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!!

Lost track on the last thread, however seem to think lots were referring to sleep regression? Would suddenly reverting to 2 hourly feeds through the night count? As always massive respect to those of you who are not on baby number 1 ? cannot imagine coping with more than one right now (although I am well aware you just have to get on with it and am still planning on have at least 2 myself)...tired.com....

Personally I had a horrible week last week. Lots of tears for no reason. Pulled myself together on Friday after watching some OBEM that I had on the sky+ so I could sob as each baby was born without any guilt! Felt much better afterwards and had a lovely weekend with a friend to stay (apart from the lack of sleep since Fri see above!!)

aethelfleda love the thread name!
Tyel epic post as usual. I?d like to come to your house to eat, your meals always sound amazing (along with the wine )
figgy, hawthers here?s hoping the illness? bugger off soon!
Northern epic post from you also. The drool! And looking at my friends 6 month olds it?s only going to get worse....
missree someone got us a voucher for a family photoshoot for Xmas which I keep putting it off until I lose about 4 stone feel a bit better about the way I look. I love the idea of baby pics through the year though
benny have mild pain in my left wrist so really feeling for you. Fingers crossed you get some help from your GP.
BJR belated birthday wishes
DSM great to hear Darcie is being lovely again. Wish you weren?t quite so organised with your housework. I?m not even showered yet...
Oi Yay for finding a house you like
Cherry at your night
LMF good to see you!
Honey I genuinely have no idea how frequently I?m feeding. Feels like all the time. But clearly isn?t as I am managing to pack boxes and boxes and boxes of crap our belongings ready to move.

Kitty Cleaning is part of my routine - Sky just sits and enjoys it

Glad the chook is on the mend MsB.

It's gone well thanks DSM; I've done all those bits that never, ever get done (cleaning the skirting boards, using the special stainless steel cleaner on all the kitchen bits, bleaching the plugholes, dusting around the multi-plugs, etc, etc) so has been a thrilling day, but satisfying!
DP is going to do a big hoovering session later so it'll look nice and clean and tidy, but not obviously so iyswim!!

I also (sob!) tidied away all the cards we got when DS was born. We've had them out for three months so I suppose it was time. We were given a special box to keep all this stuff in, so they've gone in there, along with the first clothes he wore, a set of pictures and his cord as we're a bit weird.

DS has been so smiley today, feel really sorry that the rellies didn't get to see it. But he's not been drooling, so teeth obviously not an issue today.

If it weren't for MN and the lovely ladies of this thread hawthers, I'd've gone a bit mad too wondering why my baby didn't do what he was meant to . It's indescribably useful to know of all the variations of normal when it comes to babies, sleeping, feeding, etc, that you just would not get otherwise.

Glad you're feeling a bit better Kitty, but sorry to hear you were so tearful.

First weekend away with three and a half hour drive successfully accomplished-yay! All went fine. Stopped once on the way there and back to feed her, she slept most of the rest of the time apart from a couple of minutes crying once or twice. Brought her Moses basket so sleeping in a new bedroom didn't seem to bother her.

Sorry to not catch up and reply to everyone-will try and do so during the night feed-hope you all had nice weekends!

I'm still doing Loads of night feeds but just not posting as I found it was making me wake up too much and I couldn't get back to sleep. She's starting to go down a bit earlier now around 8, and I might then get until 1am nbut then its 2-3 hourly after that, and then reverys to every 3 hrs (pretty much like clockwork) during the day.

Had terriblnmight last night though, she fed at 10.30, 12.30 then swallowed loads of air and I just couldntr get it up no matter how long I winded her. So literally couldn't put her down all night or she would grizzle so I pretty much winded and fed all night long and only had 2 hrs sleep. Gah!!

Had her second set of vaccs today. Was upsettibg as she was so smiley at the nurse then the look of shock on her face when the needles went in was horrible! Poor thing. Hope she doesn't get such a bad temperature as last time. I will be neurotically checking it all night!

Oh Northern I couldn't even bring myself to touch Freya's cord when it fell off... it freaked me out big time I've still got the clip tho

Kitty the photographer was trying to convince us to be in the photos too but I refused on the grounds that the mirrors in the studio were (I think) very unflattering and made me feel like a right heffer we did get some with DSS in before Freya had a proper freak out and screaming fit, at which point we called it a day. Hopefully she won't be as grumpy at her 6 month pics!

MsB I find it strangely reassuring that we aren't the only species that suffer disfiguration through birthing but I do feel for your poor chook!! Hope she's properly on the mend.

I bought some cute bibs today that say " I love my uncle" and "I love my Aunties" Freya is my sister's first (and possibly only) niece and my SIL is absolutely besotted with Freya and massively broody now! She already has two DDs of her own but they're trying for another baby - hoping for a boy I think! I can't wait... I had always avoided babies before falling PG because of my own fertility problems (hence Freya's name as "freya was the Norse goddess of fertility) and I feel sad about missing our on my nieces proper baby days. It will be nice to have a niece/nephew where I can really appreciate them as babies - especially as Freya is growing so fast!!!

Did anyone else name their babies for reasons other than just liking the name?

missree at least we don't have to do it every day!

Oh and daytime naps, I'm doing the EASY routine (eat, activity, sleep) so she nap for about 45 mins between each 3 hourly feed in the day.

I think it can be easy to underestimate how much sleep they do need. DS is 2 and sleeps 12 hours at night and 2 hours qt lunchtime.

Indeed MsB could you imagine?!?

Ooh I just bought some Lamaze hand and foot finders on eBay for £6 with free postage! They're coming from the middle east so will take a couple of weeks to get here tho

Busy day here, Musical bumps this morning and swimming this afternoon. And managed to fit a shopping trip in the middle to pick up some bits for DSs room as we're hoping to move him into there in the next month or so, whenever i'm brave enough.

Glad i'm not going to be the only pushy mummy when it comes to music aethelfleda, I can't wait untill DS is big enough to sit at a piano so I can teach him to play.

MissRee we waited untill DS was born to pick his name as DP wanted to see what suited him, turned out none of the names we'd thought about suited him so he was without a name for a week before we settled for Jack. Jack was just because we liked it but DP picked his middle name (Isaac) as he thought it would be a good name for when he's a Rock Star ...
I think its lovely that you picked a name that means something special.

Is anyone elses LO getting a bit over entusiastic with their play gym? DS decided that hitting the toys isn't fun enough anymore and has now started to pull on the toys quite viciously, it almost came down on his head today luckily I caught it in time, he thought it was brilliant!

dsm I was referring to you putting me to shame with all your cleaning, and now I find northern is at it too. Tis a conspiracy to make me look terrible.
honey like others, Alistair might go down between 7 and 9pm for 3 - 5hrs, and then will wake every 1 -3 hrs for a feed. (it was always 3-4 hrs at night but it's more often this week ). During the day he'll feed ...on demand. There's no routine. Sometimes every 20 minutes, sometimes with a 4 hour gap. There will only be a long gap if he's asleep, but he rarely sleeps for longer than 20 mins during the day, and may only nap once or twice.
kitty good luck with your move, and sorry that you were feeling down last week.
msb good to hear your chook is better. How sad that other animals share our pg related humiliations!
We made the offer on the house at 10am. No news yet. (fingers crossed)
I have sad news. My nephew (12 yrs) returned from his school skiing trip to Italy (I know!) to find his 2 gerbils had died. He was so broken-hearted that he couldn't stop crying and didn't go into school today. I saw him at my parents' house this afternoon and he was still upset, but no longer crying. Poor, sweet, gorgeous boy!
(note to self: do not let son have silly small crappy rodent-type pets that die.)

Ladies, how long did post-jab grizzles last with your little ones? Freya has been super grumpy today and we've had 5 or 6 poops throughout the day. Normally she's a morning and evening kinda gal! They haven't been particularly liquid (normal consistency I would say) but she's been pulling her legs up as if she's got wind. 1ml of calpol sent her off to sleep for a good 4 hours ( I haven't given her a full dose of it yet) and she seemed a bit happier after she had woken up and had a bottle.

So could it still be after effects of jabs or illness???

Woo- DH got the job he was going for! And Lo, I am full of celebratory sushi. Lots of stuff to work out, including getting back to work timing, when to move, where to move to... It can all wait!!

misree : if she's unsettled, give Freya the full 2.5ml dose: if she's 4kg in weight thhat's how much she will need for a proper dose. 1ml contains 24mg of paracetamol which is the correct dose for a 3.5 pound prem baby in SCBU.....

We called Albert specifically because the name is nowhere in our families, and I like the Stanley Holloway "The Lion and Albert" poem, and also I like The old music hall song "Burlington Bertie" (he's Bertie for short).

Right, quick pump thingy then off to bed...

Love the lion and Albert poem - and love the name Albert.
I dearly love my granddad, Herbert, and it would have been nice... But Herbert is just not the same.
You remind me of a song we learnt at primary school which I loved. Should've called LO Joshua:
Joshua Joshua
Sweeter than lemon squash you are
Yes by gosh you are
Josh-u Osh-u-a!

Only I'm not so keen on Joshua.

Oh and congratulations for DH's job aethel!
celebratory sushi! Mmmm! I have promised Bennybenbear a celebratory sushi -belatedly for her birthday, maybe if we get this hoos we'll have a double celebration of the fishy kind.

Woohoo well done MrAethel!!

I did give her the full 2.5ml dose on Friday after her jabs and she had a massive sleepathon, not waking for a feed for over 5 hours so I was a bit wary of giving full dose again. Just the 1ml dose knocked her out for almost 4 hours and that was already an hour after her feed. She hasn't gone that long without a feed during the day without calpol.

I know a few Alberts but they're mostly shortened to Albie. I think I prefer your shortening to Bertie We shorten(?) Freya to Rae-Rae

aethel congrats to your DH - no mean feat!!

MissRee DS is called Pirran after the patron saint of Cornwall - DH is Cornish. And we have those Lamaze hand and foot finders too - not sure how much they are helping him find his feet but he does like staring at them when I dangle them in front of his eyes...

YBR I play the cello but DH and I are both singers - that's how we met And yes, we are going to be seriously musically pushy - we have already talked over taking Pirran to audition to be a chorister

Oi your poor nephew - losing a pet is so hard. It was over 5 years ago but I still regularly well up thinking about when I took our family dog to be put down on my own because everyone else was too cowardly. I hope he feels better soon.

Pirran has been drooling and gnawing on his fists for weeks now, and posseting after pretty much every feed - and I just noticed for the first time how red his cheeks are! Three months just seems so early...he is growing up so fast

Hi everyone!

Tyel, welcome back, yay! Crap about scar but glad is on the mend!

aethel, yay for mraethel!

I am a violin player, husband trombone. We've also been discussing what to start her on, I think portable is an issue but I'd like her to choose but hope not double bass or tuba :) I like the violin because it's very portable but also very versatile and it is a little easier to get into a good orchestra than, say, flute or oboe. I've had so much pleasure from playing in orchestras and also quartets, I'd love if she could too.

honey I've also got a baby that insists on feeding every 2 hours or more - arrrrg

Kate Perhaps you could reduce your DDs daytime naps? My DD1 has just turned 2 and some days she doesn't need naps so I just put her to bed at 7pm and she wakes at 8.30am - if I let her have a nap I then put her to bed at 8pm, but she will sing in her cot till 10pm, and still wake up at 8.30am.

And as for TV, DD1 loves the films Bolt and Lilo& Stitch, and is really enjoying that new Cbeebies programme TreeFu Tom & Waybuloo (any programme which requires you to copy the actions).

Also my hair is falling out and I am blocking the shower drain everyday, not sure if its a lack of vitamins or just normal post pregnancy shedding? Anyone else the same?

Bee, I'm defs losing more hair now than when I was pregnant. But on the plus side my hair is back to it's normal curly self. Last cpl of months of pregnancy and when I was bf it got sort of straight underneath. And frizzy. Well, frizzier :) think it must all be hormonal. My gums have stopped bleeding too! Also (sorry if tmi!) but my nipples went brown but they're going pink again. At the moment, sort of half and half. Not very attractive! But nor are my burst-balloon-esque boobs I suppose! Hope they go back to normal eventually but maybe that's wishful thinking ...

'its normal curly self', not 'it's'. Bloody autocorrect!

Baby is slept through the night last night.... then started waking every hr tonight. grrrrr

Waves at everyone will be back when mind is working a bit better.

Hello!

We've spent the majority of the day on the PASSU having observations/atrovent. Octopus had a bit of a relapse with the bronchiolitis, and was not a happy camper. Home with an inhaler now. I am ready for summer now, apparently it should all be gone by then:)

Cleaning: eeeevil!

Feeding: pretty much constant at the minute as he's not well. Every couple of hours when he's feeling better. He is nine weeks:)

Hey LMF sorry octoboy has been poorly again but glad he's improved.

I'm sharing bed with DD2 tonight due tonicky croupy cough (unless she kicks DH cos then he'll carry her back to own bed. I am a softy)