So how's everyone going now? So much has changed in the last few weeks!
Bec, congratulations again on your gorgeous little guy Joshua! I hope you're all settling into life as a family of four now (time to update that FB profile pic!) and you're getting lots of good sleeps. How is Cameron with his new baby brother? Another friend from my mums group in Melbourne had her 2nd daughter in early Jan, and all her DD1 wants to do is sit on her little sister or poke her eyes... I'm sure you'll have lots of fun times!

Feuerosia - welcome! Sorry this is so late, but I didn't get any email updates and didn't know anyone had posted here. As for the speech question you asked, I think if it really concerns you there are things you can do to check if everything's progressing normally like hearing checks and the like. Talk it over with your MCH nurse or equivalent, or get a referral to a paediatrician if you don't mind waiting! I was told by our paed last year to get DS's hearing checked partly because of behavioural issues and partly because the paed didn't think DS had enough "expressive speech" because he only had a few words at that point. Now, less than 6 months later, DS is up to over 85 words in three languages! He doesn't exactly make sentences of more than three words, but he can make himself understood in, as well as understand both French and English. He doesn't always listen to me, but that seems to be a hereditary thing that he gets from his dad! I'm sure your little one will be fine, and will just "get it" when he's ready. Then he wont shut up and the inevitable "Quiet voices, please!" mantra will drive you nuts! Just keep talking to him...
LMK - 3 months already!! Wooo!!!
Jess - how's things going now that J's in kindy? And how are you going with the ADHD stuff? T must look so different now with more hair! At last! Aadi goes thru stages of loving having his teeth brushed. He doesn't love showers much, but baths - definitely. He just loves the bathroom in general tho, and I'm forever chasing him out of there because he's pulled the toothbrushes down or is trying to reach the "oap" to wash his hands! He's pretty spot-on with using the toilet at home, and we only get maybe two wet nappies a day (and he drinks a LOT of water) but he's not quite up to telling the daycare mum all the time. Too busy playing. It's a shame, because that's when he always has the most disgusting poo-splosions and I have to clean up the wetbag and nappy several hours later. Bleurgh!

MT - DS has been in a big bed since he was, like 7 months old. I know that's freaky for some people, but he's a freaky boy is my DS! Quiet life?? Not likely.

AFM, we've been having a rough patch with food challenges lately. I need to go back to the strict low-salicylate diet again for a while, even though it is SO HARD. We've had an abundance of mangoes, and DS was having a little bit and wanting more. He loved it so much, and was fine at first, but it started giving him diarrhea and nappy rash from hell that wouldn't go away, not to mention the sleep/behavioural stuff... OMG. Today at daycare, they were doing Chinese New Year stuff, and DS was given a little noodle box to decorate and bring home, and it was full of fortune cookies and some freaky prawn chips or something. I could practically see the MSG on them! I had hoped that DS hadn't eaten any of it, but he had a total meltdown at bath time and didn't stop screaming and crying and carrying on for almost 45 minutes. It's frightening. I can only assume that he's eaten something he shouldn't have, and tomorrow there will be serious words with the carer. Apart from that, he's really enjoying FDC and is now there 3 days a week. I hope I don't have to disrupt this routine... but...
DP and I are having a bit of a break from each other for a while. Things are just not working out the way I had hoped, and he's been difficult for a while now, and it's only getting worse. It's a long and messed up story, but he's not supporting me very well as a partner or as a parent, so I've asked him to move out. Better one happy parent than two who hate each other, right? We'll see how things go over the next few weeks (he's going away on leave for a week) but hopefully he can find a share house or something, and give me some space to get my groove back! There is still hope that he can get himself together and help make this relationship work, but he has a long way to go to earn my respect again, and before I can let him back in my life full time. In the meantime, I'm going on a little journey of rediscovery!
I hope you're all well!

P.S Is anyone else still breastfeeding?