Fab Feb 2009: when they're good they are very very good, when they're bad they're todzillas...

[dinkystinky]

New thread for us to chat about our little jekyll & hydes...

Danny is currently stood next to me rearranging my DVD collection - I will be doing a work out to charlie & lola tonight apparently, while DS1 will be watching Billy Blanks Taebo with his pre-bedtime cup of milk and DH's history docu is hiding out with Diego in the city of lost toys...

Hello all. STW - lovely to see you on again and glad you caught up: hope you'll be on here abit more in the next few weeks - and that Sam's sleeping improves.

MoS - all sounds manically busy (as ever) in your household. Hope your nanny turns up. DS1 starts reception in 2 weeks time - I spent a 3 hour car journey up to my parents on saturday sewing name tapes into all of his school uniform. There HAS to be an easier way to deal with naming uniform... Boys were on good form at mum & dad's though both up at 5.30 this morning (yawn) so will be turning in to bed soon I think (particularly as Danny's sleep over the past week has been shocking thanks to teething).

Swampster - good to see you on. Hope all good in your manor. That lady author sounds like one heck of a lady!

Today we have mostly been making castles out of boxes and sticking and painting and making big messes.

I have ordered some modroc to make even more exciting things with. I'll have to hide it from DH when it gets here.

Dinky, I discovered Temple Grandin while I was pregnant and told to expect DS3 to be somewhat different. So far he seems way more 'normal' than his brothers ever were. But I recognised lots of things that were relevant to me in her writing. A couple of years back I did a (not very scientific, I think) online test to find out whereabouts on the spectrum I sat. I've always suspected I was dyslexic. Result came back that I wasn't dyslexic but was almost certainly a bit autistic.

DS1 and DS2 decided to give themselves haircuts today. They also did DS3. He looks pretty good.

That should have been Dinky and MOS, of course. See, no social skills.

Plus a cheery at SM.

Swampy - what are you planning with the modroc? Mini mummies??

No plans for modroc - I just let the boys loose, hopefully have something paintable as a result... Nana and Grandad get lovely sculptures for Christmas - result!

I also found the most amazing stuff to reconstitute crumble polymer clay like FIMO - I have TONNES of it from a former life. When DH moved in with me - before he became DH and amazing that he did become DH, really with that sort of behaviour - he kept on putting it up in the loft to get it out of the way so it went hard - about £150 worth, as I recall. I think he was jealous of it.

This harks back to circa 1995 so that's a measure of what an awful hoarder I am as I thought it was no good anymore.

Anyway, I've ordered some and DS1 will be over the moon when it comes.

swampster hello the modroc looksand sounds good, let us knowwhat you and the boys manage to make with it.

dinky sewing name tags? OMG, straight away I'm thinking ironing them in must be easier? (which reminds me, better start crackingon Jacobs uniform too)
He starts nursery in 15 days!!!!!!!!!!!

morning all.
I bought most of DD's uniform in May and did the name tags then. There was just the summer dress they didn't have in stock so hopefully I'll get that in the next few days and sew one last tag I will never allow a repeat of when DS1 started reception when I was up at 4am finishing the damm tags.
SM apparently the iron on ones don't stay on too well. I remember last year Mothercare sold pens (by the til) that you just wrote names on with.

modroc sounds interesting

Hello everyone!

I am still here, not pregnant again though..

Have been missing you all, will be back on soon to waffle on with you all. Going to catch up on thread first.

welcome back MS hope you are all ok

MarkStreeeeeeeeeeeeeeetch!

Morning folks and welcome back to the fold Markstretch - missed you - and look forward to the Markstretch/Swampster comedy routine restarting. Hope all good in Markstretch world.

Swampster - I have to admit I though modroc was some form of music genre until your later post Thank god Calico is another artiste so could respond appropriately

Danny has taken to calling everyone daddy - his dad (of course), me, DS1, his nanny, himself... never had this with DS1: anyone care to hazard a guess as to how long this phase will last? He's gone off to gymboree this morning (I'm home with DS1 for the morning while he has his speech therapy session with private therapist -he's talking her hindleg off now poor woman) - second session ever. Bet Gymbo will be daddy too. Last time round he concussed himself and another child in a head on collision. Ho hum.

hekko all, just marking my place so i can find you all later.

Up to my eyeballs in DIY, credit card trauma and ferrying kids all over the shop now that they're back to school and all the after school activities are starting again.

Hello!

Swampster - I did an autism questionnaire thingy recently and also came out quite high! I do know a bit about Temple Grandin - what an amazing woman - and have read quite a bit on her website, but haven't tackled any books yet! There's a local lady called Gina Davies who is quite renowned in the "austism world" and I've booked to go on one of her courses on the delightful subject of toileting. Yes, we are still having problems in that department, although my washing load has decreased since the discovery of all in one sleepsuits for older children from Next!

MOS - we're being advised to go down the route of PECS - I'm still learning all the terminology, something like Picture Exchange Card System or something - because it's a bit more universal i.e. DD can show someone a photo of what she wants and the person can understand, whereas with signing, she'd be more limited to who she can communicate with.

Dinky - Sam calls everyone Mummy at the moment, but I have a special "Mummeeeee" reserved for me. Orlena also has a specific name - "Na". Sam woke up at 5am this morning and I was so desperate for him to go back to sleep, I climbed into his cot(bed) and curled up round him, and lo and behold he went back to sleep. So did I, however being 5'11'' I was a bit squished and have only just managed to get the feeling back in my right arm and leg!

Good to hear from you MS - hope everything ok with you?

I'm off now to do some work. It's my 7 year wedding anniversary today and I haven't bought DH a card or nuffing . Might take him to lunch (a sarnie from next door!!!)

STW.... we're doing PECS with A and it really does work really well. He has a folder with lots of pictures of his favourite things velcroed into it and whenever i can't make out what he's asking for i pull out his folder and he pulls off the picture he wants and hands it to me. It broke my heart yesterday though.... I was painting the bathroom and he kept coming in whinging and crying so i brought him to his folder and flicked to his food and drink page. He grabbed it from me though and flicked back to his people page and jabbed his finger at the picture of me and glared at me

I love the fact though that it means he's not limited to only communicating with me but can ask anyone for what he wants, which if his speech is still an issue when he's going to playschool will e invaluable.

Ah that's cute SummerRain! But what are you doing painting the bathroom ! I can only just cope with basic housework when the DC's are around !

So does A use generic pictures/drawings mostly? I'm finding it a bit tricky because O will only seem to take notice of photos of the actual thing. So I've had fun taking snaps of the bath, toilet, her cup, her bed etc!! I've got the day off tomorrow to make a concerted effort in getting it all done - not finding it easy. Good to hear it's working for A. O doesn't seem to be so receptive so far....

I just had a chaotic trip shopping. DS wet through his clothes and as I just just popping in the city I hadn't taken a change of clothes.

Whilst crouching down in Boots looking for a pair of cheap trousers to get us home someone stole his shoes from the hood of my buggy.

F was screaming and so I decided to just make run for it and get us home but he refused to keep the blanket on his legs and so I ran home with him crying with naked legs and no shoes.

Wanted to shout at everyone who looked at me 'HE WAS APPROPRIATELY DRESSED WHEN I LEFT THE HOUSE BUT DUE TO A SERIES OF EVENTS OUT OF MY CONTROL HE DOESN'T HAVE ANY TROUSERS OR SHOES ON OK- STOP LOOKING AT ME'

Hey lovely ladies.

Ok - quick cardio update. J took M to appointment last week. Tests results were almost normal meaning either they weren't accurate [i]or[/i] the first set of results weren't accurate.

So, we have round three of the tests to determine which ones were the true ones. Big fingers crossed moment.

I have started training - all seems to be going well so far, they just need to get themselves in gear and sort out when they want me to work.

J is up for a promo at work, which will also bring him closer to us, so travel time and expenses will improve. I'm so excited for him (and us!) More fingers crossed.

I have my PN de-brief on Friday and I'm crapping myself - can someone give me an idea of what is involved?

Ok - enough about me. Dinky, hope all went well with the flat lease, and the work on the house goes smoothly. Are things better at work since your holiday? Hope D injoys daddy-boree! and DS1s session went well.

STW and SR hope PECS works well for you both.

SR, sounds like A picked up on the system pretty quickly - are DS1 and DD getting involved? Hope all the dramas calm down soon.

STW do you use the dry nights pants or full on nappies at night with Little O? Hope the course goes well. Ime, PTing is linked with so many other areas of development, so although that is the subject of the seminar, you'll find you learn so much about other stuff too. How is work atm?

MS how are you, you beautiful lady? And gorgeous FS and not so little L?

Swampster sounds like you had fun with the arts and crafts. We're just delving into that area - here is where background in childcare comes into it's own!

MOS - good luck with the nametapes! Hope things are going well back in KSA. How much is left to do on the bungalow now?

SM - saw the news on FB about your new TA role. How exciting. How is the rest of the studying going? What happened with DP's meeting? I remember when it happened, and it's daft that they are only just looking into it. Sounds like the union chap was just covering himself by giving worst case scenario, but he should surely have balanced that with a best case scenario.

Appologies if it seems like I rattled through that. M is due to wake up any minute, and I want to eat my yogurt before she does!

xxx

Hello folks, hope you don't mind me dropping in. My DD1 was born in Feb '09 and she is starting to be a todzilla and I was thinking i could do with some advice/strategies to cope with her, and thought maybe you lovely ladies with DC the same age might have some ideas.

A friend suggested the naughty step, but my gut instinct is that she is too young still and I have an 11wk old DD2 so I don't really have the time to dedicate to teaching DD1 a full-on technique like the naughty step.

So, have you found anything that works?

dinky Lol. Ds1 called everyone daddy. I was daddy until after his 2nd birthday!
I think everytime he says it, you just have to correct him and say "I'm Mummy" or "that's J" and so on. It will pass.

MS Cannot believe someone stole his shoes!!!!!!!!! (well I can, I don't think you're lying) that is truely shocking.

I just got my first teaching assistant job. This thursday and friday. It's in Slough so I'm hoping dp will drive me or it'll take 1.5 hours to get there.
So excited

P.S. - can't believe someone knicked F's shoes. The check of it.

Have a nice relax this afternoon to make up for it!

Hi WAMF.

We use the three strikes rule here, and if it doesn't work, we hold her against us for a minute - similar to naughty step rules, but not putting her to one side. It stops her from doing what she wants to do for a minute, which has very good results!

Can you try taking a toy away if he's playing up?

Good luck - I'm sure others will be able to give you much better tips than me! Some are on their 4th child!

Afternoon all and welcome Wispas. We're all v nice here so hope you'll feel welcome and come back to post more. Re toddler tantrums - we're all going through this now so remember you're not alone - and I suspect having a recently arrived sister is probably making them abit more prevalent in your house (and lack of sleep on your part due to DD2 isnt helping). Remember the mummy mantra - this too is just a phase and it will pass. We use the naughty step with my DS2, Danny (18 months), and he gets it but to be honest we're having to ration the naughty step to just really bad behaviour and otherwise telling him off for minor misdemeanours and praising him when he's being a really good boy. What helped with DS1 (who actually was really easy child in hindsight) was doing some just mummy and him activities when Danny was sleeping/being looked after by other people as a baby - made him less clingy and more reassured that I still loved him. It'll be ok.

SM - congrats on your TA job. Great news.

MrsY - fingers crossed for the new tests coming back with good news. Re PN debrief - they'll basically take you through your labour notes. Write down in advance any questions you have and make sure you ask them. Not worth getting upset/worked up about. Will be over quite quickly. I do correct Danny about names but he seems to relish in still calling everyone Daddy. Ho hum.

STW - happy anniversary! Hope you get to have a nice glass of wine tonight to celebrate. Danny is currently going through a 5.30 waking phase and refuses to be cuddled back to sleep (I get a good backfist if I try that - he's a natural born boxer).

Summerrain - that tale about A and his photos is so sweet. DH as a child usually spoke so fast people couldnt understand him he had to resort to photos to communicate. Good luck with the decorating though sorry to hear about credit card traumas.

MS - at the bastards who stole F's shoes!

Thanks MrsY and Dinky, I'm trying to really praise a lot for good behaviour and trying to play down my reactions to bad behaviour because since DD2 arrived most of her poor behaviour has been for attention.

It s particularly bad when I'm bfeeding DD2, so I'm still not sure what I can do because poor DD2 would never get fed if I stopped bfeeding each time I needed put DD1 on naughty step or whatever IYSWIM.

This to shall pass!!

Ok Wispas - are there any tv programmes she especially likes? If so, could you put them on tv (get a dvd/skyplus them) and have her sat next to you while bfing dd2. That worked a treat with DS1 too. What about having friends and their kids round for playdates too? (Distraction and safety in numbers are always good bets) Its hard because DD1 is still so small (really only a baby herself) so she cant communicate how she's feeling - stay loving calm and consistent and you'll all get through this.