November '05 - babies getting bigger, mummies getting smaller!

[novadandypowder]

A nice new thread for us all - I know someone mentioned it a few days ago

Hey BEAR, when C's a toddler I defy you to stand by the statement 'I miss him when he's in bed' . Glad you had a good time, sounds a relaxing week .

Good morning everyone,

Lovely clear skies here today. Shame the Jane seat is in the car and not on the chassis waiting to go! Typical. Quick question on sun parasols for the Jane Travel System - Do I need to get one or is there one that's versatile for any model?

Nova - Which of the Annabel Karmel books are you using? I'd like to get it as I really haven't a clue of how to start this weaning business. Can't say I'm over enthusiastic to start but he's coming up for 20weeks soon and need to make a move. Fancy running us through a beg's guide?

Brownie - Z and T are around the same ages then? You are not too far from me btw, you are welcome to drop in for tea.

Z has almost definitely found his voice. It's non stop screeching and screaming. In fact, he's doing it now trying to get my attention, where does he get the energy? [yawn]
Have had my hair cut! A whole 5 or 6 inches to be precise. Feel so much better for it and will hopefully be easier to manage. Got a bit fed up of the 24/7 hair in a bun look. (Secretly miss my long hair)

DH and I watched Z in his cot last night trying to grab onto the bar with the other hand (one already firmly gripped on) so that he could swing his legs up Am wondering if we should get one of those bumpers (?) to cover the front of cot now, bit worrying, though I doubt he'll actually swing himself over (he hee at thought) but in saying that it's surprising what you take for granted. Left him for 5 mins lying on sofa by kitchen where I was making breakfast only to find him under pillow kicking legs Nearly died!
He was just behind me too.

Screeching is getting louder...thanks for the read.

You're so right about the avocado Rodeo, and that's a much better idea with the potato to do it like proper mash.

Yes, I went for the orange zapp - I like really bright colours, and I'd been eyeing admiring the bright pink one in Mothercare, but thought it would look silly if we went on to have a boy, so orange is the next best thing. Don't forget that in my area all the babies are decked out in brightly coloured Bugaboos so no-one really bats an eyelid.

Diege - I'm a huge Kiddicare fan, great prices and great service. I keep harping on about them to everyone I know with a child!

And yes - I have worn a pair of shoes only once .

L&SM - Nat is in her highchair, she looks so sweet in it, and I think she enjoys being able to look around from a higher vantage point.

Chacha - here is a rough condensed version of AK's guide (she is assuming that baby is on the following milk feed pattern Early AM/Breakfast/Lunch/Tea/Bedtime):

Weeks 1 & 2:
Introduce solids at the lunchtime feed. Give a little milk first so they're not over hungry, then start with a spoonful of puree. Only introduce single tastes of either simple veg or fruit (eg: carrot/apple/pear/sweet pot/banana). Finish off the bottle of milk once they've lost interest in the puree (turning head away/spitting back out/crying). Increase the amounts as your baby gets used to it, but don't expect it to replace milk feeds yet.

Weeks 3 & 4:
Introduce solids at the breakfast feed as well, using the same method as for weeks one and two.

(I actually did one meal for 3 weeks as I wanted to go a bit slower due to Nat not being quite 6 months when I started. I also started to deviate slightly from her suggested meal planner when I got to two meals a day, introducing a few new veg and mixing some of the ones she already liked)

Weeks 5 & 6:
(I haven't got this far yet)
AK goes into full on food mode, introducing a proper breakfast, two course lunch and two course dinner, with milk to drink as a snack inbetween food. Baby should still be having at least 600mls of formula/BM a day until they are 1 (but this can be included in things like yoghurt/cheese/cereal).

This is just my rough interpretation of the AK guide, but it'll give you some idea of what she does. I like having the book as I was quite clueless about weaning, and her recipe ideas are pretty good.

Sorry this is quite long.

Nat has started refusing her dummy as nap time!

Hi everyone..

phew..I told m.i.l we couldn't make it to visit her and she was amazingly fine..she plans to book a flight to london to see us on sunday so I don't feel too guilty.

Chcha..ekk O does the same..he pulls anything over his face and finds it funny..he even managed to pull out the elastictd cot sheet so I've had to buy clips to keep it in place.
bet you'll get used to your hair! it's alawys bit of a shock when you chop a load off..it's less for Z to try and swing from anyway...lol!

O had banana this weekend..and loved it!
but could somone please explain how lovely swet smelling bananas and milk can com out a few hours later and produce the most hideous smell!? lol

Is it okay to give natural yogurt? i was thinking that would be a good way to make avocados a littl smoother.

Th Quinny was a real bargain nova! I must get round to ordering a more compct pushchair, though at the moment i'm totally in love with my wilkinet..
only problem is it unhooks my bra whenever I wear it!? lol..anyone lse find this?

oh..does anyone have any experience of manic depression? i.e recognising the signs..if so cn you emil me and i'll reply with the situation.
we are used to m.i.l , and as she's been diagnosed for a long time theres no questioning what cuses her behviour, but we have concerns about a close friend and i don't really want to post it on here.

sorry..you'd think having a psychology diploma i' use the correct terminlogy..
should have said bipolar disorder..didn't mean to offend if i did.

BoB, my sister has bipolar disorder. It was diagnosed properly a few years ago after she'd been mid-diagnosed with just depression for ages. We live miles apart so I didn't witness it first-hand but she said she had periods of sexual promiscuity, feeling like she could do anything, was very enthusiastic & out-going. Her "normal" personality is quite shy & introvert so this was very unusual. She also did some weird stuff when we went to our other sister's funeral. She basically just wandered off & we spent an hour trying to find her. I was bloody furious when I found her & we had a huge row. Looking back, I wish I'd recognised the signs but when you're that close, you can't. Anyway, once she started on lithium she was a lot better. What's happenening with your friend?

karma ho wsad, it's such a difficult thing to live with, often more for families than the sufferer themself
i know the symptoms but i dont know how tocompare it to real life behaviour.

BoB - my mum has manic depression (among other things), you're more than welcome to email me if you like x

Ooooo forgot to moan about this...

Last week I was in John Lewis, there was a queue for the toilets and I was the next person to go. A very pregnant woman came in, and remembering what it was like I offered her to go in front of me. She looked at me like I'd really insulted her, which left me feeling very , so I just went next and left her to it. I'm sure I would have been very grateful if someone had done that for me..

Afternoon!! NOVA: I had several people offer to let me go in front of them in toiletrs when pregnant, and I was always very grateful!Don't be sad, you were being kind .
BOB: bet you feel better now MIL knows the news! My MIL babysat for a few hours this morning - nightmare, involving missed feed, LIbby in exloding nappy for 1.5 hours..I could go on, but I don't want to go through it all again! I'm sure yogurts are OK at this age - ceratinly the little fruit ones are, and don't thnk there's anything 'banned' in natural yog?
Well, first day of hols nearly over, so not doing too badly ; anticipating crisis point about Wed/Thurs. SW tonight, so lookig forward to post-weigh in scran
Diege

Evening All. Diege, hope text lesson goes ok!!!! Am waiting with baited breath for all bits of JK goss!!
Have been out today and bought next stage car seat - Mammas & Papas ProTec (no. 2 in Which Guide) as there is money off at the moment in their Easter Sale. They were out of stock tho, so had to pay to have it delivered!
Major excitement here today - Thomas has done his first roll over!!!!!! How Proud he rolled from front to back 3 times, but got frustrated that he couldn't get back over again, so helpful Mummy put him back on his front so that he could do it again! Dh has the week off, but he still managed to miss it as he was doing jobs outside, and T wore himself out so didn't have the energy to do it again for Daddy. But there's always tomorrow
Ooh how exciting! WE have also booked in at the nursery for our 2 settling in sessions (next week) the first is accompanied, the second is unaccompanied - ready for him to start the week after when I go back to work.
Not started the weaning yet, but might try T on some baby rice in a couple of weeks - he is 20 wks on Friday, so trying to hold off as long as I can.
Well, its nearing bed time for little man, so will go and give him a goodnight kiss before dh puts him to bed.

Brownie & Thomas

Nova - Thank you for the weaning guide. Am feeling a little more confident about starting now. It was kind of you to offer the PG lady to go first. I waited over half an hour in a horrendous queue at the PO Depot when heavily PG and everyone pretended not to see me. Not everyone is as kind, her loss.

Karma - Hi, how are you feeling these days? How is DS and Ella? All's well i hope.

DS has been very demanding today, am worn out. How do you all do it with more than one, I'm shattered cleaning this house and looking after two children. Well, one grown up one anyway

Nighty night all x

Diege - I am hoping to still say that when he's a toddler Sounds like you should give your MIL the sack from babysitting unless she can pass a written and practical exam on GF

How long are those car seats good for that go with the travel system?

Whoever it was that was asking about AK I found this guide of hers online \link{http://www.annabelkarmel.com/weaning1.htm\here}

Nova - just a thought - are you sure she was pregnant? Maybe she had already delivered the baby and was just fat!!! Hence her being so cross with you.

I had more than one person ask me when the baby was due over a month AFTER I had given birth - and I was pretty pi** too...................

Morning

Bear - travel system car seats are for up to 9mths, but obviously depends on size of LO.

Nova - well done to you offering to let her go first, I'd hvave jumped at someone letting me jump the queue when i was pregnant, so her loss...

Sean was veeerrry jealous yesterday seeing me holding baby Caden, he had such a confused look on his face as if to say "why is mummy holding a different baby?"

Been busy this morning, I've got everything done already. Its amazing what the prospect of going out shopping does for your motivation .

I tried this morning to put a pic of Sean in member profiles, but couldn't figure out how to, anyone here know how its done?

Have a good day everyone x x

Morning all,

Nova at least you were nice enough to offer, some people are just ungrateful and if she had already had the baby then you might just have given her the incentive to join WW or the like

Well done with the weaning by the way, Natalie sounds like she's enjoying all these new flavours. Thomas is loving fruit but not so keen on the savoury and being a lazy mummy I'm not forcing the issue at the moment.

Well we survived the first week & a half of the holidas - just!

Had a manic spring cleaning weekend here as dh has lost his wedding ring and I was hoping to find it but no such luck.

Took the kids to the circus yesterday, very good although how things change it's used to be lion taming now it's budgy training - not quite as impressive I can tell you! Ben was impressed with candyfloss on a stick though so you win some you lose some.

Had to go and visit a friend in hospital last night as she had a heart attack on Sunday night, she is only 34 thankfully it appears only to have been a minor one and she was back on good form last night but all very scary just the same.

Right it's taken me so long to catch up that Thomas is now having a wobble on his play mat so I had better go and amuse the wee man.

Hope you are all well and looking forward to the Easter weekend Beks

Thanks for AK guides (for lazy mothers like me!)

Couldn't resist. at the weekend I gave F 1/8 of a little finger nail's worth (i think technically this is a smidgen) of the buttercream icing on the top of the malteser cake - his eyes grew to the size of dinner plates. He was transfixed watching james eat a slice. (mummy slaps own wrists)

And continuing on the irresponsible theme. I bought a gorgeous new feeding bra from Rigby and Pellar (sp?) yesterday. it is underwired and hoiks breasts off of floor and straight out in front, makes me look gorgeous in a doris day kind of way. looks great with the pinny. i would make a superb stepford wife if only i could sort my ruly curls out into a smooth chignon. bra is seriously very very good compared to the old onion holders i bought 5 months back

oh went to john lewis first and 19 year old behind counter in bra section asked me 'how much longer i had to go'! FFS!!!! i know she's clueless because she's young but i am now officially stopping the baking after one last choc orange cake that i'm making for the weekend.

GG i had that why are you holding anogther baby mummy look from F - i felt really guilty and had to give other baby back.

right best get on with the day - off to see another nursery

i'm looking forward to next tuesday - i'll be the one with very pointy breasts who looks like she is about to drop.

forgot to say - thought i'd relay the john lewis story loosely connected to nova's john lewis story - maybe toilet woman wasn't pregnant! maybe it was me!!!

beksmum - you must be going crazy about wedding ring; if i lose something that matters to me i become obsessed i continually move all the sofa cushions etc; then get annoyed with everyone else. perhaps Ben knows where it is?

Finn's cousin Archie loved london last week although museum was NOT A GOOD IDEA on easter hols. every man and his dog was there and it was seriously hot inside. Went to princess Di playground in hyde park (recommend it! for those of you with older kids) and told Archie on way back we'd be getting the bus to piccadilly circus. he was VERY disappointed when i he discovered it was THAT KIND OF circus. poor love. i forgot children outside of london will only know one kind of circus. he was impressed with the advertising billboards though.

must go - appt at little happy people is at 10.30

No she was definitly pregnant - very slender apart from huge bump, and immaculetly preened (not the look of someone with a small baby - lol!). If I was in any doubt I probably would have kept schtum.

Natalie has had a bad couple of nights but I'm confused as to why. It's a totally different cry to her hunger one, and she won't accept any of the tried and tested methods of soothing. Was wondering if it could be teething but I gave her some Nelsons last night and it didn't seem to make much difference. She also drained 4ozs of water both nights (if she was hungry she would refuse the water and make a fuss) so I guess that could be mouth related? Her gums don't seem very red but she's doing lots of drooling and chewing.

Morning everyone . Oh JENJAM, I have such a strange picture of you in my mind, with your new pointy bra and Stepford grin (like that one!)BEKS: good on you braving the circus; we have one here at moment, but there are animals in it (some very sad looking elephants apparently), so boycotting as have a thing about animals in the circus . Would love one of those Chinese acrobatic circuses - girls would be so impressed! What a shock it must have been to hear your friend had a heart attack at 34!! Was it sudden, or had she been poorly?
BEAR: LOL about my MIL ; yes, absolutely she should have written and oral GF exam, and then follow-up interview with the guru herself! Seriously though, her 'timings' were spot on, the problem was leaving a dirty (up to the neck in poo) nappy on for over 2 hours as she didn't realise she had pooed . I wasn't openly cross, but seething inside - the place stunk! How could she have not noticed? L has now got pretty bad nappy rash too - oh well, the price you pay for going to the dentist unaccompanied I suppose! Hey, on GF note, LIbs is going to have a shock at nursery when she had her sleeps in a light room (no blackout blinds there!) with other babies screaming! Have learnt from past experiences just to leave then to it though!
Going to take L up to nursery this afternoon, for her first visit, gradually building up time left there alone so it doesn't seem too much of a shock. Quite excited about it actually, though I'm sure I won't be come return to work day!
Speak later, toddlers pending!
Diege

Hmm, NOVA, if the water was coolish, this could indicate teething perhaps? (as its soothing). Wouldn;t read too much into no response to teething powders, as it doesn't work for everyone . Just a thought, she couldn't be thirsy could she? (presume she's having drinks of water in day?)

Hi all, looking forward to next week... too in demand right now [hands in hair] but will catch up with you all at the meet!

Hi all!

I've got a few minutes to myself, children are at MILs and J is sound asleep, so far I have survived the first day and a half of the hols.....

Aw your poor MIL Diege - I'm sure she tried!! When my mum looks after J she has an annoying habit of putting a really loud chirpy voice on whenever J get irritable and tired, AND throws her around and tickles her! It's a strategy which works for about 10 seconds yet she always does it!!
"WEEEEEEEEE, OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHH, WWWWWWWWOOOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWEEEEE, NNNNEEEEEEEEEEEOOOOOOOOOWWWWWWWWW".
"AHHHH, MOTHER, STOP IT!'"

Beks, oh goodness your poor friend, hope she(?) is out of hospital soon :)

Met my new doctor yesterday, just a medical so he could take down my medical history. While he is v. nice and I'm sure he know's his stuff, some of his ways were a bit odd. F'instance....while working out my BMI he asked
'and what is BMI?' I went to answer but he cut in with
'What is the B?'
'Body' I replied.
'What is the M?'
'Mass'
'And what is the I?'
'Index'
'Yes, Yes, very good'
Felt like I was at school. Also during my appt the receptionist came in with a post-it with a patient's name on it (for obvious confidentiality reasons), and said
'This patient is ringing about his bloodtest'
'Ah yes, [insert name] has kidney cancer'
And the appt went on like that really, I know who he put money on for the National, I know he was a 'very good' gynacological surgeon, I know all about his retirement plans etc. It was supposed to be a 10 min appt!

Getting v.excited about next Tues too, was very smug when someone asked me what plans I had for Easter '...and next Tues I'm going down on the train to London to visit friends...' Heehee!! Didn't say you were all my internet friends though that may have been met with 'you're WHAT???!!!'

x x x