Jan 07: Part 31. Nearly halfway through the terrible twos!

[Lizzzombie]

Welcome to your spanking new thread girls.

Roll call please!

I just love eah for practical advice .

Morning!
Wilkie - I'd be inclinded to leave the gaps much longer than the eeking of 10 mins which eah suggested. Push it and see if L can go half an hour/40 mins until you give him the feed, that way you will reach your later, ideal time quicker. Is that evil?

Eah - Glad the cinema went well. DJ is still only sitting through about half of a dvd so I am not sure he would manage a whole film yet.

PCF - How is the potty training going? I am being so slack with it. Every time I ask him (during the day) if he wants his potty he just says no. I need to apply myself.

Rgee - Our wedding is postponed indefinently, or until we win the lottery! I love watching that Four Weddings programme which has just started on Living. Have you seen it? Its amazing what people can get on a small budget BUT these people never seem to live in the South of England!

Well, my interview went ok, haven't had a panel interview for ages so it was a bit daunting. The head woman left a message on my mobile yesterday asking for me to call her. I think it is a bit weird of someone to ask you to call, just so they can say "No thanks" so I am not looking forward to speaking to her.
Out of the 8 people that were interviewed (48 applied!) One was the temp who has been doing the job, and another was the original girl who had left but then changed her mind. (inside info!) So, I am not holding out much hope.
Also, its about £15k, and I've done rough calculations that, after full time childcare & tax, I would be taking home LESS than I am now, for doing over twice the hours and never seeing Dylan. What on earth is the point of that?!
Even taking into account the working tax credit which I might get, it would mean that I would be less than £50 better off a month. Not exactly an incentive.
It seems ridiculous doesn't it.
Anyway....I will call the woman at 9am and let you know what she says!

We have friends coming for the weekend and I have a million billion things to do today. So, yes, I am sat on here contemplating my navel.
Dylan has had a massive growth spurt and is fitting into 18-24 month trousers now! He keeps telling me that he is gowing fast, its very cute.

x

Meh - 3 phone calls later! I didn't get the job! Why on earth she couldn't have left a message to that effect I have no idea. Weird. She was very Chris Tarrant about it aswell, and did the whole, pause for dramatic effect. I have never been so pleased not to get a job before! The main woman was strange. Ho hum. x

Lizz - PMSL at the 'Chris Tarrant' thing. Sorry you didn't get the job, but it sounds like you're better off without it! BTW, I try to ring and talk personally to anyone I interview regardless of whether they have the job, so will always leave a message asking them to call me back asap. That way I can give them feedback if they request it.
Not seen the programme btw. Weddings can be soooo expensive.

Cinema sounds great Eah. I haven't considered the cinema at all. HAven't tried P on a film DVD yet either, although I do have Cars in my collection for my benefit (I cried at the end of this when watching it when P was about 2 weeks old ). SOunds like you're keeping v busy during the hols.

Lal just seen your FB status. Hope A is ok.

Wilkie with P we introduced a dreamfeed - so regardless at whatever time the early evening feed was, we always shoved a bottle in her mouth at approx 10.30pm. The first couple of days she woke up as normal, but very soon after she shifted her wake up time. Just went straight in there with an additional feed and didn't bother with stretching out the late ones.
With B we've had a dreamfeed from pretty much the start.
Hope you had a fab anniversary - did you do anything? Have a lovely time being spoilt at your parents.

RIght off to cook tea. No M&S meal this weekend .

Hi all! I have been lurking on and off, but just snatching a few mins now to say HHIIIIIIIII to everyone!

Lizz sorry about the job but did PMSL at the 'Chris Tarrant' bit! Our wedding is also postponed for the moment for the same reason. We've spent SOOO much money this/last year on the shop and that there's just nothing spare at the moment. We've also borrowed quite a bit from my parents for the refurb so I'm really not comfortable with having more from them for a wedding. Oh well, maybe by 2011?!?

Glad to hear your LOs are doing well Wilkie. We did a dream feed with F. as well, so from quite a young age (can't remember exactly when now..) he had a bottle 10:30-11pmish and then slept most of the night. We do a lot of "last chance"'s with F as well!! It seems to work quite well. He knows when I say that I mean business!!

He's developed a SCREAM in the last couple of weeks the likes of which have never been heard before! If I do something, or even suggest something, he doesn't want, he does this blood-curdling scream at TOP volume. It's horrible, not to mention really embarrassing in shops as it sounds like I'm beating him or something truly awful, rather than just denying him a 3rd packet of smarties

He's doing well on potty training though. We started properly about 10 days ago and had about a week of semi-success with quite a few potty trips but 1 or 2 accidents a day, but the last 3 days he has been completely dry so I think we may have finally cracked it. Hurray!!

Pg is going well and feeling fine apart from constantly a bit tired and over-emotional (but then I do have a tenancy to be tired and emotional anyway!!) Got scan on Tuesday and I think we're going to find out the sex. Can't wait!!

Ohhh Shimmer HELLO!!! You make sure you come back on Tues and tell us all about it

Hi Shimmer!
Good to hear from you on here again.
I feel your pain with the screaming. DJ is a nightmare for it. I am constantly receiving glares from the old witches of Eastbourne whose hearing aids he must disrupt!

Just a quickie as I'm supposed to be packing as I'm driving down to Dorrrrrrset to see my parents for the week tomorrow.

Got my Manager at work to double check our car seat as the belt was a bit twisted and I couldn't work out how to sort it.
Am truly terrified at what he said. He basically described our carseat as a deathtrap which was completely not suited to our car. He pointed out what is called "buckle crunch" where by the car seat belt buckle is not resting in the correct position, but is rubbing the car seat in a way which would basically impair any safety aspect we were to be included in a collision. He told me in no uncertain terms that I needed to get a different car seat as this one was unsafe and that he would never have recommended our car seat for our car.
(A maxi cosi Priori XP for a Nissan Almera Tino)

We got our car seat fitted by Halfords (before I worked at Mothercare) and the woman never mentioned buckle crunch and she never mentioned that the head rest should be removed to get the best possible fit.

Basically I have been driving round with an unsafe seat for the last 18 months.

I have written a stonking complaint letter to Halfords, copying in any names of directors which I could find on the web!
I am borrowing a mates Maxi Cosi Tobi which fits in a different way and is suited to our car for my trip but obviously am hoping to get a new one asap.

Just wanted to highlight (without scare mongering) that maybe your car seats aren't always as great as you may think & you may want to get them double checked.

Sorry to be a stirrer, but can you imagine what would have happend if you were in an accident and your carseat didn't do what you thought it was supposed to for your child?

Anyway. On that note, I'm off to pack. xxx

Lizz scary glad you have a replacment for your journey.

Shimmer how exciting please nip back on tuesday.

Regee how are you getting on with b and the milk ?

Wilkie im loving the fb pics of the kids.

Eah helloooo

Had a nightmare few days first aidan got diganosed with swine flu on friday, started the tamiflu yesterday but threw up this morning after it so seems to have the side effects that comes with it .

Yesterday at work a lady who I work with had a phonecall from her 13 year old dd to say her dad had collapsed. Ruth rung the ambulance from work and darted off home when she got there he had died . It is truly terrible he was 50. He had 2 kids dd age 13 and ds coming up to 9. We were only at a wedding with them about a fornight ago as one of my collegues got married.

It truly brings it home how some things just shouldnt be left on a arguement. I feel so sorry for her she is a only child lost her dad a few years ago and now her dh.

Right best go im having alot of unsetteled nights with aidan the worst thing with this swine flu is the fever it hasnt been below 39 yet .

Lizz - thanks for the tips about car seat safety. We have britax ones have always used the britax fit finder to check they are suitable for our car but I did just buy a mothercare own one for my mums car and didn't ask about that or get fitting checked by staff cos I wasn't with mum at the time.

Shimmer - hello ! Glad to hear you are ok apart from ususal pregnancy and coping with a toddler type emotions.

I've been mega busy lately and DH was off work ill all last week.

Hello to everyone else, will try to post more later xxx

bored bored bored bored will you two please stop squabbling over everything because you are really getting on my nerves

Been in tears most of the day since B shuffled upwards and head first out of his pram onto the wooden floor . I think the pram hood (which came off) may have broken his fall, but have spent the afternoon in A&E having examinations by nurse, then paed, then x-ray, then senior paed, then consultant. Horrid horrid horrid. B thankfully has been alert, smiling and cooing at everone and enjoying the attention whereas I have been in bits.

Oh reg what a horrid thing to happen. How did you get to the hospital? Glad to hear B is ok though. Do you need a glass of wine?

e&h - you glad its bed time for e&h then???

I am glad its bed time here. DH went to work early and has gone straight from there to footy, will be home about 9.30.....

Oh, a visitor by the name of ellen has just appeared in the lounge! Better get her back to bed! She has drunk a ridiculous amount today so has been on and off the toilet most of the day.

Called dh (in tears obviously) to come home - he's been lovely today. Called drs in tears for advice. Bless the dr - she told me to get a cup of tea. Made me cry more. B meanwhile was cooing at his reflection in the mirror whilst watching a huge long purple/red line appear across his forehead. Bizarrely he flipped his way over the top and landed face down with his legs furthest away from the pushchair. The line on his forehead is from the hood lining.

Don't think I'll have any wine/beer in case I need to take him back to hospital (highly unlikely as he's sleeping like a...um.. baby, after having no sleep since 9.30am) so had a Dominos comfort pizza instead.

Oh reggie huge huge hugs and hope you (and Ben obviously) are ok, think the dominos was a definate need and am sure he'll be fine glad Drs were nice to you

Vino - yes am glad they have gone to bed its so hot and muggy here plus I bravely took them swimming on my own this morning and we ended up in the pools for 1hr 40minutes so H has been so so tired this afternoon I gave up at 5.30 and let her go to bed. Had an issue last night as went out for dinner with a friend when I left H was alseep and E in bed looking at books, got back at 10pm they were all awake as E had thrown a huge paddy at 9pm when dh had told her to go to sleep for the hundreth time, the strop woke Hattie up who then thought she had been for a nap and was not going to bed so both needed early nights today Hope E wnet back to bed ok

I have been listing and listing on ebay as friend asked me to list a few bits but ended being tummy tub/liitlelife arc baby tent thing/car seat/ 3 x grobags/shoes/bouncer/ baba sling plus I listed a load of bits that I am selling to so will be a busy weekend packing things (2 of friends things sold on BIN )

Thanks for the hand holding folks . Can't believe in the space of a month, both kids have been in the wars. With P I went to full on common sense mode but today I just fell apart. Wonder if that's because B is just so little?
Off to bed shortly.

my bits

ooops wrong thread!

Reggiee - Oh no you poor poor thing and poor little B. What a nightmare. Defo the tinyness thing that is the issue. I would be really upset too. Big hugs.

EAH - I have a Babasling to put on. Never been used - it's just not very me - I felt like an Earth Mother type wearing it [grin

Vino - has she settled now? Hope so - your post was 2 hours ago

PCF - thank you but if you haven't already posted it then don't worry. I have switched to Avent bottles - reason below. Sorry if you have already done it - Ijust havent been online today to post.

Well, L is doing my head in with feeding! He is soooooo faffy, he cries every 2hours and chews his fist as though I haven't fed him for 12 hours and then takes.....1-2oz . My friend thought maybe the TT bottles weren't suiting him so I bought some Avent ones which I used for J. He does seem to prefer them but is still faffing. So I made him go 3 hours between feeds today - such fun, yowling 7 week old - and sure enough, he takes 4oz. I hope he doesn't take too long to settle into this new routine as my head hurts from all the noise. Plus he won't take a dummy - I have three different kinds in my house for him and he refuses them all. GAAAAAAAHHHHHHH.

DH having the snip! Bit scary as it is so final but I defo defo defo don't want anymore. I have done my bit for the population

Wilkie - yes E did settle quite quickly last night. She had been to look for me in the kitchen before coming to the lounge! That amused me. Once she had her doll in bed with her she was ok.

DH then rang to say he was just leaving work for footy but had got a flat tyre so wasn't going to make footy. A nail was in the tyre so he has gone to work on the train today as the spare is only one of those space saving things - ok for me to drive short way to work and we'll get it repaired/replaced tomorrow.

I am really really excited cos me and dh are going to india in nov for a friends wedding! E&S going to pils for the weeks.

rgee - glad b seemed ok last nigth x

e&h - hope girls slept better last night

btw - lizz did i ever tell you I did post a tip about taking a pottette out and about. And da da da ...... I won a prize! I won a set of able label essentials. I hadn't heard anything back so chased it up this week and its all sorted. I'm getting the name type stuff to just say hobson so i can use for both, but they are kindly splitting the personal stationery(!) to give me half for e and half for s.

I might be entering more tips......

Hmmm I wonder if my tip of using gaffer tape over a toddler's mouth to prevent tantrum noise would win any prizes???

Hi all. Vino - good tip! We used the potette we carry around in the car just yesterday when F was suddenly desperate in the middle of a retail park (with NO loos anywhere)in Crawley!

RGee - so sorry to hear about your trauma with B! How horrible for you. Hope all well in the RGee household now. Rather jealous of your dominos though. We have NO pizza delivery around here and i miss it

So my scan on Tuesday went well. Limbs and organs all present and accounted for, which is a relief. BUT they couldn't tell me the sex! I kind of begged the lady doing the scan to try again in a rather embarrassing way, but after about 20 minutes of trying she gave up trying to get it to open its legs and said it would just have to be a surprise! So I was disappointed at the time, but am okay with it now and think it will actually be quite nice to just wait and see now. DP suggested we could go private for another scan, but i'm not too bothered any more.

Did we make a date at some point for a SE meet-up? When was it? Don't tell me I missed it!

Afternoon - woo hoo almost everything sold on ebay so around £120 when everyone pays that will cover almost the cost of Ellie's party

PCF - happy bday to Alex (bit late) sounds liek you had a nice day. Yes all uniform bought (probably have miles too much as got 2 pinafores/2 skirts/6 polo shirts (come in packs of 3) 1 logo cardi/1 plain cardi, 4 summer dresses (they were free from friend!) plus got shoes/plimsolls and bookbag. Her PE Kit is excessive though as needed grey trackie bottoms, black cycling shorts, white tshirt, leotard (Ellie will not master getting that on correctly ) plus next year she'll need swimming stuff (they have indoor heated pool at the school ) also got her school coat (well PIL paid and my mum and dad helped with unifrom) so all I have left to get is her school winter/summer hats and a painting apronn.

Shimmer - glad scan went well although shame you didnt find out (I can recommend a few private clinics in Kent if you wanted the numbers)

Rgee - how are you and Ben now?

Wilkie - hows L getting on saw your fb status

The girls are driving me mad again today but H got up at 4.15am and took till 5 to go back to sleep then I couldnt get back to sleep so been up since then plus had them most of the day on my own. Have sorted all the bits left to take to boot fair next week (not expecting to make a fortune but just want to clear some space)