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

[BonyM]

Not that I want to tempt fate...

[leogaela]

Niklas born on 23rd Feb.
I guess he is about 72cm and 9.3Kg.

Teeth - 2 bottom teeth one top on just broken through and suffering badly with another 2 trying go come through.

Feeding - for the last few weeks he only has formula milk, but still about 5 bottles in 24 hours. He still only drinks from a bottle, i haven't yet found a cup that he can manage and is very bad at drinking water (any tips???). 3 solid meals (he eats almost everything now )and also some snacks during the day.

Sleep, between 7 & 8pm waking at 6am (+ or - an hour! - this morning it was - an hour ) Waking up twice for milk!
2 short naps a day.

At the moment he seems to be ill all the time, cough, colds, flu, eye infection... nothing serious but annoying and making him miserable, not to add the misery with the teeth! When he feels well he is extremely happy and sociable, happy to be entertained by anyone, flirts with everyone and loves other children.

He is very active, climbs on everything, he walks pushing chairs, boxes and baby walker car thing and stands alone for quite some time. Otherwise he is hopeless, with toys he hasn't progressed furhter than throwing things and banging things together, although he does clean his own teeth very well and did wave goodbye to his friend yesterday ! He loves the snow (phew!!!!) - I had to add that because yesterday I went cross country skiing with a friend. Her 17 month old wouldn't get out of her pushchair and stood screaming when she was taken out. My friend is swedish and loves the snow so is really upset about it we have planned to take them sledging every week so that we can cross country ski, but looks as if that isn't going to work out!

[leogaela]

Jambot, are you sure its eczema and not a fungus (thrush) or just sore from the dribble. My friends baby had fungus (not sure if its thrush, in German its all the same word 'Pilz')under her chin because she was so wet and dribbly all the time.

Well done for all of you still bfeeding! I am impessed! I also think its great to continue as long as possible if it is working.

[Pidge]

calebsmum - not surprised you want to call it quits! What a pain. I've been so lucky both times (after the first month of utter agony that is). You should be able to tail off feeds replacing with food.

I was actually told by my HV I should be cutting back breastfeeds from my current 4 to 2 or 3. Not that I'm taking any notice of her. I think if the baby is taking all their food (2 or 3 courses in Iris's case ), and still breastfeeding well, why change anything?

Another vote for aqueous cream for eczema or dry skin. Fantastic stuff. I had (bad) childhood eczema, and still use aqueous cream and diprobase daily. Dd1 has patches of eczema, but also recently had a red sore patch near her mouth and our pharmacist actually recommended trying vaseline instead of aqueous cream, as it acts as more of a barrier where the skin is exposed and gets wet. It worked brilliantly.

[Pidge]

Oh ... update

Iris born 9th March
Now weighs about 22lb, thunder thighs!
Crawling for a few weeks, trying to pull to standing.
Very chatty.
Sleep - nighttime goes 7.15pm to 5amish, but then doesn't want to go back to sleep
Daytime - blooming awful, maybe half an hour in the morning, half an hour in the afternoon. NOT ENOUGH!!!!
Food: 3 meals, at lunch and supper she has 3 courses!
Breastfeeds: 4 per day, morning, mid-morning, mid-afternoon, bedtime.
Favourite thing: hero-worshipping big sister.

[busywizzy]

God god, I'm out for one night and the thread goes mad with everyone chatting away.

DD is much, much better today and at the moment her spots seem to have mostly cleared up. I say at the moment as she didn't look too bad yesterday morning but by lunchtime, all the spots had reappeared. She seems completely back to normal in herself as well so we're going to venture out of the house today (OMG - how exciting) to deliver Xmas cards. I'm still watching Harrison like a hawk for signs. Yesterday, he must have hit his head with a toy as when I looked at him, he had a tiny, tiny red mark on his face. Poor boy - I stripped him off and checked him all over for more blotches (of course there were none) and he had his 'what on earth are you doing mum' face

Harrison was born on March 18th
Weighs about 25lb (bad mummy who never, ever goes to clinic) and is about 80cms - yes, I gave birth to an elephant
Has four teeth and two more just cutting through the gum
No hair !!
Feeds three bottles a day and three solid meals (quite a good eater when he's not teething, then he eats zilch)
Sleeps 6.30pm until 6/6.30am
2 naps a day - one of 1.5/2 hours and the other about an hour
Movement - hahahahahahahahahaha why would he want to crawl when DD and I can get him everything he wants. He can stand up really well when you hold his weight (would collapse in a heap if you let go) but he has no idea that feet were invented to aid walking so cruising is even further off than crawling. It's official, I have the laziest baby on the thread

Had a nice time last night but was home by 11.30pm - too old to do late nights these days, particularly with the thought of having to get up to see to DD and her itching !!

Jambot, really hope Lauren doesn't have eczema as I know it's not pleasant Good luck with the creams.

[busywizzy]

Happy birthday to Grace today

[leogaela]

Busywizzy - isn't tomorrow your work meeting??? I'll keep my fingers crossed that you get what you want out of it!

I've just remembered that someone asked what we are buying our babies for christmas - I was going to say nothing, but I went to get a present for a friends baby today and I couldnt resist! Its a friction powered car and trailer with a motorbike and people that sit inside ! I'm sure he will have fun with it for years !

[busywizzy]

Leo, aren't you lovely to remember that with everything else you have going on at the moment. Yes, I'm seeing my boss at 5.00pm so this time tomorrow I'll be sitting outside his office waiting to find out my fate I'm not hugely confident they'll give me as much money as I want but to be honest, I'm starting to come round to going back to work so I won't be devastated if it's a no.

Fingers crossed though

A friction powered car god my DH would love you. He's most unimpressed that I've said Harrison doesn't need a remote controlled anything for quite a few years yet

[jambot]

Just had a horrible experience. Was bathing Lauren in her bath which sits on a stand. My Mum was in the room with me. Suddenly the stand collapsed and the bath fell to the floor with a huge swoosh of water going everywhere. Of course Lauren went down with the bath. It was awful. Had to retrieve my poor screaming child of the floor amidst the stand and the bath. Luckily, after a minute of screaming ( more from fright I think) she calmed down and was laughing again. Seems none the worse for the accident but wouldn't be surprised if she's not bruised as she fell on her back.
Can't think how the stand collapsed but maybe that is the sign that she is ready for the big bath. Have been putting that off as our bath is very big and deep and not that easy for the person bathing the baby to lean over. Will have to see how it goes.
Feel quite drained after that major adrenalin surge! Thank God she's ok.

[leogaela]

Jambot - what a shock, I guess that's quite a height to fall from!

We have never had a baby bath, the last place was just too small to put it anywhere so we didn't bother. The bath we have now is huge and deep, Niklas hates being in it on his own, he stands up and ends up sliding back into the water which he doesn't like! We either take him in the shower wiht one of us or get in the bath with him. I guess that's a bit annoying if bathtime is part of the bedtime routine.

[jambot]

Well, after that 'little' fall, Lauren seems none the worse for wear this morning.
Her cutest thing at the moment is that she has discovered music in a big way. If you put on some music, she starts rocking and rolling away! She loves it. She puts on a show for our builders, who all adore her and laugh themselves silly while she rocks away. Think she's going to be a little dancer like her cousins.
Put a rooibos teabag in her short lived bath last night, as well as some rooibos cream on her neck, and must say it looks less inflamed today.

[Pidge]

jambot - yikes how terrifying. Thank goodness she's ok. We now have Iris in the big bath, but we use one of those bath seats with suction pads on the bottom. Of course you can't leave her alone, but it does mean she can sit fairly safely and you don't break your back bending over. Plus she gets to bath and play with dd1.

busywizzy - GOOD LUCK for the meeting.

Our preoccupation at the moment is that dd1 has been sick - quite literally all over her bedroom yesterday. Oh the joys of motherhood - mopping up vomit and trying to stop Iris crawling in it! Anyway, poor dd1 is really forlorn, still tucked up under her duvet on the sofa today. Worst of all she was due to go to a friend's Christmas party and is heartbroken that she can't go. She sobbed and sobbed earlier saying "they're going to start the party without me" .

Otherwise, we're getting ready to go to dp's parents tomorrow over Christmas, then on to my folks in Wales.

[jambot]

Poor DD1 Pidge - this is the worst time of the year for her to be sick. Hopefully she'll recover in time for Christmas day.
Busy doing a mammoth cooking slog for Lauren as we will be away for 10 days. Can't wait until she can eat what we do.

[busywizzy]

Hi ho hi ho, it's back to work I go Met with my boss, he offered me a very large sum of money but unfortunately, just not enough to clear our mortgage so we can live on DH's salary alone. So I'm going back to work at the end of February, 4 days a week with one of those days working from home where Harrison will be with me - so not so bad really.

I feel remarkably OK about it all, bearing in mind how distraught I was earlier in the year. But I've had a bit more time to come to terms with it all and I think it's also begun to dawn on me just how much we'll have to give up without my money.

So I'll be joining the crew on here who are having to concentrate during days which have followed sleepless nights (god, I remember that from last time )

Jambot at Lauren's fall but so glad she is OK. Harrison has been in the big bath since he was born but mostly is in with DD, which he loves.

Pidge, hope DD is better soon and poor her that she missed her party Just what you need before Xmas

Off to wrap Harrison's Xmas pressies and then THAT'S ME DONE UNTIL THE BIG DAY - Hooray

[popsycalindisguise]

ssssssssssssssssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhh

[busywizzy]

Popsy {said very quietly} fingers crossed it continues

[JoPG]

Glad you are ok with going back to work BW. Have you found any childcare yet?
I've not yet decided about going back, it's the whole childcare thing that worries me really. not so much for Freya cos she could go to the lovely nursery that DS1 went to, but more for DS1. Not sure how he would feel about someone else dropping him off and picking him up from school. He is only in reception and although he likes it I feel we are treading a fine line!

Hope Lauren enjoyed her bath tonight and that things went a bit more smoothly. Can't remember who said they used a bath seat with suction pads, but they get a vote from me too. They are excellent in the big bath, and they leave your hands free for washing hair, grabbing towels etc.

Off to wrap up DH's presents while he is stillat work. Freya and DS1 have bought him a slipper each which I will wrap up separately. He will be very confused after opening the forst one. I've got him a new wedding ring since he lost his - he lost quite a bit of weight and he was playing ball with DS1 when he noticed it was gone.

[leogaela]

That's great Busy, your company must love you to be so flexible. Working really isn't that bad, for me personally i think I value the time I have with Niklas much more than if I was a sahm. I would be looking for opportunities to have time away from him all the time, but enjoy (almost ) every minute with now. I went to bed very early again last night to so feelign much more positive again today !

Jopg - its a tough one when the children go to school. Friends of mine had an au pair so the children at least came home after school and were picked up by someone who was almost one of the family. She was live-in and only cost them about £50 a week plus the cost of English lessons. Its something I will definitely consider especially as children go home at lunchtime in Switzerland !.

Pidge, I hope dd1 is well again and ready to enjoy christmas!

[jambot]

Well, busy packing for our trip tomorrow. Gone for 10 days. So will wish you all a Merry Christmas and Happy New. Hope you have a lovely day with your little ones and the rest of the family. Must go and wrap some presents. Lauren's getting a pull along phone that makes all sorts of noises and plays songs; as well as a swing.
She was a real moaning minnie today - no idea why - she never cries, just has whiney days from time to time. The noise is like a dripping tap and enough to drive you round the bend after a while!
Her rash isn't responding to anything yet. Looked really horrible and red today but still doesn't seem to bother her. Thought eczema was itchy.
Have a good one everyone. Back on the 2nd.
Love Jambot (Louise) and Lauren

[busywizzy]

Great excitement in the Busy household today. Our new car which was due to arrive at the end of January, turned up this morning To put this into context, DH loves cars above and beyond everything else in his life (myself and the children come a close second I'm sure ) and has been waiting months for his new love to arrive.

All the neighbours have been to have a look, DD, Harrison and I have been taken for a drive this afternoon and now he is out blasting up and down the motorway Boys and their toys eh.

For those who are off visiting families and friends for Xmas soon, have a very Happy Xmas and if it's your first with children - enjoy as there's nothing else quite like it

For those who are around during the holidays, like me - I'm sure we'll 'chat' soon.

Love to all

[Cristina7]

Oh, Busywizzy, you have to tell us what car it is now. What a Christmas present!

We are around this Christmas. Happy Christmas everyone, I hope it's not too stressful and you get to enjoy it. Have fun with the little ones.

[BonyBethleheM]

Back from Yorkshire today - we went up for a couple of days to see dh's family. It's only the 2nd time they've seen Grace as they don't like to travel. We're all a bit exhausted as it's a long drive (4hrs) and Grace got really grouchy, as being a very active sort couldn't stand being confined to her car-seat for hours on end. As there's no room at the in-laws' house we rented a cottage which was absolutely gorgeous - attached to a farm with views of open fields etc. DD1 had great fun feeding the sheep, geese and chickens!

at Lauren's fall jambot - you must have been so worried. They do recover quickly though don't they? Grace has had a couple of minor knocks (because she's always trying to climb on everything!) but after a bit of a cry always bounces back and is smiling again pretty quickly! I don't think you ever stop worrying once you have children. Oh - we also have one of those bath seats btw - they are great, trying to hold a slippery, wriggly baby in the big bath is a bit nerve-wracking! Enjoy your trip.

Pidge - I do hope dd1 is feeling better. There seems to be sickness bugs going around all over the country at the moment - I think they are mostly fairly short-lived though.

Busy - glad you have finally resolved your work situation, even if it's not entirely what you were hoping for. Four days sounds good though, especially if one of those is at home. Harrison will be a year old by then as well so I'm sure that will make it easier - he won't seem quite so little and helpless.

Jo - it is hard with childcare once they are in school. I was lucky with dd1 as my boss allowed me to alter my hours so that I could still drop her off at school, and she then went to after-school club which meant I could pick her up from there after work. Is there any chance your company would be flexible with your hours?

Popsy - - fingers crossed for you that the good stuff continues...

Well - I doubt if I will get much chance to post for a few days so I hope you all have a wonderful Christmas with your gorgeous babies and the rest of your families. xx

[Pidge]

Hullo and merry Christmas all!

We're at the in-laws in north London, where we'll spend Christmas before heading to Wales for a few days on Boxing Day to see my folks.

Dd1 has been really poorly - and I've never seen her ill before, so a bit of a shock. She was sick two days running, and every night at 5pm or earlier she's been asking to go to bed and sleeping through (ish!) till 7am. She is finally on the mend after 5 days, and has made it to the playground with her granny this morning.

Meanwhile, dp came down with the same thing, though without the vomiting. So just spend 2 days in bed, leaving me to contend with the in-laws .

Anyway, all seem to be recovering in time for Christmas day.

Festive greetings to everyone and their babies.

[Cristina7]

Pidge, your poor family. DH had a terrible stomach bug, vomiting and lethargic, he was so ill for a few days. Luckily, we didn't get it.

We aren't travelling anywhere this Xmas. We were going to see our PILs but then MIL phoned to say "don't bother". Later FIL called to see if we really aren't going, he couldn't quite believe it. It's not my problem, they should sort it out amongst themselves whether they want us or not.

Today we went to Louis's grave (our stillborn son). It would/should have been his third Christmas. We took a branch off our Christams tree, decorated with baubles and so on. Then we went to the allotment to get some vegetables for tomorrow.

I did some last minute Xmas shopping and bought myself a present too - a book.

Have a peaceful and happy Christmas.

Love, Cristina

[leogaela]

Hi all,
Happy christmas! Just to let you know that i don't have access to a PC after today until after new year and haven't managed to real the posts, except yours Christina. It mush have been very emotional for you to visit Louis' grave. I really feel for you.

And Popsy, the other day I started to read your 'Sleepless in ... .' post , I thought things were getting better, i only managed to read aobut half of it so I hope that if I had read to the end that things would have improved!

I hope the ill ones get better and you all enjoy the rest of christmas and new year!

xxxx