November 2014 - the one where they test boundaries.

[MrsAukerman]

New thread ladies. Jump on board.

I gave in to peer pressure and emotions! Actually the day we left the husband of the team and to turn his back while cuddling dd so he could stop himself crying. They were twats but dd did love him.

Re: birthdays, last year we suggested a contribution to her savings for either xmas or birthday. We also asked for things like scooters and a garden playhouse which then came out in the summer. We took dd to german xmas markets last year, sounds extravagent but it was cheaper than most things like that in the uk with £30 ryanair flights and a cheap airbnb. There was enough to see over 2 days to not pay for anything other than food. We'll try and do it again this year I think.

After I've seen Lapland UK prices Ladydolly, it doesn't surprise me you saved awful lot of money going to Germany. No idea how they justify 90 pounds and why people pay that money. I will seriously book a trip to the real Lapland than go to this one for 270 plus expenses on site and accommodation. Not keen on minus 20-30 degrees, but hey!

DD took us by surprise today. She disappeared after DH brought her home from park. We were rushing around the ground floor calling for her, without no luck. Checked the entrance door, garden door, cellar door, stairgate - all locked, but no DD. Eventually I got upstairs, both downstairs and upstairs gets were locked, but DD was playing in her bedroom. Thought DH was playing me up. But later we saw ourselves DD opening downstairs gate, walking up, opening and shutting the upstairs gate. Shit! This is getting really scary now. She is very good and confident going upstairs, but if one night/morning she decides to go downstairs on her own while we are asleep? She isn't as good going downstairs and there is a tricky corner on the top of stairs she could get her feet crossed. We cramped another childproofing gadget on the gate we were using for a kitchen cupboard, but I am so so scared now.

Got this deal yesterday great for buying experiences £10 off no min spend

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We are having another go at potty training today, and it is going much better. She has drunk loads more than usual, so has weed lots, all in the potty. Nursery told DH she would be visiting the pre-school room soon and starting there after her birthday, but they expect her to be using the toilet by then.
DD1 has gone to Wales with my in-laws for the week. She only went this morning, but DD1 is bored and lonely on her own. The days are very long now she doesn't have a nap, and I can't remember how I entertained a 2 year old without a big sister to play with her.
2 months today will be her birthday. Time to start thinking about what to get for a 3 year old who has already got everything. I am thinking of a new trampoline (only a little one) as ours broke earlier this year, some Peppa Pig play sets I saw in B&M bargains and some play doh as ours is all ruined with the colours all mixed together. The Peppa Pig live show is here at the beginning of November, but I won't know for weeks if I am working that weekend and it will probably have sold out by then. DH wants to get her a sand pit, but he wants it to be an expensive, wooden, permanently fixed in place one so I ignored him.

Happy they can't delay her move and development if not toilet trained its not a condition that can be instilled any more check out ERIC.org and look at nurseries and schools guidance. Admittedly we wanted it done before pre school room as ratio changes from 1-4 to 1-8 and knew it would be hardier.

Potty training great at home completely dry uses toilet with an insert at home we take a potty out, nursery we still have 1-2 accidents a day and it's more because of set up and access. I had to restrict them to 1.5hrly as they started taking him whenever anyone else went ended up with some frequency issues when he had been able to hold and potty phobia but back on track now. He is dry at night.

So we brought him a single bed and mattress today and he is in it tonight the toddler bed was just to narrow (bed part of cot bed) mattresses are so expensive we brought a bog standard one as from experience will get piss and puke on over next 5yrs.

In our nursery they have preschool1 and preschool2 groups, DD has just been moved to preschool1. Potty training? Yeah, right. She refuses to go and if we try to put her on the potty she just turns into a stickman, unless you break her in half there is no chance to get her sat on it. Should we just stop putting nappy on her to force her? The nursery is absolutely not worried about it. I am, somewhat...

Didn't know there was such a thing as Peppa Pig live show. And there is one very close to us during a weekend on February, don't even have to take a day off to take DD there. I will probably end up booking the tickets. Need to have a think if there isn't too much Peppa in my life...

Great bank holiday weekend sat n Mon we went to a nearby village scarecrow festival the village is huge and almost 200 scarecrows which meant it took us 2 afternoons was some amazing scarecrows.

Sunday we went to wonderland in Telford my SIL brought us a "family day out" from buy a gift for Xmas and this was one of the nearer nicer places it was v busy we stayed 4hrs its a nice little place especially if lived close by.

Was a lovely idea of a gift she popped £30 spending money in to which paid for ice creams n take away on the way home 😀

DH back to work today he has been off almost 2 weeks and I am back tommorow after nearly 2weeks off.

Ds1 is back to school tommorow so best sort all his crap today so its ready.

Ds2 is now using the toiet with child seat for all wees, poo still on potty. No accidents and def dry at night too.

New bed going well not a peep last night, he goes to bed in it too rather than my bed and moving him later.

We had a successful weekend of potty training with no accidents. Today she has gone to nursery in pants to see how she gets on with lots of distractions and without 1:1 adult attention to notice the signs and repeatedly ask if she needs a wee.

No joy here with toilet training. We've been trying now for 2 weeks. He has sat on the toilet a few times but refuses most of the time. it's all getting a bit boring now. We don't want to push so for the moment we're just suggesting it all the time but he's leading us on a merry dance, I suspect.

We're having a hard time with DD as we have been averaging 2 hrs sleep for months now so that is definitely influencing how irritated I am with toilet training. Things got so bad sleep wise for me that last week when I had to bring her to the GP for antibiotics she prescribed Piriton as a sedative for her - I guess I wasn't looking too good. The Piriton has improved things but she still wakes up from 1am to 3am every night without fail.

DS had to come home from crèche with a raging temp yesterday and we had a horrendous night with him, his temp kept flaring and he kept screaming to go downstairs the whole night long. And he's home today which means endless Fireman Sam.

In good news I interviewed for a new job last week. Its been a long long time since I worked, DD is almost a year old, I never thought I'd be out this long. The new job is fantastic hours and only 3 days a week but of course it raises a lot of childcare issues and we have no family to help us out. But if I stayed as a SAHM I think I'd be on tablets pretty soon tbh.

In hindsight looking back over the past year I think I have probably had undiagnosed PND and probably still have it now. I'm hoping a new job will make a massive improvement.

Anna I couldn't be a SAHM full time my dream would be 3days a week but need to do 4 but I do 3 longer and one shorter day.

I hate paying what we do for childcare the government could help more but it is what it is and I think long term that I love my career and wanted to carry on in my position. I just keep thinking 2 more yrs til ds2 is at school not that wrap around care is cheap but its cheaper and holiday club is much cheaper.

Then they will become teenagers and all we spent on childcare will be spent on food, clothes and "pocket money"/gadgets/activities

Well, since you started the topic of government helping eastmids... I was quite surprised about the qualifying criteria they have established for the free childcare for 3yr old. Parents don't qualify for any help if one of parents have income more than 100k, they don't consider the total income of both parents/household though. So there could be a family of some high-flying manager and care worker earning corresponding 100k and 20k. They wouldn't qualify for any childcare support, while two middle level managers both with salaries around 70k and household income of 20k more would get free childcare. Almost as if the government wants to instill that people of different social groups shouldn't mix. I struggle to get my head around what the income of parents separately and not their total income has to do with qualifying for certain things or not. Unless, of course, we are talking about lonely parents. What exactly is the logic there? Is it a case that 100k salary is some kind of "British dream" sort of thing when nothing else matters?

anna Is it worth going back to the docs for yourself? Make sure you take care of yourself as well, hopefully work will be a turning point.

Potty trainers, I have so many friends with kids (particularly boys) our kids ages with stories about them flirting with potty training then one day just announcing 'no more nappies' and done! That could be you!!

We are on holiday with my family, the villa is rustic to say the least we're having a good time but DD is a bugger to get to sleep so I'm exhausted.

Strawberry I agree same with child benefit its if one of you earns £50k+ we however are nowhere near either figure but earn just a tad too much for child tax credits. I wish I could do more night nanny work but its limited here and I won't commit to lots of nights anymore it was easier with one.

By the way Ladydolly how is the nursery going? Have you noticed how nice it is not to prep the next day food bag for DD?

Anna will have everything crossed for the new job going your way. My DF has all his life being utter workaholic (still is despite being 77!) and I've always been rolling my eyes whenever he started to do lecturing about the "hard work", but I know I would eventually struggle not having work. Since having DD work is something that is mine and only mine.

Well I got it, and I started yesterday! They were absolutely desperate. Of course I'm shattered but it was fun. Outpatient clinics so crazy busy but nothing like the wards. And now today I get to be at home and back in tomorrow. Not bad!

I already feel better. Added to that, both kids slept through which was literally DDs first time in about 6 weeks. She won't tonight, but still I'm very grateful! I feel miles better this morning.

DS really went to pieces when I left yesterday morning though. Hysterical. And then DH brought him to crèche and DS wouldn't let him leave FOR AN HOUR.Eventually the owner came upstairs and decided to be the bad guy and wrenched him off DH and DS went hysterical again. But she rang DH 10 mins later and said he had cried for 6 mins exactly and was happy as Larry now. But a definite reaction against me leaving.

Then I got home at 5.20 (sweeeeet) and he went all Railway Children gasping "......Mammy......that's.....my.....MAMMY!" and he wouldn't let me go.

Of course this all led to an overwrought tantrum at bedtime but swings and roundabouts!

Anna congratulations on your new job. I am exhausted by work today, done far too many hours for a part-time job and had far too little sleep, but I have always said I am not cut out to be a SAHM. It is horrible though when they are so upset to see you go. Does DD go to crèche too? Is she ok with it? Is your new job 9-5 instead of shifts?

DD successfully wore pants to nursery. 2 accidents the first day, one of which was because they forgot to put a nappy on for nap time, and none the next day.

This morning when DH got up DD was asleep on the landing floor at the top of the stairs! Fortunately the stair gate was closed. We have a stair gate on her bedroom door too, but, when I left her room half asleep at 2.30am, I must have not closed it properly. She was asleep when I left so who knows how long she had been there.

It's 24 hrs a week so it'll be 8.30-5.30 Monday and Wednesday and I think a shorter day on the Friday. So I'm home for bedtimes! It's really all I ever dreamed of in terms of hours.

At the moment DH is minding DD when I'm at work as he's self employed but it's not sustainable so she'll have to go into crèche soon. But she's very very independent and bolshy and will have zero issues. DS was/is much more shy and sensitive.

DS is still in his cot bed and has never once tried to get out of it. We are moving house in the next few months and will introduce a single bed into his new room alongside the cot bed and just see if he exhibits any preference for it. We'll definitely need a stair gate on the door then. I believe doggy gates are even taller!

Congrats on the new job Anna normal hrs are such a dream nurse job.
Ds1 was in a cot til 2yrs 9mthz then went straight into a full single no issues has never got out of it and at 7yrs still shouts us from his bed such a compliant child , ds2 takes after me and is an opinated little wotsit and will do as he pleases thank you v much. 😂

Anna that sounds great, well done for getting that job!

Sorry about your DS upset, can only imagine what he decided in his head what it meant when you were suddenly leaving in an unusual time! I guess it will be like babies settling in the crèche, once they work out that you come back every day, they calm down and things go uphill.

Really happy for you!

anna that sounds brilliant! Chuffed for you.

happy I'm glad the potty training is going ok.

We haven't started nursery yet strawberry, settling in sessions next week and then she starts the week after. But I am looking forward to not having to make the last minute pack ups! Last few days of hols here, not sure how dd will cope going back to real life after sleeping in our bed for a week, ice creams everyday, pool in the garden and her cousin right next door. My sis is going to try and move back to our home town, dd would be over the moon!!

moggle are you out there? How are you doing?

anna I am incredibly jealous of your new job and it's lovely working hours. I want one! Hope DS gets used to it soon.

Lady how are settling in sessions going?

I feel like poo have the worst sore throat in yrs can't remember having one like this since working at hospitals 14/15yrs ago. Can barely speak or swallow I suspect tonsillitis despite no tonsils apparently you can still get it.

Been to docs n tonsillitis and pharyngitis on double dose penicillin

Oh eastmids a double whammy you poor thing! Are you getting any rest?

First session DP stayed with her, shy at first then didn't want to leave. Yesterday I dropped her off for an hour. She didn't even stop to kiss me goodbye she was so keen but when I collected her they told me the fire alarm had gone off, dd had been pretty scared so know when anyone asks her about nursery she says 'there was an alarm, it was too loud and I was scared'. We told her we have them at work sometimes too and it won't happen for a long time now and it's just to make sure everyone can hear it. She perked up a bit after that so not too worried about going full time on Monday.

I've been put on a strict diet to try and figure out some digestive stuff. No gluten/dairy/sugar. No wine!! Gahhhhh!!!

Hi everyone! It's been so long and I had really fallen off the thread. Just read through all the updates now and it's great to hear how you're all getting on.

Anna congrats on the job. That is really brilliant news, and such good hours. Hope you start getting more sleep soon. PM me if you ever want to go nuclear on DD's sleep. When DD2 was that age we cracked and got a sleep trainer as we were so broken and just living a half life really. (I say nuclear, but it really wasn't a mean programme at all.)

lady nursery will be a whole new world for you, DP and DD! And yeah, great to not have to do the packed lunch in the morning. I've to do my DD1's packed lunch every bloody morning for school here and it can be quite time consuming. It is a pity about the fire alarm though!

east I hope you feel better soon

Well the news here is that I'm preggers,14 weeks along currently and starting to show a little already. It wasn't a fun first trimester but it's over now and I feel a lot better. It's still totally freaky to think about a Dc3 though. moggle - how are you doing? We'll both have 3

DH is halfway across the world at the moment for a family wedding. I am doing 17 days solo parenting. At first it was awful but now I've kind of got my shit together and dare I say the house is a lot tidier and more efficiently run while he is away. Hmmm. I am not back at work just yet so have a few hours in the morning to get stuff done or at least planned.

That said DD2 has started waking up at night a little again so I'm knackered. It's either a cold waking her or I've forgotten to lift her for the toilet and she needs to go, but she has real issues with falling back asleep afterwards and can drift in and out for an hour plus shouting about needing tissues and drinks and is it morning time yet. She's great fun by day BUT I do sense the era of the threenager is on the horizon. Terrible twos never really happened in our house for either DD but DD1 was hard work at 3 and I think DD2 might just be the same. throw a new baby into the mix and...

Hope everyone's doing well x