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

[scarletfingernail]

New thread, here we go...

it is a hard floor, but luckily with a big fuzzy Ikea rug! he did such a big cry.

Ouch - a tiled floor biscuits! :(

I'm so sleepy i can barely string together a sentence. I've still got to do my expressing dishes though. Poo. i should really express as well, i ended up with two meetings and not enough time for 2 breaks.

I'm sure he'll be fine Jaggy, but poor you!

Hurrah to E Biscuits!

The backwards thing that M, A and E all seem to have down is one Iz has mastered too. I can leave her on the mat, put the kettle on, and come back to find she's travelled backwards to under the coffee table. I think it's only a matter of time before crawling though - she's up on her hands and knees, can bunny hop, and today kept getting up on hands and feet. I think she knows she could move forward somehow, but hasn't figured out the moving one leg/hand forward then the other bit yet. It's only a matter of time. It'll either be a laptop, a phone or a cat that helps her learn, too .

Good luck with boot camp Scream! Hurrah for the nursery place too - I bet she'll love it. What will you do with a day to yourself?!

I know what you mean about sleeping through Too. When Iz went through her phase of good sleeping ,she'd either sleep through or wake once at 4am. I'd be more than happy to go back to that one! At the moment it tends to be three wakeups (and normally chucked into our bed at the last one, as I can't take anymore!).

Having lots of fun with food here. Iz's current favourites are mashed potato, fromage frais (only half of one, but think she may be ok with dairy at the moment, hurrah!), cucumber, apple, banana and houmous. An interesting collection...

Hoping for some sleep tonight. Finished a big project on Friday night/Sat morn, so I'm enjoying a few nights off before getting back to work! Just designed our Christmas card for this year, now about to finish Iz's Christmas presents...

Musical E does up on hands and feet, rocking etc, all those things. In fact he has been doing all those things for about 2 months I think! However I suspect he is in the minority for being so close without figuring it all out. A friend's DD was doing all those things and crawling within a couple of weeks. I think ds2 might just be a little on the slow side .

He did today make marginally more progress and sort of managed to get a teeny tiny bit forward then went backwards as per usual.

Third wake-up.

M isn't up on her hands and knees yet - she can either get her knees or her hands under her, but not both at once. She can get her feet under her but because she's not up on her hands at the same time it looks very uncomfortable, with her nose pressed to the carpet! Then she gets frustrated, sticks her arms out to the side as though she's flying, rocks from side to side and howls. She's constantly trying to push with her feet, though, so it really does look like only a matter of time until she starts pushing herself forwards. She can't cruise with her feet yet, just her hands - stands holding onto sofa/cot etc, starts moving her hands to one side, crosses her feet, always, always, moves one foot so she's standing on her babygro/tights/whatever on the other foot so it can't move, and then falls over. I don't think she's going to be dramatically early at anything. So far she's been either average or slightly on the late side for everything. I suppose she could still take off walking early, but seeing as she's not standing alone yet, at 8 and a bit months, I doubt she'll be walking by 10 or 11 months which she would have to be to be even with my brother.

Too she's getting all the wake ups out of the way now so she can get a proper night's rest. Fact.

Will post properly tomorrow, but just a quick one to say Christening all went well. I'll try and get a pic up of DD in her super cute dress (and maybe me) soon.

Back to normality with a thud though as DS is ill, don't know if it's a bug or constipation but he's moaned about tummy ache for 2 days and is quite bloated and I'm freaking out as per usual. On the plus side I had a phone call and was called in for my first CBT session today as someone else cancelled. I was dreaming of being cured in an hour but apparently my loonyness is going to take a bit more than that so will be weekly for the next few weeks at least.

Sorry to hear our DS1 is also ill Jaggy I hope he's better tomorrow. How's your 3 now Dream?

Yay for the nursery place Scream and a day a week to yourself. Bliss.

A tough day for the No Brookers it seems!! Sending lots of hugs to Jaggy and DS2, that sick feeling in your tummy after they fall is truly awful. :( Biscuits falling onto a tiled floor sounds especially scary - poor you and DS2! In the spirit of solidarity I just want to say I felt exactly the same when DD somersaulted off my arm while I was standing. I may be short but she was still over 4ft off the ground :(

Too you poor thing! I'm No Brooking that M heard your comment about wake ups before you go to bed not counting, so she's getting all the restlessness out of her system now before you turn in!

Little A has recently got into the habit of waking for the day between 9 and 10, napping for around 3 or 4 hours during the day. This is obviously contributing to her refusal to go down before 11pm at night, so I'm trying to get her up earlier and shorten her naps in a bid to bring bedtime forward to 7pm.

Today has been interesting. The new rules were going well until she got so tired she conked out for a third nap at 6.45pm (before I'd started the bedtime routine), thereby ruining my brilliant plans! So I tried a 9pm bedtime instead, and got her down by ten, which is an improvement over 11/12 at least. We'll see how long she stays down, and how she reacts to the water instead of milk when she wakes in the night... [somewhat petrified emoticon]

Trying to get my christmas shopping all done online this week, which didn't get off to a great start when I utterly failed to find anyone to look after little A for a few hours this week. Not sure I'm going to get anything done while I'm looking after her. I've tried the November online shopping for the last two christmases, and it's sooooooooo much easier than high street shopping in December! I don't trust posting times in December though, so it's online in Nov or battle it out in the shops!

By the way, is anyone getting an advent calendar for your baby? (Not counting toddlers). I was thinking of getting Little A one of those cloth calendars with the pockets which you put your own surprises in, but anything small enough to fit into the pocket would be a choking hazard. I might just leave it this year I think - what are you all doing?

aw, poor DS scarlet. hope it doesn't come to anything.

i have had an early night fail, but got my 4oz extra milk expressed, equipment washed, clothes out etc so sortedish for tomorrow.

R is still asleep since 9, I'm of course feeling guilty that it's because he's fallen on his poor head. DS1 seems to have settled ok, hope they don't decide to do tag team wake ups again tonight!

better try to get some sleep...

I didn't think things could be more stressful than they were but I was wrong. I hate money I hate houses I hate solicitors and estate agents and builders and roofers. I have just been in tears to dp and my folks. I want this week over. I feeling like I'm not sure it was a good idea to buy this house. What have we got ourselves into?

Oh no Ninja, what's happened?

Hope ds1 is better soon Scarlet - is it worth trying raisins or syrup of figs or something to try and clear him out? Glad the christening went well though. Yes please to pics . Hope the CBT works soon enough. Did you like the person? Nice to have a cancellation - did you find someone to look after dd or did you have to take her with you?

Scream - eeek for falling from standing. I have nearly nearly dropped ds2 in just the same way when he does an unexpected lurch. Bleurgh - these babies do test us don't they! Hope the bedtime thing works and she sleeps well for you tonight. You sound v organised with the Christmas shopping. We've done the boys and our niece, but not really anyone else's. we won't be doing an advent calendar for ds2. Ds1 had an advent calendar for the first time the year he was 2.3. Ds2 might get one next year if he's lucky (he'll be 1.9)

Cross post Ninja - what's happened? FWIW I hate moving house. No one seems to have any bloody morals and everyone seems to want to screw you over or rip you off . Is there anyone I can come round and sort out for you?

Two wake ups already here. Doesn't bode well.

Scarlet, glad the christening went well! Hope DS is better in the morning.

Scream, hope your boot camp works for the rest of the evening. Won't be getting Iz an advent calendar this year - will be getting a fabric-y thing (or rather, making one, I hope!) for next year. Not sure whether to do this myself, or whether to look for a kit in the after Christmas sales!

Biscuits, one of my friends' children was up on hands and feet for a couple of months before he got it. I'm not counting my chickens that Iz will get it soon, but judging by how desperate she is to get things - like catch the cats! - I'm thinking she might. If not, surely a Christmas tree will do it? That counts for all non-crawling brooking babies at that point...

Too, Iz does the rocking, side to side, sky driving thing too! Or at least used to - she's been doing it less over the last week, and been on her feet more. She also used to do either legs or arms (usually arms), but has just recently got the whole combining them thing - I think she keeps managing to make jumps forward somehow, and so is now persevering!

Didn't get round to finishing Christmas presents, but did get round to making marshmallows! They're in the fridge setting. Haven't attempted them before... desperate to see how they turned out!

Right, to bed...

It's just all a bit shit really. House needs structural work, we have quotes but v worried it'll be a money pit. Dp also miscalculated and left off vat on some stuff by mistake cue us realising we were 5k short for completion. My wonderful parents stepped in with a loan. It's a fucking nightmare, but hopefully I'll feel better once we are in. We just won't be able to afford to go anywhere ever again. Houses and childcare are stupidly expensive round here and I need to win the lottery. I think that about sums it up.

Right, I will gladly take all one of these waking up babies in exchange for a very very snorey husband.

Any takers?

Well Biscuits I ended up seeing out GP again today (who must be sick of the sight of us) as DS hasn't eaten since Saturday and has been doubled over in pain. He's never been constipated before but as he's not been sick or had the trots but feels bloated we think he must just need to do a poo but hasn't or won't for reasons unknown. I came out with 3 prescriptions, 2 for eczema cream and 1 for his still scabby head and nowt for his tummy . I asked the pharmacist about syrup of figs but he said it causes bad griping pains so I didn't bother. If he doesn't poo tomorrow I'll ring the GP and ask if it's ok for him to have lactulose.

Councillor lady seemed pleasant enough. She was very professional so it wasn't like talking to a friend, but she seemed confident she can help me. I'm so desperate for it to work I was in tears before we'd even started . Mum had DD for me. DS went to playgroup where apparently he was fine, although he didn't even any of his packed lunch so I'm not sure how they came to that conclusion.

Marshmallows sound yummy musical

Oh Ninja it is so stressful isn't it. I am sure though that you will feel better once you're in. You'll remember all the good things that made you want to buy the house in the first place rather than all the more troublesome points that seem to absorb all of your focus while you're completing the purchase.

STOP BLOODY SNORING MAN

It probably doesn't help if you're all snuffly and coldy too I really do hope that you can get through the week without it being any more horrible and stressful xx

Poor DS Scarlet . we were recommended SoF by a GP but he never mentioned the griping thing. If he is already doubled over in pain you don't want to add to it do you! Do you know when he last did a poo?

Glad the CBT is confident she can help. I am sure that you'll be feeling the benefits soon

Biscuits mine is snoring too, but unlike you I don't want to swap him. I need him here in case DS barfs. The last poo I know of was a small one Saturday morning. He shouts for me to come and wipe his bum .

That sounds shit Ninja, but your parents sound fab. Hopefully you'll feel better once you're in. Moving house is supposed to be one of the most stressful things you'll ever do.

Joining the multiple wake ups club, sigh. DD woke after a measley 45 mins (but fortunately just before the 11pm milk cutoff). Just as the milk was lulling her back to sleep there was a horrendous smell and I realised I would have to change her nappy. Wrestled her onto the changer only to discover that she has bad wind and a clean nappy It has taken a further half hour to get my now v pissed off baby back to sleep... sigh.

Hooray for Scarlet's DD's christening going well! Yes please to pics!! I hope DS feels better soon. Sending lots of hugs your way, I really hope the CBT works for you, and soon!

More hugs going out to Ninja. House buying SUCKS! Having work done to your house also sucks. :( However having a big gorgeous new house with space for your family and kitted out just the way you like it must be AMAZING! Hang in there!

Musical any chance a few of those marshmallows will find their way in here? Yum yum yum! Iz sounds like she's doing really well! Well done to her!

Biscuits miraculously when DD fell off my arm while I was standing she somersaulted 360 degrees and landed sitting upright in the chair I happened to be next to! It was like a bizarre circus trick! So she was amazingly unharmed but I still went upstairs and sobbed on my Mum's shoulder for a bit at the mere thought of how different it could have been!

oh ninja that's rubbish. :( hope things get less stressful soon.

DS2 didn't even sleep till midnight. meh. then i feel asleep sitting up feeding him. again. now away to attempt transfer...

DH is actually not snoring right now

Busy.

Mine are 7.5 months. Not up on knees, just roll off tummies, but can only roll that way, not scooting round anyhow... I'm worrying they'll never crawl like DD :( and that I'm not helping as not on tummies enough and as they just howl I just give them toys... Maybe they need to cry a bit for incentive to move, but they just get hysterical if i leave them. Hmm.

I'm worrying now, can't get S to sleep in his own cot again. he's been in with me since 1, walked round the house by dh when I tried to put him down to get B at 2ish. He's ill, so I'm letting it go but panicking I'm undoing all the work it took to get here.... All got coughs and colds, babies miserable, I'm knackered.

I definitely find when I'm more tired I worry over the children more but still can't see sense :(

ninja, there must have been a good reason you went for the house, just trust you'll love it once any horrible disruptive work is done . My dad would say never buy a house money can't fix ie wrong area, too small etc, doesn't sound like you've done that :)

I'm in with the millions of wake-ups, but hope everyone else's Brooking babies did better than mine!

Glad cbt has started scarlet

Oh, n I'm rubbish, chocolate advent calendar for dd

Ds1 had a choccie advent calendar when he was your dd's age (so either I'm rubbish too or neither of us are rubbish - I'm going with the latter). Ds1 has a wooden one with drawers that my MIL bought and then we put little chocolate Santa balls in each drawer and then each day I have to pick tiny shreds of Santa Claus foil out of the living room rug

Bf is Doing. My. Head. In. Ds2 is so easily distracted so if ds1 comes in / speaks / makes a noise / breathes / blinks / exists, ds2 just turns round to look at him either pulling on my boob as he turns round or just not bothering to let go at all . So then I end up having to send poor DS1 away so as to not distract ds2. poor ds1 - he's not being naughty or anything and I hate asking him to go to a different room - it's awful and sends him a horrible message . I think I'm nearing the end of my bf patience