August 2008 - 8 months and still not sleeping though the night....

[TwilightSurfer]

you'd think after 33 threads we'd have all the answers by now.

Really fancy risotto now, on top of the large helping of cottage pie I've already had.

OOh sounds yummy, I love quiche too.

Are you feeling better has the hangover lifted??

No1 - all the sleep changes we've had here have come when I've hit an 'enough's enough' point. It sounds like you are making progress too.

To hijack the convo for a minute, while Buckets is around (I'll whisper if that will help your hangover) DS's friend who might have asperger's walloped him today and his poor mum was on the phone apologising and generally despairing. She then said, 'is there some kind of disorder or thing he might have that I just don't know about?'

Feck, feck, feck. That moves me from non-interventionist helper to someone withholding [?] potentially helpful info I think. When the teacher made the child apologise to DS, Ds kindly told him that it didn't matter and that they were still friends. He went home and told his mum that this meant DS doesn't mind getting hit. He just struggles with the rules of interaction.

When I asked DS about it he was a bit put out about the hitting, but then said really sadly 'Dfriend just spends a lot of time crying at school mom and I don't know why.

I so don't want to meddle or scare or upset my friend who is a very admirable and kind person. But I hate to see this little boy and his mum distressed either.

Ds had quorn and some noodles today,he loved it.
It was just one of them escalopes(sp?) with cheese and brocolli in it, I just took the crispy coating off to let him try it. Was fun watching him shove the noodles in.

aww sibh how awful, and what a tricky situation for you, I would be inclined to caht to his mum tbh. I only say this because my dsis is going through this at the moment with her ds.(another story) Had someone out to house to 'see' him and chat to her today in fact, says he has all the classic signs.
Obviously buckets is the one to ask.

What I meant was my dsis wish school had admitted and told her earlier that his behaviour was the same at school too.(only found out after reading a report the other day)
She has thought for a long time something needed sorting but school have fobbed her off saying give him another term, and then another year. He is 10, getting very strong and she is struggling.

Thanks no1. Sorry to hear that your sister and her boy are going through this too. I will chat to my friend. I suppose I'm just anxious to make sure that I do it in a way that makes it clear that I'm there to stand beside her, rahter than intrude.

She feels very unsure of herself when she's dealing with teachers and doctors (in an old-fashioned kind of way really). She has been so open and honest about the fact that he is struggling, and just feels so low that her hard work in trying to help him isn't working out. I've printed off some stuff Buckets recommended elsewhere and take it from there.

Miamla - you are more than welcome back to Bantry Bay, especially now that the Swansea-Cork ferry is coming back on ..

Albs- I'm a nosy shopper too. We live an hour's drive from a big supermarket, so the basket there is always a bit random. Among other things - 2 jars of chinese five spice, rhubarb and six packs of Flahavan's no-added-sugar muesli which was on offer and is the holy grail for anyone sad enough to have been searching for the perfect grain/fruit/dust ratio for over 15 years.

Yeah I'd say something. I was so confused for all DS1's life because whenever I mentioned his behaviour, people would just say it's a boy thing, he'll grow out of it etc. Sounds like it's on her mind but she doesn't know enough about it. Just remind her it's a spectrum and most of us are on it somewhere but that you really don't know much more about it. You could cut and paste checklist or just a leaflet through her door anonymously if you don't want to get involved. If that checklist rings bells for her, she just needs to take it to her GP.
Your poor DS though, such a lot to deal with in his head as well as the thumps - give him a big helping of pudding tomorrow from me.

sibh I am sure you are and will be a great support to your friend on this. Maybe she wants someone to come to her rather than have to face or confront people about it herself then.

I am always on the hunt for muesili and bought some yesterday that is a bit bland tbh. Will try that one out thanks.
Dh said it was like dust and rabbit food this morning.
I actually like the sweetness of alpen but that is quite dusty.

The spectrum idea is where I'm going to start definitely. Thanks for the link and all the support. I think she's readier to deal with some kind of answer than she would have been a few months ago.

As to the muesli,I'm not sure if they sell it in England, but they should definitely export it. It is particularly good if you bung a few cheerios on top. Not that I'd know about that myself of course.

Rhubarb crumble and custard served up on your behalf tomorrow Buckets. DS will be delighted

Oops we've changed Kindermusik classes twice due to the teacher. Now I (when Reese starts) will drive 20 miles just for the best teacher.

Sambo your back to work visit sound like what mine would have. I could easily log 60 hours a week.

Alieight nice of you to stop by the thread. You've been missed. I wish you well with your exams.

Sazzles your head butting experience sounds painful but funny. Is your keyboard less hairy now?

No1 preschool visit? I was a nervous mom with dd1 however I did select three mornings a week for her 2 year old class. This continued for her 3 year old class. Now that she's at the "official" preschool age (4-5yrs old) I selected the 5 mornings a week with two long days (9:15-2:15) added on Tuesdays and Wednesdays. She's LOVED it from day one. AND I've grown to LoVe IT too. Oh and does your DH still have room on his schedule for my house too. Although I will proudly say it doesn't look have bad at the moment. (((HUGS))) for you this evening.

May I state for the record that I have seen Sazzles nap routine work marvelously seven days in a row.

ALBS I like your new top.

Pertelote Wonderful Wonderful news!!!

Miamla fairy, cherry, berry, merry, dairy, airy, contrary....all rhyme for me,

Buckets I fear I will forget one of mine one day. My parents forgot me more than once.

Dizzy when you feel better PLEASE TELL WHAT HAPPENED today!!!

Oh dear, looking at that checklist has made me all weepy about how much DS1 has come on in since I first read it. Was 2yrs of bewildered hell, 1yr of hopeful hell between reading that and diagnosis, and after that a fantasic year of amazing changes. Completely different child now behaviourwise but still our crazy, clever little spaceman.

Sibh sounds like you are the best kind of friend...I agree with no1 that she probably wants someone to suggest what she can't bring herself to say out loud, iyswim. Your DS sounds like a very sweet and thoughtful little boy

no1 noodles are good comedy value Joe ate so much food today, I was actually worried for him - bean burgers, cucumber sticks, most of a punnet of strawberries, a whole tangerine, at least two thirds of a tuna/avocado pitta bread, banana, cereal, toast crust...not all in one meal obviously, but still, proper shovelling It is nice to see him enjoying it though.

Spoke to my best mate on the phone earlier, was very good to catch up. Her bloody drama queen sister is off on one again though, causing trouble for everybody

Bloomin 'ell! Have given up on the BLW at the mo as anything other than sweet or salty things get dropped on the floor. Would rather he played that game with toys, less icky clearing it up. Since he's eating more that way I've also started cutting down his daytime bottles to 4oz. Such a grown up boy, such a MN outcast mummy.

Morning all - porridge with maple syrup (maple joe says hello) and melon.
Tis a good melon too, Mansteak spent so long smelling the bottom of melons that the supermarket was closing and he forgot half the other stuff he was supposed to get.

Mansteak has a 3rd interview for an estate agent job this morning. It is down in Marseille so he stayed at a friend's place last night.
So I had a snuggly baby night with Izzy in with me from her first wake up. Not sure I got tons more sleep as she did wake a bit more for feeds but it was nice not to have a tired grumpy Frenchman hurrumphing at 3am.

She is now squealing over her porridge.

For those of you feeling sad for the orange, pretend he is French then orange rhymes with mange, which is what the lil fella is for after all.

Sazzles what be this nap routine then? Not sure that my attempt at getting Izzy into her cot is working - she snoozes on me then wakes on going into her cot and sometimes will resettle and sometimes not. She gets v worked up if I leave her, proper tears and everything. [crap mum emoticon]

I am also struggling to get her to take a bottle.
Just tried it with water in as she does like water from her cup, but now she is just upset that she doesn't have water.

When I lived in Bristol I actually heard someone pronounce Asda Asdals, it is where you get your vodkal from obv. I shopped in the one that Tourettes Man shopped in, made for an interesting trip.

Cyteen your Joe sounds like a proper little gormet. Izzy doesn't eat much at the moment. I'm not sure if Izzy has a small appetite or if I'm not giving her interesting stuff or if I'm not giving her long enough to eat it.
With all the hoo-har over centiles and charts then more pressure on me from DH. He has a very good face that I see a lot of at the moment.

Had a nice day yesterday, the park was nice, my quiche was nice and we went up to see the PILs too. Got some fab pics on flikr of Izzy and the cherry blossom.

Gosh that was a bit long sorry. [rambling woman emoticon]

VG aww thanks
She has my eyes and her dad's super long eyelashes.

Ooh Steak she is gorgeous! Beautiful eyes, such a lovely colour. Joe has that dark ring round the iris as well (same as me ) and he always gets comments from strangers about it.

You have inspired me to take him to the park today and hold him up among the cherry blossom, although he will probably try and eat it.

My other half is away tomorrow night (having fun and playing records with lots of our friends, harrumph) so I will be snuggling down with Joe too. He ended up in with us at 3am as while feeding him I became randomly obsessed with the idea that someone had broken in downstairs and didn't want to leave him on his own Funny how your mind runs away with you in the small hours.

Just heard from the Mansteak - he got the job. Looks like we will be on the move again. It will be our 5th address in 1 year. [tired emoticon]
The village town is just as you imagine a rural French town.
here it is, and again, and again.

[proud mum emoticon]

Cyteen Izzy had a good go at the blossoms too.

Congrats Mansteak (it is congrats, isn't it?) The town looks lovely but I feel your pain re. moving - DP and I are serial hermits and have moved at least once a year every year for over a decade (why?). Due to do it all again the week after next, sigh. I wish I could say we were going somewhere as characterful as that but alas, we will still be in Leicester

I am being very productive today, just taken the recycling out, though got confused by where to put the pizza boxes and beer carton - tis all healthy living here.

And just about to load childhood pics onto facebook - mainly so I can tag my brothers in them for the world to see. [evil lil sis emoticon]

Heh, I watched the recycling guys emptying our green box into the truck yesterday - smash after smash of glass as all the empty wine bottles went on their way

What a shame that the best way to help Joe nap for longer is to lay him next to me in bed Not so productive here, unless you count MNing.

Need to think of something nice for tea tonight. Maybe stuffed peppers...

Stuffed peppers sound good. We are having steak hache. (fancy beefburgers) I was going to have them for lunch but lunching with Mansteak at the French-in-laws.

Have to get organised - well you know brush my hair or summat.