January 2013 - my do it on my own!

[SnozzberryPie]

New thread for the January 2013 'babies'

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Mavolio I'm finding the same with DS. I'm having to get myself prepared with stuff to keep him occupied now, especially as he's dropping his nap.

On Saturday he spent a good 30 minutes with a bucket of water cleaning all of the sand off of his beach toys. He was soaked by the end of it but the toys were clean and I got the washing up done. I call that a success.

Snozz glad the appointment went well. I never went through what went wrong with DS' birth, would like to do that one day. We'll see if we have another!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Where is everybody? Busy chasing toddlers I guess!

Tantrum City here at the moment. Every. Single. Morning. Usually because he doesn't want to get dressed. This morning he got himself so worked up his was hiccupping.

On a more positive note we took DS to his first theatre yesterday - Going On A Bear Hunt. I was fully expecting him to last 10-15 minutes then announced "finished!" and we'd have to go - but he was enthralled for the whole thing. Barely made a sound except to occasionally whisper "bear!" or "mud!". Very cute.

[RatOnnaStick]

I tried to reply while sitting in the car outside nursery waiting for 8.30 but the signal in the village is shit so I guess it never went through.

We took DS1 to Bear Hunt when he was just short of 3, he loved it too. Sat still the entire time. I'm considering The Tiger Who Came to Tea in london in early january for both boys, hopefully they won't kick off together in the theatre.

Dan is loving nursery. He's settled in really well, goes running inside, gets mucky and wet and comes home every day happy so thats good. His behaviour is just starting to pick up again, we have had a tantrummy few months and a clingy few months but he's better on both fronts now.

I'm looking at bloody christmas presents already. We are in full Thomas fandom here so I'm getting some Take n Play Thomas stuff for him, already got some bits on ebay. What is everybody else thinking for presents this year?

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

DS' main present will be a balance bike (plus helmet!). He chops and change what he's in to but Puzzles and Duplo are played with every day - along with this playmobil zoo so we'll probably get a few bits to boose his collections!

Trying to steer people towards vouchers for his swimming lessons this year as we're so short of space.

Glad Dan is enjoying nursery - DS loves going, too. We're really lucky to have a fantastic nursery right opposite the house, on the same sight as a fantastic primary school.

[RatOnnaStick]

I have a 3.6 mile journey to the nursery then another 5 miles to the school and 1.9 miles home.

I've restarted Dan's swimming class, we gave up in november or thereabouts last year as his ears were playing up - infection after infection, and also he got so clingy he wouldn't let anyone hold him or help him which is a bit of a problem in the water when the teacher wants him to do something. Anyway we've done two classes so far and he's much better. DS1's class is a bloody scrum though - There must be 4 or 5 classes happening at the same time and the start of the lesson is just a throng of children going in and out of the pool and benches. It all seems to work itself out but I don't much like it.

Balance bike is definitely a good idea. We love ours here. He makes me wave a chequered flag every time he starts on his

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

The swimming sounds mental! DS has been having lessons since he was 12 weeks and there's only ever one class in the pool at a time. Even swap over time is calm as the next class slips into the pool whilst the current one is finishing, then they just swap places.

Costs a bloody fortune though - just signed up to help out on display stalls and they knock a bit of money off the lessons for doing it.

[RatOnnaStick]

Thats what its like for parent/toddler morning classes - one teacher, one class. Preschoolers go in without parents in early afternoon, usually two or three classes going on but thats ok, its not so busy really. After school there are kids ranging from age 4 up to 11 or 12 all waiting for classes in the same small area. The whole pool is sectioned off into class areas. It can be carnage.

[glorious]

Oh rat E would love to go to The tiger who came to tea. Where's it on?

[RatOnnaStick]

Its at the Lyric Theatre from 25 Nov til 10 Jan. I was thinking of taking the boys on the first saturday after new year as Dan's birthday is the 5th Jan. There's a trailer on the website www.nimaxtheatres.com/lyric-theatre/the_tiger_who_came_to_tea

[glorious]

Looks fun! Do you know how long it is? I couldn't see. E is obsessed with the book at the moment so I'm very tempted.

[RatOnnaStick]

I just had a look at the shows own site here which says 55 minutes approx. They know a young child's attention will only stick for so long. I think they'll be fine. Dan wouldn't have managed Stick Man last year with Ds1at the same length of time but I'm sure Cupcakes will agree that they're old enough now to sit still if their attention is held.

[glorious]

Ooh perfect I think we'll go!

[salt1]

hello, found you all again after hackgate. though confused with all the name changes.

house move almost done, complete on Friday, therefore I am wracked with have I done the right thing panics. new house is quite rural ie crap public transport and I am still learning to drive to nursery runs are going to be hard work.

dd potty trained now, been pretty easy apart from not wanting to wear anything other than nappies at nursery. nursery seem to have persuaded her by making her a special toilet decorated in peppa pig and spiderman. though her keyworker let it slip that the reason they were keen for her to be out of nappies is because it takes too much time to change all the nappies! I have gone from being happy with nursery to thinking they are not that great.

good to catch up with you all x

[glorious]

Hi salt, I've never name changed - I'm 'out' locally anyway as I organise meetups, so no reason to

Gosh moving house is so stressful. Tell us about the place, what do you like about it? I always get the jitters just before a big change like that but in a few months you'll be settled and hopefully whizzing about in your car.

Well done on the potty training. Bit irritating about the nursery. is that the only thing they've done that's made you feel differently?

[SnozzberryPie]

Found you all! Good to hear about the successful theatre trips. I'm considering a panto for dds birthday this year, I could potentially have a one week old if this baby is overdue so don't want to plan anything too adventurous. I think she has the attention span for it now, she will happily sit and watch a movie if she likes it.

We got dd a balance bike for her last birthday but she's only really getting into it now, so I think it would be a good idea. No idea what to get her this year. She'd love a toy kitchen but we don't have a lot of space in our flat, especially with another baby to fit in.

[RatOnnaStick]

Hi Salt. I was Juniper was Pascha if thats any help to you? I'm bad at remembering to switch back to known names on this thread so I decided to just change and be done with it. Today's the completion day isn't it? I live rurally and it really does help to be able to drive. The nursery & school run would be near impossible without it. Fingers crossed it goes well today.

I've just seen a Seeticket advert for The Tinder Box at Charing Cross Theatre, wonder if its any good?

Whats your due date Snozz? I can't remember being up to anything so complicated with a week-old baby. I would have sent DS1 with DH or MIL and stayed at home eating biscuits.

[SnozzberryPie]

Rat I am due 3rd Dec but as dd was so early it's more likely to be early than late. Who knows though! I could be six weeks on from a lovely quick waterbirth or one week on from an emcs- I suppose I could still be in hospital, although that doesn't bear thinking about. So it's hard to make a plan!

I was msbug, if that helps.

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Hi Salt - lovely to hear from you. Are you in the new house now? Hope you are settling in OK.

Snozz DS has got a toy kitchen which he LOVES. We bought a naice wooden one (second hand) and use the cupboards to store the rest of his toys. It means we can justify the space, and buy spending a little but more it’s (a) more robust and (b) looks nice in the living room.

Alternatively I’m sure I’ve seen some “table top” ones somewhere. Will post a link if I can find them.

Think DS might have regressed with his potty training – he’s been dry since may (night and day) but had 4 accidents over the weekend. Any ideas? He’s been a bit off colour this last week, and I noticed he had a new tooth through on Sunday – could that be connected?

[MavolioBent]

Hi all. Been away dealing with real life :) so quiet on here lately!

Salt good to hear from you.Hope house move all going well. Bet you can't wait to be all settled (user to be AppleCrumples btw)

Ds1 is mostly settled into his new school now. Still a few teething issues tho. It's hard as there is not so much parental involvement now. He just takes himself off to school and then is usually home before I get back with the little ones. He turned 12 yesterday and has gone out to his mates this evening.

Cupcakes it may be connected. He's still pretty little.
Ivy is starting to want to potty train but seems to have no idea when she's weeing. It's frustrating as she's just not quite ready yet but she really wants to be!

[glorious]

Malvolio DD is the opposite - knows exactly what she's doing but won't use the potty or loo. Maybe we should combine them

DH is going to be living away in the week for his new job for a trial to see if it's better than moving (jobs are far apart so moving means rubbish journeys for both of us). To help me cope with everything I wanted a bit more childcare. The childminder is doing two extra half hours and she recommended a lovely pre school which her youngest goes to. It's 50% children with disabilities and 50% other children, and it's an amazing place. So caring and friendly, and they have really high ratios and do lots of individual observation and planning to meet each child's needs. So DD is going to go with the childminder's youngest on Thursdays and on Friday when I don't work she'll do a half day so I can cook/wash/have a rest. Really excited for both of us!

Is everyone starting to think about Christmas? I asked DD what she wanted and she said a violin. She goes to lessons with the childminder's children and gets to play then. She loves it so I think I'll oblige!

[glorious]

Oh my goodness! At dinner today at my parents' DD said she wanted tge potty. I thought she was messing about but took her slowly all the way across the house and she did a huge wee in it! Yaaaay! We do have a long journey home (3 trains and tube interspersed with lunch with a childless friend). She's soooo keen now though. What to do?!

[Tugstonia]

Hi all! Haven't been on for a while. WAs on hols and only just back on my laptop. how is everyone? Glorious that sounds tough with your DH away. Great that you've found a lovely preschool for E and can have a bit of a rest on a Friday. Fantastic that she did a big wee in the potty!

DD1 has had a bit of a regression potty training wise since our holiday. Lots of poos in pants :( Also seems to have decided she doesn't want to go to preschool anymore. Might have something to do with the potty accidents though.

DD2 is now 6 months and sitting up and eating! Can't believe how quickly it's gone.

I think DD1 wants scooter so that'll probably be her Christmas pressie.

Going into work tomorrow to discuss going back... really don't want to!

[RatOnnaStick]

Yay for the spontaneous potty attempt Glorious . Dan will now wee standing up on the stepstool into the toilet but only before a bath and at bedtime. I know he's probably ready to have a go as he can do it if he chooses too but I'm leaving it til after half term as we are going away and I'm not chancing a long journey with a newly trained toddler. No way.

Snozz Dan is also getting stuck into toy kitchen stuff wherever he finds it. I have a lot of 'chicken pie' thrust at me after fiddling with a plastic and saucepan random kitchen bits. We also have zero space left so I was wondering about forking out for the John Lewis mini kitchen and leaving the Thomas crap to come from grandparents.

6 months old Tugs? That went fast!

[glorious]

Wow tugs 6 months, no way! Will you go back on the same hours you did before?

Unfortunately DD has refused to consider the potty again. She was just teasing me obviously...Weeing standing up sounds most advanced for D rat

I have a bit of a dilemma. I've been approached about a really glam secondment. I can't say where as it isn't something I can share and you'll all have heard it. The actual job might not be as interesting as my current one but it would be great life experience and look better on my CV. But I like my current team and it'd be nice to see things through. And equally I am hardly coping with it - keep losing and forgetting things, feeling dizzy a lot, just feel like I spend all my time running around avoiding disasters. DH said why don't I take a couple of years off and maybe do some study or something to keep my brain in gear. I can take up to 5 and go back to my employer at my level (different job though). All of a sudden that seems more tempting, but I don't want to stop work and pass up a great opportunity just because I'm going through a rough patch. Help!

[LetThereBeCupcakes]

Crikey glorious you don't do things by halves do you? The new opportunity sounds amazing (sooooo want to know what it is!). But equally in your position (DH working away and are they still trying to figure out the heart stuff?) I'd be very tempted with some time off, especially since you can take those 5 years pretty much risk free. What about going freelance or something as a compromise?

Movolio Glad your DS1 is settling in, can't imagine mine even going to primary never mind secondary!!

DS has a shocking chest & throat infection, bless him. Didn't stop him enjoying a WHOLE week away with grandparents last week (I had a full time course at work). I missed him a ridiculous amount but it would seem he barely noticed I'd gone...