March 2013 - gurgles, giggles and going on holiday (for some of us at least!)

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Will this do? Never started a thread before so hope this works...

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Thanks all! You could market that Any, the wearable paddling pool!

Madam had her last feed at 8.30 & is just up now. She had a snooze n her pram from 9.30-10 then a snooze on me until 11 while she got into a deep sleep and bad Mummy watched The Apprentice then a sneaky transfer.

Better night than we've had here in a fair while. Woke at 11.30 and 4.30 for feeds, and woke for the day at 7.50. If only I felt less snotty and more human so I could enjoy it.

DD and I are going on a solo camping trip. It has taken all morning to pack. Stupid stupid stupid. Back tomorrow everyone. I may have gone insane before then :-)

You're brave in this heat Eco, good luck!!!

Madam & I went for a walk with friends & dog this morning but she was drenched in sweat by the time we got home so we've just had a cool bath together & now time for some nappy free playing I think!

Camping! Very brave. Good luck staying sane and not melting.

I have a sneaking suspicion DD also has a cold. Snotty, coughing, grumpy, and extra sleepy. Poor child, although I doubt she's feeling as grim as I am or she'd be howling. I miss being able to breathe.

Today we acquired a giraffe-head rattle that squeaks when you squeeze the handle. DD thinks the squeak is the second best thing ever. The first best is when the man pretends to eviscerate her. She's a strange child at times.

Eco camping? Solo? You're a very brave lady. Hope it's a cool night for you, nothing worse than a sweaty tent (except for a screaming baby, of course).

Stormy squeaky toys are a big hit here. Ds goes nuts over his squeaky dino teddy, it has to go eeeverywhere with us.

Something it's barely broken the surface, just looks like a white lump still mostly under the gum. It's definitely turned him into a bit of a diva though, and I am not hesitating to administer calpol.

Spent some time today looking into nurseries/childminders and working tax credits. Very exciting, I know, but I'm having a bit of a head scratching moment. According to a government benefit calculator (the direct gov one) we can get £200 a week in working tax credits. Can this be right?! It seems like a huge amount and it'd double my salary... I feel a bit about it. Does anyone have experience of using these things? Anyway, would awesome if its correct.

Oh great. Crickets on (Eco does this have anything to do with your camping trip?)

You won't get two hundred a week, I can assure you of that. Never been in a position to claim them so no idea how much you get but I do know working tax credit has been cut a lot of late. Maybe they're including some sort of childcare allowance in there? Also, bear in mind IDS is a fucking lunatic and seems determined to push his Universal Catastrophe through - and there's no way of knowing what you'll be entitled to then, because they're not releasing the figures. I feel another rant coming on!

Yes Stormy that's due to three days nursery fees a week. The actual tax credit was more like £65 (this alone is all I expected) but taken together it gives me a bigger figure. Don't get me started on IDS! How on earth are families supposed to make decisions if we can't access accurate advice?

Oh dear. After finding out my job's probably been cut to three days a week whilst I've been off, now OH's job is moving to Milton bloody Keynes and he has a job still, but only if he commutes.... all this whilst we're about to cross the finish line (unless the universe really hates me) on our mortgage. Argh!!!

Aaaaaaarrrrgggghhhh. The cot gymnastics are driving me crazy. DD obviously popped down to the sweet shop while I wasn't looking and loaded up on sugar and e numbers and has been doing breakdancing since 7.30. After three pick up/put downs, a lot of shushing and some restraining (with my hands, not a straight jacket) she's finally gone off, but I don't know how long it'll be before she wakes up and tries to escape through the bars of the cot again. Hmmmm.

Fourteen degrees in tent ladies. Chilly!
Pretty daunting without dh for our first time but surviving so far. Eek!

Eco I'm hugely jealous, partly because I love camping, but mostly because of the 14 degrees!! Anyone else finding bedroom temps really stressful? The nursery hasn't been below 28 all week, and despite a fan and having tiddler in just a nappy, I've got serious SIDs paranoia, just like the good old newborn days! DH keeps reminding me they have babies in hot countries. It doesn't go down well when I point out we don't know what SIDs rates are in said hot countries...

Fourteen degrees sounds incredible. I am green with envy.

On the subject of breakdancing babies, I have just found DD lying on her tummy with her head at the foot end of the cot. Guess she's figured out rolling in the swaddle pod.

I keep worrying about the temperature too, but I remind myself that SIDS is actually pretty rare. It's so easy to end up thinking "If I do this or don't do that baby will die, because they're cot death risk factors." When actually, even if an overheated room increased the risk tenfold, if the baseline risk is only one in ten thousand or something, then SIDS is still very unlikely.

Interestingly, got woken up at 4.30am by a positively icy DD. Her room had dropped to 25 degrees (still pretty warm?) as the fan was on but her little arms were freeeeeezing! Fortunately, after cuddling and warming her up for 10 mins she went back to sleep. There's me worrying about overheating (and SIDS, obv) and not even thinking about underheating Don't think we'd have.survived the camping!

Arms no problem here yet, thanks to the swaddle pod. We're going to have to make the shift to a sleeping bag now though, as she's rolling. I see some sleepless nights ahead. Those of you who have already made the switch from swaddling (that'd be everyone, I think), how did you go about teaching them to sleep without their arms being secured?

Morning all.
Stormy words of wisdom about ids and sids! We made the switch overnight and dd was pleased to be able to consistently get at her hands to suck. We didn't have a pod though, just a blanket so arms would often break free anyway. Good luck.
Lala, should you be reconsidering your mortgage at this stage just to be certain it's the right thing? Sorry to dampen spirits.
The camp has been successful! Am amazed. Massage at 6.45. BAth at 7.00. Milk at 7.15. Sleep by 7.30. Woke at 3.15 for food then more sleep til 0645. I ignored her til 7.15 then pounced on her to congratulate her on being such a fantastic girl. Packing the car yesterday and worrying about bedtime were a bit stressful but normal I guess as it's our first time and am on own. Logistics bit complex too, for example going to toilet in night. But worth it! You should all try it. Best thing is she's now napping and I can't do any jobs so am going to lie in sun and crack open a magazine and some chocolate.
Oh, and We had icy hands here too. But her chest was warm so nothing to worry about. I think?

Maybe it's down to always having dummy but no hands available in bed, but DD doesn't find her hands enough of a comfort at this point. That said, there is still time - for all I know this time next week she may be an avid thumb sucker. She's in nothing but a nappy and a light sleeping bag at the moment. Went up a little while ago to give the dummy back, and she was kicking her legs and grinning. So I think she's enjoying the freedom of movement, it's just that she doesn't know how to go to sleep without her arms being gently held in place. I may have been lucky in many respects with this baby, but her ridiculous startle reflex is a sod!

Glad the camping went well. Reminds me of when I was tiny and all our holidays were in a tent.

And she's squeaking - obviously still not asleep. Damn!

Oh leni that is bad timing. Hope it works out for you, but as Eco said be careful about committing to a mortgage and a massive commute. It'll be tough going.

Eco you insane brave woman you! I'm impressed. Up mountains at 12 (was it 12?) weeks and now camping solo. Unstoppable you are now go away and stop making the rest of us feel bad

I'm now feeling insufferably smug that I failed so emphatically at the whole swaddling malarky, as I have no worselet retraining to do. She has out of necessity learnt how to sleep and whack herself round the face simultaneously. It's a great skill, if you are the parent.

Had a lovely sociable morning and a glass of the sparkling stuff (water... it was early) with the lovely VJ who is indeed lovely, with envy inducing hair, and a proper cutie of a baby to boot. Mini-vj was an absolute poppet, drank her milk, looked about, played with toys, thought about stuff. The worselet did the archy back trick and was sick down my shoulder . I will be having words later, when she wakes up, as the effort of it all has tipped her over into an unscheduled nap.

Stormy hope Mini-storm is over her snuffles. If not it could be a touch of hair fever. I've noticed the tiddler gets a bit bunged up and snotty after a day in the garden.

Hair fever . Did I really write that. I made myself snort tea.

I meant hay although hair is funnier

Eco so pleased for the successful camping trip. I'm quite tempted to do something similar but almost definitely won't so tell me, how did you manage night time loo trips? Was a she-wee involved?

Worse ooh that's two meet ups now, as Something and I seem to enjoy getting lost in country parks together. Who'll be next I wonder? We took the same approach to sleeping bags. He was in one the moment he was big enoug (3 weeks I think) as he broke free of the swaddle too fast.

We're having some very half arsed attempts at rolling but still nothing very convincing. However the babysaurus does seem to want to sit up. If he's reclining he seems to do a half sit up, and my mum assures me that's the beginning. Go baby, go!

We've got a lazy weekend planned. Our old housemate's coming to visit and he's excellent with babbies, so I reckon I can leave the parenting up to the men while I pour prosecco down my neck. Also, ladies, I'm seriously broody. Earlier the words 'I wouldn't mind twins' tumbled out if my gob before I realised what I was saying. Idiot!

There's something very wrong with you Plonk!!! DH & I have recently had a conversation of how long is it ok to leave it before number 2 rather than when shall we start trying again!

Yesterday we had a sudden rolling spurt & now today madam's getting very frustrated trying to repeat it!

Eco well done on camping success, I'm seriously impressed!

Stormy you're so right about SIDS & how small the overall risk is is something I try to keep in mind so I don't drive myself mad!

We had a very successful shopping trip earlier, nice cool jersey maxi dress with stretchy BF friendly neck bought for a party tomorrow. Some bits for madam bought from TK maxx got & I got remeasured (properly this time) for nursing bras. So much more comfy & supportive! Mothercare had made me a 36C which I suspected was wrong but went ahead anyway (idiot) then the bra threads convinced me to go to Bravissimo. I'm now a much more supported 32E!!

Mini-vj did indeed behave beautifully today (the worselet was very cute too, and allowed us to have a lovely natter, a sign of a well-behaved baby in anyone's book!) we clearly both found the whole thing exhausting as we came home and promptly had a 2.5 hr nap together. This does not bode well for bedtime...

I can confirm that wors is beautifully slim (not scrawny as she would have us all believe) and far more glam than she's let on with her baby jogger buggy and posh looking top (posh looking is about the best I can do as I was dressed head to toe in sainsburys...)

It's topshop VJ... I'm a canny shopper ! I shall henceforth refer to it as my posh top. I kind of like the idea of having one of those.

Glad you two had a fun meet-up! I definitely like the idea of a posh top Wors, I'll have to nominate one of mine that. VJ I too am dressed in sainsburys today with a nice leather belt & sandals in the hope of looking significantly more glam than I really am!

I need to rant! DH has been working long days (13hrs) for the last 7d & today was supposed to finish at 6. He text at 4.30 saying there was something about to start he's have liked to do but wouldn't as he'd then be home late. He's obviously gone ahead and done it as no word since and now 1hr 40 late leaving. Madam's playing up, the dog's barking, there's nothing here to eat as we were going to go & collect takeaway together & I was looking forward to having some help for the first evening in a while as we're doing away in the morning for 2 nights & need to get things ready. I haven't got any recollection of our discussion that all childcare at all times of day would be my responsibility & he'd help out when he damn well chose to but it's fucking me off.

Now that's all probably very unfair and would be regretted if I said it out loud but it's safe with you lot!