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.

Gaaaaahhhhh! you can add a piece of old eraser to DD2 diet . She was in my arms the whole time I didn't noticed until she started swallowing.
I wasn't even MNetting

mama

Oh Mamaloco... sounds exhausting! I keep finding bits of twig from the basket we keep her toys in. She looks like she's using a toothpick to clean her two (nearly five) teeth! Where is your cousin? We are near Woodstock, VT, not to be confused with the 'other' Woodstock... IC we used to live in the States and so the family met up here. They have now all left (except my brother who is leaving today) as we were all meant to be here from the 21st until the 2nd, we've extended our stay until the 4th.

Welcome Stonebaby... you might have to keep reminding me us that you are GF. I hope you had a better night, you must be lucid enough to make up a new name!

Interesting what you say about CC, IC. I couldn't agree with Mamaloco more about adapting to your baby's natural clock. Even though DD is jetlagged, she is definitely improving on the sleep front and seems very content. I used to get really defensive about people asking if she was sleeping through (at three months) but now realise that each baby is different and it's not worth getting upset about other people's comments.

I can't wait to get pg again! No sign of periods here though... but hopefully now that DP is here for a while, there won't be that pressure. I'm hoping he is only going to be doing festivals next year, not another ridiculously long tour!

Urgh - DS has refused his afternoon nap for the second day in a row. DH is currently rocking him in his pram to see if that works. I fed him for over half an hour on the sofa in his room and he did go a bit drowsy but then woke up fully again - I put him in his cot but he got really hysterical . I hope he drops off. He woke at 5am again this morning and didn't go down again after I fed him.

He slept for an hour from 9.30-10.30 but that was on my lap on the sofa so no break for me.

Abs It was me who asked what your DP did. Can I be nosey and ask which band he's been working with? (you know my DH is a music journalist?)

I am hoping we can blag freebies to Camp Bestival and Sonar Kids this year if DH can review them for www.theartsdesk.com/ or a magazine.

I agree with mamaloco re their natural body clocks. It seems that at the moment DS wants to go to bed early (6 to 6.30pm rather than 7 as we were doing) and get up at 5. At least he sleeps through now but I would prefer a more civilised wake up time. If we put him to bed at 7 he is really tired and a bit cranky and he still wakes at 5am.

Nothing weird eaten by DD yet, thankfully Abs, but she's pretty closely supervised at the moment and hasn't yet started crawling off at great speed the second she's put down....

Oh, that's a bummer bc - that sinking feeling when you know overtiredness is likely to be a factor... Plus a lark.

And the no-break naps, yep, know 'em well. Although ironically, since we started buggy naps, I have been getting a break because DH often does them, bless him. Have you tried walking your DS in the pram, rather than just rocking him? DD will sleep with just rocking, but not for as long as a proper outdoor walk.

DH often does reviews for festival websites, which is a handy blag. I imagine we'll go to WOMAD again this year, not sure if we'll do other festivals as well. Maybe... DD loved WOMAD last year, but who knows what she'll think of a festival as a toddler (and how we'll cope with her in that environment)? Time will tell!

Out of interest, how many times do you change your LO's nappies nowadays (on an average day) and how often do you give them a milk feed?

DD's nappy usually gets changed 4-5 times during the day.
She usually has 5 feeds during the day and 1 or 2 overnight. She's not a huge feeder, I might add!
06.00, 09.30, 11.45, 16.00, 19.00 typically.

IC my DS has 4 change a day (first thing in the morning, mid morning, mid afternoon and after his bath) he has one milk feed of 5oz at bedtime and once back to nursery will have another bottle at 3pm (at home he has a yogurt and a biscuit instead)

DD has at least 6 feeds 6:00, 8:00, 13:00, 17:00, 22:00 and then at least one in the might.

More lately as she wouldn't even drink from a bottle when she was ill, let alone touch solids.

Nappies: Not overnight, at least 4 in the day. I'm always trying to get DH to do more as she's so prone to nappy rash, but it always runs away with him, especially when she (i) takes AGES to go to sleep or (ii) skips a nap

sympathies BC DD also has a habbit of not napping and then we all suffer for it. She's just like me and struggles to do that last bit. She also look drowsy during a feed bu then perks up (but only nor 10 mins if we catch it right)

Happy New Year! And thanks for the flashback to last year PA, it was lovely.

Have to be quick as DH has man flu...

DD2 has two milk feeds, one when she wakes up in the morning (6oz) and one when she goes to bed (3-5oz). She has three meals and one snack a day. She now refuses to be fed anything but yogurt (and is reluctant with that) - she has clearly inherited my independent streak. As for nappies, I change them first thing in the morning and at bedtime and when she poos in between (so about twice uduring the day). Poor love, she is still really struggling with pooing.

Can't remember anything else, but will come back soon...

New year, new me. Just call me the artist formerly known as watercress.

Hi chestnut

Lots of name changes

I'm not going to be able to keep track of all these name changes - better start a spreadsheet.

Milk feeds - four @ 5am, 10am, 2pm and 7pm.

Solid feeds - 8am porridge, 12 midday lunch and 5pm dinner.

Nappies - one overnight, then about 4 a day (he usually poos twice a day and the other two will just be wet ones).

I've cut down on baths as he was getting some dry skin - only bathing three times a week now.

New things: He can climb the entire staircase on hands and feet (I hover close behind), he's got a lot more clingy to his soft toy bunny that I've always put in his cot as a comforter - he's actually started using it as one after 10+ months, he tries to feed us with his finger food and I think he sometimes says 'hello', 'hi' and 'mama' intentionally but that could be wishful thinking. He has been waving and clapping for a while but this week he's started raising one or both arms above his head - I haven't got a clue why

I have been trying to get him to pass me things - putting my hand out and asking but not getting anywhere there.

Anyway it's 8.30 and I am totally shattered, heading for bed. Night all.

BC DD also has her comforter everywhere now, except now it's getting crusty due to her cold. Once she's fully better and sleeping less, we'll put it in for a good hot wash. Dread to think how much snot is on my breast atm as well .

DD is no where near communicating.

Feed 5h30 6oz, 14h/15h 4 to 6oz, 18h30/19h30 4 to 6oz.
solids 7h, 11h30, 17h30
thinking of replacing the bottle at 14h/15h by solids as it is not enough to get her to diner.

Changed after bath last till the morning, then every time there is a poo (every meal then) and/or before we go out (2/3 times). (between 5 and 7 times/day)
nappy free time at least twice a day.

naps are disappearing; none in the morning and afternoon for the last few days, short one before lunch [tired], but she seems fine with it, no grumpiness.

No conforter for day time, only in the cot. But then she has me all the time, it is different for working mothers, I would guess.

Do you start giving tin food to your DCs? for fishes and greens and pulses, I don't have any choice here, I would like to add a bit more variety. Is 11 months close enough to 1 yo? I know it has all to do with the salt content, but DD is huge so I guess she can process more than a small baby.
Watercress ? It should work like medicines, amount/Kg of baby, isn't it?

BTW I am completely lost with all your new names. Mind you I still think of scones as fizzy and have to scroll back to get the new name... [doh]

mama I give DS tinned fish (salmon) and some pulses (such as butter beans as I never managed to cook them properly)

Hell of a night here. how did you do for your LO to take a soother? DS has one in bed but doesn't use it, mummy is much better I would not mind if I wasn't working I guess but I need to sleep and after a month of success we are back to square 1 where he now wakes up twice a night!! Lots of CC last night so will see what tonight brings us.

Thanks for all the info, ladies! It's always interesting and reassuring to see what everyone else does with their LOs.

Blimey, naps are disappearing already, mamaloco - yikes!!

I'm no expert, but I imagine your DD2's size means she can handle more sodium safely than the average baby of her age, mamaloco

What cuddly bunny does your DS have in his cot, bc? Because I've left DD's Jellycat bunny in with her (not that it actually gets used as a comforter, but she's got the option...)

We've started to give DD a couple of semi-rehydrated prunes with her breakfast porridge and they're having a noticeable effect when it comes to keeping her regular, CS - have you tried that? I guess it helps that DD loves swigging her water at the end of each meal...

DD had a good night last night. She still played up a bit at bedtime (which was 15mins later), but I didn't pander to it, just sat quietly in her room for 5mins or so saying "Sssh - sleepy time" if she started protesting or sat up. She kept sitting up every time the chair creaked, so eventually I just left the room, given that she seemed calm enough. She was asleep a few minutes later. Woke once at 02.45, then went back down after a feed and settled herself after a wee bit of fidgeting. Then that was it until she woke for the day at 06.30.

I actually got 7.5 hours sleep in total!!! I think that's a new PB since DD was born!

Right, I'm off to get DD's packed lunch ready (we're meeting a friend for fodder in the now NON-SMOKING (yep, Spain has finally fallen into line - yipee!!) Italian restaurant in Salamanca District.

It is a pale pink jellycat bunny, IC - they may have the same one! Here he is holding it in the summer www.flickr.com/photos/26339121@N00/5319835194/ - bunny looks much smaller these days.

My dad got it for him, it's special because I also have a bunny that my dad bought me on the day that I was born (that I still sleep with !)

We had an odd night last night. DS woke around 3am and grimbled on and off. We've found that it is best to go in to him straight away when he wakes in the night because a hand on the back will often soothe him straight back to sleep while waiting and doing CC for night wakings totally wakes him up and it can take ages for him to calm down again. Anyway it didn't work going in - we were up and down until 5 when I said to DH to go and get an hour on the sofa and I took DS in to our bed. I fed him - he must have been really hungry because he stayed on for ages but he did drop off to sleep around 6 and stay asleep until quarter to eight. I dozed on and off but I can't really sleep that well with him next to me because I worry about him rolling over and falling out. I took him downstairs to DH who did his morning porridge and read him some stories and then I had another nap until 8.30!

Then we took him to the park for a go on the swings and I bought him home and he's gone down nicely after a feed for his morning nap just before 11. I hope he manages an afternoon nap today...

I've given tinned pulses to DS, mamaloco and he's had things with salt in a few times.

IC Good sleeping! Also good news about the smoking ban. Last time I went to Barcelona I think you couldn't smoke in restaurants but you could in bars that held under a certain number of people. I am going out for Tapas today - meeting my friend at Brindisa in Borough Market and letting DH look after DS. If I am back in time we are invited to the first birthday party of my neighbour's DD this afternoon.

Someone has stolen my lovely baby for a little tantrum, clingy monster!

I am actually glad to go back to work tomorrow and that he's going to nursery (he's going to be a challenge for them but they get paid enough to deal with him!) just to have a rest.

dd2 just brought me a slipper, carrying it in her mouth while crawling... good dog!

You are all so busy posting I can?t keep up? and I will struggle with the name changes, too? Btw I did not mean to belittle any of your new year resolutions by putting down dd2?s imagined ones (in case anyone took it that way). I just have none myself and have felt pretty low so far this year . Not helped by feeling terrible with waves of nausea, extreme tiredness, back aches? I know what this sounds like but dh has the same symptoms so we could really be in trouble here
Dd2 is down to two bottles now, one in the morning and one at bedtime. She had gone down to 4-5 oz when her latest teeth came through but now wants 7oz again. She also has milk in a cup alongside a snack of fruit and rice cakes in the afternoon. Other meals are a few spoonfuls of cereal and a chunk of bread at breakfast, lunch at 11.30 and dinner at 5. As for salt, I never add any to her food of course but she probably has too much hidden in bread and cheese which she both loves. She?s down to one nap now after lunch which can be as short as 90 minutes and seriously messes up my time on mumsnet to do housework. At night she sleeps from between 6.30 and 7pm to between 7 and 8 am. Nappy changes are again morning and before bed with the others whenever she does a poo, so about one or two a day. She doesn't talk much and tends to observe (besides, dd1 will not shut up, ever, and often carries on talking in her sleep so the baby doesn't get a word in).

I haven't posted on here for ages but it is very reassuring to see what all your LOs are doing for food etc.

For the record - I do 4-6 nappy changes a day. There are 3 meals - around 8:30, 12:30 and 6pm. I will also give snacks such as rice cakes, yoghurt or cheese if she seems peckish. She gets around 16 fl oz of milk a day - 4 when she first wakes up and then given a bottle when she seems a bit grumbly. Still has 2 naps a day - 45mins in morning and anything up to 2 hours in the afternoon. Sleeps through 7pm - 7:30am.

I do have a problem with feeding at the moment. She has taken to spitting out her food. Doesn't matter what food it is. I think it is because she has started blowing raspberries and she likes doing the mouth movements - but it is very frustrating. Any ideas what I can do to stop her?

Hi Stangirl nice to hear from you again. My dd2 also started spitting food out (or just letting it fall out of her mouth on purpose). Drove me mad a few weeks ago but I did not make a big deal out of it and now she only does it when she's had enough. I did try to tell her 'no' a few times but she thought that was hilarious (dd1's giggling didn't help) so I resorted to ignoring and if necessary taking the food away or distracting her.

Hi Stan! DD2 too, always spits the few first mouthfuls . No advice, DD1's laughing doesn't help either. Ignored is best, scoop and put back in the mouth?

BG sorry to hear you are poorly. I often end up agreeing with you, or saying me too. Are we in sync?

DD2 had a little less than 90 min nap yesterday.

Abs My cousin is in Middleburry.

A lot of artists on this thread! DD2 likes "american Idol" . DD1 comments were" when I go I will sing something from my school" . She is in a "art" school though

Aw, BG, sorry to hear you're feeling low - hardly surprising if you're ill, poor you. I hope you get better soon.
You can't tell from the tone of your posts - they're always so cheery!
And I LOVED your DD's NY resolutions, as I'm sure we all did - sorry if I didn't comment on them at the time!

How was your night, SB? Is your DS feeling any better?

Ah, not quite the same one bc (such a gorgeous pic, btw) - this is DD's bunny. Very soft and cuddly!
I was never much of a one for cuddly toys, neither was DH so I wonder if DD will go for them or not. She tends to show more interest in "hard" toys at the moment...we shall see!

Welcome back, Stan!
Yep, DD went through a spitting out phase which annoyed me because I knew it was a game and not because she didn't like or want the food. I would come over all stern and say "no", scoop it back up and give her the food again.
She rarely spits food out now, but on reflection I think BG's approach is a better one. After all, at this age, they're not doing it to be deliberately naughty, it's just an interesting thing to do.

Yikes at your DDs' taking such an interest in American Idol, mamaloco!!!

DD's fringe is getting rather long now and it's starting to get in her eyes a bit (although not obviously annoying her yet) so I'm contemplating a little bit of hair-cutting. Any advice, mums of experience??

dd1 is back at nursery next Monday and not a minute too soon! I think having three weeks holiday has done us all in... dh had to take so much time off because he has too much holiday - it's the paternity leave that really messed things up apparently . Such an inconvenience having a baby!!!
Feeling a bit more chirpy today. We are still in the midlands in our home from home (the place we planned to rent out when we moved to Wales ten years ago but never did - how stupid is that). It's just started snowing!
Good luck to all of you back at work today! I don't know how you do it...