JAN 06 - so what's THAT you're eating mummy?

[loomer]

Here we go then... I've also updated my album of photos on the \link{http://health.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/mumsnetpix/photos\Yahoo site}, it'd be great to see recent pics of all our angels on there!

Hiya SK,
So sorry to hear you're still having sleep probs. Thankfully Lola's gone back to her good-sleeping self. She's dropped her morning nap most days now and is having a 2-3 hour nap early afternoon, then sleeping 8pm til 7.30ish.
No confirmed date for Andy coming home as yet, first flights starting around 10th Dec and they reckon very last flight out will be 17th Dec, and with Andy being REME he'll probably be one of the last to leave as he'll be dealing with getting all the kit home.
My mum's coming down for a week this Friday, which'll be nice, might actually get a lie in (I know I can't complain, I should just go to bed earlier)! She's coming down for Lola's photo shoot (for the agency model book) which is on Saturday. It's in north London so getting there on half a dozen trains woulda been a nightmare. As well as the model book her pics will be on the agency website at bubblegummodels.com am really looking forward to it.
Got a fairly busy week this week, my mumsnet mate Karen is coming round for lunch with her baby girl tomorrow, then on Thursday I've got the battalion wives club committee coming to mine for a coffee morning (and I promised home-baking - what was I thinking??). Somewhere among that I've got shopping to do, a hospital appointment and to get the house straight for my mum & stepdad arriving on Friday. Arrggh I wish it was Christmas already!

Hi guys. Have been meaning to post for ages, but lack of energy and a warm comfy sofa have prevented me

V quick one whilst I have 2 mins....

Libby took her first step yesterday. V shaky. But she balanced and then stepped. V proud mama and papa. She's off and motoring around the furniture and into everything. The house gets baby proofed next w/e.

Tickle - hope everything goes well for T and his op.

BRider - hope you're recovering from your op. Ouch.

SK - good news about the job.

Oh blimey, have to go....

Hope everyone else OK. Sorry for those that I've missed....

More later

G xx

Hi all - thanks for good wishes re op. DH will come with me which will be nice - his profession means he can ask all the right questions AND understand the answers I'm pretty good, but I always come away thinking up 40 things i should have asked about.

Quick Theo update:
no teeth
sleeping 7.30pm - 6.30am Yay!!
perfecting a very loud unappealing wail when things don't go his way
climbing stairs is the new yoga
lots of standing and cruising furniture (steps imminent methinks)
Started playing hide and seek and crawling races with our other children

Goodness, lots of ouch stories for babies and mums!

Rach that hernia/testicle op sounds traumatic. Reading it makes me glad that Theo is only 10 months - at least I won't have to explain why he can't eat. I wonder if breastmilk is allowed?

Loomer - poor Scarlett But babies do bounce, and although you feel awful about it, they are right as rain very quickly. Just about all mine have crawled off things and lived to tell the tale! In fact Theo went off the changing mat here when he was only about 3 or 4 months

Lovely to have DH back But house is inexplicably messy again.

SK - out to work! at that size 8 - your girls won't get a look-in on the clothes... they'll fit you!!

BR - glad to hear you have had that op.. hope things are looking up

and Chuffed - not good to hear that things are still painful for you. Are you sure you can't badger the NZ equivalent of the NHS and be seen sooner? That can't be right. Sending lots of sympathy downunder.

So Lisa - what are you baking?? I have to start getting ready for our Christmas fair at the cafe. Tomorrow I start experimenting... gingerbread cupcakes for children maybe..?

T xx

Hi All

Great to hear all the news, and good luck with Theo's op Tickle.

Quick Poppy update - after a strange 6 weeks of stopping sleeping through and waking & screaming at random times of the night, she is now back sleeping from 6.30-6.30am (yeh!). What are all your experiences of sleeping during the day? Do they all still need their 2 naps and how long do they sleep for?

She has had the bottom 2 teeth for months and finally the top two are just emerging now.

Thankfully is a little less clingy than of late, although still grabs on to the bottom of my trousers at any given opportunity!

Will walk un-aided with a walker and often forgets that she can't stand unaided and keeps letting go and falling over!

Will keep reading your messages - can't believe they are nearly 1 already!

Hi all - Glad to see everyone's doing well. I've been avoiding posting recently as I've been a bit down of late (well, very actually - PND)but feel a bit more positive now I've been able to talk to someone about it & explain to DH exactly why I've been crying all over the place and being such a miserable wretch.
Luckily, my relationship with DS hasn't suffered (I don't think!)he's only just starting to sleep a bit better (DH has been doing the night settling recently and, as he's full of cold and can't breathe to bf, I'm not really bf anymore)

Barrelrider - you sound much happier now. Good luck with your "new you" plans

Sweetkitty - congratulations on the job!!! (am with you on the "old clothes too big" front - I keep pinching DD's size 8 jeans as none of mine fit - not a nice look for me though I'm just skin on a skeleton and it hurts tio lie down in the bath!!!- hoping to get back to size 12 soon)

Tickle - so pleased you have DH back and good luck for Theo's op!

Georgie - Yay!!! first baby on the thread to take proper steps DS has totally lost interest in walking (apart from cruising round the coffee table)as he's so speedy on all fours.

Lisa - good luck with the coffee morning (and for getting DH back home in time for Christmas - mine goes away soon and I only hope he won't be delayed back as he's not due home until 23rd Dec (maybe I shouldn't have typed that probably jinx it now ) We have all my family up for Christmas so at least if he is delayed I wont be on my own.

Wherethewildthingsare - how did your early Christmas go ? It must have felt quite odd doing it all early - but at least there are Xmas decorations around the towns eh!

Loomer - hope Scarlett's bonce is better I think every mother has a guilt ridden story. I carried DD up the stairs as a babe and cracked her head on the wall turning a corner - big bump and screams Are you still doing the archery by the way?

gott a go doorbell XX

Blimey - it all happens at once! Bumps, bruises, operations, modelling, jobs! All with Crimbo looming, how are you all feeling?

SK - Fantastic news about the job, I would LOVE to work in the kiddie part of Next, although it would be my downfall. Can't believe you're so slender, lucky you! How are you feeling now? I suppose things have to be taken one day at a time.. I completely agree on the baby/toddler front. I was with my friend who had a new-born the other day and people kept asking if it made me broody, they were all surprised to hear it had the adverse effect - I'd forgotten how repetitive and un-interactive new-borns are! Give me a grinning crawling chatting Bee any day!

Tickle - Another one hoping the op goes well, I think it is definitely harder on the parents than it is the littlies! He sounds absolutely adorable, as do gingerbread cupcakes Mmm, yes please! I love baking at Christmas, I'm hoping to make some white chocolate and cranberry wholemeal muffins tomorrow as I'm having some of my post-natal mum friends over!

Lisa - How is Lola now? Poor thing, and SO much respect to you for managing, you are definitely a super-woman! I suppose it is good that your husband will be back in time for Christmas, but only just, what a nuisance! Another fan of the pictures, can definitely see the model thing taking off! I'm glad that I'm not the only one who stays up later than necessary for some much needed "me/us" time, but then feels tired in the morning, completely non-sensical but I can't face bed at 8, it just seems so sad (although I often fall asleep on the sofa )

Chuffed - Blimey, flying all that way, I seem to be oozing admiration for other mums today! I'd love to go to New Zealand, always have, just don't have the first idea where to go, and am reluctant to stay in hotels because there's always something a little contrived about visiting the tourist areas, perhaps when Bee's older we'll try to orchestrate a house-swap, I do know distant relatives who live out there, but they are very distant!! Can't believe you are still so sore, eek! Have you tried any homeopathic remedies? I know there is an oil that can be massaged in to help stretch and relax tissue, but I don't know enough to advise further... might be worth a look whilst you wait for the gynae

Barrelrider - So pleased to hear your drink cravings have mostly passed, fantastic, well done you! It is such a battle but you are definitely kicking arse! Glad the op went as well as these things can, good luck with the conceiving!

Loomer - Yowch! How is the little escape artist fairing now? I'm glad she's ok, they do seem to bounce don't they? Touch wood Bee's not thrown herself from anything yet, she's tried but I seem to have eyes in the back of my head, it helps that I change her on the floor (was always too scared to have a table-top changing unit because I just knew I'd turn my back).

Wildthing - Goodness, your poor son! It's so hard when they are young because they've no real idea of what is happening and why. I'm currently soaking Bee's eyes with tea/breast milk because she has conjunctivitis (yuk), but she hates it and there's no way of explaining to her that is for the best. It's far from ideal because I really don't like handling eyes, it makes me feel super queasy. Hope you have a lovely early Christmas, let us know how it goes!

Georgiegirl - Check Libby out good on her! Bee has taken her first steps with her baby walker, she loves it, she keeps trying to walk completely unaided but can't, it is rather cute but also a little worrying (she's discovered she doesn't like falling down much!)

As for us, apart from the conjunctivitis (ikikik) Bee's well, as I say she's now toddling along and is a real mover. She's so active! She LOVES feeding herself, and she's still rather diddy, she still weighs less than 19lb, in fact she put 1oz on in 6 weeks! I think she's just so mobile now that everything gets burned off. I'm ok, looking forward to Crimbo but failing at being organised, ah well. Off to London this weekend to go to the science museum and meet my mum, didn't realise there was a Mumsnet meet, if I was feeling more adventurous (and it wasn't a two hour train ride home), I might have gone. Will wait until there's a daytime one.

Best get on, I go on don't I? But I like to respond to people, sorry for those I missed but my fingers might fall off if I don't stop now
xx

Poppies - Lola only has one nap a day most days now, and it varies, anthing from 1 hour to 3+ (at which point I go wake her!). She's generally sleeping thru 8 til 7.30ish on that.

Tickle - planning to bake something really chocolately. I figure if I have to bake, at least I oughta get something really decadent out of it!

Good to see loads of posting

Iris - my bum is still well padded I'm only 5'3" so no chance of me looking like a skeleton. You sound so down too honey from the BFing and lack of sleep (with you on that one as you know ) I feel kind of low right now as well not PND just loads going on mostly as a result of our horrendous house move last year with has cost us thousands so we are very strapped for cash right now. Still could have been worse keep posting though even just to rant.

Georgie - clever Libby there will no stopping her now

Poppiesmum - good to hear from you, T is also very clingy I find it very embarrassing when someone picks her up she strains to find me then tries to throw herself out their arms to get to me. Even poor DP finds it tough sometimes.

lilstarry - Bee sounds like a wee angel too, she doesn't sound ickle to me Abbie was about 17lbs at this age so Bee is doing fine.

They are great though aren't they

Hey, there you all are! I am very excited, as Scarlett took her first steps this morning - only two/three little ones but thankfully her daddy had not yet left for work, so he was able to witness it. I really, really must sort out the stairgate (nearly typed stargate there!) and fireguard situation now... blimey it happens so quickly. I can look forward to even more bumps on the head now !

Strangely she really can't get the hang of the baby walker, the fact that it moves really seems to freak her out... should I encourage her to keep using it do you think?

Poppiesmum - Scarlett is on two naps a day at the moment (one morning one afternoon). Both around one and a half hours. Not sure how we're going to get this down to one (hopefully by the time she hits nursery in February she'll be on just one nap after lunch).

Iris, really hope your PND gets better soon. Are you able to get any kind of help with it, alternative or otherwise?
My archery lessons have finished now. I really enjoyed them (came top of the class in the last one, I felt so proud as I've always been crap at sports!), but not sure wether to pursue it any further as I would ahve to buy equipment and join the club. All sounds a bit serious, but you never know, it might be my forte and worth practising. Hmmmm, perhaps I could ask for a bow for christmas!

Tickle - gingerbread cupcakes sound like a great idea... strangely enough I made a gingerbread cake on Monday, but hadn't thought of splitting it into little cakes. I will do that next time, then I guess I could ice them and do pretty things on top. My christmas cake is lurking in the corner of the kitchen awaiting a top-up of alcohol. Tried a new recipe this year from waitrose, made with cider, yum [licking lips icon here]!

Lisa, glad Lola survived the poppy incident, I'm sure it was delicious!

What's everyone doing for christmas/birthday presents? It's a shame they run into eachother so quickly isn't it? I've just got Scarlett a couple of small things from father christmas, as I'm sure she'll get so much other stuff in addition. For her birthday I've treated her to one of these from Mulberry Bush, as I know my parent's have got her a whellybug scoot-along thing. How about you lot?

I have a really quick question, according to my SIL (she's a nanny), Bee's conjunctivitis could be teething related! Anyone heard of this?? Bee now has one toothy-peg through and she is showing all the signs of teething (including some spectacularly filthy nappies), but I didn't link the two together..

Oh and whilst I'm rambling, she has two naps - 45 minutes in the morning, and 1 or 2 hours in the afternoon. It isn't that fixed though, today she had two naps in the afternoon because her first was interrupted. I don't tend to stay indoors so she sleeps according to where we are.

Off to bed, DP seems to have a virus coming and is all hot and shaky, hopefully I won't be looking after TWO babies tonight poor guy, he's never had man-flu before!
Night xx

just a late night post - Theo's op has had to be postponed, as he woke up this morning chesty as you like Wouldn't you know it Got all prepared, big 3 almost off to g'parents, dogs almost to sitters, ferries booked... ho hum!

But he is fine in himself, and eating well. Just laboured breathing and a bit clingy.

Nice to see so many posts - will try to catch up tomorrow.

Special hugs to Iris

And lilstarry many things can be put down to teething according to my mum... DH rolls his scientific eyes whenever she starts I would think she's just wiped something nasty in her eye Good luck

Can't say I've heard of teething and conjunctivitis being related. Having teething woes in our house too. Here's my latest solution

Tickle - how frustrating. I bet you just want it all over and done with. Poor wee soul.

Loomer - WOW! Congrats on the first steps! I'm dying for Lola to take hers. She loves toddling with her push-along walker type thingy, and today managed about 2 steps with only one hand being held. Much as I want her to take the first independent steps tho, part of me wants her to hold off on them til Andy gets home to see them.

Lisa - laughing at your Julio suggestion but hey I'm willing to try anything

Tickle - aww thats horrid poor you, at least little Theo knows nothing about it, when will you have a new date?

lilstarry - I too think like Tickle's DH and that teething gets the blame for anything wrong with a baby under 1, they cry it must be teething, they poo must be teething, red cheeks yea teething etc

loomer - I too feel really sad that their birthdays are fastly approaching and they are too near Christmas. T will never have a birthday BBQ like Abbie. For T's Christmas we have bought her a teddy and a wooden walker thing from elc. Feel a bit guilty but she has inherited so much from Abbie, also a lot of the things we have bought for Abbie T will play with too, thats the good thing about having 2 girls close in age. Abbie is getting a huge kitchen thing from Santa but I have really bought it for the two of them. She also has loads of Little People and T always makes a beeline (to eat them) first thing in the morning when she gets let loose on the lounge floor.

at all your LO's naps, T has a grand total of about ONE (yes thats one) hour a day, one nap of one hour!!! 12 hours at night (3 awakenings) the girl just doesn't want to miss anything.

Right I'm off I should be in bed. night night all x

Another quickie :

I was just wondering what you are all planning for their first birthdays, if anything? I'm reluctant to do anything TOO fancy, because she'll never remember anything, BUT as she's our first (and the first in both families and of my friends), I'd like to do something to celebrate, she's not as close to Christmas as some of our little lot, but it is still the middle of winter!

Would love to know what everyone else has planned, because I'm nosy

As for Christmas pressies (I'm sure someone asked?!) Bee is getting whatever other people buy her, and possibly some second hand Peekablocks that I brought from Mumsnet, but I'll probably save those till her birthday! I fully intend on keeping her amused with boxes and paper, I see no reason to buy her anything hugely special because she just won't remember, I'll probably get her something more for her birthday because that seems a little more important!

Off for a hot bath, had my friends over today and they have four under 5 - them plus Bee made for one crowded front room and lots of noise Lovely though and has made me keen on a bigger family!

Have a lovely weekend xxx

SK - ds sleeps for one sleep a day and most of the time we get about an hour too, he does sleep all night though.

Birthday/Christmas, with him being born on Xmas day we are splitting xmas up so our meal is going to be a lunch/2pm job and in the evening we will have a birthday cake for supper with pressies, more significant for his sister (2) but she needs to learn it is his day too.

We have a really cool wheels on the bus thing from Fisher Price which sings the line from the song when you move it so if you move the doors it says the door on the bus swings open and shut etc etc. We also have a large tonka truck but he won't get much, probably just a few things so that dd doesn't seem to favoured.

Bad luck on surgery Tickle, new appt after xmas now?

My LOs have always been more interested in the paper than the present for their first birthdays!

Know what you mean SK on the inheriting stuff... the only new stuff mine seem to get is from my mum

Chuffed... my DH was born on Christmas Eve (the big celebration in the Danish calendar) so he grew up thinking that Christmas is all for him! Especially as his dad is a vicar A bit tough... maybe a birthday party in term time when he's older would be appreciated!!

off to bed - yawn

that's a party for your DS, not my DH!!

aww always thought it would be cruel to have a birthday on Christmas day, think you should have an unofficial 2nd birthday on the 25th of June too

T is getting her teddy and walker thing more for Abbie to know everything is not hers. I'm sure T will be in amongst Abbie's toys though. For her birthday I am getting her a baby Annabel toy as thats what Abbie got and am asking for money from the relatives etc as I'm going to get around to decorating the spare room so she can move in there

oh it's 10.22pm and she is sitting on the living room floor watching Jackass with DP!!! Been to sleep at 7.30 as normal woke up an hour later and won't go back to sleep I got so fed up lying in a darkened room trying to shh her back to sleep whilst she played with me I brought her back downstairs (I know v bed)

Hi there. Have been reading all the goings on, but haven't posted in a while as haven't really had anytihng at all interesting to report. Not sure why, but am feeling a little blue at the moment. Not PND. Just bloody knackered and a smidge fed up with always thinking about someone else, doing something for someone else or ensuring that someone else fed, watered, happy etc. Love the girls and DH, but flipping heck, 7 days a week, 24/7 is beginning to take its toll. Just same sh&t, different day at the mo. Its not that M or Libs are difficult, or that DH doesn't appreciate what I do, its my own damn fault for wanting every sodding thing in everyones lives to be perfect so that I can't get criticised for being a bad mum or wife. Even when nanny comes every 2 weeks I'm running around doing this and that. Bluegh. Save me from myself. Am seriously thinking about going to the GP to ask for something for this ball of anxiety that I have in the pit of my stomach all the time. Actually, Iris is there anything I can take that will calm me down a bit?

God, now I feel awful for off loading onto you guys when I haven't been on for weeks. Guilt; its not just a catholic thing is it? .

Right, happy thoughts......we're off to our local church on 2nd Dec for a chat to see whether we can get Libs christened there. Would love to tie it in with her 1st birthday. Actually, here's a question.... ex-h is athiest and doesn't want Mollie to be christened, but I do. Would it be v bad of me to go ahead and get her christened?

Will just have small family affair type thing for L's b'day. Nothing fancy. Went all out for Mollie's first b'day and nearly killed myself with all the cooking. Do remember at midnight trying to put finishing touches to choc hedgehog cake and dissolving into tear as realised that looked more like arthritic gopher .

Christmas shopping pretty much done. Got Libs a trike and some duplo bricks. Family have got her toys and Ma and Pa have got her a wee rocking chair... that she'll fall out off a brain herself no doubt.....

We're off to Centre Parcs in Longleat from 22-29 Dec with Ma, Pa, bro and my bezzer mate. Can't wait am so excited. Have booked us into everything . Carols, pantomime, ten pin bowling, swimming, spa etc etc.

Libby update as follows:
2 bottom teeth (top right just coming thru - finally)
2 naps - 30 mins morn and 1hr 30ish lunch
goes 6.30pm-6.30am
eats anything (incl sardines with creme fraice and fresh basil )
walks couple of steps by self. balances by self. zooms around on baby walker and cruises all over furnitire.
can thro strop and give 'evils' like a 15 year old
generally happy, chirpy little girl.

So, that's whats going on with me.

Iris - hope the PND lifts soon.
SK - have you started work yet? bet the freedom makes you feel dizzy!
Tickle - sorry to hear about Theo's op being postponed. What a pain for you guys.
Lise - not long now until A is back. How did L's pics go? Have you been yet?
Loomer - great new about S's first steps.
Chuffed - poor DS having b'day and Christmas together. But, am sure you will make it really really special for him. My poor dad was born on 22nd Dec and he only ever got one set of pressies. Boo.

Sorry if missed anyone but stomach growling and need to get some nosh pronto.

G xx

Chripes, I've killed the thread...

aaaarrgghhhh

Hi all

Just a quickish catch up -unfortunately cant keep in touch the way Id like. DH now working away 4 days a week so pretty busy. T still not sleeping through. Has been persuaded to go to 4ish now sometimes 5 so getting 6 hours. Hopefully will do the decent thing and go to 6ish soon.

She has decided to keep rolling only. DS was in full crawling and into everythng by this stage ie 9.5 months so I think a bit of crawling/walking might make her a bit more tired but she just likes to sit and roll!

A bit tired and DS has been playing up a lot but they are still little treasures and could be a lot more difficult.
Still havent worked out what to get her for Xmas. DS birthday 2 Dec so getting that organised first! Did buy them a second hand playhouse on Sunday so will be a present for them both!

SK Hope it gets a lot better soon for you.

Bye for now

Hi all - just testing out my new laptop (prezzie from DH for my birthday - had a surprise birthday party on sat - italian meal for 40 with disco & complimentary "pole" for dancing!!!!!!! we had an absolute scream!! feel 18 again )

mumfun - good to hear from you (and I really sympathise with the DH away bit - mine's off for a month next week )

Georgie (killed the thread? - lol!) have you tried Bach Rescue remedy? (available in Boots & good for general or sudden onset anxiety)

DS sleeping a bit better & DH doing a lot more so I'm feeling slightly more human.....famous last words now he's howling will catch up tomorrow - night night all

Hi Georgie - I was about to say Rescue Remedy, but Iris got there first My mum likes it, and she's a real fretter!

Know what you mean about caring for all of them getting on top of you... so try to spend a day with appallingly low standards, like I do It's the only way to go when you feel knackered. Then you can sort it all out when you have some energy back, and it will all be done in half the time "Ah, f**k it" is an expression I have been using a lot lately, usually directed at a pile of washing or a dirty sink. It doesn't make it go away, but I feel better!

If you can, get DH to take the kids completely out of the way for the hour before dinner - that also helps a lot. Spoil yourself a bit, it's almost Christmas after all

Iris - you party girl!! What a lovely surprise Now with a laptop you have no excuse for not posting... except of course all the usual ones (think howling LO, mounds of washing, etc etc)

Theo's op is now this week, so off early tomorrow for monitoring, then if they want to intervene he'll have a general on Fri. At least he has thrown the cold off now, so is fit for it all.

Should go and bake now for our Christmas market... it's the first weekend in Dec, and I'm determined to have everything ready well in advance. That would be a first lol! Pressed chocolate cakes today then...

By the way, what do people's DHs/DPs do??

(ooh that doesn't sound much like english - have I been away too long?)

We know Lisa's DH is away in the army, but I'd love to know what kind of work drags these daddies away.

DH & I are lucky enough to spend a lot of time together, and the 3 wks DH just spent in England was the longest we've ever been apart. Spooky!

Txx

dh is in IT, and is a consultant project manager for some testing implementation at the moment. In UK he was UK, Europe and Asia IT Manager for the company he worked for. It isn't really work that takes him away it is the windsurfing and kiteboarding