October 2011: Crawling, teething and (we hope) sleeping through

[Penelope1980]

Sorry guys - posted the 1000th message without realising , so hopefully you can all find this thread!

Oh and I just flip A over once he's asleep but it often wakes him, so am interested if anyone else has tips! Have tried a sleeping bag tonight so am interested in how that works.

S has taken to sleeping on her tummy now for the past few months. I did used to turn her over but it just wakes her so I don't bother anymore. I figured it's how she is most comfy. Can understand your concern though engel. Can't think of anything you could do... Would the doctor/HV that fitted helmet be able to suggest anything?
pen sorry if you have mentioned before but are you from the uk and moved abroad?

Yes, am in NZ! Although am a kiwi, not a Brit, although lived in London until late 2009 hence discovering mumsnet and wanting to go back. My best friend is still there, as are many of my school and university friends. NZ is a great place to bring up a baby though, that's what caused DH and I to move home in spite of really loving the UK

Have a "helmet" appt on friday and a hv appt tomorrow so will mention it.

watching the jubilee stuff on bbc as there's nothing else on!

waiting for dh to get back from work so I have someone to snuggle up to.

M is currently on his hands and knees rocking back and forth, looking at me like, "I'm so clever Mummy!"

have just put the heating on as it's so bloody cold.

pen I really want to head to nz soon and see my best friend. DH vetoed this year, said he couldn't deal with it, with everyhting else that's been going on here so have fingers crossed for next year.

and wanted to ask if anyone has any ideas for father's day? I'm feeling stumped (and we really don't need any more crappy mugs in the house so that's out!).

engel are you on pinterest? Lots of great crafty things you could do with M on there to get some inspiration from!
Wonder how S dad will feel when he wakes up and realizes its fathers day.. if he even does

sorry fuzzzy didn't mean to be tactless . He will wake up and realize what a prick he is for not being involved in Ss life.

You've reminded me that we were planning on doing a handprint card for FILs birthday. Bought the finger paint and a blank card to use but were too disorgainised and lazy to actually do it, so maybe I'll do that.

Not on pinterest but will have a look....my Dsis posted some links for table decorations for her wedding.

I got a free pic from the photographers last week of M & C and it has a "happy fathers day" frame round it! Am also gonna steal the handprint idea for his card

Don't be daft engel . He is an idiot and I really hate dislike him! S doesn't need someone like that in her life! My dad, her grandad will be getting a card from her. He prob isn't expecting it and I think it will make his day. He really dotes on her . But yeah, check pinterest out! I can send you an invite to sign up if you want. I love it!!

We made a little hand mould which was neat - put A's hand in play dough, then put plaster in the space he'd made and got a need little hand print mould. I kept it for myself in the end but it's a great idea.

engel you should come here! Especially while M is free on the plane (my rationale for wanting to go to the UK next year)

fuzzy s's dad sounds like a prat.

I should look at pininterest too - am trying to be a better baker after years of uselessness. I like the idea of making a patchwork quilt for A as well, but probably shouldn't be too ambitious given am far from being a domestic goddess

Hi all

My dd was born on 18th oct. I've been reading but have never posted on here.

Have noticed that some of you are finding cradle cap really stubborn to get rid of. We were too, tried oils, creams, shampoos and nothing worked. Last week dd got chickenpox and I have discovered by serendipity that calamine lotion works wonders on cradle cap! Just though I'd share

The poem makes me want to cry, I understand the sentiment of it totally, it just makes me feel so guilty :( As DH works such long hours it's just me trying to keep the house in order. I don't do any cooking, he does the prep for the slow cooker the night before and makes us all sandwiches for the next day, however I have to keep the house clean and tidy and do all the washing and ironing, and it's such a struggle. It's a big modern house, and I like to go to bed with everything in order (it's not immaculate or perfect by any stretch, just things in their place and vaguely clean), otherwise it becomes completely unmanageable, things get lost and it gets very stressful. I do feel like I don't have enough time for playing although we go to toddler groups every day and spend a lot of time outside and going to the park. I rarely just sit down and play or read a book to them though and it does make me feel guilty. I don't work (well, just a bit of self employed stuff) so am with them all the time, and spend around 6 hours a day feeding. If money wasn't so tight I'd love a cleaner to help me out a bit. Maybe I'm just beating myself up - there's only so much I can do, and does every mum feel guilty in their own way/about their own things?
I had a much better night last night - thanks again for the support - DH did all the settling (he was up 12 times!!) - I just did 1 feed between 10 and 6:30, so I feel so much better today. It's definitely not hunger that is waking her, just comfort.
I'm behind on the thread so will read more in a bit and try to catch up - so I can respond to other people rather than it just being about me, me, me again - so sorry!! (In the middle of a street party, just popped inside to feed M!)

Argh wrote big post and pressed internet off my phone....so annoying when that happens. Have decided to jump on laptop to write again be quicker

scheh i'm sorry you see differing points of view/advice as a personal criticism to yourself. It is never intended as that. My point about milk being the most important base of nutrition for a baby for the first 12 months of their life, was based on the fact that you said you was going to try to drop one of c's milk feeds and would rather he was eating good homecooked meals instead. You didn't mention that he was being awkward about drinking his milk. But to be truthful my ADVICE (not criticism) would be to keep trying with the milk first before giving him food. You are completely at liberty to IGNORE everything i say. I will not be offended. I am not super sensitive or paranoid bless you mama-- so it will be ok.

I am having probs with the twins at the minute. Lots of trial and error things going as, as sleep is a fecking nightmare. The little buggers can both climb out of their cots, so they are roaming about as soon as my back is turned and causing mayhem. I wish i'd took a picture of their room the other day. Huge sigh. Clothes, towels and bedding everywhere- they had pulled everything out of the wardrobe. Christening presents and cards all over floor, books everywhere and ripped. I almost cried!!!!!

I haven't the patience to keep running up and down the stairs and putting them back in supernanny styley. I tried putting them in an hour earlier to let them let off steam, but they would still try and climb out. In the end, i ended up sitting at the top of the stairs and watching though a crack in the door and shouting lie down as soon as they made a move!!

Well, that was boring, so i'm now on the 3rd day of dropping their day nap. It has its problems, falling asleep at dinnertime whilst eating (jacob) or whining for hours (isobel) around 4pm. But they have not even tried to get out their cots for 2 nights in a row. Like i said day 3 today, so here's hoping it continues.......

I want to move eva in with them in a couple of weeks, so i really need it to work so that they are not climbing in on her. Jacob already sits on her when she is crawling about........ cue me "jacob get off eva, she is not a chair"
This then frustrates him that i have told him off, so he whacks her instead!
God fecking help me.

fuzzy sorry about your job. Fx that you get something you want soon.

eng so sorry you are having a bad time of it.

I feel like having a rant about dd1. She is slowly spinning out of my grasp. except not so slowly. Dp and myself have had to spend hours last night with a plan of action. I keep going on pre-teen threads to re assure myself that her behaviour is normal. She is argumentative, lies, deceitful, steals, swears and i found out yesterday that she's been swimming in the river near where we live. The very same that the 15 year old boy drowned in not 3 weeks ago.

dp and myself have basically got a rule for every part of her life written down in an agreement, so she can't try to negoiate anything. we have thrown in a massive incentive (facebook) and he is now in charge of her, cos she is still scared respectful of him.

varre hi, hope you are planning on joining in more often.

I'm a little reading about all the stress that other people are going through with DCs/lack of sleep sassy. Sending you in dealing with DD and DTs.

Just having an off-day, a bit of a crisis of confidence, but MN and lots of chocolate will see me through

sassy god, how you described your house made me giggle a littles sorry thR Jacob falling asleep in his tea., the baby riding too. Aww bless him. Also I could see my self doing the lay down growl... Actually I do the "close your eyes" growl to ds2. Have you seen the "go the fuck to sleep" on YouTube read by Samuel L Jackson? Very very funny. Re your dd.. Is se 12 like my ds? We've had some issues too. Accessing porn he was so upset that he "came clean" and told me all. Been hard going as he is really upset about it. However, he's also very argumentative and annoying at the moment. I constantly on edge expecting more attitude, stressed over ds2 who has mini meltdowns, whiney, wot go out, and need more sleep. This equates to me be bitch generally and over reacting to things like dh making my carseats soaked cos he didn't think to take off his raincoat .

pp I go to a playgroup each day so I spend proper time with the, only out the house 2-3 hours and I figure that is time where the house isn't getting more messy

bb3 and Scottish ladies is it tomorrow or next wed we're meeting and where/what time?

also as we go out in the morning I am ery limited what housework I can do anyway. Have a quick tidy beforehand and a tidy once two DCs are sleeping

ed nxt Wednesday I think...! (I hope!)

Sassy - How about a stairgate on the twins door if they start roaming again, they might have the temptation of their room to play in if they get out but not the whole house, and at least you know they're safely in their own room in the middle of the night. Good idea about writing everything down, I'll have to remember that for when my DD1 becomes a pre-teen.

we have a stairgate, took me 4 months before i caved in, at one point it seemed OK and then we went travelling

Just wanted to pop in to say am reading but not feeling energetic enough to post. Seem to have so little time, pink I know exactly what you mean about not having enough time, I find it hard to cope with ds1 who demandsa lot of attention, having been an only child pfb for 7 years now means he has to adapt to sharing me and it's not always easy, especially when I'm tired. He has such a big attitude problem already and is sharp as nails so it's really hard to not let myself get sucked into arguments with him All. Day. Long. And to think I was looking forward to these holidays..

And on top of that I now feel massively guilty becase apart from the school Junilee picnic, we've done nothing Jubilee related at all this weekend. Dh is French and decidedly anti-Monarchy and it somehow rubbed off on me. Then I saw the papers today and read bout the concert and procession and stuff and feel awful that I didn't at least switch the telly on with ds1 today to watch some of it. He saw a weeny bit of the Queen's speech onm Newsround and was so excited about it, it made me realise what a Grinch I've been He won't get the opportunity to celebrate any kind of the Queen's Jubilee again and I feel like an idiot.

Sorry to moan, just needed to get it off my chest.

Am sending much sympathy to all those struggling - this thread is so fast-moving, I find it difficult to post in reply to everyone, but I am reading and thinking of you all! pink, glad to hear you had a better night; PA how's the skin on L's head?; sassy sound like you're having a dreadful time of it with dd, I was an atrocious teenager and when I think now of what I put my parents through I am so , amazing that dh is in charge of it though, good luck! veee hi ; engels hope the appts hellp give you some advice about the puffy face; ips poop???

Hi to everyone else, not intentionally ignoring, I just can't remember everyone

his head is doing alright thanks, think we cauht it in time. sorry if I was misleading, he already had the bald patches that from the last bout, only now he has enough hair everywhere else to see it. It's funny you get complacent for a few days and before you know dry/red skin is popping up all over the place

We did nothing for jubilee, in fact i haven't even left the house as w have been potty training DD. I was all ready to put her back in nappies but this afternoon was great so going to bite the bullet and see how the next few days go. Dreading it as DH is back at work and not sure I will leave the house bar the garden.

pp sorry I have forgotten, but how many DC's and how old?

sassy good luck with DD1. Wasn't there some stuff with her dad going on lately, plus also the news of your mum might be adding fuel to the fire?

Just want to say how much it has helped writing down how I feel on here, even if no-one had responded it would just have been good to get it all out of my system and to know that someone else here is probably feeling the same.

Lookout - How about finding highlight clips on youtube or bits on the iplayer for DS1? - I missed most of the live stuff but just catching up now. The Gary Barlow making of the jubilee song was amazing too, to see all the different people around the world contributing to it - if you're into that sort of thing.

PA - Just M and my DD1 - who is 3.5. They are both feisty and determined, although M has so far been much easier than DD1 was as a baby. My DD1 had reflux and screamed and was sick all the time and was very difficult to get to sleep - I remember taking the pram out in the middle of the night aound the dark village paths to try to get her to sleep! We got there in the end though, I need to keep reminding myself when things get really tough that I will get a bit of life back eventually.

Also PA Do you have a portable potty? The potette one is brilliant, it folds down really small and has bags you throw away afterwards. Put a plastic bag with towel on top in your car seat to protect it, and dress her in tights, they absorb a lot of wee if she does have an accident. Good luck!!