When preparing for E's arrival, we bought an Avent DECT monitor and figured we'd bypass the need for video given we had the Oricom Babysense breathing mats for peace of mind. Fast forward to E's arrival and a few months later, us seeing the value in a video monitor to save us constantly checking up on him while napping. We bought the Oricom Secure700 digital video monitor when he was about 4 months old I think and haven't ever regretted it since. Its been on holidays with us and I can't tell you what a Godsend it is in a two storey house.

We have decided we definitely want a video monitor for B2 but we aren't ready to not have one for E yet - hopefully he will be transitioned to his own room by the time baby arrives and given its location from our bedroom, I would feel a whole lot more secure knowing I can check on him anytime.

I don't really want to have two parent handsets to lug around if by some wild crazy chance of fate, I have two children napping at once (hey, I can dream right?) so I considered an app based monitor that allows me to view baby on my iphone and this seemed like the way we would go ... indeed I had placed an iBaby monitor on hold in preparation.

Age: 
21 Months ... and in 1 month (or less) my baby will be a big brother!

A continuation in my series to prove bloggers, instagrammers, facebook users, tweeters ... have less than perfect lives. Here goes with my ongoing confessions to a not so perfect life:

I wore thongs to work today... I put them on to walk into the garage to get something and good old baby brain led me to pulling up at work, looking down and realising I hadn't swapped footwear before leaving home. Thankfully my boss is out today and we don't have any appointments scheduled.

I am dreading toilet training... like really dreading it. Sleep issues were a breeze compared to this and I wish it was something you could pay someone to come to your home and do for you. (Don't tell my mum I said this).

I rarely get petrol with E in the car but when I have had to, I leave him in the car sometimes when I pay for it. We go to the same local station around the corner every time, the register is close by, I always make sure there isn't a queue and am in and out in around 2 minutes while the car is locked.

Mean mummy I am, I told E this week after a trip to the doctors that the lollipop he was given was a toy so he played with it then tossed it once he lost interest ... hey, thanks a lot Doc considering I'm the one that will get to deal with the sugar crash once the high wears off not to mention future dental bills.

I let E watch ABC Kids some nights while eating dinner. If he's eating later than his usual 5:30pm, he tends to be tired, grumpy and disagreeable so I find some Buzzy Bee or whatever is on at the time usually deflects any battles and helps us all survive dinner time with our sanity (and tempers) intact.

E eats some prepackaged snacks. While I try to serve him mostly whole foods and homemade snacks, some times I just can't argue with the convenience of a Heinz Little Bellies muesli/fruit bar or the fun of some Heinz Shredz... what's life if not to be enjoyed right?

Given a choice of sushi handrolll and hot chips, E will go the hot chips every single time - could be because he gets the opportunity to have them maybe once a month as I'm not big on chips. And hey, I can't argue with his choice, I hate sushi myself.

I need to clean the top shelf of my fridge ... I suspect there are condiments sitting on it that expired at least 12 months ago and just keep getting pushed further to the back.

I drink too much soft drink lately. At least a can a day, sometimes two. Shocking isn't it? I shudder to think how much sugar that equates too. My only defence is that I needed something to enjoy if I can't have a glass of wine or cider.

We started reading to E from the day we bought him home and it has definitely helped instill a love of books for him. Now he will often go pull a book off the shelf to read on his own or bring to me, climb into my lap and start turning the pages. I try to make sure we read at least one story together each morning and a couple at night ... its a great way to wind down and calm him from dinner, bath and after bath playtime roughhousing with daddy.

Our favourites are:


Love You Forever - Robert Munsch
my mum used to read this to us so it was a no brainer to get it for my first born and he loves sitting and listening to it. I love the sing song type chorus and often say it to him throughout the day or at bedtime. We also have always talked about the pictures and it was one of the earliest demonstrations of his vocabulary when he started pointing things out.

On the Night You Were Borm - Nancy Tillman
This book actually brought me to tears the first time I read to E as a newborn and even now I feel emotions rise reading it to him. He loves this story and will lay next to me quietly to listen to the words.

The Very Hungry Caterpillar - Eric Carle
A classic for any child, this is the first story I ever read E and now as a 20 month old, he loves pointing out things on the pages, putting his fingers in the holes and listening to it.
Mini Movers series - this is a great set of board books my mum bought for E when he was tiny however as soon as he could go for a book, these were high on the hit list and he would demand we sit with him and point out the vehicles. Perfect for any little guy, the books contain diggers, dumpers, trucks, emergency vehicles etc and now E will sit and point out the vehicles to us, naming them.

Things I Love series - Trace Maroney
A gorgeous set for any children's library, I bought the sets for both my nieces as well. With stories about me, pets, bedtime, school, family and more, they are wonderful books to help build up a child and positively reinforce them. They even contain great talking points at the back for parents and E especially loves the books on Family and Grandparents.

My nose my toes & me - a flap book, this was the first one E had and he loved the game like nature of lifting the flap on each page, Colourful, simple and rhyming, its a great beginner book.

Where is the Green Sheep - Mem Fox
I was set for this to one day become high on the rotation list after years of reading it to friends' children and that day is now here for us. Mem Fox just knows how to write fun children's stories to share and this one is no exception. E has gotten so good that I will read part of the page and leave it to him to tell me which sheep it is... 'Here is the .... 'moon'... sheep' and he will shout out 'moon' at my pause.

E also has all the beautiful classics like a Peter Rabbit library, Fairytales Treasury, Blinky Bill collection, Dr Seus library and countless others such as The Gruffalo, There's a Hippo on the Roof, Dear Zoo, Spot set, Hairy McClairy and most of Mem Fox's works.

We've also added a few new books to E's collection thanks to Grammy in preparation for his coming role and I'm planning to introduce them this weekend:

There's Going to be a Baby
You're a Big Brother
A New Baby

And we have started B2's collection in a bid to play catch up with E's extensive library, so far adding:



Wherever you are my love will find you - Nancy Tillman
By the same author as E's On The Night You Were Born, this book moves me to tears in the beauty of its words and I look forward to reading it over and over to my children.

Kissed by the Moon - Alison Lester
I heard of this story from a friend who shared it with her first born daughter. The words and sentiment are magical and

Baby Bedtime - Mem Fox
By classic children's author, this story will be a big part of B2's bedtime routine I plan.


To the shared library we have also added:

The Crown on Your Head - another Nancy Tillman and just as magical as the first two mentioned earlier. I cannot stress enough that if you haven't read a Nancy Tillman story or don't own one, you need to add her to your children's library.

''Reasons my child is crying' only a few weeks ago could be related to any or all of the following reasons:

• his sippy cup was empty
• there were dried apricots in his sultanas
• his daddy looked at him
• I picked up the wrong bedtime story to read
• I opened his cheese stick at the wrong end
• I wouldn't let him throw his toys down the stairs
• I wouldn't let him dance on the laptop

Most of the worst tantrums come from frustration I find - in trying to make himself understood or trying to do something, E would become frustrated and upset and then the tantrums would start because I either couldn't understand what he was telling/asking me or because he wanted to do something himself, not with my help. In these instances, I have found the best approach to diffusing or minimising fallout is by acknowledging how upsetting it must be for him through talking calmly about it and even apologising for not understanding him, keeping it light and relaxed by sitting at his level with my arms open and out to him so that he can come to them when he is ready.

Other times when the tantrum was/is because he doesn't get his own way or puts him at risk, rather than become infuriated, I crouch down to him and try to talk him through it and explain why he can't have/do etc. I use a short brief sentence and also act it out a little like patting my head if its because he will fall down and then I ask him for a cuddle and sit with him till he is ready.

For parents, there is nothing worse than that feeling of guilt that comes if you happen to lose your temper at your child by raising your voice. So in the case of toddler tantrums and meltdowns, I think the key is before you get exasperated at another 'performance', you need to talk yourself down from your own mini-tantrum and recognise that their little brains are so overloaded at that moment and they have no idea how to regulate emotions or handle what they are feeling. Adding to that confusion won't help anyone so the best thing to do for them and for you is to try and diffuse the situation by giving them a safe place to let it out and calm them down.

For me, understanding that E is at a process of learning his emotions and how to regulate them and is so overloaded with thoughts and new experiences, it became easier to cope with the tantrums by realising that this was the time he needed me most to supply a safe harbour and anchor for him to have these outbursts of emotion.

I think another contributor often overlooked in the reason for tantrums is the environment or surroundings. Its not fair to expect a toddler to sit still for hours at a time in a pram or a trolley or at a table. They are children and they want to run and play and explore so to confine them for long periods and suppress their natural urges is only going to lead to belligerence, tears and poor cooperation because they are bored and feel punished.

If I go to the shops with E for example, I have a plan of attack that usually involves visiting the main shop I need first then a milkshake break followed by one or two more stores, a run around the shopping centre playground, one more store and then home. I try and ensure its a fun experience for him rather than having to sit quietly in his pram indefinitely while I browse as that's just not fair.

Its all about balance I guess and realising that they don't act up or have tantrums just to be brats or make our life hard. There is always a reason for their behaviour, even if it seems like a silly reason to us and a little patience and understanding will go a long way to making for a happier mummy and toddler.

Of course I'm no expert, just a mumma with a tantrum throwing toddler and this is what works for us.