Still brooking no argument whatsoever that these babies are happy, healthy and awesome for 2013 too.

[jaggythistle]

eh. attempt at new thread. yo.

Just checking in to see how Pet got on back at work today? I hope it wasn't too bad?

Those of you on FB will know that DS did indeed come down with the awful sickness lurgy over the weekend BUT I did cope well and cleared up the carnage (which was by far the worst I have ever had to deal with) by myself. I'm still worrying about me and DH getting it but hopefully in another couple of days I'll relax a bit more. The DC are both fine, fit and well again which is great.

I'm really surprised Stacks that your bro and his GF have not been provided with a vibrate monitor already, I'd have assumed that was something social services would hand over automatically in their situation . Great that your nephew is doing well. How is your Dad? Has he had his op yet?

Scarlet thanks for your thoughts - I'm going back part-time so my first day teaching is today! Eek! I'm sorry DS came down with that awful bug but a massive well done to you for coping with it!

After 2 nights of 2-hourly wakings, DS managed to sleep 8pm-midnight, 12-5am then till 6.30! Bless him - I feel so much better, just when it really matters. :) And I successfully resettled him without milk a couple of times in the last few days, so thanks Gen and others for your words of support about night weaning.

Pomme ciao! Good luck with the ILs!

Dream glad B is such a little superstar. He sounds lovely. Hope you get S's puking sorted and then maybe sleep will follow...? Sorry to hear about your difficult lunch. Was it a bug it just One Of Those Things?

Too I'm sure M was all sweetness and light once she woke from her nap and won't even remember the screaming.

Started this while feeding DS; now at work so will post and run!

Pet, I hope your first full day back is going well. Great news re the night weaning and better sleeping patterns!

Scarlet, I saw your news re your DS but didn't get chance to post about it. Sorry he got it too, but it sounds as though you coped brilliantly. Is it a fear of you and your family getting ill that you struggle with? I get a bit like that at times and have to work to control my reaction to things like people sneezing around us! I think if I 'let' myself I could be a bit OCD about stuff like hand washing, so I sympathise.

Stacks, glad your bro is doing well. To echo Scarlet, how's your dad?

Pomme, enjoy the visits and birthday!

Dream, I hope you can get to the bottom of DS's puking. Sounds excessive, so perhaps some good drugs will sort it out. As always, you are superwoman!

Too, you are a fab mother and I won't hear a word to the contrary!

I am feeling quite smug. DS has managed some daytime sleeps in his pram (haven't made it as far as the Moses basket yet, but it's almost the same thing as I'm talking about a stationery pram in the hall). He has even managed to get himself to sleep a few times, occasionally with a bit of help from the dummy, but for his first morning nap, he seems to go off no problem after we get in from taking DD to playgroup. No joy getting him to go to bed earlier yet, but to be honest I quite like the evenings of BFing and watching tv with him cuddled up! He usually goes to bed around 11pm, then wakes around 2.30 or 3am for a feed, then back to sleep til 6.30 or 7ish, so I'm very lucky really. Had his first injections yesterday, but they didn't seem to bother him too much.

Hope everyone is well. Thinking of Scream, not heard from you in a bit, hope you're ok. And also thinking of the triple whammiers now that all three have sneezed!

Aww Gen it sounds as though your DS is doing brilliantly, well done that boy!

Yes Gen this is what my anxiety thing is about really. In every other aspect of my life I'm very together and in control. I'm outwardly confident, have lots of friends and not "flakey" in any way. But since I had DS I've developed this health anxiety, mainly to do with puking, but also obsessing about illness, disease and viruses. It's bizarre really. I recognised quite quickly that it had the potential to really cause me serious problems so I went to my GP who referred me for this CBT I've been going to. Without boring you with all the details I've now realised where it started and why it bothers me so much. It had started to creep into other stuff like worrying about other people's hand cleanliness etc so yes it definitely is an OCD type thing.

I hope it's going ok today Pet

How's DS getting on with DD Bartlet?

Hello all.

Quick work report: was quite a nice day, actually. Met my lovely Year 7 group and had a good lesson with my Year 9s who have the potential to be difficult. Also met my Year 8 class who are going to be challenging. Today will be more stressful though (yesterday was the easiest day on my timetable). Also, the deputy head met with me and my manager to sort out the disaster of my first day in and somehow glossed over the whole issue. Instead she just talked for 45 mins about how to manage the problem that some of my classes are now shared between 3 teachers and we're meant to be teaching the same topic, which will involve lots of time-consuming liaison. So that was all a bit bizarre.

Gen DS sounds like he's doing brilliantly! Yay for the good sleeping!

Ok, DS has finished feeding so I've got to rush now or I'm going to be late!

S and I have d&v, all 3 dc have coughs/colds, b has really bad conjunctivitis in both eyes.

At my mums, thank goodness, as more help but babies had us up 9 times last night and 11 the one before. Fucking awful. Excuse the language but it deserves it!

Happy birthday little A, can't believe you're one!!!

D'ya know, for the first time I'm really thinking 3 might be enough dc. I'd be scared of another baby as high needs as S... Who obviously has not been to the doctor's yet now, but we've stopped soya too (without replacing it with anything yet either ) He's still puking, but still has bad diarrhoea too, so who knows what's the bug, what's the mucous from the cold etc etc. Sigh.

Well done generic, sounds amazing re the naps, and battlefield, long may efficient feeding last
Got to go , only dragged myself in briefly, sorry for missing people out...

Incidentally, s is teling and poking so small compared to his brother now I'm going to actually get him weighed.... And as I've not been able to eat anything for a couple of days now I shall be thin and glowing once I'm better, no?!

Teling and poking?! Auto correct, what are you doing?! Feeling and looking!!! Random strangers pointing out one baby much bigger...

Oh, and still no crawling from either...

Oh dream that's awful. I was feeling sorry for myself being woken up every 1.5-2hrs last night. I stand corrected though, I have a breeze compare to you! Really hope everyone starts feeling better soon. Can you do the old bathroom scales to weigh the boys? I do it with T. The weights won't be right, but they'll be proportional to each other. You can then compare S and B in weight without leaving the house initially.

pet glad work is better these lady couple of days, though its a shame your manager got out of discussing his awful behaviour with the head. Perhaps he knows he was in the wrong though, so purposefully got out if talking about it. It's good he's ashamed, he should be!

gen DS sounds like a little star, you should be feeling smug :) but don't get used to it it might all change long may it continue.

Too scatter brained to remember what else I read, sorry. I think my bro has got his monitor now, so dad should be off the night shifts. He's far too obliging and has been doing all the work of the baby overnight, instead of waking up bro/mum and giving them the baby.
Dads doing ok, got an appointment with surgical team on 1st. He's anxious to get things moving, and also just anxious about everything that will happen once it gets moving. We didn't manage to get down to London to help with cleaning, but he says he's done ok on his own. I'll go down to visit my nephew soon and stay overnight with my dad and see how things are. I find this all so hard, I was mum to my brothers and 'partner' to my dad while growing up. It's like I've abandoned my family and children to have a child. I left home at 16 to start my own life, but I also never really left. Sorry, just a bit sleep deprived. I can't help worrying though, if things don't go we'll with this surgery, all this responsibility for the family falls to me.

Sorry for the typos!

Aw stacks, you can only do so much with a new baby of your own.

Dream that sounds horrendous!

I've been of work for 2 days with some bug. Headache, sore throat, aches and was a shivering clammy mess this morning. Hardly are a thing yesterday, but have ruined it this afternoon. was feeling a bit better but lazy and found a 100g bag of mini eggs in the cupboard...

Both boys noses are streaming but DH has been keeping them away from me apart from when R needs fed.

Although I've felt like crap, it was almost a relief to get a break from work as I was feeling shattered.

Y y Jaggy this work thing is hard! So sorry to hear you're ill though. Mini eggs sound ideal to assist with your recovery. :)

Dream I'm just in awe of your ability to cope in situations where I'd be a weeping mess. The DC being ill is bad enough, but now you as well? Aargh! The D&V is Going To Stop. Now. The Brookers command that it will be so.

Stacks your family were so lucky to have had your love and support while you were still a child. You can't help moving out and having your own family - it's right and natural that you should do so. I'm glad your nephew is doing well, and your dad sounds absolutely brilliant - bless him for doing the night duties. I hope he continues to be well himself. Is T still unsettled? I hope the growth spurt is over soon, if so.

I worked solidly for 9 hours today, except for about 20 minutes when I had lunch. Am exhausted. Had to phone 2 parents about their delightful offspring's behaviour already. Barely saw DS today. :(

Buuut never mind that - happy birthday to A! Hope you're all enjoying the big day!

Hi! I'm just popping in quickly before I jump in the shower. You'd dropped off my threads list! Hope everyone is ok, will try to catch up over the weekend but not sure if I will have time. RL is taking over, not sure if I like it!

Sorry to hear about the illnesses, especially yours Dream, I know you could really do without that.

Ds has gone from being totally settled, to the opposite. He just seems so uncomfortable after feeding, arching his back and making straining noises within moments. He does burp when I wind him, but the pain seems to be coming from the other end. He is finally having a sleep in his Moses basket, after being awake all day, apart from 10 minute doses. I just feel sorry for the little boy today

How are you getting on, Bartlet and Green?

Sorry to hear about the illness. Dream you are building up some serious good karma, maybe it is time to cash it in?

My Gran has been diagnosed with Altzheimers :( It's in the early stages and they are starting her on tablets to try and slow it down. I feel sad for DD that she isn't going to grow up knowing her 'properly'.

Little have you done baby massage? There are some actions that can help with wind

Is he 2 weeks old now little? That's when mine both changed. Or is he less or more? I'm rubbish at remembering. Dairy was the culprit for my worst

?? D&V All over as of today but i hardly dare say it in case I jinx it...

Though I have had my Worst Parenting Ever day too. Shouted at 2 out of 3, just was useless in every way, so dispirited about it. They had us up 11 times a few nights ago, then 9, then dh was so exhausted I couldn't wake him last night so i battled my duo alone til 3, he got a bit more sleep, but i lost the plot at 5:30. Hence terrible day, but also DT1 is even more demanding after having my mum around the last 4 days so trying to demand the level of attention to which he'd become accustomed but dh and I can't provide. He is such hard work. It's awful to say, but more than financial/ house space/ pairs of hands/ any other reasons, having another baby like him puts me off going for dc4 :( *disclaimer, of course he's loved, very much so, but hes a high needs baby and its hard...

So I'm feeling awful and just came for a quick rant.

While trying to get DD to sleep. On the landing, as per the good old days . When I NEED to be in bed.

Rubber so sorry to hear about your gran. :(

Little how is DS today? Hope it was temporary discomfort and not the start of colic.

Dream high needs babies are very hard work at the best of times, and you're trying to look after S with DD and B as well. Of course you can't be the mum you want to be when you're shattered and have 3 LO's needs to consider. I'm sure that as they get older, S will become easier. Meanwhile I'm glad you have support from your family. Huge hugs to you for coping with what you're going through. Meanwhile, feel free to rant here whenever you can! It's what we're here for.

Oh, on another topic completely, I remember you mentioned that DD used to fall like a plank? Well, the DD of one of my friends is doing the same thing. If you have time, can you suggest how they could help her learn to sit instead of crash?

Hope everyone else is well. No time to namecheck, but greetings to anyone lurking. Come and tell us how you're getting on, if you have time!

Sorry to hear about your gran Rubber

Dream, it always sounds like you're doing an amazing job. Try not to focus on one bad day, it won't be remembered in the long run.

Ds is still a bit unsettled, but (touch wood) I don't think it's the onset of colic. After consulting dr google, I think he might be straining to poo with every sensation of his digestive system, and he just needs time to learn to control it. It's no fun being a baby, I'm sure they want to go back in until they're a few months old!

Hello everyone!

Dream, FX that the D&V is OVER for you. How dare it bother you? 11 times in one night is dreadful. I'm shattered after M being up 3 times last night, and that's unusual for her (now). You've had it never-ending since the DTs were born - and the nightmare with DD before that. Brooking really hard that S turns a corner with his sleep tonight!

Rubber, so sorry to hear about your gran. My great-granny has Alzheimer's and it took a fair few years to develop. Looking back, she was probably suffering from it for years before anybody realised - we used to joke about her telling us the same story over and over. If your gran's has been caught early then I hope the treatment will help to slow it.

Pet, how is work going?

How's DS, Little? Poor little beastie. You did make me laugh by saying they want to go back in - by the time I reached 37 weeks I just wanted M out!

Quick question: we got the appt through for M's MMR - 21 March. I can't believe she's nearly 1! Anyway, it's on a Thursday at 9am, and she would normally be at nursery on a Thursday. Can I send her to nursery after the jab, or should I take the day off work?

Went birthday present shopping for M yesterday. We got totally overwhelmed in Toys R Us so came away empty-handed. In the end we decided to get her her first pair of Clarks' shoes, because she can now go step-step-dive towards us fairly consistently. Sometimes she even does step-step-step-dive! She'll need shoes for toddling about outside/in public places. They are little purple leather shoes and she looks so cute in them! I hadn't really given shoe size or fit any thought, but they measured her feet properly (she's a size 3F, whatever that means) and then tried shoes on her and felt around her toes and the straps to make sure she had enough space for growth but not so much that the shoes would trip her up. Then we went into Waterstones and got her a book with a lion puppet in it as well.

I am full of the cold, and so is M and so is DH. Bloody nursery! Yesterday M was coughing and making little sad noises afterwards with pain - I felt so sorry for her! She's already had Calpol this morning. I am at work with a supply of tissues and paracetamol. She was up 3 times during the night and had Calpol the first time, bfed the second and when she woke up at 5 I gave up and took her to bed with me. Which meant that I ignored the alarm and didn't get up until 6.50, which made me v late for work.

DD has reverted to being a newborn. A newborn who won't sleep! How has this happened? This is a new one on me, the last 2 nights have been awful. She is full of snot and I think teething. Her stamina to stay awake is unreal! I've spent last night downstairs with her, she'd fall asleep in my arms and every time I lowered her down her eyes flicked open and then she'd cry so loudly.

The night before we had her in bed with us which was worse. I have never had either DC in bed with us for the night, what a shock to the system that was.

I really hope it's just because she's feeling a bit off it for whatever reason and normality will resume ASAP!

Dream I cannot even begin to imagine how awful last week was for you . Thank goodness your mum didn't mind having to help out. Brooking big time that's the end of all the hard stuff you'll have to deal with ever!

Too I'd go with sending her to nursery after the jab if nursery say they're ok to have her. With the condition that if she needs you or she does have a reaction of some kind you can be there. Play it by ear I suppose is what I mean. FWIW DS had no reaction whatsoever to MMR or any other jabs, never even had Calpol afterwards. But I would advise you to rearrange it if she is still full of cold. If she did have some sort of reaction you'd know then that it's the jab rather than viral symptoms IYSWIM.

Thanks goodness they don't go back in Little

Sorry to hear about your gran Rubber. How sad.

Hope you're ok Ninja?

Are you feeling better now Jaggy?

Maybe I should book the 21st off and then I can go pick M up if she's ill at nursery. and if she's not I can lie around the house all day I hope to god she's not full of the cold still by then!

Scarlet, poor you! And poor little DD. Did either of you sleep at all with her in the bed the night before last? I find co-sleeping means I doze uncomfortably, but I can cope if it doesn't start before 5 (at worst). I try to get M to go back in her own cot if she wakes before 5.30, but this morning my resistance was shattered by her banshee wails at 3 am and I wasn't up to trying to enforce any rules. And besides, if she's ill then she can't be expected to sleep all night/behave/self-settle etc. Brooking really hard that this is just because DD has a cold and is maybe teething, and that it will stop tonight. You have my sympathy - M seems to have gone cold-teeth-coldANDteeth for the last fortnight. I'm getting a bit worried about her Calpol consumption. She's never had it as frequently as every 4 hours in 24, but she's had it once or twice every day for at least the last week. It's all blurred into one.

On the teeth front, M now has the top two and the bottom two just breaking through and she keeps grinding them! It's a horrible noise - it sounds like it hurts. It makes me shudder when she does it.

Brooking for everyone. Seems all babies have colds/arent sleeping. Naughty babies.

Same situation here, dh ill too so snoring loudly and moaning a lot. Probably prefer the snoring.

PILS here too. FIL fine (sleepy as scarlet noted on fb heehee) but MIL is even more mental than ever. Luckily now its so obvious that dh and even dd1 have noticed. She basically pretends she is dd1's mother whenever she is with her. Lets noone else play with her, keeps of a constant stream of shite chatter coming out of her mouth as another barrier to everything and pulls dd1 away if she is upset and/or crying for dh or I. Also dictates what she can eat/watch on telly/when's bedtime etc, never defers to us and gets annoyed if we butt in and put her straight. I am a bloody saint to have not lost it with her quite frankly .

Back to brooking for all and trying to work out how to get dd2 her 13 month jabs out here... Oh yes, and better do some work at some point (dh at home with kids and PILS!).

Popping in while Iz naps on me. I keep reading the thread at night, but forgetting to post...

Too, purple shoes sound SOOO cute! Purple's my favourite colour. I may have to go hunt down the same shoes when we come to get Iz some. Step step dive sounds so cute!

Scarlet, argh to the non sleeping :( Hope it gets back to normal soon!

Dream, hoping you're a zillion times better, and that the DTs are behaving themselves better at night :(

Pomme, you definitely are a saint! I go a bit mad over how barmy my step MIL is with Iz - and she's nowhere near as bad as your MIL!

Sorry to hear about your gran Rubber. Hopefully early diagnosis and medication will help make things easier..?

Sleep question for all you lovely brookers. Once your DC can stand in a cot, do you still put them in sleeping bags? When do you graduate out of them - or don't you? Iz's favourite thing when she wakes up is either to sit in the middle of the cot, bash things and wail.. or to stand up and shout. I've seen her try to go from sitting to standing and get tangled in the bag and clonk her head... which is why I'm wondering if we should move on from them - but they're so lovely and warm and sensible!

Stuck waiting in for a parcel today. Oooh here's another question - crawling babies outside - any sensible way of letting them roam free ish?! Iz loves outside, but hates being in the buggy if we're not going somewhere... would love to spend some time in the sun and maybe get some gardening done but not quite sure how!

I kept DS in a sleeping bag until he was 2 Musical when he switched to a quilt. Yes he did toddle round his cot in it but he didn't have it on when out of the cot. The transition from sleeping bag to quilt was a PITA, it took him a while to learn how to pull his quilt up when he was cold and used to cry when it came off.

Do you have a playpen? I used to find a shady spot in the garden for DS's and let him play if I was busy out there. If not, just a blanket and some toys but it'll mean you not being able to do any gardening.

Pomme your MIL! Has your DH never said anything?