November 09, new skills are fun - look what I can do now, Mum!

[DontWorryBaby]

New thread for our little handfuls!

Thanks for all the congratulations! :) 8+5 so early days... sure it will sink in by xmas...

I (obviously) only have experience with flying with one child, but Lukas and I did clock up a respectable amount of flights during his first year. IME, the "worst" time to fly is when they're at the crawling stage, because you can't let the loose in the airport/on the plane, but they're desperate to be on the move and certainly don't understand why they have to sit still. Also, at that age they're only moderately entertainable by ANYTHING.

Apart from that short stage, I did actually find flying doable (with one, not sure I'd attempt it on my own with two...). My top two tips would be to pack a sling (Lukas travelled in his even when he was 15 months, because it's the easiest way to transport them around the airport and onto the plane whilst managing luggage etc) and, although people frown on them, reigns. :D

Not really usable on the plane, but definitely helpful in the airport. You can push a trolly with one hand and let them run around while controlling them with the other.

And yes to a few new toys / books to keep them entertained... and most definitely at least one change of clothes for mama and DC, you WILL get covered in something, whether it's food or poo or vomit. :)

(On that cheery note, I shall end.)

flying, they should eat or drink during take off and landing (because of their ears), so breastfeeding for the little one and something small to nibble, like raisins, for the older one. Paula slept through most of her flights when she was little, so I wouldn't worry, something new for the older one is definitely good. I also recommend something like drawing, nothing with small pieces who constantly fall down and need to be picked up.

I have good and bad news. My father in law died in an airplane crash in Italy. So we are back in Austria for at least two weeks, staying with DH's mum. He is an only child so it doesn't make things easier. He is coping well at the moment, mainly supporting his mum in whatever sometimes unreasonable she wants.

The good news: my SIL gave birth to a girl. She looks very cute, things were going ok, needed ventouse in the end but that is all I know. As we are in Austria, I will actually hopefully get the chance to meet my niece soon and not only at christmas what would have been scheduled normally.

Ursi how awful for your family to lose FIL in such a way, what a shock :(
Best wishes

Ursi So sorry to hear about your FIL. Must be such a shock to the family, your poor dh Good news about your SIL, what they say about one door closing and another door opening is so true.

Fathers day was good here, dh got a lie-in, some chocolate and 'meet the little fockers' dvd, from his little fockers

Tonight, Millie has gone to bed with a pillow and duvet for the first time, she looks so cute all snuggled up in her cot! Fingers crossed she will sleep better for it...

Ursi OMG that is awful :( Was he flying alone?

Thanks Brood for the tips. We do actyyally have some reigns - S likes them, I think they make him feel secure!

had a bad morning at a toddler group today - some mums are so bitchy!

Thanks for your kind words, ladies.
katster, no they were three. Two died immediately and the third only the next day in hospital. We only got the information sunday morning and until we were waiting for our plane we could hope that his dad was the third one as they didn't know who was who. But when we saw in the internet the latest info that the third had died too, everything was clear.
In fact, the third one was about our age with the young children.
At least, my FIL had many funny years and died in something he really liked.

So sorry to hear of your sad news ursi. I hope you and DH and the rest of the family are doing ok.

katster - toddler group bitching? Never! Come on, give us the goss...!

Rosa not too well here. Lots of clingy cuddles when dropping her off at granny's this morning and she didn't want me to leave unheard of at granny's house. And I had to work late then went for a quick drink with workmates as was the last training of the year and I won't be with them next year...got home just before 7 to give her a cuddle but the poor wee lamb had already conked out in her cot, even after sleeping all morning. That's how you know they're ill, isn't it? Apparently she woke up from her nap at PILs, bumbled around for a few mins then put her hands on her cheek to say 'sleepy' and went back off to bed again - twice!

On a cheerier note, yesterday was her friend's 1st birthday and she learned to say her name - Ivy. Although it is more like "Iby", so cute!

Ursi I'm so sorry to hear about your father in law and the other two :( What horrible news. I'm glad you get to see your niece - enjoy her.

Was going to say, about flying with little ones... we've noticed with M that it's easier to fly in the morning, when she's still fresh and agreeable, or in the evening when it's dark outside and she's so tired she might just fall asleep.

helips does she keep her duvet on?? Mine won't and it drives me crazy. It gets cold here overnight and she keeps waking up with sniffles. I might have to get another sleep sack...

katster Hope the toddler group mums aren't still getting you down. What happened?

Went to my cousin's wedding over the weekend and had a lovely time. We kept M up way past her bedtime but she was having a blast dancing with all the grown-ups and the other little kids - she even kissed a boy!!

Somehow missed your post, MsI... sounds like Rosa is fighting something, hope she feels better soon. Does she put herself to bed when she's sleepy? That sounds too good to be true.

Ursi, I'm so sorry to hear about your FIL. My thoughts go out to you all, hope DH copes well. And congratulations on a little niece.

MsI, hope Rosa gets better soon.

Longway, Lucy's been under a duvet for months and it never stays on. Even when she comes to bed with us she refuses to stay under, flipping her little legs and bum over the duvet. I'm just hoping it's the case of getting enough warmth from us... And she seems to be her own little radiator.

Longway I think Millie kicks the covers off but I keep the air con on low so that she doesn't get cold. Sounds like a great wedding, glad you had fun!

Msi Hope Rosa feels better soon.

Millie has slapped cheek, it was diagnosed yesterday. Poor thing has a horrible rash but other than that she is quite happy. Remember a week or so ago I said I thought she was teething as she had a runny nose etc, well that was the slapped cheek virus, apparently the rash appears a week later. Unfortunately it is contagious when they are poorly but once the rash appears it's not, but because I put her illness down to teething god knows who she's passed it on too. I'm not feeling too great either, think I have a blocked milk duct I'm only feeding twice a day so don't know why this is happening now. My boob is so painful and if I take my bra off it is agony, literally shooting pains. I'm trying to feed off that side but it's tricky when Millie only feeds twice a day and usually just one side at a time. I don't want to not use the other side in case the milk dry's up or that one gets infected too. I've been taking Neurofen and keeping fingers crossed it doesn't turn into Mastitus. I had that with ds and it was horrible.

Hope everyone else is ok x

Ursi Sorry to hear the news of your fil, very sad. Congratulations on the arrival of your neice though.

Helips and MsI Hope both girls are on the mend now and back to their usual selves again soon.

Ursi such sad news, for the whole family :(

Helips could it be trush? Or can you feel a lump where the blocked duct is?
How's Millie?

MsI Oh noes, you deserve a break from illnesses for a while, how is Rosa?

Brood I went to the doctor and they couldn't feel any lumps but gave me some heavy duty Ibroprofen. This was on Saturday and I'm still in pain I hadn't thought of thrush as its not round the nipple area that hurts, mainly the side of the breast and under my armpit. When I take off my bra I get shooting pains in the area, does this sound like thrush? I'm off to google! I'm going to make another appointment with the doctor as it's been a week now and Im getting fed up!

Millie is ok, still has the rash and off her food a bit but quite cheery in herself so hopefully she is on the mend.

I'm off to see Kylie tomorrow but I'm not very excited about it. I think it's the combination of dh being away on business so I will have to deal with the kids on my own, being tired and my painful boob. Feeling very grumpy at the mo! Sorry about me me me post, hope everyone else is ok! x

Ursi hope your dh and family are ok too, have you gone over to see your mil and family yet?

Hi Ladies! Thank you all for thinking of me and my family.
We flew over on sunday (10 days ago), when we only new that the plane had crashed with 2 dead and one surviving. When we left the house there was still hope but at the airport we got the news that the third had died too.
It was difficult to get the dead body out of Italy but there have been many good coincidences (people from the region where DH is from in that village where the airplane had crashed...) so we managed really quickly. There had been a ceremony in church with sooo many people and we will bury his ashes tomorrow.
MIL is obviously not well, really confused too, still looking for reasons, excuses, how to avoid....
For DH it is really difficult. He tries to support his mum, even if it is against his own opinion and no one seems to be concerned about his needs. After all, he has just lost his dad.
We are now making plans when she will come over to London to see us, I know we have to do that but obviously I am worried. She has always been a rather difficult person for me and it won't get any better I guess.
But that means as well that DH will never get a chance to be on his own and to come to terms with things. The baby is due in 9 or 10 weeks, not even sure about that, we still have plenty of things to organise and she will visit on two of those weekends and he has to come back to Austria for another one. so not much time left.

I am sorry about the mememe post. I did read all yours but at the moment I am completely brainwashed and can't remember anything. I hope you'll understand.

Thanks for updating us with how you are ursi. It's such a sad thing to have happened and it now means lots of difficult times ahead. We are all thinking of you and sending you the strength you will need in the weeks to come.

Helips - owww! that sounds really awful, you poor thing. Hope the doctor can get you sorted out soon.

We are fine here thanks everyone. Rosa sniffles and clingyness turned out to be nothing much. DH has been working like a mad thing with exams to finish his MPhil (goes on to the DPhil or PhD after the summer) and conferences where he presents papers etc. He has had insomnia the nights before his exams, for the first time so has been distinctly zombie-like recently. After another conference tomorrow, he has some rest for the first time in ages and we can all spend some time together.

Speaking of tomorrow - I am off on a march as am striking from school. MN has been a hotbed of discussions about teachers and their conditions, I have had to dodge a few missiles on the Primary Education thread so thikning I might just hunker down here for a bit!

How's your pregnancy going now Brood?

Me too MsI , big rally in the city centre here at lunchtime. Not even going on any threads with 'Gove' in the title- well, I might have done actually......
Glad R is ok
What time are you coming this way on Fri? I have to leave at about 5.
helips hope you got things sorted out, sounds awful
Brood hope all well

Wook, I am not leaving London til 4 [sorry].

Will miss you but as i mentioned, won't have Roo with me anyway. I will be back though! Is a friend's family's place in Horning, have been once before too. And next time will bring the Rooster!

Hope you have a nice weekend - what are you planning? I also have some more excitement on Friday as I get to meet my new class (of Y1s - what am I thinking?! ).

Ursi Hope you are looking after yourself too, with everything that is going on you must be under a lot of stress. I hope your dh is ok and coming to terms with things, it must have been such a shock for you all, I can hardly even imagine. We are all thinking of you and here for you.

Msi Glad to hear Rosa is ok. Hope you get some relaxing time with your dh now that he has finished his exams!

Brood it seems your diagnosis was spot on! The doctor thinks it is Thrush and both myself and Millie are being treated. I hope it gets better soon, It's day two of taking pills and doesn't feel remotely better, the pain is starting to get me down and I'm seriously considering weaning Millie off the boob. I'm just not sure if we are both ready yet though...

Hope everyone else is ok, not heard from a few of our regulars lately, come out come out wherever you are

Helips, hope you are feeling better by now. Sounds really painful, poor you. Hope Kylie managed to cheer you up a bit.

Ursi, thinking of you. Hope you and DH get some time just to hold and support each other.

MiI and Wook, hope the march went well. I only looked at the support the teachers thread but I gather there has been a lot of vitriol thrown about on here. Just want you to know you have my support - both my mum and sister are / were teachers and anyone talking about them having it easy really annoys me.

Not much to report here. Lucy's very well and I'm counting down days to the end of July when I go on maternity leave. Got bump measured last Sat and have to go again in two weeks as it's a bit on a small side. The baby is moving around nicely, though, and she was lying across so I'm sure all is fine.

Morning all,

Just checking in...

Ursi I hope things are slowly returning back to normal, albeit very different from what they used to be...

Helips I'm glad you've got a diagnosis and treatment (but obviously not glad you've got thrush, it can be incredibly painful - but should respond quickly!)

Not much to report here... Lukas is getting cheekier by the day, he keeps talking about "Ukas" and is very particular about things being done properly... god help me if I do something silly like leave the microwave door open, or don't hang his coat up on the proper hook when we come in...

10+4 today, still feels very unreal... have an apt for bloods on Fri and the 12 week scan next wednesday, but am having trouble wrapping my head around it. Do recall feeling like this with Lukas as well, I actually remember lurking on the antinatal thread until week 20 when it finally felt "real enough" for me to join you :)

I do feel guilty for not dedicating time to the baby somehow... apart from the constant eating and tiredness (really, really struggling with the heatwave we're having) I do keep "forgetting" about it. Am sure it's normal for a second pregnancy, but sometimes find myself worrying about how I am going to actually care for the baby when Lukas seems to take up all my available headspace.

Anyway, hope you're all making the most of the summer!

Poor you helips, Hope you are feeling better.
Brood with no.2 it didnt feel real until I started to get a bump, even with bad morning sickness!

Have spent the weekend away with Dh, we just went down to Torbay but it was lovely. Really nice weather as well. (we both got a little sunburnt, mine isnt too bad but Dh has burnt his neck quite badly), but we missed the kids by sat evening so we were glad to come home sunday morning.

Juicy Ahh, bless you and dh missing the kids! Sounds like you had fun though.

Skorpion hope these next few weeks go quickly for you so that you can start enjoying your maternity leave!

Brood I'm afraid second time round the pregnancy doesn't get much of a look in! I remember the tiredness being worse with Millie, probably because with a toddler running around you don't get any down time. Try and rest as much as possible, if Lukas naps then you should try and get a nap in too, I remember that really helped me. Also, get your dh to help as much as possible and lie-ins at the weekend should be compulsory

I've still got a very painful boob, it's been over 2 weeks now, 3 doctors visits and my second course of thrush tablets. To be honest both myself and the doctor don't think it's thrush now as the pills should have worked by now but she said to take another dose to see. That was on Monday and it's no different today. The doctor thinks it's because I feed Millie lie-ing down and the milk doesn't drain away properly but I've always done the morning and night feeds like this so why the pain now? Next week I'm going to stop the morning feed all together to see if that helps and then next month stop all together, gulp. Wish me luck!!

Hello ladies!

Wow, it's gone very quiet on here recently! What's your excuse, everyone?!

All going well here, DH is now on summer holidays and it makes such a difference having two adults here. Hopefully by the time he is working again we'll be ship shape and in a good routine, or edging towards a routine anyway. Luke is 7 weeks old today, it flies by. He has always slept fairly well, by that I mean that he settles quickly after a feed during the night. Have had three nights of 6 hour stretches but no rhyme or reason to it, hopefully he will just start to go for longer stretches soon. Still breastfeeding and it's going very well. Weighed 13lbs9oz last week at his 6 week check so he's just under the 98th centile. It's odd - I thought Ethan was big but having checked his red book I see Ethan was under the 91st centile so Luke is a fair bit bigger! Luke has just started smiling and cooing, trying to communicate with you if you talk to him. My only slight concern is that DH is dealing with Ethan mostly & I deal with the baby so Luke isn't as comfortable with DH as I would've liked but this will come in time I guess.

Hope all the other pregnant mums are doing well and Longwayaway, is there any news from you??

Helips Is your boob better? Only on mumsnet would that be an acceptable question. How long did you guys move away for - was it 2 years?

Ursi I have been lurking but haven't said how sorry I was to read about your FIL. I hope you and DH are coping well. As for running out of time before baby arrives, write lists!! It's the only way I remember everything post-pregnancy, and the only way I don't have a nervous breakdown feeling like I never get anything done! Hope you are keeping well.

And even though I don't think I could make it down from Glasgow, you lot are supposed to be arranging a get-together - get on with it!!