December 2006 - Terrible Two's here we come!

[Olihan]

Here we go. I thought the title was apt as ds2 has morhed into a stroppy little horror overnight. His favourite expression at the moment is 'I cwoss with you, I sceam at you AAAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHH' .

Happy Birthday ToddlerJabber and ToddlerEli .

DD is poorly again. I swear every bug in the vicinity has some kind of magnetic attraction to her . She has a bit of a temp, headache and earache today. I need to buy shares in Calpol and Medised I think.

Aoa, hotel is a very good idea - go for a posh one so you can have a vvvv hot, deep bath!

bebe hope you enjoyed the weekend muchly, am sure you deserve it. Loneliness is a killer, if it weren't for the school runs I wouldn't talk to anyone most of the week as still can't seem to get out of the house. Going to try and sign up ds2 for a new class this week but really would prefer to meet other mums with twins or at least newborns.

how are the other gold top mums at the mo' - lennied, indith?

ds1's tests back, all negative and his hearing being retested in a fortnight, it wasn't so bad. He's gained weight and looking much healthier plus NOT soiling on some days so whatever is wrong it's better right now and we're grateful.

i don't know what d&v is but hope the dc's better soon oli and you don't have week from hell.

ds2 has got chicken pox, but seems ok with it so far despite a fair number of nasty looking spots. As he's spent the entire day trying to kiss dd, I guess she might get it too. Ugh.

think i am being v.complaining about things at the moment and going to try and be more positive. Nanny is learning to cook us some lovely meals (I just give her the recipe & she gets on with it). We had lovely chicken korma wed & apple & passionfruit crumble delicious. there you go. the fact that she didn't feed ds3 when I was out on school run and asked her to so I came back to screaming baby crying himself to sleep

Bebe - I am also make the most of it

Hi AQ - good news about DS1, although in some ways it would have been nice for them to have found something so that you could get on with sorting it out, but am glad it is nothing serious, and he's improving. Positivity good but so is complaining so wouldn't worry about it. Nanny sounds like a better cook than a nanny - how are her cleaning skills? [cheeky grin]

D&V = diarrhoea and vomitting

Struggling a bit here. DS still feeding a lot more or less constantly most afternoons, and although he's going 2-3.5hr stretches at night he's waking at leat hourly during the day making it very hard for me to get anywhere with DD. DD getting bored and no doubt jealous and having a lot more tantrums than usual, mainly about nappies and clothes which both have to be off. She also has huge tantrums if I put her in the car seat, but then when we get home again she refuses to get out of the car! I'm trying to be patient with her, but its bloody hard to not get cross with her. Plus her screaming wakes DS who then needs feeding so she gets even less attention - arrghhh!!

Am thinking of giving DS a dummy - he feeds until he is bringing up excess milk quite often and is still rooting even then, if I offer him more he just falls asleep on me but as soon as I try to unlatch him he sucks again, its definitely a comfort thing because he wretches if he sucks too much and gets any milk. I know the ideal is just to let him comfort suck but I need to be able to get DD out of the house otherwise we're both going to go insane. Plus when I do put him in the car he screams until he falls asleep which isn't pleasant for any of us, and poor DD ends up in floods of tears shouting "No baby, s'ok baby...." so could do with beign able to soothe him to sleep during the day. Feel a bit like it is a failure on my part though if I do give him a dummy, don't know why, DD had one. Think I need to get a bit of perspective on things.

DH and I not getting on so well either - he's so precious about his free time, and I spend every free minute doing his accounts and things - am working every evening on them. Drives me crazy that I do work while he sits and watches TV and then if I ask him to do any housework or help with the kids he rolls his eyes at me or suddenly has work to do. Ok, feel better now I've vented.

Lennied - don't be so hard on yourself. dummies aren't bad. Both dds had dummies (although I was ashamed of using them too)

men huh? Can't live with 'em....erm...how does the other bit go?

There was a country and western song about this...I think it went "Men, can't live without 'em and you just can't shoot 'em"

found it

lol Jabber.

Lennied, give yourself a break and give DS a dummy! What is this shame thing? Fwiw, I am extremely posh and all 3 of mine have had them. All Europeans give them (esp French) and you don't get much classier than that. It's so hard at the beginning but it will all fall into place ... soon. Vent away and give DH a bollocking whilst you're at it

Bebe

AQ, glad to hear about DS1. Being positive is great but don't go too far with the big false cheesy grin or you will end up like me!! Can't you join that Twins thing, local to your area and meet other mums of twins? All my friends with twins have found it to be a life saver. Hope the pox clears soon.

Oli, hope you are all feeling better.

DS is 7 today. We had another great birthday party yesterday. Although I am now feeling extremely poor. Fresh air sarnies for the next month I think ...

LenniEd, ds2 was the same. I intro'd a dummy at 9 weeks because he was constantly on the breast and it was definitely comfort a lot of the time. I wasn't sure enough of my supply before then but yours seems to be fab so it's a good idea. Grr @ dh, mine is still a bit like that at times. I find a good tearful strop at him cures it for a while.....

DS1 and DD have both had the sick bug - ds1 threw up at school on weds pm so I had to pick him up and Dd then started on Thurs pm. They're not throwing up anymore and they're starting to eat again but they still have (TMI approaching) awful slurry like poo so I don't know if I should still be starving them. I've been doing plain food and no dairy but the bug is obviously still lurking. DS2 appears to have missed it, thank goodness, as have dh and I.

AQ, good news on ds1 but at nanny. Bit of a mixed blessing. Is there any way you could get a better one, especially if you have to go to work?

Got to go, ds2 is demanding attention .

Thanks everyone, feel better for a moan. LOL at the song Jabber.

I'm going to try and ask PIL to have DD a bit this week and see if I can get a few naps during the day. I'm also going to talk to DH about lightening my workload a bit, we can't afford to employ anyone but maybe we could put a few things on hold for a while until DS gets older.

Tried a dummy this morning but he wasn't a bit interested. Although he does seem generally more content today and is feeding in more of a pattern, perhaps we were just in a bad patch.

Sounds like a good plan. Your dh needs to understand that you have a lot on your plate right now and it's going to take everyone pitching in.

Or, just threaten to shoot him

How's things today, LenniEd?

DS2 and I have succumbed to the bug, just when I thought we'd escaped it. DH is ultra paranoid now - he's giving a presentation on Weds to 200 people and does NOT want to be D-ing or V-ing .

Poor Oli! Hope you and dd better soon, dh exempt, and slurry-poo a thing of the past by the weekend...wouldn't worry about starving them for that, personally, but then I'm bad at starving

LenniEd, am too late, but at French being classy (Indith's family may be, but think the last remaining classy bit of mine is defunct!) and as for dummies, if they help, hurrah: dd2 flatly refused, I persisted, in the end she sucked on one when in bad pain from the reflux/wind but got bored by 4 months. Now, of course, at 2.2, she sees one on TV and makes sucky noises saying 'me want one'. Really hope you get some rest and that it was one of those patches...I remember them well...feel endless when in one, urgh.

I'm glad ds1 is ok, AQ, thats v good news! Your nanny, however, sounds more like a trainee chef than a professional baby-looker-after I have also had help that is good at doing some things but not the bits I really need or employed her for, and its a mixed blessing...not really what you need, but not all round bad enough to feel clear about changing, iyswim. Though have to admit my mouth watered when I read the menu..

Have not had a thorough catch up, and must - apologies if I'm missing anything major! Here, weekend went well (dm seemed in better shape than I expected, and lots of snow for playing in) apart from dd2 being too excited/coldy to sleep much. Still normal though, and whilst not exactly fat...definitely rounder

dd1's school in nit-epidemic mode: so far, nothing, but I'm scratching my head in anticipation and shaking in my NitVirgin Boots.

Sorry, that was confusing - the at the classy french thing was re Castles' post, to LenniEd.

LenniEd - Its true, here in Spain if your baby doesn´t have a dummy then you´re a weirdo. I had to laugh when DS was born and when they finally brought him to my room they had slipped one into his cot FWIW ds wasn´t a bit interested either and ended up sucking his fingers!

And yes men can be a rite pain in the rear

AQ - So glad to hear DS1´s tests came back OK, you must be more than relieved. Onwards and upwards from now on...Oh the loneliness thing is horrendous I rarely talk to anybody during the day apart from the odd person in the street or maybe a shopkeeper, its hearbreaking and has been a real confidence shaker for me...

Oli - sorry to hear about DS1 and DD, bug sounds like a nightmare. I hope by the time you read this they are over the worst of it and you DS and DH remain D and V free...

Castles - sounds like you´re all partied-out

My weekend turned out to be a little bittersweet. DS was still a little snotty when I waved him off on Saturday but I thought he was over the worst of his cold...anyway he came back yesterday in a really bad way, coughing, runny eyes and just looking generally awful. Well I felt bloody terrible and ended up in tears. It was made even worse when he only wanted DH and kept turning away from me

Oh well busy day tomorrow. Have the glucose blood test thingy 1st thing and then off to England in the afternoon, plane leaves at 5.30 YIPPPPPPEEEEEEEEE!

Bit better today - didn't bother getting DD out of her pyjamas (hence avoiding the inevitable tantrum) until we were about to go out to a friends house by which time the promise of birthday cake was enough to persuade her to get dressed without a fuss. DS had a good morning too so managed to play with DD and have DS in the sling - bless her DD wanted a baby in her "pocket" too and has been bf her toy penguin this afternoon!

DS still feeding a lot. Fed since about 3pm almost constantly so am getting a bit sore and fed up now but should finally drop off soon I hope. So many nappies to change/wash too - arrghhh!

DH not been very receptive - he reckons I've got PND and isn't prepared to take any responsibility for anything although has helped out a little more today but so begrudgingly I'd rather do it myself. I've not got PND - I think my mood is perfectly in proportion with events lately, fgs how can you be singing from the rooftops on 4hrs sleep with a stroppy toddler and not-so-newborn in tow? But today went ok really and if I have a few more good days then things will seem sooo much better. Hope Indith is ok.

Oli - get better soon. Hope you and DS2 are snuggled up in bed and have banished DH to the germ free sofa

Eli - do you mean you aren't posh? But you must be, all continental people are. And beautifully dressed too.

Bebe - yay for coming home! Have a fantastic time.

I'm glad you had a better day, LenniEd.

AQ, I think I completely overlooked the post about ds1. I'm SO glad that the coeliac test was negative. Maybe it's just taken a while for his gut to get normal again. My ds1 has had good poos for a few months now but I get very tense and worried when anything looks the least bit out of the norm. Poor boy, he's going to grow up with a right complex about it

Jabber, I'm glad your ds is ok atm too...here's to both yours and AQ's dses staying well.

Also glad today was better, LenniEd. Am I posh d'you know, I have absolutely no idea. I suspect not at all, am far too much of a mixture and don't make the correct life choices for posh. Do like the idea of being considered classy continental, but sadly that only works this side of the channel

Bebe, welcome home! I'm sorry your ds got sick the one time you had a break...I hope you're not still giving yourself a hard time, and that he's on the mend now.

dd1 asked me when I was going to be 100 tonight. I wonder if she's thinking about my dgm, or whether I just look it

Did my late night meanderings scare you all off?

Or are you all at a party?

Oli, hope you're better today...and the LOs...

Not at all Eli Parties to me nowadays involve paper hats, trumpets and cake and certainly don't go on past 6pm

Am going to a very upmarket one on saturday though - pink champagne for parents! Shame I csn't drink.

I did the breast shell thing while feeding today and collected about 1.5oz per feed on my 2 afternoon feeds. Think I would collect more at night but can't be bothered bringing milk down to the fridge in the night. What do I do with it though? I'd prob be able to collect enough for a bottle a day so could get DH to give him some in the evening to relieve me but not sure if I'd want him to and would it affect supply? Also won't it all be foremilk? Sorry to ask you all so many questions on this.

Also hope you are better today Oli and hope Bebe is home and being looked after.

Hope dc's better soon bebe & oli.
Is dd completely recovered now Eli? Is she eating well now?

ds2 covered in hideous pox, my god it's so ugly urgghhhh. He can't go to nursery this week at all and is very grumpy so not looking forward to a day at home with him & dt's on thurs.

Lennied, I must admit I though dh might have twigged a bit before now about the workload, but he's not getting the message is he? Is he at least taking dd out on the weekends to give you a break? I don't know what to say, dp was a lot like this before we had ds2 and then something clicked with him but I don't know what it was tbh. Re: shells I have never used but sounds great, free milk! What about one of those thermal bags that keep milk cold for several hours, take one upstairs with you? I did that when I pumped at night long ago, couldn't be arsed to go downstairs again!

off to sleep, but I finally made it to baby massage today mainly because the dt's kept me awake from 3 so I could feed them early. Dd was the massage dummy, really enjoyed herself up the front and I did ds3 who fell asleep Didn't talk to anyone, but I did make it. Next week going to try to get to twins club which is same time, same place.

Phew

Never used shells (they sound brilliant, but I didn't leak much so presumably wouldn't have worked for me) but did express lots, and dh enjoyed giving bottle to dds with it. In my case, I don't think it affected supply - if anything, expressing created more supply - but not sure with shells? Sorry LenniEd, not much use there! Do agree with thermal bags, though, going downstairs in night far too much hard work.

AQ, am impressed that you got to baby massage - I did it with dd1 (who quite liked it, whereas my dn, who came too with sil, refused to sit down and stood up waving his willy around and peeing everywhere, every single time ) but never made it with dd2, and I only had one LO and no twin! Twin club, according to my twin-producing friends, is really supportive...hope yours is, and that you a) make it b) get enough sleep to enjoy it

And yes, thanks, dd really well - even with a cold - and eating like a two year old. Finally!

Still not sleeping through though, so better go and get some kip while I can..

Thanks for the good wishes, eli.

I'm now waiting for one of my boys to ask me about being 100

AQ, I'm glad you got out for a bit. That always does a world of good.

I need to do a proper catch-up. Just really exhausted tonight. I think I'm catching ds2's cold.

Lennied, why wouldn't you be happy for DH to give DS a bottle? There are some really informative people on the breast-feeding threads. I had to express a bit with DD2 as I was prone to fainting when feeding her (long story) and iirc, I got some good advice/support on there.

Good on yer AQ

I've signed DD2 up for 'Talking Tots' ... why oh why do I do these things ...

With you on the tiredness Jabber, my head is a permanent fuzz these days.

Does anyone else's LO not sleep much? DD2 dropped daytime kip ages ago and wakes up in the night singing and bouncing for a couple of hours

No naps since op (unless in car at timely moment) and up twice in night hungry.

And here's me supposed to be going on a Power Walk, in training for the Big One, ha. Actually, late last night I realized how far 16 miles actually is and freaked out: I must have computed 16 kilometres!! Am going to have to pull out, no way I can manage 16 miles by May fgs

Talking Tots may tire her out at least, as long as its the Tots who are talking and not thier Mums

Nights being about 11 hours, btw.