Nov 05 - Where the hell did those 6 months go?!

[Rodeo]

Here we go :)

Morning everyone Glad you enjoyed Wedding BEAR; do you have pictures??? D'you think C's wakig was teething pain??
Hey BROWNIE, have always fancied a trip to Stratford, possibly one en masse with family though due to me not being able to drive! Will have to investigate how far away it is; perhaps we could meet for lunch if the thought of 5 of us isn't too scary!!
Well, have bought the high chair...must learn how to do those link things!!
Weather rubbish today, so stuck inside at moment . Catch up later,
Diege

x-ed posts Diege.

Have to say Stratford is lovely, I paid it a visit when researching a Shakespeare paper at Uni.

Cross-posts NOVA!! The baby balm has been brilliant, and really soothed the sore skin. I've only used it twice, and the excema is no longer raised and 'wet'. HV prescibed fucibet cream, a steroid, but want to keep that only for really bad flare ups. Have actually sent an e-mail to company complimenting them on their products/service . On holiday food front, I think I would stick to organic jars - agree powdered stuff looks pretty gross; I think the breakfasts are ok, but agree about savouries!

Morning!

Had good night last night, lovely meal, bit of dancing and then a fireman stripper! Thought Jill might have been a bit embarrassed but she certainly didn't show it - she said she thinks she enjoyed it a bit too much Don't feel to bad today but my feet hurt from a new pair of heels....

Bear glad wedding went well - nothing to worry about afterall with your hair :)

Oh Brownie, bad nights, brings back those newborn zombified nights - we're not used to them anymore! Stratford is lovely, and it is probably slapbang inbetween us 'Northerners' and the Londoners, so quite a good spot for a national meet-up :) Maybe another summer meet?

Nova - I'd probably take a jar per day, a packet of weetabix, and buy yoghurts, and mashable fruits and veg, have you got a hob in the apartment? Although you don't want to be slaving away over a hot stove on holiday!! Agree on packet food (although Bella used to have a 'cheesy vegetable bake' one which she practically lived on ) so maybe an emergency packet?

Diege, oh god sounds like you've got a hectic week ahead (or is it next week?), good to hear BBalms working, might get some for J, her elbows are getting really rough and raised for some reason...

Right breakfast is calling, speak later :) x

Hi all.
Sorry I haven't been on lately, had a busy old week. DP is lots better after his extra week in hospital. I started work last week & did 2 shifts which was a shock to the system, to say the least. Ella cried all day on my first day away from her. She refused her milk & was absolutely starving, poor thing. It turns out my frozen ebm tasted sour & she didn't like it. I think I can get away with just storing it in the fridge as it keeps a week. Her food intake has improved & she's up to 3 meals a day now. Still waking up at night.

Just found out today that my brother is seriously ill so I'm heading up to Newcastle to see him. Don't think I'll be posting much for the next few days.

Sorry for the self-obsessed post & I hope you're all well with the babes are happy. x

Oh Karma, what a stressful week . Awful about your brother , post when you can . I'm sure Ella will settle into a rountine when you're at work; babies are extremely adaptable. Is she at a nursery ? (sorry if I missed that bit!).
RODEO: lol at you and your feet , must be a family thing! Sounds a great night btw, and the stripper !!!! To change subject completely, re: weetabix can they have it from 6 months?? And can we use cows milk at this age to add to foods ; I did know once I'm sure, but this whole 6 months things is throwing me a bit!! Remember starting with ready break for bfs with dd1, and advice was it's ok to use cow's milk to add to foods. Has that changed??
Raining now , where has the summer gone?

hello!

Oh dear karma! what a shame about your brother..but good news that your dp is better!

Diege - yes you can use cows milk in small quantities. Love the pushchair! bet that attracts loads of admiring stares!lol

Rodeo - sounds like great fun! I was supposed to be going to a club night called 'lost elephant ball' last night but my friends weren't meeting til 11pm which is too hardcore for me so we just watched some films and got a takeaway.

nova - boo at your dp being away so much!must be awful.if you fancy meeting for a shopping trip or something let me know!

speaking of sleeping bags tk maxx had loads of lovely mamas and papas summer weight ones at £12

well dp is paintballing today and will no doubt be at the pub til late after so i'm trying to think of something fun to do..maybe just go to the farmers market and sit in a cafe with my book.

I just left a magazine on the bed and O managed to get it through his cot bars and has ripped it to pieces..hope he hasn't eaten any he's like a cat with magazines..dangerously attracted to them and hits and bats them when i'm trying to read them..lol

oh..and i just bought O a swimming nappy..do you just use normal liners or are there special ones for water ?

Hey all, Bear - glad wedding went well.
Karma - so to hear about your brother, post when you can, if only to give us an update.
Diege, Stratford is about 1½ hours away from Warrington down the motorway, know this as my Dads family all live up your way, so it is a route we know well!
Yes,Rodeo, think Stratford is about as central as you can get between the Northern contingent and the London one, and for GG near Southampton, it is only about 2 hours from there too.

Think we may give banana a rest for a bit. like I said, we had sweet potato last night, but it made the rice very runny! might have to do all the potato, then some rice, then the bottle!
He is loving his fennel tea at the moment, just gave him some straight from the fidge, he loved it! Think he may have a chesty cold at the moment - going to phone Drs tomorrow to get it checked out cos he's had the cough for a week now.
Went to church this morning - we are trying to go once a month, to the family service. It was very nice as they try and involve the children as much as they can. They had a loads of kids being sheep this morning as part of the sermon! Thomas quite enjoys it - lots of new faces and singing! this morning, he decided to be sick all over Mummy, then put his hands in and wipe it all over my face!!!!! little monkey!

Anyway, it is grey and overcast here, but reasonably warm. T is currently outside, sitting in his bumbo, watching Daddy dig the weeds out of the drive

B&T

Bob, I thought you just used the swim nappy's as they are (but what would I know, haven't taken Thomas swimming yet! waiting for his cold and eczema to clear up a bit first).
x

Just a quickie - I give Nat weetabix in the morning made up with cows milk and a bit of fruit puree on the side. Cows milk ok in 'cooking' just not as main drink, and weetabix ok from 6 months.

BROWNIE: love the image of T sitting in his bumbo watching the gardening , so cute. Have 'cleared it' with DH, and we will be heading down your way in a few months time !!!Maybe coinciding with meet-up??
NOVA: thanks for reminders!! That's great, and means I don't have to faff about with nursery, putting an extra couple of ounces of formula in bottle for baby rice etc!! OK, so what's the recommedations for meat/chicken these days?? cheese ok? (sounding like a granny!!)

browie..how sweet!..it won't be long before he'srunning into your house covered in mud..lol

not sure about this swim nappy..it's normal 'trunks' material but only has a thin meshy part inside and what looks like loops to hold a liner...

sorry to be cluless, but are we talking about stratford upon avon (i'd assume by the shakespeare mention) or just plain Stratford? lol

I'd love to come if you arrange a meet there..but given my terrible timekeeping I'd probably book a hotel for the night before to ensure I don't miss everyone..lol
although.. I have a friend i could stay with in coventry..are there good rail links between coventry and stratford?

oh..I just bought pigeon breasts at the farmers market..never tried pigeon before but I'm going to make a rocket and redcurrant salad with it later..
and some unbelievably juicy pears for O..(well..if I don't eat them all before I blend them for him..lol)

Will catch up later, house full again and loads to do. LO gets entertained by all the kids but you always have to keep your eyes open, especially when they decide to change a very messy nappy for you amongst other things.

Latest update: LO now grabs his willy.

Hope to be on later to catch up when everyone goes home. Bye for now x

lol chacha..i remember my aunt coming round for a coffee and speaking in a hushed voice about her ds
'you won't believe..but he plays with his willy..all the time!..is it normal, should I stop him!?'

he's now 3 and his favourite trick is when they have guests he goes upstairs, strips, then runs downstairs and does a dance in the living room..lol..

maybe it's boys revealing their exhibitionism from early on! or maybe he just finds her horrified reaction funny.

Bob, yes Stratford-upon-Avon. And there are very good rail links between Coventry & Stratford.

Thomas, despite being very snuffly and chesty, has been a gem this afternoon, after watching Daddy do the weeding on the drive, he had his lunch - he has now been asleep in the garden for the last hour!! Have popped him in his pushchair, with one of those insect nets over it. DH thought it was another one of my impulsive buys!! but he now concedes that it was one of my better purchases, as there have been loads of flies on it! (but they can't get to my little man! oh no!)
Anyway, it would be ace if some of you could come to Stratford in the Summer - I don't work Mondays, but could probably get the day off if you wanted to meet on another day (Thurs & Fridays are T's nursery days, so would like to avoid those if poss, as we have to pay for them even if he's not there!) or you could do a weekend, specially if partners wanted to come. For older kids, there is a good playground down by the river, and they always have lots of street entertainers in the Summer - it's like Blackpool without the beach! (stipey deckchairs and everything!!! I jest not )

B&T

sweeto..my frind just came for O to take him while I get a facial and massage at neals yard..it will be so lovely!

other quite funny news..our neighbours asked me recently if I spoke french and I replied in french and managed a conversation..so now whenever I see them theyspeak french and sometimes I have no clue! and feel a bit

and very our lovely newsagent has just had her baby at 27 weeks (good news is he was 4lb 7oz which is amazing for that gestation)
..her husband is still working in the shop full time as they can't afford to live otherwise..
It sounds silly as they are only brief aquientences but I feel so deeply sad for them..
best wishes and hopes for them though!

sorry will be on in more detail later but Nat only has a limited attention span when it comes to MN.

Cheese and meat fine - in fact cheese adds to their dairy intake allowance (at least 600mls a day from 6 months). Don't give too mauch meat at first though as it can bung them up, maybe at one meal with lots of veggies.

righto I'm back, should know better than to come on MN when Nat wants to nap. Does anyone else ever sit there and watch their baby sleep? It's so lovely

I've decided to introduce finger foods as an afters course. It makes me very glad I didn't go the baby led weaning way as it takes so long, and the highchair and surrounding areas are a scene of devestation (although the cats don't seem to mind). So far she likes Heinz Biscotti (as does mummy), Dairylea strip cheese, tinned pears, and chicken. When I get round to going to the supermarket she'll be having slightly healthier things! Will try cucumber, cooked veg and more tinned fruit. Think she may be ready for lumpier food as she seems to chew quite well.

BoB - how heartbreaking for your newsagents .

If in doubt about the swim nappy you can get the huggies disposable ones. I did that for Nat when her swim nappy wasn't quite snug enough to capture any accidents, I just put the disposable one on underneath.

Karma - sorry to hear things aren't so good, best wishes to your brother.

Rodeo - glad night out went well, and I now have lovely mental image of fireman stripper...mmmmm..

Diege - the summer is only allowed to come back after wednesday.

Found that Nat loves it when I lay her on the bed and bounce up and down. Makes her really belly laugh.

nova- i can't help but watch O sleeping..theres something ethereal about a sleeping baby..

I'ts best in the morning when I lift him into our bed and he looks at us all bleary eyed and smiles..then snuggles up and dozes off again..so precious!

as for our neswagents.i just went in for some milk and they have been told he maybe out in four weeks! i am stunned but really happy for them..he must be a fighter! made me think..we were all lucky with no premature babies!

I had my facial ..it was lovely but I feel more 'tingly' than normal..does anyone else get that?
no massage as the girl i like was on holiday and the other guy is far too 'hard' for me..lol

Hiya

Back to being a nice day again today after the rain of yesterday. Owen has been making Sean really laugh. They are so lovely together, I've been really lucky with them.

Diege - I'm like you with the weaning this time round. I'm not really sure what I should be doing, and have been using books quite a bit (and looking at what Nova's doing )

BoB - the babies really do love the rustle of paper don't they? Next stage - boxes! Hope you enjoyed the pigeon. about your newsagents baby being so early, and he not being able to be there, but that's such a good size for so young.

Brownie - You haven't missed anything. The weddings not booked or anything, just me getting dreamy-eyed! It probably won't happen 'til dp gets his compensation, so a few years yet. We probably pass quite close by you when we go up to Buckley. We usually stop at Warwick services (I think, is that the fairly new open plan one?) s that near you? but we're about 20 mins further down the road tho, in Portsmouth.

ChaCha - very brave of you, letting other LOs change stinky nappy! Did you get the e-mail this time?

Karma - so sorry to hear your brothers not well , but good to hear dp's recovered from his stay in hospital. Sending best wishes your way

Nova - yes it is lovely seeing them sleeping so peacefully

Owen has his 1st afternoon tomorrw at his infant school. i really don't feel old enough to have a LO old enough for school!

Oh my frickin goodness...

DP just called me (obviously drunk) didn't ask a thing about mine and O's day and asked me to call some guy whos number is writen on our calendar that he wants weed from...

I don't mind if he smokes it on a night out, thats his choice, but him asking me to call someone, and ask them to come to our house with it is far far too much...argh..he'll really hear about this when he gets home..and after i had a nice day..grr grrgrrr

Hi all hope you all had good weekends.
Karma - sorry to hear about your brother am thinking of you.

Nova- we've started finger foods which Seth seems to love tbh he's only had bread and banana but he's always trying to grab the spoon when he's being fed !!

We've been away to see DH dad and wife this weekend. Kids were really good on the journey so that made things easier. Went to Cotswold Wildlife park on saturday which was good even though Layla just wanted to play on the adventure playground really and it drizzled with rain all day so most of the animals were inside!!made a nice change anyway.!

Still on for the 19th? MIL will take Layla for me so i'm up for it will be lovely to see you all again BoB are you going to make it do you think?
Where shall we meet this time? We could meet at the food court again?

Anyway baths running so i'd best run.xxx