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

[DairyBeetle]

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

Was told to start brushing teeth as soon as they appeared. A smear of baby toothpaste and a quick couple of brushes.

I was also told that baby toothpaste was necessary because it has less fluoride so, if swallowed, it won't make babies ill.

Chat away Kitty, makes me all nostalgic about being all pg and having a tiny baby, sigh...

Am so excited for you Kitty My early pregnancy signs were what I imagine agoraphobic attacks are like. Each time it happened in a supermarket and before I knew I was pregnant - v strange. I've never had them since, but during all my pregnancies I hated going into supermarkets

Thanks for the links Gache

M is back at pre school and he is looking forward to it - not as much as I am though

I have recorded One Born Every Minute, so I will be indulging myself with that later when the boys are asleep - even though should be finishing the book I am supposed to read for Book Group - which is tonight.

Yep go for it kitty I knew I was pregnant with T when I fell asleep in my lunch one day, I wasn't even 4 weeks but there is no tiredness like it!

Better night last night. Fed T at 11pm-ish, and then he woke at 2 and 5 and went straight back to sleep after a quick boob both times.
No visitations from DS1 which makes all the difference and I actually feel vaguely human today!

Brilliant, ilike! A lesser known pregnancy symptom, aversion to Tesco. I think I might be pregnant too. Good luck kitty, keep us posted.

Is OBEM back on? I can watch it this time. When I was pregnant it used to have me in floods. Not because of the emotion and joy of new life but because I really didn't want to give birth. It looked like it REALLY hurt. And I never had to, afterall.

Chilli hope you had a better night. It's so tough when you have a really crap night. It has an impact on everything. I will share any tips I get from the Sleep Fairy. God, I hope it works.

Star, it's not too bad being back at work, even when your really tired. The only thing is that I look like death warmed up. Red puffy eyes and dull skin. I look like I have a dreadful hangover - all the time.

Last night started ok and C woke up for a feed at 1am. Fed fine and was really sleepy but I could smell a dirty nappy so had to change him. He woke up much more but went back down. Half an hour later more crying and another dirty nappy, I think it's because of the teething. Then he wouldn't settle for about 40 mins. Woke up early this morning and it looks like he has a nappy rash - never had one before. He didn't want me to touch him. Poor little mite. It never seems to stop!

Thanks for the teeth brushing tips SSS. I had better get some baby toothpaste.

have good days everyone.

Much better night, thanks. We had a stretch of 5 hours from 1-6 :o and sleep either side of it too. I feel loads better today. Fingers crossed it's a new phase. And yes, my DH is definitely a keeper. He's just brilliant and I should tell him so more often.

Forgot the tooth brushing last night though I think if nothing else starting early will develop good habits . I was also thinking we should let M watch us do our teeth so she can copy.

Kitty good luck. I think I want another but I can't work out when a good time might be - when we've got a bigger house to sart with I suppose.

chilli - yay for sleep!

Speaking of which, I have just managed to settle T for a nap in his cot with a combination of head stroking, singing and a dummy! He was awake when he went in though, which is unheard of. Normally he has to be absolutely flat out before he will stay put in there.

I'm back to work a week on Tuesday :( 17th.

I need to ask a AF related Q. It came back in November and I had another the week before Christmas all done and dusted. They have both been fairly normal, if a bit lighter than before with the usual cramping. This week I've have dark brown blood when I wipe. No flow as such only when I wipe. No cramping or other PMS symptoms. That's not normal is it? Or is there a perfectly reasonable explanation and it's just one of those post pregnancy things they forget to tell you about? I'm not on any contraception.

Ooh Fizz [big eyes emoticon] That does rather sound like implantation bleeding...

Fizz I have no idea about AF but I started having similar on Christmas eve. It's since seemed to get heavier and more like AF so I'm assuming that's what it is, but it's gone on for ages. On a related thing did I read that we shouldn't use tampons for the first couple of AF or am I confusing it with post birth bleeding? Just we'd nornally go swimming on a Friday morning, though I am in 2 minds anyway as M is still a snot monster.

Eeek, Ali, mines just normal (a bit weird) first AF isn't it? . It must be - DH and I have only been going to bed early recently to try and get some more sleep in!

Physical impossibility Ali, unless I need to be giving the Pope a call .

I just thought I would canvas opinions here before I mention it to the doc in 3 weeks time!

Haha! Yes that would be the case here too, although no AF as yet for me - that will be all the sodding feeding in the middle of the night which is acting as a contraceptive on two fronts!!

I really can't remember what happened when AF came back after I had DS1. It was about a year though, and my periods were very light, but then I was BFing still so perhaps that affects things.

That wasn't very helpful was it, sorry!

Fizz, I would use it as an excuse to stamp your feet and demand an earlier appointment. It could possibly be related to issues with your scar healing, though it's probably just odd AF activity, mine have been all over the shop for ages, and if it isn't then you know sooner rather than later.

Yay for sleep Chilli!

Right based on general consensus I have bought some baby toothpaste and one of those little silicone brush things that sit on the end of your finger. Although I forgot to use it tonight

Ttc - how exciting! I've just had a coil put in before Christmas and it's quite annoying so far. Had light bleeding or spotting ever since. There's a passion killer.

Oh crap. That reminds me that we forgot to clean P's teeth again tonight. That's two nights on the trot. Worser mummy me...

Just watching One Born Every Minute. It's making me feel surprisingly emotional. I'd forgotten how little and snuggly newborns are.

Can't believe that I'm feeling broody already! I'm sure it's nothing that a 3am wake up call won't fix!

Hellooooo! I am finally getting chance to post (and have some level of brain power with which to do so).

Sleep is still not brilliant but S is now back in his cot but in our room instead of his. He still ends up in with us from around 4/5ish but he's settling after a bit of boob during the night and a bit of grumping. I think I've been over compensating for not being around in the day by jumping on every mumble. S wasn't getting chance to self settle and become dependent on having a boob. It's still not a great nights sleep (2-3 feeds between 11pm and 6am) but it's better than it was. Plus I'm not up and down so much now he's next to me in the cot but also able to sleep better without having a foot in my ribs most of the night!

What else have I to catch up on:

Teeth - S has his tooth brush in the bath and when we brush our teeth on the morning. It has a tiny smear of baby toothpaste (again the bounty bag sample!) on, which I'm pretty sure he smushes off before it even reaches his mouth! He then chews the brush for a bit.

Jo - yes please on the sleep expert feedback!

Fizz Yay for the work stuff getting sorted. I don't know why they all kick up such a fuss even when they're going to agree to what you ask for. I had nightmares for a week before I had my meeting with work...all for them to say, yes that's fine! Oh and a big for the Antilop high chair info over on Chat. I've not had the email but ours is one of the recalled chairs so I might not have known otherwise.

OBEM - I'm saving for the weekend, this series is filmed in Leeds I think so part of me is interested to see if I recognise anyone!

Still no AF here, though lots of period-y aches so my Mooncup is in my handbag just in case it sneaks up on me.

Kitty - good luck with ttc! It'll be years before we try for DC2...though I did find myself agreeing to a 3rd the other day

Right, thanks for anyone who's managed to get this far, it's a bit of an epic post! In thanks I shall share my Bailey's with you all to keep a teensy bit of Chrimble spirit around!

Oooh too much to catch up on again!!

Re: first AF, mine was tidal to say the least but I'm guessing that's possibly because it was much sooner after the birth than most of yours will be?? However all settled down again since then and probably lighter if anything now.

I'm in the brown spot/bleeding club as well this week but then again I'd also be in the immaculate conception club too so not worrying one little bit! :)

Kitty V. excited for your TTC updates

We were given a toothbrush and toothpaste by HV and told to get started as soon as teeth appeared, so have been trying to remember to brush teeth at bath time at least, so far I seem to be following in the footsteps of nearly everyone else and remembering on the odd occasion!! Must try harder! Thankfully R seems quite keen on it all so it's going well when we do do it!

Jo OBEM still had me in floods, I didn't even get past the opening credits without a sob and I do mean an actual sob, not even just a wee tear in my eye, wtf has R done to me!!!?

Fizz Yay re: work although boo about going back on the 17th, I go back on the 30th of this month - not so yay :(

Well that's a pretty dire catch up but there is too much and I've had a wee glass of vino or two so it's making my brain fuzzy! Will endeavour to catch up properly once DP returns to work on Monday!!

Bleurgh it is 1.45am and I've just finished washing up, cleaning the kitchen, taking the Christmas tree down, hoovering, tidying up the toys and feeding the cat. WHY is it so hard to get anything done whilst she's awake? I've only got one DC and I'm still on maternity leave. Why am I so shit and inefficient? Nobody else is up doing housework now are you? And most of you are back at work or have multiple kids. Woe.

I'm up but certainly not doing housework (although believe me, that doesn't mean it doesn't need doing). You're obviously more dedicated to the cause than me!

P's sleeping through earlier in the week is looking more and more fluke like. We've been up for 45 minutes so far and a feed hasn't resettled her. She is testing my patience!

Ecuse, our house is usually a complete tip.

Hoping this and this will help us get on top of things.

Working so far...

Ecuse our house is a tip, it was a tip before S, it was just as much of a tip when he arrived and now it's more of a tip I was giving myself a hard time before Christmas and kept comparing my home to my friends lovely, clean, tidy houses...then found out they all employ cleaners! I'm not so bothered now.

Buck flylady is awesome, I did it for a while when I had PND after DS1 and it really helped me get my act together!

Ecuse I don't think you can tackle proper jobs while they are awake, I did our tree last night after T was in bed.
It will get easier to keep on top of stuff though as she gets bigger.
I have a cleaner once a fortnight and she does the whole house and then I just have to keep on top of the day to day stuff. One of the good side effects is that it makes me have a really proper tidy up every two weeks so things don't get massively out of hand!

Better night again, I fed T at 10.30 and he slept until 4, quick feed and then back to sleep until 7am!

Ecuse I totally agre with Ali I struggle to get basic tasks done when R is here, like washing dishes, putting washing on etc! It takes all bloody day. I was amazed yesterday how much I got done yesterday morning while she was at nursery! And to think that pre-baby that amount of work would have taken me all day!

You're not alone Ecuse! my house is a total mess and I can't seem to get anything past the washing done during the day most days.

Weird night last night. H went to bed late at 8, woke at 12-1.15 then he woke again at 4.45 with straining. He pooed at 5.15 and refused to go back to sleep despite whingey sleepy behaviour. DH took over at 6.30 when I'd resorted to leaving him crying in the cot because I was so desperate to go back to bed and got him back down in the cot where he slept til 8.20!!

It's extra annoying because I put H down awake in his cot for a nap yesterday and, after some tears, me singing rockabye baby a million times and the cat offering a distraction that H would lie down and watch he slept!

Another one with an untidy house. We took the tree down last night after M was in bed, then i dusted the front room (a rare event) and it really needs hoovering and has done for a week or 2 . That will get done tonight while DH gets her ready for bed or tomorrow if I send them out for a nap inducing walk. Washing up gets gone while DH feeds M dessert and tea only gets made when she naps in the pram or she crawls over to the kitchen door and watches. I then have to make sure she doesn't go head first down the step.

Last night wasn't great - I think she's teething again now :( we were up til 2 with her dropping off then waking and crying. Gave calpol, bonjela and many feeds then went for the ibruprofen and she then slept til 7.30. It'll be the first choice painkiller tonight.... Tiredness has just hit me so I'm having a then will take her out and hopefully she'll nap, otherwise we might not be eating tonight.

I'm so pleased it's the weekend. Hopefully we'll catch up on some sleep.