October 08 - Ooh fancy that!

[CantSleepWontSleep]

We filled up a thread without even noticing!

Primary school outcome for dd today . They say that the emails will be sent out by 6pm (though may take longer to get through to us).

Hey all, been working today ( Pops and DH came with me and went round Manchester but I couldn't get away till teatime unfortunately. We went for tapas tho, yum! Only La Tasca but it was nice. Pops LOVED it! She had her first chicken wings and she thought she was IT! She ate sooo much.

I think I'm coming to London on Monday night now and staying over on my own. will prob get a fairly late train tho so not very useful for a meet-up I'm afraid.

We're off to the local fair tomorrow

I watched a video of a friend's baby who is 2 months younger than Q... counting to 10... saying colours... They do a lot of direct teaching with her. I should do more of that with Q I guess.
I know that knowing what comes after 1, 2, 3, 4, 5...etc. isn't really having number sense, but just memorizing numbers in sequence and it really means absolutely nothing unless she can compare them and use them with objects, drawings...etc... but I still feel like I'm not doing enough... and I'm a teacher! I know I am... I know Q is fine... got to stop comparing.

I know. Kids learn what they want when they want. These people have had this little girl watching special videos and teaching her these things since birth. She's only parroting her parents because she knows it makes them happy and they do it 24/7. She's clearly uninterested but answers the questions as they are asked. At least Q gets to play and do what he wants

I know it's not good. Just it sounds stupid, but people who know her and Q and don't know any better (like don't have kids or have older kids and have "forgotten" the small-ones phases) say things like, "ah, well he's so active and physically able"... Well yes... but he's not an idiot! He understands everything we say and communicates his desires and needs just fine without speaking for now, he problem solves in situations, he's clever even if he can't say all colours and numbers. I know that and thats enough. I don't need other people's approval. But sometimes comments grate on my nerves.

16 months is just 3 months less than the time we've had with these babies already - that's loads of time I know what you mean, though...

I agree with Pistachio, I count the poppers when I'm doing up ds' sleepsuit, so he copies me (and sometimes gets in first) but it isn't number sense at all.... Much better to let them have fun and figure out the world in the way they want to (IMHO)

Btw - really dumb question, but are schools shut for bank holiday monday? Just had a panicky moment when I wasn't sure..... See, I'm just not cut out for this school stuff - we've been late twice out of the four afternoons school dd has done already . Hopeless

Yes, they are Ekka
lol
We count a lot with Q, too. These people use flashcards.

spots all scabbed over now. Offically not contagious! Hooray! Some are even fading and disappearing.
Does everyone have exciting plans for bank holiday tomorrow? Well, besides Ekka who thought there was school?
We have exciting plans to have a relaxing day!!

W can sing twinkle little star. But cant say mummy. Wheres the logic in that Star?
Seriously though, people who destroy their babies early life by hot housing them, do their babies no good at all. Performing seals.

Rain rain go away.

Not twinkle. Happy Birthday song.
Shame W's mummy is daft, no wonder he cant say much.

Yay for Q spots.

Phew - I thought so, but had one of those middle of the night panic moments where I imagined the phone call asking where Emily was.... Actually I just found the school calendar and they do have this bank holiday noted on there

I'm glad Q's spots are healing - we missed our chance, should have had you over this weekend to infect my two so we get cp over with....

Flashcards - how does that work with a 16 mo? Doesn't seem worth it to me.... Though I remember watching a very disturbing programme about a teaching course for children in the US which aimed to make them geniuses - a 8mo was 'doing' addition and subtraction with flashcards (her parents asked her a sum and held up two cards one of which had the correct answer on and she apparently looked at the right one each time - wtf????)

Bloody hell, how do you get a toddler to do all that?!?

we're off to St Ives in last week of June, and we've decided to break up the journey and stop over just over halfway, prob Travelodge in Taunton or Tiverton. Tiverton cheaper but is situated at service station so am worried about noise. Is there anywhere else near to these areas that is nice to stop over, does anyone know? Were originally going to stay over in Gloucester but would prefer to get a few more miles under our belt.

They've done it since birth (flashcards) so she's used to them.
I'm sure W says mummy when you arent listening, Ronshar
I like to think Q is talking away whenever I am out of earshot. haha!

Woo hoo! There you all are! I wondered why the last thread was so quiet, then we went away for the weekend and there were still no more messages I finally realised what was going on.

Star - I agree with Ronshar, they are performing seals. That kind of counting doesn't show any real understanding of number.

S has developed an amusing method of counting learned, I think, from watching the Pontypines on In the Night Garden rather than any flashcards, where he just shouts, "One, Two... MORE!!!"

Anyway, I'm hidden in the kitchen on the pretext of mopping the kitchen floor. Best get on with it...

Pistachio - that is so sweet!

It's Aubergenie by the way. I've been meaning to name change for ages because I keep coming across someone I know in real life on various threads and I think she might realise who I am. I've found out some quite personal stuff about her by mistake and it's made me a bit uncomfortable. I feel like a stalker.

When is your actual birthday Pistachio?

cute new nickname, aubergenie!
where did the come from? Do you have coconut feet?
Happy early birthday, pistachio!

Q has been throwing his share of tantrums lately. They only last about 5-10 seconds, but they are LOUD.

hello all.... found you a while ago but I have merely been keeping up to date. DH has been away a lot recently so i have been running between work and nursery like a blue arsed fly.

Interesting what you should say about clinginess HMM - Emma has been clingy too with DH away a bit recently. She won't go down for a nap in the day now... just shouts 'cuddle cuddle' which is . thing is when DH is home she ONLY wants him and completely rejects any time with me. I'm finding it a bit tough, even though i can understand why its happening. Poor little sausage. He's been away a week at a time mostly, but there's some long trips coming up and i'm a bit worried about how she's going to cope.

CSWS i need a pudding club!!! I reckon i've got a good number of friends round here who would be in... DH is currently cooking dinner, which is great, but all i can think about is the lemon tart we got from waitrose as a treat . I have been told in no uncertain terms that i have to eat my main to get my pudding....

KSal, what's a long trip if a short one is just a week at a time? That must be really hard for you doing everything by yourself in that time.
Glad you're getting a yummy dinner and dessert
Q definitely prefers DH to me when he's around. Unless he's going to bed, not feeling well or has fallen down...etc. Today he hit his head and wanted dh... that was a bit He gets excited when I collect him from cm or when it's just him and I together doing something he is great and we have fun together, but when DH is around it's different. Saying that, we went to the duck pond yesterday before dinner and Q was happily playing with both of us, which ed me.
I have a theory on this. I have always since birth... hyped up "daddy's coming home!" or "where's daddy?" or "look! daddy!!" or "we're going home to see daddy!"...etc...I make a big deal of seeing dh again after we've been out or he has been out or when we wake in the morning... I don't think dh does this for me much or as much certainly. If I'm out for a little bit, there's no "ohhh Q, who's home? It's mummy!!!" none of that like I do for dh. I think it's definitely the reason he gets so hyped up and excited to see him. I do this even when dh pops to the shop for 5 minutes. Q goes crazy with happiness on his return... I know I sound a bit childish, but I really think it's because I've modeled this excited response/reaction for so long.