November 09 - Autumnal times are drawing near, soon our babes will be one year!

[MsInterpret]

Hello ladies, hope no one minds me taking the liberty of creating a new thread and approves of the name choice. We've been moving a bit slower than antenatal so though we'd most certainly have some year-olds by the time we finished this one!

Fruit yes, I always think of you when we're talking birthdays etc. Hooray for the commando crawling, we're a bum shuffler this end with no crawling in sight.

Another projectile vomit this evening when I went to give him his dream feed think we're going to have to go to the GP as it's been going on for ages now. Poor boy is wasting away.

Hi all

DWB lovely pics, looks like you had an amazing day. Good luck with the scan! I agree, it is all a bit scarier second time around. I have been having some really uncomfortable BHs, last night I thought i was going to pass out in Sainsbury's, they were so uncomfortable. And they're happening again now. I spoke to the MW who was suitably useless! I'm feeling lots of movement, just worried I will go into labour at 20 weeks! Got my 20 week scan a week on Wednesday, think I will hopefully feel a bit more relaxed after that. Let us know how you scan goes. RE prams - have been looking, and I just don't know! I don't like the look of Phil and Teds, am tempted just to get an out&about with both facing forward next to eachother. I thought inititally an iCandy peach blossom looked perfect, but the amount of time they are tiny is so little, relatively, that I don't want to fork out for two. I am tight, I know! Definitely looking at slings - I think this baby will have to get used to being in a sling quite a lot!

Scarlotti it sounds like you are more or less comfortable with your decision about the op. You're right - 35 years is a looooong time to be parenting. And anything so final is always going to throw up some 'what ifs' in your mind.

Oooo I used to love Sylvanian families too! I remember for one birthday, I got a whole load of 'forest families' which were the rip-off version - I didn't mind and couldn't tell the difference but my 'best friend' at the time wouldn't speak to me because they weren't the real ones! Honestly!

Wow - usigurke 10 teeth!! We only have 6 here. Two at the bottom and four at the top.

I am ridiculously excited about this Christmas! I can't wait to do the whole carrot/glass of sherry thing (obviously it will be over DS's head, but I can pretend!).

Anyway, going to go out and enjoy the sunshine while it lasts. Hope you're all having a good weekend.

scarlotti, I hope things are improving, being sick must be really terrible for them. And it is so hard to know what food/drink to give them, if the stomach is already back to normal.

DWB, please keep us updated on your scan results. So exciting! I didn't even know that conceiving whilst bf gives you higher chances of twins. So hopefully there will be just one!

Poor baby Scarlotti! I hope that he gets better soon. When dd2 had a sick bug for a week at Easter I was so sorry for her. It took her a long time to recover from it weight wise (not that you would know now!).

Well, the dreaded period arrived today. I had a suspicion it might be on its way after a spotty chin outbreak a while back. Sigh. I immediately noticed the smell and it took my right back to post partum days. Nice.

DH went out and got me a pair of size 8 jeans from tesco last night and they fit me . Never, ever have I been this size. Where oh where has my arse gone?! I'd quite like it back - it's useful for keeping things up!

ok, time for a big little rant.
My inlaws are here and it's as usual exhausting.
They brought tons of food and keep telling how hard it is to cook all that stuff. I find the amount they bring really rude. I feel like it's to make sure that I can not be a good host as there is no opportunity left for me to offer a cake or cook. And I actually like cooking and think that it's not too bad, nothing special but tasty.
Oh, she even brought vegetable stock cubes!

I had thought it would be nice for her to let her bake a pre birthday cake for Paula but told her no sugar (which would be easy in an apple strudel as planned) and she put apricot jam in! And then she asked WHY I didn't want Paula to have sugar. (She pretends btw to be very into healthy food but when we are at their house for christmas all we get is pork in various forms, cake and biscuits.)
And then she is so obviously jealous of me and wants to be the most important person in Paula's life. Whatever I do, she copies it instantly. Paula wants my watch and gets it, so she takes her's off and offers it to Paula. She insists until Paula takes it! I carry Paula on my shoulders, she asks: Do you want to put her on my shoulders? (in their region they say "do you want" instead of please, like "do you want to bring me a cup of tea?). I said no and put her on the floor.
She did it later and almost dropped her.
Whenever Paula is happily playing on her own or even worse with me, she waves with a toy in front of Paula and goes: Hello Paula, hello Paula. Paula. Paula. Paula.
And when she wanted Paula to walk in her direction, she took her toy away to make sure she would follow her.

I appreciate that Paula has grandparents who love her but it is sometimes unbearable for me.
And I think my MIL is obsessed and possessive. I really think she wants to be no1. I wonder if she has issues because she went back to work fairly quickly and my DH was mainly with his grandma and aunt. And she definitely regrets that she had only one child (I'm not sure why but I think it was her choice)
She even wants to buy Paula shoes or a winter jacket (not just something cute like a dress or a shirt) What does she think? That I'm not even a good enough mother to get my daughter the cloths she needs?

Sorry for the mememe post. And I know that it could be much worse. But I feel already much better as I could moan here. So thank you very much for listening

Thanks for all the well wishes and support ... not sure I should even be saying this but .... I think we're all out of the woods now!!
Ioan has had his first day of eating fairly normally, including dairy, and hasn't been ill [touches every piece of wood she can find] and I feel fine again.
Had a lovely day out with both DS' and some friends up at a great park. Wore them right out, stopped at McDonalds (well it's not every day right?! ) and then drove home. DS1 decided he wanted to go straight to bed, then fed Ioan and he went down too. DD is out and DH is at football It is soooo peaceful...

Ursi sorry to hear your mil is being so difficult and making it all so stressful - there's a saying 'you can choose your friends but not your relatives' - can be particularly apt for mil's! Hang on in there.

Scarlotti - how nice to see you in a better mood. Fingers crossed this is the end of all lurgies.

Ursi - you poor girl! Just grit your teeth and remember that at least they live far enough for this experience to not be too often. I think it probably makes it worse in a way as they have to cram the enjoyment in. Just breathe and get through it.

Lucy's on the move!! She started crawling properly yesterday. Well, in her own cute way of one leg out to the side, but she's getting there , she's actually getting around surprisingly fast. I think the time has come for some babyproofing around the house.

Today was also the first day of her settling in at the nursery. She went in for just an hour and was absolutely fine. we'll leave her for lunch and nap tomorrow. Please hold my hand.

skorpion thank you I feel like a new woman actually, as if the last fortnight is a distant memory! Nature is very clever eh?!
Great news on Lucy's crawling - that will be the stairgates calling then.
Re the nursery, I'm sure she will be fine. Apparently the reason they cry when you pick them up is because they remember that you were gone, and feel comfortable enough to bare their emotions for you - a nice thought should you ever pick her up and find her wailing.

Scarlotti - Thank you. As it were, she was absolutely fine! The little monkey slept for an hour and a half - almost unheard of at home. She ate a nice lunch and played with musical instrumens and was just fine. Phew! :) :)

Glad everything's better at your end Scarlotti.

Sorry to hear of the in-law trouble Ursi - they are a strange breed... I don't have to see mine too often, but I can just feel my blood pressure going through the roof. I'm sure they are trying to be helpful, wanting to buy her things etc, and it is not a criticism on you in any way. Do you trust them? Could you make the most of them staying and let them babysit her for an hour? Then they could have her all to themselves and you could have a relaxing break from their company!

Skorpion Great to hear everything was fine at nursery. I'm sure it won't be so hard on you the next time either.

Ninja Hope you had a nice birthday!

DWB Let us know how the scan went.

We are stuck in today as DD has a cold and was really wheezy last night. James was also up loads, so I was woken by one or other of them every hour until we finally got up at...4.45am! Yuk. This feels like the longest day EVER.

Oh. Has anyone read The Slap? I'm halfway through it and was reading it in the middle of the night between interruptions from sick/ teething children. See, I am my own worst enemy.

I forgot to say, after you lot saying how much you loved it, I caved and bought DD some Sylvanian Families furniture . We're still making our rooms out of cardboard boxes though!

Hi all !
Missing you all lots sorry I am never on! I think of you all every tuesday night at my breastfeeding peer support course as the teacher demo's on a knitted boob!
Hope your all well and sorry I haven't been on in forever!!

Scan went just fine, so relieved to see the heart beating! There's a pic on fb x

Skorpion I'm glad Lucy's settling in morning went well If it's any consolation, I was a wreck during Sam's - especially the one where I had to sit outside the baby room, listening to the crying! He is absolutely fine now, I don't think he loves it as such, but goes there happily, plays nicely and from the sounds of it, is much more co-operative than at home! In that he happily naps in a cot (a battle at home), lies still to have his nappy changed and eats all his food! I'm sure she'll be fine and I think it's much more traumatic for the mummies than the babies!

Usigurke Oh dear..... Do you know, I think it is MILs. What does your DH say? Does he appreciate how annoying she is? Are they staying at your house? The taking the toy away so she would walk to her is absolutely ridiculous - if it weren't so awful, it would be comical! At least you stand up to her though - well done. I just let mine walk all over me and then seethe about it afterwards - much less healthy!

DWB I saw your FB post! Yaaaaay! What is the EDD? Bet you are feeling better now! Have you looked at prams yet? I am still in a quandry... Saw an OUt&about at the weekend that actually looked v cosy in the lying down position - they had two little ones in it. I just need to get over the fear of having it face forwards from a young age...

Laugs oh poor you, 4.45 is ridiculous. I hope you can get an early night tonight. We are on night 5 of a new 'regime' - it is from a book called Toddler Taming (but it's really for 0-4s) and it's worked, so far, absolutely bloody amazingly. Honestly. We had many many nights of 1.5 hrs max between wake-ups, a lot of v early starts, anyway - it is like a version of very gentle controlled crying, (I only ever left him for 5 mins max) and it worked from night 2!! the last 3 nights, we have had 1 wake up (but he got himself back to sleep without me going in) and slept until 7 or 6.50. I really really couldn't believe it. Let me know if you want me to give you any more details.

Hi to everyone else!

Ooh, Katster, that sounds interesting. I'm a bit torn at the moment: Lucy has been coming to our bed for about two months now, every night on the dot. I keep thinking I should perhaps start working on her sleeping through in her room but on the other hand I actually don't mind her sleeping with us (hence the 'torn' bit). I'll make a note of that book for future reference if I do indeed get my ass in gear to do something about it.

DWB delighted for you!

Laugs, poor thing. Hope for better sleep tonight. I've heard about The Slap, is it a good read? My sensibilities have changed since having Lucy and I cannot watch or read anything about children's suffering without going all wobbly, damn hormones - shall I risk it?

Misssese, hi! Nice to hear from you. Hope the course is going well.

Thank you all for your kind words about nurseries - I feel such a wuss sometimes. Honestly, a year ago I would never have dreamed this motherhood lark would affect me so much!

katster I have that book from when DS1 was born, will have to dig it out. Good news on the sleeping regime.
We have managed here to get to most nights him sleeping through in his cot until about 5am when he wakes for a feed. Am hoping once he's properly well again (a cold has now hit ) that he'll eat more in the day and then go a little longer at night.

Laugs I'll wave to you during our early starts ... I feel your pain so hope you're getting some rest this evening.

skorpion my rule here is he starts off in his own bed, and then goes back there after the late bottle but comes in with me after any night wakings. It seems to be ok as he only wakes if ill or hungry, so I figure eventually he'll just keep sleeping. I too quite enjoy feeling him next to me and waking up to his babble and gentle pats on the face!!

Just over a week now until DH moves out. He gets teh keys next Weds and then will move in on Thurs once we've got all the stuff in there. Am looking forward to things moving on now so we can get out of this limbo, but it is an odd situation indeed. This weekend we have his brother and family visiting (booked flights a while ago) which just seems surreal in the circumstance. We will all be fine as there's no nastiness at home, but there will be an elephant in the room all the time as it were

Thanks for all your sympathies re inlaws. They left today.
Laugs, I know they are just overexcited of being grandparents (and therefore want to have everything, like being in charge of buying the biggest/most important toys). I don't trust them 100% tbh but enough to let them go for a walk or to the playground with her. So I had time to meet friends for lunch and they are really happy of being allowed to babysit. So a win-win situation I guess.

DWB, congratulations. So there was only one heartbeat? You must be so excited.

skorpion, Paula sleeps in our bed too. Usually from 11ish onwards. I think as long as you are fine with the situation you don't have to force anything. It might be too difficult if you are not 100% committed (this is why Paula will most likely to stay with us for a while )

If this was a real room, I'd have snuck in at the back and listened to you chat for a while before rushing around hugging you all because I've missed you sooo much. Then I'd have sat down in a corner and got all embarrassed.

Anyway. Ehm.

I've been thinking about you lots, even more lately, and DWBs announcement on fb finally did it. (CONGRATULATIONS!)

And Katster too!

I am in awe.

Gosh, there's so much going on...

Scarlotti I hope this ends up being one of those things in life where you look back and see it as a new beginning rather than an ending.

SirBoob I've got my fingers xed for you and Bryn.

Aaaah. There was a million other things I wanted to say...

Anyway. Little update.

Lukas turned 1 on the 7th. He's got 7 teeth and took his first steps last week. He is still not sleeping though... tonight's been particularly bad as I've been upstairs EIGHT times since he went to bed at 7PM. Then again, I'm still bfing and co-sleeping. (I got myself a cow-charm for my bracelet on his birthday...) He went through the SA that many of you are describing, and it was awful, he'd hang off my knees, crying while I had breakfast... and then, just like that, he will now sit and play with his toys (or the pots and pans in the kitchen) like a big boy. Have faith, he changed in the space of a week. He's had a rough ride health wise this year though, it seems like he's well for a week or so and then something else hits. I gather it's normal, especially as he was early. I think I fall in love with him a little more every day. As if I didn't already love him to bits.

Me...

I'm officially back to work, part-time, as of the 1st of Oct. Really struggling, as I'm working from home AND looking after him myself (Becky, how do you do it??) but it will have to work, somehow. Sold our house, it all fell through, and now it's sold again. Trying not to get too carried away. We'll be emigrating if it all works out.
I've really struggled this year. Strange thing is, I thought it was all normal, just part of being a new mom and tired. At around 6 months, we got a HV (our "real" one left when L was 6 weeks and wasn't replaced) who somehow, amazingly picked up on the fact that all was not well. I'll forever be thankful for our paths crossing. Anyway, won't bore you with the details, but I think I am finally starting to feel like a normal person. Now I'm just knackered like everyone else. :)

Better go, it seems that DS has woken up for the ninth time tonight...

MWAH!

Welcome back to the fold brood, sorry to hear you've had a difficult time, hope things continue to improve for you x

katster haven't looked at prams yet... I try to be quite thrifty when it comes to baby things and my brother has a twin pram (there are two yrs between his girls) which was only used for around six months. They think it's suitable for a newborn as well so I'll check that out in a month or two and decide. Sounds like a side-by-side though & I'd probably prefer, and be able to "drive better", a narrower pram so maybe a three wheeler or icandy style might be better... Will probably have a look over the weekend and get an idea of prices.

scarlotti thinking of you, hope things work out or the best x

Scarlotti - thinking of you.

Broodzilla - welcome back. Sorry to hear that things have been difficult, hope life is getting better for you every day.

We're off to Canterbury for the weekend tomorrow (celebrating the 13th anniversary). Lucy is coming with us. Here's hoping the weather is nice.

Have a wonderful weekend, Ladies! xx

Hi Brood! So nice to hear from you. I'm sorry things have been rough but it sounds like you got some help and found your way through. Happy birthday Lukas :)

DWB Congrats on the healthy scan!

Ursi my MIL was visiting at the same time as yours - very similar experience. My sympathies. Agree with skorpion - when they live far away there is so much pressure to cram in quality time, and for everyone to get along. Exhausting.

Add me to the list of people suffering from colds. Meh. DH has been ill (man flu? ) and kept me up all night with his coughing. I managed to be productive today anyway - got a job app off, voted, made a couple calls, got M down for an afternoon nap (unheard of while the ILs were in town), cleaned the kitchen and cooked a lovely dinner. Only forgot the thank you notes I still need to write for my birthday gifts

Hello everyone!

Just got back from a week in Bali, had a great time but am also suffering with a cold, I think it is because Singapore is so clean and I'm not used to germs/bugs that as soon as I leave the country I get ill!

Nice to hear from you brood and Happy birthday to Lukas! It is Millie's birthday on Monday, we are not doing much, just taking her to a little soft play place and then having an afternoon tea with the Grandparents (ursi I feel your pain re the in-laws staying!)

Scarlotti glad Ioan is on the mend and that you are getting more sleep.

DWB saw your scan pics on facebook, so pleased all is ok and that there is just the one, phew!

Look what I just found...

Lemontop: Isaac 30th Sept
Broodzilla: Lukas 7th Oct
Tamlin: Arthur 18th Oct
Nigella Tufnell: BOY 30th Oct
Fruitpastels: Cruz 31st Oct
Helips: Amelia Florence 1st Nov
Koumak: Olivia 2nd Nov
Homeinthesun: Kyla Nicole 2nd Nov
Preggok8: Joseph 3rd Nov
Ursigurke: Paula 4th Nov
Kyte: Alexander 6th Nov
Maman2Tom: Dan 7th Nov
Barnowl: Bluebell 7th Nov
Scarlotti: Ioan Scott 8th Nov
Wook: Hedy Lois Joy 9th Nov
ErikaMaye: Bryn George Jonathan 11th Nov
Tigger: Henry Peter 11th Nov
Pinkmich: Grace Poppy 11th Nov
Comma2: Esme 12th Nov
Sleepless: Charlotte 13th Nov
Roomac: Olivia 13th Nov
Eeyore: Nathan 13th Nov
Beckybendylegs: Toby Henry 14th Nov
Trikken: Annabelle Faora 14th Nov
Southernbelle: Leah Charlotte 15th Nov
Turtle: Tristan Robert 15th Nov
Lissyglitter: Emmeline 16th Nov
Weston: Lexi June 16th Nov
TOK: Anya 16th Nov
Wizzywoo: Daniel Phillip 16th Nov
Venusinfers: James 16th Nov
Tabbykat: Esme 17th Nov
Belgianbun: GIRL 17th Nov
Misssese: Pearl Edie 18th Nov
Fairybex: Benjamin Callum 18th Nov
Easyeggs: Charlotte Victoria Louise 19th Nov
Beepbeep: Martha Lucy 19th Nov
Pootletheflump: GIRL 19th Nov
Tasjasamuminsa: Johandre 19th Nov
Fubble: Emma 20th Nov
Stormfly: Alastair 21st Nov
Hobnob: Isla 22nd Nov
Katster: Sam Thomas 24th Nov
Longwayaway: Maeve Rosalind 25th Nov
Pavlov: Reuben, 28th Nov
Claired21: Ethan Andrew, 29th Nov
Raggie: Rosa, 3rd Dec
Laugs: James, 4th Dec
Ninja: Alfred Zukie Fox, 4th Dec
Grace09: Grace, 8th Dec
Skorpion: Lucy, 9th Dec
Sassmonkey: Tristan Mallory, 10th Dec

I wonder how all the non-posters are doing... And does anyone still have Kyte's cookie recipe?

mmmm DH & DD1 made Kyte's cookies yesterday and I can't have one. It's on the FB page I think?

well done DWB

copied from or fb discussions page :

Millies Style Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients

125g butter, softened
100g light brown soft sugar
125g caster sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
175g self-raising flour
50g cocoa
½ tsp salt
200g chocolate chips (we did half milk, half white choc drops)

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C, gas mark 4.

1. Cream butter and sugars, once creamed, combine in the egg and vanilla.

1. Sift in the flour, cocoa and salt, then the chocolate chips.

1. Roll into walnut size balls, and squish / flatten (if you do bigger sizes add a little more cooking time)

1. Place on ungreased baking paper. If you want to have the real Millies experience then bake for just 7 minutes, till the cookies are just setting - the cookies will be really doughy and delicious. Otherwise cook for 10 minutes until just golden round the edges.

1. Take out of the oven and leave to harden for a minute before transferring to a wire cooling rack.