwise I need a part-time job too...

Aaaaaand she's up...

Hi Any did DD (and you) manage to get some sleep?
A little market research led me to a price structure. I guess I can always tweak it if need be. Out of interest, have you looked into other ways of making money from your skills, like providing post processing for other companies? That's basically my aim one day...when I'm brave enough to jack in the day job! It's tough though. I think winter is a difficult time for photo people.

Morning from hell here, including DS doing a backwards roll off the bed and falling on his head, DH rushing around like mad to get a bag together for his last minute trip (why he didn't do this yesterday I'll never know) and a near stand up argument with two Chelsea tractor women in sports gear who stood chatting in the nursery car park after they'd dropped their kids off, while I sat waiting patiently for a parking space. Gah. And DH helpfully moved my car keys this morning. I am late for everything, but need to vent. I feel like I ought to start chanting "inner peace" and assuming tree pose, but I'm up to my neck in it and really must get on. Bollocks.

Any I'm sending healthy vibes your way. Hope she's feeling better soon.

Plonk did soreen supper have him sleeping through?

I was chatting to one of the ladies in the supermarket the other day, and she asked if DD sleeps. I answered honestly, and she could've killed me - her boy's six and still doesn't sleep through! And I have beaker envy too - beakers are for juice, bottles are for milk, and there shall be no crossover. She has a sip from a beaker, realises it's milk, and just dribbles it out. Sigh. On the plus side, this week she's tried scampi, played with peas, and declared mince and onions "nice".