September 2014 - Babies turn 1!

[lilone1234]

First birthdays are starting to arrive and our babies are becoming toddlers! What will the next year have in store?

Oh and weight - not had her weighed since 12 months but it's not needed now unless concerned. I don't own scales either so I am curious though! 12-18 month clothes fit her well though so probably about average! Height wise she is little though and does still have a very baby look but if like me she might have it forever!

HV is coming to see me next week. They say it's because they've been notified that I've recently moved to the area but I think maybe more to do with our A&E trip a few weeks ago...

An 11 year age gap Topsy, that's massive. Mind you, there's a girl in DS6's class at school who's older sister is 13 years older. Their Mum had to deal with youngest first day at school and 1 month later oldest left home for university.

What was the A&E trip lilone? Sorry, my memory is rubbish. HV visiting home is unusual though, it might be different in different areas though. Round here the HV come to you for the first week and then that's it. You go to the clinic or (like me) don't really see a HV again after that first week.

DD has a moohoosive tantrum today, her first real red-mist moment. Undistractible for a good 15 minutes. Over a pair of headphones that she got hold of and I confiscated. It was an hour before bedtime so tiredness was coming into it, but blimey. She isn't much of a screamer but boy did she bellow. She was CROSS. Very, very angry with me. I put them in a drawer that she couldn't reach but she was prepared to do herself some injury climbing to get to the drawer and open it.

A glimpse of things to come...

There's 17 years between me and my DSis! 27 years between her and her half brother (my step brother)!

Acorn - how's your DS doing with dairy?

FATE - we've just started getting dramatics, rather than temper. When she doesn't get what she wants or is told off she holds her face and wails with instant huge tears. I can't help but find it funny, which just upsets her more.

Oh yes we have a lot of temper when things taken away/not allowed in the kitchen/to play on the stairs etc. and she gets frustrated with toys too when they don't do what she wants.

A&E was when she hit her head on a door frame and it came up in a massive lump. I imagine it's because I'm new to the area, they don't know it's the only A&E visit we have had or any of DD's history. Before we moved HV only saw us once when DD was born as is the norm these days.

Topsy Congrats to your family - I am in a very similar situation ! I have boy/girl twins who were nearly 12 when I had J.
After the initial shock - mainly from DD - they were fine. It didn't help that they had just had sex-ed at school - so there was an element of disgust from them and their friends !
Surprisingly DS and his friends have always been more attentive to J (maybe because he's a boy). DD pays him more attention now he does funny things - but I think she and her friends are too caught up in Instagram-world and school drama to be gushy about a baby .
I was initially a bit apprehensive about going back to the baby days but J has been a really easy baby. The elder two have completely different needs to him and are of an age where they are understanding and not jealous. They can both be very helpful at times - and J loves interacting with them.
I find as a parent with huge age gap children, I have been massively relaxed - as I realise that a lot of things that would have stressed me out when the elder two were babies just pale into insignificance in the scheme of things.
J is very confident around people and I wonder if it's because he is surrounded by much bigger people.
Although it's a bit sad that he won't have a little playmate as such - I think he still gets a sibling experience - just without the competition and bickering !!

Wow, can't believe its been 2 years since we all 'met'. Time really does fly by doesn't it.

Yes to the temper, A has just thrown his Vtech cars on the floor. No idea why though! He is now quite happily playing again!

DS has been making sounds that could be words but we are never quite sure (he is good at hiya, ok, dada and mum). This afternoon my Dad went upstairs and DS stood at the baby gate at the bottom pointing upstairs and shouting 'Gagad', obviously meaning grandad! Its amazing how he suprises us every day, I know we all say that but thay are amazing.

E has a bit of a temper too, he can be very dramatic at times and it is really like a switch which he can flick on and off at will. E.g. If you take something off him he will throw himself down and tantrum but as soon as you give it back he stops instantly.
Not that we often give back the item. Although my friends little girl who is 2 and bit has epic tantrums oh my the screams I can still hear them now and I only saw her before Christmas.

Lil, Thanks for that, I feel I should order more dummies now!
How on earth dummy clips could work during the night? I bought a pair and they seem to be usable only when awake (and he doesn't use a dummy when awake) otherwise it seems to be a hazard at night !! I should just order more and put them in his bed and collect them in the morning from the floor !!!

So ladies, do you think it is un/reasonable to think about schools now ? We want to move in the next few months (just looking right now) and to our very many criteria for choosing home, I've also added being close to a good school (primary of course) and it honestly seems to be impossible to find a house with good commute near good school within our affordability bracket - instead of having fun looking at the potential houses I'm getting stressed out !!!!

Oh and it is so cool that we "know" each other for two years now

And Jay, I was wondering where you were - your ds is super cute x

And every one else, good to have you around x

Nazly it's worth bearing catchment areas and stuff in mind when looking at houses (I think rightmove might have a feature to do this) but I wouldn't rule out houses just because they are not near your preferred school. Firstly a lot can change between now and when our toddlers become school age, and the 'outstanding' schools now may not be so in a few years time, and vice-versa the poor schools may be well rated in a few years time. Even if your DS does end up having to go to a not-so-great school, there are always options like some home tuition or something to supplement their school learning. I guess what I'm saying is don't get too stressed about it and have fun looking at houses.

On a side note, please tell me I'm not the only one still struggling with sleep? DD has never been great but we've really gone backwards this past month. I'm hoping in a way it's because she's got these pesky molars coming through, because at least then it means it may end soon. Last night she didn't settle to sleep until nearly 9pm, was up between 1.30-3am crying (given calpol and water etc but didn't seem to help), awake again briefly at 5am, then up and raring to go for the day just after 7am. Me and DH are shattered! She doesn't sleep much in the day either.

Yes nazly just buy lots of dummies and chuck them all in lol! I also haven't used clips at night for the same reason you mention, I think it would be a hazard.

I agree with kitkat re catchment areas. Whilst it's worth bearing in mind so much changes! I also personally feel that secondary school choices are more important than primary.

Sleep...have to say we rarely have problems here. But a lot of rl friends are saying the same as you kitkat. I do wonder if it's more to do with the child than any parenting. Which worries me about any future children and that I might spend the next few years very sleep deprived! One friend is really struggling and cannot believe that ds self settles and sleeps through, she asked me how I did it and I don't really know! Which makes me think it's the child and not my choices. Does anyone else find they are forgetting so much already? There is a newborn in the family and in terms of the details, when did he start teething, how much did he sleep during the day, how often did he feed etc I just don't remember.

team haven't gotten very far with dairy, I keep starting with the biscuits again but it messes with his sleep. Once his molars are finally through I'm going to start again and persevere this time. I've managed to get him off one of his reflux meds though.

So dramatic here as well! It's like his world is ending if you dare to stop him doing something or gently remove something he can't have. He just throws himself backwards and hits his head on the floor

I tried to remember when he started doing things but it's all a blur! I'm glad I took so many photos cos at least that gives me some sort of time reference.

Oh yes I've forgotten so much too. Photos coming up on time hop reminds me! I remember still feeling it was hard work then but now in hindsight I don't know how it was when she just sat still when now it's constant chasing around/removing hazards! Oh and the throwing backwards and head hitting we have too, it's awful!

Nazly - we moved recently and did look at schools, not too in depth though but are in an area where there are several in walkable distance.

How on earth dummy clips could work during the night?

I don't use dummy clips during the night. I still own only two dummies - 1 in cot and one spare. In what way are you viewing clips as a hazard? I can see two (solvable) hazards and one (solvable) inconvenience

• Strangulation risk

If you position the clip lower on the chest, you can position it so that the cord could not possibly reach around the neck

• Risk of detaching clip then strangulation risk

Even if you position so the cord strangle, my child could easily pull the clip off and then have a dangerous cord to play with. So I ditch the clip and sew it permanently in place.

• Inconvenience of a bulky clip to lie on when sleeping on front

As mentioned, I don't bother with clips but instead sew a strong ribbon onto the sleeping bag, making it a more comfortable join and no chance of pulping the clip off. I machine sew and over-sew lots of times to make it secure. Then press-studs at the end to attach dummy to.

Maybe I am missing some other hazard I've not considered. I am very much more chilled-out about this kind of stuff than I used to be. Each to their own though. The loads of dummies in the cot option works too.

fate for me it was the strangulation risk which would be very minimal now given that the chord is so short but I also did think that lying on the clip would be very uncomfortable. I like your ribbon solution, I never think of stuff like that. I'm not very creative at all and struggle to think outside of what is directly in front of my face! The lots of dummies option is working fine for us at the moment but I may be brave when hopefully baby 2 comes along and dig out my sewing box.

DS has been poorly again this week, inevitable really after a break from nursery and then back to the germs. He seems to be getting over the worst of it now though which is good as he's back in nursery tomorrow after 4 days off.

It would seem I do have the last non walker then as no one has said otherwise. Other people seem to think that I think it's an issue. It's really not but it just comes up in conversation a lot with other mums and they instantly think I'm worried about it. I think I will just savour these last few weeks/months of baby time, with my enormous boy who looks like a toddler anyway. He's my non toddling toddler

My sleeping bags right from newborn size upwards all have dummy ribbons sewn on. In the early days it makes it easier for me to find the dummy in the night, later on it means DD can always find her own dummy.

I've also found it useful because it has established that dummy is always/only attached to the sleeping bag. So when she gets out of her sleeping bag, the dummy stays in the cot.

It's really not a problem that he's a non toddling toddler lilly . He's chilled out, he'll do it when he's ready.

DH is just having his operation. I'm stupidly nervous and trying to pass the very slowly moving time...

Thinking of you Team. I hope everything goes well for him, and you.

Hope all goes well Team

Aw team hope you've had an ok day today.

Thanks all. Op seemed to go well and we are now back home with a one armed bandit He won't have use of his hand for quite a while, so he can't do nappies. I'm thinking of setting up a poo token box by the changing mat so I can reclaim them once he's able to use both hands again

Glad to hear all is ok Team. You will definitely be owed many dirty nappy reprieves!

I like the sound of a poo token pot! Hope your dh recovers quickly though! team

I would definitely cherish having a non walker! E is a pickle wanting to go wherever he wants of course he is adorable too and sitting down if I guide him elsewhere!

Glad the op on your DH went well Team. Hope he recovers quickly. x

LillyBugg I don't even think it's that unusual that your DS isn't walking yet. Someone I know with a DD older than my DD has only just started walking, and I have a work colleague whose DS didn't start walking until he was 22 months. I agree with your approach of not worrying about it and enjoy the fact that your DS is still limited in his capacity to destroy your house for a bit! lol!

DD is kind of the opposite. She's tall for her age but slim (finally got her weighed today and she's still only 20lb something) but she never sits still. Even nursery have commented on the fact that she is unusually active and runs around all day like a lunatic. I can't keep up with her!