December 2011: Smiles and giggles and coffee and truffles.....

[aethelfleda]

Voila, a new positive thinking thread for us!

Onward and upward, ladies. Do come on and post if you're a lurker or want to join our merry band, all welcome!!

Missree I'm in Bristol and continue to feel the pain of fortnightly collections our bin is full and bot being collected until Monday

Ooh yeah, we get fortnightly collections too (I think people do in most places now.)

Really should get to bed, but Being Human's on the hard disk and have cleared the enormous washing mountain. Result.

Figgy, can you apply for a bigger bin? In our area if you can prove you have a child under four (ie in nappies) you can get a larger one from the council.

I think the reason we still get weekly collections is because our council are too tight to provide wheelie bins and we just have black sacks still!

No worries re the nappies Aethel, I jyst thought it was a good deal I'll admit to knowing absolutely zilch about reusables!

Where in Bristol are you from Figgy I used to live in Yate, just on the outskirts.

I'm going to try again with the real nappies that I bought. I tried them early on (pre-6 weeks) and didn't like how they would be very wet against him after an hour's wear.
I tried various liners, but now a friend has given me fleece liners to try... I'm hoping now that he's a little older, they'll suit him better and I'll not have wasted my money completely.

Oooh aethel is a nappy maven, she told me so when she showed me the awesome tie dyed minky nappy she had in her bag the other day I love the reusable nappies we got, every time I see Pirran's big cloth bum it makes me happy.

I can't remember who asked about jabs for Yucatan but I'm not sure - I think the only "additional" jab indicated for Mexico is Hep A if you're going to come into contact with dodgy food and water but as Pirran will be entirely breastfed I don't know if that applies to him...I'll call the travel clinic tomorrow. I can't wait to go - some proper sun and doting grandparents to help out will do us all a world of good!!

Am amazed at you all and your diets!! I am sitting here with a glass of milk, making good progress through a packet of chocolate digestives. Along with all this milk I'm drinking I'm also craving spinach or chard or something cruciferous...I think this week's veg box had some purple sprouting broccoli but it doesn't really have enough irony bitterness for what I want. I wonder if that means loads of iron and calcium is going into my breastmilk so that's what I'm craving.

YBR your question was about a million posts ago but so awesome your DH plays the mandolin too! Does he play in any sort of group (folk/bluegrass)? I'm a cellist but I'm a better singer - DH and I met singing in a choir. DH is really unfairly musically gifted though - at last count he can sing anything on sight (cathedral chorister training), plays the clarinet and sax both to grade 8 standard, is a classical and jazz pianist (both to professional levels), and recently taught himself to play both the ukelele and the mandolin. I think he's going to bring it with us to the States so he and my dad can play together (my dad just bought a new banjo...)

We've already agreed we're going to be putting Pirran up for as many music lessons as he wants, and have him audition as a chorister if he seems interested - but as we both sing and play things at home, I'm hoping our love of music will rub off without us forcing it. We've already been going to a little half hour baby music class called Jolly Babies but I'm not sure how much he's getting out of it yet - we do sing and play to him constantly at home though and he always smiles and gurgles.

Which make do you have oi? There are some synthetic stay-dry liners that really do wick away extremely well: I've got a few Ittii Bitti Tuttos and lots of motherease-onesize-dry which both have polyester staydry built into the nappies: you literally have to touch the back side of the fabric to tell if it's been weed on (or weigh it in your hands to see if it's heavier) DS is now in a boosted motherease onesize dry overnight from 7pm-6am and it's not leaked or given him any bot rash at all.
If you have a fitted type of nappy you can buy motherease stay-dry pop in boosters for about £2 each, they are well worth the money.

I got the Bamboozle Stretchies...

Is Octoboy any better, LMF? Poor little creature, all the spewing and hacking must be so distressing for both of you!

What about baby hawthers?

I'mimpressed with all these photoshoots. Part o the reason for my new smartphone is to take photos, otherwise it's just not going to happen! The phone takes really nice, rich-coloured photos!

I missed that about your phone, AirofHope! Which one is it? Are you enjoying it?

That's great about Darcie's behaving better, determined! I imagine she's happier for it, too! Nowit's tme for you to work on your behaviour, too, and be a bit more of a slattern and relax a bit! Please?
(I'm not having a go at NorthernChinchilla's cleaning as she made it sound like a bit of fun , whereas your cleaning doesn't sound so fun...)
Oi, don't worry, no-one can make you look bad while I am around.

Kitty, that's a great strategy for getting the tears out of your system. Clever you!

NorthernChinchilla, I must admit to doing that with the phone and the screaming, too: generally poor DH gets it in the ear when I myself am strung out from stereo screaming. If you only did it once to your mother, though, it's not that mean, and it underlines that you are not neglecting her for petty reasons!

Honey, DD is on feeds every 2 hours or so, except at night. There's also often a cluster in the afternon, right when I ought to b getting supper ready. Poor DS is suffering from my distraction... Anyway, DD hadn't gained a lot of weight at her last weighing, so I don't really wnt to push her. However, if a baby is feeding too frequently (e.g. DS's snacks every 15-40 mins, leading to green poo), then pushing it longer is advised!

Lovely that you are getting that specialtime with the older DDs, msb! What a nice little sister

AWCH, people's bodies can get "possessive" about sleep even if there is enough!

Hello, CherryBlossom

Re playing: yes, BJR, DD does yank her baby gym toys a bit, although she squawks with excitement rather than jutting her chin out and looking a bit aggressive, as DS did at times; she considerably smilier and more chatty than he was!

BeeMyBaby, DS loves Waybuloo, too! I have started a yoga/pilates class on the advice of the GP, and have ordered a Pilates DVD to do as well, and hope DS will do it wth me! There was a little boy in the pstnatl yoga class today, doing the exercises with his "baby" - a teddy - and it got me really excited about the idea of exercising with a moble child (bless her, DD does her best, by smiling, enjoying the attention, and serving as a weight, but she's not quite joining in yet!)

BTW, aethel, thanks, I did search more thoroughly and found the square brackets, so will be able to smile at people again when I am posting from the phone (not now, though; this post is a proper compooter jobbie). IN fact, why don't I offer your DH a toast () for the new job? I must have missed it at the end of the last thread: do you have to relocate, or would the move be a "nice" one?

What's up wth your move, Oi?

Bugger, Just breaking off for a change, as a long spell of grunting has finally opened some floodgate! Will cotinue reading and updating later!

aethel I have a TMI question for you - I know some vaginal dryness is common when bfeeding but I am getting absolutely zero discharge, not even when I wipe (told you TMI!). It can feel sore at times as it feels like there is nothing to stop the normal friction of moving around. I don't remember it being this bad with DS but I am feeding more often with DD. Is it anythhing to worry about or just another weird bfeeding thing?

I would love to do some exercise but at the moment it just consists of running around after DS/carrying DD in the sling (which at 91st centile definitely counts as exercise!) Or winding/jiggling/carrying DD (ditto). We're going away in a week's time and will have access to an indoor pool so hoping to make use of that (although dreading appearing in a swimming costume in front of my hypercritical mum who will make some comment about baby weight etc).

hi plu, the move is a " we want Dh's time back long-tem" move. We live near a train lime into London, but it's the wrong line: he travels into Town and then has a long unecessary Tube journey that increases journey time to 80 mins. Wasn't an issue pre-kids but he only sees them at breakfast and (mostly)b edtime in the week : kids then want to wait up for him etc. so cutting commute time to eg 30-40 mins would save him hours each week, very much a family time/stress thing.

mmm hiya: yeo reduced moisture is due to BFing and should self correct when you stop: in the meantime get a water-based (so won't damage condoms) lube moisturiser to get things comfy.

Main 3 over the counter ones are KY jelly (cheapest) or the longer lasting ones Replens or Sylk. Your GP can prescribe if lots is beeded but usually you'll find you don't need that much and can use it imtermittently.

Oh dear DS1 has been up shouting but won't have me only daddy which means DH will be like a bear with a sore head and expect a medal for being up great. To be fair he does have to go into work and do his high stress job....

DS1 has basically been asleep since 3pm and not eaten anything all day. I'm thinking it is just a virus that has knocked him on his arse and he is sleeping to get over it but when do I start to worry?

Morning! Minimopsy went from 19:30-04:30 between feeds and slept solidly from 21:30 to 04:30- amazing!

Sorry mopsy it's definitely mot morning over here! Bit
Very glad you had a good sleep.

oi, I've not used the bamboozle
stretchies myself (they are too new a make to be out with the DDs and I've been more restrained with DS in terms of not buying
Every brand!) but have got a "classic" tots bots bamboozle so I know tje fabric. Bamboo is fairly absorbant but slow to dry,jabe you already tried disposble liners like these? If so, then try with the fleece liners you've been given and if thy doesn't work try buying one of these to go inside the nappy OR if you jist don't like them then consider buying an itti
Tutto and a motherease onesize dry piis motierease airflow wrap to try instead (fund this by flogging the stretchies on clothnppytree!)!

Link for php paper liners

Link for The thin (non booster) motherease staydry liner: this isn't the same as the absorbant pop in booster insert, its a one way polyester washable lauer that goes into any male of nappy and is washable with your nappies).

Oh and hawthers jist see what he's like after a sleep. Hope its a 24 hour thing!

Thanks aethel. I think our LOs are in sync tonight!

Morning all

Feeling very non Eco friendly with a you ladies and your reusable nappies looking at my disposables in .

Tyel I took LO to jolly babies last week for a tester and going to start properly on the next term likewise don't think he got much out of it but I liked it.

Missree it's a small world as I also live in yate over by the farmhouse pub .

Morning Ladies.

Hope everyone got some good sleep last night.

Figgy I use disposables too, so your not on your own :)

Darcie was very challenging this morning :( felt like we were back to square one. I think because DP was home this morning - he has taken the day off to spend with me - & I told Darcie she had to go to breakfast club as I ran out of milk & bread & she didn't want to, so hell broke loose before 7am. She has gone nice & calm now so hoping that was it this morning and peaceful weekend ahead.

Sky has got Boogie Mites this morning and then chill out, as period has returned and think PMT is in full swing!

Plu Sorry to disappoint but i've already:

Got Darcie ready for school (DP took her for me)
Got Sky changed and is asleep in her swing.
Changed our bedding.
Flashed the bathroom.
Sterlised & put water in the bottles (just waiting for them to cool down)
Put the load of washing that I done last night in the dryer (its raining here)
Put another load on.
Darcies room, & our room is tidy (still need to finish getting rid of stuff but I'll do that another day)
Hoovering done - Polishing I done the other day.
Flashed the Kitchen.

Just need to do the small pile of ironing I've got and I'm done for the day.

Hmmm my boobs are hot and a bit achey. Really hope not the start of mastitis, I've never had it. We have a busy weekend ahead and a wedding. I feel fine so far - is it worth going to the dr anyway? Don't want to take abs unless I have to but don't want to have to go to OOH drs over the weekend either.

Mmm, why not go to doctors and if it lookslike possible mastitis get a script for antibs and then if it develops you can take them? And in the meantime feed feed feed feed??

It's the only sensible approach to take with men children LMF. Currently my DP is in agony with a tweak in his back, cue massess of ibuprofen and complaints. If he thinks he's getting out of doing the bedtime routine for LO tonight and tomorrow he is very much mistaken...
How's Octoboy doing today, any more pyrotechnics?

Glad to see you're back with the epic posts plu, I was thinking to myself last night that the thread appeared a little short . I'm definitely in the just keeping the house presentable camp for cleaning; that thing about CHAOS (can't have anyone over syndrome) really struck a chord with me, as DP is so messy and untidy. I just try and keep it to a level where I'm not embarrassed should anyone drop in which is hard when you're living with Stig of the Dump and that's it.
However, from DSM's post it looks like we'd have to tie her to the bed to stop her being such a household whizz !

I hope your Mum won't make any comments mmmm, that sounds a bit unkind. Just the sort of thing that can absolutely ruin a holiday. Are you preparing some stock replies, or will you be forced to let it go over your head for the sake of family peace? And really hope it's not mastitis, that would be rotten.

We're on disposables too figgy; DP wouldn't even consider reusables, and it wasn't helped that he was harangued by his sister constantly to use them ("what will you tell your future child when they ask you what you did to contribute to the world's ecological collapse" etc, etc, really!) so it made him even more set against them.
Sigh.

DS treated me to an extra hour this morning, 7-8, so ready to take on the world! He's going down at half seven ish of an evening now, so what with that and the EASY thing during the day, we have fallen nicely into a routine, led by DS. I know it'll change along the way so am just enjoying it whilst it works.

Soooo...plans for Mothering Sunday?