December 2007 "The one where babies walk the walk... and talk the talk"

[Arcadie]

I'm sorry - I couldn't last out. Welcome to the new thread.

DrSkid, re the clingy thing I tend to agree with clairey. A trick they use at DD's creche is to give LOADS of positive attention to kids for short bursts when they are able to (like when changing nappies, so very much one-to-one) which seems to make it more palatable to the children when they aren't able to focus on them 100% other times. I was a bit sceptical when they first explained it to me but it does seem to work for them.

Another thing I've noticed from creche which I find quite interesting is that they never force children to share toys. So if a child chooses to carry something around with them all day, that's OK and the other children just have to wait until its finally discarded or find an alternative toy. Their constant refrain is "Bea's playing with that now, what else can you find?" And the amazing thing is that the children seem to accept it!

Hi verybusyspider doesn't that 16 weeks fly! Nice to see you back

hey insy busy : well.... i wasn't around for a bit, so loads, but skid, arcadie and i are all up the stick. Have you had any probs with clinginess since your LO was born?

Insy - welcome back and congratulations on finding time to post! I can't believe you have a 16 week old baby already, funnily enough a friend of mine has just had her third boy too and her ds2 was born day before mine, and her ds1 is only just three so similar situation to you. Don't know how she does it either!

Skid - the friend mentioned above has yet to decide on a name for new ds but it's either going to be Noah or Zachary apparently.

ooh I love Zachary too but, wait for it, DH hates it...

hi insy!!! good to hear from you but sorry to hear about the rubbish sleeping. Is just waking often or do you have long periods in the night when he just won't settle? Hope you are managing to get a bit of sleep when your DH is there to help out.

thanks for the tips buzzy - I do try to give DS lots of positive attention but I'm sure I could do better. That's interesting about the sharing - i was recently reading about how it can be damaging to a child's self-esteem if you force them to share their toys.

Had DD's birthday party yesterday - was utterly exhausting but she loved it so glad we did it but will NEVER EVER have a party of that scale again (18 children plus parents) - if anyone else is thinking of doing it my advice is DON'T!!!

BT - DS also loves saying 'go go go'! And chop chop - I am obviously always hurrying along

P.S. suey - have you had your 12 week scan yet? How are you feeling?

A bit more energy thanks, skid. I'm still only 9+3, but i had an early scan friday and all is as it should be. Big scan 3 weeks tomorrow: how the first trimester draaaggggsssss. How's your PG?

drskid & buzzy et al, re. clinginess - dd has just (yesterday) started massive kicking-off at afternoon nap and bed time, desperate for me or dh not to leave the room until she's asleep. has come out of nowhere and i'm a bit mystified! guess we just have to sit it out.
in the early velcro baby days i found that gritting teeth and doing lots of cuddles/carrying was only long-term solution, and this still works when dd gets clingy again.

btw, on of my rl friend's ds has just got his big back molars through. my dd teethed really early but still has only one set of molars. do they get two?

dundee - yes they get two sets of molars. The rest of my dd2's teeth came through about 400 years ago, she is now just growing the last set and this has contributed to some very annoying behaviour of late. Yesterday she wouldn't walk anywhere and I had to carry her all over the place (when we were out, she was ok in the house). Unfortunately using buggies is hard here so I do a lot of carrying. My right arm has bulging biceps.....

BT & Skid another vote for "go,go,go" which DD shouts when she wants DH to accelerate in the car

Good to see you back Busy time certainly flies - does it seem like that to you?

Still in the midst of Gromit mania here ITNG no longer has pulling power although sometimes Boogie Beebies gets a look in.

Had to get DD another pair of shoes today as she's gone up yet another size - now a 5 - and fortunately Clarks had a sale on. Where are you all buying shoes? It feels wrong to be spending more on her shoes than mine but I can hear my mum's voice in my head insisting on proper shoes from Clarks

SQ - I tend to go to Bretano, they often have cheap shoes, I get the Startrite ones. The only thing is they don't seem to do much in the way of fittings wider than an F, or half sizes, really need to hunt around for them.
Did buy a pair of size 5s couple of months ago, really smart black ones, for a £10, but think I need to go back to Clarks to remeasure. The size 5s are too big, they kept falling off his feet! But his size 4's are now starting to get a little tight.

Insy - welcome back, I can't believe DS3 is 16weeks talk about time flying! Sympatathies on the lack of sleep!

Claraq - I hope for your sake, dd2 suddenly decides to walk everywhere - to prevent you for the curse of having one arm 3 times the size of the other

Went to DS's nursery yesterday to talk about his learning journey. Seemed like an awful lot of paperwork to me . But at least it is reassuring that he progressing well, and nice to see what he has been up to
And he has said words that he has never said at home, like "ball" and "one" and "two"

I was supposed to fill in a bit about his recent achievement and I could not think of any except that he could eat a peach right down to the stone I'm a terrible mummy, me.

I shall have to tell them about his ability to jump, and to go up and down small steps (like kerbs, and the step outside our house) without needing to hold my hand - he is very proud of that

Can I direct you to this thread please?

It's nothing scandalous, just trying to canvass opinions on a bike my mum wants to get for DS.

SQ - we have no option but to buy reeeeeeediculously expensive shoes. my tiny daughter has the fattest feet in the history of the world. have tried in vain to squeeze her into whatever they have in boyes or brantano but even the size 9's (long enough to be clown shoes) are a bit snug . clearly, like her mama, she more elephant than fairy.

I buy trainers for the DDs. They're both currently wearing the same style "New Balance" trainers with velcro fastening. White with blue trim. Very cute! We also wear Wellington boots quite a bit - but then its winter here and DD2 LOVES puddles!

Sounds like a trip to Clark's to get sized followed swiftly by a trip to Brantano then DD's feet are normally an F so finger's crossed.

BT must be that time of year then as we were at nursery last night for the same thing. I had the same thing about struggling to come up with the stuff to write. DH got plenty of ideas of things to do with her as she will be in his tender care in the afternoons from next week. he's still signed off work so we can't afford to keep her fulltime in daycare. He's looking forward to spending the time with her and has been picking up leaflets with a vengeance. The ladies in the library practically fell upon him at the prospect of a dad attending Rhymetime

DH is definitely doing the proud dad though ringing all and sundry to let them know about her speech and numeracy being very developed for her age. [SQ slinks into despair at the prospect of DH telling whole of south coast whether they want to hear or not]

PS: BT Funny how the only thing that came into my head to write was about our last visit to the local pub (we manage a visit about once a month). We parked outside and DD piped up "Pub. Nice." I'm sure it shows some sort of development but probably not what we should be recording

SQ - I go to Clarks too - hate that they have a monopoly (almost) on children's shoes but feel guilty if I go anywhere that they don't do proper fittings. How lovely your DH is going to have som much time with your DD - bet they'll have a ball!

clara - I always end up carrying one of mine but unfortunately my biceps are far from bulging...

buzzy - DS is OBSESSED with his wellies - wants them on in the bath, while he's having his nappy changed, in bed - bizzarely he calls them his 'hiyas' which I misunderstood for a long time and thought he was just repeatedly gretting me in a whingey tone - was talking to another mum who's DD has only just come out of her wellie obsession phase aged 3 and it last nearly 2 years I absolutely cannot cope with that!

We're getting close to 1000 messages - shall I start a new thread? Terrible two's here we come?

Agreed. "Terrible twos here we come" seems worryingly apt for my delightful DD.... either that or "put me on the naughty step if you will, I'll still ignore you"

Hope you've all noticed my astonishing self restraint at not sneakily/blatantly pushing it up to 1000 .....

Hello all

Back from holiday, villa was in the most glorious location, up on a hill with views out to sea...private terrace with bougainvillea and other pretty and smelly things growing on it, own heated pool (gated off so safe for dc), ate and drank very well and read 8 books . DD loved the water but ds was a bit scared and freaked out about it. He got braver every day though and by the last day was walking down the steps and dunking his face into the water even if he still didn't like going in fully.

SQ lol at your dd saying pub, on holiday my mum was working on getting ds to say "please may I have..." rather than "I want..." and he came out with "please may I have gin"

at Bear being 16 weeks Insy! How are you all?

Arcadie you are being very restrained...but have you just been satisfying your posting urges on your AN thread?!

Has the new thread been started? Do I need to search?

LOVE "PLease may I have gin!!!!"

Today's howler from DS ( aged 3and3quarters as he'll tell anyone who stops to listen):

Opening prayers at church - by no means solemn, but not a giggly part of the service - DS in centre aisle playing with 5 yr old cousin. "Oliver smells of whiffy. I love whiffies. I love (extra loud) WILLY BITS!!!" the shaaaaammmmme.

Scarey and Arcadie LOL at your two - I guess we've got to get used to lots more of this over the next few years.

DD has replaced her Wallace & Gromit obsession with Cinderella. A few viewings and she's become obsessed with breakfast trays as Cinderella puts one together for the ugly sisters. Had to give her a tray so now she takes great delight in putting teapot etc on it, and wants her meals off the tray. Gromit still getting occasional look in but I fear the whole Disney princess thing may be starting [eeek]

sorry guys I couldn't wait to get to 1,000 messages..... here we go

sorry that's a new thread just in case you hadn't realised see you there!