Brooking no argument for babies who sleep, eat, smile and behave perfectly at all times. Yeah right!

[scarletfingernail]

New thread, here we go...

Where do ELCS come in? I suppose given that I skipped labour altogether this time it just doesn't count.

Congratulations, Smegs! What is MiniSmegs called?

Have decided to stop giving in about bedtime. That means that once we're in M's room, we stay there, preferably without turning lights on, until she falls asleep. 50 minutes later, 3 feeds, 2 plays in the cot, 1 bumped head and 1 ever-so-nearly-there attempt at pulling herself up on the cot bars, she finally fell asleep. This is still better than if I bring her back to the living room and let her play there - it usually takes her 3 hours to work up to another attempt at sleep. Any sort of routine has been totally stuffed this week, though, what with Mum staying and us going out for dinner last night, then getting home late today. PIL will be arriving for the weekend late tomorrow so we probably won't do much better, but we can try.

Christmas starters in our house tend to be smoked salmon on bread and butter. Mmm. This year we're going to my dad's, for the first time in about 6 years due to their habit of spending Christmas at my stepmother's parents'. It's going to be great, though: the three little kids - DB is 11, DSis2 is 9 and DSis3 is 5 - and M. Total and utter overexcitement on Christmas Day, methinks!

Dd1 was 48 hours induction from first pessary, dd2 about 12 hour induction from first pessary.

I kinda loved birth, even dd1's failed ventouse, forceps in theatre fiasco. It's the bit I'd be most willing to do again...

I'm another elcs over here, so I guess I don't count for length-of-birth stats.

I'd also love to know miniSmegs name/weight! I think Smegs mentioned making a FB announcement but I haven't seen anything pop up on the No Brooking FB group? Of course having only just given birth, and still revelling in newborn snuggles, is definitely more important than making time for FB!

If any of you lovely ladies with toddlers have time, would you mind recommending a lightweight umbrella stroller to me please? I need a basic, compact, easy-fold buggy that I can use for the short walk to/from nursery and will fit in their pram shed. (I'm not allowed to leave my beloved iCandy Peach at the nursery, it's too big :( ). I'll be barely using it at first, but I imagine I'll use it more when DD is older and walking. Which strollers do you ladies use? (I've posted a thread elsewhere on MN, but you ladies always have the answers!)

Stroller wise:

Yes you're probably right - once A is walking competently (like next week ) and getting in and out of a stroller when you're out a lightweight thing seems a lot less effort to drag around)

We have a McLaren Techno XT which is good but maybe a bit OTT for what you need. We like it because it lies flat, had height adjustable handles (for DH the lanky so and so) and had a little bit that folds out to support ds's legs until they're long enough to reach the foot rest. But we used it quite a lot from maybe 9m onwards because it was a lot smaller to fit in the boot of the car (and I'd use the bugaboo if i was walking somewhere) My bugaboo completely fills my boot, but I guess in London you probably use the car a lot less.

We also have a petite Zia star which I've only used once or twice this time so far (didn't have it for ds1). Seems ok and does lie flat.

We had a quinny zapp too for ds1 (which we left at MIL's because she collected him from nursery). Super compact and easy to put up and down but doesn't recline so annoying if he fell asleep in it as he'd be lolling about. This was so small that towards the end of using a pushchair for ds1 we used this one mainly as we could pop it in the boot 'just in case' ds1 needed it or had fallen asleep when we got somewhere (but see above re the lolling! Hence buying the Petite Zia Star this time)

I guess the key thing for the little strollers is whether they lie flat or not, and whether you want it to lie flat. If you're just doing a short walk to nursery she probably won't nap in it then but might be a useful feature when she's older and you use it a bit more?

Sorry, that's a bit garbled and rushed but I need to get up and get ready for the school rush run

We bought a Maclaren quest over in Italy and I really like it. Light, easy to push, looks very comfy etc.

Oh I liked the mclaren quest. In some ways I wish I'd got that because it would have fitted across my boot when folded up - the techno was still quite tall so had to go diagonally iyswim. But with tall DH the adjustable handles were good and I liked the fact that it had the extra leg support

I should have said earlier too, from probably 1yr / 18 mths onwards, ds1 actually napped better in the mclaren than the bugaboo because it laid properly flat whereas the bugaboo only tilts back (rotates the seat rather than reclines it). Don't know how your icandy works.

Think I'm the one with the longest labour or has anyone else managed longer than 4 continuous days of contractions?

Help me! Of course I realise you can't really, but I'm in such a panic. My engagement and wedding ring have both been missing since AFAIK Tuesday afternoon/evening. I've had the house upside down, I've been through every item in the bin including all the dirty nappies and there's no sign

I usually take them off for showering and sleeping but always leave them in the same place. I think I must have taken them off without thinking about it to put yet more cream on DS and they must be lost in the house somewhere. I really hope so. I'm avoiding thinking about the fact that I was shopping in town alone Tuesday afternoon so completely free hands rather than pushchair gripping and my rings have been looser lately.

What the hell have I done with them?

Have you put anything in the loft recently?

DH has been up and down from the loft quite a bit recently, but not since Tuesday. I'm certain I was wearing my rings Tuesday afternoon.

I've felt down the sides of the sofa and chairs, as well as moved all the furniture around. DH has checked the waste pipe from the bathroom sink. My mind's gone completely blank.

Oh no Scarlet! Don't know what to suggest - have you looked in the car etc? DS's nursery bag? Argh! Hope they turn up soon!

I can't get my engagement ring on or my wedding ring off so they're both quite safe :(

What did DH say? And are they insured? I know it's more the sentimental side of it but just in case? They're not lost though - I'm brooking no argument about it. They WILL turn up. Do you hear me universe? Return them immediately!

Sorry, on a different topic, does anyone have a vileda mop (one of the ones that looks like it has strips of j cloth on - used to be called a super mop in the olden days?). How the feck do I get the mop head off? My old mop handle had a red button on it but this new one just has 4 little slits up at the bottom of the handle. Does anyone have one? How the buggery does it work?

[sits down with a cold towel over her head]

I'd only been thinking in the last few days that I needed to get one of those clips so they were on a bit tighter. Weirdly my fingers seem to have slimmed down quite bit since DD's arrival shame about everywhere else

They are insured, but my engagement ring really is irreplaceable. It's a complete one off bought from an independent jeweller in New York. I've never seen anything remotely similar before or since If it doesn't turn up I probably wouldn't replace it because I know I'll never get one I love as much. My wedding ring is just a very simple plain band, although sentimentally valuable I could get one identical no problem.

DH is quiet about it. He can't say too much because he had to replace his wedding ring earlier this year when he lost his, but he'll be as gutted as me if we don't find the engagement ring

Oh what a nightmare! My sister thought she'd lost here and it turned up in a pair of socks or something.

What clips do you mean?

Oh no, Scarlet! If I take mine off it's usually only to do something like baking where you're kneading dough - did you do anything like that? So in that case mine would have been put down somewhere on the worktop, kitchen table or possibly on the windowsill next to the sink. DH had a signet ring which was very loose and he lost it last year and although we turned the house upside down we never found it. I still think it must be somewhere in the garage because he was chopping wood and carrying coal just before he realised the ring was gone. Or have you been swimming? DH has lost his wedding ring in the pool a couple of times now - luckily both times he got it back. DH has big knuckles but when he lost weight his actual fingers slimmed down so his rings come off quite easily.

Oh fck scarlet*. Erm... Knocked behind bedside table, chest of drawers etc, in washing machine filter... I'm rubbish at this. I really, really hope you find them.

On another note, I've hit The Wall. Another terrible night but for the first time I can't make myself push through. My dad came and dh is off, they took the children out to music group but I've not been able to sleep (hurt my right shoulder last week which aches and aches, especially in bed, and yet another bloody fucking blocked duct- on the left of course so I can't lie on either side comfortably) and can't stop crying.

Inlaws meant to be coming this afternoon, we don't see them that much, but I've told dh I can't face them coming. That'll help matters :( he will be cross, if not now then in future as I don't like seeing them much and struggle to hide it :(

Oh no Dream any way you can feign illness and stay in bed? Not that you need to feign, sounds like you've got good enough reason anyway. If you can stay in bed while they're here, at least it would save you having to rearrange and dread it again. And it would save you having to fall out with DH which you could do without at the moment while you're feeling low anyway.

If he's likely to insist that you get up and play hostess though then I would definitely say I wasn't well enough in your shoes and cancel.

Brooking for the blocked duct and shoulder to recover ASAP.

Biscuits you can get clips to put on the back of your rings that somehow make them smaller. I didn't want to make any permanent changes to them just yet because my weight fluctuates so much. I just had a look at my Vileda mop and mine has the button which pops the head off.

Oh no Dream

I think you need some bed rest. I second the idea that DH deal with his parents and the kids and you rest and recuperate. They could manage the three children between the three of them (FFS, you manage 3 every day!) and you need to rest. DH should be able to see that.

I know it's hard but can you try to say to DH that you are just at your limit and need to rest? Can you have any painkillers for your shoulder or not if you're bf? What about a heat pack or something? Would it be more comfy to sit upright in a chair and doze? Not such good quality sleep but better maybe than if lying down is painful

Oh I wish I could come and help you! And give you a hug xxx

Scarlet it's really unlikely that you lost it when you were out on Tuesday - I would think it would be really rare for hem to just slide off without you feeling it. Much more likely that you've put them down somewhere out of the ordinary, but is it worth checking that nothing was handed in where you were shopping. Were you in the big shopping centre? Maybe worth a shot? Unlikely but better to be sure....

I'm there tomorrow - will look out for gorgeous sparkly things hiding in corners....

I was in the big one Biscuits. I can even remember walking past that "cash for gold" place and consciously making sure my rings were on as I do every time I walk by there. Weird I know. It makes me sad to think of people parting with their jewellery for money. I might call and ask but it makes me feel sick to even think that they might have fell off there.

I'm sure they won't have come off there - think when you walk your fingers naturally curl (or mine do - maybe I'm an ape ) so they would be sooooo unlikely to just slide off.

As you say far more likely to be in the house when you've put cream on DS or some thing.

Such a stressful day in NoBrookerVille!

I'm No Brooking like billy-oh for Scarlet to find her rings! How frustrating and worrying for you! I think they'll turn up though maybe not today unfortunately but at some point in the next few days you'll go to do something perfectly ordinary like pull out some extra nappies from your stash under the stairs / behind the cot / in the utility room, and suddenly you'll spot them lying innocently behind the packet. I hope you find them soon!

Sending a thousand hugs to Dream. My lovely you work SO HARD and I'm so sorry to hear you're feeling low. It's completely overwhelming dealing with a constant ache like your shoulder, plus exhaustion, plus trying to keep up with littlies! You are such a superwoman to have even got to 8 months without hitting The Wall before now! I hope your DH and your family continue to give you some extra support over the next few days, and you'll be fighting fit in no time. Plus the DTs are just about to start sleeping through, I'm convinced of this, and once you're getting proper regular sleep again the world will be a different place! Still, sending lots of hugs your way to get you through this bad patch.

Thank you so much for the stroller advice Biscuits and Pomme! I'll be checking out the XT, the Quest, and the Zia asap! Biscuits can I just ask, what does the Zia do that the XT doesn't? Which situation is each one best suited for?

I've been having such a PFB-day. I've been insufferable all day Please stop reading now if you don't want to have to hit me at the end of this post. Little A's just been so amazing today - you know when they suddenly just pull it all together! At her music class today she was zooming crawling all over the place at top speed. Also she's just so dexterous now, she can pick up small items really delicately and carefully with her finger and thumb (I think the BLW has made a huge difference with her dexterity.) Finally she kept using me to stand up, and then letting go and standing on her own. She can stand on her own for a fairly extended period now. I haven't timed it, and it's not up to a minute, but she really can stand for a while. When we got home this evening I plonked her down on her playmat and immediately went onto facebook on my laptop, bad mummy and DD just casually pulled herself up using the handle of her pushalong walker, and strolled over to a toy she wanted on the other side of the room using the walker. I was amazed her could pull herself up using the handle, because before it would topple when she pulled on the handle from below, but now she's clearly learnt to balance it and herself whilst pulling up. Anyways, these are all things she's done before, but today she just did them so effortlessly, so naturally. I'm so ridiculously stupidly proud of her, as if I have anything to do with it?!?!! I think I must be having some kind of hormonal rush, it feels like the first week post-birth all over again along with the manic broodiness for a second baby!

Apologies for the sickening and irritating post. I hope you ladies don't hate me too much for being so annoying. I feel like I spend so much time NOT saying all the things I'm proud of about DD, and sometimes I just want to sing it from the rooftops! I'm so happy for everyone else's babies as well though - I'm not totally evil! It's wonderful hearing about every development all of our babies are making. I love the whole world right now!

Any luck scarlet?

Thanks everyone, had lots of help from dh and my dad today, went to bed while the inlaws here, children in bed now so going to bed myself!

Glad you survived your first week back hawthers

I know what you mean pomme, I'd choose the small, friendly, child-focused school over the brand new, huge, all bells and whistles one but i reckon she'll thrive anyway and may be great for being confident in similar places in the future. She sounds bright, busy, confident anyway so shouldn't stress her out. My DD would freak, she cries if a stranger looks at her and won't try anything unless mummy does it first... Hope to build her confidence a bit before she goes to pre-school, though that's a while off ignores the no career break authorised issue that might see me back at work in March

X post scream, how fantastic little A!! I get a huge surge of love/ joy/ pride at the things any of mine accomplish, though that's limited to B clapping and waving occasionally and both rolling over, also occasionally. And DD trying to say a new word, being kind, showing real empathy, remembering something I can't believe she can recall etc etc- its a blessing of motherhood :) . Your A is remarkable though, not many doing what she is at her age!

I just wish I could get the sense of failure around S's lack of sleeping to bog off... When you stopped bf at night hawthers, how the heck did you get F back to sleep? Takes up to 2.5 hours here if I don't succeed with a bf

Oooooo B is clapping Dream?! How clever! DD just looks at us like we're crazy people when we try to get her to clap! She's also not big on rolling, like the DTs. She'll do it if she has to but she'd much rather just sit up!

That's so amazing when you mention your DD showing empathy. Now that's a skill that REALLY matters! It shows her great character, even at such a young age. It's the kind of thing you can't teach, and not all children will have. You must be so incredibly proud of her!