Today I turn 29 weeks pregnant. One week til the big three-oh! 30 weeks seems like a huge milestone! It's three quarters of the way through, still a way to go, and the hardest in some respects, but yay! I had my 28 week appointment yesterday - the midwife keeps thinking I'm at the next day up by her wheel thing - so yesterday she thought I was 29 weeks when I was 28+6 ;) I had both boys with me, because I forgot that it was half term this week and that Robert wasn't at nursery. But they were both so well behaved! We got there early because I forgot to grab a wee sample bottle last time, so I got one from reception and filled it then and there (well, not at the reception desk!! lol) before the appointment. The boys played in the doctors surgery play area (which consists of a nailed down bead table, a few chairs and some rather (ahem) well played with books (ie, pages missing, corners bitten out, spines broken etc). There was a woman I've seen before a few times, once when Christopher was a bump still, she had her baby in a home made sling, and being interested in slings myself at the time I struck up a conversation with her. Then I saw her again at a sling meet, then more recently in the swimming pool, and she was at the dentist yesterday. Anyway, when they came into the midwife's office with me, they were both very well behaved and quiet. Which made a change from the previous appointment, which had Christopher screaming the entire appointment, because I hadn't realised he wanted to put a borrowed book away before going into the office! Gah! Christopher sat in his buggy the whole time (he had got in voluntarily before wheeling into the office), and Robert, was standing quietly, watching, as she did the usual wee and blood pressure checks (still fine). Then when she came to listen to his baby brother, he became much more interested, and he leant RIGHT over staring at the doppler, as if he was expecting to see his baby right under it ;) We talk about the baby lots, and when he heard the heart beat, we drew the parallel to when he can feel his own heart beating, but I think his understanding is very limited right now. It took the midwife a while to get a good listen on the heartbeat because he kept shifting around, but eventually she managed it :) She asked if we knew whether it was a boy or a girl, and I said, "yes it's another boy", and she said "Wow, you're well and truly outnumbered now aren't you?" "Yep, and no chance of catching up now, there's no way I'm having six!" I replied. Anyway, baby boy is apparently head down (and reading my notes, apparently he was at 25 weeks as well!), and measuring bang on target at 29cm.
On other news, the kitchen is now almost completely done. The walls have now had sufficient coats on to look even, which was 3 on the magnolia, and 2 on the cappucino wall. Glossing done, including a new shiny coat on the radiator (amazing how much better it looks for a new coat of paint!!). I've not cut in on the edges well though, and while it looks ok from the head on angle, when you get closer it looks awful :( So I think I'm going to mask it off and re-do the edges. Then will come getting all the painting equipment out of the kitchen, pulling up the masking tape and newspaper off the floor and cleaning up any stray splashes (of water soluble paint - the gloss was well contained!!) Then just the table to await on Saturday morning!
One last bit of news, was that we've tried Robert without pull ups overnight. He was leaking through them and leaving wet patches on his bed anyway, and damp pyjamas, so we thought we'd try and see if the sensation of being REALLY wet would help him. The first three nights we did as normal, just without pull ups. He still wet the bed every night. The next night we decided to wake him when we went to bed and got him to go for a wee, which, despite being forewarned before bedtime, took a long time, as he had a MASSIVE tantrum and refused to do anything. Eventually we think he did one. He went back to bed, and he woke up in the morning with a dry bed. Then last night we did the same as the night before. Only he had already wet the bed when we went to get him up. He was fast asleep and hadn't even noticed he'd wet the bed, so I think he'll be going back in pull ups again :( (And making sure that they're on straight, that his willy is pointing down, and try and avoid any leakages). It's a pain that he is a big 4 year old - the size 6s do fit on him, but before we would put them up a size if they leaked, but being a size 6 there is no larger size, unless we start going onto the "night time pants" which are pull ups for older kids - and marked up in price accordingly. Anyhow, I'm sure he'll get there some time... I just can't see when!
Showing posts with label toilet training. Show all posts
Showing posts with label toilet training. Show all posts
Thursday, 14 February 2013
Saturday, 25 February 2012
A new cycle
Before I start, I just want to say thank you to those of you who have commented on the potty training and breastfeeding Robert posts. It's meant a lot to me that you took the time to support me and give me your opinions and thoughts on the matters. I really appreciate it!
Robert's potty training is starting again gently. I think the idea of a reward for being trained is a little overwhelming for him, so we are stepping back from charts, and reward presents, and just taking each wee, each day as it comes, and seeing what happens. We are having some success, still accidents most days but he is getting on very well and we are simply getting on with it, putting new pants on, and for successes, he's getting lots of verbal praise and lots of acknowledgement, and he seems happy with that.
With regards to the breastfeeding him, I have decided for now to limit it to mornings only, and while he asks still fairly often throughout the day, sometimes I will remind him that it's only for mornings, and other times I offer him cuddles, or a drink or a snack instead. I think when he is comfortable with that, or at least asking less often, I will broach with him the idea of weaning, and see if he will be willing to make that step with me.
Onto other things, mainly my cycles and our TTC, the fat lady did well and truly sing, and I even checked afterwards that it wasn't a false one, and it was negative even after the period had finished. So I am not pregnant. Around CD 8 I started feeling twinges and pinching sensations, and seemed to get lots of CM. Which seems way too early for me. And would be something like a 22 day cycle if that is the case, which it probably isn't.
On the other hand, if I do ovulate around the normal time, and have a somewhat normal cycle of 30-32 ish days, and get pregnant, my due date will be scarily close to Robert's birthday... To be honest I'm probably just reading too much into everything! For now, I think a step back is prudent. Besides which, I know "timing babies" isn't to everyone's tastes, for some it's a luxury they can't afford, but it's getting to that time when we are busiest for birthdays and other celebrations. It would be a bit better to leave conceiving until April earliest really, but then that would put me in the first trimester when we are going away on holiday. And that just is NOT good timing, as even though the boys' pregnancies were both very kind on me in the earlier stages and sickness wise, there's no guarantee that the same will happen the third time. I think stepping back is definitely best if I don't conceive this month. And if it happens during that time... I guess it would be one of those things that was meant to happen!
Robert's potty training is starting again gently. I think the idea of a reward for being trained is a little overwhelming for him, so we are stepping back from charts, and reward presents, and just taking each wee, each day as it comes, and seeing what happens. We are having some success, still accidents most days but he is getting on very well and we are simply getting on with it, putting new pants on, and for successes, he's getting lots of verbal praise and lots of acknowledgement, and he seems happy with that.
With regards to the breastfeeding him, I have decided for now to limit it to mornings only, and while he asks still fairly often throughout the day, sometimes I will remind him that it's only for mornings, and other times I offer him cuddles, or a drink or a snack instead. I think when he is comfortable with that, or at least asking less often, I will broach with him the idea of weaning, and see if he will be willing to make that step with me.
Onto other things, mainly my cycles and our TTC, the fat lady did well and truly sing, and I even checked afterwards that it wasn't a false one, and it was negative even after the period had finished. So I am not pregnant. Around CD 8 I started feeling twinges and pinching sensations, and seemed to get lots of CM. Which seems way too early for me. And would be something like a 22 day cycle if that is the case, which it probably isn't.
On the other hand, if I do ovulate around the normal time, and have a somewhat normal cycle of 30-32 ish days, and get pregnant, my due date will be scarily close to Robert's birthday... To be honest I'm probably just reading too much into everything! For now, I think a step back is prudent. Besides which, I know "timing babies" isn't to everyone's tastes, for some it's a luxury they can't afford, but it's getting to that time when we are busiest for birthdays and other celebrations. It would be a bit better to leave conceiving until April earliest really, but then that would put me in the first trimester when we are going away on holiday. And that just is NOT good timing, as even though the boys' pregnancies were both very kind on me in the earlier stages and sickness wise, there's no guarantee that the same will happen the third time. I think stepping back is definitely best if I don't conceive this month. And if it happens during that time... I guess it would be one of those things that was meant to happen!
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Potty training dilemmas.
Soo... we have been potty training for what feels like YEARS. It's been more like a few months, but I thought last week that we would just go for it. Robert has all the physical signs of being ready. He can undress himself, he shows awareness that he's been (well, at least for poos! In fact he is (or was, I should say - sigh) number two toilet trained. But he just has no problem weeing in his nappy all the time. We had two days where he had NO accidents at all, but he "went" less than usual over those days, something I wasn't sure if it was a good thing or not. Then yesterday he had a good morning, no accidents, but then had a massive accident while I was out shopping. And he seems to have acquired a toilet aversion and now will not go and will prefer sitting in time out (yes I know I know, punishment for refusal to go probably wasn't the best idea) to actually going and sitting on the toilet, and he had an accident while sitting there.
I was in tears over it, because I thought maybe finally he was actually "getting it" but now we've seemed to have gone back a step.
I just feel that I am on a clock to get him toilet trained, that if he is still in nappies when he starts nursery aged nearly 4, I will be branded "lazy" for not having toilet trained him. That I will be accused of wanting the staff to do it for me. Having worked in a nursery myself, I know that the staff aren't being paid to toilet train children, that they are being paid to teach social skills and prepare them for school, and to supervise them. I want him to be in pants, and it is just SO demoralising putting him in pants, putting him back in nappies, putting him back in pants, putting him back in nappies.
Plus I feel that when my in-laws look after Robert on the one morning a week, they've seen him in and out of nappies so many times, and I just feel like they will be judging me for not "sticking with it" yet again. I think it's hit me hardest this time round because on previous occasions, my heart has not been in it, I have been too impatient with accidents, not rewarding enough for attempts, and it's been due to huge stress on my part that he's gone back in nappies. This time it feels like I have tried harder, that I have been more patient, and it's still gone tits up, and I just feel like a complete and utter failure.
He was in pants Friday, Saturday, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. Sunday he wasn't feeling well so I gave him a day off. And today he is back in nappies again. I hate hate hate that I have had to make this decision, people on facebook keep reassuring me it's for the best, but I feel like such an utter failure, that people will judge me for not "sticking with it" and just soldiering through and just GETTING IT DONE.
Yesterday I just sat down on the floor and started crying, and Robert bless him didn't know what was wrong. He asked why I had gone upstairs, and I told him it was because I was getting sad and cross and I didn't want to hurt him so I went away from him for a while. Because, urgh, yes, I still lose my temper with him far too many times to even bear writing about and the fact that I was able to go upstairs yesterday when it was all getting a bit much was a BIG DEAL. He was so sweet, and sat down on my lap, and said very sweetly "You can play with me if you like? Here, have this car"
I just don't know what to do about it. I feel so de-moralised, I just want to forget about it. But I can't because if I do I just know he'll be in reception before he's toilet trained.
I was in tears over it, because I thought maybe finally he was actually "getting it" but now we've seemed to have gone back a step.
I just feel that I am on a clock to get him toilet trained, that if he is still in nappies when he starts nursery aged nearly 4, I will be branded "lazy" for not having toilet trained him. That I will be accused of wanting the staff to do it for me. Having worked in a nursery myself, I know that the staff aren't being paid to toilet train children, that they are being paid to teach social skills and prepare them for school, and to supervise them. I want him to be in pants, and it is just SO demoralising putting him in pants, putting him back in nappies, putting him back in pants, putting him back in nappies.
Plus I feel that when my in-laws look after Robert on the one morning a week, they've seen him in and out of nappies so many times, and I just feel like they will be judging me for not "sticking with it" yet again. I think it's hit me hardest this time round because on previous occasions, my heart has not been in it, I have been too impatient with accidents, not rewarding enough for attempts, and it's been due to huge stress on my part that he's gone back in nappies. This time it feels like I have tried harder, that I have been more patient, and it's still gone tits up, and I just feel like a complete and utter failure.
He was in pants Friday, Saturday, Monday Tuesday and Wednesday. Sunday he wasn't feeling well so I gave him a day off. And today he is back in nappies again. I hate hate hate that I have had to make this decision, people on facebook keep reassuring me it's for the best, but I feel like such an utter failure, that people will judge me for not "sticking with it" and just soldiering through and just GETTING IT DONE.
Yesterday I just sat down on the floor and started crying, and Robert bless him didn't know what was wrong. He asked why I had gone upstairs, and I told him it was because I was getting sad and cross and I didn't want to hurt him so I went away from him for a while. Because, urgh, yes, I still lose my temper with him far too many times to even bear writing about and the fact that I was able to go upstairs yesterday when it was all getting a bit much was a BIG DEAL. He was so sweet, and sat down on my lap, and said very sweetly "You can play with me if you like? Here, have this car"
I just don't know what to do about it. I feel so de-moralised, I just want to forget about it. But I can't because if I do I just know he'll be in reception before he's toilet trained.
Tuesday, 13 December 2011
Christmas countdown and other goings-on
Well there are now 12 days to go til Christmas, and as usual, we are still finishing off buying Christmas presents. We don't have things for our parents, and we are trying desperately to think of things. I think it may have to be a medley of grandchild-made gifts for them this year, which means a busy week for me, and I should really make a list of what to make and when it needs to be done!
Just realised my last post was on the 28th of November, and that the next day I, as many of you will know from Facebook, passed my driving test first time! On Sunday I did my first un-chaperoned drive, which I felt strangely comfortable about! And now I can't wait to get a second car for us to keep here! I have a feeling that home improvements will go a lot faster once I have a car... Which I also predict will mean a rather sharp increase on our monthly outgoings. What Jonathan and I found rather amusing was that adding me to his insurance for the Yaris actually SAVED him £33! (which must mean they regard me as the safest driver haha)
I am also busy trying to convince him that he wants a third child, something that I don't seem to be doing too well at lately. :( yesterday I suggested that if we had another baby, and it was another boy, we could call him Daniel, as that's the name he's been itching for since day 1! He seemed to have mixed feelings about that heh. But having said that I am for now, happy to not be pregnant. Just as well, I am currently in the middle of my second post-natal period.
On boy news, they are both progressing beautifully. :) Robert is in the early stages of potty training... And has been forever it feels like. I get him to sit on the potty regularly, and he's been on the toilet a few times too. But he has NO idea when he needs to do either. The regular potty time is catching all his poos, but not his wees so we have quite a lot of accidents when he is in pants. I guess for now I just carry on getting him sitting on the potty several times a day and hoping that eventually he'll tell me when he needs a wee or a poo. It just seems never ending lately.
Christopher is not saying anything other than "geh" for again, which was the same as Robert! Sometimes he will wave and babble in a way that it sounds like he's trying to say "bye bye daddy" but with varying sounds making up the babbling. He's becoming quite reliant on me being around, and gets very clingy sometimes. And when he is upset, he wants ME. Not necessarily for gah-gee, cuddles will do, but only from me, no-one else. Something that got Jonathan quite upset at the weekend. He was a little happier when Christopher obliged him with a kiss (something that can be touch and go!) and when, this morning, Christopher got upset about Jonathan going downstairs and didn't seem to want to come to me.
Another thing Christopher is enjoying is playing with Robert's duplo, so I'm guessing we will be going on a duplo hunt this weekend! I'm really looking forward to giving the boys their main joint Christmas present... a dolls house! While the vast majority of the boys' toys are gender neutral or boy ones, they do each have a doll and they will love their dolls house I'm sure! And was such a bargain too!
A while ago I got the boys some painting to do, they love painting, but ohhh boy it is messy and it seems to take longer to set it up and clear it (and the boys) up afterwards than the time they are interested in it!! But they did enjoy it and we later used the finished paintings to make paper chains with.
At one point, Robert enjoyed simply making patterns in the paint with his finger, so I let him continue doing this all over the tray, and then put a piece of paper down on top of the pattern and rubbed the pattern onto the paper!
You can see the two patterned ones here, the red one next to the black bag, and the cream and gold one near the washing machine. All the others were made using brushes, hands, rollers etc. :)
Oh and hot news in from the press - Robert seems to be aware of his bowel movements yippee! This morning, I hadn't changed his nappy or got him to sit on the potty, and he said "Oh mummy, I need a poopoo" and started tugging down his pjs and nappy. Went and sat on the toilet (on his new toilet seat) and did a bit of wee, and then said "would you JUST GO Mummy?!!" so I went, and listened like crazy for rustlings of toilet paper, went back in at the appropriate time, and sure enough he'd done a poo! Sooo so pleased!!! Was so proud of him for telling me instead of just going in his nappy! And I feel a bit more confident that sooner or later he will realise that he needs a wee and tell me about that too!
Anyway, will leave off here for now with a photo (pre-haircut!!) of my two little men
Excuse mucky clothes lol. I gave him tomatoes or something equally mucky for lunch it seems that day and I rarely bother with bibs anymore!
Just realised my last post was on the 28th of November, and that the next day I, as many of you will know from Facebook, passed my driving test first time! On Sunday I did my first un-chaperoned drive, which I felt strangely comfortable about! And now I can't wait to get a second car for us to keep here! I have a feeling that home improvements will go a lot faster once I have a car... Which I also predict will mean a rather sharp increase on our monthly outgoings. What Jonathan and I found rather amusing was that adding me to his insurance for the Yaris actually SAVED him £33! (which must mean they regard me as the safest driver haha)
I am also busy trying to convince him that he wants a third child, something that I don't seem to be doing too well at lately. :( yesterday I suggested that if we had another baby, and it was another boy, we could call him Daniel, as that's the name he's been itching for since day 1! He seemed to have mixed feelings about that heh. But having said that I am for now, happy to not be pregnant. Just as well, I am currently in the middle of my second post-natal period.
On boy news, they are both progressing beautifully. :) Robert is in the early stages of potty training... And has been forever it feels like. I get him to sit on the potty regularly, and he's been on the toilet a few times too. But he has NO idea when he needs to do either. The regular potty time is catching all his poos, but not his wees so we have quite a lot of accidents when he is in pants. I guess for now I just carry on getting him sitting on the potty several times a day and hoping that eventually he'll tell me when he needs a wee or a poo. It just seems never ending lately.
Christopher is not saying anything other than "geh" for again, which was the same as Robert! Sometimes he will wave and babble in a way that it sounds like he's trying to say "bye bye daddy" but with varying sounds making up the babbling. He's becoming quite reliant on me being around, and gets very clingy sometimes. And when he is upset, he wants ME. Not necessarily for gah-gee, cuddles will do, but only from me, no-one else. Something that got Jonathan quite upset at the weekend. He was a little happier when Christopher obliged him with a kiss (something that can be touch and go!) and when, this morning, Christopher got upset about Jonathan going downstairs and didn't seem to want to come to me.
Another thing Christopher is enjoying is playing with Robert's duplo, so I'm guessing we will be going on a duplo hunt this weekend! I'm really looking forward to giving the boys their main joint Christmas present... a dolls house! While the vast majority of the boys' toys are gender neutral or boy ones, they do each have a doll and they will love their dolls house I'm sure! And was such a bargain too!
A while ago I got the boys some painting to do, they love painting, but ohhh boy it is messy and it seems to take longer to set it up and clear it (and the boys) up afterwards than the time they are interested in it!! But they did enjoy it and we later used the finished paintings to make paper chains with.
At one point, Robert enjoyed simply making patterns in the paint with his finger, so I let him continue doing this all over the tray, and then put a piece of paper down on top of the pattern and rubbed the pattern onto the paper!
You can see the two patterned ones here, the red one next to the black bag, and the cream and gold one near the washing machine. All the others were made using brushes, hands, rollers etc. :)
Oh and hot news in from the press - Robert seems to be aware of his bowel movements yippee! This morning, I hadn't changed his nappy or got him to sit on the potty, and he said "Oh mummy, I need a poopoo" and started tugging down his pjs and nappy. Went and sat on the toilet (on his new toilet seat) and did a bit of wee, and then said "would you JUST GO Mummy?!!" so I went, and listened like crazy for rustlings of toilet paper, went back in at the appropriate time, and sure enough he'd done a poo! Sooo so pleased!!! Was so proud of him for telling me instead of just going in his nappy! And I feel a bit more confident that sooner or later he will realise that he needs a wee and tell me about that too!
Anyway, will leave off here for now with a photo (pre-haircut!!) of my two little men
Excuse mucky clothes lol. I gave him tomatoes or something equally mucky for lunch it seems that day and I rarely bother with bibs anymore!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)