January 2009- toddlers turning 15mths and all that jazz (really just a new thread so DOG can fit it on her poncey iphone!)

[PatTheHammer]

Good enough for ya dog .

And sorry I do realise some are only turning 14 mths and some are nearly 16mths etc,etc......apologies!

All officially toddlers now though i think (well 120's H and HKZ's J are pulling up/taking steps now I think, think mostly everyone walking of some sort!) Scary thought!

Hi Books

Yep, maybe not such a good week to cut out chocolate! I fear it may be replaced with red wine if I'm not really strong willed.

Sorry you are having a bad week, you can rant at me if you want to.

now this is wierd..i'm LR!!

been reading over the past few days, having been prompted by an f'book friend request from chefswife (which i don't think i've confirmed yet).

had a read through and discovered teaandcakeplease is from the same neck of the woods as me, but saw my name mentioned too. ace!

anyway, for anyone who i haven't spoken to in the past, i'm a part time poster and occasional lurker. but not at all wierd, honest.

aha! thanks books, and SF for outing yourself! I tend to be either intensively here or off gadding about so know a bit about occasional posting.

Moose, glad you are getting it all sorted.

Books, I've just bought Siblings without Rivalry (after DD kept telling me she wanted H to 'go off into the world on his own'!!! I felt she was trying to tell me something. Book is truly fantastic though, and has cartoons of what to do so that DP can get the hang of it too.

Oh Books, you poor thing. Its awful being ill and having little ones to look after and with a bad head you can't even ignore it and carry on. I totally sympathise with tantrummy, crying, shouting children (and by that I mean the boys!) they always seem to do it at the worst possible moment when you are least likely to be able to cope as well, headaches, hormones and af being prime examples. Well done for sticking to the squash, but a small one would probably have helped reduced the stress levels slightly and helped you to relax a bit. Are you going somewhere nice on holiday? It sounds like you really need a break.

Hang in there only 2 days till its Friday night! (hugs)

Right, have to go and buy gluten filled food from the local shop before I pick the boys up, as I had bought tonnes of fresh fruit and vegetables thinking he was probably going to be going gluten free again by the end of the week.

Afternoon ladeez... am having an unmotivated moment at work (how unusual) so thought I should catch up.
DD's birthday yesterday, after having her ask if it's her birthday everyday for the last 3 months it was great to be able to say , 'Yes it is.' Party at the weekend...lots of cake baking to do.

All the talk of running on this thread is making me feel guilty....I haven't actually started my training yet...don't even know where my dusty old trainers are

Books, sorry you are having a knackering week, crack open the whisky! Where are you off on holiday too?

Hello stephanie and tea! What's the name of our FB group...I can't find it anymore...

Moose, bummer about the year long wait. Good news about the test though.

DS saw the GP yesterday and they reckon he has an infection, but as he has no temp or other symtoms they told us just to monitor him.

Am about to be rumbled...so back to annual reviews.

HZ, we are doing a run on Sat morning... prob about 1.5 miles if you fancy (um, then pav for big fry up or waflles..)

120....its my turn for a lie in on Saturday morning....so I can't give that up as am in serious need of some zzzzzzzzzz, have been putting in late late hours for uni/school marking so must snooze!
Was thinking of going for a run on Friday evening though, once the kids are in bed...probably along the canal..

afternoon from the sunny south still abit breezy though

welcome stefanie - dont recognise your name

mm - glad ds being tested sooner

afternoon tink and hz. tis a bit more chillsome than it looks. HZ.. am booked Fri.

Bookmarking

Lenni! Are you back or just popping in from more exotic climes? We have missed you - lots!

Tink, beautiful sunshine here, but flippin' freezing, especially in the shade or when the wind blows.

Dd has been rather more than a tad demanding and grotty all day today, so I took her to the local park for a go on the swings before I collected ds2. She loved it, but boy did she have a tantrum when she had to come off! I had to let her free range in the school playground while we waited for ds to placate her. I was a bit shocked, neither of my boys ever tantrummed outside of the house and certainly not at this age! She has calmed down now and is sat next to me happily reading the Abel & Cole catalogue, but she insisted on walking to fetch ds1 after Chess - oh dear, what have I started!

oooh! A Lenni sighting! Moose, she is hoping to catch a flight first thing tomorrow so still on hols, if you can call it that.

Dog.. hope you are ok, come and moan on here!

Moose, we too have tantrums kicking off here. Mainly when I give attention to DD. What on earth is going on? Am pleased I have the sibling book as it is helping massively. The techniques work in ways you don't expect at all, but have been shouting less as a result, so even though my brain hurts more from trying to work it out, it's all good!

Why does Dog need to moan?

Oh I am feeling hopelessly out of the loop these days, everyone seems to communicate via FB and then I don't have a clue what anyone is talking about.

The boys and I had a lovely afternoon and evening. Dh was at a late meeing, so after tea they asked if they could stay up until 7.30 when he was expected home. I said yes, as long as they managed to have a wash and get ready for bed without any silliness, arguing or fighting. (Bedtimes have been a really bad flashpoint recently.) Text dh to tell him they were staying up and he arrived home 20 minutes later at 7.30 as promised. BUT, in the meantime, they had gone upstairs to get into their pjs and managed to have a huge fight, with ds2 screaming his head off and ds1 saying frankly horrible things to him. (All over something as daft as ds2 putting his trousers on ds1's bed fgs!) So I ended up going up, telling them both off, then telling them to get into bed and go to sleep. No story, no anything, just lights off and a reminder to think about their behaviour. I also told them that although I love them both, this evening I don't like them very much as I am so fed up of their fighting upsetting the whole family.

Dh couldn't believe it when he walked in as he was expecting two happy chappies waiting up for him as it had only been 20 minutes since I text him. He then went up to get changed only to be hit by a barrage of abuse from ds1 through the closed bedroom door!

I am so sick of them fighting every single bed time. Every night they go to bed having just been read the riot act about something and its making us all miserable.

I think we need to invest in that book!

Moose I think the book is fab. It is already making a difference to me! Am thinking about starting a thread... have started a thread!

Moose, I know what you mean about FB. I don't have a tv and have no idea what half hte world is on about!

Don't know why I started two sentences like that. looks weird!

Moose Good to hear your DS is finally going to get it all sorted sooner than later concerning the coeliac. Excuse my ignorance, I've forgotten what ADS was. As far as your DD throwing tantrums in public, I'll take bets that my DD would put yours to shock. She is unbelievable when we leave the library or playground... she throws herself on the ground and screams, just lays there like a limp noodle and screams! At the playground I let her have finish then ask if she's done, which hilariously now she will nod but at the library, I grab her and head for the door. I swear she weighs more when she is limp. lol

Books Your DD is probably playing monkey see monkey do with DS. She wants to be like her big brother... no good for you though. I don't know what I'm going to do when there's more LO's running around here. I may have to go back to my highschool pasttime of smoking pot...

HKZ at running along the canal. It sounds nice.

Hellos to Steph Glad I got you back here stalking visiting us.
and to Lenni the bookmarker...

Not much going on here today. Although DD has the sniffles it was a nice morning... DH had to do a breakfast shift for one room so left at 5am but DD woke soon after but I just grabbed her and headed back to bed. I love it but she is like her dad, a little hot potatoe. We slept till 8.30! Then breakfast, I did some housework while she played outside and then we had a shower. She loves the water hot! I'm amazed really. I held her and she chewed her little fish as the water dribbled down her, occasionally she would sigh a very satisfied sigh. She has started napping over the lunch hour now which sort of screws up dinner... not sure what to do about that but I'm sure it'll change soon enough. I should be working now as DH is home but I have zero motivation. BAH. I think its the weather. Well, I guess you just got to do it, eh? Ciao for now.

chef your day sounds like ours - we slept till nearly 9am , a lovely treat - and then I took it upon myself to sort out N's toys - a difficult job with N 'helping' . Have put away baby toys, and sorted out things with wheels from musical instruments and cuddly toys etc. Then hung out all my laundry in lovely sun and went off to town for lunch with my Mum (while N slept). Spent the afternoon at the farm and have only just got N off to sleep (that's the price for a 9am wake-up I guess). Nice day, but still feel knackeroonied

Yey for planes bringing Lenni back to us soon...

120 I am going to read that book before I have the next one... let me know what you think of it.

Moose all we know is that dog had a super crappy day but don't know why - hope you are okay dog..

Waves to everyone else - sorry, not a very good catch up but really the brain is just not working. I think I need some early nights.

Am in London end of next week hkz and 120 if you are around but I think we already had this conversation? I don't think I will stay up for the weekend though, so won't make L's party, what a shame. Anyone going to the hay festival? All the good stuff is already sold out. Or does anyone fancy a camping trip as we joked talked about earlier in the year? Or the green man festival?

Anyway must wave night night now as OH home... we are hopefully making babies sort of about now!

I'm around thursdays and fridays MJ! Just FB me and we can arrange to meet up with the little ones. will let you know about book.

I saw of FB that dog had a random making her feel bad about a way she had treated her LO (when she hadn't done what she was accused of). Was waiting for Dog to come and clarify!

Enjoy your nookie MJ. Before ovulation for a girl etc etc... lol

off to bed by myself now as am knackered after a hard weeks work (weekend begins tomorrow for me. yay)

Chef, ASD is Autistic Spectrum Disorder. He has a verbal diagnosis of Aspergers but the Paed we saw is apparently known for being a bit too quick to diagnose without all the information (or the specialist skillset) that he needs. That's why he's been referred to a specialist ASD Assessment Unit.

Current thinking is that it might not be Aspergers at all, but rather dyspraxia (which shares a lot of the social/communication problems with ASDs) compounded by coeliacs or at the very least a bad gluten intolerance/allergy.

Lol at V's tantrumming. I used to do the throwing myself on the floor thing when I was little apparently. I tend to just completely ignore dd when she does it and carry on regardless. I do find I am a lot more on edge in cafes etc with her than I ever was with the boys though.

MissJ we were going to come and see Christy Moore at Hay this year, but decided to go to Bearded Theory instead. I am really looking forward to it, but a bit apprehensive about doing 3 days at a festival with a 15 month old in tow.

MissJ...would love to meet up but working Thursdays and Fridays....unless we meet up in the evening...in a pub and hide our childrenunder the table Would love to go to Green Man this year, I went when I was about 5 months pregnant with DS and spent half the night walking accross wind and rain swept fields to go for a pee! It is the most amazing back drop for a festival, completley stunning setting. Oooo, we are trying to make babies this week too, its very tiring!

Chef...you haven't seen the canal It does have its aesthetic highlights I s'pose.

120 will be interested to hear what the book has to say, DD is sometimes like this with DS...every toy he even looks at she yells 'No Judo, it's mine...' and he just laughs his head off at her. She does slyly try to kick him sometimes when we are all rolling about on the bed. DH just ignores it, I am much more vocal about it....so what should we be doing? Maybe its just a phase [hopeful emoticon]

Moose sorry about your fractous end to the day. Its horrid when it all goes pear shaped right at the last minute.

I'm no expert - crikey you only have to look at what my two boys get up to, but it seems to me that its probably perfenctly normal and just the adjustment from being an only child, to being one of two (one of whom is 'just a baby' and therefore not much of a threat because they are 'something different') to one of two children who are both little individual people and who both have a right to Mum and Dad's time/attention/love.

My boys were exactly the same, ds1 tells me quite openly that he has always been jealous of ds2, but that he also loves him more than anything 'on the planet' oh 'except dd' apparently. (Sometimes ASD type behaviour can have its uses, as ds1 can tell me things like that without it even entering his head that it might hurt his brother's feelings if he says he is jealous of him.)

He used to pretend to cuddle ds2 whilst reaching around the back of his head and pinching him on the neck - we have photographic evidence of this particular trick! His other trick was to tell a very compliant ds2 to do something that he wanted done, but knew was naughty or against the rules, then revel in ds2 getting told off for it by adding lots of 'Yeahs' to the end of my sentences and saying things like "Oh, Mummy that's so naughty what ds2 just did isn't it? He knows he shouldn't do that doesn't he? I wouldn't do that would I, because its naughty." etc etc. (He still does that by the way.) Ah, brotherly love eh?

Oh, sorry! YES! Absolutely, its a phase. They will grow out of it in no time at all and become bosom buddies for the rest of their lives.

Seriously though, they do love each other but have conflicting feelings, as they also have a raft of negative feelings towards their siblings as well. My boys hate to be apart, insist on getting a treat for the other one even if they are getting a treat because they have been to a hospital appointment or something and are a completely united front when it comes to nasty mean parents like dh and I. I am in no doubt that they will be firm friends for life, regardless of where life leads them both.

Ah moose, your final sentence bought a tear to my eye. On that note I am off up to bed..