September 2006 Babies - countdown to first birthdays begin...

[compo]

Here

hi guys!
I've not been around for a while, i just don't seem to have had the opportunity.
Hope everyone is ok, pregnancy going ok bristols?
We have asked my mum to get a weelybug for ds2's birthday, DS1 didn't have anything like that, it is hard with 2 boys to find things that we haven't already got. MIl is getting a little pushchair for him, strange for a boy I know, but DS1 is 2.5 and still loves racing round with the pushchairs at playgroup, so i thought, why not, i'm open minded!!!

We have sent out the invites to his party, we are hoping to have a BBQ at home, i think it's nice to make a fuss of the 1st birthday, then after that we won't bother til school and he starts actually asking for a party.

DS2 is standing now for a few seconds, he started doing it in the bath, which is what DS1 did as well, i guess the water gives them a bit of support.

We had our big posh wedding at the weekend where DS1 was a page boy, it was a little traumatic (he wouldn't walk down the aisle...i had to carry him), but other than that it was good fun, and far as the 'poshness' of the wedding goes, well i don't think we will ever go to a do like that again...it was something else!

Mabel, BBQ sounds like fun! I agree; 1st birthdays are a fun excuse for a party!

Well, it's done - James will have his wheely bug!! Very excited. Got the ladybug, in a small ... might have gone for the large but want this to be DS2's and his alone; big brother already has a plasma car. HH - thanks for the warning - we'll be on the lookout for him slipping!

Just popping in to say Hi. Things are a bit manic at this end, I've had a tough few months and haven't really had a chance to post. I've just surfaced for air then it's back down again to plan dd 1st birthday party, we're having a garden party for her, with lots of cake. I hope all of your lo's are ok, cruising, walking and becoming little people.

Well, work went fine. I actually quite enjoyed myself. Imagine that!

I bought DS's Whizz Around Garage today, following your recommendation. It looks great. Tried to order online, but they were out of stock. Popped to Lakeside today and found one in the shop there. V pleased with myself.

Have decided just to have a little family tea party for his birthday. His birthday is on the 3rd but we'll have it on the Sunday, the 2nd. It's my 30th (!) on 31st of this month so it'll be a double celebration with my parents, and our sisters, bils and our neice. I think that'll be enough for both of us. DH is whisking me off to London for a few days and we're leaving DS with my parents. Can't wait.

MrsHP - hope things get easier soon.

Hi everyone, sorry I've not been around for so long - work and the children have left me so exhausted I'm not even making it to the computer in the evenings !

DS1 had chickepox then DS2 has followed but he's been very poorly with it. We're at the 'pox' stage at the moment with him having been through the worst cold I've seen a baby suffer yet. Just hoping he picks up soon bless him. Not that it's stopped him though - he's started making tracks with his 'SAS' style crawling!

Marls - good to see you back, at all your free time though! Hope the migraines improve - bear in mind that they can happen when stress levels fall too so perhaps not having the kids around and having the oppotunity to relax after all the stress of the last few months has triggered a few?

Cori - good to hear you're settling into the SAHM role. Next time you have to cook for MIL let us know and we'll get you a fool proof recipe

We got DS1 a whizz around garage for his 1st birthday too - he LOVED it though it plays 2nd fiddle now tot the trin set. We got that one over a lot of the others you can get because they can climb on it without breaking it - so many kids toys are really flimsy, I know ELC are a bit procey but at least their stuff seems to last. He was also given a rocker but he never took to that - the £5 pushchair from the ELC was another hit though. Arrgh, this is making me remember how much of a minefield it is choosing presents, and we have a 1st a 3rd and two lots of Christmas ones to come up with! help!

Hello,

I had a look at those wheelybugs, they look great! Still don't know what to get as a b'day present, maybe a trike, just not sure. We'll be on holiday on isle of wight for DS's birthday!

T42, poor DS's, I'm glad they're starting to feel better.

Not much happening here, pouring with rain this morning so not sure what to do with DS today. I really need to find some clubs to go to with him.

T4T, hope your DS2 feels better soon, sounds like he's had a bad bout of it. At least they can't get it twice..!

Nice to hear from you MrsHP - hope things get easier soon.. Have you finished the new HP book yet? I really enjoyed it, tied up a lot of loose ends. Although I cried buckets at one point near the end... you know where....

No news here really. I've started to get stuff sorted for holiday (which is really organised for me...!!! - usually leave it til the night before...). There's so much to think about, milk on plane, toys, buggies, clothes etc. etc. And that's before I've even considered me and DH... Sigh.

It's p*ssing down here too. Miserable. We're going to friends' this morning just for a change of scenery and a different tea cup for me. Must go and get DS1 out of his pjs...!

The running's going well, we've managed 6 miles now (that's 10k), in about 1 hr 15 (with a toilet stop - bad idea running at 7 am....!!!!! ). In a sad way I enjoy it because DH does the whole breakfast mess while I'm out!

We went to the balloon fiesta at the weekend. The weather was gorgeous. They are meant to do a mass take off at 6. On Sat evening, we were still waiting at 7.20... DS2 was getting really fed up, not crying but kept leaning on my shoulder, trying to shut his eyes, but not being able to switch off. Poor little thing's eyes were all red-rimmed. Eventually we did see some take off. There were 100,000 people there!

Anyway, must go and get CBeebies off and clothes on.... Have a good day all.

T42 - sorry to hear about your DS's, neither of mine have had it yet..am dreading it when it happens!

HH - wow...6 miles I am very impressed. I have started pilates recently as my yoga class stops over the summer, it is definately better for getting rid of the baby belly than yoga!

I have joined a potty training thread, I have been trying on and off with DS1, but i feel he is ready now and I really need to take the bull by the horns and get on with it instead of chickening out and sticking him back in a nappy every time we go out for the day. The summer hols has got to be the best time to do it, but people keep saying to me it will just 'click' with him when he's ready, but maybe some children need a bit more encouragement than others?

Mabel, I think the trick with potty training is not to get stressed, carry plenty of spare clothes with you, and ask frequently whether he needs to go for a wee! I can't remember how old your DS1 is though? Also, don't put him in nappies during the day at all (except at nap time if he still has one and his nappy is still wet when he wakes). I found with DS1 that he hardly ever has an accident when we're out, it's much more likely to happen at home for some reason. We never got into the taking a travel potty everywhere with us either, he wees on a tree, or we find a loo (but then I've never had a poo disaster yet...!!!!!). Most of all, don't let it get you down, just wipe up accidents and don't tell him off, just gently remind him about the potty/toilet. Good luck.

HH - thanks thats pretty much what i've been doing. He is 2.8 now. He doesn't nap much now, but for ages i have been able to let him have a nap with nothing on and he's been dry, he's even got out of bed and used the potty and got back in again.

Yesterday i was upstairs and DS1 was downstairs and i heard this clanking banging sound and he'd wee'd in his potty, opened the stairgate and carried his potty with wee still in the potty upstairs for me to flush down the loo - i was quite impressed with that!

sounds like he's cracked it then! I remember DS1 bringing his full potty to the bottom of the stairs while I had a shower, and leaving it there as a gift!

Sounds like your doing brilliantly with the potty training mabel!!!

bristols, glad work was better than you imagined!

T42 - well, at least they get it out the way?! Two at the same time isn't fun, DD passed it onto J when he was 3 mnonths - despite the doctor saying he'd never get it as I was BF!!!! Hmmm...

HH..6 miles?! Good for you! I went to the gym yday & told the trainer that I wanted to do fun things as I hate the same old same old! So, after killing me on the treadmill going uphill & all sorts he thought it'd be fun to have me on the stepper & then the bike (hate them all!) but then took me outside for sprinting (?..NOT fun!) & then loads of situps / squats etc....I can feel the benefit but I do hate the gym culture etc & I'm so hard to get self motivated that's why I'm clinging on to him for now - despite DH saying we just can't afford it now...sigh......! Mabel, I did pilates last week again for the first time in 2 years & loved it!!!!! Despite all this I just can't see my tummy ever being what it was 3 years ago before DD......

hi all

no accidents so far today! fingers crossed that he is finally ready now .....we have a trip out tommorow, with lots of his little friends, that will be the big test....!

Just make sure you have a few spare pants / wipes / nappy sacks on you & away you go.. (don't go near those horrid pull ons / ups what ever they are called...)

second that, no pull-ups!!!

I know I have a way to go before I am actually there, but I think I would say no pull ups too.
My niece was visiting this month(happy brother cos he got them for a whole month!) But, when they first arrived he was lazy and popped her into pull ups for a day or so. Biiig mistake! She just relied on them and didn't say anything until it was too late. In her defence, we/he should have been asking.
My mum had to step in and remove them so that she had to realise that she had to be a big girl.
She was back on track within a day though

So I guess it was a lesson for me?

It's just the sales & marketing people at Protector & Gamble that want to make even more money & have us all believe that our toddlers need them!!! They didn't exist when we were all trained so why do you think taking off a baby nappy only to be put back into a "grown up" nappy is any different? How are they supposed to learn??What the child needs to feel is that he /she is a grown up / big boy /girl with knickers / pants on - that is the main point here - what messages are you sending out if ineffect they are still in a nappy?? What a load of old codswallop!! It's just aimed at those parents that are too bloody lazy (& believe me I know a few!!) & can't bear the thought of any potential accidents that will happen when you first start out so think I know, just put them in a pull up - but children are clever & they soon (if the time/age is right) pick it up & you never have to look back.....

Sorry but this gets me right under the collar....!!!

(cue Michael Winner...calm down dear... )

off for shower..prefably cold...

Cori, you're right. There is no difference between a pull up and a nappy except that you put a pull up on like a pair of pants. How confusing when you're trying to teach a child how to be dry to put them in pants sometimes, and put them in something else other times that just look like pants but that can hold wee. If you use them to go out, all they will learn is that when you go out, it's ok to pee in your pants! Much better to wear pants the whole time, have a few accidents, mop up and move on. The second day DS1 was in pants we went to Longleat all day and he didn't have a single accident (interesting pit stop in the wolf enclosure using a potty on the back seat!!) until we were virtually home and he'd fallen asleep.

Must say though, we do use "pyjama pants" for night time - DS1 is nowhere near dry at night, so still needs a nappy - he calls them his "nappy pants", and quite often gets out of bed in the morning to do a poo in his potty before pulling them back up and climbing back into bed!!

lol HH re wolf enclosure! DD also in nightime nappies until she was 2.5 (trained 5 months before) as although daytime naps were without she was still too young at that stage to go all night (although MIL delights in telling me that her two boys were day & night trained at the same time..at two!!!!!.....!!!!!

the best bit was that I had to then v. carefully balance the potty, after use, on my knees until we got to an enclosure where we could empty it... Delightful.

I've been in London since yesterday morning, while it's lovely to have a total break from childcare for 2 days, I do miss them...! I won't get back til after they're in bed tonight either.

Bristols, hope you're still finding it ok, and aren't too exhausted... Have you told them about Baby No. 2?!

Work is very tiring, but OK. My manager has not been there at the same time as me so far, so today is the day! For some reason, I'm really nervous. It's ridiculous but I think it's because I feel as though I'm letting her down. I keep telling myself that it's my life and I can't let work dictate what I do or don't do. I don't think it matters how old you are, your boss always seems a bit like the head master. And their office is very scary! Or is it just me that dreads the words, "Bristols, can I have a word in my office?"?

We're off to Manchester tomorrow to see FIL. Am dreading it. It will be a good five hour journey and it's such a long time for DS. Then we do it all again to come home on Sunday. At least we only do it every other month or so.

Bristols - no not just you! Sends shivers through through me those words "T42, The director wants to see you upstairs..." - I lways think a patient must've complained about me or something!

HH/Cori - what did you do accross the lunchtime naps re nappies/pants, we're starting potty training this week and that's what I'm worried about!

Hello all,

Bristols, how did it go on Friday?

Took DS swimming today for the first time. He really enjoyed it but is abslutely knackered now. DH thinks it would be nice to take him every sunday morning, a father son thing.

Pouring with rain again here
I'm going to start a pilates class in September too so am really looking forward to it as I just don't feel fit anymore. May also take up ballroom dancing as I think it would be so much fun, but then I am addicted to Strictly Come Dancing whenever that is on

Hi T42...we left the lunchtime nappy on for about 2 weeks then took it off! They were getting drier & drier & just figured that it was half way to achieving nightime success ifswim?

We took the DC swimming yday too! DD has been having swimming lessons since 3 months old & there is such a difference I see with her compared to Jack at same age (I know, you shouldn't compare!!)! He also started at 3 months but then I had to stop at 5 months due to work etc. Now he's booked in again from Sep when he'll just be a year so am hoping that he'll come on leaps & bounds.. In my eyes it's just not negotiable...you have to learn to swim simple as that!!

What another crappy day...officially the wettest June & July EVER...although there are rumors of, shock horror, a good bank holiday..??

compo / bristols...been thinking that we really should try & get this meet up going! When do think you could?

Yummm...have just scoffed one of the DC PF!!!!!!!!!!

It went really well in the end, thanks. Was right at the end of the shift when I finally managed to corner my boss. She was really pleased for me and said that she hadn't expected me to wait long anyway!

Cori - can meet up on a Monday, Tues or Wed. Busy for the next couple of weeks though.

DS took a few steps on Sunday! Nothing since, though. But he is really enjoying pusing his push along dog along.