October 2011 - my, oh my, how the first years flew by!! It's birthday season!!

[MummyDuckAndDuckling]

So excited that the first birthdays are upon us! Will try get a copy of the stats..

[TallyBear]

Happy birthday to the twins!! :)

Bunt Hope DS2 is OK, poor thing.

Ed I would love winter but I hate the cold! I got Seb a rocking cow from E-bay - perfect condition and he loves it.

Bilb S may sleep better in his own room - Seb did. He seems to love it.

[BuntCadger]

Have had to leave Jessica for first time and don't even own bottles or pump. Gave her quick Dreamfeed before taking ds2 up to hospital. Waiting to be seen by dr as OOH GP suspects appendicitis :(

[MrsHende]

I hope everything's ok bunt? What a stressful night.

Happy birthday to the girls!

Long weekend here . Can you believe that's us teachers on holiday already, hooray!

L never cried when I left her at nursery yesterday! First time! I then of course cried on my way from nursery to work, sad that wasn't missing me. What a numpty.

She seems to be catching every bug going just now. This week it's a horrible chesty cough. I'm told by friends that I've got six months of this ahead of me before she's built up an immunity to nursery germs.

Well, I've had my lie in I suppose. Better get up and see what crazy outfit DH has put her in!

[LittlePebble]

Bunt hope DS is ok and Jessica was ok without you.

Happy birthday to E and A, wow a year already (where did the time go!!)

MrsH I'm so jealous of my teacher friends why didn't I train to be a teacher! The enforced holidays would be perfect for me now. wonders if a career change is in order

E is full of cold here so my day off yesterday was fairly stressful looking after him and DP but he slept last night so hopefully he'll be better today. Don't think I'll be able to leave him if he isn't.

Ips how're the wedding plans going??

[MummyDuckAndDuckling]

bunt poor S, hope all is ok
lp yep, it's been snot central in the duck household for over a week now! Her nose is like a tap!! I'm giving her till over the weekend to get better and if not I'll be back at the gp. I took her on Tuesday and she listened in to her chest as I thought she was sounding croaky, but it's clear so just paracetamol if needed . She is coughing like crazy in the night so got her some cough mix which helped last night.

I gave S her first cup of cows milk yesterday. I said that once the formula was done I wasn't buying any more, so ive just enough for few night time bottles and that's it! She did really seem to enjoy it. Before if I've gave her a wee cup of formula, she's taken a sip but she drank the full cup! When would you expect to drop the night time bottle? She still drinks a full 7oz before bed so don't want to stop it yet, plus I feel that it's all extra calcium just now. Yesterday she had 3oz milk at waking, milk with her readybrek, 1/2 beaker in afternoon then 7oz before bed. Anyone else about the same?

I'm dropping S at my parents shortly as I'm helping out with kids arts and crafts at a food event at shopping centre.

mrsh enjoy your long weekend!

[EdwardorEricCantDecide]

bunt hugs to S hope he's feeling better and J ok without you.
duck M is the exact same she usually gets these symptoms when teeth are on the way hopefully its only that.
milk wise M get cows milk in weetabix, a 6oz bottle at around 3pm and an 8oz bedtime bottle (plus another 4-5oz if she wakes in the night) over the next few weeks i intend to change the afternoon bottle to a cup of cows milk maybe with a cracker or something then i'll change bedtime bottle to cows milk after that.
i gave C a bottle of milk at bedtime till he was 2yo as he refused milk in a cup and still drinks v v little.

[EdwardorEricCantDecide]

ooh duck is that at silverburn? that sounds fab, but we already made plans this weekend so cant go am genuinely gutted, think i enjoy all the craft stuff more than christopher lol

[pinkpainter]

Ed and Duck - My DD1 had milk in a bottle for at least 2 years too, and although she's now almost 4 she still has milk at night before bed, but in a cup.

We've started giving M formula before bed to fill her up (she's still bf the rest of the time, but I'm planning to give up after a year). She still wakes twice in the night though....yawn!!

M has had a cold since April/May, apart from 2 weeks during August. I'm really careful about washing hands before eating and when we come in from anywhere and my house is really clean so I can't understand where all these germs are coming from and why she can't fight it. I'm starting to wonder whether it's an allergy to something.

[strawberrypenguin]

bunt hope DS is ok

Ooh I was wondering about moving onto cows milk in a couple of weeks, glad others are trying it! Will have to get some and see what he thinks!

We're another household with colds. W picked it up at nursery and gave it to me. I partly blame the fact I suck his dummy to clean it if he drops it while we're out. I'm giving him 'til Monday to clear it then it's a gp visit as he'll have had it a week by then and he's got a horrible chesty cough with it thats waking him up at night.

[pinkpainter]

We're definitely moving straight to cows milk at a year strawberry, instead of the formula feed, then I'll gradually start phasing out the bfeeds too.

[ipswichwitch]

lp we're pretty much sorted, but our wedding is v small and simple so not much to organise. 30 guests for pm wedding at registry office with afternoon tea. Decided not to have a big do as we can't afford it, and we don't like a huge fuss/palaver. Looking forward to it!! Hows your coming along?

bil were also havin nighttime comfort feeding issues here. N has been going to nursery for 3month now and has caught every germ there. Just getting over a heavy cold now but I've been co-sleeping and attached at the boob for a week now. Blimmin knackered!!

[ipswichwitch]

bunt hope all is ok. Poor DS :(
Happy (belated) birthday to bband cups girls. 1 already!!

[Outnumbered4to1]

Hello everyone!

Happy birthday to the twins :) anyone else turned 1 yet? L is 11 months tomorrow. Walking started a few weeks back and he is just a bulldozer. Makes a beeline for anything he wants and watch out if you're in he way!

We are well. I am going back to work a week on Monday. Met new boss today and he seemed like a decent and knowledgeable sort so came back feeling positive. They are giving me a 3 month settling in period at part time, so full time in January. Pretty decent of them.

We still have broken nights despite many attempts at sleep training (though haven't done cc yet). DH is tackling it again tonight and over
The weekend.

Bunt - I hope DS is much better soon.

[TallyBear]

I was going to ask about milk levels too. Seb is still on 3 7oz bottles a day. He doesn't alway finish them so probably has about 15-16oz a day. He does love his milk but we managed to reduce from 4 to 3 when he started at the childminders as he saw others eating and decided to eat more! I'm not sure how much more we could reduce at the moment. Can they have cows milk now?

Seb also picked up a bad cold at the c/m. He was really unhappy for a day or so and i took two days off work. Can't do that too many times so really hope he has a good immune system

ips sounds lovely, hope to see some pics....

[MummyDuckAndDuckling]

tally they can have whole cows milk in food from 6 months and to drink from 1 year (S is 1 in one week) so I offered it yesterday to drink to see how she went. It will be great just to pour straight from fridge rather than the whole boil kettle etc. glad to read others saying about bed time bottle till 2. I couldn't imagine stopping that one yet. The others she couldn't care less about the others but loves her night milk! It's like the end of another era, no more formula !

I just popped home to collect a few things as we are stayin at my mind tonight and there was a letter to say her ultrasound is on Monday!! They said 6 weeks to start with so don't know if this is in error or what. I'll need to try phone and find out tomorrow but not sure who I'll get to speak to as its the weekend. There's no talk in the letter about having to fast her for the anesthetic. strawberry what did you have to do before W's? Really nervous now!!
ed I was at braehead today. There again tomorrow doing lots with the kids and there's cooking with Michelle McManus! We get all the top celebs in Glasgow

[EdwardorEricCantDecide]

Haha we certainly do, I actually work with her younger sister. rubbish claim to fame

[LittlePebble]

Ips we have 30 people coming to ours too must be the perfect number. We are having a party in November when we get back though and I'm finding that quite stressful as I hate parties about me.

Tally E has similar milk levels so I'm trying to drop afternoon bottle, but it's been reinstated for the last few days as with his cold he's not eating a lot.

outnumbered yay for walking . Hope DH manages to crack the sleep training. We did Jo Frost method a couple of months ago and it's made everything so much easier (I have a bit of my life back now!)

Scheh happy birthday for C (think he's next?) x

[strawberrypenguin]

tally that sounds about the same amount of milk as W still has.

out nice to 'see' you

duck W had to fast for 4 hours I think before his ga maybe see if you can call them and find out. Good luck hope it goes alright x

[Penelope1980]

We're having a small party - just close family. I probably would have had a bigger one if the nearest Sat wasn't his actual birthday, but more than anything want a nice morning with DH and A with a cake and some family over in the afternoon. Am looking forward to it.

I have an entire week off work. SO HAPPY! Today was glorious weather here as well and am finally starting to feel like winter is over ...

Yay for walking babies! A still doesn't seem to see the need, although is standing unaided for longer periods.

[BuntCadger]

outnumbered Happy 11 months! yay for L walking, Your boss sounds nice, and great youve got till January.

Re walking J will take jig about dancing with feet firmly rooted to spot, take one step and plop on her bottom, so not walking yet here

Ds2 is brighter today better night and fever come down. Thank goodness. Got open access to hospital over weekend but fingers xd it's not needed.

Re milk and food J is a little piggie. She has 5 b/feeds(occasional slips an extra one or drops one) 3 hearty meals a day, and she's been slipping in '2nd breakfast' too last couple of days.

Re birthday, was going to do naming day but with everything happening with ds2 and transition to infants, we've been disorganised. Don't really know what to do and considering just a small birthday tea with grandparents over. Birthday cake will have a fairy on(per ds2 instructions ) and I've ordered her main present which I will link

Can't believe how fast this year has gone

[BuntCadger]

Jessica birthday gift

[MrsHende]

Glad to hear DS is a bit better bunt, I hope he's firmly on the mend now.

I wanted to get L a wheelybug for her birthday - I love the mouse one, but beginning to think that I should really try to save money and get her something a bit smaller this year as she won't have a clue!

Money is very tight, DH has been out of work for 6 months now . I think I'll have to take L out of nursery soon, we just can't afford to pay for her to be in nursery while he's at home just in case he gets something. Haven't broached a deadline with him though...mainly because I can't decide. Every week there is something which sounds hopeful, an interview or phone call, and every week we get our hopes up and every week he gets let down. All a bit soul destroying for him.

Having a lovely long weekend though, getting through a power of housework which will hopefully stops us drowning in laundry before the next holiday ! Thank goodness I'm a teacher or I'd never clean the house!

[BuntCadger]

MrsH :( sorry that dh still looking. It must be hard to keep positive. What is it he does? Feel bad for posting link now, I was just over excited. After 2 boys it's exciting to buy a proper dolly.

Ds2 dipped again and fever still there as is stomach pain. I'm taking back to dr tomorrow if still fever and pain.

[Scheherezade]

This time last year I was thinking (and posting ) "my, these Braxton hicks are happening all the time, and really uncomfortable too!" Haha!!

C had a fun day out at Chester zoo, FAR too many presents. Seriously, we went a little overboard but we've saved a lot of money by getting stuff free/cheap from friends and relatives so it evens out...maybe...

I made him a triple layer banana cake, with white chocolate buttercream icing and decorated with strawberries and blueberries, it was YUM.

[MummyDuckAndDuckling]

mrsh sorry things are tough right now. Fingers crossed something comes up soon. It's soul destroying having interviews etc but then nothing coming from them. I love the wheelybugs, think its what I might get S for Xmas!
bunt dolly is very cute! Hope ds better soon
sch sounds like a lovely weekend!! How are you feeling on the eve of C 1st birthday? I'm becoming so emotional and S still has another week!!

My girly is now walking everywhere! She's really took off this weekend . Still can't get used to seeing her toddling around. The look on her face is brilliant. Pure concentration!
Still loaded with the cold and starting to sound very wheezy. Not sure if they will go ahead with the anesthetic tomorrow with the way she is. I'll phone them first thing and ask advice.

Hope everyone's had a lovely weekend