FEB 2010 Coming on in leaps and bounds and little steps

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Where did our babies go?!
Anywhere and everywhere, the moments our backs are turned!!

I second the bubbles, although looking forward to DD blowing them instead of trying to eat them.

chinook It's important to not share everything at first and it's good for you. I like the suprise the people's faces when they find out stuff about you. Glad you sleep is doing so great and you'll get used to going back to work. DD cries when I leave, but she cries if I go to the toilet or more precisely if she shuts me in the toilet. I know she's fine when I leave and I do enjoy work (minus crappy boss)

Bubbles, yes - DD loves them! Especially if she can get to them in time to pop them.

Nice to hear from you, chinook! Sorry you're having the back-to-work guilt thing, but what fun to be able to step out of the mummy role for a bit! (That's a horribly early get-up though, ugh - worse than I used to do....)

LBH, it sounds like you're having so much fun with your DD! Yes, I'd love to see a video of her doing the jumping thing.

Yes, Soc, I've been thinking about getting DD a fork to try out. I may wait until we're back in the UK in three weeks time just because these things tend to be much cheaper to buy than they are here (oddly, because the cost of living is generally lower). Good shout, though!

DD had a wake-up last night, so didn't quite manage a week straight of sleep-throughs. When she didn't resettle immediately, I went straight for the ibuprofen, cuddled up with her for a bit, then deposited her back in the cot. All-in-all, it didn't take up too much time. I then fell asleep in the bed in her room, woke up feeling too hot at 05.30 and didn't get back to sleep. Typical!

LBH lovely I do keep meaning to buy DD some bubbles that actually work (the only ones I've managed so far are rubbish) - just like I keep meaning to buy her a doll. One of these days... Her new word is "baby", she marches round the house saying baby, baby and picking up any books with pictures of babies on/in them (my pg and baby books) and kissing them.

DD can use a fork, just not a spoon.

She is asleep at the moment!! I was so uncertain she'd go down that I had my morning coffee as usual, and so ruined my own chance of grabbing 40 winks. I could really do with a nap this morning, I am just shattered. My own fault - I had a leaving meal with a friend last night at a very nice restaurant (she is emigrating to Oz - I am in denial about it) and got back late, then chatted with DH instead of going straight to bed. Sooooooo tired.

I think you're right IC I just need to be flexible. Something I find quite hard! I didn't realise how much I like a routine until I had a DC.

BBB how was your do?

Oops hadn't realised there was another page! chinook so pleased that you're enjoying work. Nothing wrong with a good old flirt Have you had any hormonal fallout from stopping BF? I don't think I did, really, I think pg hormones had fully taken over anyway. I feel sad but not as sad as I thought I would. I suppose I do have more BF to look forward to pretty shortly. Great news on the sleep

My DH is doing night duty now too - I've taken to wearing earplugs and even if I hear DD I leave him to it. I must admit I do feel a little bit "Now you know how it feels!" when he is totally knackered after getting up a couple of times in the night. But her sleep is improving and the fact is I'm just too tired to do it any more.

4am... ugh

DD slept from 7:30 until 6 :) I went to sleep at 2:30 so got 4 hours sleep and I'm supposed to be climbing outside this afternoon. Plus I suspect it's just the two of us so can't get out of it. I'd say half the week atm is no wake up (up tend to be earlier rises) and the other half 3 wakings.

Do any of you have a child with oddly coloured eyes? Dh called dd2's eye colour 'dirty blue' today, which is just cruel! I guess technically they are still very dark blue, mainly around the rim but there is so much brown/grey/green in the middle that I am no longer sure what eye colour she has! Wonder how long it can take for eye colour to settle...

Wow PA your dd's sleep has really improved recently. I can't wait for ds's first sleep through. Do you think it was cutting down on the night feeding that helped?

scones touch wood I am no more hormonal than usual! I did read on kellymom to expect to be a bit weepy. My boobs are quite sore and lumpy but hopefully that will go soon. Can you remember how long it was before your dd stopped asking for a feed? Ds keeps pulling at my top then shaking his head, which is a bit of a tug on the heart strings.

Ds loves using a fork. More accurately he loves using MY fork (or spoon or knife) and really loves feeding me my meal. HIs favourite toy currently is a disney princess hair dressing kit which dd was given a few weeks ago. The hairdryer actually has a small motor and he walks round all day drying, brushing and straightening what little hair he has. Must take a picture of this to show him when he is older!

Bubbles are magic - when we were travelling to Italy I had a pot of bubbles and a bag of balloons in the change bag to keep DS happy and distracted.

He makes practically the same noise ('brrrrrr') for four things - bubbles, balloons, the broom (which he loves, he drags it around downstairs for ages when he gets his hands on it) and cars (because I go 'brrrmbrrrm'.

Today he was very helpful - he put two socks in the washing machine when I was loading it, he helped sweep up cous cous after dinner and when I was on the loo he bought me my shoes, carried in in the wastepaper basket from our bedroom (?).

Scones I think my next project might be getting a local parents' forum off the ground. Before baby I used to do television compliance - I'd check scripts and watch rough cuts of dramas, go along to the studio for live shows and watch rough edits of reality shows and then let them know if anything needed changing to comply with the Ofcom (the communications regulators) code. I also had to answer viewers' queries and complaints and write defences to Ofcom if they got a lot of complaints about something I was looking after. And fill in awful interminable online spreadsheets for any music used in shows so the composer could get about half a pee. I did it for 7 years and got really fed up. Had been TTC for ages and felt that the job stress wasn't helping so I quit when my first IVF didn't work and got a place to study nursing at King's. in the three months between leaving ITV and starting the course I got pregnant with one of my frozen embryos. I started the course because I needed the bursary but had to leave by the end of Dec because that's when the placement I was on finished and it was a natural place to take a break from the course. After having Alex I really didn't want to go back full time and so I just dropped out. It would have been a lot of time away from the house and homework and essays to do as well. I know some people do it and I feel like a bit of a lame-o for not even seeing how they possibly could. Gosh, that was a bit long.

Am thinking about doing a course on how to set up your own business. I'm thinking of getting some of my designer friends to do graphics for kids t-shirts, getting a limited number made and maybe starting to sell them at festivals or getting a pop-up shop to see how it goes. And if it goes well then thinking about renting a commecial property somewhere near me. The parade of shops round the corner from me now boasts a French bakery and a Spanish rug/olive oil and gift-y shop so I think a kid's shop (especially one with a room in the back for workshops/classes) could do really well.

On the naps front we have actually regressed from a similar situation to Soc (although with less sleep at night) back to two naps. Last night he slept from 7-5 and then had naps from 9-10.30 and 1.30-3.30. I slept for almost all of the afternoon nap as well.

He uses a spoon but quite often holds it on its side so the stuff falls out before it reaches his mouth. He speared some chicken and some tomato on his fork today and managed to get them in. I had to really stop myself 'helping' every time he nearly got there but not quite. He really doesn't like being fed with a spoon by me. My fingers are a little more acceptable. Cous cous needs a lot of sweeping up.

Soc Your cold has really dragged on hasn't it? I hope you feel better soon.

Scones lots of luck for the interview. Let us know how it went.

LBH Lovely to hear about what DD is up to. You sound happier. Fingers crossed for the loan.

Chinook Good to hear from you. I'm glad you are enjoying work and feeling a bit more like the old you. Nothing at all wrong with a bit of a flirt. I hope DD settles into the new routine soon.

PA That's a nice night's sleep from DD. Well done her. I can't imagine how you function on 4 hours sleep whilst pregnant and are even going climbing - I salute you.

Soc No, no oddly coloured eyes here. Just blue. DD2's eyes sound really gorgeous. I don't know the latest age at which they are fixed for good. I assumed it was about 6 months but have never checked my assumption.

(And waves to IC, BBB and everyone else I didn't mention by name).

bear Hugely impressed by your business ideas and enthusiasm! Keeping my fingers crossed!!

chinook Your work pattern sound really interesting! I think I could cope with that, intense two weeks followed by time off
Love the thought of your ds playing with the hairdryer etc. And why not!

PA great news on you LO's sleeping, not so good on yours

Scones Good for you to give the night shift to your dh!

BBB have you recovered from your work do?

IC thinking of you (well, churros to be precise )

Waving at everyone else...

Well, my cold is still rotten and I have now felt terrible for a week. May have to go to the GP on Monday to get my cough checked. I got pneumonia after a stay in New York about 10 years ago and it wouldn't clear. I had three lots of antibiotics and was eventually treated for Legionaires... It damaged my lungs so much that I developed severe asthma after that. So any cold I get really throws me. Ah well. Oh, and the hotel I stayed in at the time has since closed down

SOC we have really weird eyes colours here. DD1 is 6 and it is not fixed yet (military green/green/and hazel for now getting more yellowish than green). I guess that is what you get when you mix bleu (DH) with brown. DD2 seems to have charcoal grey/dark bleu and always had a brown spot from birth in 1 eye. She will probably end up totally brown but who knows and I did genetics and was really good at it.
At our DD2's age, DD1's eyes were very pale grey, almost colourless, so scope for change.

poor you take care!

Hello, hello! Sorry, been reading on my phone again so not posting...

The work do was good thanks. It was the awards do of the magazine I work for, so it was very worky (lots of networking etc), but good fun as well. My new shoes held up all night (M&S, very impressed!), and though lots of people said I looked very glamorous (my boss told me I scrubbed up well ) nobody asked where my frock was from (Matalan, £20!).

We've had a bit of a leap with DD2's wibbly feet. I chased up the referral and it's probably going to be at least another four weeks, so I decided that I'd try her in a pair of DD1's baby boots to see how she got on. Well, it's a revelation! She will stand for 10 minutes at a time, and has even started taking a few steps - I think the support around her ankles is giving her more confidence. So I am going to take her to be fitted for her own pair of boots (as the ones I am using at the moment are a bit big) tomorrow. I have also asked a friend to send me some exercises that ballet dancers use when they first start doing pointe work, and am hoping I'll be able to adapt them for DD2 to strengthen her ankles a bit.

DH still hasn't found out whether podiatry/biomechanics is covered by his work health insurance, which I think is abysmal. I know his work is busy, but surely this is important enough to warrant taking a few minutes out to make a phone call...?

What else? Eye colour of both my DDs is unsurprisingly very dark brown. My genes are much stronger than DH's for eyes and hair DD2 is using a spoon and fork, but is very left handed. Quiche works here but pesto doesn't :( And just one nap, usually around lunch time, anything from 45 minutes to an hour and a half. Bubbles very successful too - we often do them in the bath!

BC your business idea sounds fab. If you're in an area where it could work, then go for it!

Soc are you feeling better?

Tried to take a picture of dd2's eyes and they appear to be mostly yellow...

I have some time to myself this morning...DD at nanna's with DP.

Am trying something different for her lunch today...breaded quorn escalope with cheese filling, carrot and swede mash, sprouts, peas and broccoli trees. Hope she likes it. (no pasta or risotto rice - because her poos are a bit too firm and a tad dark)

SOC Hope you aren't suffering too much.

LBH that sound yummy! We just had spaghetti with mixed vegetables (from the freezer) and garlic pesto (from a jar)... [lazy mummy emoticon]
I took the baby rail off our highchair earlier and dd2 slid straight under the table at lunch... tehehe . I think I often treat her as older than she actually is.

BBB good news on the boots! What is she wearing normally? Is she normally barefoot or in shooshoo type slippers? It does sound that all she needs is a little support and off she goes!

mous your two have even stranger eye colours than mine! The more I look at dd2, the more I think her eyes will eventually turn light brown like dh's. dd1 has very blue eyes. Mine are dark blue but I also have a rim of brown in the middle. You are right, mixtures of fairly light brown (dh, no idea what his parents' eyes were like but basic genetics means it was one brown and one blue) and blue (mine, my mum has light brown eyes, dad strikingly light blue) can result in anything...

Yepee I found a free wifi.

After a few days on rhe Med we met up with my mum who offered to keep DS for a few days. So we're having a child free weekend we miss him but enjoy the no rush time

bc thanks for sharing, I enjoyed reading it as I do enjoy hearing all the things you get up to. You've probably seen the fb/blog but climbing in the end was great, really took me out of my pregnant, work, parent life for a few hours :)

chinook glad to hear weaning is going well. I think what threw me was not being prepared for it, it just kinda happened. I was lumpy for a few weeks, but it didn't progress. I found massaging it would make it less lumpy that day but made my nipples hurt the next .

BBB :) at finding supportive boots. DD has never had 'proper' shoes as they don't do them in her size (size 1). Hope you get some answers soon and they consider the whole body i.e. up to hips etc.

soc? DD eyes are still changing. We currently have a blue ring and green inners. I've always assumed that she have my eyes which is similar but has a brown inner ring in addition to the two.

I think weaning has had something to do with her sleep but initially it got worse. Before hand she was settling incredibly quickly and was already getting better. At the same time we started moving bedtimes and getting her to eat more before bed by introducing the yogurt. She wakes absolutely ravenous which I think shows she did need the night feeds. It was at least a month before we saw the biggest improvements. Ideally she would have had a BF just before bed but logistically that had never worked for us.

I meant to say before chinook but the first time someone flirted with me on the bus was great Think I was nearly back at pre pg weight and feeling a bit more human rather than just mother.

DD slept through again last night, we didn't get in until 9pm but she slept until 7. She was a bit off today despite getting good naps so we'll see how she is tomorrow.

20 days until road trip. Well I think that was it, so will try heading to bed now

Fuck me that was long

Hi everyone, erm happy Monday

chinook it took about a week for DD to stop pawing at my chest in frustration at bedtime. Thank goodness, it made my heart bleed. Now I try not to let her see my boobs if possible in case she gets any ideas. My sister was looking after her yesterday, and getting dressed, and said as she put her bra on DD's eyes lit up and she ran up to her and started playing with her nipples! Didn't try to latch on

bc what would the local parents' forum be - online, a group that meets up...? You sound as though you have loads of great ideas and loads of energy. I don't think there's any way most people could do a full-on FT nursing course and look after a small child too. I'd like to retrain as a MW but I think I'll have to wait at least until both DCs are in school (and one isn't even born yet ).

BBB great news on the boots

PA pleased you had a good time climbing - on 4 hours sleep, wow

I have been very pathetic and cancelled my job interview today. I (probably foolishly) went for a 40 mile bike ride yesterday, then didn't sleep well last night, and just feel in no fit state to do anything - anything - but let alone an interview. Plus it's loads more hours than I want, practically FT, and also I'm pg so they won't offer it to me anyway lets face it. I was more going along to 'keep my hand in' but the way I feel today I'm not sure I can leave the house. God I am tired.

Every time I try to have a nap that coincides with DD's she wakes up just as I fall asleep and it is so frustrating. So after that happening yet again this morning, I've given up and will just carry on feeling utterly rubbish until she goes to bed and finally so can I!

Sorry, what a me me me post.

Soc hope your cold is better, and hope everyone had a good weekend.

Scones sending you lots of and and sympathy! You probably did not lose anything by not going to the interview... I went for one at 7 months pregnant and it was a bit of a farce really. They were not allowed to mention the very obvious bump, but I had no illusion that they were even considering offering me the job...

PA size 1!!! How cute is that! dd2 has now gone up to size 4 which makes getting shoes quite easy.

SB child free weekend.... I can only dream... Enjoy!!

We found boots in mothercare (Clarks doesn't do anything under size 3 other than pram shoes ) so DD2 is currently getting used to them. Before that she had softish shoes, or I let her go barefoot (but she prefers shoes). PA how little are your DDs feet (so cute!) and how on earth do you manage to get shoes?

stone hope you enjoyed your weekend!

PA glad the climb was good, and how lovely to hear that your DD is sleeping through.

scones you need to take it easy .

size 1 or under 3! DD1 was a size 3 at 6 months, DD2 is growing out of size 5, I need to go soon for the next up as she is touching.... . My problem is reverse they stop doing proper toddler shoes after size 5, especially for sandals (boots are just boots so not so bad).
Try french or spanish brands, they start proper shoes smaller than the US and UK (16 is size 0 and 17 should be sized 1, 18 is definitely size 2).

scones I would have done the same. You needed rest.

scones PA climbing and cycling while pregnant I am in awe! I became a beached whale so early! (thinking about it I couldn't climb even not pregnant and at pa stage I was already massive so the bump would have been in the way even with my monkey's arms...

to be honest I don't really understand shoes, I see pictures of peoples kids of the same age who seem to be wearing mini adult shoes and I'm . DD has those ones that have a leather sole (either given to us or brought second hand by DH). It gives her enough protection not to get scratched but soft enough I don't worry about the shoes moulding her feet.

I could never have gone for a 40 mile bike ride make sure you get lots of rest where you can

DD slept until 7am again Think it was another 2am for me, it was at least 1am before sleep.

DD loves playing with my nipples, I think at 2 weeks she made no attempts to latch on, but she never really conscious when I fed her anyway.

There were a few times when I looked down and saw my belly was touching the wall.