FEB 2010 Longer out than in and first Christmases around the corner...we're 9 months on.

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Shiny new thread, as promised fellow FEBers!

Figured we would start another new one to mark first birthdays, bethlou, so I've held fire on referencing that landmark in this thread title - hope that's okay with y'all!

Anyway, welcome everybody, pull up a comfy chair, someone get the wine out and I'll open a huge box of chocolates for us all to share.

Just a quick post..got to do DDs lunch.
BC Night two was the worst!!! DD cried for over an hour each time. Night 4 is the turning point. Hang in there. We went in every 5 mins then 10 max.

I tried only once for naps and thought sod it. Wait till nights are sorted!!

Dont think of DS getting stressed. He is just giving it his best shot at getting you back in the room.

Keep the end goal in sight. HE will benefit ftom learning to sleep by himself.

DD woke at 4am this morning..coughing and pood! Then woke at 5.30am! But she is going down with less than a minute of crying within 7 days.

Stay strong! I am on meds for anxiety..if I can do it anyone can!! :)

Sending you a great big hug!!

IC You have my sympathy!!DD did nights like that. (before CC) 2.30.3.30 etc. It was hellish. Me or DP leaning over the cot trying to get her back to sleep did our backs in!! She will probably still do it. I think it is their teeth causing them to wake. Seriously there was no pattern to her wakes. I would wake suddenly at 3am thinking oh she is asleep. Then couldn't get back to sleep myself and then as I dropped off about 4am she would wake. AAARRGGH!!!

BC I have always started DDs day at 7am since 3 months regardless of what time she wakes. Dont know if that is useful to you. just keeps me her day on track.

stoof will try out your cake recipe this week!! Ta. I like its simplicity - some of the recipes I have found include weird and wonderful ingredients and I just can't be bothered to get them, so I tend to improvise with varying results...
More later (dd is chewing on a freshly burnt DVD of herself...)... waving to all

bc good luck for tonight. It will be worth it at the end.

DS was much better today but the temperature came back by 5pm (my fault as he didn't get any calpol or ibuprofen since 8am). But at least he was is normal self today. Last night went fine, we woke up at 10pm and his fever was gone and then slept until 7am. Let's hope he is fine tomorrow as I really need to be at work this week!

It's weird how all of us have now reach the point of knowing we need to do something on their sleep. All being well, I'm starting on Thursday night

BG maybe your DH thinks that you have super power and can walk through closed door while holding a laundry basket / LO? I often do the stairs without a light and I count the number of steps I'm doing to know where I am [hmm) mad I know

Nothing was stirred in our house today. I make a last-minute microwave christmas pudding from Good Food magazine every year - not necessarily at the last minute - but it doesn't need lots of time to mature. It is delicious. If I could get my head round links I would link to it! I actually can't get my head round the fact that it's Christmas so soon, anyway. Where on EARTH has this year gone?! The baby must have eaten it, like she ate my brain.

GF gkad your DS is better.

bc I second IC in that your DS's routine is more important than your Dad seeing him straight away. Especially as you're sleep-training him right now. Surely he will understand. Best of luck with the CC. It must be so, so distressing. But IT WORKS!! and you are doing it for his good - he has to learn to sleep.

Your cake sounds yummy stoof. We always have cake in the house too - I developed such a sweet tooth in pregnancy and I certainly haven't lost it yet.

BG very cute DD! Yours too LBH! I took some video footage of DD clapping today (on verbal command - proud mum emoticon) so maybe DH can work out how to upload it. (Sorry to let the sisterhood down with my techophobia. I just can't be bothered to learn.)

More dog woes here My friend and I took Dog and DD for a walk as DH was studying. The walk ended in the pub (now how did that happen?!) where Dog jumped up aggressively barking from NOWHERE on two separate occasions. Once to a couple approaching the bar, once to another dog who was minding his own business. His behaviour is just so unpredictable. He wasn't provoked at all. I was so embarrassed. I am having a serious talk with DH about it tonight. Unless Sog's behaviour improves - i.e. DH has to work at training him - I am going to give Dog his marching orders. I'm going to say he must have improved by the end of Feb. Does that seem reasonable?

Abs you are off to Paris tomorrow!!! Have such a good time! I am

Oh phone gotta go...

*Dog not Sog

BC Not being smug I promise....
Persistance pays off. DD was sick the first two nights.
But....DD went down without crying tonight Still 11 hrs to go, she has a bloody cough which wakes her up. Cant wait till she is better.
Just wanted to give you some inspiration.
Thinking of you, post an update soon :)

GF Sounds like your little man is on the mend. IKWYM think 9 months without a full nights sleep is a turning point for us all. I never thought I would resort to CC. I used to think it sounded harsh!! Now I think it saves sanity!! How is your back?

Stoof I am impressed at baking. My old hobby! I have not even got any dusting done this week! Spent far too much time sat on the floor so DD can climb on me and the furniture!

IC Hope you have a better night tonight.

Hi - no, I didn't think you were being smug LBH at all. Don't worry.

It took DS about 15 mins to go to sleep tonight.

I think with regards to my dad I'll keep him up for half an hour extra but no longer. If they arrive after 7.30 tough shit.

We do always start the day at 7am not - it's part of the new regime.

Scones I think giving a deadline of end of Feb for dog improvement is totally reasonable.

Thanks for hugs IC - and sensible words.

I've been reading an online comic today - wasting time really, but it is ever so sweet. A stay at home dad draws a diary. He has two DSs. This panel I'm sure has happened to everyone: www.americanelf.com/comics/americanelf.php?name=americanelf&view=single&ID=34080

Wow 15 mins that is seriously impressive!! He is a smart little boy!!

Like the comic, made me smile!

Scones Nightmare re your dog. Fingers crossed he is a clever boy and will improve his behaviour. Feb sounds a decent timescale.

Scones it sounds like your dog is protecting your DD... is that possible? Pablo has been so good on the lead the last couple of days, I'm really looking forward to sheep school on Thursday. What kind of dog is your dog?

Yes off to Paris tomorrow and still haven't packed! Really excited!!!!

I'm hoping DD is going to sleep tonight as I am exhausted, she was up at 5.30 this morning and has been really full on today. Crawling backwards and whingeing!

Dogs are at kennels which is a nice break... I'm sure I'll be excited to see them again on Thursday. Oh, and the woman who took down the dogs' details had really bad whiskey breath, at 11 o'clock in the morning!

well I think it's fair to say she can walk

Still in shock at how far she's come in just one day. Not too surprising as I also walked at 8.5months, but still...it is.s

Off to actually write some blog post instead of just lazily uploading videos. Will catch up proper tomorrow. Good luck for tonight everyone (though guess you're hald way through it now)

CC Whaou! I'm impressed. The video is not working for me

DS wants to walk by himself now but he still can't stand unhelped. This weekend he was testing his balance by letting go and quickly holding back when he knew something was wrong. I guess it's a way to learn (quickly go to Boots and buy some Arnica cream)

DS is still sleeping but this may be linked to me letting him cry for 10mn at 5am. Even if the doctor on Saturday said that he was fine, I think I'll take him to the gp as he keeps on pulling his ear (so I wonder if it's because it's hurting?)

bc I hope the night wasn't too bad. Big hugs

Nearly time to go to work

CC Oh my god!!! DD is seriously impressive!!! Congratulations, you have a super smart DD!! Love the video!

CC What a clever girl! That is amazingly fast progress.

AbsB Have the BEST time in Paris. If you get a chance, go to Pierre Herme for cakes. His macarons are amazing.

Well. Guess what? After taking about 15 mins to go to sleep at 7 he woke once. Once. 3.30am. I thought I would have to feed him eventually but I decided to put the feed back by half an hour every night until it was 7am - so last night it was due to be at 4.30 but he went back to sleep by himself by ten past 4. Then not a peep until 6.30 when he babbled to himself for 15 mins. Then I got him up at 6.45 and he was all smiles and came into bed with us for a bit and had a feed. It was great. I couldn't wait to get online and tell you.

I woke a few times because I am so used to it but I'm sure it won't be long until I'm sleeping as well as him.

bc That is amazing well done!! I am so happy for you.

DD woke at 2.30am coughing. She fell back asleep but could hear her coughing at 3.30am.

The tears started at 5.30am. She won't babble or play by herself so let her cry till 5 past 6. I am hoping that by doing this she will stop expecting us to get her straight away and maybe fall back asleep. She always wakes at this time. But I think it is tough for her at the moment as she is snotty and has a cough.

Way to go, crumble! Hopefully you've made it to the other side now... [fingers crossed emoticon] (shoos off the MN jinx)
Nice cartoon - yep, been there - quite recently, too...

Wow, CC, your DD takes first prize on the walking stakes, then!! (Unless mamaloco's DD is also taking her steps too) Such a cute video! It's okay, you don't sound like a banshee

scones YANBU - Feb sounds like a decent deadline, if you ask me. I hope he bucks his ideas up.

Abs Have a fab time in Paris! Whisky breath at 11.00 . Reminds me of when we were in Slovakia and popped into a bar/cafe for a coffee at 10.30 on a Sunday morning to find a group of very happy drunks singing at the tops of their voices and drinking litres of (really rather excellent) Slovakian beers with spirit chasers. They were some of the nicest boozers I've ever met, but 10.30 on a Sunday morning??!! Apparently it was Day 3 of a major drink-a-thon, too!

I hope your DD's cough gets better soon LBH - poor little mite. It's frustrating when they cough themselves awake too, isn't it?

Yep, a better night here at Casa IC. DD went straight to sleep at bedtime and only woke twice, going straight back into her cot after each time (despite it's new lowered position - it didn't seem to bother her). The second time I think she took half an hour or more to actually get back to sleep to judge by the fidgeting she was doing, but at least she managed it on her own. She woke for the day at 07.00, so that was fine. I'm still not getting the best quality sleep myself (the random timings of DD's awakenings don't help) but like you, bc, I'm hoping I'll settle down before too long as well.

We met some friends for an Indian meal in town yesterday and DD was a star. She enjoyed nibbling on popadoms and naan bread and was happy to be passed around and bounced on various people's knees. I hope she'll always be this easy when it comes to eating out!
We're meeting some other friends for lunch in a veggie restaurant today, with any luck, she'll also be mellow for that one.

Hello all.

Sorry I have't posted for a while. I have been reading and thinking about you all, I just haven't had time. DD2 has been very poorly with an incredibly heavy cold - up all night because she can't breathe, not eating, being horribly sick every bedtime because of mucus and really tired during the day. Last night she was still sick at bedtime, but then woke up half an hour later and finished her bottle, then slept until 6:30am. She had a bottle then and is still asleep now and I'm letting her, hoping it's healing sleep!

The other reason I haven't posted is because my dad has been in hospital and is due to have surgery today. It's very nervewracking as he's 78, has been a bit unwell for a long time (heart attacks, kidney transplant etc), but mainly because the surgeon doesn't seem to know excatly what he'll be doing until he opens dad up. It's the same surgeon who operated on him a few years ago, and a similar procedure (though it could end up being quite minor, or very major) and on that occasion it went wrong and dad ended up having to go under again. So I'm a bit anxious.

But enough about me. CC love the vid of your DD walking. DD1 was also an early walker and I much preferred it to crawling! LBH well done on the CC, and good luck to those currently doing it or thinking about it. And good luck to those TTC!

By the way, picture of DD2 wearing a silly dress to her sister's birthday party here

cc how cute is that!!!!!

watercress sorry to hear about your dad. Keeping my fingers crossed the surgery goes well today!!

Watercress I am so sorry to hear about your dad's health problems. It's scary when the professionals have no idea how things will go. I hope that the surgery is straightforward and he makes a quick recovery.

Also hope DD2 gets better from her cold very soon.

The link to your photo says it is friends only so I've requested you to make me a friend.

Thank you for your thoughts about my dad. Chewing nails and wrapping Christmas presents here until I hear from my mum.

I've altered the permission on the pic so you should be able to see it now.

Sorry about your dad, watercress - keeping my fingers crossed it'll all be okay.

Picture works fine now - and your DD looks utterly scrumptious! What a fab dress!

Someone asked when dcs learn to understand 'No' and follow it... About 20 I guess (years, not months!! )

More gorgeous LOs... watercress and LBH...I love watching all the videos and seeing the photos. I don't know anyone in RL with a February (ish) dc so this thread is really good fun.

I think my dh is broody . He keeps trying to convince me that two really is enough (I haven't mentioned the possibility of another for months) and wondered to himself whether it was the right thing to do to sell the cot... (dd2 now has dd1's cotbed)...

cc I think your dd gets the medal for earliest walker (because mamaloco's is a January baby I think). I find it fascinating how different all our LOs are and that anything from 8 months to 18 months is considered perfectly normal for those first wobbly steps.

I wish I could have hindsight before the event... dd1 was a terror at the weekend, then woke with a heavy cold yesterday (she must have been feeling awful on Saturday but we didn't now). Just now dd2 got almost hysterical at my gentle suggestion she might like a nap... Very unlike her, so I got out the calpol, guessing she's coming down with the same cold.

stoof I have all the ingredients... Will make the cake with dd1 this after noon . And who mentioned a microwave Christmas pudding recipe? Can you find the link?

This is getting a bit long... quickly another picture of dd2 as a budding rock star ... . Best investment I made, an old keyboard off ebay for a fiver. The girls both love it and dd2 likes to play standing over it.

Oh, and I love this picture of her although I could not get her to look up because she was far too busy rustling through the leaves...

BG I didn't mention it but I think it's that recipe. It was on the same Good Food magazine than my cake.

DS is having a nap now after only sleeping 10mn today