December 2012: the little monsters continue to surprise us.

[MaMaPo]

I for one have a very surprising baby.

Good sleep 2blessed.

Hope h is ok Hales sorry your mum turned up assuming to stay that would annoy me too.

ISpy I haven't broached wiping after a poo with dd yet but she often says 'no you do it' when she has to wipe after a wee. Luckily she's still going enough for 'I bet you can't do it when I'm not looking!'

And I was woken up by mum mum mum

The Little Mister slept for 10.5 hours last night!

Hello ladies.
Good to see nights are getting better. DS has improved and now wakes once or twice during the night and so I'm feeling better.
He still doesn't nap. If he wasn't such a giant whinge I wouldn't mind . He is a wriggling crawling menace with an addiction to playing with cables and in the last few days shouts and fights during nappy change too . He has always been very active, even when he was tiny. My mum commented on how much he wriggles at a nappy change when he was only about 2.5 months - and that's after us four and her working for many years as a nanny and then child minder

I need a break!!! If DS sleeps its for about half an hour. This morning he was really tired after breakfast and went off to sleep in my arms. It was lovely. He was soooo tired. I put him down in his bed and he woke it seems the few minutes sleep were totally refreshing and he is now bashing the baby monitor on the floor.

I know it will pass (god I hope so!) but the feeling that I need to work on naps is slowly crawling up on me. Last time I tried it upset all of us, I really don't know what to do to make it better.
I just want time to be able to normal things like shower or make lunch or dinner... Is it so much to ask???

Sorry, I really needed that rant!

Hales I hope H isn't poorly!

spotty I'm very jealous of your lentil and sweet potato pie, it sounds yummy! The most I've been able to make for us this week is roasted vegetables. I haven't got the energy or time to find a recipe, shop and cook

oh Nutella I feel your pain, unfortunately I've no sage words of advice for you as I'm similarly troubled by naps. would he go back to sleep if you shoved a boob in the moment he woke - might win you another 10

Hello all - been absent a while. We were in Berlin over the weekend and sleep has been terrible since we got back so I haven't been posting.

I am getting towards my wit's end. Napping is OK, bedtime is fine, but she's now waking at 2, 4 and up at 6 (if I'm lucky). This morning she was up at 2 and 4, and up for good at 5.15. We are going severely backwards. Wah! Supposed to have date night tonight with my husband but just can't even summon any enthusiasm.

Sorry for mememe!

Awww Mama you should have said although we were in Nürnberg

prunella he goes to sleep on the boob... It will have to change one day but I'm not ready for the fight yet.

I really shouldn't complain because he is lovely & happy - especially with strangers in Cafes! And his night sleeping is so much better too.

Been out with him in the sling today. Was lovely to cuddle and walk & have my hands free.

FoD That's brilliant!

Nutella sorry you're still struggling with naps, DS naps well but I did have to let him cry a bit. I hated it but it just wasn't working, I would be in our room patting him to sleep, he would almost be there and then dd would come running in and wake him up, it wasn't fair on either of them. He goes to sleep fine now and he never cried much (sorry if that's not much help! It took a few days anyway).

WRT the food I try and do as much as I can in the morning because things always seem calmer then. I'd cooked a roast chicken before 9 this morning and I'm just going to do some rice and peas and yorkshire puddings and stuffing later which will take no time at all.

Mama that's rubbish about the sleep regression I hope things improve soon, how long until you're off again?

We've had a good day, I took DD to Macdonals this morning (DS came too but he wasn't allowed any ) then I went to Sainsbury's and spent a stupid amount of money on nothing anyway back home to relax. DS napping and dd hitting me with a wooden knife....

Spotty - off to France for 10 days on Monday, then Copenhagen for 5 days just after that, then the US for 5 weeks from the end of September. If this girl can't sleep well now, then she definitely won't by the time we get home!

I was just wondering as there's an 8/9/10 month sleep regression. So it might not be the travelling but I suppose it will be hard to tell as you'll be off again soon lucky you must be exhausted I think in the early days you do start getting used to it but once they've got better and then go downhill again it's quite hard to deal with. I think also as they're more active they're just more hard work in general!

Ds just saw me eating some chocolate and cried until I hid it

Noooooo we've only just got over the 5 month regression. I cannot cope with another one so soon. Sob!

From what I remember of child psychology it's around nine months that they start working out you're still there even when you're not if that makes sense? Wonder weeks says it's when they start learning about distances so that would make sense

Evening all! Have been keeping up just not much chance to post while DH away again. Back tomorrow

Took DD to hairdressers today. She has a lot of thick, long hair for a 3.5 year old! So we go fairly often. Usual hairdresser off on maternity leave so appointment was with someone else. It was a man and so I've been doing lots of 'boys can be hairdressers too' this week! Anyway, he made a right mess of it. Usually takes 10-15mins.....40 minutes he was pulling, spraying, cutting etc. DD was in tears at various points as he tugged at tangles. It honestly wasn't that tangled!! He just seemed to get in a right pickle.

And when I got home (obviously later than planned!) baby lazza was having a meltdown! She was with my mum. But she wouldn't nap. Went to sleep, but woke when she tried ptting her down. Boob calmed her....mum was frazzled!

Panicking about how I'm ever going to wean her from me. She eats plenty, 3 meals and snacks but no sign of feeds reducing

We're stuck in one long sleep regression! Definitely going to end up sleep training but can't decide if worth it before we go on hols in couple of weeks.

And I wish she'd stop wanting to practise crawling & standing up in the bath!!

Think we're right in the thick of it

Lazza your poor dd, I'm lucky one of my best firend's owns a salon. It takes her five minutes to do dd's hair (quite long and thick). I would wait until after your holiday, where are you going? Do you have to go back to work?

Oh no Pidj, hope R gives you some rest soon!

Hello, EggsMichelle here. Name changed as my annoying snooping DH told people my name, no bloody boundaries!

Work has settled down, iv cut my hours and Monster sleeps really well (sorry ladies) so figured I should have more time to keep up with everyone. Plus iv just finished my first knitting project since Monster was born so I'm chuffed!

Monster had a hair cut today, and would not stay still! Hair everywhere!

I know spotty, it really didn't warrant 40mins! And everyone must have thought I hadn't washed or brushed it in a month with the fuss he was making! Yes, I'm sure you're right and it'd be sensible to wait until after hols. We're just going to Jersey , taking the car on the ferry so we can cram it with all the stuff the 2 little people seem to need! Never been so looking forward to exploring the island and hoping for some sunshine. I go back to work the week after we get home . I only do 1 day a week but am still sad about it. And after today, I'm stressing out a bit about leaving her for a whole day (my mum probably is too!)

Hmm. Another sleep regression? I don't think DS could regress much further!! He's taken to sleeping for minutes at a time, and now refusing to be put down. He's always been up 5-10 times a night, but has always settled back to sleep quickly then transferred to cot easily. Last few nights he's settled ok mostly, but the second I even think about putting him in his cot he starts crying. We had 5 hours of that last night, 3 hours the night before. DH and I are both exhausted.
I don't think it's seperation anxiety, as he's happily spent today playing with my dad (who he only met yesterday) while I showered etc.

Lazza - we're off on holiday next week, so I'm also thinking I should hold back on sleep training till we get home. However I'm also thinking I can't handle this little sleep for the next 2 weeks. :(

Aww Custard I'm refusing to cut ds's hair I just tuck it behind his ears!

Lazza dd will be fine I'm sure, just try to enjoy your holiday. DP has the week off before I start my new job so I'm obviously looking forward to it but dreading it at the same time iyswim? I wish I could take ds to work with me I'm going to miss him so much! My longest shift is 6:45-1:30 though so not too bad. I'm looking at holidays to remind myself why I'm going back to work!

Lazza, Stacks maybe you could try the sleep training on holiday- at least you would have the DH's there for support and help and they can't give you the "I can't get up I've got work tomorrow"!

Spotty I'm dreading going back to work too. Probably sounds sad but I don't want the nursery staff to get really close to him but obviously I want him to be happy..

Oh no Pidj are you having a nightmare with the sleeping? DS went through a phase of getting up at 5 and that was bad enough for me. But I know better than to complain when I hear other people's stories..

Custard - I've had no time for knitting since having DS. I had so many plans though! Maybe if he ever sleeps I'll finish some projects. I'm half way through knitting him a toy dragon, which I really want to finish before he starts school :)

Lazza - I'm sure your DD will be ok with you going back to work. Does she take a sippy cup or bottle while you're away?

Has anyone just cut their LO hair themselves? T's is getting long round his ears and fringe. I'm worried about making a mess trying to cut it, but also think its a bit overkill to take him to a hairdresser.

Stacks my friend said to do it when they're asleep if you just need to do their ears/fringe

Thanks spotty I'm trying not to think about it otherwise I get that horrible Sunday night feeling I used to get when I was at school!

stacks I understand that dilemma! Especially when it only took 3 days to sort dd1 when we did it with her. Won't lie, the first night was awful. But it got easier and we were all better off for it. I don't want to do it though and then have to do it again after hols.

Maryland we're staying in a hotel so will be in one room with dd1 also. I can see we'll just do whatever it takes to settle her before we end up with 2 awake dc! So think it'll have to wait till we get home.

Stacks you can tell me if i'm out of order here and i know you may not want to but T sounds like H did when she didn't sleep. Her sleep only improved when i started using the cow&gate anti-reflux formula, i think its because it was thicker than my breastmilk and normal formula. Could you try giving H a bottle to see how it goes? Its £9.59 in boots and £10.59 in Asda. I know your breastfeeding so i'm sorry if i've upset you with that suggestion.

Custard i started a knitting project when my niece was born in 2011 its still not finished haha.

Sorry about the poor sleeps hopefully there will be no regressions or it may end up in dp's death

H sounds like shes coming down with a cold. But my dad came home today so shes not left him alone and has cried every time he's walked out the room.

I can't believe you have children which need haircuts! DD had her first haircut aged 2!

A lovely child-free day today. We wwnt to a national trust place and then for lunch in a lovely pub that does amazing seafood.

Not sure what we're doing tomorrow, but child free again.