Dec 08- Must keep chocolate & cheerfulness near, teething time is nearly here!

[pmk1]

Right.... back to post the link now!

Enjoy the cheerfulness, Modern. I had my quota earlier in the day and I'm just on Evian now.

Arti, wow, that is an extensive list of achievements! You must be knackered now. As to DP, well, he is wonderful is many ways but we do differ in some significant respects and it does lead to friction. Added to this, I have ridiculously high expectations of him, which probably isn't that good for either of us. Generally speaking, he does do his best, and that's all one can ask, I guess. But I think we both have to work at things, and be grateful for all the fantastic parts of our relationship. But I do get frustrated with him. He would probably say the same...I am trying to be grown up about it all. I just hope it all pans out.

Hooray well done Arti!!! I have to admit sometimes I find the days when DH is away for work can be quite satisfying as I just get organized and don't expect too much of the day. Also when DH is away it's one less person to clear up afterwards. I also love the feeling of DS1 being my little mate. I have actually brought him up to be quite the perfect cafe companion. He actually has his favourite cafes in town (generally the ones that give him free chocolates). I was sitting on the couch with the boys the other day, DH was away, we were all having a giggle about something, and it occured to me that I had made myself some little friends.

DH has a fell race in Wirksworth tomorrow, I feel a nice coffee and cake in a nice little village cafe might be in order.

Well done LadyT! I had a moderate success one year, backed the winner (at v short odds) and had an each-way on the horse that came third.. never repeated . Sorry you're still a bit flat about the argument and hope it all works out. I certainly don't think any relationship has to be perfect as long as you still like each other (but there, often, is the nub)

Arti: sounds like a great day . Hope you get a peaceful night. How's the potty training going?

Potty training is going pretty well thanks Effie. Day 2 and only one accident (sadly the one accident was a wee on my Missoni sofa cushion). I think one accident in two days is great but we have not had a poo yet - she saves those for her night nappy. Have you done it with your DS1? Its quite labour intensive with having to remember a potty, loo role, spare clothes and knickers everytime we leave the house.

loo "roll" not "role"

not yet . I'm waiting till we move as I can't see it working well in this space, esp with us being out and about most of the day. He's 2.5 so I need to get started soon, but we've hopefully got a bit of time. I am v v fed up with changing two lots of nappies though!

Did you use a particular method or buy a Useful Book? Am thinking of reading useful book as means of procrastinating

My DD is 2.5 too. I put it off due to DD2's arrival. What month was your DS born in?

I am not using a book. The only advice I am following is to go cold turkey i.e. once you sitch the nappies never put them on again even if you have a long journey etc. The frist step I took was to have a potty in the bathroom and encourage her to try doing a wee before her bath each night. That seemed to work well. Could you try that for now?

BTW have you sold your flat? And have you bought a new one?

Oh forgot you were TT Arti that is difficult to do alone.

Effie wait til your completely ready, the average age for starting TT these days is 3 so you have ages yet. I started ds1 at 2 as I thought he was ready but I was a bit wrong it was 2 months before he stopped having accidents.

And Arti do you have one of those portable pottys very helpful. Can you use baby wiped instead of having to bring loo role along?

No sale . We are going to rent and sort out a few things in the flat, then if it hasn't sold we'll rent it out. Hopefully...

oh and DS1 is an October baby

Oooh wipes is a good idea Veggie. Especially as I always have them with me in DD2's nappy bag. Why had I not thought of that before? How long do you have to take a potty out with you before they can hold it in long enough to walk to the nearest loo? Its going to be months isn't it?

He is a couple of months younger than DD Effie. He is not old at all as far as TT goes. Lots of DDs friends are only beginning to think about it now. Sorry to hear about your flat not selling. I hope you find a nice place to rent.

I had it folded up under the pushchair for quite a while we were lucky where we lived in London as most places we went to had a toilet close by so didn't always have to use it but was always reassuring to have it. Got us out of a few close calls.

Sorry about the house Effie.

Sorry I mean your flat.

Very exciting ds2 made an unschedualled wake up but settled himself back to sleep without feed or dummy. Ds1 could never do that always needed the boob.

LadyT what a result. Well done you. I needless to say lost yet more money. But DD had state of play so she's more than covered her bet. You should buy yourself something symbolic - my rule is that all gambling wins should be spent on an item that you can then love all the more becuase it was better than free.

Arti am so glad your day improved and that is a mightily impressive list of achievements.

We had lovely day pottering around borough market and southbank with PILs and then MIL did the garden - saintly. DH and I went to hear Brahms Requiem at the Royal Festival Hall and then snuck off for manhattans at the lovely Skylon restaurant afterwards. Hence am a bit pissed. And still awake when everyone else is asleep.

Effie am only just getting my head round notion of potty training - but my sister lent me a book the NCT produced a while back - it's basically a summary of all the different methods you can try. From what I've read though arti is absolutely right - cold turkey is way to go. Will bring book to meet up if you want to borrow.

Ok - have to go as typing is taking way longer than it should thanks to bourbon. Sleepy babies one and all.

Gah...DD repaid us for abandoning her by waking every 90 minutes.

And since 6am I've been trying to talk DS down from going outside to check if his seeds have grown yet (we planted them yesterday). Think today will be a long one.

There isn't a bunny emoticon that quite expresses how I feel.

Morning,

We are also starting to potty train DS1. At the minute we are just getting him to sit on the potty before baths and when he has his nappy changed. He hasn't done anything in it yet but he enjoys sitting on it. A friend of mine has just potty trained her DD in literally a few days. Her DD was 2 in Febuary and on Monday she just decided she would not wear a nappy anymore so friend put her on the potty and she loved it.

I am slightly emotional today. It was exactly a year ago I got my BFP with DS2.

Hope everyone is well and has a lovely day.

busy household here...just a quick couple of things...

Potty training - my only advice is to do it in the summer months! It's much easier to hang around outside (esp if you have a garden) - accidents on the grass are better than on the carpet!

and I'm being a bit thick...but what does BFP stand for? I get the meaning but am lost on the actual words!

right best go and take part in family chaos...

well done on the horses LadyT

Gah. The gods are not smiling on us today - DS2 woke three times last night abd awake for good at 6, then DS2 was sick on our (freshly made) bed. Laundry today

Lal: if you feel you can stand it, there's a Finlay the Fire Engine episode on iplayer on planting flowers and how long they take to grow. Your outing sounds great, the last time DH and I went out in the evening sans children was to see the St Matthew Passion at the Barbican - about a year ago

DS1 was sick, that is!

Morning everyone, I'm going to start by making many of you and tell you that for the last 2 nights I've read in bed until I was so tired my eyeballs nearly fell out. Can't remember what I was reading about, so will have to go back and reread, but it was lovely . However I am a little that DD has settled so well in her own room and clearly doesn't need her Mummy half as much as I'd hoped she would. Still waking in the night, but one step at a time ...

Well done LadyT on the national, I'm very proud to be able to say now that I know someone who backed that horse I wonder what the longest odds for a winner on the national are?

Trace and Arti such busy days, after such exhausting nights, but you both sounded to have had lovely days

Oh, and DD rolled over for the first time yesterday. I was in the kitchen and heard a very disgruntled noise from the lounge, and when I went to see what was wrong, she was on her front with her arm stuck underneath her - she's so grown up! (This does mean I have to stop leaving her on the kitchen table/sofa/numerous other unsuitable places )

Lots of sun here, so looking forward to some time outside. Have a good day everyone

Oh no Lal, you poor hungover and exhausted person. You need panadol, ibuprofen, strong coffee and a bacon bap. Or at least that is what I would need in your situation.

Kayz, do you remember we were on that TTC thread together? From memory you tested the day after me so I have missed my day to be emotional. How time flies.

Trace, BFP stands for Big Fat Positive. I also meant to tell you I got the playtex bottles from a local independent chemist but it's easiest to find them online.

Well after my great day there was a great night. DD2 slept silently from 7pm to 1.30am when DH rolled in stinking of booze. She then went to 5.15am and had a quick drink before having an unheard of lie-in 'til 8.15am. amazingly her sister also slept in and is just stirring now. Happy days. I am off to have a swim to work of last night's cookies and then this afternoon we are going to a friend's house for wine and cheese which will undo any benefits of the pool session!

Yes I do Arti. I can not believe how quickly it has gone!!