April 2011 - Hello Grindstone. Nose here, reporting for duty.

[DairyBeetle]

Plumps comfy pillows, shakes warm fluffy blankets, passes them round, sleeps

I've tried making that point to him, ecuse.

We're now into hour 3 of him refusing to sleep. DH is trying to settle him with formula. Sounds like its not working. At this rate he'll be hoarse pretty soon, which will be a bonus at least.

Bad mummy: hiding downstairs eating tea

Buck I think T and F must have been in cahoots last night, we didn't get him settled until about 10pm having initially got him down at 7.30pm but that only lasted for 35 minutes.

F finally settled at 11, for an hour, then properly slept from sometime after midnight. Horrible evening.

We've had lots of little wet poos over the last few days. I thought kt might be the cold & teething combined, but it's just struck me that the volume in is much greater than the volume out. I was wondering if he can be constipated but still doing these little wet poos? It would explain the fractiousness.

His solid & formula intake has increased this week too, so I've been surprised not to see a solid poo

He could be buck. It's basically liquid overflow squeezing its way round the blockage.

I am very annoyed with my mother right now. Well, more my sister but she was reporting what my mother said. Child free dinners. At 7.30. Ha blood ha. DS eats then and goes to bed nearer 8.30, I stay for an hour and then we play the hourly settling game.

Hello hello!!

Been a busy weekend! I was back home for a girlie lunch and drinks yesterday. I was supposed to be up and back yesterday, but was persuaded to stay once I got there. Kinda wish I hadn't now as we are now running about like maddies emptying the kitchen.

Yes you heard read right! After being here for nearly 3 years my dad is finally doing my kitchen! The units have been purchased and he is currently on the road here! I'm heading back up the road on Tuesday because Baby - working Kitchen = Bad Idea me thinks!! But I'm sooooooooo excited!! The kitchen we inherited for the previous owners was the cheapest of the cheap and badly fitted! Now I'm going to have a gas hob again and pop up sockets! Squeeeee!

Buck if you think he's a bit constipated, the Doc told me last week to mix 1 part OJ with 10 parts water for him to drink. We currently have the opposite problem. The last 10 nappies have all been dirty Poor Bs little bum is looking a bit sore.

Buck I've done the same as Fizz suggests for constipation (well attempted, he wasn't actually taking anything from the bottle at the time so it was a waste!), apple juice can also be used similarly if you think orange may be a little to acidic on F's tummy.

Fizz Woo for new kitchen, though I am very at the gas hob. I love cooking when at my parents or ILs just because they have gas hobs! >saddo< Is B teething? S had lots of dirty nappies as his teeth cut through, and it's the only time he's properly had a sore bum.

Frakk that sounds similar to the plan my Gran decided when we were on holiday back in August...ha bloody ha indeed!

Hope everyone has a decent night tonight. Ours was much better last night after the week of increasingly more broken nights, we only had four wake ups between 7pm and 7am and only two of those required feeding, feels like a miracle after the last couple of weeks! Probably all helped because S is getting over his cold and cough, though I've now got it and have spent the weekend feeling utterly crap I had grand plans for getting the bulk of Christmas shopping sorted, not to be obviously. Anyway, on the plus side I'll be having a hot toddy before bed, all medicinal obviously

Thanks for the suggestions! All F's nappies have had little wet poos in, and now his bum is getting sore. We think he's working on a premolar, so could be that. The drool is off the scale.

Great news about your kitchen Fizz!

And glad to hear your nights are better beetle.

I'm trying to feed F to sleep, but I think he's working on another poo. Lots of grunting and straining, which is what makes me think its constipation, despite so many little wet ones.

Childfree dinners at home over Christmas Frak? :( What a bah humbug! Just say 'sorry that doesn't work for us' and carry on as normal - she might fume but she'll get the message

Fizz - we had a new kitchen put in when DS1 was 5 weeks old. I moved out to my parents for a week and left DH in charge. When I came back the place was spotless and he had put everything in the cupboards! I was amazed

DS1 is still really poorly. He has barely eaten for 5 days now and his cough is awful so I am going to take him to the GP tomorrow if he isn't a LOT better in the morning.

I'll admit we occasionally wait until H is in bed to have dinner but surely Christmas dinners are about all the family together, ie including the kids.

Eugh, am feeling rooooooough, DP and I have been in bed whenever H has been today and not for the fun pre baby reason...

Poor ds1 Ali, that sounds miserable. When they're that small, not eating for 5 days really shows on their frame doesn't it? The sensible side of your brain knows that it's ok and that they'll be fine, but the nurturing side of your brain can't help but worry. What's caused the poorlyness? Sorry, I'm sure you've said but I must have missed it.

I dream of a new kitchen, however it is at the bottom of a looooooooong list. I really would like a gas hob but we would have to have bottled gas as there is no mains gas in our village.

Buck - fresh figs work wonders for Baby i's digestion. He's prone to a bit constipation but the figs seem to keep it away.

Hope you both feel better soon Cycle. looking after a lo when you feel ill is shite.

We've had a fab weekend with the boys. On Saturday I took M to the cinema for the first time He loved it and I loved that it was him and me. I think it's the longest time we've spent together just us two since I was born. In the afternoon we all went to a Christmas Fair in town which was fab. Lots of purchases were made, eaten and enjoyed!

Cycle - hope you feel better soon!

ILike - we thought it was just a reaction to his preschool boosters to start with, he had a v.high temp etc but then he has had cold-type symptoms and been wheezing and coughing a lot. And not eating, which is the bit that is bothering me. We have tried everything today - ice-cream, chocolate fingers, berry muffins, pizza, all kinds of fruit which is his favourite really but he has barely touched it. It really does show on his frame, he was all ribs when I was putting him into his pjs earlier and his little chin has gone all pointy :(
He did have a big cup of milk and perk up slightly at bedtime, and I've given him his inhaler so fingers crossed he will have a good sleep and wake up hungry in the morning.
Your weekend sounds lovely :)

Ali I hope he is feeling better this morning, even so take him over to the Drs. His immune system might be lower due to boosters and it doesn't hurt to see if the GP could give him a once over and maybe try to convince him to eat something. Thinking of you! (Truly amazed at how lovely it was of your DH wrt your kitchen)

Goooooood Morning Aprilites!! Today is a good day! I may be sitting in my living room dressed for the arctic tundra becase every bleeding door is open in my house. But the skanky manky kitchen is being ripped out! I quite fance donning my steel top cap boots (relic from a previous job) and kicking the crap our of one of the cupboards, before DH takes them to the tip! But it sounds a bit too much like hard work :o.

B is having his morning nap. I am planning on going out to do a spot of christmas shopping depending on when he wakes up. I'm going to see a local childminder today at 1 then taking up residence at my friends until I get the call to say they've finished for the day.

I hope everyone who is poorly/has poorly babies are on the mend. B seems to be back to normal, just a little niggle of a cough but no where near as bad as it was.

Arch, I wish I could offer some advice on the DH situation, but I can do and . You're not really all that far from me. If you ever want to meet up I can help corale F!!

for those with ill small people.

I went to bed ridiculously early and feel better today. I've just made cheese and spinach muffins. Am starving now and after eating one I'm desperate for more!

H, on the other hand, is really sicky today and has serious snot going on. Fabulous!

Hurray for new kitchen Fizz.

Hope DS is feeling better Ali, I remember getting salmonella as a child and not eating for a week, I lost weight and looked awful but that first toast I was able to eat was marvellous.

T has been napping for 3 hours. I don't know whether to leave him or wake him!

DS1 is doing much better, he has actually eaten some food. Hurrah!

He is awake, and feeding thank goodness! Boobs were about to burst!

It was lovely to have a few hours with just DS1 though

Blimey Ali that was a hell of a nap - nearly 4 hours?! I thought we were doing well with 2 hours at lunchtime, not sure if she'll have another before bed at 7.30ish but will try soon. She's currently going nuts in the jumperoo :)

at the long nap Ali. baby I managed an hour in his cot but needed more due to the boys tag teaming in the night.......
Glad to hear ds1 is on the mend. You know things are getting better when their appetite returns.

We have done sweet fa today, infact M has been in his pj's all day. I did dress I but shouldn't have bothered as he has been v snotty and dribbled enough to fill a small pond.

Can't believe R is cruising Aarch she's one of the youngest April babies isn't she?

Ali Sounds like a good day :)

ILTMIMI Yes she's not even 7 months yet as she decided to give me panics at staying in the womb an extra couple of weeks! (1st May)

Fizz I've often thought it would be nice for us to meet up in town but always been too shy to suggest it let's do it!

Has anyone else got a screamer? R screams to cry, immediately no notice with this one, and if anything is exciting more screams (same pitch), bouncing scream, pooing scream, knock at the door scream, dog/ F closer than she would like at any given moment scream, Mama gingerly takes her hand out of R's grip scream, it's too dark scream, it's too light scream, R's too tired scream. Can you see a pattern developing here? She screams short sharp burst same tone. "EEEEEEE" She screams when happy, sad, hungry, full, bored, entertained it goes on...she also giggles but the screaming my goodness it's awful. F didn't do this! I hate to ask this but is it an R thing or a girl thing? Anyone else got a screamer?

F is a screamer, Arch

And it turns out he has slapped cheek, which explains a lot. Got to try to warn anyone we know who might be pregnant but we don't know without casting aspersions.

And my phone just reminded me I've got a coil check appt in 20 mins, so it's bath, milk, pushchair & rain time now! Oh what joy.

Tag teaming in the night here too, bloody knackering

Arch - the screaming would drive me mad too! DS1 went through a thankfully short phase with it.

I am amazed at the nap. Really wish he would go that long during the night!!

I have got them both down to bed with no tears 6 minutes before 7:30....

Whoo hoo Arch!! B has just woken from his "nap" since 6. Becasue my dad is here, he went rushing upstairs to get him thinking he was waking up porperly. When me and DH both knew he was just yelping and would just go back to sleep. The lst thing he needed was a middleaged man la la laing in his face and trying to make him laugh! I had to intervene. I may not be getting a new kitchen anymore!

Arch, I'm heading up the road tomorrow until the end of the week at least. Fancy meeting up mid week next week?

My R is more of a shouter than a screamer Arch but same kind of idea as your R - happy - shout, sad - shout, hungry - shout etc etc! She also likes a random cry for no apparent reason, which can just as quickly turn into a laugh!? Strange creature. :) Am amazed at the cruising!! R has absolutley no inclination for any movement other than rolling and flopping forward from sitting!

DSS on the other hand is less fun at the moment, he's taken to ignoring people (mainly me) when they don't do what he says or he doesn't like what they're saying!! It's very frustrating especially as it's combined with a look that says "nah nah nah nah nah, I don't have to speak to you and I'm not going to!" with hands on hips!! Had to restrain myself a few times this weekend from going mad at him!

Fizz Very jealous of your new kitchen! I would also love a gas hob but stuck with electric for the time being!

Ali I have nap envy too!! We're just getting R back to nap normality after our recent blip and she's still doing 3 smaller ones a day. But I'm happy with that as it's better than none a day! She's gone back to sleeping 12 hours again too so hopefully we've just had a bad couple of weeks and we're now back to the usual routine Bed time's getting earlier too, more like 8pm now than 8.30pm.

Frakk How bizarre that your mum would suggest that? We used to be more in the eating at 6-7pm camp but since R started having tea we've had to go back to a more traditional tea time of 5/5.30pm and wherever we go to eat, the food has to be ready for that time too i.e. my mums/MILs/friends etc. If not R goes into total meltdown, anything after 6 is too late for her and if she eats at that time she refuses her bed time bottle goes to sleep hungry and wakes up at midnight or another feed!!! Not ideal!

Well weekend was pretty uneventful and was meant to be gong to Glasgow with my mum tomorrow to stay with my brother and do some christmas shopping but my dad had to get flown home from work this morning and was admitted to hospital this afternoon with a severe infection that requires IV antibiotics :( Won't go into details of the whereabouts of said infection (sure you can figure it out from that) but he also has a hernia that's awaiting surgery so not sure if this has contributed to the problem. He was in tears when we went to pick him up which totally shocked me - I've never seen him cry ever :( Really made me realise that he's getting older and isn't a able as he used to be - a sobering thought as I've always been a daddy's girl. Anyway he should be ok now he's in the right place but I'm furious with our GP surgery, he'd been in no less than 4 times with this problem in the last few weeks and not one of them diagnosed an infection or treated him for one!! He was told today that if he had left it another day the implications would have been much more serious.