July 2009: Only &*%$ days till Christmas!

[alibobble]

hey all! Thought I'd start.

high chair! Not hugh chair! xx

Hi, if any of you are around will you look at the photo on my profile and tell me honestly how I look. It's my 30th birthday party tomorrow and I bought myself a dress to wear. I normally don't do dresses. I'm nervous :o

We're having sleeping probs with Noah here. Some of it is all my fault though . He normally goes to bed fine, if we manage to get him there before he gets past it, but when he wakes up I normally bring him into my bed (especially if dh is on nights) for an easy life and to save waking ds1 up but just lately when he comes into our bed he sometimes just lays there tossing and turning for 2 hours so I can't get back to sleep either. It's really winding us up but now he's used to coming into our bed he stands in his cot screaming til he gets his own way. I know, I know all my fault . I'm trying to convince dh on his next 4 nights off to sleep in ds1's bed (they share a room) so he can be there to sort Noah out instead of me because he doesn't give in to him as easy as I do and Noah knows that.

Happy new year to everyone and hope everyone's ok. Both my boys have had colds on and off all over Christmas but luckily nothing worse. Get well soon to everyone who's ill.

Sorry if it's all rambled I'm typing on my phone.

happy birthday pheonix!
You look amazing in that pic :)
If it's any consolation your situation with noah sounds exactly the same as what is going on here.
I am currently sitting in my bed waiting for Alfie to fall asleep without a feed. Figured I would tackle that 1st then the own bed thing although he is quite pleased with his big boy bed.

Beautiful dress Phoenix - happy birthday for tomorrow its all downhill from here. My big 40 in the summer...

Thank you both :) my birthday was Dec 27th but as the weekend before was Christmas and the weekend after was new year I'm having my party tomorrow :o. I'm just about over turning 30 now :o

Hey
I'm in a really good mood tonight as Alfie went off to sleep without a feed!
He fed then wriggled around the bed for an hour then went off! He didn't cry either yay!
He also slept for 3 hours without waking.
Finally I have light at the end of my tunnel!

Happy 30th Phoenix - u look great - and young (I am 6 yrs older than you - boo hiss )

QF hope dropping the feeds continues well.

Patchy I wish my DH would diet. He has a mammoth appetite and I am more worried about his health as opposed to his figure.

We've also just booked some a mini hols (grandfather's 80th back at home in San Fran). The flights nearly bankrupted us. Thankfully "the baby" is 2 months shy of turning 2 so he can be on our lap (yes for a whole 11 hours!) but is saves us over £300!!! I still couldn't believe how old the children are getting when I had to put in the ages. It really is flying by.

Sleep we have done the same silly thing. Bring Tristan into bed and now he keeps me up screaming to come in and then messes about in bed (wiggling etc) He is truly the worst sleeper of my 3.

I just want to sleep from 10pm - 7am UNinterrupted. Not much to ask for.

Bad news re DS1 and schooling. He is 5 (Y1) and is so behind in everything. His speech and language is delayed and he has been having speech therapy since he was 2 1/2 but now it is affecting his schooling. It makes me so sad that he doesn't have the basics in communication yet in order to learn. I really wish I could have kept him behind (he is only a month off the cut off date) but you have to fight the system to get it done.

Well, parenting is challenging at all ages isn't it?

It is sunny today so may actually go to the park. Hope everyone is having a good morning.

oops excuse some typos
x

Helloooo Lovelies :)

Sorry been MIA for so long. RL has been so hectic lately. I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Hopefully all the little ones are doing well! Will just give a quick update on what has been going on in the Blue household.

Marco and Sofia have settled in well to nursery (no more tears for Sofia). Marco has pretty much had a runny nose ever since starting, which has not been fun. He went through a couple weeks back in November when all his teeth suddenly started coming in at once! Poor boy. He had a really bad bum rash and was pretty miserable during that time. He now is one tooth short of having his entire set (including molars which came in early September)!!

Speach - Am a little concerned since he is almost 18 months and only says dada and kitty on a regular basis (still no 'mama' which I am waiting to hear!). Kitty just came about a few days ago when we brought home a new kitten. I have been trying to teach him that word and baby sign for ages, but the stubborn child refused. As soon as he saw the kitten, he started using both right away! Little bugger!!

My new job is going very well. The regular hours are wonderful. Its getting a lot easier now that I know the lessons I am teaching and feel more comfortable talking in front of a room full of kids. The adjustment back to working full time after mat leave was difficult. I still cant seem to keep up with all I have to do in a day. I am fortunate that I teach close to home, so I usually end up coming home for my lunch break. I then manage to get dinner started or throw in a few loads of washing while I am there. That helps!

Over Christmas, DD1 and I took a cake decorating class, which I absolutely loved! We are now into our second class. Its nice for her to have one on one time with me, and nice for me to be away from home having some me time! We really are gonna get fat with all the projects we have to do though!!

DS1 still giving me a hard time. He is 11 and just has no clue! Every day I have to remind him to do his chores, take a shower, do his homework, etc. We bought him new winter gloves (not cheap) and within 2 days of wearing them, lost one :( Sofia seems to be cut from the same cloth too! We redecorated the girls' room at Christmas and within 2 days of having the new bedding on, Sofia took some scissors to the duvet cover and globbed liquid lip gloss all over the pillow cases and sheets :( I was in tears! DD1 was so upset since this was her Christmas present.

Its a wonder I have not yet had a nervous breakdown!! LOL

Anyway... sorry for the me post. I have been lurking and trying to keep up. Its just too hard to do a long post on my Iphone's tiny keypad.

Hope you are all well and I will try to keep up! xxx

hey baby. Saw your photos of the cakes and the cat on FB. Both look amazing. Am jealous on both counts! Was starting to worry about becca not speaking too as she still just gets by on grunts etc but have just decided that she's lazy and can't be bothered to do it though she did say something that sounded like beans (if you listened v carefully!) today as they are her current fav food. She'll say car too but mostly nothing that makes any sense. No mama or dada here though not sure she needs it as she just comes and headbutts my leg to get my attention!

it's nice having becca to myself now beth is finally back at school though RL is v busy. The only morning I have free for myself is every other thurs! No wonder I can't find time to do the tesco shop! In a weird way it will be easier when she doesn't have a sleep though I shall miss having 1.5hrs (and steadily decreasing) to myself.

As for DS1 at least he'll maybe know that he needs a shower and to brush his teeth every day by the time he's 30 unlike some men I work with (yuk). You may be bashing your head on the wall but in 20 years time some woman is going to be very grateful!

Hope everyone is ok. just at the point of killing Beth as her diva like behaviour has reached critical max! Have decided to stamp down on it before the step no longer works and also to crack down on her latest lovely trick of saying "yuck" to everything I cook NO MATTER WHAT IT IS! I get annoyed so have decided to fight back! I refuse to be bullied by a 4 half yr old (the half is v important now!)

See you all around. Hope all ok. How are you Jetli? Can't remember when you're due.

Hi! Due 6th Feb...
Ahnyone care to share 2nd birth stories? Will it be quicker? I bloody hope so - not sure I could cope with longer
Talk to me about what you gave birth in. I had a 2 pack of cheapo short strappy nighties from Primarni last time & have vague memories of being mightily pissed off with the straps keep falling off my shoulders. Its just so damn hot in the hospitals I can't be doing with being overheated. Actually I suppose I don't have to restrict myself to a nightie do I? I have a huge sleeveless linen blouse that would probably cover my ass sufficiently

I can't rememeber what a contraction feels like so I could be in labour right now & have no bloody idea I feel like I have had vague period-y type pains now for weeks. I've only just remembered to take raspbery leaf tea & haven't listened to the bloody hypnobirthing CD once yet (not that it worked fabulously last time). Still haven't ordered a TENS machine either. I am sooooo behind, and it's not helped by being still at work. Will be here until the end of the month.
Give me a virtual kick up the bum would you?

Hi :)

We've got a thread of non talking babies by the sound of it. Noah has said dadda and mama but he doesn't say either anymore. At the mo he's saying baba which he only says to ds1 or if we say 'shout Lewis' he yells it at the top of his voice. Now I know baba doesn't sound anything like Lewis but he must think it does .

JetLi - ds1's birthday is Feb 9th. My second birth was fabulous, elcs :o I wore a cheap primark tshirt nightie when I was in labour with ds1. Hopefully work will go quickly. With ds1 I packed work in after Christmas and relaxed at home for a few weeks :o

Hi everyone
Hope you are all ok. jetli I was going to suggest a cheapie nightie or possibly a t shirt of DH? I had a nightie that had buttons down the front and I whipped the front open when dd was born and snuggled her in. Can't remember with ds1 and ds2 was a elcs so was in a gorgeous gown. Not long now, it will be fine and hopefully quicker and easier for you.

Max isn't saying much, some of his baby friends say loads. He says down, bob (bob the builder), Enna (big sis is Ella), mum mums (milk) yum yum (food) BAAAAAH (when I call the big kids for tea and tell them to wahs hands he says that at the top of his voice!) something that sounds like over there. Thats it really, no mamma or dadda. The other 2 said loads more at this age but he makes himself understood so doesn't need to talk. If you clearly don't understand his babble he takes you by the finger and shows you what he wants.

He is driving me nuts with his climbing, he is a devil and climbs everything. Today he had a nasty fall off his tripp trapp chair that he had climbed up and I didn't notice, onto hard tiled floor. Then I found him on the computer desk having pulled the chair out, climbed on it and then got on the table and then he fell off the sofa with a bang having climbed up. My other 2 never climbed so this is all new to me. Two bangs to the head in one day can't be good. Strange how he can be so different to the others!

DD and I both had our flu jabs today, better late than never. So far no side effects but I am shattered so off to curl up on the sofa with a cuppa.

Hi to eveyone, good to hear your news baby xx

Patchy my middle one was a climber he scaled a near ceiling height set of shelves around the age of 2 when I wasn't looking

Jetli The t-shirt nightie worked for me too.
I think second labours you generally feel more in control. My best labour was my 3rd because I basically felt confident enough to do what felt right for me.
My second labour was my worst sadly because Fin was back to back and I couldn't walk with spd which obviously made it difficult. However it was considerably sorter than with DD and I have to say although it was a bad pregnancy and birth I still think my first was worse because you have no idea what is going to happen and with me the length of my 1st labour was crazy.
If I take Alfies birth as being my 2nd 'normal' birth it was a totally different experience. I felt more in control of what was happening and the pain. As a result I had a shorter labour (about 4 hours ish I cant really remember)and didn't have pethidine just gas and air, which meant I was much more aware of what was going on but when it was over it was over and I felt great. I could have gone straight home When you compare that to my labour with DD which started early tuesday morning and didn't finish till late wed afternoon then I think you could say the my subsequent labour was def better.

Sorry to ramble. Hope that helps in some way and hope yours is brilliant!
Oh and your second labour does creep up on you without planing as does their jabs their 1st birthdays and weaning etc. You just don't take the same note with your second (and by your third well weigh in's what are they lol]

jetli: as far as I can tell everyone who's had bad labour experiences it's been down tho the possition of the baby. Beth nearly got stuck cos she came out sideways and i couldn't feel to push so last bit of labour took 2 hrs where as with becca it took about 10 mins! I felt miles more in control although I had lots of false starts with becca which was pretty upsetting. 2nd labour was 2 hrs shorter (5 instead of 7) and I also had hte tshirt nighty from primark! must be the thing to have. I wore it for beth's birth so wore it for becca! i've never worn it between or since! only had gas and air and was able to have an active birth both times. really helped.

Hope it all goes well for you. I found I couldn't really prepare the second time but it was ok because when it happened i felt mile more confident.

climbing: becca not too bad though will open ANYTHING. Cupboards, doors to dangerous stuff (tho fortunately most of the really bad stuff locked away), beth;'s room and wardrobe to wreck everyhitng. ARG the list goes on.

talking: feel better about the fact that lots of us have none talking babies. Was starting ot feel a bit worried cos beth was miles ahead by this age but she makes herself understood so I'm happy with that.

Hey Baby good to hear from you.

Jetli 2nd birth for me was very fast (thank goodness compared to 21 hours of hell). I had such a horrid 1st birth with DS1 that I spent most of my time labouring at home with DD (taking DS1 for a long wall, hoovering etc) We went to hospital when I could barely speak and she was born within half an hour of getting there. I stripped off so no clothes needed for me during the actual birth. I did pack toilettries for a shower, jim jams that allowed for easy breastfeeding and snacks. I was starving after birth. I am excited for you.

Talking a slow one here too. Just a few words but he understands some complicated instructions so reckon this one could be a bit lazy on the chatter.

considering I have a child with a speech disorder and another with a speech delay it seems its my turn to have a talker! Alfie is starting to put words together. Today he pointed at the worktop in the kitchen and said sit dere? He likes to 'help'

hi all,

had a voucher from asda for £10 off a wii fit and Pete had decided we were flush enough to afford it but the tumble dryer has pretty much bitten the dust so that plan is now on hold. I will have to get my exercise walking to and from the dryer in the shed. If i was really good I'd not get another but finding the bottom of the washing basket is like some sort of holy grail so we shall see!

QF: Beth was putting 2 words together at this stage so it seems weird that becca doesn't. I'm sure in a few months she'll never shut up and I'll wonder why I was worried!

Scuse spelling errors (tho have potted most of them) as I've made sumerset caserole for tea and have just finished the cider! :)

Hope all are well. ROLL ON SPRING. It's still so cold!

btw surely we need a new thread as the title of this is way out of date... unless we're counting till next Christmas!

Hi all. Feeling wretched - got a rotten heavy cold (another one) so all bunged up and snotty. Gone onto my chest as usual and coughing is so bloody painful around my bump. Would give my right arm for a Lemsip just now so as I can get a bit of relief. Am waking up about 20 times a night with a yucky mouth, blocked nose & raging acid.

Thanks for the second birth stories ladies am hoping for something speedier mostly because childcare is becoming a bit of an issue! It'll get sorted one way or another but nobody sems to want to do it my way if that makes sense. They either want her over at their houses (they all in the opposite direction to the hospital - no way we can drop her off) or taken out of nursery (why disrupt the poor little lass more than necessary?). Today I was seriously contemplating giving birth by my bloody self and leaving her here with DP so that I know she is safe. Me & my inconvenient children

We get some talking here but odd words, plus some signs. She really seems to understand quite complex instructions & sentences though. I'm not too worried. She is no different to the other kiddies at nursery that I can see.

Better go - takeaway tea just arrived. Back later

Hi everyone, hope that you are feeling better Jetli If we were closer i would come and look after her. It is so hard trying to make plans isn't it. With Max it was easy as it was an elective c section, so I could organise everything knowning dates and times etc. it wasn't so easy with dd though.

I have been ill again, this time chest infection. I am just coming out the other side now and i have to say it was awful. I felt like I had been hit by a bus. DH was away and I had to rely on friends to sort the big kids as I just couldn't have managed. It was so hard trying to get them ready for school, breakfast etc, I thought I was going to die. DD was amazing and I feel so lucky to have such a kind, generous little girl. She is only 7 but when she was dropped off home yesterday she made sure I was ok, got Max and said to him, now come with me, lets give mummy a bit of peace! Bless her, she mothered around me all evening. She will make a lovely mummy one day! DS was useless!!! He needs some training!

anyway dh is back now and has taken over bless him, I do feel alot better though. I have just had my first shower in 48 hours (I know! Nice!) and it exhausted me but it feels good to be clean!!!!! I must be feeling better though as i got out the dettol spray and started disinfecting everything!!!

Ali lol at the cider!!!! Where is everyone???

Awwww patchy your DD is so sweet hope you're back to full strength soon.

I appear to have piles

I am soooo uncomfortable

Ooooo Jetli,. You have my sympathies. My bottom has never been the same since i had beth! Alas for DH who is partial to some serious nautiness! no wonder I don't get any action these days Unfortunately, the other side effect I've suffered from 2 pg is the development of varicose veins. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

There is no help to had though. Genetics is not on my side. Mum has them, grandma had them, granny had them... etc etc.

Patchy: Hope you feel better soon. Becca had the cough and cold but escaped it developing further though it was touch and go at one point. All mercifully better (and sleeping better thankfully). Must go to bed, long day at work tomorrow and childminder no 2 (who does beth's school run on a fri) has called in sick (dentist) so have to leave work , get beth from school, take to child minder no1 and go back to work again till 7. Grump! :( Never mind. At least I had 24hrs notice.

See you all soon x

Ali - and a little bit !!!!

Happily no varicose veins of the legs (or otherwise) so far which is a blessing - Mum & Nan both have them so I thought it might be inevitable. Clearly I have inherited someone else's legs

As for DP I am having a good try at getting him to help me with some ointment, never mind any naughtiness I was stabbing around blindly back there last night with a 3 inch plastic nozzle-thing & I'm sure I've made things worse

Have a bon weekend all xx

I had piles after Alfie was born ouch you have my sympathies! Lol at the naughtyness you never know might help them pop back in!
I really should really go and get my bits sorted ap i keep re tearing (only a teeny bit) after sex, however the plan is to have another baby where I will probably tear again and they can sort it out then. Sorry tmi
Alfie is now going to sleep without me so just have to increase the gap between feed and bed and sort out the night feeds although as a rule there are less than there used to be!
Jetli I can't believe how far on you are already!
Were having a nightmare sorting out our shower. Was supposed to be a temporary thing till dan gets a job and we can do the bathroom for real but as usual nothing is simple the mixer tap doesn't seem to work? Ahhh
Dh is being driven slowley mad being at home. The one advantage of unemployment is if becomes more sympathetic to what I do every day !