Babies born~September 2007 #59

[Ginger]

hi ladies

jm and cass- yes i think a mohawk is definitely on the cards for summer LOL i'm just growing the top part a bit longer, then i'll have to find a funky hairdresser whose willing to do it LOL

the kinder/prep/school thing is soooo confusing. basically L is going next year to 3 yo kinder. it is run by the actual 4yo kinder teacher. she has the 4yos there in the mornings 9-12 and then has the 3yos 1-3pm. he will only be going twice a week so it's for a total of 4 hours a week. then the following year i think it is a compulsory 15hrs a week.
the next big decision we have to make is what year to have j start school as he is a late feb baby. i don't really like the idea of him starting proper school when he is still only actually 4 iykwim?

jaz- the duplo sounds great. was that on special in the sale?

cass- where will the pool be set up? in the kitchen?

md- what did you end up doing for the wedding anniversary? don't worry, my dh forgot our last one and it was only one year since we'd been married! LOL i can only imagine what will happen when it's number 18 LOL

trill- A sounds like a little firecracker like my boys LOL i reckon they would get along so well. is he really into tools and fixing things? that is L's latest obsession

arte-i've been looking after my dad's dog while he is o/s so i think that's been helping my ticker move along as i have to walk her everyday. otherwise she just looks at me with sad eyes and makes me feel guilty until i take her out LOL

[Cassius2]

G: oh gosh those dogs certainly know how to crank up the guilt-o-metre dont they lol?!
the pool is probably going in the dining room. we can move the dining table to the other side (where the hallway is) so that i can tuck myself in below the window and have a bit of privacy (in case someone comes doorknocking lol...gosh imagine that ).

oh and MD: i basically forgot our 9th anniversary this year too...only remembered at like lunchtime. didnt even organise to get DH something nice...and he did!!!

[Trillian]

Cass I hope you're feeling better soon sucks not feeling well in late pg.

G, L is a late feb bub and there was no question of sending him the year he turned 5, so he was still only 4 when he started. He was shy, so I did wonder how he would go socially, but academically he was more than ready. But that said, there were about 6 kids who were already 5 (being late Dec and Jan babies) who were held back till the following year for various reasons and 1 who was born the day before L who ended up repeating year 1. It's the kind of thing where you can't make a decision really till a lot closer to it because sometimes you can have a kid who is no where near ready in say October, but come January they are more than ready kwim?

[Ginger]

yeah iykym. i guess we'll just put him in 3 yo in 2012, 4yo in 2013 and then make a decision- either repeat 4yo kinder or go on to school.

[Artechim]

Cass, the homebirth thing in Australia is so much more complicated than here - with A they were happy for me to decide on the day if she would be born at home or the birth center. They carry the birthing pool and all the gear in the back of the work car. I literally decided two hours before she was born when the midwife asked if I wanted her to come to our house or meet at the birth center, but we were out of hot water at home so she stopped by to pick me up and we went to the center. Just shows the difference in Aust vs NZ attitude to homebirth, it is really terrible that it is so hard (and expensive) to access there. I am glad it is all going well for you, it is going to be such a fantastic birth for you this time.

William has gone to bed with no pull-up on tonight after he got dressed in his pajamas and LIED to me that he had put one on, then later I realised that he didn't. He is pretty good, usually he is dry in the morning but I was happy to keep using them because I really can't be bothered changing bedding in the night. I guess it was coming though, he has been talking about wearing undies to be for a while now.

[AnyDream]

Gah - still not toilet trained here (and increasingly resistant)...I fear we are going to have to go cold turkey on the nappies outright, if there's not an improvement soon.

Also, wondering - how many other kiddlies are still sucking on dummies? Missy E only has hers at sleep times (but asks at other times for it) but I just can't bear to rock her world by getting rid of it yet.

[Patooties]

md - i got rid of Hannah's nimnum about 3 months ago. I was the one who was holding onto it i think - as i i knew it helped her to go to sleep quickly. We'd lost it, and so she went to sleep without it no problems at all. So, it happened from there.
I just told her that it was lost, and the birdies took it for their babies. She was happy with that.

[Trillian]

MD, we still have many dummies here LOL. And it's all me that still wants them because it does get him to sleep quickly if he stirs overnight. That said P still has her blanket and sucks her thumb so I'm hopeless when it comes to taking comfort items away now. It was much easier with the other two because they weren't so attached to them. We started TT yesterday actually. I have decided that whether he likes it or not he is going to be TT yesterday was a good day though surprisingly - only 2 accidents and both of those were once the kids came home from school and he was outside. I'm hoping it doesn't take too long being a bit older and all that.

[Cassius2]

arte: oh wow! NZ is so much more civilised! i think that when we are all done the cost of the HB is somewhere between 5000-6000. it's insane. there are cheaper ways to do it, but involve staying in the hossy system until all the scans are done etc. but with my PTSD i just needed to not be part of the hospital for that kind of stuff. i have also got an 'extra' midwife as she is a good friend and my calmbirth instructor so really wanted her there. thankfully she has mates rates lol!

MD: no dummy here (although DD wishes! lol). we got rid of her bottle last november and yeah she was actually AOK about it. cried for about 10 minutes (we used to give it just before bedtime) but then we said that we could still read a book and would she choose which one and off we went. now storytime is her comforter ITMS....

[Ginger]

no fully TT here either. has done quite a few #1s on toilet but seems to love doing #2s in diego undies. don't think diego likes it too much.

[Trillian]

no fully TT here either. has done quite a few #1s on toilet but seems to love doing #2s in diego undies. don't think diego likes it too much.

[Ozstar]

We got rid of the dummy at Easter, we had 2 sleeps which were a little painful but thats it. We have been TT for a while. He will usually do wee's on the toilet but not a poo. He waits till he gets a nappy on at bedtime for those. I just found out CC don't put a nappy on for his day sleep so I have just stopped too. I can tell when he needs to poo as he gets really cranky, we just cant get him to poo on the toilet.

I am finding this age a struggle at the moment. Today has been horrible. He just doesn't listen and does everything I ask him not to. I know its just an age thing but that doesnt make it any easier. He has pretty much dropped his day sleep, though still has to have rest time, which doesn't help. I need that break from him. He gets so angry and easily frustrated. I feel like we clash over and over again all day long. I am ashamed at the way I have spoken to him today and have even manhandled (best word I can think Of) him. Anyway DH will be home soon and I am going for a long walk to clear my head. Sorry to come in here and just blurt that all out I am just so frustrated.

[Artechim]

I *think* W is fully toilet trained, but there may still be the odd accident - sometimes I find suspiciously damp pants in the wash but he just changes himself so I am none the wiser until washing day. I am not sure if they are actual accidents or directional issues though, because I have seen him go and change after he has been to the potty a few times. I can't remember the last time he had a full accident that I saw though, probably two months?? I am glad we got this one easy!

W never had a dummy and we dumped the bottle after I noticed his teeth rotting, but he has picked up the terrible disgusting habit of nail-biting! I am so annoyed at myself, he has obviously got it from me yet I can't stop doing it!

ETA, Oz, how is L liking CC? I recommend the star chart for times like that, it possibly doesn't make any difference to the behaviour but it feels much better praising the tiniest little good thing rather than reactionary grumping and growling all day long.

[Junglemum]

I am finding this age a struggle at the moment. Today has been horrible. He just doesn't listen and does everything I ask him not to. I know its just an age thing but that doesnt make it any easier. He has pretty much dropped his day sleep, though still has to have rest time, which doesn't help. I need that break from him. He gets so angry and easily frustrated. I feel like we clash over and over again all day long. I am ashamed at the way I have spoken to him today and have even manhandled (best word I can think Of) him. Anyway DH will be home soon and I am going for a long walk to clear my head. Sorry to come in here and just blurt that all out I am just so frustrated.

Katie, i could have written that. I am struggling some days too. They are just so freaking trying. Lu is weaning off her sleep and by 5pm i want to strangle her. It takes A LOT of deep breathing to keep my calm. It's kind of comforting to hear others are the same though.
Re the poo thing. when we moved to png Lu wouldn't poo on the toilet, i know bribery isn't always a good thing...... but i told her she could have a chocolate if she poo'd on the toilet. It worked. She got a smartie for every poo on the toilet for a while. Now after she uses the toilet she comes out and says. "mum, i'd like a chocolate now?!" So we're weaning her off the rewards now that she has the hang of it.

[Ozstar]

JM we have tried bribery, I am hoping CC can help me out with some tips tomorrow. I am glad I am not alone (I knew I wouldn't be) with the trying behaviour. I think some days I try to do to much and I also think some days I expect to much from him. I have to remind myself he is only little and going through such growth physically and mentally.

Arte he loves CC. He has always cried when I left but enjoys the day. The last two weeks are the first where he hasn't cried when I leave, its a relief as I was about to pull him out. I think I will give the star chart a go, we did one before when we first started TT and it was fairly successful, thanks for the tip. I think he gets really bored too, I need to come up with some new activities I think. I love the times when he can play by himself for a little while and wish they happened more often.

[AnyDream]

Trill, you are a beacon of dummy-justification light for me. thanks darl I didn't find it hard with DD1, we left it out for the EBunny (she must've been around this age, come to think of it, not quite 3 yet) and she was so taken with the goodies that the EBunny left behind it was all good. But I think I feel guilty for not being physically present as much for Missy E, poor darling has been in childcare so much more plus with all my health-related absences, I just feel Mean (with a capital M) to even think about taking it away.

Jazah, I love the birdies took it for their babies line. I heard about someone who took their child down to the duck pond (in spring) to give their dummy to the baby ducks...only problem then every time they went past the duck pond the child would scream and insist on going there to try to get it back . The best laid plans...

I am finding this age a struggle at the moment. Today has been horrible. He just doesn't listen and does everything I ask him not to. I know its just an age thing but that doesnt make it any easier.

I remember feeling exactly the same way with DD1 - so difficult - the time between about 20 months right up until just over the age of three was bloody hard work. Constant contrariness. Constant battles over the most minor things. I think Missy E is exactly the same but my tolerance is much higher because I don't have her at home all day every day. What helped with DD1 was insisting on a one hour rest every day - she could whatever she wanted to - QUIETLY - in her bedroom, I shut the door and had my little read-a-book/watch-oprah/take-a-snooze time out. Ok so some days it was no where near an hour, other days I'd get a good long rest out of her, but it made all the difference to my sanity levels.

[Artechim]

oh wow! NZ is so much more civilised!

LOL, I just wanted to quote that! The cost of it are just staggering! At least you get the baby bonus though. We get sweet FA here (about $1250 and it is income tested so we didn't even get that much).

W's behaviour seems to be alright now, he still has semi-regular tanties but they are much shorter than they used to be. I know that Oct/Nov and then Jan/Feb were just terrible but he seems a lot more reasonable now. Actually he is a pretty good kid. Now we just have constant steams of babble. OMG he just goes on and on and on. We were at the neighbours house yesterday and she commented that there must not be a quiet moment at our place because he yaks so much. He went there to play a couple of weeks ago and her kids were playing quietly and W was blurting out every thought that popped into his head.

I can't get over how much like me he is! He has all my personality traits and is sooo similar to how I was as a child.

[Ozstar]

Thanks for all the advice and reassurance the other day ladies. I am glad I posted in here.

For those TT boys, when do they stand to wee? L will wee standing in the shower lol but not at the toilet. I am also open to all tips for getting him to poo in the loo. We have tried bribery and I am going to see if a star chart helps. I don't think he is scared or anything so what else could it be?