October 2011 - our happy, chatty babies!

[GroovyRach]

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Wow, a few days off the thread and it's HUGE!

I'm with sassy on leaving LO to amuse themselves. M spends a lot of time in the box/playpen. If he's snoozing we put him on his side as he still has a bit of a flat head. We have just bought a baby gym. Took us ages to find one we wanted as we didn;t want a big one with attached mat that you can't collapse easily. Don't have a lot of space and already have mats and a box/playpen for M. Managed to find an A-frame style one so we can put it in box or on floor, and also attach the millions of rattles we've been given!

M has sttn once (last Sunday) but is now back to one feed during the night, some time between 2 and 4.

I like the idea of sttn as a gift jnice - just wish I knew he was going to do it so I could have enjoyed it more!

Not going to any clubs here. I'm not sure that they really do Mum and toddler clubs, am too lazy to find out, though I really should. Sometimes it's really isolating being abroad, especially with the language barrier. Even though my Dutch is (or was, has gone backwards with ml and baby brain) pretty good, find it hard to be myself in a different language. All of the really good friends I've made since I've moved here are either native English speakers or a Dutchie who I speak with in English. New Year's resolution - get out more! Am going for a walk!

morning.
just to reiterate!!!! im not saying its wrong to take babies to classes, just that its not the done thing up here.
ive took chloe to ballet, tap, swimming, flute lessons, athletics, street dancing and trialthon training over the years. definately not saying there is anything wrong with activities. my parents let me try loads of things too -including morris dancing- before i stuck to swimming for 8 years. loved it. had loads of friends, kept fit, off the streets and won lots of medals and trophys.

right! really must crack on with some housework today! groan. lee not back till sunday tho, so might just blitz it a bit then. you are so lucky cheeky i would love a cleaner. might just let it get bad and then get them in for a spring clean...........except, im the sort of person who would have to clean up first.

Baby chemistry!! well if we don't hear from you in a while cheshire we know where you are!!

God it's cold here this morning, -1 . Day in for us I think . I'll try get caught up with washing I think. Damp towels from swimming on wed are still laying beside the machine rather than in it. Oops!

I would love to have a cleaner to do all the bits I hate - the kitchen floor, the bathroom, the oven. Don't think it's going to happen though. However, my MIL keeps offering and we keep saying no, it's fine. Not sure we will ever live up to our ILs expectations of tidiness (last year we came back from work and she'd cleaned the outside of our windows. FIL started weeding our backgarden and taking weeds to feed to goats across the road. Unfortunately DH had just sprayed weedkiller - managed to stop him before the goats keeled over!). Reckon I would clean the house for my cleaner too sassy!

Okay, so haven't left the house yet for a walk but I am going I promise!

PS Mama come back!

Eeugh...M is still getting over hs cold. Just fed him and he's sicked up a couple of bogeys. Nice.

sassy I got a "spring clean" off groupon when I was pregnant, I tidied the house before they came expecting them to clean but TBH the house still didn't look clean so I then cleaned it again after they left. I think the only way a cleaner is worthwile is if the same one comes regularly so u can each get to know each other and feel better about ex

*explaining things how you'd like them stupid phone posted before I was finished

I need a cleaner right now! L has just been monumentally sick over herself, me, her blankets and all over my bed!!! Where do I start! I thunk I'll be in washing machine duty today!

It's me who's from from Glasgow! I'm up for a shopping trip Edward and Groovy! Are there any other Scottish Oct 11 mums out there?

Right, off to strip the bed, Lizzie and me!

What about sure start centres then sassy? I'm pretty sure Wigan will have one of those.... They're not for 'posh' people. I don't think you should.scoff when children's centres play such a vital role in helping struggling mums. And I bet plenty of people in the north take their babies to swimming pools.

Both my girls are asleep - bliss I would usually be back in bed too tbh but today I'm waiting for the tumble dryer man to come (I've been without one since Monday and taking washing over to the launderette nightly - how on earth did I ever manage without a tumbler? I've only had it a year).

cheeky DD1 stopped sleeping as through as she ever did, which was about 6 hours, at 16 weeks and hasn't ever since At the time I read a lot about the 4m/16w sleep regression. Now I wonder (perhaps bizarrely) if I hadn't read all about it, if it wouldn't have happened. Anyway I am determined that DD2 will not regress at 16w. I think the trick is not to feed them at a time you usually wouldn't. But how on earth do you not feed a baby who wakes at night? Any suggestions?

Mama I've been a lurker and non-poster for ages as I just haven't had the time. I suppose I've made a conscious decision to try to keep up but this is a VERY fast-moving thread! I expect I'll fall off the back of it again soon

Yy to baby activities (when they are still babies, not toddlers) being for the mum rather than the baby. I met my group of mum-friends through mother and baby yoga (with DD1) and now we're all good friends. I don't have the opportunity to go to baby classes with DD2 as I have DD1 full time.

I have a cleaner temporarily - I saved to have one for 4 months after DD2 was born, I have 6 more weeks and I LOVE it. I do rush round cleaning and tidying before she comes or she tells me off so it's stressful as well as a massive help! Your FIL nearly killing the goats with poisoned weeds made me laugh Engels.

Right... I should be writing thank you notes I've only just finished the ones for DD2's birth presents, now it's both girls' Christmas presents, and next month DD1's birthday... I seem to live in semi-permanent thank-you note hell.

Anyway, I swear I must have the laziest baby. He's on his playmat, just laying there staring at the toys, not moving or making any effort at all

Am a very bad mum, we've only just got up, just been feeding and snoozing!

Oh I've read back a but cannot possibly catch up on everything! So I'm just going to remember what I can!

I'm a southerner too (Right by Stonehenge) On ds' an thread we meet up once or twice a year (normally in London or Scotland for those planning a trip up there and the locals). I hope we can all do that in time - our first meet up wasn't u til the kids were about 11 months though xx

Dh has banned the girls from having boyfriends already only husbands and ds better not get any ideas about giving me grandchildren too early - I'm 29 and do not want to be a grandmother until my 50's! Saying that I was lots of grandchildren to spoil eventually so once I'm old enough they can get going!

Hope everyone's ok? Kids seem to finally be getting better!

I'm going back to work next month but only one day a week in the office and the with is flexible enough to fit round the kids so i'm lucky really! But can't believe they'll be almost 6 months old!

scheh it was a joke! and i meant baby french, baby gym and the like, not play centres and swimming and i NEVER scoff!
obviously not getting my northern humour

i cant make it any clearer that it wasnt a personal attack at anyone as this will be the 3rd time i have said it. its just not what most northerners would do- that is all. no judging, no scoffing, no feeling superior, just a bit of gently piss mickey taking.

as you where.

scones i think before they are weaned if they wake at night, then you should feed them. when the twins were waking at night after weaning for a while for bfing, my mum told me to give them water in a bottle instead- which i think is a bit of a general consensus. but to me that means they will just get used to waking up for water.
im afraid i went for the tough love option and let them cry. didnt last long till they stopped waking up.

bb3 one day a week sounds good. id like that too! but just thinking about the organisation that would have to go in to it, to enable me to do it, would put me off. i you having a nanny.
if i won the lottery, first thing i would do, wouldnt be a big house, car or a holiday. it would be to hire a whole team of people to completely absolve my from the responsibility of my life. a nanny, a cleaner, a chef, a PA.

Right now S is enjoying playing with an empty packet of wipes. Think it's the noise it's making as she scrunches it! Who needs toys

sassy I like the sound of that... basically I want a butler like Jeeves to just take control of my life and any potential problems.. although thinking about it... my Mum. :o

Not scoffing here either, just envious really. I'd love to do baby yoga, french etc but there isn't anything, that's why I was so shocked there's a buggy fit group. With DD we did baby massage, but that's cancelled now due to cuts, in fact the only activities still running beyond the normal tots groups are breastfeeding groups and the Time for a Rhyme sessions. Our Childrens Centre has a baby weigh in, a breastfeeding group, and the NCT run Bumps & Babies session. It seems such a shame that the building is open 5 days a week but there's only something on for 3 mornings.

Mamamaia I've been here from the start, posting fairly regularly but still lose track. I read most days (or in the middle of the night) then just post massive updates when I get time to catch-up. Don't feel obliged to post all the time, it's nice to hear from everyone whether they post several times a day or every couple of weeks.

Right off to do some cleaning although DH has a friend round today and they're doing some recording so I might have a lazy/fun day too. Off to my parents for the weekend later with the kids, so I might just leave all the cleaning for DH to do while we're away :)

Phew! Have just caught up. Mastitis all better now although L is still not so keen on feeding from the affected side and I think my supply hasn't kept up despite the expressing - so she feeds from the 'bad' side and then gets hungry really quickly and needs another feed but will only take it from the other side. But we're getting there slowly.

No baby groups here but I can see why some people like them. I am a) lazy and b) lucky enough to have lots of family locally so I don't bother. We have my parents and Granny over every Monday, go to PIL's once a week on alternate Tues/Thurs and try to see my DSis, niece and nephew every fortnight. We also go to church so the DC have friends there too. That'll do for me! I do feel bad that none of them can swim yet though so am looking into that but DD1 still so tired after school I'm not sure it would work yet.

Am also lucky enough to have a cleaner but the flip side of that is that I will be starting work again 1 Feb. Seems too soon but my clients will go elsewhere if I don't get back on it quickly. I was supposed to start this month but DH is very busy as he is an accountant and bookkeeper and it's tax return time...

Those of you who ride, when is a good age to start learning? I have always wanted to learn myself and wondered about DD1 and I both starting lessons at some point. She is 5.

Oh and maia come back!

Fleecy- I think most riding schools have an minimum age of 4, I gave our nephew a ride on my horse when he was just 3.

I went riding a little when I was a kid but always loved it, id like to do proper lessons but they are so expensive maybe when kids are a bit bigger it will be something we can all do together.

DS has finally gone down for nap although M is now up Grrr! She's in her mat and I'm gonna get started on my huge ironing pile before u can't see me under it!

Oooh yes I'd love that too sassy - no responsibility (even for a few days). I'd also send dh off to do his dream business / house building dream so I could have some peace and quiet!

bb3 if i won the lottery- 'what dp?'

Hahahahahaha!!!

Urgh, awful.day. just feel like I can't cope, I'm obviously doing something wrong, he's just crying non stop. Not ill, hungry, he's clean. Probably tired but I've tried everything to get him to sleep. Only coping mechanism is to turn the tv up really loud and cry into his shoulder :(