One small step for Baby, one large step (or mad dash to prevent disaster) for Mumkind

[ninja]

Hi, Welcome to the new thread, the one where we can't drink a cup of tea in peace (there you go, we could have used that for a title!!)

I was in bodyshop yesterday and M trashed the place. Luckily the sales assistant thought she was sweet as she pulled things off displays and legged it out the shop with jars of body butter (several times)!!, cue me legging it after her with a handful of makeup . Luckily there were no store detectives aroud. She also tried to wear every shoe within her reach at the shoe shop.

Presents wrapped, house fairly presentable, tree decorated, checked turkey fits in roasting pan (it does. Just!).

Time for bed - all the cooking can happen tomorrow.

Merry Christmas one and all. xx

Happy Christmas everyone

I should be sorting out the parcels or going to bed, but just popped on here briefly. Have done stockings now - dd1 arrived downstairs at 9.45 telling me she kept waking to check the tights hanging at the end of her bed, and he hadn't been yet. Hope she won't find it too early.

I wanted to say thank you to anyone involved with Secret Santa - like Meglet, I received a parcel, and it was a lovely surprise.

I also wanted to say a huge thank you to anyone involved with Starlight / Foxy's surprise - I am so touched by your kindness and generosity, and you have helped make a strange Christmas very special, and brought more than a few tears to my eyes.

Although we're in a refuge the atmosphere here is a million times better than last year at home - it's like an extra family, as the people here at the moment are lovely.

notcitrus, thanks for your kind offer - we were in Croydon, but currently in south Hampshire.

Anyway - I hope everyone has a special Christmas xx

I've had a special Christmas too. The first one dd1 has thoroughly had as a child who gets and is a part of the hype.

She has been very good natured and excited these few days (with mummy about to spoil it by sharing bragging on MN.)

DD2 is playing with her toys and dd1's toys. Their grandad is over and the cooking was good. [preen] DH is already looking forward to leek and turkey pie and doesn't realise that there is Thai (turkey) curry also in the makings of those left overs.

The best part of it for me so far is grabbing an hour's nap from half ten! Bliss as only a mum of two small children can appreciate.

How often can you go sledging on Christmas day?

Well we managed to get through Christmas day without too many arguments.

Funniest moment had to be when M found a dolls house chair and kept placing it on the floor and .... trying to sit on it. Backing herself up and looking surprised when it fell over!!

DD1 was brilliant, opening one pressy at a time and playing with it - she still has loads left to open.

Sledging was fab!!

Happy Christmas

we have had manic week. Our PC has broke so we are having to beg DD1 to have a go on her laptop. I have managed to lose 3 presents, the dog and cats stockings and annoyingly DD1's new phone. Have no idea what I have done with them but think maybe DP has tidied them away and they are now at the local landfill. He is really good at thst which is why he needds a job so he can get out of our hair. I can claim on its insurance but am peeved as it hadn't even been used.

on the bright side Robyn really enjoyed herself yestrerday. It took her ages to open her presents gbut she enjoyed playing with them. Next year will be fun when she understands a bit more.
She also loved Shrek The Halls and has fallen in love with donkey.

How many steps does it take to be officially walking? Robyn managed 20 on cHRISTMAS eVE.

Anyone elses IL'S given the DC's their weight in chocolate? Robyn got 4 selection boxes, sahe doesn't even eat chocolate, except a little bit off mine. It will last her all year.

debs I think 20 steps definately counts as walking .

DD has been teething all xmas, her third molar is coming through and don't we all know it . Her poo is very runny and smelly too. She's been banished for a power nap this morning as she woke up at 6:30. In comparison DS has been lovely all Xmas, although he has complained about being bored a few times .

XP sent the DC's a card each and some money, although he hasn't phoned. I'm not sure where we go from here. He hasn't seen them since the start of July and it will be a long time before a space is available at a contact centre, I applied in October! I might see if he wants to meet us at the park. DD doesn't even know him as he paid bugger all attention to her when he lived here. Not sure what to do for the best, if we meet in the park I don't think he'll kick off, but you never know .

The sky has gone very dark here, I hope it's not going to snow again!

Hi guys, I hope you ve all had the best christmas, made extra special with the little ones.
Debs i would agree that he is a walker now. But dont be surprised if he still prefers to crawl, bum shuffle or cruise for a bit. One day E would walk the other he would crawl. He now walks unless he is very tired.
Meg I am glad ur xp sent cards and money for your dc. Have you got a friend that would be able to go with you if you arrange to meet up? Dont put yourself or your dc in a position that you are alone together no matter how public the place may seem.
Oh no e woke up, got to go!

Just popping on to say Happy Christmas!!!!

Hope you all had lovely days. T has been marvellous during the days, cooing and chattering away and staying calm under pressure, but has been a complete nightmare at night, not really sleeping at all. Price you pay for having action packed days I guess . Hopefully he'll calm down when we're back home tomorrow.

Oh there you all are

Happy Christmas!

btw, - I know what you were all doing 2 years ago!

hello starlight. I was wondering how you were getting on in the snow over there, bet they're more geared up for it than we are!

Did you have a nice Xmas?

mama My sister talked me out of contacting xp in the end. She reminded me that he has to learn his lesson and see the dc's at a contact centre, she's quite right, but I worry about DS not seeing his dad for months.

starlight IIRC I got my bfp on the 30th dec, day before new years eve .

Hi Meglet
How old is your ds? Does he ask about his dad?
Dd1 is 4 next month. She has seen ex once since we left over 4.5 months ago. She will barely talk on phone to him, if I pursuade her, she will say hello, goodbye, i love you, then hand phone back to me.

But she does want to see him, which is hard. She said the other day she misses our old house because she saw him more there. She wants him to cuddle her and give her a piggy back. We couldn't go to London for the scan on Wednesday as the weather meant the trains weren't running all the way, and she was disappointed not to see him.

Much easier with dd2, as she was a bit like a pet he occasionally took notice of.

Ideally I'd like dd1 to be able to see her dad, but he was the one that forced us into this position, doesn't make it easier for dd1 to understand though

splish No, DS doesn't ask about his dad . He hasn't seen or spoke to him in months now. He does have a photo of him in his room and I always tell him mummy, daddy & dd love him at bedtime, but he's never asked after him. Xp always used to do DS's baths, but that was it. It was always me getting up in the night and in the mornings so he never had a 'fun' daddy that wanted to do stuff with him, getting Xp to agree to a day out was like getting blood out of a stone. I have no idea what the future will be for them and the relationship with their dad, he's paid maintenance this month so I wonder if he's going to start asking to see them soon. No problem with him doing it at a contact centre, but even so I would rather like him to have started counselling as he needs to calm down.

And, yes, DD was like a little pet XP just picked up a few times then passed back to me, I think he did one of her nappies in the 4 months we were all under the same roof .

ah well, its a new decade soon. New year, new plans, fresh start etc . Worse things happen at sea as the saying goes. Although I do wonder whether to start saving up for the dc's therapy sessions now so I have plenty of cash for it when they're teenagers .

My dd's dad can provide it!

Their dad never did any of the responsible stuff, but did fun stuff when the whim took him, so she does have positive memories of him - though also remembers the arguments, and the police coming 1 time. (she was 2.9 at the time) - she asks if i like daddy apart from the arguments. I say he loves her, i love her, but we just can't get along and not right for her to have to live with the arguments. But will do best to find way for her to see him with no arguments.
When they did meet he didn't help by saying things like "you'll be home soon" etc - can quite well imagine him being 1 of those people who'd say i'd love to be with you all but mummy doesn't want that.

Well, here's to 2010 - may we both have less trouble from the exs

Hope you've all had good Christmasses. Christmasi?

splish and meglet I do hope 2010 provides some karmic payback for you both. You really deserve a much more settled year.

Well Christmas Eve for me was really quite stressful. Went round my dads for dinner. DS had loads of fun playing with my youngest brother (5) but then remembered he was teething and went into meltdown about 30mins after he should have been in bed. He's persisted with punching his own head as his main way of getting my attention when he's upset or overwhelmed. Everyone reacted completely OTT about it and have now made me paranoid that I should be more concerned about his self-harming.

Anyway, finally got back home and finished handstitching the stockings at 2am so Christmas Day was perfect!

Decided am not going out on Christmas Eve next year as it's too stressful trying to get my own Christmas Day organised when I'm trying to minimise DS' moodswings at someone else's house.

Does anyone else's dc bash their head on the floor on purpose when they're annoyed/upset? I'm seriously thinking about booking a HV appointment about it.

Hi there
dig I had a friend whose son used to headbutt the wall or floor when he was upset, frustrated or tired. It was really scary and upsetting for her. However, she was told just to ignore it as then he did not get the attention he wanted (Easily said then done as he ofen got bruised!).
However, once he started talking this behaviour went away. I think he was a very bright lad from early and this frustrated him.

Just quickly checking in. Am meant to be printing off flight details as off to Scotland today for a week.

Hope you all had a good Christmas and have a good New Year too (not that New Year is as exciting with small kids- or at least not in this family)

Hello all

I too hope 2010 is a calmer and more settled year for Splish and Meglet. I think we are all great mum's doing our very best, but I have huge admiration for those who are parenting alone.

M's ear infections are on the way out so now he is back to his chirpy self. Christmas Day was hardwork as he was still having meltdowns, but it all seemed to settle on Boxing Day and we have all had a full nights sleep - hurrah!

ninja - I am very about the sledging on Christmas Day. How fantastic. It really will be a Christmas to remember.

I think I got my bfp on the 30th Dec as well. M was conceived on my birthday

I think we need a new thread and title for the new year/decade.

Get your thinking caps on ladies ...........

Finally found the time for a proper catch up!

Splish and Meglet I am sure that 2010 will hold new and exciting (and good!) things for you both - you definitely deserve it for holding up so incredibly gracefully while I loudly disintegrated on a regular basis with one baby

Have been making PLANS for 2010, including (finally) becoming totally debt free for the first time since starting uni - DP was enormously debt ridden when i met him, which didn't help, but I think we may actually be debt free by about April or May this year (earlier if I have anything to do with it). Also lots to do on becoming more self sufficient and making some money. Am feeling very positive!

T still has not the least interest in walking. Am wondering whether I ought to see HV, but he seems to be merrily developing, just very slowly! He has recently started putting one foot in font of himself when he's pulling up on his knees, so I think he's getting there. He's 15 and a bit months.

I got my BFP on New Year's Eve, would have been nice to get one again, but (a) period not due until about 4th Jan and (b) have not achieved more than the bare minimum of SWI (that's Shagging With Intent, for those of you who didn't read back to Ponymum rechristening the outrageously awful babydancing)

LOL hopefully I regularly disintergrate with my two . Well done for being almost debt free!

ILTMIMI I think the new thread needs to have something about 'babyzillas' in the title. I can safely say I have one of those in the house these days.

Definitely babyzillas!

My babyzilla has taken to having 4am tantrums with so much thrashing about I can't carry him downstairs. Seems to be getting soggy even with 4+ nappy in a wrap, and then claims to be starving. And starving again at 7am. Bah.

Just as well he's having lots of endearing moments too. Can't wait until he learns a bit of basic communication though...

Good luck with the debt hopefully! My plan is to have our loft bedrooms useable in the next few months so A can have his own room.
And organising a convention for August. Which should be somewhat easier given that yet another preg test was negative on Christmas Eve. On the other hand, 2 years ago I was saying on NYE to SIL2, "You've got to give birth in 2008 and I don't, I've just had a neg test, ner ner ner!" Turned out to be about 6 weeks... Must make sure the SWI happens among all the DIY carpentry!

hopefully and notcitrus: Good to hear there is some SWI going on!

We had a nice Christmas (apart from me having to lie down all the time due to preggy tiredness). DH cooked a BBQ knee deep in the snow. DD and I watched from inside and had a good laugh.

DD is now walking!! She just started in the last week after nearly doing it for ages. She has also managed to push a footstool over to the dining table, climb on that, then on to a chair, then... yes, you get the picture! Now the previously "safe place" for putting non-play things (laptops, wine glasses, DH's parliamentary papers) is no more! Child-proofing is like an ever-rising tide in this house!!