Oh guys, thank you for being so kind.....I have a few tears in my eyes now. I don't feel like an inspiration to anyone, I just feel knackered to be honest, but I do know that I am doing my very best for this babies of mine......

In terms of Olivia's sleeps at lunchtimes.......I haev thought & thought about this at so much length. I have read every toddler sleep book, even ones I know I won't "approve of" IYKWIM, in the hope that it can give me some ideas.

Certainly some days she doesn't need the sleep. But on other days (ie today!!) she will fall alseep in the car as early as 11am,s o I know that for about 50% of the week she DOES need one. Certainly if she doesn't have at least "rest time" she is FERAL by 5pm, and incredibly whingey. (She talks as well as a 5 year old, but jeeeez, can she put a WHINE in her voice when she is tired.......drives me batty!!)

One thing that all the books say is that change in family circumstances brings on sleep issues, relating to security, so my main aim is to keep her topped up with Mummy time. I am happy to sepnd as much time with her as she needs, as I can, cos Charlie is so independant and Lexie is always alseep!

Although, and tell me your thoughts on this, I am in a quandry. One day last week, she threw a really really bad tanty.......and hit Charlie, and I was so furious with her I took her for time out in her room (at about midday) and shut the door on her. (Usually we keep it open for her). Anyway, the tanty continued but becasue I was SO mad at her, I decided, for once, to leave her to it, so that we both would calm down. ANyway, I left her for around 5 mins, then it went quiet. So I went to check on her and to have the "I'm sorry" convo (and to check she wasn't doing something evil like ripping pages out of a book or something!!) and she was FAST asleep in her bed..................

I told DH about it and he suggested we shut the door on her every time. But I am such a softy, it doesn't "sit" right with me, IYKWIM? But if it works? (We do close the door on our way to bed at night, so she can't night wander too much......this also, thinking about it, seems to stop the night wakings.......?)

We don't have a TV in our room, and Lexie is in our room, so I am trying to avoid letting her use our room. I have tried to let her watch TV on the couch, but she just continues to play and then gets really foul and grizzly by about 3pm.........

Either way, I shall persevere. Just getting it out helps to be honest.........