December 2006 - Stairgates and cupboard locks at the ready!

[MARGOsBeenPlayingWithMyNooNoo]

Couldn't think of anything contraversial!

HAve a nice trip eli!

oli, you are not the only one with a bad sleeper if that's any comfort. Ds2 still wakes once in the night and with all the disruption in their sleeping arrangements after the move he sometimes wakes up twice - last night for instance

awww, doesnt tiredness just make eveything seem terrible. DD has been sleeping a little better this week after a couple of months of 5am starts. I moved her dinner back to 6pm or later and she is getting up later, probably as she isnt hungry so quickly. She still doesnt drink much milk though...and when she wakes up insists on a bowl of cereal before we do anything else, even if it is 6am!

So eveyone with bad sleepers has my sympathy. Canines were at the root of ours I think, combined with the hunger I mentioned.

Have a good holiday Eli EV, I wish I could get DD do eat cereal - or toast in fact, or any easier breakfast. She is still on fruit and yoghurt mainly or scrambled egg and it takes so long to get ready and makes so much mess. Not the best start to the day.

Lennied have you tried raisin bread - it is sweeter and very yummy. I soak some shreddies/cornflakes/rice crispies/coco pops (delete as appropriate) in milk and then shove them on her tray so she can help herself. It is messy but means I get 2 10 minutes to make and eat my breakfast.

DD2 loves eating shreddies at all stages - from dry to soggy mess - with a spoon and fingers for breakfast. There are days, though, when she'll completely ignore breakfast and won't eat anything until 10:00ish.

I looked at DD2 today and realised that she is now a little girl. When did that happen? I'm sure she was a baby yesterday.

Day 1 of the summer holidays officially and already worn out. Just checked the time and it's only 10.20am

DD2 eats anything she gets her hands on including soap, playdough, stuff off the floor . Her latest trick is redecorating the house a la Jackson Pollock. It is beautiful but I'm not sure the landlord will agree with me.

I agree about them being little girls now BP (or boys).

We're half way through the holidays already! Ours go back on 19th August (at 9:00 am - not that I'm counting )

We've suddenly gone very quiet...

wow BP. My DD starts school on 8th September

I know it is quiet isn't it - holidays, weddings...etc etc

I am busy with DHs business this week so haven't got much internet time - plus our phones have been down again! EV - have bought some raisin bread and proudly presented it to DD this morning who spent 40 minutes picking all the raisins out - well at least I had time to clean the kitchen while she ate! She's a swine isn't she! I love it though, so thank you for the recommendation.

Woohoo, I am child free until Saturday. Sleep here I come........

Dcs are at my mum's for their annual summer holiday. Ds2 nearly didn't go because of his sleep but last night was a trial night and he slept through until 4am, had a little fuss then went back off until 6:45am . Little monkey hasn't had a night like that for me for months.

Jabber, it's not much fun, is it? One day, one day, they will sleep. I've vowed to get my own back when he's a teenager and wants to sleep all day .

Breakfast here is mainly shreddies, dh tried weetabix last weekend but ds2's throwing spoon skills meant I spent a long while chiselling it off the floor .

School for ds1 starts on 4th Sept, it seems a looooooooooooong way away, for me and him!

ooh, that sounds good oli, what will you do with yourself!! Mind you I'm meant to be resting now that I've finished work, boys still in nursery 2 days and mum happy to have them a 3rd day as well yet I never sit down much less rest. I must get my bag packed by 30 weeks so 6 more days to do it! Nursery being painted tomorrow after I changed my mind about paint colour and had a meltdown in dunelm about curtains (my poor long suffering mum who is both painting and making the curtains!).

I wake up every 2 hours in the night now, but I don't feel hacked off with it as I would if ds2 was waking me up. I did have this with ds1, tbh he never slept that well until he was over 3, I think we ought to have moved him to a bed a lot earlier.

How's your plans for me-time going, jabber, is it helping? How about your anti-anxiety course, ev?

do you have a bump yet, lennied? Can't imagine not being able to do cereal (messy as the stuff is ESP weetabix urgh). The boys had malt loaf (soreen?) for 2nd brekkie today, they love it and it was cheap at tesco this week so bought several loaves. Did I mention fridge/freezer broke down more than a week ago? We're using the freezer as fridge until tomorrow when new one arrives at huge cost because we knew we'd need something as big given 4 children.

ds1 starts school 2nd sept. Can't get my head round it, but I will so miss him and his little pronouncements. Will hate having to rush him every morning to get to school and the afternoons/evenings will be awful for bf for several months too. Though I have done absolutely nothing about finding some help which would relieve this a bit.

Hi AQ, good to hear from you, it's all getting exciting your end now isn't it? Not long til you'll have new babies!

I do have a bit of a bump now - well less of a lardy belly anyway! Am feeling all 'what have I done' about it all at the moment - starting to get excited though. Am also starting to think about what we need to get ready and there are a few bits - mainly a bed. Still can't decide between a co-sleeper and an Amby, we've got time but I'd like to get one secondhand if I can so am keeping an eye out on here and on ebay.

Oli - make sure you enjoy it! And sleep - whenever I get the chance for time to myself I always end up cleaning! Why do we do it?!

Oh yes, EV was meaning to ask too about your anxiety course - hope it is helping.

We are hosting playgroup here tomorrow - it moves round people's houses during the summer to save us all from insanity. Have cleaned like crazy and brought all DDs toys downstairs but still feeling all underprepared. I hope they aren't expecting home baked cakes! Trust me to end up being first and not knowing what the required standard is!! Hopefully the weather will be nice again and we'll be able to go outside and no-one will spot all the cobwebs!

Ah my friend seemed to have a bump from 8 weeks lol

(and I haven't seemed to lose mine yet)

I didn't do too well in my interview today and I don't get to hear for 5-7 days. x 100

Forgot to say - on the sleep front - DD up 2am - 4.30am last night and only went back to bed when DH agreed to sleep with her. She keeps taking her nappies off in bed and wetting the sheets and her clothes - had to change her and the bed at 2am and she wouldn't settle again.

AQ/Indith - which wraps do you use at night? I still put her in cloth at night even though we are only part-time during the day now after all the nappy rash with teething. She wears a mixture of kissaluvs, motherease sandys, bumhuggers and huggles at night but am having leg leaking issues - really should post in nappies but am sure you'll be able to help.

No - I never lost mine either Margo. IME interviews usually went better than you think they did - hope it is ok. Is it a good job?

Am 16 weeks ish now so thinking I should be ok to get the maternity stuff out now do you think?

LenniEd - you can get a summer tog grobag to ensure she won't take off nappy.

re. the job - It was a promotion which my manager asked me to apply for and I had the opportunity to do the job whilst still being p/t - not something that comes along very often.

margo, fingers crossed x100 for you!

lennied, urgh 2-4.30!! Pleasepleaseplease let the twins be good sleepers. You're prob. only thinking 'what have I done' when she's refusing cereal and waking you up at 2am maybe! But I do know the feeling both last time and this, how will I cope kind of thing. Are you really not in any mat.gear yet?? At nighttime, I use airflows a size up from the day or I really like my lovebums wraps. Both poppers impossible for him to undoo but he'd have to get the zip open on the grobag first! Can't believe he's still in them, no way could I persuade ds1 at the same age. In fact he'll still wear bibs which amazes me though my god he's fussy about his clothing and completely obsessed with ds1's to the point that he wore ds1's shorts all day. Both of them have been very amusing about a pair of hand knitted woollen mittens with eyes embroidered on etc - ds1 wore them to bed ALL night last night to keep his hands warm (wtf, it was roasting last night!) and ds2 wouldn't let go of them most of the morning. Strange creatures, children.

Hi all, I actually have a belly dance workshop this weekend so am looking forward to that

Ds2 teething so he's been up a lot and still nursing- really ready to stop but I just can't seem to somehow.

Margo, I bet you did much better in your interview than you suppose. It's always good when someone asks you to apply for a role - good luck!

I'm using motherease wraps - same size as during the day. DD2 isn't a very heavy night wetter, despite the nightly feeds from 4:00 - 5:30 I don't mind so much when I'm working from home, but if I'm away I have to get up at about 5:30, and I hate missing that much sleep.

I can't get DD2 to settle in a grobag at all now. (And we've never used bibs )

I'd love to do some belly dancing, but I suspect I would dance one way while my belly took off in a different direction.

margo, meant to also say I'm sending good thoughts your way about the interview. I know how stressful work-type issues can be. I'm going to be going to another office an hour away a day or two a week while the one close to home is building up. We have one week with lots of patients then another with hardly any. Can't pay the bills on that!

Oh God. DD1 took DD2 in her buggy for a 'walk' while we were in supermarket. I checked the surrounding 4 aisles and couldnt see her anywhere. Cue frantic search outside of shop and back again. She turned up within a couple of minutes but I was terrified.

I have explained how I was worried about her as I couldnt see her and she could have hurt herself without me knowing, or a stranger could have tried to talk to her an upset her. She realises she was naughty but I dont know how to make it sink in. She is only 4 and has never done that before. I have already told her I will be telling DH when he gets home which she's not happy about.

This happened to me EV when DD1 was about 3. When they see how frightened you they don't do it again. DD1 is 4 as well now and completely understands.

Very of you all with help. I seem to be getting nowhere fast lugging my 3 everywhere. Feel sorry for them spending 6 hours in the car going to visit my Grandma for an hour (on her deathbed ) and hanging around garages whilst I try to get it fixed. Woe is me.

Oh, EV, you must have been terrified - can't help with what to do though, not been there yet. I would prob have done the same and explained that you were worried and what could have happened - maybe if DH says the same it might sink in more.

Am using Motherease now - maybe I need bigger ones. She has taken to sleeping on her side so we are getting leaking down one leg. I don't want to really overtighten the legs though as she gets big red marks. Perhaps I should boost around the leg area!

Thanks Guys, I have emailed Dh and told him to be very disappointed when SHE TELLS HIM (I have told her I wont but she has to).

Ev - dd1 was distraught when I cried about something she'd ruined of mine recently [wimp emoticon]. Not that I would condone crocodile tears, but she needs to see how scared you were and how much you missed them both.

Thanks for support girls, it's really appreciated.