January 2008 Shiny New Year Toddlers - Toddling, tempers and tantrums

[madmouse]

ok then, thought it sounded better this way round.

hope everyone finds it!

Hi all

Ds's playdate has just left and the house is a tip but he had a great time

Mixed mama - glad E's first day at nursery was ok. Maybe give keyworker a week or two, then can you ask for another one?

JKS - poor H Hope he feels better soon

Lucky - How is A this morning?

LaT - hope flight went ok...

Madmouse - how are you?

Ange - sounds like you need a break...J went through a phase of hating the bath and I got him some bathtime crayons for drawing on bath which helped...

Lilyloo - how is the gardening coming on today??

Gingeme - hope you have managed to have some chill out time today

After Dcs have finished lunch I have to go out and pick up my parents 60th birthday pressies that I have ordered.

No rest for the wicked!!

Afternoon ladies. Thats funny I have made a decision to clear the boys toys out next week when DH has his day off
We took the lo's to Clown Town this morning. Got there at 10 just as it opened and it wasn't too busy so just right.
The big boys are goign home tommorrow morning. I think theyve stayed their welcome now
George had a much more settled night last night and woke about 7.30 hes getting good at this sleeping in his brothers room now.
David has been going round in his Ben10 costumes the past couple of days. Even to the cinema on Monday. Monsters v Aliens in 3D. Brill !
Oh JKS poor love. Tonsilitis is realy horrible. Hope the anti b's work quickly.
How are things today madmouse?
Lucky just keep offering the juice. Keep us posted
Enjoy the sunshine all.
Is it just me or is anyone else sick of chocolate ?

Gingeme - how did the tidying up go??

Am not allowed to watch Waterloo Rd tonight as footie is on

TBH would rather watch it when DH not around anyway as he would only be checking footie score every 5 mins.

Good old BBC I player will come in handy!!

evening everyone, just ironed loads of clothes and finished my glass of wine, so really must go to bed asap as up (on & off) since 4.40 this morning.

DH's turn tomorrow

(though that's easier said than done when it's 'my baby' crying )

had a good day despite H's illnesses, DH spent time with T, i got lots of family tree done and sorted piles of laundry.

PIL arriving tomorrow, must get their room sorted/hoovered/cleared of cat fur as MIL is allergic.

so, off to bed soon, night all

Morning all

Hope everyone ok?

Another busy day here.

Got to do food shop and DS has been nagging me for a toy sword for ages because all of his friends have one so am going against my principles and getting him one from £ shop today.

Hoping he will lose interest quicker if I buy one for him than if I don't

Back later...

Peace has been restored of sorts. DH is taking the big boys home now
I'll be seing them again in 3 weeks for ds1's 15th boirthday. We are going to see Wicked
I'm having a choc free day today. Feel totaly yuk and full of choc. Time to start eating a bit healthier me thinks.
George is so cheeky and you can see him working so much out while watching his big brothers good stuff as well as bad! He just loves to dance. Any bit of music he will wiggle to. Edward too. They have their mothers ryhtm thank goodness
Not much planned today. Will try to defrost the freezer today as its nearly empty so we can fill it up on Saturday.
Well take care all xx

morning all the laptop broke so am sharing the pc with dp hence not much mnetting!

Lucky hope A feeling better , and JKS H too. Poor thing bet he was really in pain!

Mmouse know you are hovering so hope your plodding along x

Mixedm glad his first day at nursery went well. Good planning time for a baby too a summer baby must be lovely.

Simps get him a bubble sword that way the swrod isn't really a fighting one iyswim!

Gingeme bet it feels like a clearout every time the boys go lol!

Ange at least you nearly there bet it seems forever! You will have to post some piccies when you done!

Went to an easter art and craft day with L and M yesterday at toddler group. M ate most of the craft materials and paint but L loved it. Then went to the library and have 3 gardening books including Delias garden kitchen one am going to be prepared. Just have to decide whether to do the veg from seed or cheat a little and get established plants from garden centre ?

Hi guys -

I've had a quick scan of the messages but have to go and cook lunch for dad so don't have much time.I picked up something about twins, but I couldn't work out what. Is anyone expecting?

The flight was great. Sabela was an angel,as usual when travelling as she has lots of things to look at. She's hard work here though as is clingy and sleeping badly due to the change.

Dad looks old for the first time ever. That's alll I'm goin gto say but I did want your advice about one thing.

Bear with me. Feel free to skip if you want.

I have two elder brothers, neither of whom get om terribly well with Dad for different reasons. I want your advice about my middle brother.

He obviously has always found being with my Dad difficult. He acts like an overgrown teenager with him. After some counselling, he is much better than he used to be, but he is still impatient and disrespectful, in my view.

He believes that Dad dumps all his troubles on him and is generall ynosy and imposing. My Dad has lent him thousands of pounds over the years. My Brother seems to think he deserves this oney and is very resentful if Dad asks about his finances.

It is very apparent but unspoken between us that I don't like his behaviour. I have never said anything because he can be volatile.

Today, however, he was leaving the house after a visit. He had just been impatient again with Dad as Dad was talking to him about my other brother (who you know about). Tom thinks that he ahs done a lot for my other brother. In fact he has done less than anyone else and seems to think we do something wrong in pandering to his illness. (in his view).

He asked me to do something I had already agreed to do on his way out. I said I would and then he launched into a 'becsuse I'm so exhausted with everybody imposing on me' speech (this is pretty much exactly what he said) and criticised Dad for being iserable. I told him that I thought dad was being far more composed than I would be ableto be and that I thought he,my brother, was beingselfish by feeling so put upon. He said he wasn'tand that I should be more supportive to him and stormed out.

Now, if you got to the end of that (thanks) my question is: is it ebtter to just have it out with him or should I try and smooth things over?

mmmm LaT thats a difficult one.

What would your dad want you to do?

Think you have to put your dad's views first on this for the time being....

Glad flight was good though

Lilyloo - whats a bubble sword? Anyway its too late got him cheapo one from £ shop!!

Having major problems with laptop ATM, it keeps turning itself off for no reason sorry madmouse about disappearing last night from FB but did not have the energy to try lap top again!!

Have had more DS isms today

I have told him that rain makes trees, flowers grow etc so he now thinks rain makes his hair grow too

Hi all

Thanks for support...

Simpson no worries, would only have gone all miserable on you so be glad!

LaT if this was after your dad's funeral I would say smooth it over, but and i hate to say this to you, you are only at the start of a painful and rocky road, and your brother needs a spanking and his eyes opening. Or things will be much worse by the time your dad nears the end.

Thinking of you lots hun, I am around on facebook and you have my phone number.

LaT - with Madmouse i think. You and your brothers all need to be sharing the emotional & practical load of the near future and his attitude will help no-one. plus if you try and bottle it up you will get more stressed too.
i say sit him down, have it out and let him blow up a bit, then see what happens when the dust settles.

but...i hate confrontation so not sure what i would actually do!

H seems brighter today, has had a mammoth nap - even for him and more meds, not hungry though

T wet himself a couple of times without blinking an eye so nappy back on.

(oh and LaT no-one's expecting twins i don't think, we were just discussing the possibility of them, if i had twin girls i would be finished sooner than having to wait to clear out baby stuff through 2 more babies, lol )

Afternon ladies.
LaT I'm with the others you realy need to clear the air. I'm all for it and often cause an argument because of it. It will only eat you up in the end and then it will be too late when the time comes of your Dads passing. Good luck. Be brave
JKS sounds like the meds are working thank goodness. His apetite will return in time. Just keep him hydrated.
of your gardening lillyloo. I would love to grow veg's. I remember my Grandad always used to have a little plot for me and my sister at the end of his garden that we could more or less do what we wanted with. Still love the smell ot tomatoe plants now
Yay mixedmamma on ds first day of nursery. I hope it continues
DH defrosted the freezer this afternoon. I am going to clean out the oven tommorrow. I bought one of those bags you leave your oven racks in over night and they clean themselves. Thats the last big job of my spring cleaning realy. I cleaned my fridge out last week.
Well thats about it from me.
Oh before I forget did anyne watch that programme last night the worlds smallest toddlers? Aw so sweet!!

Thanks guys. That's what I was thinking too. I certainly don't want to be in the position after Dad dies of saying, 'you were always a git to him'!

Twins - one part of me would really liek to have one less pregnancy. The other - much bigger part - would be terrified! There's a pretty good chance of it - there are 8 sets of twins on DH's side!

Just back from a couple of hours at the park.

Simpson they are just big plastic swords but they have bubbles inside and the sword bit you wave around and that makes the bubbles. Hope he likes his new one.
My laptop still getting repaired , have just rang up shop

LaT agree with the others. Could you send him a letter or text. Sometimes it is easier to say what you want to say without getting emotional and saying things afterwards that you regret (or crying in my case when i got angry)!!
I am shocked that he still criticises your dad given the news he has just recieved regardless of his own personal feelings! Glad S was so good bet your dad has missed her ??

Ginge i have one of thos over cleaner things sat on my windowsill on my to do list. Just a shame you can't put the whole oven in the bag

JKS i would neve presevere with nappy training like i did with H it took ages. Agree with nappy on until he is ready!!

afternoon...

laT the ladies have all said what i would. glad the journey wasnt horrendous.

on friday dh and i are having a job application blitz... any ideas ladies. we are aiming public sector and student paramedic and firefighter are two suggestions he is enthusiastic about and i have founf an A&E support role which is a lesser ambulance type role. Any other ideas... he completed 18 months of a science degree straight from college and enjoys problem solving things.

Simps - i met the key worker properly today and she is fine her manner is just a little abrupt and i cant quite take to her. The prob with requesting someone else is that then you have bad vibes between you so I guess unless i feel she is not doing her job with regrds to E then I will have to accept it.

lilyloo - unfortunately he wants the sword to he can "kill" the boy next door, so don't think bubble sword would do Hoping he grows out of this phase very quickly.

Think its the down side to all the neighbours kids being 5 & 6 so a bit older than him.

Mixed mama - Its always hard at nursery with care workers. When DS went he had a fab keyworker who then got promoted and went to another nursery so he got someone else who I wasn't sure about as she wasn't very forth coming with me but DS seemed to like her which is what counts I guess.

LaT - ((hugs)) for you, not an easy decision to make...

Gingeme - well done on the freezer front!! Have run our freezer down food wise so may do the same thing in the next week or so...

DD has just totally stuffed herself silly. A whole white fish fillet to herself

DS as usual eating like a sparrow, no change there then!!

JKS - forgot to say are were you trying to potty train T? Must have missed that.

You have my sympathies!! First time I tried with J we lasted 3 days and had all accidents then we tried 6wks later and he went straight to loo

OK poos were harder to crack but I am a definate fan of leaving it to later to potty/toilet train...

Still haven't tried J without nappy at night yet...

Yesterday before bed I said go and do wee and I will put overnight nappy on etc and J said "its ok mummy, I don't need the toilet I will just do it in my bed"(with nappy on ob)

Think he might have more control than i think!!

LOL at J simpson

no i'm not trying to train him at all. he just decided he wanted pants today so i said okay, as long as he told me when he needed to go. yes mummy....of course not a clue yet!
Have just bought a 'family loo seat' which has raised his interest a bit so think he just wanted to try sitting on it! he's never done anything in potty or toilet yet and has no awareness of wee at all, some of poo so i think we are a long way off yet.

aiming for summertime in the garden

Lily - i cry when i'm angry too, must be a woman thing, lots of my friends say the same.

JKS - phew thought i had missed something and was about to give myself slap on wrist for not following thread properly

Summertime is when we may try J with no nappy at night so sheets can dry on line etc

Loo seat was big hit when we bought it too and so was the little steps you can get so they can reach loo etc...

A couple of times J has been perched on loo and M has crawled in and dragged step out of toilet so J is stranded/stuck

worth a try

Thanks Lilyloo!

morning all

Hope everyone is ok?

Pants weather here today

although I have my "positive steps" class today and J is very excited as he is going to the creche too.

DH has just made me a pleasing sausage sandwich so I best go and eat it!!!

Talking of this toilet business I am such a bad mummy and have not provided a loo seat or steps but DS1 has created his own method of holding onto the walls and hoisting himself up... our loo is very narrow so he comfortably reach and then just gets down and calls me.

I have seen a fab toilet seat in JoJo Maman that is an actual toilet seat but there are two and the smaller one just goes up into the lid when you dont need it so no need for putting it on taking it off.

Simps - she is just a little abrupt (with me) and doesnt have the softly softly manner of the others in the class. I dont want his first experience of "teachers" to not be as nice as it could have been IYSWIM.

Morning all.

Why has MN gone tits up??

Mixed mama - DS wouldn't be able to reach loo without step as its too far from wall.

Maybe the key worker will grow on you?

Ds's 2nd keyworker was very quiet and would not volunteer info on how his day and been, I felt like I had to drag everything out of her but by the time he left I was quite fond of her and realised she was shy.

Dcs currently fighting over DS's aqua draw...better go and referee

Afternoon all.
I put my oven shelves in this cleaning bag over night. OMG they look new going to do the inside when ds's in bed as the cleaning stuff is a bit smelly plus DH decided to cook himself something hot before he went to work and the stuff can only be used on a cold oven
Apart from that all is well here today. Just spent £77 at Iceland. Our freezer is now jam packed
Simpson we have Aquadraw too. Good stuff isn't it?