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Original poster

SouthSea's All American Baby thread

315 replies

duchesse · 13/02/2011 09:42

New thread for well-wishers to leave messages! And for Southsea to leave links to photos of the Pebble (hint hint) [you don't have to Southsea)

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
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everythingchangeseverything · 06/03/2011 23:06

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tadjennyp · 07/03/2011 04:56

Oh I hope you get the passport and birth certificate really soon so you can be on your way! 10oz is brilliant, well done you.

oopslateagain · 07/03/2011 10:15

Gahhh! Visas and immigration are a nightmare. Common sense seems to just go out the window when there's red tape and paperwork. I do hope they get you sorted SOON!!!!

Sleep when you can, try to take catnaps when Thomas is sleeping during the day. I found even a 5 minute snooze helped me get through the godawful sleep deprivation of the first few weeks. It will be so lovely for you when he gains that extra little bit of weight and starts sleeping a little bit longer each night!

Fingers crossed for the paperwork. We need little Thomas back home!

JustKeepSwimming · 07/03/2011 14:25

Hopefully the paperwork will start inching forwards now.

Re the jaundice - if he's content after bf then don't top up, but try and judge if he's really content or tired, as jaundice can make a baby sleepy.
Can you rouse him slightly to feed more?
Also don't know what the weathers like there, can you get him into the sunshine at all?
Keep an eye on the wees as well as the poos, roughly 6+ wees in 24hours for the early days as a rough guideline.

Definitely don't let DP forget a feed again, whether the footie is on or not, lol!

mathanxiety · 07/03/2011 15:33

I think every two hours for a bit might be a better feeding schedule too.

sparkleshine · 07/03/2011 16:48

Hope you get the birth cert today Southsea then you can try to sort out the passport.
Can't understand why they won't 'legally' allow you to stay a little longer under the circumstances. If you applied originally electronically, can't they issue you with a paper one there and then? (Sorry not sure how it works)
Hopefully you shouldn't need to wait too long now things are moving slowly along.
When do your visas expire?

As for lack of sleep, time awareness, not getting dressed and feeding confusion/difficulties.....normal early days and weeks....well for me it was.

I'm guessing DP family willl be making the most of thie time they have with Thomas.
Just curious Southsea....Is it just his brother and SIL that live there or is DP originally from America?

oopslateagain · 07/03/2011 18:43

Hi southsea, just spoke to my dh who is American and he wondered if you could apply for a normal visa before your electronic visa expires? I have no idea how it all works but it sounds bizarre that you can't get a passport so can't possibly leave and yet they won't extend your visa.

mathanxiety · 07/03/2011 19:09

You could send your DH home in time before the visa runs out (which wouldn't be nice for you, but Immigration are real sticklers for rules and you don't want to jeopardise your DH's immigration/visa status for the future). Then you could just sit there and wait for them to deport you, which could happen without a birth cert... Or maybe I could lay off the Wine The wheels grind very slowly when it comes to applying for visitor visas, etc., but deportation is sometimes very quickly achieved. Another option is to try to contact a local congressman or even someone from further afield (Rep. Peter King from NY for instance has a reputation for sorting things out for Irish people with visa problems). And the British Embassy may be able to help too.

Southsearocks · 10/03/2011 22:27

Well there's some movement. The birth certificate arrived yesterday! Hooray!! And today we got the all clear for Thomas to fly. So all we need now is the passport. I think we're going to get photos tomorrow, send the doctors report to the insurance company, who will then book provisional tickets, and then we can go into Philly and get an expedited passport which takes 48 hours or less. Could be home in a week or so! Seems so hard to believe after all this time.

Sparkleshine, DP and his brother are from Warrington! SIL is also British but she and BIL moved to the States over ten years ago to work and never left. They've got a great lifestyle here, I have to say. Their house is lovely and big and in a safe neighbourhood. We'd pay a small fortune to live somewhere close to it in the UK.

We went into the hospital yesterday to say thank you and goodbye to everyone. It was quite emotional. I think they liked the hamper! I'm going to meet up with one nurse before we go. She was really special and I'm going to keep in touch when we get back to the UK.

Phew, im soooooo tired. I can't think straight today.

Not long now though and I'll be able to close this amazing chapter in our lives! Smile X

JustKeepSwimming · 11/03/2011 09:30

Wow Southsea - possibly home in a week!!

It will be so wierd walking in your front, with a baby Grin

You'll probably have a mountain of cards (get well soon & congratulations mixture) to open :)

mathanxiety · 11/03/2011 15:22

Southsea, you and Thomas have touched so many people in such a wonderful way throughout all of this ordeal (and when you think about it, it has all been a bit stressful really) and you've kept your spirits up with tremendous grace. Wishing you all the best with the passport and the trip home.

CrispyTheCrisp · 11/03/2011 15:26

Fantastic news Southsea Smile. And just imagine sitting on your own sofa for the first time in ages. I am sure everything will seem eerily quiet and odd. You have had SO much to deal with, between you, DH, Thomas and all the red tape that i'm sure life at home will seem a breeze in comparison!

Fingers x'd for the 48hr passport

oopslateagain · 11/03/2011 20:42

Oh how fantastic! It will be so wonderful for you to relax in your own home.

Sparklies · 12/03/2011 01:37

Popping in to read your great news about hopefully escaping back home soon!! Yay!! :) :)

Hoping everything goes a bit smoother from now on - how long have you been in the country now? Will you make it home in time to avoid the 90 day rule?

That is so sweet of you to get that hamper for everyone - I'm not surprised they are touched!

How's the jaundice looking?

Original poster
duchesse · 12/03/2011 21:47

Home in a week? Huzzah! Fab!!

OP posts:
Southsearocks · 13/03/2011 21:54

Hi,

I'm just waiting for confirmation from the insurance company that they've booked provisional tickets for next Sunday. We've got an appointment with the passport office for Tuesday. Omg, I've got everything crossed it works out. My folks are really excited!

We've been here 80 days today, can you believe? So if we do go next Sunday it will be three days before the visa runs out. Also, we'll get back to the UK on the 21st - my due date! How ironic..... Smile

SIL has given me an extra suitcase for all the baby bits people have given us. I haven't needed to buy very much at all as neighbours and nurses have given us so much, including clothes, nappies and tons of formula, bottle, teats... You name it really. I'm so grateful to everyone.

Thomas is waking every two hours in the night now - it's a killer! It will be so good to get home and get set up for daytime naps. I think it will prompt me to go round and sort out my neighbour once and for all. She plays music really loud in the day and that's going to drive me more nuts than usual if I'm tired. I feel like I have an excuse now to tell her to keep it down. Unfortunately the walls are really thin where we live. We're looking to move but can't do so just yet.

Oh wow, listen to me. I'm thinking about being home. That was inconceivable a few weeks ago!

Oops, better go. Dinner ready upstairs. Stay tuned MN'ers, we are nearly there!!! Grin

Southsearocks · 13/03/2011 21:56

Ps. The jaundice seems to have sorted itself out. I've tried feeding him a bit more and putting him by the window in the day, and we've been out for walks. That seems to have done the trick. He's more adorable every day. I can't wait for a little smile though! X

CointreauVersial · 13/03/2011 22:09

Fingers firmly crossed for you, Southsea. Good to hear Thomas is thriving too!

tadjennyp · 14/03/2011 06:50

Good luck Southsea - hope you get the passport and the tickets and get home asap!

JustKeepSwimming · 14/03/2011 08:41

A weird & wonderful set of coincidences if you get home on your EDD :)

Good luck!

diddl · 14/03/2011 10:52

Have been reading but thought I would post to say I hope all goes OK for the journey home.

Sympathise with the 2hrly night feeds, though!

ssmile · 14/03/2011 19:48

Good luck really hope it all works ok and you get on that plane as planned. xx

PS I think half my antenatal group moved in the first year of having a baby once they reflected on their homes and child suitability so thats perfectly normal!

MrsSnaplegs · 14/03/2011 20:00

Well the weather here in Pompey is still reasonably nice although snowing in Scotland so should be nice for your return!! It took me ages to realize how near to me you live - the name should have given it away!!! Good luck on trip home! There's a few of us on the Portsmouth local site planning to meet at Easter - feel free to join us if you feel up to it

TastesLikePanda · 14/03/2011 21:05

Also crossing fingers (and toes and cat-paws etc) that all goes well for you next Sunday!

CrispyTheCrisp · 15/03/2011 21:14

Hope your appointment went well today Southsea? Do they think you are on track for a sunday departure?

5 DAYS........