March 2005 part 4 - The nights are getting quieter.....

[BonyM]

Not that I want to tempt fate...

The food thing has got much easier for us now as Niklas eats almost everything we do, I've just got used to cooking without the salt. He won't eat purees anymore - never was that keen me thinks!

I worked so hard the last 2 days that I going to take lots of MN breaks today !

You guys are indispensable!

I think my dumb colleague actually meant what he said. He followed up with "a child should be with its mother for the first 3 years you know". But frankly I always thought he was an idiot. So nothing new there. Will just avoid him in future.

Am feeling a bit heartened having had a good heart to heart with a more sensible bloke (and a dad) I worked with about project prospects, heartache of leaving the kids etc.

And in 30 mins I'm clearing off to rescue Iris .

Love the look of the quinoa recipes. Iris is still on her quinoa porridge every day. Must try to branch out.

Low fat cakes - I'm sure I can come up with something. I made a chocolate cake at the weekend that had yogurt and banana in it. That's got to be nearly healthy hasn't it? Admittedly it had 200g dark choc and butter and eggs in it. So maybe not.

Seriously though - I did last year make a rhubarb and polenta cake that I seem to remember had minimal butter and eggs, and tasted pretty ok. Will take a peek at my cookbooks this weekend.

Pidge, if you see this message today, I hope you have a lovely four days with Iris and DD1

Thanks busywizzy. Feeling a lot calmer just being at home with the girls. We've got lots of nice things planned for the weekend.

The childminder is mulling over how best we tackle the problem with Iris settling in. And I'm contemplating taking some of next week as holiday to spend time up at the childminder's with Iris. Anyway, we have various ideas to try to improve things. We'll get there!

Now off to story time at a local museum with dd1 and Iris ...

Have lovely weekends everyone.

Hi All. Been so busy this week suddenly realised that I haven't done my normal MN check up for a while.
Well, Lauren is finally crawling although only just. She's not particularly interested in getting around that way. She just wants to stand holding on to anything she can and getting you to walk around with her. She now choses which direction she wants to head. Usually the wrong one! She's taken to tugging my trouser leg when she wants to walk anywher. Can't wait till she does it alone - it's killing my back!
Another thing that's happened this week is that her hectic drooling has almost vanished overnight. Thank God. Was going through 4 bibs a day and hated spoiling her lovely outfits with a bib every time. Think it must be something to do with all those teeth that appeared last week.
We are now in our throwing phase. Anything on a table, bed or high chair tray gets chucked off with great gusto. It's actually very funny but suppose shouldn't really encourage her too much otherwise everything and anything will be hitting the decks! Her favourite thing to chuck is her flannel that I use to mop her up after her meals. She hates having her face wiped and grabs hold of the flannel and flings it away with a satisfied look on her face. Little monkey. Also having cannabalistic urges - could also eat my child at the moment - she is so sweet and funny and happy (luckily her winging stage has stopped).
Hope little Iris is settling Pidge. Understand how you must feel seeing her so unhappy.

Oh yes, throwing is Harrison's favourite game too. Throws everything off his high chair tray and then peers over the side as if to say 'hey, where's it gone and more importantly, who's going to get it back for me' !!! When he's on the floor, he grabs everything he can get his hands on and flings those across the room too. Poor DD is getting quite used to being hit on the head by flying objects

Glad Lauren's dribbling has stopped Jambot. Is her skin starting to heal as a result?

Pidge, how are you doing today ? Was it lovely having the day with your girls and how was story time

Where's BonyM ?

Hurray for Lauren. It seems she's taking the shortcut to walking, skipping over the crawling! Cut to the chase, little girl.

Sylvia loves throwing her toys too. I think this is the object permanence stage, where they see that somehing out of sight does not disappear entirely and can be brought back.

Well, both Sylvia and Dominic are ravenous at the moment. It happens so rarely that i'm overcome and I let Dominic off with loads just because he's eating (not least stuff I've cooked).

We had a Venture photographic session today. I'm cheap, cheap, though, and will only get the free photo or the £40 upgrade.

We're having friends over tomorrow so there's a mad rush to get the flat presentable. Have a nice weekend.

Lauren's skin is looking quite good at the moment. Think it's a combination of this cream I've been putting on (Advantan) and the fact that she's not so wet under her chin now.
She's standing at the windowsill right now having a ball banging on the glass and leaving grimy fingerprints everywhere. Just about to go and have her breakfast. Cereal with two teaspoons of mixed dried fruit and a teaspoon of molasses.
Current tea-time favourite is mince, mixed with sweet potato and rice. She had some jelly for the first time yesterday, which of course was polished off. Although must admit I helped. I love jelly.

wow seems forever since I updated! Caleb is nearly 11 months now and we finally have his first tooth! It's his lower left front tooth and it seems to be coming through at an angle, anyone else had this?? He's now standing up so don't think walking is too far off, also loves throwing his toys at the cat. Hope everyone and their wee ones are well, can't believe we will all be celebrating 1st birthdays soon.

kinda of a personal question here, but has everyone started their periods again?? Just wondering as I only started with mine again the other day (great), hoped it would be awhile yet as i'm still breastfeeding!

What a day I've had and it's only lunchtime.

Got a phone call at 6am (which woke Harrison) to say DH's father was seriously ill in hospital and isn't expected to recover So DH has had to drive to Birmingham to be with his family.

7am a John Lewis delivery van turned up with a piece of furniture I was expecting to arrive this afternoon. Needless to say, I did not look my best Van drove off, I noticed the furniture was damaged so had to chase after the van, only to be told that I had to speak with Customer Services (so helpful)

8am finally manage to get DD out of bed (we leave the house at 8.30), and realise we've forgotten to do her homework. So was trying to find missing verbs in sentences whilst spooning cereal into two children and making sandwiches.

8.30 just as we were leaving the house and Harri decides he's had enough and starts screaming, postman turns up with parcel for DH which needs to be signed for and taken back into the house.

Take DD to school, come back home to put Harri down for sleep and tidy up bomb site area which slightly resembled my kitchen, only for the phone to ring incessantly all morning with people telling me their children can come to DD's birthday party in a few weeks time.

Aaaaaaarrrrrrgggggghhhhhhh

Have also spent most of the morning on the phone to John Lewis trying to get damaged furniture sorted out. They have seriously gone down in my estimation.

If this sounds like the ramblings of a mad woman, it's because that's how I feel Harri's going for another sleep now and I feel like collapsing into the sofa with a big bar of chocolate but need to workout instead as weigh-in day is tomorrow

Ho hum - let's hope it's a better afternoon

Bw - What a day! Monday mornings are bad enough without all the extra stuff. Very sorry to hear about DH's father - hopefully he will be able to spend some time with him in the next few days.
Hopefully John Lewis will sort your furniture out, I've always found them very good.

Freya is happy today as decorator has gone, house is quiet and she can have a decent sleep. Last week was a nightmare, every time I put her down for a sleep it seemed to coincide with some very loud drilling, or sawing etc. She was very grouchy every day! Nice to have my house back today.

I'm here .

Sorry - have been lurking but don't seem to have any time to post these days. No time now either as have to rush off to get dd1 from school in a minute.

Took Grace swimming after lunch and she is crashed out in her car seat - will have to get her out to put her in the pram so she will doubtless wake and be grouchy.

Had her weighed last week (first time in ages) - only 17lb 11oz - is going to be a tall skinny thing like I used to be methinks (well, I'm still tall ).

Sorry not to respond to anyone's post - will try to find more time later in the week!

Oh Busy - sorry, have just read your last post - so sorry about Dh's father .

no time to update - have just read thread whike epxressing and ds1 is really poorly....
no periods here....to whoever asked....but then I still have a night feeding monster

calebsmum - my periods came back when Grace was only 3mths old whilst exclusively breastfeeding (still am b/f). With dd1 though they didn't come back until a couple of months after I had stopped feeding (at about 9mths)

Aagh - I have a London Marathon place thru a Gold Bond place with the Anthony Nolan Trust.
Better join that running thread!
Ran 10 miles yesterday, so on course for 26 miles by April (I hope!)

JoPG - AMAZING - Congratulations! You are an inspiration. I'm just back from my Monday night run, but I am stuck at 40-50 minutes, at my pace that's about 5 miles. Can't seem to find the time to get a 3rd run in every week which would encourage me to start running longer. I have secret plans to commit myself to a half marathon before the year is out, but am seriously impressed at your Flora place.

Busywizzy - so sorry to hear of your dh's father's illness. Does that mean you're parenting on your own at the moment?

We had a lovely weekend, just treating Iris to lots of love and affection after last week's childminding traumas. This morning I spent up with the childminder, just to try and reassure iris that it's ok. She played quite happily, though she did freak out and scream when I disappeared for a second to hang up our coats. Will see how she fares tomorrow, when I need to work a half day.

Busy, sorry to hear about DH's father . I hope you had a more relaxing afternoon and did indulge in slobbing out on the sofa with a bar of chocolate - does you the world of good sometimes.

Periods - I got mine back a few weeks after Niklas was born when I was exclusively breastfeeding.

Pidge - how did Iris get on at the childminder when you left her this morning? Today I was late dropping Niklas off and there was a little boy (1 year old) there crying and crying, they told me that he was new and wasn't adjusting very well. They also said that if they tried to pick him up he just got angry and struggled , it made me think of Iris and how relieved I am myself that Niklas is now so happy there.

Niklas brought us another little present home from the nursery this weekend , he was sick on Saturday, I spent the day in bed sick yesterday and today dh is home in bed being sick! Its our wedding anniversary today and we had planned a day at a spa with massage and lots of pampering but I have come to work instead! Ho hum!

Niklas isn't so much into throwing things at the moment (except that if he is given food he doesn't like he throws it on the floor). He is obsessed with opening and closing doors, drawers, toilet seat.... He keeps shutting his fingers in doors and drawers etc. His favourite word (and the only one for him that has any meaning) is Oooh! He says it when he sees something he likes, something he doesn't like, if we tell him not to do something, in frustration when he can't do something or when he falls down trying to walk. Its very sweet!

JoPG - well done for the running! I am still managing to go out only once a week if that! my plans to do a half marathon or mini-triathlon this year are slowly slipping further and further out of my reach.... but when the snow melts and the evenings are lighter!

Great to hear from Calebsmum and Tamula !

Wow, I'm amazed, impressed and very at all the running going on. It completely exhausts me doing an hours workout twice a week at the moment. 40-50 minutes and 10 miles Good luck Jo with the marathon.

Pidge, how was Iris this morning. Only a half day today so you're already a third of the day through

Another 2lb lost on my diet this week so I'm feeling very pleased with myself. Have been soooooooo good and hardly cheated at all in two weeks. 6lb lost in total so far so only another 8 to go

Happy Anniversary Leo - have a nice day even if it is at work

Thanks to all for your kind words about DH's dad. Sadly he passed away yesterday evening, although it really is a blessed release for him as he's been poorly for quite some time. DH drove home from Brum last night (think he wanted to see the children and have a big cuddle as he'd packed an overnight bag with a view to staying up there) but has gone back up this morning. Lots to arrange and I'm now off to the dry-cleaners to get suits ready for the funeral

So sorry about your FIL Busy - what a terribly sad time for you all. Well done on the diet btw - I am v. impressed at your willpower (having just devoured half a Krispy Kreme doughnut - yum).

Happy Anniversay Leo - sorry to hear that you have all been sick. Can you do your spa day another time?

Jo - v. impressed that you're going to be running the marathon - do you need sponsorship? If so, you should start a thread on here - mumsnetters always rally to a good cause (I think it was the Anthony Nolan trust that Toothache recently raised money for by swimming with sharks).

Pidge - am really feeling for you over the situation with Iris and tht childminder. It must be breaking your heart to leave her. I do hope things improve soon.

I am trying to pluck up courage to leave Grace at the creche in our local leisure centre. The group of mums I meet up with every week, went to the gym for the 1st time last week (we have all decided it is time to do something about our flabby middles!) and said that all the babies were very happy. I chickened out I'm afraid as Grace has never been left with anyone other than dh and me. I may bite the bullet this week though - I guess that the beauty of it is that if she does get upset when I try to go I don't have to leave her, and if she is ok but gets upset later I am only a minute away (they call you over the tannoy if you are needed).She would be with all the other babies that she knows as well so she might be ok.

Without wanting to to put the kybosh on anything, we have had 3 really good nights in a row - down at 6.30pm, awake for a feed at 5am and then back to sleep. This morning wasn't quite so great though as instead of waking again at 7.30-7.45 as usual, Grace decided that 6.15am was a good time to start the day. Oh well - I know that some babies regularly start their days at this time (if not earlier) so I can't complain.

Pidge - I have just reread teh post I wrote earlier. I wrote it in a hurry and reading it back now I think it sounds insensitive, sorry if it does. It wasn't meant to be. .

Leogaela - it didn't sound insensitive at all - in fact it's good to know it's not just my baby. Also very sweet of you to be thinking of me! I keep meeting people who've settled their babies into childcare without a murmur. And if I had a penny for every person who said "Oh it would have been so much easier if you'd done it at 6 months rather than leaving it till 10". Doesn't go down well in our house as we had terrible traumas settling dd1 at 5.5 months! Am consoling myself that my kids have an unusually healthy parental attachment.

I'm in work at the moment - in late, leaving early. I spent an hour settling Iris in with the childminder this morning and she was quite happy as long as I was there. She was crying when I left, but that's not surprising. So I'll find out later how she's been the rest of the time.

And we've recruited my parents to stay next week, so they can help give Iris some shorter days too. She doesn't know my mum and dad hugely well, but she did see them at Christmas and she'll have 4 days with them and me around to get used to them taking care of her too. Hope it doesn't confuse her even further, but we'll give it a go.

Busywizzy - so sad to hear about your FIL.

Leo - sounds like you and I are in a similar boat with the running - must use JoPG as an inspiration.

Pidge - maybe the ones that have settled their babies into childcare without a murmur are not really being told how their child is coping. I know Niklas is happy now but I am not so sure he was as happy at the beginning as the nursery made us believe (mainly because they tell us how much happier he is now than before!). The nursery told me this morning that most children take some time to settle in but they all get there.

JoPG - tell us when you manage to find the time to go running.

Leogaela - I think you're partly right. I read a piece by a nursery worker recently saying she never told parents the whole truth if their baby was really unhappy. I'd rather know to be honest. And with both of my two it's been absolutely obvious that they are unhappy - they sob at the slightest sign that you might be leaving, and if they're not crying when you turn up to get them they instantly dissolve into sobs and then cling on to you like a limpet whimpering and gulping for air, plus they look utterly shattered by the whole experience - dark circles under eyes, and serious sad little face. Boo hoo.

Bizarrely I'm feeling quite calm about it at the moment. I know she'll get better and I also know she will have fun there when she gets the hang of it. Spending yesterday morning there reminded me what a gem the childminder is and what great stuff she does with the kids.

Anyway, nearly hometime for me!

Still no sign of a project to work on ...