November 2014 - the one where they answer back.

[MrsAukerman]

New thread.
Hop aboard.

happy have you any days off now?

I agree 100% with pulling a sickie at this stage. Cos enough is enough. You could get a doctor's note for something vague like abdo pain that wouldn't trigger occ health.

I have a question: has anyone dropped the last nap yet?

DS seems to have. His last day at crèche he didn't nap but then fell asleep on the floor at 3pm. Came home a ratbag. Then the next day he wouldn't even stay in his cot for it at home so it was an epic fail. It was pissing down so that afternoon DH brought him for a drive whereupon he fell asleep in the car. He was woken up to come inside after half an hour and he went nuts. He screamed the place down until 5 when he fell asleep in my arms. It was terrible! DH and I didn't know wtf was going on.

So then yesterday, we're at grandma's and she manages to get him down for a nap by rocking him for half an hour. We all celebrated - look, it was just a phase!!

UNTIL last night he decided sleep was for wimps and he was going to stay up all evening. Screamed hysterically every time we went near the bedroom. Eventually passed out at 9 after two hellish screaming hours I'll never get back!

So it seems the nap = not being tired at 7.

He's shockingly young, but am asking around and several ppl have said theirs dropped it just after 2.

But can't remember - have any of yours?

eastmids I don't think it would have gone down well if I had phoned in sick for being too tired, especially as the Boxing Day night was already short, as a pregnant colleague managed to get her GP to sign her off nights after the shift rota was done which meant she didn't have to work over Christmas. Am off now until New Years Day, and I slept until 8.45 this morning although I had got up twice in the night. I didn't even hear the DDs waking up so it is a good job DH was here. We need to go to the park today and hope not many people are there, because we are going crazy in the house. DDs are arguing over DD1's Lego and felt tips too. DH has gone back to bed after saying he would go to the shop and I can't take DD2 so not sure what we will eat for lunch.

Have any/ many of you put your DC in a bed yet? I don't really want to, but the cot is falling apart (it was second-hand when we were given it for DD1), and it would be better if we planned it and got the bed sorted rather than had a sudden panic when one day we can't fix the cot anymore and she has nowhere to sleep. It will be a full size single bed rather than a toddler bed so there is a long way to fall but we could get a rail and/ or put the cot mattress next to it for a softer landing. At least I can climb into the bed and lie next to her when she wakes up in the night rather than freezing sitting on the floor next to the cot while she screams angrily because my arm is too short to reach to hold her hand when it is right over the other side of the cot.

Anna DD naps ok in the nursery probably because all her mates do. But she has been dropping naps on the weekend unless we take her out in car or pram then she eventually nods off. If she stays around house all day, we can't get her to nap whatever we try. The aftermath of skipping the nap is she will go to bed about 7pm, but then she is up ready for the day just after 4am which is not my idea of fun on weekend morning. If she has had a nap she goes to bed around 9pm and sleeps till around 6-7am. She was first few weeks really ratty after skipping the nap, now there isn't much difference in the mood.

Happy DD is in double bed since about August- September, she refused to go in the cot, and she likes to snuggle up when falling asleep, so it was the next obvious step. Our cot was the convertible into double bed, only had to buy the mattress in addition and we also bought a bed shield for the side which is not against the wall. It has definitely been better since. Her love of snuggling up means she is already in her bed we just need to get going once she's asleep, no transfers to the cot. And she doesn't wake up so much as in the cot because she kept bumping in the walls constantly. The double bed comes handy also if she is ill one of us can go to her bed while the other one has a break and bit of sleep. DD seemed to like her bed straight away.

anna DD tried to by refusing at bith cm and at home, this was at about 21mon, we persevered (using the same routine or failsafes like a bottle or taking out in the buggy) and she came through it after a week or 2.

Yesterday was a terrible milestone for dd, 1st macdonalds. Dp was very happy. She then went on to sleep for 13 hours, until 8.30 this morning!! Really hoping these things are unrelated.

Last of the christmas visitors arrive today and leve tomorrow and then we are FREE!

Any good sales bargains? Was hoping to get me and dd boots but no joy so far...

Happy New Year everyone!! Once again I'm grateful to have had your support this year. Quiet one at dolly towers tonight, my sister babysat so we could see star wars this morning, then went to a friends for an early party since we all have kids. A friends wife said babydolly is always so well turned out, superficial compliment but I loved it :)

We won't make it to midnight but still hoping for a lay in, dd is still sleeping 13 hours which is joy beyond belief!!

Happy New Year everyone! Another who will most likely won't survive till the midnight. I guess we can always clink champagne for arrival of 2017 in Europe. :) At least until Mrs May makes "the success out of Brexit"...

DD eventually has given up on sleeping through after impressive one week run up to Christmas. Everybody sleep deprived in our household, feel terrified thinking about 6am start on Tuesday.

Well DS has certainly turned a rather grim corner into full blown Toddler Hell.

This Christmas has been grim with him dropping his nap. It has caused no end of meltdowns. He has been roaring and screaming all week. Hugely defiant and over emotional.

We are both hitting the wall as DD is feeding every two hours round the clock and we have all been sick for weeks.Last night DH started to cry, saying he needed it to stop, that it was just too much.

We are clinging on by our fingernails until he goes back into crèche tomorrow.

I dread to think what he'll be like at 3. And objectively I know he's not the worst as he's not a biter or a pincher or a kicker (well, kicking a little but not maliciously, more flailing) but it's scant consolation when you've no fuel in the tank to deal with this constant screaming.

Anna Not long until tomorrow and you can have a break from him. We all need a break from them sometimes. Hope he adjusts to no nap soon and goes back to being nice.

Oh Anna sounds hellish I would bung in car and drive to a park let him run wild while baby feeds in sling and you have hot drink and cake and hopefully tire him out for quiet play when you get home.

One more day off with ds1 tomorrow have had whole Xmas school hols off with him and let's say we are both ready for school to start wed he is actually amazingly well behaved but because of that little things annoy me.

Ds2 has been dream other than couple crap nights one being while visiting family but his speech has developed so much copies everything holds conversations and dada and mama are now daddy and mummy. He has been off nursery since Fri before xmas and goes back tomorrow that should be fum drop off for DH.

Ohhh we booked our hols over xmas period for October we are off to Turkey no to worried about the attacks as Istanbul is v far away 10hrs drive from our resort and we are actually closer to Paris in the UK.

Hi everyone, happy new year!
We've started toilet training. It is going...OK. It clicked very instantly with DD1 at this age so thought we'd give it a go as we're both quite busy for the next month or so. She's back at nursery today so I'm keeping everything crossed that she performs at least once for them she's very keen and very proud of herself when she does perform but there have been a few accidents too. Anyhoo, have started now.

DD1 has been sick a bit again recently, starting to feel like she's having a bad run! I guess it is part of starting school as well? DD2 keeping pretty well though with a snot nose and cough never all that far off. DD2's chat continuing to come along great, she's very cheeky and a lot of fun. I do sense Toddler Hell on the horizon but we are not there yet. Thankfully naps are still going though they are not super long.
Anna, I second what east says, Get Out Of The House. It's boring to traipse around outside but it is much much less insanity making. Hang in there.

Hope you're all well, coffees all around for those of you like me with the back to work blues.

I'm a bit brighter today as DS is back in crèche and went in like a lamb this morning. Getting out of the house was actually the problem yesterday - first DH brought for a walk and there were very embarrassing public screaming fits when he wasn't allowed run into the road.

Then I bunged him in the car and the DVD player started auto playing and he was happy until I suggested anything other than driving around watching TV. When the DVD ended he started kicking the shit out of the screen and went postal. Then went nuts at being hauled back into the house. Neighbours staring etc.

So getting outside was an epic fail yesterday!

Definitely 2 year sleep regression too. He decided he wanted to get up for the day at 2.30am.

And at 3.30am....

But fuck it, he's in the crèche so none of that matters anymore! Hallelujah!

Anna certainly sounds like he needed some normal routine of nursery back think to us it seems mundane but kids love same old thing day in day out.

As hard as it is ignore the stares they are more than likely sympathising rather than judging, although when I had ds2 screaming in duty free in his buggy (first ever prob tantrum) and people tutted at me (we also got called to front of a 40people long q by the till Lady) I was close to swearing at some one. He was actually fine as soon as we sat down he got out and watched the planes. Its v v hard to remain calm when all you want to do is scream swear and hide.

In 2016 every single security check in the airport had resulted in massive meltdown bcs DD suddenly couldnt go and do what she wanted, instead there was that strict order and process. Not popular with her...

Thank f...k for the nurseries Anna! Good that things are back to some normality for you.

We bought DD potty end of November. She likes it, if asked she will always say with much enthusiasm that she wants potty. She sits down on it, but month in and she hasnt left anything there, not a drop of wee! She likes to carry it around, so we are very watchful for when she actually does what she supposed and catch before she pours the contents all over.

anna my DD also decided that 1.30am was time to get up today. After a bit of milk, I told her it was sleeping time and she said "no, I wake up now." She stayed awake until after 4am. I worked a 13hr day on less than 4 hours sleep. DD1 is back at school tomorrow, so I will have to drag them both out of bed at 7am. Unfortunately, nursery is closed for a staff training day. It might be terrible to wish she was at nursery rather than at home with me (though I didn't think it at all terrible when Anna said it), but I could really do with some peace and quiet and sleep and time to tidy up, work out where the new toys live and do the ironing which I can't easily do with a miserable 2yr old who will spend all day moping around because her sister won't be there to play with her.

Normality has resumed here. He went cm today and both dh and I at work. Just need to sort out how to go car shopping with him in tow on Saturday as ours broke in between Christmas and new year!

Strawberyy DD is the same, loves her potty and loves saying "Weewee on potty, poo poo potty" and proudly going to get it, pulls at her nappy and after I take it off, sits on it saying wee wee, poopoo but never ever does anything! Actually not true - she once did a poo on it about 4m ago just after we'd got it - she was very surprised!! - and this week when she was crying and straining with a big hard poo I took her nappy off and sat her on the potty as I thought it might help it out (it did....).

Happy New Year everyone!
Sorry to hear it's been such a rough start to 2017, Anna and happy. Wish I could wave a wand a bring you help and sleep!
Naps aren't being dropped, but they are getting shorter, and he's been in a bed since 18 months when he couldn't stop dropping his dummies outside the cot. Luckily, he doesn't climb out of bed to come and find us yet. He hasn't fallen out either. We got the IKEA singlar. Nice and cheap and simple.
Toilet training is going well (about time, been at it for months!) he's in pants all day, no accidents for a good week or so, he had his first day dry at nursery yesterday, and has sometimes been dry overnight. Still not telling me when he needs to go, but a trip to the loo every 1.5 hours is working. Planning to sell on the cloth nappies soon, as they aren't good for overnight when he does do big wees, but we won't need them during the day.

Ah, DD has come to find us few times after she woke up in the morning. Honestly, I got stupidly excited that instead of moan on the monitor there is all smiles little girl in our bedroom door. The other time the door of our ensuite flung open while I was in shower and DD crawled up the two steps to get in the bathroom.

We have gone to next level with tantrums. When she doesn't get what she wants she starts something which can be described as 'kind of tantrum'. When we try to distract her with something funny/ foolish she often fights the smile appear on her with with tightly zipped lips. Until eventually she fails.

And she has her favourite word 'yucky' these days. That's definitely learnt in the nursery (I will own up when she says her first F-word. Guilty!), we don't use it ever at home. The food, hat, boots, chocolate with chilly... it all is yucky.

Forget about me being excited about DD coming in after waking up. She just done that. At 3am! Fxck! Peppa pig on iPad time.

Oh god, I hope you got back to sleep.

I'm up with DD but DS has been sleeping in till 7.30/7.45 the last few weeks which is fantastic for poor beleaguered DH. Though he has just re-started the whole thing of having to stay with him till he falls asleep which we haven't had for 6 months. And there's usually one wake up after that. But not too horrendous.

DH just got word his job is gone. Budget cuts. So all in all, it's a hugely stressful time. We're both unemployed now. What terrible timing to have a second child!

Oh god Anna how stressful for you all. I hope your DH finds something else ASAP.

Hello! Good Christmas here, I didn't even cry

Ex bought me flowers on Christmas Day which was quite frankly a bit weird since he never bothered when we were together Anyway dd loved it and got properly spoilt!

However if she doesn't start sleeping properly she may not see next Christmas. I'm exhausted

Anna so sorry to hear that! Puts a dodgy night in perspective... Still. Keep positive, if I remember right your DH was in IT and people with that knowledge are always in demand. Before you know your family might be better off than now. Often what looks like a really bad thing originally ends up being a great turn of fortune.

We did go back to sleep and luckily I am working from home today so didn't have to get up at 6am to commute to London. It's just been one of "those" nights. She started to moan before 2am, I went to her bedroom and curled up with her in bed, she was tossing and turning for an hour while I was dosing next to her until falling properly to sleep about 3am. So I crept out to go back to our bedroom. Ten mins later there was a motion in her bedroom, but she didn't cry so I thought I would ignore her and go to sleep, just to hear her running across the landing and seeing her silhouette in the door. DH was having his off-duty night in the spare bedroom, so it was all down to me dealing with her. Got her in bed, ipad straight in front, all good, when she announced she wanted to go downstairs to play, got out of bed and tried to pull me out. Thankfully she got distracted by switching on and off bedside lamp (not annoying at all!) and about 4am I convinced her to get back to bed for some more Peppa Pig. Next thing I woke at 6am from having a numb arm. Apparently I have fallen asleep before her as I don't remember her lying across my chest with ipad, she was still there just fast asleep and holding ipad. I had to move over to the other side of the bed to get some space. And then it was 8.15 me waking up properly.

Lol Strawberry sounds like an eventful night. Am a bit scared of moving DD2 to a big girl bed, I feel like she would definitely be the type to come looking for hijinks in our room at 3am.

Toilet training going really well and she came home from nursery with the same trousers on as I'd put her in that morning, so - result! No doubt it will all fall apart today now that I've said that. Still, I feel like she's starting to get the drill. Bribery with chocolate really helps.

Right Anna that is a big load of shit about DH's job, but please try not to panic. I totally agree with Strawberry that these things often turn out for the best. Was he permanent and entitled to anything? I've had work on and off over the last 5 years and the down times are always scary, but the next job has always turned up if you just hold your nerve. Maybe a couple of months off for DH is not the worst thing that could happen. Give you both a chance to rest a bit after everything.