June 2008: New Year, new thread, new names, new words, new goals, but no resolutions!

[abdnhikinginawinterwonderland]

New thread since the last one's at 997 posts...

ktpie that is a horrible poo story. I'm really lucky than none of mine have ever done the 'poo painting' and I hope J follows that trend.

PP sorry to hear about the meds problem. Fingers crossed that it will be better soon.

J is off his food too but I think he is teething. I can see two top molars poking out of the side of his gums.

Amber J (otherwise known in this house as 'shortstuff' due to the lack of length in his legs) was wearing 18-24 months trousers yesterday. They were ds1's old ones though and have probably shrunk alot through various tumble washes. Either that or boys were expected to have much shorter legs 8 years ago.

sybil, weirdly everyone says Luke is tall for his age but only 12-18 months are the correct length but even they have to be adjusted massively to fit his waist. The 18-24 months ones would never adjust enough to make them small enough!

PP - just read about your meds you poor thing. It probably will take time to get used to new ones I guess. I hope you can find a way to get off them. you have been sounding so happy recently.

Neenz - read that thread - wow people on MN can be so mean. Even if you don't agree with what someone has said there's no reason for name calling.

Oh ktpie - what a nightmare!! Luke does like to pull off his nappy but thankfully I have always been there to stick it back on again.

Actually funny story about the things they are doing now but I put Luke down for a nap recently and thought that he had gone down way too willingly. He asked for big bear and doggie his teddies. I left him to it but on the monitor kept hearing straining noises so I went up to have a look. When I put my head round the door he had removed his sleeping bag, stacked up his toys in the corner and scrunched up the sleeping bag and was using them to gain height to escape from the cot - the monkey! He has also started only pooing in private now. He goes into the laundry room or one of the bedrooms and closes the door so we can't get in and then poos (he can now operate a door handle).

How old are kids when they can control their wees/poos?

Was going to ask about clothes - Alex still seems a long way away from fitting into his 18mths-2yr clothes and I'm soooo bored of his wardrobe!

Oh, and my friend who just found out she's pg on her 7th IVF? She's having twins !

Amber, you can potty train from now if you think Luke is ready - but if I were you I'd wait until after you've done your IVF cycle.

Around this age I think Amber. He obviously knows when he needs to poo and can recognise it so that is hal fthe battle re toilet training. He is very bright/quick so he will probably toilet train quite early. My friend's DD was trained by the time she was 2. My sis's DD piled all her teddies up one day and used them to climb out of the cot!

My friend's wife had her baby this morning - three weeks overdue! Not sure whether she went into labour naturally but she did 10 hrs with no pain relief then needed a section - he was 10lb 11oz . My friend didn;t actually text me himself which I was quite upset about but when I text him to say congratualations I said our friend had told me and he said 'didn't you get the text?' and then a minute later sent one saying 'sorry chuck, just looked at the list - you weren't on it but it was an honest ommision, you probably weren't the only one.' I am sure he is being genuine so I don't think he hates me!

ktpie, so sorry about the poo! That is not good - hope he doesn't do it again.

Poppy, if you don't mind that she has bottles and doesn't feed herself then just carry on, she will grow out of it eventually. But if you want to stop it then cold turkey is the only way I think - kids pick things up so quick at nursery cos they are left to do it themselves, it really works! It's hard though.

Lol but omg ktpie - that is not funny. E was sick over herself and then went back to sleep last night- a real treat when I went into check on her. And I wish it was a normal cup- she pisses about with it or a normal cup(yes tedi she flings too). So am just going for straw only in day then phasing out at beginnig and end of day later.

Amber. Any time from
now on - think there is loads under toddlers on potty training but being aware like luke is is first sign.

Right back to my health kick meal in preparation for advice on better diet am likely to get on weds - cherry pie and red wine (it's fruit isn't it?)

Ooh Poppy, does your LO still have bottles? So does Luke - he really enjoys his bottle - one in the morning, one at lunch and one at night. I have no desire to stop him either!

Neenz - 10 lb 11oz! huge! No wonder she needed a c section. Glad eerything has sorted itself out with your friend too.

Oh I have no intention of potty training luke yet - I'm waiting until he is at least two. I just wondered as i know I have read somewhere that they can't actually control their bladder until they are two - maybe that's bollox I don't know.

Amber DS1 toilet trained at 27 months but i think he was deciding when to poo from far earlier than that.

I had a really good meeting with a consulting firm in town today and it might turn into an ad-hoc work opportunity - fingers crossed. for starters at least, DH will take time off to spend with the boys. He's worked so much lately (less than 2 weeks of holidays last year) that he really wants to try switching roles a bit. Fingers crossed....

Thanks for all the kitchen advice on facebook! ktpie - are you not on there or have I just forgotten your name?

anyways, having a celebratory glass of wine with DH now

xposted with a bzillion people - sorry! I should have refreshed the page before I wrote it. off to bed now though... i'll try to write more later tomorrow...

just reread my first post - kitchen should read bathroom. And that was before the wine.

No poo incidences today to be honest I think I got off fairly lightly as it was fairly solid (sorry if TMI) and was fairly contained within the cot and easy to clean up. J has a fascination with stripping off when he is in his cot, I'd just said the other day "At least he hasn't taken his nappy off yet", famous last blooming words!

Weirdly though J hasn't been sick (as in vomited) since he started on solids, is he a freak child? I'm starting to worry about how he will react when he eventually is sick.

Tedi - we've all had colds and J has been off his food a bit, can't blame him really as the cold was making me queasy too.

Amber - I've been putting J in some 18 - 24 month trousers he got for Christmas and they are massive on him, he has to have them turned up. He's also wearing some 18 - 24 month tops and looks a bit drowned in them, but I am fed up of his old wardrobe so am insisting on the change, poor kid!
about Luke trying to climb out of his cot.
Did anyone have one of those monitors with a video camera on it? I am starting to think one would be pretty useful now to keep tabs on what they are up to when they are meant to be napping but you don't want to go in and cause major disturbance.

Sponge - lovely news about your friend expecting the twins.

Neenz - glad to hear the baby came eventually at the size.

Abdn - good news about the consultancy. I am on FB, my surname is a type of transport with an extra S. Not looked on there today.

Yes, no surprises here in that P has been in 18-24 months clothes since the autumn. Still long in the legs, but some things are now tight round the belly!

AH: sounds hopeful about the contracting. Fingers crossed.

Watching "Glee" so better dash.

Hi everyone. Bit here. My granny had a heart attack a couple of weeks back and late last night had last rites. She's still hanging in their but the prognosis is not so good. Took S to see her in hospital today for what might be the last time. We're not especially close but still sad. Especially for my dad.

On drinks, I stopped S's bottle cold turkey the day after he turned 1 when I stopped formula. He was never brilliant at cups up till then but he he now drinks out of loads of different styles regularly and with ease. I like the one that doesn't have any spout at all, I think it's the 360 one. The best in non spill ime. It did take him a while to work that one out though.

Clothes - glad it's not just me forcing him into too-big clothes because I'm fed up of the 12-18 wardrobe. . Trousers are funny - S has only just stopped wearing some 9-12 months ones. He's started wearing some smaller made 18-24 month ones because he needs the extra space for cloth nappies but they're all really rolled up. I like trousers designed to roll up cropped style (except they're full length when rolled up iyswim).

sponge how lovely for your friend!

clothes C is still wearing a couple of pairs of 9-12 month trousers, but mainly 12-18months with rolled up bottoms and a belt.

I attempted to weigh her on our scales today, I think she's 21 lbs ish

ktpie jealous of the no vomiting - I think perhaps we've had your share!

amber LOL at your escapee.

goddess x post. sorry to hear about your granny. Lovely that you were aboe to take S in to see her though.

abdn good news on the consultancy.

Clothes and baby sizes - I weighed Iestyn on my scales and he consistently came up as 1st 7, which is 21lb or so. So my claim of 25lb was massively inflated! But I'm quite concerned now because I wonder whether he should have been in the forward facing car seat if he didn't weigh enough. And 12-18 are too big on him, and the 6-9 trousers are still going strong. I'm now aiming for some sort of record - he's been wearing them a year. (Does that say something about trouser sizing, though? Or leg growth? They were turned up when we first put them on him (last January!) and they're not half mast yet.)

Amber and Ktpie I've been considering getting a spyhole for Iestyn's bedroom door for a while now! You know the type you have in halls of residences or hotels? But on the outside, so that I can look in! Ktpie may well be the same cold that you had - I've been off my food!

Amber funny you should say that about Luke...Iestyn (bang on target ) has started pooing in private. But he just goes behind the sofa. He emerges with a strong aroma and looking guilty. Got to watch that one when he's out of nappies!! But also, once he's pooed, he goes to the stairs (in Mum's house) and hangs on the gate, and if I ask 'do you want a nappy change' he nods yes. I suppose it's the beginning of awareness but nowhere near ready to train.

Neenz I keep meaning to say lots of supportive things about your thread but still haven't. People on here are so mean! I used to get upset but now I don't care...

Abdn great news about the job possibility - and was 'kitchen' a freudian slip? I'm still fretting over mine (but I have ordered it).

Who else? Hello everyone else! I'm going to bed now.

Aberdeen, great news about the job!

Goddess -I'm so sorry to hear about your gran. It's still very sad even when you are not so close to someone. So glad you are there to support your father.

Tedi - what a great idea - a baby spyhole! I'd love to know what mischief Luke gets up to when I can't see him.

Luke was up at 4.45 this morning. It's not funny. He's been rising VERY early for the past few days - between 5 and six but today is a new low.

Can I ask an opinion? Do you remember that vile woman who left her three kiddies between 3 months and 4 years old for 24 hours to go on a drugs and booze binge? I still cannot get over the fact that she got a suspended sentence and kept the kids but apparently she has just broken her terms by being so drunk she can't even remember leaving the house and the judge has let her off again. I read this morning that in desperation, the oldest child tried to feed the baby with spoonfuls of powdered milk which really made me cry. Has the justice system gone mad? Sorry for rant.

Tedi yes, that could easily have been a freudian slip. Actually the only reason we're doing the ensuite is because our kitchen cabinet doors are non-standard so it was going to cost too much to replace. We decided to do the bathroom first and then think about maybe completely redoing the kitchen in a few years.

Amber that's so sad about the kids... one of DS1's friends is adopted and it makes me cry to think what he might have had to grow up with (parents were on drugs) and instead he's got a wonderful family, lovely home, and good friends .

Fraser's in 18-24 month very well shrunk clothes, otherwise he's in 12-18. I think it's a bit frustrating that kids clothes shrink so that they're too big when you first get them and then as the kids grow, they get smaller...

goddess very sorry to hear about your Gran. I hope she's not in any discomfort.

ktpie found you on FB (again - i remember now).

X-posted last night. Goddess I thought Amber said it well.

Amber that story is awful. Will ask DH about it - sounds very wrong. (He's also a judge but doesn't do family, only criminal. And he's annoyed because he gave a stupid burglar drug addict a jail sentence but it was overturned on appeal. ) It's so sad, and that eldest child will surely be affected by that? A friend of mine is a foster mother, and some of the things she's seen are shocking.

On a different note - DH going to the House of Commons today. I don't fully understand it, but it will be live on the internet.

Other than that, I'm feeling miserable but probably because I didn't have a great night.

Tedi, hope your DG enjoys HofC! Is he going for criminal law purposes, like sentence discussion or something?

Amber, that is so sad, I don't remember the story but I do think sometimes social workers try to keep the family together at any cost when often it is a lost cause . It is so sad for children to go into care but sometimes it is far better than the neglect they suffer by their own parents.

DG, so sorry to hear about your gran. I felt the same when my grandparents died - that I was more sad for my parents. Thanks for the advice you gave about childcare vouchers and mat leave. I would appreciate any info you can send me.

Can everyone please slap me? I am getting really anxious now about this pregnancy. When I felt rotten at least I was reassured everything was going ok. Now that I am feeling better I am scared something horrible has happened . I rang the antenatal clinic to see if I could get an early scan but they said no, even though I said I already have twins and have had a previous mc . But they have given me a scan date - Feb 3, so that is two more weeks! Please tell me everything is fine and I am just acting crazy. I still take my temp sometimes and it is still high which means my body is still producing enough progesterone to support a pregnancy. A drop in temps will indicate a mc so I really shouldn't be worrying. But I am .

My SIL is 7wks-ish and had some bleeding so has been for a scan and she is having twins! I think that has made me more anxious, almost like cos she's having twins maybe I am too or maybe cos her pregnancy looks viable maybe mine won't be . Like I said, slap me please! I feel like crying . Hopefully that's the hormones and another indication that everything is going OK!

Here's a slap, Neenz . You are being a mad pregnant woman with gallumphing hormones! A scan might reassure you but ( I know this from my own experience) by the time you have left the hospital you could be panicking again. All you can do is keep yourself healthy and hope and pray that the pregnancy is ok. How many weeks are you? I know you are far enough along for the statistics to be in your favour.

Do something that will relax you and stop you fixating. I can send you my hypnosis CDs if you like. There is one for pregnancy (not labour) which is lovely and relaxing, and has you focusing on your baby.

I know how difficult the 1st trimester is, so you have my sympathies. xx

Goddess v sorry about your grandmother

Tedi what is your DH doing in the HofC? What time is he on? Very exciting! One of DH's colleagues has Marshall Hall's old room, which we find nerdily exciting!

Amber I remember that case. Very sad. Poor children. I just want to bring them to my house and look after them (obviously I only think that on functional days!).

I am supposed to be sorting out receipts for DH's tax return. This is a job I loathe and do anything to avoid. It is also inevitable that DH and I will end up screaming at each other about it. Last year we did it together at the kitchen table, listening to Kate Nash singing "Dickhead" and it was fine, but it's given me a false sense of security. Expect to see me posting lots!

Neenz, I'm sure you're still pg. But stop taking your temperature! You'll only make yourself worse! But it's impossible to not worry when you're pg.
Or afterwards, actually. I still panic that something will happen to Iestyn, but I also panic that something will happen to me as well, because I want to be there for him...(I might be overly panicky at the moment because I'm going to the breast clinic on Thursday.)

Neenz no, DH doesn't do criminal (not as a barrister anyway) but I think it's something to do with a bill?? (Obv, not that type of bill...). Here under legislation - Constitutional Reform Bill??? He's on at 5 ish.

Rolf tax bill - yes, we're coming up to it here. In this family, it's anger followed by panic followed by depression. At the moment DH says we're ruined, but he's still at the anger stage. He does this every year. But let's hope this is not the year that we actually are ruined...

Tedi sounds like you follow a similar trajectory . Try listening to "Dickhead". It was the least hysterical we've ever been.

Oh my God Tedi - how exciting!! I also hope you are not ruined. If it gets to the stage where you can't afford the trip to London I will gladly pay the postage for your cup

Neenz - slap! I'm sure you are fine but I can imagine being through a mc once means that you panic non stop (my sis is doing the same). The sickness has to go sometime right? Perhaps you've just reached the end of that stage and are now moving on to the nice not feeling sick stage! If you are terribly worried can't you pay for a private scan?

I was going to write something about adoption but I didn't dare in case someone was mega into keeping families together at any cost. The whole Haiti thing and the 1 million orphans is really making me think whether I should be doing IVF instead of adopting. I don't think Mark would be at all into the idea though.

I am having a tennis lesson today. i am really nervous! I have been up since the crack of dawn and I have not held a tennis raquet since I was 15!!

Thanks guys . Nothing stops you worrying does it. I just have to have faith that it will be OK, and if it isn't then there's nothing I can do about it so I just need to be grateful for what I have got. I also worry about the DTs like you Tedi, every night I am so glad to get them to bed but worry something bad will happen . Tedi, I know I should chuck the thermometer away! But it is like a small chink of proof, a bit like taking a HPT every day. It doesn't really prove anything cos HPTs stay postive after mc anyway but it makes you feel better!

I am 10+2 so yeah I think stats are on my side and it is about the right time for MS to have peaked (9-10wks I've read). So I am just being very silly. I think MN makes you more worried as well cos there just seems to be hundreds of women having a mc . I could get a private scan but I'm at work tomorrow and Thurs so Fri would be earliest and by then it will only be about 10 days to the scan. So I will be brave and wait it out.

Amber, adoption is so tough. But you can't be responsible for other children in the world. It is a wonderful gift to a child, I think, offering them a home, but it is a big sacrifice as well. I'm not sure I could do it.

Rolf, Tedi, I'm not envying you your tax returns! Love the 'we're ruined' - DH goes through a small-scale version of that each year because he leaves drawings in the firm to pay his tax, but it's always a relief when the bill comes through and there's enough

Neenz - I had the same worries at the beginning of this pregnancy, one midwife laughed at me when I said I was worried because I felt too well, feeling too well didn't last long though . I wish they would do earlier scans, it seems such a long time to wait until the first one.

DG - lots of sympathy about your Gran, glad you are getting to say goodbye to her.

Tedi - exciting about your DH at the house of commons.
I like the spyhole idea, but that would mean getting off my bum and going upstairs, maybe I should set up CCTV.

Amber - I find news stories about children a lot more upsetting now, it's horrible what some kids have to go through.

I don't like the idea of tax returns, not something we have ever had to do but it sounds rubbish.