Our April babies are starting to turn 1! What a year it's been...

[Maveta]

Come on girls, lurkers and regular posters alike, pop in and let us know how the year has been for you and what your little angel/monster is ('are' for the twin mummies ) breaking doing now

[weeonion]

great idea mav - thanks fro this. i will be back later with a 4 page reflection short catch up

[AngeG]

Great Maveta!

Lol at your 4 page reflection short catch up WO

[Maveta]

lol, yes I don't think I'll attempt a catch up tonight but will definitely be back to bore you all with a blow by blow account of the last 300 something days

[oooggs]

this could take some time!

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

hi you lot, I'm a popper-inner (that's one step up from a lurker )

what are you all doing for your lo's birthdays?

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

oh sorry wrong place for that question

will, um, come back and write something sensible another time...

[Bugmum]

I suppose, having made everyone think I'm all stroppy and offended (I didn't mean it like that, honest! ), I ought to be one of the first to play catch up.

G is a joy, most of the time. He has seven and a bit teeth, cruises everywhere, says Mama, Daddy, Nana, Ta, Again, Duck-duck, quack-quack (well, sort of!) and Oh Dear. He is still breastfed, and I think I'm going to have some trouble with him when I stop at a year, because although I don't feed him often, I do feed him to sleep, including in the night

But it has been a hard year in some other ways. We are waiting for a referral for DS1, who is almost certainly on the autistic spectrum, and while the relationship between the boys is often a delight, DS1 does hurt G and doesn't realize that he mustn't because he doesn't see that others feel differently from him, if that makes sense. He is one of those, it seems, with an incredible ability (rarer than the fans of Rain Man think!) in numbers and letters, and he is clearly on the mild end of the spectrum, so it is by no means all doom. I do so hate the hurting of G, though, and also my own projected worry about the future.

On a lighter note, I have finally started to lose the baby weight: have between 8 and 12 pounds to go, now, which feels manageable, and I'm pretty fit from pushing the heavy buggy with G in it and DS1 on the buggy board. I have also discovered Callanetics on DVD; girls, if you want a seriously flatter stomach, do this twice a week. Hard to find the time, I know, but really worth it. On the negative side, I suddenly have massive spots! At the age of 42!!! I am hoping it is just hormones from winding down the bfing, as I do not want middle-aged acne, thank you very much.

I went back to work very part-time pretty early on, but am lucky as DP works funny hours and does the childcare when I go out for my pathetic few hours.

G is a big cuddler but also a big headbutter: I have a black eye and a fat lip as I type (DP is NOT amused, given what the neighbours probably think). He is the sunniest baby that ever was, unless the world won't bend to his will, then he yells louder than any baby before him (or so it seems to me...). I do worry that he won't get the attention he needs, as DS1 takes so much, but at least it is becoming clear that G knows how to assert himself, big style!

And that's about it. I would apologize for this being so long, but I assume everyone's will be.
Love to all,
Bugmum xx

[Eddas]

The full list of births so we can check who's been awol

Will post my year so far with ds another time, bit late to think what to write

Autumnlover - 1 March 00:00,Boy, Patrick, 5lbs 4oz
WestCountryLass - 25 March 04:05 - Boy, Leo James, 7lbs 4oz
Bubblez- 27 March 05:45, Girl, Tianna, 6lbs 8oz
Bramshott - 27 March 08:15, Girl, Orla, 6lbs 7oz
Kneehighinnappies(1becomes3) - 27 March 11:00, Girl, Lola, 5lbs 5oz
Kneehighinnappies(1becomes3) - 27 March 11:00, Boy, Zed, 5lbs 7oz
Mavornia - 27 March, Boy, Daniel, 9lbs 5.5oz
Mammyjo - 28 March 10:10, Girl, Ffion May, 8lbs 1oz
Oooggs - 29 March 20:50, Girl, Erin Grace, 6lbs 14oz
Oooggs - 29 March 21:09, Boy, Jack Nathan, 7lbs 14oz
Doobydoo - 2 April 09:43, Boy, Milo, 7lbs 13oz
AngeG - 4 April 02:48, Girl, Isobelle, 6lbs 12oz
YvieE - 5 April 09:59, Girl, Sarai, 6lbs 12oz
MMK - 5 April, Girl, Rachel Ester
Littlefrog - 5 April, Boy, 8lbs
Cazboldy - 6 April, Girl, Molly
Pinions - 7 April 08:00, Boy, Theo, 7lbs 12oz
Smole - 7 April 21:20, Boy, Jesse John, 6lbs 5oz
WaspElly - 9 April 04:20, Girl, Thomasine Kay
Hensden - 10 April 08:02, Boy, ?
Twinkle183 - 10 April 12:33, Girl, Evelyn Catherine, 7lbs
Runnyhabit - 11 April 06:00, Boy, William Luke, 7lbs 3oz
Whywhywhy - 11 April 13:04, Boy, Keir William Theodore, 8lbs 10oz
Birdiemum (Greengirlforever) - 11 April 19:23, Girl, Rose Eleanor Beatrice
LesleyR - 12 April 03:45, Boy, George Edward, 7lbs 12oz
ClariceBean - 12 April, Girl, Ruby Laura, 8lbs 2oz
Hotlipsmummy - 12 April 17:08, Austen, 8lbs
Normabutty(Nuttygirl) - 13 April 03:22, Girl, Erin Grace, 7lb 3oz
Pillockofthecommunity/iMustBeMad(EllieK) - 13 April 10:14, Boy, Joe Philip David, 8lbs 7.5oz
Doghouse - 13 April 12:32, Girl, Alice Mabel, 6lbs 5oz
Eddas - 13 April 14:26, Boy, Harry Michael, 8lbs 3oz
Mumcab - 13 April, Girl, Maia Grace, 7lbs 4oz
Muminabigtumi - 16 April 09:57, Girl, Robyn Caroline, 7lbs 9oz
Octo(x CornflakeKid) - 16 April 10:17, Boy, Ernie Jack Flash, 9lbs 8oz
Liath - 16 April 23:00, Boy, Jonathan Fraser, 7lbs 4oz
Lusciousladylush - 17 April 07:44, Boy, Ethan Morgan, 8lbs 11oz
Bubbaloo - 17 April, Boy, Ethan Samuel, 7lbs 13oz
NellyHel - 19 April 0400am Boy, Fraser John, 8lbs 13oz
tcmummy (Eca) - 18 April 24:00, Boy, Torrin Charlie, 7lbs 4oz
SexOnLegs - 20 April 02:45, Girl, Katie Elizabeth, 6lbs 11oz
LuceWheel - 20 April 09:28, Boy, Samuel Stuart, 8lbs
Zazas - 20 April 10:07, Girl, Sienna Grace, 7lbs 9oz
Weeonion - 21 April 19:47, Girl, Caiomhe, 7lbs 15oz
NorthernLurker - 21 April 02:38, Girl, Beatrice Amelia, 7lbs 15oz
Pesha - 23 April 22:35, Boy, Dylan Joseph, 8lbs 13.5oz
PenelopeRabbit(Thewilderbeast) - 23 April, Boy
IsabellaMoi - 25 April 03:00, Boy, James Tristan
Tili - 26 April 17:50, Boy, Alex Stephen
StealthPolarBear(Katy44) - 27 April 17:35, Boy, Tristan, 7lbs 12oz
Bugmum - 28 April 10:48, Boy, Gabriel, 7lbs 15oz
Maveta - 28 April 14:00, Boy, Noah, 8lbs 1oz
CharNbump - 28 April, Girl, Coco Eloise, 7lbs 6oz
ellsbelles - 30 April 11:45, Girl, Alexanne, 9lb
CaptainDippy - 30 April 22:51, Girl, Phoebe Elisabeth Joan, 7lbs 9oz
Elkiedee - 4 May 04:29, Boy, Daniel Patrick, 7lb 7oz
GMM - 4 May 13:00, Boy, Charlie, 8lbs
IDreamOfChocolate (Emmymummy) - 5 May 09:57, Girl, Sophie Rose, 8lbs 12oz
Heidle/Finbarr - 5 May 23:??, Girl, Harriet Mary, 8lbs 7oz
GlitterKitty - 7 May 07:55, Boy, Harry, 8lbs 9oz
Bumble75 - 9 May 01:35, Girl, Lucy Kate, 10lbs

[leakyR]

This is a lovely idea Maveta. If I ever get my laptop back (looooong boring story) then I will wax lyrical about my gorgeous boy's first year with the rest of you.

[Octothechildherder]

Ernie Jack Flash born in a flash 16 April 2007.

Won school appeal.
MIL sadly passed away.
Stopped b'fing/started again/stopped again/started again/stopped/started ...
Lovely holidays last summer in great cottages but way too much rain.
Started weaning at 4 months and never looked back.
Ernie the smiler of all three boys.
He is prone to various infections - eyes and ears being a hot favourite and an incredible abilty to produce snot.
He didn;t sleep well at night til about a month ago and now he sleeps through.
He is starting to walk and the next year is going to be wild

Oh and I've made lots of new friends

[Sexonlegs]

Katie Elizabeth born 20th April 2007

What a year! It has flown by.

K finally eating well and gaining weight
Had a lovely holiday on the IoW
B started school
All had our fair share of viruses
Had a long weekend ski-ing in Slovenia
K has only 2 teeth, but is crawling like a demon and pulling up
Looking forward to our next holiday on The Gower in August.

That't it!

Have loved having K - she is my angel baby.

[CaptainDippy]

Phoebe Elisabeth Joan - born 30th April 2007 - the "last" April baby

Goodness me - haven't a clue what has happened tbh ......

Just running round like a mental headless chicken as always ......

DD2 turned 2 in May 2007 and P enjoyed sleeping through her Birthday picnic, aged 3 weeks

P had already been on a Mini Railway, slide, tractor ride and attended a major family Wedding by the time she had turned a month!!

Enjoyed our 1st holiday as a 5 to Cornwall last summer.

Was VERY pleased when DD1 went to Pre-School every morning in Sept 07 ... so was she!!

DD2 was even more thrilled to start Pre-School with DD1 in Jan 08.

P is a great sleeper and a real cutie. Definitely the clingiest of my girlies, but a pleasure and a joy.

She eats well, sleeps well and is a demon commando crawler now; starting to vauguely pull up on things.

DD2 still isn't potty trained; but we managed to get rid of DD1's dummies at night for her 4th Birthday in Feb 08 - hurrah!

I never do things by 1/2's so after months of job searching, I landed myself two jobs at once - Now settling into my role booking NCT classes for region 4P (I'll bet that means so much to you all ) and working two afternoon's a week in a cool new shop called The Funky Viking, selling children's shoes with hairdressing and a cafe. Yey! While I do this, P is enjoying an afternoon at nursery and an afternoon with Grandma.

Outlaws still a source of never-ending frustration; but DH lovely and working hard for his little family

Who knows what 2008 holds ..... can't believe Little P is nearly a year already .... We're going to Center Parcs in Suffolk to celebrate her 1st Birthday .... can't wait! Pillock is bringing Joe and Matthew along to share the celebrations ..... will have to find out what cake Joe wants to share with his girlfriend!!

Defintiely planning on getting PG with No 4 soon ....... watch this space .......

Thank you for a great year guys .... it has been an adventure and you have been so supportive and fantastic ..... Big kisses ... MWAH!!

[Maveta]

Well Noah is not even 11 months til friday 28th but still, almost there, and I'll add on an appendice nearer his birthday if any other milestones are reached, which I'm sure they will be at the rate they are growing and changing!

So, here we are almost a year later. I am absolutely loving motherhood. I can't believe how much has changed about my life in one year. How much more confident I am about being a mum, about knowing what he needs (not always, but a lot of the time) and about my ability to provide it. It's been really hard and really tiring but then, we knew it would be! and it's been so much fun at the same time. I've loved seeing my parents become grandparents and how much they enjoy N, and how much he enjoys them. It's been lovely to start the next generation in my family and with my sister's baby due in June that will be even better.

Noah himself is a happy, sweet, determined, smiley, stubborn, rough and tumble, raring to go little boy. He loves his mama and papa, nana and even grandad (a little bit, if there's no one else ). He squeaks and squeals when he sees our cats and starts bouncing up and down with excitement. Luckily they don't come too close because his 'stroke' is still much more like a 'grab and pull. hard'. He just started crawling confidently about 2 weeks and just gets faster and faster. He is pulling up on anything that stays still long enough including us. When he isn't paying attention he can stand without holding on but that is rare and the spell breaks as soon as he realises what he's done

He has 6 teeth and 2 molars coming through which are taking their time, he's still breastfed a couple of times during the day and at night and doesn't sleep through which we are eager to change but being total wusses about. I feel inordinately proud of the breastfeeding, I look back to how it was for the first couple of months; the tears and frustration, guilt, arguments with dh and feel so pleased at how far we've come.

There are no siblings being planned for the immediate future so I am not One To Watch for up and coming 2009 babies plenty of time for all that. I've been back at work 3 days a week since October and next month start full time and N starts nursery which I feel ok about, strangely enough. I found it really upsetting when we were scouting out nurseries when he was about 8 months old, but he seems so much bigger since then, I can't believe how much he's changed in only a few months. I think he'll be fine.

Dh started working part time in October and going to night school 5 nights a week to get his high school qualifications (bloody layabout that he was as a teenager) but in summer he'll stay to working part time and be a SAHD with N the rest of the time. So I'm really looking forward to summer, to more time as a family and days at the beach (sorry ).

And thank you MN April ladies for helping me over so many little bumps and jolts along the way. You have been such a great support network and source of advice and much laughter, long may it continue!

[cazboldy]

haven't got time now, but will be back later

[CaptainDippy]

.... and no teeth - not one!!

[elkiedee]

I'll contribute properly to this thread later, as D's at the young end of it and I want to see how much new stuff happens with him over the next month.

PhdLife, I'd love to know what you and others are thinking of for celebrating 1st birthdays - D's been invited to a second one very close in date, but party date hasn't been set yet - I would like to go but do our own too, so I wish they'd decide a date.

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

I lurk on this thread and post so infrequently some of you prob'ly don't even know about us. My ds was born on 13 April - another Friday the 13th devil along with Eddas's and a few others.

I found motherhood really, really difficult at the start. GCSE (the girls in the tea-shop called him that coz of my MN name) was one of those babies that Would Not Be Put Down; he was also 91st centile for a long time. Result: mum pinned to sofa by giant sleeping baby most of the day... the first couple months were pretty wobbly for me and MN saved the day more than once. Then one day after dh came home to me in tears yet again, we got a sling and omg I could make a cup of tea and whaddya know, things began to look up...

So long as I'm within arm's reach he's a pretty relaxed little guy. We took him camping when he was 4.5m and have a fab pic of him chuckling at the amazing tent. When he was 9m we took him to Los Angeles and Australia and he was fabulous - perfectly fine with being handed round like a parcel. Loved the pool. Made friends with his cousins and my sister's enormous dogs. Batted christmas decorations. Charmed businessmen and a particularly emotional (male) cabin attendant who smothered gcse's fat cheeks with kisses at the end of the flight.

He has enormous dark eyes so that everyone who meets him says, "ooh look at that one, taking everything in!" He didn't do anything particularly early, but I suspect that was just because he was busy growing. Thankfully that's slowed down now... He likes things how he likes them (like his mama); he's funny (like his dadda). He has a fab giggle for funny faces, miracles like the recently-discovered lightswitch, tummy raspberries and playing peekaboo. Although he stands confidently and can cruise round the furniture, GCSE is still deeply attached to me and my left arm could give Popeye a run for his money as cooking is, apparently, a vitally interesting activity. He scares easily (sticky tape and the washing machine top the terror list) but at our M&T group where all the other babies are 12m older than him, he has gained a great deal of confidence in social settings. Strangers are enchanted by the glow of pride on his mouche when he takes my fingers and heads off across vast spaces. He cracks me up by starting all his musical toys off, one after another, then sitting in the middle of them and clapping. But what I like best, at the moment, is his "concentration" face, the pursed lips and intent curve of his neck as he pokes a finger into my mouth or turns the pages of his favorite books or takes each toy out of his basket for inspection, as though they might have changed since last night.

Yep. The big event of this year has been me falling utterly and completely in love, in a way I never really believed possible, with my ds.

Motherhood is still hard. I miss my working identity; I desperately hate the isolation - we don't have any family in this country, most of my friends vanished along with my job, and GCSE's morning naps make us miss most of the local baby activities. Dh is stuck in a job he hates and he's studying as well so I'm lucky to get three hours off between GCSE's bedtime and mine; I didn't get through this whole post without having to go resettle him. I am not always as grateful for having the time off to spend with him as I could be. Anyone can come along and tell me I'm doing it wrong and for a day or two I'll believe them.

Then I go back to doing things the way the three of us have worked out is best for us, and it works. Every night when I take him out of his bath, wrapped in a towel, and put him on the bed to start dressing him, the first thing he does is scamper up to the bed-head and pull himself up, grinning with delight. The sight of that little pink butt, the energy with which he scoots out of my reach, the growing strength in those fat bandy little legs and that straight little spine -- all that is what this year has been about for me.

[Sexonlegs]

Hi PHD, your post was so beautifully written, it has brought tears to my eyes

How is ds? Has his temperature gone?

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

no sol, he's still poorly. It just keeps coming and going.

glad you liked my post though, thank you for kind words.

[Octothechildherder]

blubber

[Bramshott]

Orla Erin Lucy - born 27 March (in the car!)

March 07 - mostly feeling fat and uncomfortable, followed by 2 hours of shouting and drama at the roadside!
April 07 - knackered and overwhelmed, but relieved that DD1 seems to have taken well to the new arrival (if a trifle monotonous in her "mummy plaayyy with me" demands)
May 07 - DD1 a flower girl at her godfather's wedding. She looked adorable, and we survived the day with Orla 8 weeks mesmerised by the disco lights.
June 07 - DH had a week off and we ventured to the Natural History Museum (we must have been mad!). Lovely weather (or was that May?), much al fresco eating.
July 07 - raining, trying to teach Orla to have long naps in preparation for . . .
August 07 - back to work, very worried, but coped surprisingly well, working while Orla was sleeping was okay most of the time. Start of the great extension project so builders all over the place.
Sept 07 - Orla started with her lovely childminder, although refused to drink much (if any) formula - cue early weaning. N started school (gulp!) - as in proper, big school - where has my baby gone?
Oct 07 - manic month, too much work, too little time, argghhh! Orla settling well with childminder thank goodness.
Nov 07 - phew. N settling in at school and me feeling not so much like the newbie in the playground! Enjoying everything being quieter, and more time to answer endless questions from the builders.
Dec 07 - preen at N being Mary in the Christmas Play. End of the great extension project - phew! Madly painting so we could move the furniture into our new dining room for Christmas dinner.
Jan 08 - Orla started crawling. Big family party for my stepdad's 60th. Niamh turned 5 and I felt that life was passing us by too fast!
Feb 08 - Work very quiet. Girls still getting on very well (I am amazed)!
Mar 08 - Must find more work as I am very unmotivated if I'm not busy enough. Can't believe Orla is going to be one and that she'll be walking by this summer. No 100% recognisable words yet, but quite often says something which sounds a bit like "bear" and like "yes". 4 teeth. Maybe I should drive over to the road she was born in on Thursday - I haven't been back since the event!

[Sexonlegs]

PHD, K's temp came back again yesterday and have been to the docs and she has a mild ear infection. Now have ab's for her.
Have you been to the docs?
Hope lo is better soon.

[PhDlifeNeedsaNewLife]

SoL I phoned NHS direct last night for a chat and they said to take him to doc's if temp stayed more than 48hrs. He was cool all night and today so hoping it's past now. Sorry about your dd. Hope the ab's perk her up soon.

[WestCountryLass]

Hello Folks

It was Leos birthday today, he is 1! Where oh where has the time gone?? I have an image of me in my head answering the door to the midwife holding a day old newborn and it seems as if I have literally closed that door and overnight my newborn has turned into a 1 year old that took his first steps yesterday. Bittersweet.

Leo is a joy, a very laidback boy who is worshipped by his brother and sister. He is such a happy boy! I am very lucky to have 3 very 'good' children (despite the fact 2 of them are still awake...).

Leos birthday was spent at a farm, the sun shone and it didn't rain and the kids loved it, it's all good! It was nice because my DS1 and DD were off school on inset so we had a nice day out together.

So much to say but the essence is, having 3 kids is so fab, I want another 1

[AngeG]

Glad Leo had a great birthday. Good to 'see' you WCL and at wanting another one