December 2006 - Stairgates and cupboard locks at the ready!

[MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo]

Couldn't think of anything contraversial!

Oooo - AQ you have a deal no question if you want to sell it. I have a MB Breeze (the lightweight one) which I love but can't attach a carrycot to it so will be no good for a newborn as it doesn't recline fully - I am a stickler on them lying flat after DD got a flat head. I am tempted to keep it though and go back to it once the little one is old enough not to need to lie flat since it is so light and really narrow compared to others. Also if we go on any long walks from home DD can use it and she still tends to nap in it during the day. Let me know how much you would want for it - and I'm happy to pay the going rate so don't offer it to me cheaply!

Oli - DD has a chest infection at the moment. She woke up 7 times last night so know exactly how you feel. She has started sleeping a lot better normally though so I can't really complain.

Can't promise any of these will work but we had some joy with moving to a bed (probably the best thing we did), playing lullaby music at bedtime, going straight in when she cried settling her and coming straight back out without talking, comfort blanket... I'm sure you've tried all of these. How about one of the sleep experts like AQ recommended me to. I talked to my GP and she knew of people, although I ended up not using them as DD was sleeping better by the time I got hold of someone.

Evening ladies. I'm sorry some of you are having a rough time. I spent most of today lurking on your threads working and feeling much the same. DS has been hard work for a while to say the least. He has his "outside" behaviour (ie when mummy and daddy aren't around) which is fab and his "at home" behaviour which involves tantrums if he doesn't get what he wants.
Anyway, I got home to discover he has finally discovered "yes" - ask him a question and he nods his head in a very solomn fashion, so proud of himself and so cute [proud mum emoticon]!!

Hi everyone, today has been a better day, maybe b/c I have such wonderful MNers like all of you

I'm almost broody listening to you and lennied, AQ - but will continue to live vicariously

Two people looked at our other house this week, fingers and toes are crossed!

Oh, and closet is a bit better. One more morning like that and I may have things really sorted

jabber, v.glad to hear you're having a better time of it. I think looking after yourself makes all the diff. with motherhood.

gloria, hello again I know exactly what you mean with inside & outside! Such an angel at nursery and then I pick him up arggghh. Did ds1 really have such mega tantrums at this age, he must have but memory has faded.

Oli, the sleep thing just sounds dreadful, you really need some help! Is there a sleep clinic attached to gp surgery or hv where you are? It did really help with ds1 and we didn't resort to cc until we had to right at the end. Have you started a thread in sleep section? ds2 has started screaming everytime I put him down for nap or bed and went ballistic at mum's last few weeks and that's without any prior sleep issues so some of it must be an age/separation thing? Co-sleep until it's over was my first thought just so you get some sleep, I know that could make it worse in future. Gradual withdrawal from room method (i.e. chair beside his bed, move it away little bit at a time until you've gone & chair left)? Hugs, hugs and more hugs is prob. the best I can do. I have car seats, thank you very much for offering though! (Yes, really 29 wks! If pole position twin stays breech, it's a section, otherwise they'll let me try for vb. I had section with ds1, vbac with ds2 btw, not sure which I'm more scared of).

Lennied, I would love to sell you my mb, I have a carrycot too even! It's a navy one, carrycot is black, I bought that 2nd hand separately. Carrycot was fab for daytime naps, very cosy for winter baby, wish I could have a carrycot for twins sigh. DS1 actually perched on the end of the mb quite a lot until ds2 kicked him off (I hated the kiddyboard we had) which was handy. I hadn't given any thought to selling it or price until now but at the latest it would be sept I guess. I have boxes for both buggy & carrycot which should make it easier to send it off.

Hi everyone. It sounds like everyone is going through a tough spot at the moment.

Olihan. Try the CC again just to make sure the vomiting wasnt a one off. It may still work. Failing that then call you health visitor as they should be able to refer you to someone. Do it sooner rather than later as waiting lists can be long. DD2 went through a phase recently of needing me to sit on her bed to get to sleep. After about a week it unsettled her if I was there so I had to leave. I'm sure that was triggered by anxiety poor mite.

Olihan ((hugs)) doing a lot of this at the moment iirc, DS2 has always been clingy/bad sleeper. That combined with the separation anxiety they go through at this age may be making things worse. So could it just be the peak of a bad phase and if you can be tough for a bit longer (this is coming from the biggest wimp in the mothering world), maybe you'll get somewhere. Otherwise: dummy? Calpol? Medised? Not sure about these sleep clinics: aren't they just designed to rip knackered parents off?

Thanks everyone my day from hell got worse then better when I had some wine and then pretty crap again today but I'll get through it

Is anyone else having pooh ishoos with their LO? This is the 2nd day that DD2 has poohed then got her little mitts in there before I get to it. We currently have no sofa covers and NOW we have no sofa base cushions. We are talking smearing big time I'm thinking about potty training her. She's so on the ball and I am sooooooooooooo fed up with changing crappy nappies/clearing up. Ideas on a post card please! Like that idea Olihan

eeeeww Castles. You have my sympathy. We havent had that with poo yet Try her on pottty/toilet and see what happens. You'll know pretty quickly if she's ready or not.

AQ - just let me know when you've decided what to do. I'm in no hurry and will definately have it if you decide to sell it. You can get double carrycots for the twins can't you?

Oh no Castles - not poo! Definately give the potty a go if you think she is ready - would it be worth putting her in a vest with poppers at the crotch so she can't get to the nappy?

DD definately not ready yet - she wouldn't have the patience to sit still long enough. bbbbbbbbb gvgf

bbbbbbbbb gvgf - DDs contribution.

Was also going to say - Jabber glad things are a bit better. Definately don't go getting broody though - no wine or cheese is too much to bear for me right now and everytime you all mention wine I count the days!

She's already in a vest with poppers Lennied, cunning little minx that she is Will try potty starting next week (holidays). I was told last week though that you shouldn't potty train until they lose their pot belly as this means their bladder has dropped and they can control it. Wish I'd known this 6 years ago!!! Still, wee I can deal with, it's just the poooooooooooooooooh that is driving me bonkers. Wish me like

Or 'luck' !

Right in that case castles you'll have to put her in a full sleepsuit - that'll teach her! Someone I know who's DD is about the same age as ours are still dresses her in sleepsuits wherever she goes! She is just starting to walk and looks a bit silly now but has looked cute up to now. At least it makes the washing easy I suppose!

very quick as I need to go bed! castles, erggghhh! ds1 is 'emptying his bowel' from the chronic constipation at present (it's been a week of porridge poo) and today he had his peter pan outfit on and luckily the tights caught it all and I chucked em'. have never been so grateful for green tights. Anyway what about a cloth wrap like a motherease airflow which are poppers - no WAY can she get those off! DS2 is quite a chubbster and in large mainly but they're v.adjustable.Just chuck em in with the wash provided you don't use softener. Actually I think he's really outgrown his larges so I could loan you one if you like. Interestingly (or perhaps not) ds2 is quite clear when he's done a no.2 - says urgghh, gets the wipes & changing mat! Useful if I haven't noticed yet but still not potty training him.

Lennied, we shall make a deal, definitely! You can get twin carrycot but I can't as ds2 won't be able to manage with just a buggyboard. He can't walk to end of the street yet!

Thank you for all the suggestions. Castles, you're right, he has always been a rubbish sleeper and clingy so combined with this seperation anxiety phase it's extra terrible! I'm glad lots of your LOs are also clingy at the moment - I can cope with it better, knowing it's just an age thing that will pass.........

We've been doing a mix of gradual retreat and co sleeping. We swapped ds1 and ds2's rooms around so we could put the spare bed in with ds2 (the things we do for sleep) and he now goes down in his toddler bed, we attempt to settle him each time he wakes and if he's up for more than 15/20 minutes once we're in bed then dh or I get into thre spare bed with him. Honestly, it's silly but it means we get alternate nights of sleep.

The dcs are going to stay with my mum for a few days next week so hopefully that might knock him out of this phase [eternally deluded hopeful] .

Erk at the poo stories. Ds2 likes to put his hand down his nappy but comes running, hand outstretched and shrieking 'yucky', if it's a pooey one. None of mine have smeared (yet), thank goodness so no helpful advice.

Jabber, glad things are looking up. Had a quick skim of the other thread and a lot of it rings true for me, but mainly when I'm extra tired. When I'm less tired and more on top of things I enjoy it much more.

AQ, could you sling one twin and put the other in a carrycot? I had a carrycot on my double for ds2 and it was fab. In the early days you might be able to squash them into one carrycot together. They'll be used to being sandwiched into a tight space .

Oli - I am certain it is a phase. Everything seems to be a phase here when sleep is concerned. Sleeping well is also a phase unfortunately, but we're still also irrationally optimistic . TBH I am convinced from admitting to others the troubles we have had with DD that not all that many young children actually sleep very well at all. Its amazing what people tell you once they know your child doesn't sleep. The good news is there aren't all that many older children who sleep badly so it is definately a phase.

Love your 'they'll be used to being sandwiched in a tight space' - made me smile.

Not sure where the last few days went (end of term?? bad back (me)? chest infections (both dds)?? sleepless nights (dd1 waking sobbing in the night - end of pre-school and loss of BF, I think)) but can't quite believe its now Thursday night and we're off to Norfolk coast for 2 weeks on Sat morning, and I have packed zero

Am not even going to attempt to catch up properly till I get back, but to Oli and any other sleep-deprived ones many commiserations and understanding and sleep vibes. And to Castles, good luck!! I do wonder about dd2 and potties sometimes, as she's very keen to copy dd1 on all Big Girl stuff, but think not, on the whole. Very much still pot bellied

Hope all you pg ones are well, and all you non-pg ones too for that matter....see you in a fortnight, if I'm not drowned by rain! xxx

Have a happy holiday Eli.

Talking of DD2 copying DD1, our latest trick is to drink all of the milk left over from the cereal bowl in the morning.

Happy hols, Eli. Huge sympathies to your DD1 - the loss of a BF at this age is so hard for them. It happened to DD1 this year. They do get over it, but it is traumatic. Bless.

I haven't even started thinking about potty training yet. DD2 is very pot-bellied still (I do love that little round belly ). She gets very upset if she wees without her nappy on, so I don't think she's really aware of what's happening yet.

DD2 seems to be back to her sunny self since we came back from hols. No more violent tantrums Hope she's not going to be a 'homegirl' as I like travelling far too much to have to worry about taking her away.

DD1, on the other hand, as turned into a right little madame since we got back. Maybe there's just a natural law that only one can be a little sod at a time

Thanks for advice. Might try those nappies AQ if I can ever find them. Thanks. The thought of potty training makes me feel all weak and wobbly.

BP, my DCs are like a tag-team, tis the law of nature regarding siblings I am sure.

Woo hoo! DS has broken up for the holidays and DD1 has finished nursery. At bleedin' last. Now we just need the sun to come out ...

castles, really I am happy to loan you 1 or 2 airflows as a new XL arrived today, they really don't fit anymore. Email me if you want them and I'll post them to you.

Skiving from packing

BP, I hope there is a law saying that - so far, my two seem to like being little sods in tandem: if its not dd2 copying dd1, its dd1 wanting to be the same kind of baby as dd2

I'm putting it down to loss of BF, and anxiety about being a big girl who is moving on...

...actually, I relate. My own BF told me today her dh thinks he's found the job he's been hunting for all year, in Sydney, and they've had an offer on their house

If I start being a little sod, please bear with me!

THanks for holiday wishes, must get back to packing..

I thought you'd gone you cheeky monkey Elibean!

Nope, tomorrow morning early - but genuinely thought I'd not be online today. Couldn't quite make the packing stress without relief of MN and a bit of chocolate though