January 2014: And then they were two! A new year and new tantrums as we welcome the terrible twos.

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New thread.

Its soooo quiet!
I am in a big sulk as there was a blizzard on sat am but it didn't lie. Honestly, what is the point of living this far north if you can't get good use of your sledge all winter.
Hope you're all good. Two does seem to have brought a lot of random tears about things here.

Thanks altered :)

I love snow, and am also terrified to drive on it so I'm happy either way!

Anyone else struggling with sleep? It just took me 136 minutes to get L to nap, its very rare that it takes less than an hour (after her bedtime routine) for naps or nighttime. When she doesn't nap she's grumpy and spends all afternoon stropping. I'm spending most of my evenings in tears (admittedly pregnancy hormones may be involved) and feel like I'm close to breaking point but have no idea what to do! Not sure many still read this thread but I needed to rant!

Hello all! I always fall off this thread then forget to post for ages.

S has dropped her nap most days now. It was getting very difficult to get her down for a nap, then she would sleep for ages and not go to sleep until at least 9pm at night. She's now napping every other day or so for an hour on the settee. I've found she sleeps for a shorter period on the settee rather than in her cot.

How is everyone?

Hello! Feels like soooo long since I've been on here.

Can't believe F is two on Thurs! Think I am the last of the group, if my memory serves me right still bitter about 42 wk baby

Has anyone had a two year review? Was thinking this week that surely the NHS will want to check on him soon...

Felix we have brutally cut down F's nap to 1.5hr a day nursery kept proudly telling me he was "always the last to wake", often after 2 1/2 hours... And we wonder why we struggle to get him to bed before 8.30?! He does now agree it's time to go to bed between 8-8.30, and let's us carry him up and just put him in his cot. He's much better now he has a duvet and pillow.

Happy birthday to F for Thursday!

We've started doing 'quiet time' in the afternoons instead of naps. We sit on the sofa with a duvet and watch littlebabybum videos on YouTube. Today she fell asleep during it, I'm hoping she'll sleep when she needs to without the stress of trying to get her down for a nap. Plus the videos are vaugly educational so I feel less guilty for sitting and mumsnetting whilst we're watching them!

Angel, I think it varies by area, some do a 2 year review some a 2.5. We've just had a 2 year review but I'm half expecting to have to do it again in a few months after we move!

Hi Swanny, GunShot, Felix and Angel!

I check the thread a lot, but often lose posts because N or DD cause some sort of emergency when I am in the middle of writing it.

Naps here are still essential, I think he sleeps for about 1.5 hrs at nursery most days. It means he doesn't go to bed until 8 or 8.30, but that is considered early here! The biggest problem is that the minute he sees me he wants to bf. Not sure what has happened but he is completely obsessed and has even started waking in the night. I feed him before bed, give him plenty of cuddles (not even a choice, he is permanently glued to my knee) so not sure what is going on other than his grim determination to be a TB. Except he isn't so tiny any more.

DD has been feeling neglected and had a real meltdown about it the other day. I took her out for lunch yesterday, but she was so busy playing in the play area that I am not sure it really helped.

I think I will be heading up your way in a couple of weeks Swanny, if you are where I think you are. We are coming over to visit my brother and will be staying at the Crieff Hydro for a few days. Was quite excited about the childcare and the horses for DD, but have just remembered how cold it will be and i don't think there are a lot of clothes shops in Crieff. I feel like we should have go e to Sharm Elsheikh instead. I am still geekily e cited about cat thing the sleeper up from London though. Had planned on having a wee dram once the kids were asleep, but DH will now be joining us so will have to sort out a plan B.

How are the move preparations going GunShot?

Happy Birthday for tomorrow F!

Thanks for birthday wishes for F! Will try to post pics but if I fail will shove them on FB.

Altered - v jealous of you going to Crieff Hydro, lush. Your 1.5hr/bed at 8/8.30 is identical to us right now - everyone keeps saying it's too late but it seems to suit F and he goes to bed with no complaints at all this way... We'll keep doing it until it breaks I guess!

Trying some birthday pics...

That's a very cool cake!

Its going ok thanks altered, 2 weeks today the movers come for our stuff! I can't believe how fast time is going.

We should be at the next place for either a year or 4 years, if we're stay for 4 years I'm going to put L in pre school 2 sessions a week as there is one for service families that is very cheap nearby. Mostly because I think she'll love it, but it will also be good to get some time alone with baby. I can't believe how old they are getting!

Angel those pictures are so cute and the cake looks fantastic. Here 8 is considered early.

Pre school sounds like a lovely idea GunShot. It is so nice to see them starting to make their own friendships and relationships. I hope your new place is lovely and you get a long enough stint there to settle. I really appreciated DD being in school once N arrived because it meant I could feed and change him before picking her up so he would sleep and DD and I could play a bit once we got home.

Travelling on Friday and got DH to do the school run this morning so I could shower and pack. So far I have drunk two espressos and sat in bed reading. I don't think he will be terribly pleased!

Hello everyone. At last we have had some snow - it was crazy that Southern Scotland was all snowy and we had none before.
Crieff Hydro looks amazing Altered -I've been toying about going on and off but I think I need H to be a bit braver and more grown up so I can enjoy the childcare. We're an hour further north and its lovely, especially now the mornings are a bit lighter.
We've got another bed at 8 here. It gives us an hour and a half after dinner to play, do creams and pjs - anything less would be nice as far as peaceful evenings but would be a mad rush probably.
Angel I will be shamelessly stealing that cake idea for next year

Hi!

I've found uou all again. We are currently on holiday in the North East. We got the train up and the boys were lovely. Henry was good. After a drama about car seats (for the 20 min journey we'll have to make periodically) I tried him in his bucket seat. He fits! I knew he wasn't at the weight limit for it yet. He's a whopping 10.8kg, but I thought it would be too small. Apparently not. So that's easier.

It's snowing here again and I have to get dressed and we have to leave in 25mins. It isn't going well. Henry is tired and won't sleep so we'll have to take the pushchair with us, meaning I have to now find him a lap blanket incase he gets cold.

I'm too lazy to move. Send help and coffee

OMG I have had a boy with the flu last week when I was supposed to be on annual leave. It sucked. It was like having a newborn, as after a 24hr feeding strike he then wanted to feed every 5 mins. However, unlike having a newborn, I had to watch Andy's dinosaur adventures on loop rather than my own choices. I've seen Mrs Pickles' nude court shoes more than I've seen my own feet.
Poor wee soul is mostly better but cried yesterday when I mentioned nursery, cried getting dressed, cried arriving at nursery. You get the picture. I'm going to have a bucket of gin tonight as last night was a snoring marathon and restlessness + Sundayitis.
Hope you've had a lovely time in Crieff Hydro Altered

Hi gruffalo!

That sounds miserable Swanny. Will you be able to recoup any of the leave? I hope H was ok in nursery yesterday. I am not looking forward to convincing N to go back next week, especially since he has visited nurseries here and much prefers them! DD has announced that she is staying in the UK with my Dad.

I was just thinking of you last night because the Hydro is amazing! We booked a 3 bedroom lodge which sleeps 8 for Mon to Fri for £276. It is self catering but includes two free 3hr childcare sessions a day and access to the pool and gym. Tesco delivers too so you don't have to lug shopping with you.

The only snag is that I am looking after 5 kids so don't have time to sit down! DD is so happy to see her cousins and today there is snow, which for her is the icing on the cake. She has been telling me that I am silly and she was right all along that Scotland is snowy.

Hello everyone! I keep forgetting to post on here. How are you all?

Not much going on here. S is being her usual OTT tantrumming self. It's exhausting! She's super cute though when she's not screaming at me. Made a GP appointment for next week as I think she may be hypermobile. She's physically quite behind compared to her friends of the same age, and it would explain the very late walking.

Altered I hope you enjoyed your holiday. Are you still over here or have you gone back now?

Hi Felix!

All good here... F was Pukey McPukerson last weekend, but has been on much better form this weekend. I have been severely limiting his Easter egg consumption.

F has discovered the joy of Minions, so we're watching Despicable Me again this evening. Fingers crossed he doesn't refuse to go to bed for too long, what with the clocks going forwards...

Hello Felix and Angel. We have a grump here too, molars. And where F has Minions, we have Star Wars. Against my better judgement dh showed A the old ones, and now he is obsessed. Would watch it every day if we let him, knows all the characters, and shoots and light-sabers everything .

How did S get on at the doctors? A was in last week as we can't seem to get on top of his eczema at the moment. Doctor just thinks it is worse due to the weather and it should get better as it gets milder, and to use his steroid cream more often.

Other than that all good here, since he turned 2 and went into the preschool room at nursery he is talking loads. It feels weird having little conversations with him!

Hope everyone is coping well with the terrible 2s!

L has developed a strange fascination with water. She has to 'wash hans' several times a day (which is actually just playing in the sink) and had a huge paddy last night when we took her out the bath (she was wrinkly she'd been in so long!)

I have one word for you all... Chickenpox

Oh no Angel, I hope it didn't last long and wasn't too bad!

I'm a week overdue with DC2 tomorrow. Going a bit mad.

Hoping everyone is doing well :)

Looks like this thread is officially dead, but hope everyone is still doing well now that we are coming up to the third birthdays!

We are doing well here, and will soon be moving back to France. Happy Birthday everyone!

Hi altered! Yes it does look like the thread is dead I just randomly found it on my watched threads. Glad to hear you'll be back in France soon. Bet you can't wait!

Yep, well and truly a Dead Thread hope everyone is doing well with our four year olds!! School in September!!!