Over The Weekend #55

This weekend we didn't get up to much to be honest!

Paul was working all weekend so it was just Oisìn and I for most of the time

Saturday morning we done a bit of Christmas shopping and went for a festive coffee

When I ordered it I didn't realise that it would be so big!

We then went to my parents for a chat and a cuppa

Oisìn wanted to bring his green car but his legs got tired half way to Grandparents house so I end up pushing him most of the way!

I wasn't feeling 100% for most of the weekend but tried my best to be fun for Oisìn!

  Sunday was a mostly do nothing type of day!!

We snuggled on the sofa and watched the new Sky Christmas Movie channel!

It is early to be talking about Christmas but this was just what I needed!

We had a late Sunday roast when Paul got home and then later watched the last in the series of Poldark.

Dealing or Not Dealing with Potty Training Regression

After spending most of August getting Oisìn potty trained the last thing I thought about was potty training regression! He was doing so well and took to using a toddler toilet seat instead of a potty.

I think he had a set back when in creche he moved to the larger toddler room with two new childcare assistants. Although he loves the room and most of his friends moved with him, I don't think he felt comfortable asking to go to the the toilet. I don't blame creche or anything like that these things happen. I do think at home I went about it all wrong! I panicked, stressed out and thought I was doing something wrong! 

Then I started to google everything about toilet regression! I tried EVERYTHING! 

I made a song up to sing when he needed the toilet-it didn't work he wet himself while singing it!

I used stickers as a reward-didn't work stickers where everywhere and so was the puddles of pee!

I told him he was a big boy and he needed to wee in the potty or toilet-didn't work the lip came out and he burst into tears....major Mammy guilt

I used one jelly sweet as a reward-didn't work he sat on the toilet pretending to go and then had a tantrum if he didn't get a sweet!

So I stopped and remembered that this clever little chatter box isn't even three yet! I was stressing out, putting so much pressure on this little boy who although picks up many things quickly was just had a set back with potty training.

 He can have a full conversation with me, sing songs, dress himself, tell stories, feed himself but yet he still isn't three years old. Sometimes I need to remind myself of that! 

I remembered my own words in my own post regarding potty training that every child is different and to have patience.

Why was I putting so much pressure on his little head?!
I was guilty of comparing him to other children in his creche and his friends. Nervous that he was behind other children in his age group. I stopped and gave myself a serious wake up call!!
I took a step back and looked at how upset, unhappy and even slightly scared he looked when I brought him to the toilet or when he had wet himself.

I took the stress and pressure off him and put the pull ups back on. He goes the poo in the toilet and will always tell me when he needs to go to the toilet for that. Now that I have took the pressure off him he tells me more now when he needs a pee. Of course he goes in his pull up alot of the time but he is now much more vocal when he needs to go.

The advice I would give other parents is don't stress about it. I put way to much pressure on myself and on my son, it will happen but it will do so when he is ready.

My Tips For Potty Training!

We have been potty training almost two full weeks now
By no means am I an expert! We still have accidents, we still go through at least two pairs of pants a day, but we are getting there! Oisìn no longer uses a potty but a toddler toilet seat on our toilet which we can take off and bring with us when we go out. He normally tells me when he needs the toilet but can get carried away when playing and forgets! We have had days out and he has been great but the big test will be seeing how he gets on in daycare this week!
These are the big tips that helped me out when starting potty training Oisìn

Every Child Is Different
I learned this pretty quickly when becoming a parent and it's no different when potty training. Every child is different some might not learn in three days to potty train, some might take weeks. Some might love using the potty, some will only just the big toilet. Some might go the poo straight away, some might hold it until they can't anymore! Some might like bribes some mightn't need it, so don't compare your child to anyone else and just let them be themselves

Make Sure Your Child Is Ready
I learned the hard way with this we tried Oisìn at the start of May with the potty and he HATED it!
He just wasn't ready and we had two days of crying and weeing until we decided he just wasn't ready. We then looked for signs like he would leave the room or go to a corner to poo! He wanted to be changed straight after a poo or big wee! He then started to show a little interest when we where going to the toilet.
This tip is a big one for me because there is no point to try potty training if the child isn't ready

Patience Is A Virtue
Some children learn to use the potty is three days, Oisìn took a little longer than that! In totally it's been around two weeks for him to master the toilet. He much prefers to use the toddler toilet seat than the potty and thankfully took to doing poo in the toilet not a problem. Don't get me wrong he still has accidents when he forgets he needs a wee when playing with friends or toys. Just be patience and don't rush....patience is definitely the key

Naked Time
Sun out bum out!! Setting time for Oisìn to be in his buff really did help him learn to use the potty. At the start of the Summer we started setting aside naked time for Oisìn before bath and bed time, we slowly introduced the potty and weeing in the big toilet.

Praise You Baby
It's all about the praise when it comes to Oisìn not just with potty training but he loves to be praised when he tries anything new. High fives, big hugs, well dones, and good jobs and his face lights up!
When he started using the toddler potty seat on the big toilet we piled on the praise so much so he hasn't looked back and has started going into the toilet himself and just asks for help with his pants!

Bribe That Child
Stickers and Jellies is what Oisìn gets if he goes his toilet when we are out and about!
It can be nerve wrecking going out with a toddler when potty training, images of wet clothes and poos on the floor come to mind! In fairness this only happened once in the car on the way out with Oisìn! He has been very good when out while potty training, that is mainly because he knows if he tells us he needs to go the toilet when we are out he either gets a sticker or two jellies!!

Be Prepared
My last tip is be prepared when leaving the house, at least four pairs of pants, and three changes of clothes. My handbag has been switched for a large tote bag filled with stickers, jellies. underpants, wipes, tissues, hand sanitiser, small sanitised bags and a toddler toilet seat!!! Oh the glamour!!

Over The Weekend #43

This weekend hubby was working and it was all about potty training at home!

We technically started last week but cause Oisìn is in daycare three days a week

he needs to be fully potty trained or in nappies. It set him back a bit so I have decided to

go full steam ahead and keep in out of daycare this week until he is comfortable to say he needs the potty at daycare!

He has been doing brilliantly and fingers crossed he has got the hang of it this weekend!

He goes straight to the potty himself sometimes just asks for help getting his underpants down quick enough!

I am a bit nervous about bringing him out while potty training

but on Saturday we went to the library and he went to the toilet in the big boy toilet!

This is our local library and Oisìn loves it!!

He had a good chat with the librarian who then invited us to a Teddy Bear Picnic on Wednesday!

He then spent 15 minutes talking to a random car on the walk to the park
because he thought it was Herbie!!
So sweet and funny!

Today seemed to have an Autumn feel to it! The nights are drawing in, this morning it took
a bit later to get bright and we where up from 6.30am! It was also a bit chilly here in Dublin
Oisìn and I went for a walk.....I brought the potty with me!

The park already has signs of Autumn
I find this a bit bitter sweet.....I love Autumn its my favourite season
but I am not ready to let go of Summer yet after all it's only August!
In another news thankfully Oisìn had no potty training accidents all weekend
I am not patting myself on the back just yet but hopefully this time next week
we should be a nappy free zone!

My Mam came up for dinner today and I cooked a roast beef Sunday Lunch
I am now in bed curled up with a cup of hot chocolate and a book!!

Over The Weekend #38

This weekend turned out to be a busy one!

Friday Oisìn and I pottered around the house doing housework!

Saturday morning Paul and Oisìn went swimming early and then

we made our way into Dublin city centre to get three outfits for

my sister in law's wedding at the end of the month.

In actually fact we found both Paul and Oisìn beautiful suits in the same shop

that wasn't the problem. At this stage it was nap time for Oisìn and he didn't want to

get out of his pram to try anything on! He spent 15 minutes shouting "I DON'T LIKE IT"

at the top of his voice all over the store, while getting annoyed and strange looks from other

customers!! He then barged into the dressing room Paul was getting changed in, thankfully the sales assistant was a nice bloke and took it all very well. Soon bribery was used in the form of Peppa Pig books and chocolate lollipops! 

We then had to find accessories for me! Luckily I already had my dress, but I needed, shoes, bag, jewellery, and a hat to match!! Clothes shopping, with a tired and cranky toddler is like shopping with the spawn of Satan! Oisìn becomes a totally different child when he is tired, and he is not a child to sleep in his pram, like me he is too nosy and wants to see what's going on! We had to do naughty step in the middle of Primark/Penneys que tears, snot and other parents looking at us like we where the most awful parents on the planet! After another hour we where almost finished and more bribery was pulled out in the form of promised Burger King!

Everything was forgiven and forgotten once he got a Burger King hat!

He is such a funny little thing!

Once Oisìn was bathed and put to bed, candles where lit and prosecco poured!

I continued my love of rediscovering Stevie Nicks and listen to another favourite

In Your Dreams

We then watched Spectre not one of my favourite James Bond movies

but I love the title song!

So this morning Oisìn and I where up bright and early 6am!

After a big fry up we went to the Kids Club at our local cinema

It's quite cheap so we thought we would give it ago and see how Oisìn got on!

He loved it! From the popcorn, jellies, and big telly as he called it, he loved every minute

The great thing about kids club is it's chaos lots of little humans, talking, singing and cheering along!

There is no pressure if you kid is laughing or crying all the parents are in the same boat!

We will definitely be bringing Oisìn again he is already asking about Finding Dory

It's hard to believe sometimes he is still only two and half!

The rest of our day was simple, park, dinner and now I'm having a cuppa with a book in bed!

Oisìn at Two & Half Years Old

Dear Oisìn,

Seems like only yesterday you where in my tummy and only a moment ago it was your first birthday, and yet this year is the year you will turn three! Time flies when your having fun!

You have changed and become more of a little boy the past few months that I feel I need to document it! You have become less of a toddler and more of a little boy. You have settled into daycare for three mornings of the week and after a shaky start you love it, you have lots of little friends and it has thought you how to share. 

You are mostly very good and well behaved but you do have what we call the Furey frown when you are mad which is very like Daddy! You can also have a little temper when you don't get your own way but a couple of minutes on the naughty chair usually sorts that out!
You are so independent and have always been so but you love to try do everything yourself. Brushing your own teeth, cutting up your own food, washing your hands and even helping me with chores around the house. You have gone from a cot to a toddler bed and of course you took to it like a duck to water.
You have become a right little chatter box, and every day you are learning new words. It's lovely to have a little chat with you, even if sometimes it's mostly two year old language! You definitely have the Furey music gene which seems to have skipped your Dad! When Dad is in work we have the music on and you love to sing and dance. Your favourite songs at the moment are Three Little Birds, ABC Song and Old MacDonald.
You also love to watch TV very like Daddy but I try limited your screen time and sometimes am not your best friend because of it! Your favourite TV shows are Peppa Pig which has been your big favourite for a long time, but you also like Twirl woos and Mr Tumble. Your favourite movies are Pixar, Toy Story, Cars and Finding Nemo. You are so good watching movies that we are going to bring you to see Finding Dory when it comes out this summer.
One thing that I am quite hard on is manners and you have excellent manners. You always say please and thank you, an now have took it upon yourself to say thank you Mammy and Daddy at every meal which makes me so proud.
Speaking of food you just love your grub!! You are just a busy little boy who never seems to be full! You eat almost everything but are a bit iffy about onions, carrots and pears!!
Out of all the toys you have you love your puzzles, jigsaws, drawing board and toy cars the most. You also love reading which makes me so proud, you love the library just like Mammy!
Daddy takes you swimming twice a week which you just love sometimes I will come along and you just amazing me at how well you can swim. So like Dory said just keep swimming!

Over The Weekend #32

Sometime you have an lovely weekend planned packed full of fun things to do

but life has another idea!

Saturday morning Paul was working all weekend so Oisìn and I went for coffee for me and milk and pancakes for him!

We went to one of his favourite places the library! 

After he picked out his three books I had plans for the park, feed the ducks and playground

but he looked really tired and pale so we came home and I put him down for a nap.

When he woke he seemed okay so we went to my parents for lunch

We had a nice lunch, Oisìn and Nanny done some colouring

but I noticed as the afternoon went on Oisìn wouldn't eat and became very tired

He wouldn't eat any dinner when we got home and his tummy looked bloated

So I decided a bath was the best thing to cheer him up

Look at the face how much I love it!

Bath time did cheer him up but also seeing Daddy home from work

before he went to bed also made him happy

Thinking all was okay I lit I candle for my brother

Who I have been really missing lately doesn't seem like ten years at all since he passed away

I poured a glass of wine and we settled down and watched Outlander

Just as the end credits rolled we heard Oisìn vomitting

Poor mite he didn't cry even when we had to change his pyjamas and bed clothes

We where all in bed by 10.30pm

It was a beautiful day here in Dublin today

but we spent it mostly in doors
Paul was in work again today so besides hanging out washing
Oisìn and I spent today cuddling and watching Disney
Little guy hasn't been himself much wanting to sleep for long naps
and watch Disney cartoons so that what we did!

Now I'm not feeling to good and Oisìn has asked to go to bed which is so not like him!
So I am now getting ready to snuggle up in bed and read
I will be lucky if I get through one day of my book because I feel shattered!

Over The Weekend #31

Not alot of pictures this weekend because to be honest we didn't do much!

Saturday I was very lucky to be giving a lie and woken to breakfast in bed!

We pottered around the house, done some housework and some work in the garden

Paul then had the idea of turning Oisìn's cot into his toddler bed

I knew it was time but wow was I a wreck about it!

It's milestones like this that I don't know if we will get again 

Of course Oisìn's takes to everything so well and seemed very happy with his

big boy bed!

After baths and being put to bed in for the first time in his toddler bed

Oisìn was asleep with in minutes so candles was lit, wine poured and we settled down for Outlander

First night in his big boy bed was a success he only had one fall out of the bed

but we had a soft mat bedside the bed so he didn't cry just smiled at us and hopped back into bed!

Now just need to get rid of the soother at night and start toilet training!!

Think I'll start with the soother baby steps!!

Today was a slow day here this morning I was up early with Oisìn

It called for coffee and pastries

We watched Minions for the 100th time this week

I read for a while, I haven't been feeling 100% this week, with starting new meds on Wed

I think it's just my body getting use to them but I felt so tired this weekend

and had to take naps.

 While I went for a lie down Paul took Oisìn swimming I hate missing out on family time

but fatigue was so bad this weekend

I'm back in the hospital again on Tues and Thurs this week so I'm hoping it will be good news

The rest of today was spent, reading, watching TV, drinking tea and I'll be having an early night

Hope you all had a nice weekend

Over The Weekend #24

This weekend Paul was working so it was just Oisín and I 

we had a couple of days of mother and son time!

Saturday morning this little one enjoyed his blueberry porridge!

Maybe it was because my chronic pain was bad this weekend

or it's a phase Oisín is going through but this weekend he was very clingy

Couldn't leave his side for a moment and he was following me, calling for me

asking me to join in with his games or helping him drawn and paint

While I love that he wants me to play with him but with twisted bowel so bad

and I had major fatigue this weekend I just needed him to play by himself

for half an hour or so. So I remember some toys Oisín got for Christmas

which I had put up because he got some many

He enjoyed playing with them for all of ten minutes!

So we went out to the park

We brought bread to feed the ducks

and it was fine weather for the ducks!

Damp and drizzle rain so we didn't stay for very long!

When we got home I made Oisín a hot chocolate and put on his favourite movie Toy Story 3

So while he was happy and quiet I made a cuppa and enjoyed reading my book!

Sunday was mostly a write off!! I was in bad pain and found it an effort to get dressed
Thankfully Paul was only in work for a short day so when he got home
I went back to bed with a hot water bottle, pain killers and a book!

Week With A Poorly Toddler

This week has been in one word awful!

It started Sunday afternoon when Oisín woke from his nap

with his temperature hitting almost 50C

Paul was in work so I tried my best not to panic

gave Oisín some medicine and striped his clothes off

to make sure he had no rash on his body

He was back to normal after an hour but that

was the longest hour of my life!

I went to bed after Downton Abbey Sunday night

with a hot chocolate in hand

Didn't sleep very long as Oisín woke at 3am with

another high temperature. I brought him downstairs

gave him some medicine and a cold drink

We watched Toy Story (Oisín's new favoutirte)

and by 5am Oisín was ready to go back to bed

Monday morning I brought Oisín to the doctors

when his temperature hit 50C

Turns out our poor little guy has an

ear infection, swollen glands as well

as cutting his final three eye teeth

Thankfully he is on the mend now

with a course of antibotics for the week

Sleep patterns are getting back to normal

He is eating again

Playing and back in creche 

It has had a knock on effect with my slimming world plan

as I have been eating when I can, sleeping when I can and putting all sorts

of crap in my mouth!

Next week is a new week we will all be fighting fit and back on track!

Oisín's Bedroom Tour

My little boy has moved from our bedroom into his very own room!

He loves his little room and like with everything else he took to

it like a duck to water, slept through the whole night and hasn't been in our room or bed since!

His room isn't finished I am always adding to it and re arranging

but the colour scheme is orange and green and the theme is woodland animals

Here is a little tour but I will do one again when it's finished!

 Oisín's little book shelf

He loves bedtime stories and he like to look through the pages himself

I really like the Adam's Cloud books by Benji Bennett

The stories are beautiful and I was get a lump in my throat reading them to Oisín

A little shelf for a little man!

More books on this shelf

The very first book we bought Oisín Guess How Much I Love You

His children's bible is also kept on this shelf along with a little trinket
of a little boy that was once my great aunts, then my brother's and now Oisín's

His moon night light that he likes on when we read

bedtime stories or if he is a little unsettled at night

We have little pictures like this dotted around his
room along with the pregnancy scans
of him

We are not finished his little room and I will
do an update soon when we are finished
but it's starting to become a lovely space
for a lovely little boy!

Primark/Pennys Haul!!

After a miserable day yesterday of being sick and

Oisín teething I decided some retail therapy was needed

and went on a trip to pennys!

Oisín needed some Autumn/Winter clothes

so this haul is all for him!

 Firstly this monster grey sweater his was €7

Mummy's Super Hero long sleeve top €2

Move It Digger long sleeve top €2

He also need some new nightwear items

Two pack of Space themed pyjamas €8

Three pack of Dino theme sleepsuits €10

The one thing I do notice about Primark/Pennys sleepwear is there a small size

these are both 24/36 months and they fit Oisín

I really love this little Autumn outfit!

Striped grey & white jumper €7

Jeans €5

 Oisín starts day care on Wednesday

so he needed a new bag pack and beaker

Spiderman bag pack €8

Spiderman beaker €3

We always seem to need jogging bottoms for Oisín he goes through so many

these are great value two pack €7

so I got navy and grey, and blue and red!

Not a great picture but I also got

Oisín a winter coat

Blue with lining on the inside

Fleece hood and fur on collar

lovely coat for €14

Lastly a few essentials five pack of socks €3

two park of mittens €1

Cute winter hat €3

So that's my little boy haul

Hopefully will get myself something next time!