Late Jan 2011 (some very, very late!) - here we go!!!

[ThreeBubbasAndManyBumps]

Graduated
JJKM - Twin Girls
Stars - Baby Boy
FloraPost - 6th Jan - Baby Boy
Mimou - 14th Jan - Baby Boy - 7.3lb
Zippy - 14th Jan - Baby Boy - 7lb
LadyBuzz - 18th Jan - Kali Margaret Briany 6lb 1oz
Scuba - 22nd Jan - Baby Girl - 6lb 13oz
AmIGoingMad - 25th Jan - Baby Boy - 7lb 5oz
Gallicgirl - 26th Jan - Alys May - 7lb 2.5oz
BubbaAndBumps - 27th Jan - Lachlan Robert - 12lb 3oz
Travispickles - 27th Jan - Saskia Faye
Fuzzy - 28th Jan - Evan James - 8lb 8.5oz
*Saltnvinigar - 28th Jan - Henry David
Ryuk - 28th Jan - Ezra - 7lb 4oz
TheBreastMilksOnMe - 30th Jan - Amelia Rose - 8lbs 9.5ozs
SaraL77 - 31st Jan - Reuben Mark - 7lb 2
Pootle - 2nd Feb - Jacob - 8lb 9oz
cyberfairy - 4th Feb - Rowan - 7lbs 7oz
RockLover - 5th Feb - George Christopher - 8lbs 4oz
RunningKatie - 5th Feb - Isobel Millie
CupcakesHay - 5th Feb - Jesse William - 7lbs 1oz
Crystylline - 8th Feb - Xavier Louis - 8lbs 11oz

Count: 8 girls, 15 boys

Still Huffing and a Puffing..?
Shanster: 30/01 Boy (1DD)
Faraway Trees: 22/01
RobynLou: 24/01 ?? (1DD)
Loopylu: due 31/01 (1st?)

Here we go, down the slippery slope of parenthood. Slippery thanks to the poos, wees, leaky boobs and goodness knows what else :o :o

We'll be here to hold each other's virtual hands through the tough nights and delightful days, and to laugh at each other's stories of comedy nappy changes , and the fear (or not?) of getting back in the saddle, and coating some cervixes just for the fun of it again!! :o

Thanks jjkm, it's a relief to know I'm not imagining things with my stomach problems. Hopefully it will right itself soon because it's really affecting being able to go out at short notice.

George is still snotty, but he didn't sleep too badly lst night considering. Trouble is I woke up with an awful sore throat and runny nose in the early hours, so looks like I have the cold too.

sorry to hear you're not feeling well rock. Perhaps we can lift share for journeys back east in the future, as we'd be heading in the same direction. (can't do this time sadly).

jjkm and fuzzy i wondered whether DS was teething too... red cheeks and what i thought looked like a tooth coming through - incisor maybe. I'd discounted it, as seemed way too early at 10 weeks, but might have another look.

DS is becoming v. tricksy now! he can roll around, and constantly wants things to look at, hear, touch etc, so very active gets bored, frustrated and tired very easily. it's quite magical watching him change, but hard to keep up!

The cot is being put up this week, as everytime he moves in the moses basket it sways way too much!

Now managing 5 hours sleep in one go, then feed, then another 3 hours, which i'm pleased about, as i need the energy to keep up with him and invent new games!

rock sorry you are feeling crap, hope the doctor can help.

crysty sounds like you have your hands full there

It really is magical seeing them change so quickly and start to do new things, I do wish Kali would stay little though as she is my last and I won't get to see it all again.

I am in bloody agony today my second AF started yesterday and I feel like somone is ripping my insides out, had a similar thing after DS2 was born, its to do with the scarring from the CS but I forgot how bloody painful it is. so not venturing far today and it peeing down too, great start to the easter hols!

Rock, sorry to hear you're not feeling good. :(

I'm so impressed with your DS Crysty, although I'm kind of glad my DD isn't rolling or anything just yet as she's always where I left her!

Off to get her weighed again tomorrow, I really don't want to be a paranoid mother.

Hi all - seems an age since I last posted. On half term, and have DSS (10) with us which always adds an extra dimension to proceedings.
Sorry to hear you aren't so good Rock - have you had IBS did you say? (sorry - rings a bell but am too lazy busy to look back!) I know you (like me) have suffered with anxiety and the two are often linked. It can be very difficult, I know. I know they sometimes give low-dose ADs for IBS, have you tried that? Hope it sorts out, and in the meantime feel free to post/PM any worries. I have found (poss as a result of BF) my anxiety better although have some quite low days - usually the lack of sleep!
I also impressed with Crysty DS - Saskia not rolling either (prods child to make sure...) but have decided to hobble her so she can't grow up too fast! Can't believe my teeny-tiny (well relatively) baby has grown so much already! Can't believe some of your babies already producing teeth!!
Better go now anyway, off rowing on a lake in North Yorkshire :)

Evening all.

Sorry you're feeling crap again Rock - is there no way your parents can come and collect DD to save you the journey?

jjkm I've looked on the internet and can only find a few weird references to this, but my DD1 also looked like she was getting teeth early and the HV said it was just a 'crystal' and would disappear - which it did. Something like an early formation of something, but not a tooth. May be that your twin has this (if it even exists??! :o)

Very impressive with rolling from Xavi crystal - he and Evan will be competing in the 2012 Olympics at this rate!! How is Evan's rolling coming on Fuzzy? (am I remembering rightly that it was him who rolled really early?). L is not close to rolling - the nearest he gets to that is when the boob is taken off him and he lurches after it. Still having absolutely no joy with DH (or anyone for that matter) giving him the bottle - and have tried every trick under the sun so far :(

L's development prize is definitely the laughing - he's got a real chuckle and this afternoon all I had to do was open my mouth as if I was about to blow raspberries on his neck and he creased up with giggles. LOVE him to pieces :) :) :)

Currently trying to plan DD1's 4th birthday party - have made the invitations, and have bought a few bits and pieces so they can do crafty stuff, just got to narrow the list of kids to invite down from the current 40+ to something that will fit in our house!! Most parents still want to stay at parties at this age, so that makes it even snugger

Hope you're feeling a bit better LadyB - I remember really heavy periods after CS with DD2 - not fun. I prescribe hot choc fudge cake and vanilla ice cream. >nods sagely<

Running I used to take DD1 to different weigh groups at the beginning so there was some chance it wouldn't be the same HV looking at me like some freakoid PFB mother :o

travis I'm sure that cleaning products bought at Wilkos do in fact clean your house for you. Sure as eggs is eggs. Defo. >slopes back into grubby house, scowling at un-used cleaning products on the way<

However I have been DIYtastic the last few days - even did a spot of wallpapering for the first and last? time, thank you very much :o

Is it too early for , long day. Trip to the farm in the school holidays plus DH us away tonight.
Evan is still rolling makes tummy time interesting. Only other development is that he pushes himself backwards with his feet. Makes pooey nappy changes interesting. It's so cool that Lachlan is giggling, so sweet.

Bubba I guess you've tried different teats/ bottles? The Baby Whisperer suggests finding a teat that most closely resembles the shape of your nipple

Hope you're feeling better soon LadyB.

How was the rowing Travis?

Crytsy we put Evan in his cot bed a couple if days ago, he looks sooo tiny. Couldn't keep him in the Moses much longer as he was rocking it far too much too. Makes me a as he's definitely our last so we're asking if anyone needs his Moses and other little things.

Oh I've also decided to move Ev onto formula as the breast feeding was making me way too tired and grumpy so any tips on stopping most gratefully received. At the moment dropping one feed every 4 or 5 days does that sound right?

Anyone heard from Cupcakes? Hope you're ok? x

been out for a jolly today in the sunshine and easter visitors start arriving tomorrow. two weeks of entertaining to contend with!

am wondering if his rolling is to do with co-sleeping, as he rolls towards me to get a feed in the night and if he wants to wake me... so poss learnt to move more quickly becos he had to? IDK... he can't roll all the way over though - just back to side and front onto his back. he does do a very funny commando crawl attempt on his front, but has no strength to lift his body up so more like a walrus or sealion sunbathing really. bless him.

bubba i made a crafty pass the parcel this week with sweeties and forfeits in the layers... would that be something you could do with DDs birthday party? i love making stuff - having a child really allows me to play again! brill, brill, brill!

travis the growing thing is scary! can't believe how much little DS has grown too. can't seem to take enough photos!

Never too early fuzzy (well, having said that, 7:48 am might be considered too early by some)

Yep, pass the parcel definitely on the cards. Going to force them to let them make crowns and decorate cupcakes and paper bags etc. And most of all there will be balloons. Squillions of them. More balloons than you can shake a stick at. If you were ever inclined to shake a stick at balloons, that is.

Pointy stick? Best accessory ever for children's parties IME. Pin the tail on the donkey usually goes down well. Oh, we had a pinata at my niece's party once, it was hilarious. :)

Are you home yet cupcakes? Hope your journey wasn't too stressful.

DD has been a bit of a pickle today so hopefully tomorrow will be better.

WTF is a pointy stick? Sounds like a Weapon of Mass Destruction in the hands of my DD and her friends!! :o

Anything pointy for under 5s is surely a bad idea!?
Feeling so much better this morning, Evan slept from about 7.30 until 5am (just one bit of crying at about 10.30 for his dummy), what a great little man. DH has also taken DD to nursery so getting a lie in too.
Hope everyone else had a good(ish) night.

Oh fuzzy I'm so pleased for you >>strikes Fuzzy off list of acceptable MN friends due to her utter disregard of the rules for The Association of Those Who Shall Remain Sleep Deprived

Bubba I doubt it will last, you know the way it works, as soon as you tell someone they are sleeping well they stay awake all night .

morning!

may i please join the club for babies that sleep through? 10pm until 5.45am. huzzah!

have all manner of family/friends visiting so will try to catch up soon.

The pointy stick is for the adults in order to keep the under-fives under control!

7 frigging 30??? Honestly, how do you get your baby to stay asleep from that time? Alys does all her sleeping in the mornings and last night the little monkey didn't sleep until well after 2am. No idea what was wrong but had to get up so many times to stick dummy back in or pick her up to try and wind her.

I should go and wake her for brekkie I suppose. DP tells me to go back to bed when she has a nap but that's the time for showering, washing up, sterilising bottles, doing laundry, getting food and then she's awake again for her next bottle.

crysty - in a word? NO!

:o

Aaah gallic I get it now - but I might get 25 pointy sticks for each and every sub-four year old coming!!! WTF was I thinking?!

...perhaps the pointy sticks are for me!

...runs away.

Hi, all! Again apologies for not updating for ages. I managed to get me and the kids to Oxfordshire on Tuesday, but with George needing a feed and a nappy change it took a good 4.5 hours (and I did it in the evening as that's when I feel better), so we didn't arrive until gone 11pm.

Anyhow, George decided it would be a good idea to scream his lungs off for at least half the journey and deafen me and poor DD! I discovered on arrival at the parent's that the straps of his seat had been rubbing his neck, so I'm wondering if that caused the crying, will make sure his neck is covered on the way back.

I have a horrid cold, as does George and DD and sleeping is a nightmare for him. Every two hours he woke up last night because he can't keep still, he windmills his arms, hits and scrapes his face with his hands (I have put socks on his hands to stop self mutilation) and kicks his legs. Then the poor mite cries when his body won't let him faall asleep, I was thinking of phoning the HV today as it was heartbreaking to watch him, but Mum pointed out it's probably because he can't breathe very well and he just can't get into a deep sleep. And he is absolutely fine during the day, doesn't have a temp and is still smiling like a loon, so I will wait and see what tonight brings.

Thanks everyone for the advice, I'm off to the dr's next Tues to ask about ADs and some advice for my IBS. Also thanks crysty for the offer of journey sharing, that's really nice of you and well done Xavi for rolling like a pro. George can manage to get onto his side, but that's as far as he gets and I'm quite thankful for that at the mo, it's so much less stressful when the stay where you put them lol!

I have some errands to run before returning to Devon on Monday, like buying DD some trainers and plimsolls for school and getting myself a few bits of clothing as I have nothing decent to wear. But for today I am going to stay in the warm and try to get rid of this stupid cold, my lips have split, my nose is sore and all my teeth ache. I think that means I'm allowed to feel sorry for myself .

Have a lovely day ladies, I will try and pop back sooner next time. x

rock when xavi had a cold i put a drop of olbas oil on my clothes - lapel area, about 5-10cms above where his nose is when he feeds. it gently cleared his nose whilst he fed. i also put him in the bathroom in moses basket whenever i had a shower and when we had baths - the steam really helped.

hope you're all better soon.

Rock have you tried Snuffle Babe? It's like Vicks vapour rub but much milder for babies. Supposed to be for 3 months and older but we have used it in Evan. You can put it on their clothes rather than skin if you like. Also put something under to cot mattress like a towel to put his head a bit higher up, you can also put say a book under the head end legs of the cot. Being not completely flat may well help his breathing. Hope you feel better soon too.
Right off to put the little man to bed will check back later.

What Fuzzy says - was going to suggest Snufflebabe (we luuuuurve it here) and raising the cot head end. Snots and snuffles no fun for anyone :(

Boots stock this room vapour which is suitable from birth. We have it for Alys and it's lovely. Also use saline nose drops before feeding her which helps clear her passages.

www.boots.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/EndecaSearchListerView?storeId=10052&searchTerm=10087647.P&ta=1&typeAhead=true&langId=-1&catalogId=11051#container

Wow - where is everyone? Are you all hiding? Or (more likely) madly running round after demanding babies. How are you all? Hope George getting over his cold Rock. Have just had a mad week with my best friend from school to stay with her 2 year old. Lovely but quite terrifying imagining my angelic baby talking/ demanding/ tantrumming etc. Looking forward to a film and haagen daaz some peace and quiet.