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.

YAY hopefully great news, congratulations. Did you wait till DP's birthday to do the test on purpose?

DS1 and I have got a snow day DH has attempted to take ds2 to childminder as we figured that as we'd have to get to her to pay her and me and ds1 can play better in the snow without him he might as well go.
And I think ds1 and 2 could do with a day apart from each other, they've been winding each other up more and more over past 2 weeks (don't read that bit Hopefully!)

Yay, hopefully!! Well that's a nice birthday present for your DP! And yes, I second the starlight request. I also desperately need to hear how brilliant it is to have two LOs. And a bit of a pep talk from carrie wouldn't hurt either. I'm sure I remember her saying that having two LOs close together was "the best thing she ever did" or some such. At the moment I'm struggling with a foetus and a toddler*, let alone throwing a tiny baby and a wheelchair into the mix.

For those of you with snow for the first time, we have had three weeks of it now and it just won't stop. Our little vale seems to be a magnet for the stuff, and to get home we have a 3 mile single track lane which has never been gritted. So now that the entire country is covered in the white stuff, what does DH decide to do today? Get up at 5am so he can catch a train to London for the day. He assures me he'll be back tonight, but as it was when I spoke to him on the train he said had to take a crazy long route to the station as the usual roads are already not passable. I have given him suitable threats about his fate should he not make it back tonight!

• Did you notice how I said "toddler" there? I am now proudly using this term whenever I get the opportunity. Not a baby any more, a toddler!

debs can your dh do bedtimes, if only to relieve you from the tedium? If ds is overtired he takes ages, if he's not quite tired enough he takes ages, if he's teething and really grouchy he takes ages. Other than that bedtime routine averages 45mins for us, as no longer feeding to sleep - give milk in cup as part of his routine.

Good luck persuading DP to stay home hopefully, was DH's birthday yesterday and he came home for lunch, which was nice.

Ok, DS' tantrums are getting worse. I know it's connected to teething but that didn't stop me from having a mild panic attack yesterday. He had been in a strop since about 10am yesterday when we were walking to a playgroup. He was happy till about halfway, then i forced him into the buggy so we could go up a steep hill. 5 mins later we were there and he was not interested in the playgroup at all. Thought he just needed to get used to it as it's been over 3 weeks since we last went. No, just an hour long strop interspersed with 5mins of distraction with a toy. I know I should have left earlier but I needed a change of scene after being in the house for 4 days solid. Anyway, left after an hour. He cried himself to sleep in the buggy then about 45 mins later woke up just before we got home STILL in a bad mood. Got him home and out of his coat and shoes by which point he was apoplectic, and cuddles were doing nothing to help. Left him on the floor to go to the loo and warm up some milk in case he'd woken up cold. He walked into the ktchen and tried slamming his head against the corner of the kitchen table (glass and metal). Picked him up, tried calming him down with music. No effect, still crying and squirming. Got some nurofen and syringes that into his mouth. He swallowed but continued to cry. At this point I started to think it was something more serious. Took his trousers off to see if I'd bruised him by holding him down in the buggy whilst doing the straps up, but there was nothing. Took him upstairs to see if a dark room would calm him down. Still enraged. Decided to check his entire body. No marks, swellings or rash, no temperature either. By this point he started to get tired again and I think me stroking his back and tummy while changing his nappy helped to calm him down. About ten minutes later he fell asleep on my shoulder.

Sorry, bit overly detailed for a post about a crying spell. But I was genuinely worried. I kept thinking, if it's not physical it might be mental... And also I was running out of calm and worried about how to give myself a break from it. I couldn't put him down in that state because of his tendency to self harm, so I had to hold him the entire time which made it difficult for me to think straight with him hollering in my ear.

I know all babies do this. But I do sometimes feel like DS is very challenging. Lately he's lost that independence that meant I could get things done around the house. He only plays happily for an hour in the morning after breakfast and then for about half an hour after lunch. The rest of the time is spent trying to distract him from his constant whinging. I imagine supernanny would have a few words for me, but I can't bring myself to discipline/ignore ds when he's being like this as I'm so sure it's the teething that's irritating him.

The only thing keeping me positive about ttc is that the second one is bound to be easier than ds.

Oops x-posted on hopefully's fantastic news! Yay for you - so lucky!

It is way too treacherous to drive down my country lane which includes a very steep bank near my home that some residents were out shoveling last night because the county is no longer gritting all routes - just main routes. This morning on our walk a farmer drove past on a tractor with a plough on the front.

With a 4yo and a 1yo to drop off for school and nursery, I am not risking venturing out and not getting back home safely.

I met a deputy head of a primary school who lives locally while heading out to check the road conditions nearby - the most treacherous bit - and he said don't risk it. His school is shut too.

School will be closing at 12.30 today anyway.

Time to build snowmen and pull sledges.

or maybe read your posts to find out hopefully's good news.

congratulations on the BFP Hopefully. Enjoy dh's birthday and hoping you have a great pgcy.

Digi - I have no experience on that sort of thing but I think holding ds while he tantrums sounds like what I would want to do.

Please don't stress out with what other people may be thinking when it happens in public. they don't pay your bills and certainly don't walk in your shoes.

does he have a cuddly blanket or other comfort object? a dummy? etc. I may be talking out my own arse here but I wonder if this sort of object would help. If so, I don't think it is too late to introduce one.

Congrats Hopefully! No joy yet here. Idly wondering if I ought to take the rest of my stock of metformin and Provera, but given the Provera used to make me desperate to leap on any man in sight, I think not...

A is a full-fledged toddler now and is refusing to nap for more than 10 minutes, and screaming for hours in the night. He was still asleep at 8 the last 2 days when I got him up for nursery - so of course this morning he woke up at 6.30... He goes to sleep just fine at night after waving goodnight to his toothbrush, shame about all the waking now.

Back to work tomorrow. Tried going sales shopping on MOnday thinking the Croydon malls would be warm - but electric faults meant all doors were wide open and all shops were about 1 degree so too cold to try anything on. So now have large bag of clothes needing returning. Gah.

Yayyyyyy for hopefully Having two is wonderful especially when they start to play together.
No SWI here till the ribs are fixed lol
DS2 is a baby still, I am closing the ears to the "t" word. I think you encourage your first to grow up fast but you want your second to be a baby longer!
digi I would do everything you done in that situation so dont worry your not missing anything- Except a big hug from a friend who understands. I am sending one virtually now xxxxxxx
Ive just put him down for a nap. It was a bit chilly to put him outside in his big silvercross like usual. so I have carried his buggy up to his room. I strapped him in and he knew instantly. The lengths I go to is ridiculous!!!
I am desperate to go the sales tonotcitrus

Great news hopefully do you have a due date yet?

Digi No DP does not do bedtimes. He says what is the point when she will only go to sleep on the boob. Even when I showed him the baby whisperer where the mum was fedding to sleep and baby was same age as Robyn, and dad managed to get her to sleep he still will not help. I told him if we only ever get her to sleep using th boob then she will never learn to go to sleep any other way. She drops off on a walk or in the car but not at home.
Can't complain too much as he sorts DS out in the evenings and often gets into bed with him at 5 in the morning when he is stressing out.

God I hate this laptop it will not let me speel words properly

That last post is a classic Debs - it really made me giggle!

I don't know what to suggest Digi, except I too would have done the same as you. I'm thinking maybe a dummy might help. If it's his teeth, chewing on it may soothe his gums, if it's not his teeth it may comfort him anyway - take his attention away from throwing himself about maybe?

Also, have you had his ears checked?

Cream cheese and grated carrot sandwiches were a real hit here today.

Congratulations!!!!
Having two small people is the best thing I've ever done, totally worth it. Ignore anyone who tells you 'you've got your work cut out' etc. I found being pg with my second the hardest part of having two kids, its brilliant, you'll love it. What a wonderful new year gift! Does that mean you will have another september baby?
Ooooh babies! well done!

ha ha I just read ponymum's post where she predicted what I'd say!

DG is it possible that your ds is getting overtired? After his nice hour's play after breakfast, does/would he go for a nap? My ds still goes for a nap at 9am (about 2 hours after he got up). The waking after 45mins sounds like he came into a light sleep after a sleep cycle, but because he was in a buggy and saw you he woke up fully, but perhaps hadn't had enough sleep? Just a thought, but if meltdowns are happening at the same time (ish) each day, could you put him down for a nap a bit earlier, before he looks tired IYSWIM? Sorry if that doesn't help.

debs was it you who drove Leeds-Hull? We're planning to do York-Hull tomorrow, and thinking of going on the train. I have no concept of how much snow there is other than what's between our house and Asda, which is only a couple of inches and the main roads are clear enough.

Due date is 13th Sept, but will be CS, so a bit earlier I guess (will be campaigning for 39 weeks due to fewer breathing probs - need to do my research as apparently they like to whip them out at 38 weeks round here, which would be 4 weeks less than T!). Am really looking forward to it (assuming all goes well - fingers crossed), am sure that, once again, I will fail spectacularly as blissful-newborn-mother, but once that bit's over I should be fine! Have abandoned all hopes of sleeping ever again .

DP and I are never going near each other after this one though - we have SWI for two months ever, and I have fallen pregnant both times (have decided DP has super-sperm, as dates meant it should have been near-impossible to conceive!).

Oh, and T still naps about 2 hours after getting up (occasionally as much as 3 hours, but very rarely more than that), so I would also vote for possibly tired DG. Although if you're sure it's teething I would say you've got to cling onto 'it's a phase' and struggle through, and perhaps think about addressing it if it hasn't improved in a week or two.

Ha ha, carriebo! We know you so well we can now write your posts for you.

hopefully That was my due date for DD. She was also c-s though they leave it late around here so it was 9 Sept.

Now laydeez, get me! Have you seen this? Superstar baking man has chosen my recipe for the bake along this Friday!! Those blimmin' carrot and apple muffins will haunt me to my grave!

Congrats Hopefully! Well done you and dp x

Not caught up yet, only got as far as Hopefully and her bfp!

Yay!

Tis scary and exciting no doubt, but I promise you having 2 is fab, and don't worry about T having 2 doesn't mean he gets half your love, it means you have double the love to give, and he gets a sibling to keep him occupied after a year or so, freeing you up without guilt!

Sorry I cant remember, Anyone on here with 3 dc?? Or does extra stuff like facebook and mumsnet not feature then??
Hey well done on your muffins pony, I am a tad envious cause " I am de mamamuffin around here" lol x

Yes I'm sure he's tired as well. Yesterday's episode was the peak of his grumpiness. Usually he can sleep for up to two hours in the buggy, two and a half if we're napping together in bed. Which is why I thought the pain from teething (or something else) woke him up earlier than usual.

He won't nap early with me, takes me ages to get him to nap if I try earlier than 10:30am. But he'll happily fall asleep in my mums arms at 8:30/9am when she's over.

I think I'm going to experiment with not having the tv on at all tomorrow. I'm sure it's not good for him, it just allows me to get the washing up done and his lunch/dinner prepared. And it will force me out of the house. The tantrums seemed to get worse this last week when we've not been out much, as people have been coming to visit us. I would usually go out twice a day in order to get him to have two naps. I also wonder if rubbish plastic light up crap that I've allowed him to play with has turned him into this button pressing fiend. It's the one thing that calms him down, playing with the microwave/oven/stereo. I've resorted to feeding him while holding him upto appliance in order to distract him enough when he's in one of these moods. Rods for backs etc.

I think of all the things I've been relaxed about and wonder what sort of rubbish lazy parent I've turned into. Endless biscuit bribery, telly and stereo on at the same time, loud blinking plastic shite, spoon feeding anywhere but the table, scribbling on walls/floor/furniture. And something I never see other mothers doing with their similar age toddlers - having to pick him up all the bloody time.

ILTMIMI why did you suggest getting his ears checked? Is that in case he's got ear ache?

foxy have tried reintroducing 'teddy' from past bedtime routine but if he's in a mood he just chucks him to the floor in disgust. Have found a short wooden pole from tasteful wooden rings toy, which he chewed on for a bit today. May try that again tomorrow.

Anyway, am supposed to be working next week so am sure he will put on his best behaviour for his grandma.

Oooh ponymum check you out! Well done! Suddenly all the mince pies I made over christmas don't seem that impressive! They did have edible glitter on them though ;)

congrats hopefully that's fab. Don't be leaving us and amusing an antenatal thread tho' will you ...

Congrats hopefully . Just accept the first year will be mayhem, with lots of cbeebies and snacks, then it should get easier when your youngest can play on their own and your DS will be more independent and helpful.

My two, ahem, charmed me yesterday when they had a bath together. I was in and out of the bathroom having a general upstairs tidy and caught DS drinking bathwater from a beaker and dribbling it out on DD's head and excitedly said "I am washing 'DDs' hair!" Eeeew. Me "Oh. My. God" Cue a telling off and rapid washing of both of them before it got even sillier. And DD keeps grabbing her big brothers willy, so he (naturally) keeps running off screaming. It's great here, I have everything under control .

DS's potty training is going well, only one accident today, and that was when he got a bit excited at watching me clearing snow in the garden. Another day at home for them tomorrow so a good chance to keep at it. This is the first week I haven't had to get him any nappies in the weekly shop, he has loads of them stored away for night times and naps, but they will last for ages.

Well done on the potty training Meglet! Sounds like it's going well, along with your usual calm and collected daily life

No danger of me abandoning you all! Have put my head round the door of the Sept '10 ante natal thread, but am so paranoid about it going wrong (mainly due to complete lack of symptoms) that I'm reluctant to make myself too at home there.

Had a big weep at DP last night because he didn't appear suitably interested in my debate about prams . Nice to see the insane hormones have already kicked in. Was having an intensely important discussion about whether to get a second pram, which one to get, whether to get a stretchy wrap sling as well as my woven one. As you can tell, exactly the kind of thing that it's crucial to decide at four weeks pregnant. I can reassure you all that I haven't got any less anally organised since having T...

Sorry hopefully and meglet but I laughed at both your posts!

I found having 2 wasn't as hard as I thought it would be. DS1 was 2.4 when ds2 was born and I think that extra few months may have made a big difference as his communication was very good then. DS2 won't be the same, he's not saying anywhere near as much as ds1 was at the same age.
Actually now is possibly harder than the newborn stage as they like to copy each other when 1 has a tantrum and the other 1 just bursts into tears for no reason! And the toy snatching followed by screaming and hittig is hard work.
BUT they have their lovely moments too. When dh and I were trying to pack the other day ds1 sat with ds2 and read him a magazine, telling him who all the characters were and praising him every time he said what anything was. It was very sweet.

Another day off for me today because of the snow and ice