September 2014 - Toddlers & Tantrums!

[lilone1234]

Babies are now toddlers at 18 months +, growing and learning new things all the time!

I do a lot of pasta, and freezing left over meals in small Tupperware tubs. Currently in the freezer I've got quite a lot of pasta bake portions which is leftmover from our dinners, it freezes really well. Also casseroles and pasta sauces, bolognese. I struggle getting DS to eat protein so tend to rely on ham/bacon/sausage which is all easily portioned for one. I know it's all processed but if I cook him 'proper' meat he doesn't eat it and it's such an expensive waste. Oh he'll also eat fish fingers! I tend to use frozen veg as well which is really easy to portion out for a toddler.

We are talking about changing meal times though. DS eats much better with us but DH doesn't get home until gone 7 quite frequently. Think I'm going to start eating with DS and DH might have to have a plated, re heated meal later. Also being pregnant I'm struggling waiting so late in the evening for a meal!

I try to freeze little pots of roasted new potatoes when I do them (he won't eat mash!) and little pots of chilli. He is getting very limited in what he will eat.

Lillybug does the pasta go soggy or anything? It would be so handy to freezer plain pasta, pasta bake and pasta and pesto (does pesto freeze?).

What else do you all freeze?

I occassionally freeze a lasagne and that defrosts fine, tastes normal. Pasta shapes and spaghetti get eaten too quickly to freeze in our house

My DD went through a phase of insisting on whole potato pieces rather than mash too polka. It was a case of remembering to take a couple of potatoes out before mashing them for everyone else. She's over that now though, fine with mash or whole potatoes.

My eldest went through a toddler stage of refusing anything that wasn't room temperature. That was about the 2y-3y age. Hmm, it was fun. Not. I had to warm things from the fridge - strawberries and yogurts had to have a blast in the microwave so they weren't cold. I kid you not. Then having to speed-chill hot meals with 15 mins in the freezer before serving, to cool then down. She's still a fussy madam 10 years on.

Heating strawberries, yuck! What funny things these kids are.

I'll try some of these ladies, but good to hear it's not just me with quite a limited meal repertoire!

She doesn't really eat any meat unfortunately Fate. I'll have to keep trying, but can't stand the waste!

Pasta freezes and defrosts really well. If anything it dries out a little rather than being soggy. But I've always got pasta portions in the freezer for DS. You can freeze sauce portions in ice cube trays and then push them out into a sandwich bag. Then you can just add a couple of cubes to cooked pasta. I'm trying to think what else I freeze, I do mash portions so I don't have to cook a toddler portion of mash. I'm a bit wary about rice so I always cook that fresh. Not sure why! I've frozen sliced banana bread before when I've had too much as well. I also have a couple of portions of meat and roast potatoes which were left over. The meat dries out but I'll probably defrost and then put in the oven in gravy for an hour or so. Then chuck the frozen roast potatoes on a baking tray, and do some fresh/frozen veg.

I am so jealous, E is the worst eater by far! But you have spurred me on to go get his high chair back out and get him sitting at the table and eating better!

So we went to a&E last week, he ran into his bedroom and tripped hitting his head on his bed rail! Instant swelling and a hefty bruise, but no fracture thank god!

Ouch Cookie - that sounds painful! Did he need any stitches?

We've just put the highchair away and have started getting DD to sit in a booster seat at the table instead. She could stay in it a bit longer, but in a couple of months we're going to need the highchair for DD2, so I wanted to get DD1 used to eating at the table now, so she has long enough to forget about the highchair and doesn't think DD1 'took' the highchair from her when the time comes IYSWIM.

Well we got our high chair back outo strapped ds in he hates it but he is eating again :)

No need for stiches he had two small cuts/grazes and just had a check at ENT and has been given the all clear!

Where was he eating before cookie? We got rid of our high chair a while ago. DD sits in a carver chair, with arms to pen her in. Great that he's eating again though.

In case there is any one reading this who involved in Girlguiding:

🎉 Happy World Thinking Day 🎉

Ive just come from our local event with all the Rainbows, Brownies and Guides. Had a great time. It reminded me it is time I started thinking about which Rainbow unit to put DD on the waiting list for.

Fate can I ask what a Rainbow unit is? I've never heard of it before Sorry I was never a girl guide!

Well so far we've managed 3 nights with baby KitKat in the cot-bed here, and it's going well. So I mentioned to DH last night about selling the moses' basket since we're not using it now, and he said 'better hope we don't want a third then'. He's made comments like this before. Most notably at Boxing day dinner with his family when an extended family member asked if we were going to have a third, to which we simultaneously replied, except I replied with an emphatic 'no' and he said 'maybe'. To say it was a tad awkward in front of his whole family was a bit of an understatement. Yet if I ask him straight out if he wants a 3rd baby he just says he's happy with two. We always agreed on having two. I'm genuinely unsure if he's now starting to think maybe he would like a third but doesn't want to say it outright as he knows I'm not keen on the idea, or maybe he's just being non-committal and vague in his answers which is pretty typical of him. Hmmm.

Rainbows are the youngest age group for Girlguiding, for girls aged 5 to 7 years old.

www.girlguiding.org.uk/what-we-do/guiding-by-age-group/rainbows/

They are followed by Brownies and Guides

A Rainbow unit is a group, like a club, of Rainbow Guides. If you wanted your daughter to join Girlguiding, can find a local Rainbow unit here

I volunteer with Girlguiding, it's a big part of my life. I hope it will be for my daughter's too.

Ah see fate in our house it is Happy Founders Day! Although it was actually DH's 30th birthday yesterday so we didn't do anything Scout related at all. We went to the beach for the day and come the end of it I felt so pregnant and knackered! Luckily DS slept until 8 for me and we have both had a decent nap today as well

Kitkat that sounds so awkward at the dinner table! A friend of mine is thinking about a third, her youngest is 5 months and her oldest is 2 in April! She can't decide though, but time isn't on her side. Now I've given up work I'm tempted by a third after this one. It wouldn't have made sense whilst I was working with childcare costs and time etc but now I'm 'full time Mum' it seems like a more viable option. Not sure I'm brave enough though. Maybe we'll see how two goes first lol!

I've started doing plaits and french plants in DD's tiny bits of hair 🎀👱

Knackered today. DD decided to be awake from 1am to 3am last night. Joy of joys. I'm planning on doing very little this morning and napping myself this afternoon 😴

That's so cute Fate!

It's nice your DD lets you do her hair Fate, mine won't even let me put a clip in!

We are at center parcs this week. DD such hard work, DH finds her totally frustrating. She just had the attention span of a flea and never stops! At the moment she constantly wants us to "come and find me!", play chasing or hide and seek. I'm 33 weeks pregnant now, so shattered!

Was hoping I'd just get away without double buggy with 2.5 year age gap but I don't drive and DD is too much of an explorer, to put it nicely! Going to try buggy board to start with but think I may have to give in or she'll be insufferable.

green could you sling the baby and push/buggy boars train dd?

I find holidays with toddlers really, really tiresome GreenSofa. It's especially hard when you've got other children to entertain too. We came back from this year's holiday saying next year DD can have her "holiday" at home with Nana when we go away next year. We won't do that really. But it was thoroughly exhausting.

She's quite good having her hair done in the morning, it's part of routine with brushing teeth and getting dressed. That said though, she was sat in front of Peppa Pig on the kindle when I attempted the french plait.

FATE, you inspired me! This morning DD went off to nursery with her first plaits

See this is a reason I'm glad I had a boy, since I'm rubbish at doing my own hair never mind someone else's

Hope you are managing to enjoy your holiday mygreensofa.

We are currently at the pils. A had his first flight sitting in his own seat and typically wanted to sit on my knee the whole time! He has took to nanny and pops fine though, was a bit worried as he hasn't seen them in person for some time!

Ahh that's good Cumbrian. Nice for him to spend some time with your PILs.

I hope you managed some rest MyGreenSofa.

On the subject of hair DD has still been wrecking hers by knotting it and causing it to fall out. It was looking a mess so we took her for her first proper haircut on Friday to tidy it up a bit.

Aww that's super cute! She's such a blondie!

DD not been to the hairdressers yet. I have taken the scissors to the back, just to straighten it up. I do not envisage the hairdressers going down well with her. She's a nightmare with things like that. Took her for new shoes last week. Every time. Every frigging time I take her to have her feet measured she starts refusing.

On the subject of shoes, when we finally managed to get her feet measured (flapjack bribery), she's a size 8.

How's that comparing to the older toddlers here?

I am feeling like RD is much taller than those her age. She's not bigger (as in heavier) anymore. Since she started walking she really slimmed down from 91st centile yo to just above 50th. But she strikes me as tall for her age and it's said taller children have bigger feet. But I have nno comparisons.

What shoe size are your little ones?

Other, not older.

DD was measured a couple of weeks ago, and she's only a 4.5 still. She's on the 50th percentile for height, but has always had tiny feet. Well, tiny in length, but very wide. When she started walking she was a 1.5, so we couldn't find any proper shoes! I've also got small and wide feet though, I'm just about a 4, so I think she just has little fat feet like me.

Lol Team little fat feet! I have those too!

DD is a 5.5 now. Typically she appeared to go from 5 to 5.5 while we were away so her shoes suddenly became uncomfortable and she kept taking them off! She tells me they are itchy but I think she means too tight! She also refuses to have her feet measured now too, I got the gauge to do it at home and even with me she makes a massive fuss so Clarks staff have no hope.

She would certainly not sit for a hairdresser either. Ive cut her fringe a couple of times myself & that will have to do for the time being!

E's feet are 7.5 now but his shoes come up big on him!

He has been to have his hair cut several times otherwise it would look awful by now