March 2010 - Babies: "Climbing like an evil genius". Mummies: "Avoiding the Shred DVD"

[Arcadie]

Welcome to those with a March 2010.
Happy Easter from me....
Unwrap it quick!..

Oh, it's a new thread. I was hoping for chocolate.

Hello everyone, been lurking lots but never have much to say. Same old same old here, really. Isobel is super cute, although she's a cheeky monkey at times. Still not walking (despite crawling at 6mo), apart from the odd step or two here and there. Favourite words are 'banana' and 'yeah', and she'll say 'ta' but only for things she really wants (i.e. chocolate or cake).

We're off to visit the ILs in Montenegro on Friday and taking half of Waitrose with us for MIL, I'm looking forward to it as I know MIL will be good at taking Isobel and giving DH and I a bit of a break. They live in the capital but we're staying 2 nights in a hotel by the beach. The weather looks good too, although I can't complain about the weather we've had here recently!

I can sympathise with money worries :( Our savings got blitzed on a couple of 'incidentals' last year and we've been trying to catch up ever since. I pay my credit card bill every month, but end up having to use it again at the end of the following month. I'm waiting for things to calm down so we can start saving again, but there always seems to be something we need to shell out on. We're not living hand-to-mouth or anything, yet, but I would feel happier if we had a bit more of a financial cushion in case of emergencies. DH is changing jobs soon (he's halfway through a 3 month notice period) and will get a slight pay rise then. Dalrymps I hope you find work soon.

Arcadie Go Simeon! How is your sister and the DTs?

Manda I hope you're ok and looking after yourself. Sorry you've been having a tough time of it.

Summer nice to see you again and hear how things are going. Glad to hear you're feeling better then you were, and the blog sounds interesting.

Melk how's the training for the 10k? Good luck with it x

evitas Ouch! I've had a few bikini waxes but only one Brazilian. I find my underarms are the worst actually, they tend to bleed :( Glad you found a use for your Femme pads though

Pixie and if you're lurking.

It's been quiet on the thread recently, I hope everyone's doing OK x

hi
Lurking lots here too, and Im always meaning to post - things like 'I wonder how Flip is doing' and 'how is fliss' garden' pop into my head all the time..

So - ICWAS before you went back to work you werent so keen, and they were mucking you about - was that ever resolved? How is DS with his childminder?

Evitas cant believe you had the strength to cut out fb to concentrate on your work :) Will you be back? Hows to job hunt going? And how is your mum and your aunt?

scooby I hope all these ladies wise words helped you. Do you feel any better about things with DH? DH and I have spent most of the last year fighting and bickering - I think reading what bluey had to say was really encouraging for me. We had a looooooong chat a few weeks back and I am striving to be nicer to him now, and him to me. What manda said on monday about flipping out is so familiar to me - I knew that most of the time I was being irrational but I couldnt help it. I hope you are feeling more positve both manda and scooby

BMI (always BMI to me in my head :) ) DD is not walking either, again despite crawling just a few days after Isobel. She does very well holding just one hand, but does not have the confidence to set off alone. Odd isnt it? Still - when they are ready.. and Im sure its just pay back because we had to babyproof earlier, now we dont have to run after them so much, yet

RKD hows it going fellow Yorkshire woman? And Dsis?

melk I loved the pics of you all in your wedding dresses. I tried to convince DH we should do the same but wasnt allowed :(

sarah are you still shredding? I am about to start, a month after purchase, now that DH has gone back to Edinburgh (and cant take the piss) Fliss did you start?

Heckle and Dalrymps hope the job search going ok? Money is such an issue for me in terms of pride, when I was on ML I hated having to ask for money. We are very lucky that we are ok (but the payoff is that DH isnt at home during the week), and I have a strong thrifty streak- the majority of DD's stuff is ebay and outlet stores. However, our garden project and bigger car in the last few months has wiped all our savings. No hols for us :(

Summer hi again! Was it you who broke their ankle when pg? (vague mummy memory)

pacific where are you? and Smac? Miss you guys..

We have had a lovely April - DH at home, trying desperatly to finish the house (close, but no cigar) and he has managed to spend time with DD who is now obsessed with him - 'Dadad' and would only go down for naps with him! Ive had at least 15 lie ins, and at least 15 nights where we've all slept through, oddly. Although the 5.30am start is still waaay too frequent, and Im going to bed at 9ish most nights (snore) missing glee grr-
We went to the Sealife centre in Blackpool (MIL lives there) on sunday and DD learnt a new word 'fish' and spent the whole day repeating it (more like 'isssshhhhh') and impressed me today by correctly identifying what was in the tank at the dentists :) Nursery have taught her how to blow kisses too, which is cute (and a bit of a surprise when she did it first!)

Just going back to walking/cruising - DD seems to stand on the side of her left foot but normally on her right one. Should I be concerned or is it just about balance right now?

I should go and eat before bed - rock n roll, but on that note, have you seen there is a River Cottage Cookbook for Babies and Toddlers? Right up my street :)

oh and well done Elk on the swimming :) How many years has she been going? DD still isnt even kicking when asked to, after a year, but she does love the pool.

and MissP (if I must!) where is Montenegro?

Montenegro is in the Balkans; above Croatia, across the Adriatic from Italy. I wouldn't have known where it was either if ILs hadn't moved there

I've noticed the same thing with Isobel sometimes standing on the side of her foot rather than planting it firmly flat, if that's what you mean. I asked the HV and she didn't really examine it, but said it's easier to tell if there are problems once they're actually walking (I suppose at this stage they're just practising, and not necessarily doing it properly).

Have a job interview this aft to be a care assistant 5pm-8pm.. Eek, strange after 3 and a half years not working!

Back later x

Goodluck!

Good luck Dalrymps, let us know how you get on :)

Dal good luck! Thinking of you

Siamese yes, I'll be back on FB in a a week or so Job hunting... I've been keeping an eye, but haven't applied for anything, yet. In fact my grant finishes this month :( so I'll be unemployed for a couple of months. But hopefully is temporary.

Melk well done for our DD1, you might have a future professional swimmer :)

MissP enjoy your time in Montenegro!

We are flying tomorrow to Alicante. My friends ins getting married on Saturday and he just called to ask if I could read something in Spanish at the church .... on Monday we'll fly to Portugal and will stay with family, attend a cousin's wedding on Saturday an return on Sunday (I'm already exhausted just by typing everything I'll have to do in a a week )

hey all-

Good daryl- hope all goes well and the job is urs x

Wow to all the holidays.weddings etc going on- safe journeys everyone and have a great time

siamese not shredding atm- kind of fell out of the habit of doing it, really need to begin again- i will i will i will!

hi to everyine else x

melk pleaaaase stop worrying. It takes A LOT to offend me - bloody hell, woman, I'm thankful you had the idea/werewithal to purchase & wrap sans ravioli/get everything to its final destination... 'tis a mere trifling matter that I wasn't on the card and was easily remedied so no worries!

BMI (loving the revival) I totally knew where Montenegro was... thank you Google Actually, I had, at least, heard of it, as DP is an avid Bond (as in 007) fan and I believe Casino Royale is set there?

Just a short post from me - having an okish day after a few blah ones (which followed the two truly shitty ones). I also seem to be having my first period since the ERPC so I wonder, too, if the mega-flip out was in some way connected to skewed hormones. Like PMT on steriods is probably a good way of explaining how I was. I hate the whole 'Oh, it's my hormones' cop out but there's no getting away from the fact we get these huge peaks and troughs throughout a month that men lucky bastards do not.

Love to all.

manda I was going to ask if you thought it might be a hormonal thing - I know I got some seriously raging pmt before my first period returned after bfing. It's like when it comes back, it comes back with a vengeance. I had a similar (but not quite so vicious) spike myself a few days ago and lo and behold AF shows up a few days later. Men will never understand this and must simply observe, bemused

Lurking as usual, awfully busy. Three job applications in, one baby whose evening sleep is gradually improving thanks to the moving of the cot next to the bed. And one 4 year old in need of more attention . That's the life of heckle in a nutshell!

Manda, pleased you're feeling a bit better. I know what you mean about not wanting to use the hormone "excuse" but it's not an excuse, it's a reason.

I can't believe what's gone on with Pixie, what a shame. We miss you, Pixie.

Erm, brain on strike and suffering from too much wine. Can't remember who needs shouts. But nice one MummyElk and all for Rinders' pressie.

Dalrymps, hope the interview went well. good luck to all on the job hunt. I think I might join you - work is rubbish and I'm constantly questioning why I do this. The answer "for the money" somehow isn't enough when I see my gorgeous children and DH so little. Anyway, to try and help we're hiring a nanny (I know, v posh, but same cost as 2 children in nursery) and DH has agreed I can look for something else. Rubbish, ignore me, I'm a bit grumpy today.

Have fun in Montenegro, MissP.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/postnatal_clubs/1208190-MMMMM-2010-Southern-branch-where-next Anyone?

Siamese - yep think that was me although it was my shoulder that was broken, I also type this with a broken hand I am prob the most accident prone person ever!

Dalrymps - hope the interview went well will keep fingers crossed for you!

Heckle - hope you get some positive news about the job apps!

Hi Manda, I had an ERPC A few years back, I was a mess for a while after going from crazy one minute to sobbing the next, my consultant was lovely and said it was normal, the body goes through so much so quickly and it would take a good few months for my hormones to get back to normal. You have been through so much so don't be too hard on yourself xx

Evitas - enjoy the wedding and the sun, v jealous.

Xx

Wolf whistle for IWCAS

Best of luck to those of you looking for new jobs - fingers and everything else crossed for you. Not much to report chez FP this week, have had another two enquiries for some ad-hoc work (all helps) and my odd-hours mindee should be coming to me all day on a Monday from next week. Plus an ex-colleague has asked me to mind her DS when she goes back to work, but that's not until December.

Some improvements with DD's sleeping this week which is much needed after nights of screaming fits and tantrums. I've finally her in her cot for her nap the last 3 days, and instead of 1/2 - 1hr which she was averaging in the downstairs travel cot, she's been going for 2 hours. Unfortunately that means lunch is now very late as I won't do two lunch sittings every day. She slept through on Wednesday night (hooray) but had to be settled back to sleep last night (boo) It's only ever my nights she sleeps well on though - I sometimes wonder if my 'harder' approach works better for her - DH is softer than I and she probably knows Daddy will get her out of the cot far sooner than Mummy will (I've taken to a CC approach which actually works rather than soothing her for hours on end) However, since the better naps, she seems to be eating far more and her speech seems to have suddenly developed in the last few days as well, surprisingly so. It seems strange to see her responding to requests, as well as answering them. Before long we'll be having proper chats :(

OOOHHHH ICWAS- hpw exciting- hope all went well x

Blimey where is everyone?

agree!! where are we all?!! i lurked briefly yesterday but thought by today there'd be sommmme action?!!!
speaking of which - iwcas details please

quick query from me - DH and I think DD2's lack of appetite is due to her love of milk.. she will easily guzzle a bottle of cows milk at both morning and afternoon naps - and another at bedtime...She almost holds out for said bottles at mealtimes (but not conclusively)... As my fbk friends will concur she's, er, not wasting away... but I do think it's time to cut down on the amount of milk she's getting..
Any tips? She will quite happily SCREAM the place down at naptime if she doesn't have enough milk... so am a bit worried about cutting down the amount she gets....
watering it down?
cold turkey?
what do you wise MMMs think??

Sorry Melk, no wise words. Cut down gradually? Offer a snack at a point that means she is unlikely to be hungry? Don't know.

IWCAS, how did it go?

Fliss, hope the improved napping helps. IME they sleep better if they're not overtired.

Lovely start to the day this morning: DD woke up with a wet bed (we're trying to get rid of the nighttime nappies) and Alex woke up coated in sick having vomited everywhere in his sleep. I was spared this Spinal Tap moment by being on my way to work. Made me feel much better about going to the office !

Hi, guys, too much going on here - every time I find the time to catch up, it takes so long to read all I've missed and then I have no time/no brain cell left to actually post .

Manda, grief is a funny old thing: you'll be kind of fine one day/minute and a sobbing wreck the next with screaming banshee thrown in at inopportune moments. It is all 'normal', but so hard to live through . Lots of sympathies and hugs, for what they are worth. Do see your GP/consider counselling (maybe via SANDS?)/excersise lots (I don't know anything about Yoga, but any form of adrenaline burning/serotonin boosting form of exercise will make you feel better)/eat chocolate or whatever works to get you by.

RKD, yeah to Simeon walking - he'll be running next! How's your sister and her babas?

BMI (you are still BMI for me because I always have to scroll back to check how to spell your clever new name..), hope you are well and you have a great time in Montenegro.

Good luck with job interviews, new jobs, dates (you go, girl, IWCAS) and hello to returnees ( summer, glad you got through what sounds like a really difficult time).

Rinders, thinking of you often, glad to hear you had a good birthday. There are going to be so many 'anniversaries' that are going to be painful to get through - so glad you are the person you are and have loved ones around you. Much love.

Melk, a PM is on its way once I am done here .
Re milk for milkmonster: consider giving her semi-skimmed rather than full-fat if she takes loads (AFAIK, full-fat is only required re calories rather than nutrients)?? Cut down v v slowly, giving her bottles only after she has had a good snack/drink/banana already??
When I get stressed out about things Joe 'ought' to be doing I remind myself that by the time he is 16 whatever problem is unlikely to be a problem still ... Things I Fret About: he still prefers purees/jars over homemade/finger food. Sleep . Does not have any 'words' with any meaning. Does not so much walk as staggers. And falls. A lot.

Oh, I am sure I have forgotten lots and many of you. Hope you all enjoyed the Wedding. And Pippa's bottom. Which apparently has its own FB page . A quick google revealed that the domain name 'PippasArse' is still available. I am quite tempted to start a thread about that fact on Feminism .

Crieff was lovely, weather fab, if anybody is every tempted to go, try and get Ferntower Cottage (former garder's cottage) with 3 bedrooms, walled garden, directly accross from hotel's kid's club ... Only fly in the ointment was that Joe was teething like I have never, ever seen a baby teethe before: non-stop drool, blood (Blood!!) on his bedsheets every night, SHOCKING sleep (or lack thereof, but I am even boring myself now moaning about his poor sleep...), stopped all solids (back to several bottles of milk/day), very very miserable for about 1 week. Sigh. Now back to smiley self. Thank. Goodness. For. That.

Oh, and we need a nanny. No idea where to even start that process. I will be sad to lose my CM of more than 8 years (I have not told her yet, it has nothing to do with her at all, but I just cannot continue dragging all 4 kids out of the house just so we can go to work... the guilt is killing me, so changes need to be made. Oh, and I am dropping half a day at work to be at home 3 afternoons/wk after school) and am really daunted at the thought to have to try to find somebody 'new'. And reliable. And nice. And the money...

Night, night, all

Hi all,

just wanted to say hi and ask IWCAS how did it go?

PD a nanny seems a good idea.
Wedding in Spain was lovely and the weather....oh... how I love the heat, the sun, the sea... pure bliss!
I'm trying to enjoy the balmy weather in Portugal but I have too much work to do :(

I forgot, PD we need you here

hello :)

PD- must be so hard to have to tell ur wonderful childminder that she is no longer needed- esp s she must be fab! Good luck finding a nanny for your boys, its got to be easier for you all though x

yay to dropping some time at work too x

Evitas- lovely to hear from u x

Were off to wales on monday for a 5 day break- KIDDIES are so excitied, were staying at Trecco Bay- Park Dean near Porth Cawl x be glad to have a change of scenery for a few days x

nothing new to add- other than Rosie hasgot her 15 hours at nursey and the extra few hours with just elliott is fab x she is out all day monday, tues and wed am and thurs pm ! she takes her lunch and is such a BIG girl now

erm not much more to add x other than WD to darylmps for getting the job x !!!

Evitas- are you ok? Did you feel the earthquake?

Have a great hol Sarah - you deserve it!