I've just been running round like a demented flea the past couple of weeks, what with Juliet's birthday and visitors and then her getting some sort of flu and cutting her two top teeth........

She is now sleeping and napping a lot better so I have a spare 5 mins for a coffee and a BE catch up post!

She's doing really well since she's been feeling better and is back to her old self. Toddling about and trying to even run sometimes; she is quite insane lifting her knees and leg sup high and fast so it looks like silly running!!!! I worry about her trying to move so quickly as she is constantly coming a cropper through not watching where she is going or attempting some moves well outside of her capabilities!

She is still climbing too and can scale the stairs, get onto chairs and stand up and then clap herself (look mum, no hands!!!) GAAAAAAAA...this is the point where I come flying across the room with arms out and have to dive to catch her as she flies through the air! No, seriously, I am surprising myself at how much I let her adventure about because I am a bit of a fraidy cat but the girl just loves to climb and explore so I keep a watchful eye on her but I like to let her learn for herself too...so she is learning about climbing down as well as climbing up...hence the crash landings at times!

She is making lots of noises and trying to run them all together into nonsensical sentences. It's lovely! Beat of all though is that although she isn't making clear words out, she can communicate yes and no! She shakes or nods her head with an accompanying sound of either err err for no or yuh for yes. It is excellent for 'Juliet - do you want to go to bed?' and it's working so we know if she is ready for a nap or bedtime, saving those horrible times you put them down and they're just not ready but then it goes on to ruin the entire day's napping schedule!

What else is going on....well OH is handing in his notice today as he is coming to work at my work for a 6month contract that has come up! It's local to us so he won't have a 2 1/2 hour commute each day and a totally different department (he will be heading Finance) so we don't have to directly work together although we will have to for some project work AGGGH hehe not really...we are good at working together as we've done all manner of things like renovate house, planning emogration etc and we are both similarly minded so all good and plus only a 6 month contract, starting in January til we leave next year (hopefully Aug/Sept btu the contract is open to renewal depending on what is happening with the company and any possible perm replacement) so not like we're permanently working together!!

I'm running my first race this coming Monday - can't quite believe it. 10km race. Am aiming for about 58minutes or less but who knows, especially in this weather, and with having eaten my body weight in chocolate and crisps probably over christmas week!

Work party tonight, not sure about getting glammed up in this weather esp as my party dress is halter necked hmmmm maybe not!

All is going pretty well here, really.

Juliet is still very assertive and can be quite 'stroppy' at times. She has a killer grip and throws herself on the floor if she doesn't get what she wants or you take something off her. Am trying to teach her slowly about good manners and about not always getting what you want. It's not exactly working first time but I think it is happening slowly. She is very spirited so i don't want her to come across to others as spoilt and am really working on regning in her madam tendencies without stomping on her vibrant and interesting personality!!!!! Challenging!!!

Of course, I am totally biassed but she is turning into a lovely ltitle girl with her own mind and a real passion for adventure and fun. I often worry if I am doing the right thing but I suppose we all do, really.

Re food - still causing a bit of bother but some small improvements. She did lose weight over the last month but she was really unwell and a lot of teething so trying to get her back on track. the HV isn't worried and we had an NHS nutritionist at Surestart last week and although I got upset, she gave me a lot of stuff to read about fussy eaters and problems with getting hyour baby eating the right types of food. We are giving her a hot dinner at lunch instead of evening and that is working better, I think. Still, was disappointing when I spent her Sunday nap time making a big batch of pasta ad freezing loads only for her to spit it out and refuse even one mouthful the first time I tried it!!! AGGGHH! Anyway, we are trying trying and hoping she will, over time, accept a wider range of foods. Still not sure she is getting anywhere near her fill of nutrients so keeping her on formula for some time yet. expensive AGGH. Still sterilising her bottles...is anyone else?

Love to hear how you guys are getting on with food, naps, sterilising, formula, bf, madam/mister strops etc etc etc!!!

Merry Christmas!

Hey Lizzie!

I'm stuck at home cos of the snow and I should be working, but I'm sure they won't notice if I slope onto the net for a while teehee!

Lovely update on little Ju btw. It always amazes me and makes me smile and nod in agreement how similar she is to Skye with her temperament!!

Skye has really found her feet in the last couple of days, according to her grandparents and my hubby, as I haven't yet seen it myself as she's stuck at theirs. She also loves to climb and explore things!

She loves climbing the stairs, and often has paddies when I have to stop her and get her down. We also get the strops when she doesn't get her own way or isn't allowed something she wants :roll: So difficult to know exactly how to deal with it but hopefully we'll get there.

She spends lots of time climbing on her wooden walker and into boxes wanting us to push her around, and is now trying to get on the sofas, so I can't leave her for a minute!!

Skye chatters a lot these days too, all complete nonsense, but it sounds lovely just the same! Her fav word of the moment is "Uh oh" which she has picked up from me when things don't quite go to plan! She understands a lot though, so I must be careful what we say!!

Nap-wise we are generally on just one long nap a day now, except for if she wakes up early. I am also still sterilising bottles, but over the holidays I am going to stop and just use lots of hot soapy water.

We are still using Follow on formula too, morning and bedtime, and she has about 12oz per day. She always has some cow's milk mid pm along with some snacks, which a lot of mum's I know don't do? They just give water and snacks. Somehow I just prefer to let her have some milk as it seems more filling and nutritious! After she has finished the latest box of formula I am going to change her onto the Grown Up milk and just give at bedtime. She is still such a ravenous little thing at night, and we have gone up to 8oz from 7oz at bedtime!
She puts a lot of food away now, suppose it's because she is so active, and can easily eat as much as me for lunch! We do still have issues with bigger lumps and she is definitely not eating what we do as yet, but I hope as she gets more teeth and learns to use them to chew not just grind and bite she will progress onto proper adult-like meals.

Oh ,and good luck for the race on Monday. Must be difficult to train in the snow!

Missing my little girl xxx

Lovely to hear the updates.

I'm still working, and praying that tomorrow all the work is done so we can get away at 1pm. I really don't want to have to stay later (some were here until 7pm last year apparently) as we've got to drive tomorrow.

Ciaran is doing really well and getting very grown up. He's settled in at nursery now and we've had 2 days where he hasn't cried at all. I even heard the girls talking about how impressed they were with him at the nativity when they didn't realise we'd arrived. We got his first 'pack' of 'work' home this week - a fantastic collection of xmas things he's helped to decorate which is lovely. I think I'm going to need a big box or two to store all the bits in!

The walking is still going well and he's getting very independant with it. He's never wanted to hold onto 2 hands - only ever one, and now he refuses to hold even one hand most of the time! I've got to get my act in gear and start carrying around his harness so it doesn't matter if he won't hold a hand.

Thankfully he doesn't climb on things yet (you must be getting a good sprinter too Lizzie!). He does go up and down the stairs and it's great to see him get himself down on the floor and turn around to approach the top of the stairs properly. it makes me feel far more comfortable that if he escapes at nana's then he won't go running straight off the top of the stairs!

The last few weeks where he's been looked after by Grans one day a week has been great (shame it's over now). He's responded to them really well and adores cuddling them. He seems to have gone a little anti me at the moment (possibly because I take him to nursery) but I'm not too fussed, I tend to get a lovely greeting when I see him in the evening, he just spreads himself a bit more thinly now I'm not the main carer all the time. In the new year it's all change and DH will be looking after him on a Thursday (thankfull it got approved without any issues) and I'll continue to have fridays off. I'm looking forward to it and hoping it helps build even better bonds between C and DH.

We're just down to 1 nap a day normally now he's got over the flu, it's lovely not to have to worry too much about fitting in lots of naps. He's still a piggy boy, eating very well at nursery and then is really good at home too. I'm looking forward to ditching the formula once the current tub has finished, then I can switch him to a cup far more easily! I've already stopped sterilizing as there doesn't seem any point, I don't tend to even use cooled boiled water half of the time now.

Talking wise, we don't get that much, Mama and da da are firmly embedded and he's getting there with ta (only uses it some of the time) and toast (we get toa or ss or a combination of both) when he wants toast (normally to nick my breakfast). He loves babbling to his books which sends his gran into fits of smiles and gushing.

We're at 6 teeth at the moment with no signs of more (though he is back to chewing fingers etc now so maybe in a month or so).

I finally feel I'm getting back into the swing of work. Still undecided as to whether I really like the new set up, but we'll see. Even the company is trying to work out how the roles are going to work in their new form. I'm really hoping it does settle down to be good as I'm hopeless at working in a place where I don't like the job, and getting a new one (and moving nurseries, days off etc) could turn into a bit of a nightmare so something I really want to avoid. This week is turning manic with lots of staff already on holiday so far more work to do, I will be glad when it's over.

After tomorrow I'm off until the 5th which will be lovely. Looking forward to meeting up with family and having a fun time after being so spaced this time last year. The interesting bit is going to be getting all our stuff and presents in the car to come home as I know we've got a smart trike (having ordered the next model up as he got the wrong one from Grandad), an activity cube, a toy garage, a big toy tigger and goodness knows what else to fit in on top of the usual garb (most of which is already at Nana's)! It seems to be harder this year as his presents take up more room than they did last year!!! I can see a second run being needed this year.

Good luck with your run Lizzie. I hope the weather isn't horrid for you.

Better go as script testing and mdd'ing call (joy of joys - NOT :lol: )

Oh I really want to add to this before I leave for my folks' for Christmas, but Lily's just gone down for a nap and I MUST make hay while the sun's shining and get some more stuff packed and put in the hall ready for loading up when hubby gets home from work - and also change the bed, cos I hate the thought of coming back to an unclean bed!

So with a bit of luck I'll be back to add my update before madam wakes up and my friend comes over for a cuppa - but if I'm not - Happy Christmas to all my lovely Biddies and their families. I'll be thinking of you all.

Its a lovely catch up post Lizzie and everybody! Its making me all nostalgic about this time last year. Christmas was so lovel and special as ruby wasnt quite here yet, but i knew it wouldnt be long and we were all so excited with the anticipation. I used to log on here every day and read about everyone else's lo's and look at the little pics aaaaaaawwww!
anyway, poor ruby has been poorly on and off with ear infection, cough cold and then an allergic reaction to i dont know what, which brough her out in a hideous rash (i thought it was chicken pox :lol: ) so i'm really hoping that our overall family health starts to improve from here on in.
She is babbling away mummeeeeee, daddeeeee, Tashy (my sis) Tessyyyyy (dog) meeeeeee (milly) and lots of sing song type stuff which is so cute. She follows milly everywhere, copies everything she does and plays games with her lovely. They sit and take turns with toys and Ruby squeals with excitement and it makes my heart melt to watch them and makes me realise how lucky i am.
She is still having 2 naps a day usually but doesnt seem to mind if she misses one, and sleeps well overnight, even when she has been unwell!
Still only 6 teeth, so i think we're in for some more soon eek. she has come on really well with eating more foods that she can pick up and enjoys chunks of fruit or grapes now, which she was choking on before!
I'm still not enjying work that muh, but its a case of "take the money and run" for me, i do it to buy nice things for my girls and that's it. One day, i'll find a job i loike and then i'l be happy with it, but for now i make the most of my days with the girls and just get on with the days i'm at work!
DH has xmas day and boxing day off work as annual leave (he worked last year) so it will be lovely to be together for ruby's first Christmas. We are going to church for Christingle tomorrow evening and then cuddle up and films before putting out a mince pie, milk for Santa and a carrot for Rudolph.
i still cannot believe where this year has gone! i sit in the nursery every night feeding Ruby thinking the same thing!
Merry christmas to all the lovely Biddie mummies and babies, what a year we've had together xxxx

What a great idea, Lizzie. Like you I don't usually have the time to post properly so here goes:

Abby has grown into a beautiful, friendly little girl. My Oh and I are constantly discussing how much we're enjoying watching her grow up. She has definitely turned from a "textbook" baby to a "spirited" boddler. She is constantly into one thing or another and has a tendency to find the most dangerous thing in any room. Put her in a room filled full of toys, books and balloons and she will open the cupboards until she finds a pair of scissors or a handful of screws. We haven't actually childproofed anything in the house except for a stair gate at the top of the stairs. We find that we need to watch her reasonabley carefully anyway and like to teach her that "No" means no rather than let her assume everything is for her.
She is a very tolerant baby and will fall off the sofa, get knocked down by older children/ the dog, bang her head etc without flinching. However she does not like having toys etc taken off her and is starting to hit other babies/children if they try to do so. This is definitely something I am watching as I don't want this to continue.

Her new "tricks" include giving kisses to all her relatives, picking up the phone and saying "aahh" down it, selecting various farm animals on command and calling all walking birds "duck". She started saying "Mum" last week but her main words are "Dada", "Dog", "Duck" and "book". She absolutely loves books and will sit on the floor "reading" a book for up to 20mins. She points at her bookshelf and shouts "book" until I get one for her and throws a temper-tantrum most evenings when I refuse to read a 2nd one.

Abby isn't walking yet but can make a couple fo steps if needed. Generally she assesses the situation and realises that crawling is 10x faster so gives up on the walking business. She just isn't patient enough to try it out.

We have been completely run down by her illnesses though. She hasn't slept through the night since August and her poos have been so bad that we often have to give her a bath in the middle of the day to wash off her back, chest, hair etc. :\(

On the work front I have been very busy. We have started a new A-Level syllabus so I have had to write new schemes of work, plan new practical exams, mark 100+ exams etc. It has been exceptionally stressful as OCR have totally mucked up the practicals and I have had to try and get the best for my students in difficult circumstances. However my subject has become one of the best performing in the school - a result of hard-working and dedicated teachers. I am really chuffed that the subject has improved year on year since I became Head of Dept. On top of that I am starting to run whole staff training sessions, which is a good step towards becoming an Assistant Head. I don't want that position yet until my child(ren) are older but it's good to have stuff on your CV.

My OH's business has done really well this year despite the economic crisis - fingerscrossed xx. He now looks after Abby on Fridays and is loving it despite his initial reservations. I think it's an excellent way for them to bond as I am definietly the primary caregiver the rest of the time.

Our big news at the moment is that we have put our house on the market at last. We need a bigger place in a nicer area. This is our present place:

http://www.haart.co.uk/buying-house/Mapsearch/search-results/Property-details_120622_1.aspx

Any offers gratefully received.

We are hoping to move closer to my work in Marlow but may end up in High Wycombe (with IZ and Skye :\) ) as the housing prices are much lower there but the schools are still good.

Anyway my dinner is now ready - cooked by my OH :lol:

H xx

Just been nosey-ing at your house Helen, looks very tidy inside! Where have you hidden all Abby's stuff!?
Marlow would be nice, but like you say, expensive!!! Good luck with selling and buying! x

It's all behind the camera! The photographer is actually stood amoungst highchairs, clothes, dog stuff and toys. LOL x