March 2013 - 6 months down, 210 to go!

[StormyBrid]

Old thread.

Keep on rambling, ladies, we have a whole new thread to fill!

Ahem.

Possibly just gut maturing. Hopefully.

Leni the tingling you've been experiencing did make me think ms. I hope you get a diagnosis soon. Take care of yourself.

Worse ooh a conservatory!! Perfect for collecting kamikaze owls gin?

Eco you nutter. That is all.

Something how's The Plague?

Had such a busy day here, definitely got my 10000 steps in today. Got a new pair of glasses and DS won baby of the year for falling asleep in the buggy with no dummy, no rocking, no nose stroking and no crying. I suppose I'd better wake him for tea actually. I can cope with late naps.

Plonky do you find the lovely new glasses get pulled off? That happens here if I get too close to her face.
Worse the doggies may lose a yard but they gain a sun trap in which to bask. They'll love it. Eventually.
Wing so we're on the same weaning timetable. Do keep me posted with what you try and how it goes.
Soyo thanks for reassurance re weaning. Sounds like You guys are well into it.
Kff i didn't see the programme but teaching children to use tools and outdoor wee sounds like what will be happening with Eco baby! We're a bit earthy here!
Stormy we are still squeezing Eco baby into baby bath as she's a bit unstable at sitting up just yet. We have silly taps which mean sink is a no go and back ache for The foreseeable is ours. And, although we have teeth we don't have good eating yet....
Today was weaning day. Oh. MY. God. It's fecking messy! You lot deal with that mess three times a day? I need to make more time in my life. And get a coverall bib for her. And me. Stupidly was wearing a white top. The menu was dahl and pitta. Dahl very popular, pitta less so because of the gagging. We seem to have bypassed any sensible weaning starting point. BUt cold feet re blw have led me to prepare some sweet potato puree for tomorrow lunch.
Tonight we start the multiple lists for The USA trip. Argh.

Eco, baby hasn't been introduced to the glasses yet. They're for mumsnetting reading. I'm sure they'll get a good going over though, what with them being new, shiny and mine.

Hmm weaning. We only do blw once a day, and only if there's time. Otherwise I've embraced purées because I only need to stick a bib on him and wipe his face and hands when he's done. Blw requires big bib, splash mat and a better sense of humour than I'm prepared to muster on a regular basis. Let us know how the sweet potato goes!

How long is your flight? We found that ds was generally too distracted to drink, though I think bfing will really work in your favour on a long haul trip. Whatever you do, make sure your carry on is organised! That's really the best tip I can offer. Oh and changing a nappy at thirty thousand feet is good for character building...

Glasses get pulled off all the time here. Today was worse though. Today she managed to grab my stretched earlobe. Couldn't get her to let go. Was having to weave my head around following the movements of her arm, while yelping and totally failing to persuade her to let go. Ouch is the word.

Arghhh I have sooo much to write, but never a window. Seriously, it's mad. I blame jury service. Once upon a time I could guarantee myself a nice little slot of MN-ing in the microscopic window between DH leaving for work and the worselet getting up. Now though she's up before he leaves, what with judges not getting out of bed before about 10am, or something . So despite the fact I have far too much to say, I will have to settle for the biggest news in my life which is......

..... the worselet self-settled!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As in put in cot wide awake and left to kick about. Granted she was tired, what with having been subjected to baby and toddler group today (that's a story in itself), but still... wow! It's the little things

Waheyyyyyy Worselet! It is a triumph and you should be excited! That's what our goal this week has been - baby in cot when showing sleepy signs. It's been hit and miss because I think I'm seeing signs when there aren't any but when it works...bliss! Obviously then it's clean up time of all the mess from meal times but still.

We do blw for breakfast, then mush for lunch and a bit of blw/mush depending on what we have for dinner. If it's pasta like tonight then I put a bit on his tray but if it's something like stew or casserole, we spoon feed. I end up just leaving the splash mat down and embracing the splattered outfit look all day!

plonk the plague is reaching its end. Hooray! At least all 3 of us have got it out of the way at the same time and to be honest, despite all the snot and excessive coughing, it's been really nice having OH off work.

stormy we have a bath chair from Kiddicare too. It's been brilliant but DS is now learning how to squirm out of it so that's good fun. They're fairly cheap though and it's been really useful.

Also, I can't remember who mentioned it but, this jumperoo thingymajig. I want!

Seriously. My phone/mumsnet hate me. Why is it always my longest posts that get swallowed into the ether?

Let's see what I can remember.

Since moving to 3 meals and 3 bottles, we are also having massive digestive issues. My friend told me you can blend prunes. She calls it rocket fuel. At 6pm it resulted in a poo that was, I kid you not, LAYERED. Identifiable meals. Identifiable foodstuffs. It reminded me of one of those bottles with layers of coloured sand you get on Hastings pier.

Go worselet with self-settling! Must be sonething in the water round here- we decided today that we're going to just leave her to it. She did a whingey cry for about 15 minutes at bedtime then dropped off. Nervous about the middle of the night when she will be expecting a dummy return, but I'm hoping just a few nights of letting her get on with it will do the job.

Keep those flying/holiday tips coming everyone, we're off in a couple of weeks.

Stormy we are decidedly gummy but getting on pretty well with food. Like plonko, I've kind of abandoned the idea of blw for every single meal. We usually do porridge for breakfast, purée for lunch, then blw for tea. Partly because she's starving at lunch and blw doesn't satisfy quickly enough, and partly because whilst blw is awesome fun and she loves it, it takes an hour to have tea, and if I did that 3 times a day I would literally never get out of the house. I'm struggling as it is to be honest!

We now have a sitting, rolling, constant giggler. I can't believe this is the tiny little 6lb dot we brought home 28 weeks ago. Isn't it funny how you feel it's going too fast whilst at the same time being really impatient for the next exciting discovery or development? Can't remember who was saying it, but I totally agree, 6 months is awesome. Still immobile enough to leave for a minute or two, but totally able to entertain herself for a while, and just plain hilarious!

Thanks for travel tips Plonky. When you start to think about the detail it's mind boggling. I think you said you can buy ella from boots after security and carry that on? Don't fancy the 'sterilized food for infants' that the airline provides.
Stormy your story made me pull a cat's bum face in sympathy. Ouch.
Worselet! Go you. This is the start of many Great things. Was that for bed time sleep or nap? Four times and it's a habit with babies so by next week you'll have it. Did I miss jury service chat? Who is on? Dh? I'd love to do it but never have.
Lists sent me into spasms of doubt. I really would rather be going to margate right now.
Bed to self tonight as dh in spare room as he's on radio early on Friday mornings and I don't appreciate the early wake up. I'll still wake though as having a baby has turned me into a responsive waking machine. BEtter get some kip in whilst I can.
Wishing you all long sleeps.

Good job worselet! How had she been getting to sleep until now?

Reasonable night here. The man stayed up late to watch a film and so didn't do the late feed until 1am, at which point I vaguely woke up. Baby talking to herself from six till seven but now appears to have gone back to sleep. Will have to get her up shortly though.

We're being more blw than a week ago, mainly because I get less stressed by it. She's not that into spoons, unless they have yoghurt on, at which point she's quite happy for us to take turns. Gave her pasta last night, in the suction bowl on her tray. First time we've used the bowl. It took her quite a while to realise she could just stick her hands in and get stuck in. Not much actually eaten, but fun was had.

Seven more hours, then aside from early morning dummy return I am off duty until Sunday!

Worse fantastic news, lets hope she keeps it up.

Vj is that a sedimentary formation poo? Wow. Hope the clear out makes her a bit happier.

Stormy your post makes me so pleased I no longer have stretched ears! Well, my left lobe is 4mm so it hardly counts, and I wear a solid wooden plug. It fools everyone, including ds apparently. He has become rather smitten with the double conch however. So it's only a matter of time. The nose stud is also subject to a daily inspection.

Eco there'll be a boots airside of whichever terminal you're flying from. We ordered a couple of pouches from there to fetch once wed come through security.Tbh the sterile infant meals may well be an Ella's kitchen kind of deal. With us flying I wanted to make sure ds was happy to take a spoon from me, which is what led us to given him purées in the first place. It seems that once he worked out he got more food, faster, he was more than happy to be spoonfed. Oh and the best thing? When flying with an infant you always have priority. Which means no queuing through security or at boarding. Do not check your pushchair in favour of a sling. We had a 30 minute delay and I was so grateful to Mr Phil and Mr Ted for saving my back and giving us somewhere to stash our carry on. I would totally fly with ds again - at this immobile stage all they need is a cuddle, one or two small toys and a bit of food. Your arms will ache. If there's a nice granny type lady sat beside you and she wants to hold the baby say yes. If the flights undersold try to wrangle three seats together, even if one seat just has dds carry on on it. Phew, I think that's my entire wisdom on the subject.

We're back on four bottles a day. It means he actually drinks milk again and I don't have to worry about it. He's also suddenly decided waters not for wimps after all. Right, I'm off to my mums for the night with ds to get fed and pampered. DP is getting drunk with his buddies. Win win win.

Well done worselet for self selttling.

At 3am ds woke. Dh heard and asked if he was hungry. I mumbled maybe and he dealt with ds. Hooray i got extra sleep. Every minute counts with sleep.

We have gone backwards with weaning. Yesterday ds had only 2 bottles of 5ozs and no solids. He didnt even launch into our dinner plates last night. Im putting it down to teething. He prefers to munch on other things. This morning is the same. He refused his porridge.

We had digestive issues as well but realised ds new routine is doing a poo every other day but fills up the nappy alot more.

vj i understand the mixed feelings. Its sad putting away the small clothes but totally exciting when they do something new. Our latest is copying dh in sticking out his tongue. Anyone else think how cute it is when they scratch their head?

Plonky mine's a 14mm flesh tunnel. Grabbed with fingers and thumb, the tips of all digits inside the hole, couldn't get at them to prise them off. Nose rings and lip ring also get a lot of attention, but she's yet to notice mummy has a metal bar through her tongue.

Five hours until wine time!

Oh i forgot to ask. How have you found going out in the evenings with LOs? Ds just wants to be at home.

We are struggling. Many times when visiting friends and family ive had to dump everything in the changing bag and go off home to settle ds. He will not sleep and if he does its from pure exhaustion and for half hour max. We were invited to friends for dinner but i just saidi will come for coffee instead as he will not last through dinner without fussing.

Morning all... and what a beautiful morning it is too! Love catching up with everyone's news. 6 months is definitely awesome VJ, and so funny. Yesterday I was walking along with the tiddler in the sling having a rather animated (for which read taking the pi55 out off) conversation with a friend about baby and toddler group when I heard a funny little noise. It was only the worselet, head on one side, chewing her thumb, peering at me out of the corner of her eye and snorting with laughter. Mummy being funny is funny, which in itself is rather funny. Babies really get humour don't they!

Weaning here is finally going great guns. Or at least it is happening. Call me Stepford actually, as this week I have rather excelled myself on the perfect mum front. Home made purées, attendance at baby clinic and I showed myself at a baby group. It's been frightening. I don't recognise myself. It won't last.

Well the weaning will, as now she is actually interested I am enjoying it. This blw thing... I know I said I'd do it, but in the real world, not a chance. I haven't the stomach for the constant choking, and I'd much rather do the whole lump thing in manageable incremental steps so shoot me The upside of such dedication to the cause is the cupboards are full of ingredients I haven't bothered with in years. Millet anyone? Kicks rice and cous cous into touch, in style.

As for baby and toddler group - ladies, I have a bone to pick. I was assured such things were a fun place to hang out with friendly mums! So not a place where feral toddlers are let loose to poke, prod and generally man handle small babies, whilst their not so friendly mums ignore them (and me) . Honestly the worselet could have been forgiven for staging a full on screamy meltdown. As it was she settled for shell shocked, and staged a 2 hour nap when we got home.

Eco good luck with the packing!!! I'm actually laughing at the thought of stage managing a road trip with a partially weaned baby. Have you thought of labelling the food stains, for ironic effect? It'll make the lack of clean clothes after the first day far less stressful

Jury service is DH. He's loving it! Apparently it's going to last for weeks, but according to the judge that should be fine for everyone's work commitments... as they can do their jobs outside court hours, before 10am and after 4pm. Really???? Is that a fact

Stormy don't you dare mention furry cushions within ear shot of the worselet. Given her reaction to furry bits on slippers I'm thinking a whole cushion worth would be like heaven. I'm going to have to get some aren't I? And on the sleeping front - usually we pace. A lot! This is probably why my back has just gone!

Eco so, if one were to go one the radio, theoretically like, what would -the man's top tips for not making a tit of one's self be??? Cos apparently woman's hour want my opinion on something. They lurk. On here. Scary.....

KFF going out in the evenings is getting much harder here too. The extra entertainment of other people can get her through to about 8.30 but after that its an early exit pre-meltdown!

Wors massive congratulations on te self settling! That's amazing! I keep trying it but the lip comes out and the wailing starts. Oh well, all in good time!

Last night was amazing! She went down at 7.30 but woke twice in first hour but was settled fairly easily. I went to bed at 10.30 but just read until she woke up so fed her at 11, she had a feed at 3 and then woke up at 7.30 but just played in her cot until 8! I feel fab!

I'm off out on a walk with a friend, her baby and our dogs as the forecast promised nice day but its looking very grey. Hmmm.

Have a lovely day everyone!

Worse woman's hour lurk?!? waves shyly then runs away and hides. That's pretty impressive that they want to speak to you, you must let us all know the day!

I'd forgotten people lurk. Which is silly considering I was one of them not so long ago.

Re: baby groups. What can I say? The one I go to is great and has a separate room for pre-toddlers. Sorry your experience wasn't quite as good.

Well. Last night's 'let her self settle' attempt went well at bedtime, and at 12.15 when she whinged for 15 minutes then dropped off again. 2.30 was another matter. We lay in bed listening to her get louder and louder til 2.50, when I caved in a snotty mess. And then of course she took ages to settle instead of our usual 30 seconds. Then again at 4, then 6, when I brought her in with us in a huge fit of guilt and we snuggled til 7.30. I am exhausted. Think we're going to half persevere, give her a chance to self settle but when we leave whinging behind and hit full on crying we'll go to her. Seriously need this hit on the head though, 2 months til I go back to work, I can't have her waking hourly even if it is just for dummy returns. (Still no sign of her figuring it out herself stormy, I am hugely jealous of you on that front!)

Oh and KF, going out in the evenings we go through the whole bedtime routine, then instead of putting her in her cot she goes straight in the car seat. We've got a snooze shade for the buggy that keeps it dark in there, and she usually sleeps through most stuff. Haven't tried it for a while though. It doesn't work as well if we're not at home for the bedtime routine, and when we go to people's houses they know to have a travel cot ready for her so she can just be transferred straight in!

Evenings out? What are they? The man's an antisocial old bugger and always happy to stay in on baby duty if I want to go out, but we've never taken her out in the evening. Don't want to risk mucking up such good sleep!

Six months is good - very interactive, giggles properly, and can entertain herself indefinitely when she's pulled the contents of her toybox onto her knee.

Firstly - realise I have been hugely bad at name checking recently. This is not because I is a cah. Honest. It's more RL has a habit of interrupting, so by the time I actually finish a post, the thread has moved so far I'm three days behind the game and have missed virtually everyone out. But today DH is home, and I have cunningly managed to completely wreck my back (the worselet is 17.8lb.... little fatty... she has broken me... ), so I can properly wave, and say hi whilst he does all the work

KFF Ah, evenings out, hmmmm, well, unless MIL is here we don't even attempt it, and when she is we don't need to worry. There is something about MIL that sends the tiddler off into a very long and happy sleep. Soft bosom and nice smell perhaps? I realise that isn't much help to anyone, as MIL is not available on loan. She's mine and I'm keeping her!

SoYo The self settling only works hen she is soooo tired fighting it is just too big an effort. the rest of the time she gives me 2 minutes, before a speculative coo/full on bellow. Work in progress you could say. Sounds like mini-yo is getting this sleep lark thing. Finally! Yay.... I think it would be fair to say you've more than earned it.

Stormy your piercings scare me. For a such small person dd can yank my hair with some force. The thought of her anywhere near a stretched ear lobe. Owwwwww....

VJ Monday is the big day, so fingers crossed. If nothing else it's a day out and a chance to meet some radio slebs

Right, it's mush time! having personally mushed some carrot and sweet potato I will be interested to see how it goes down. Given it has dyed both me and the blender orange, it had better be good.

Miss Madam has had 6 dirty nappies today and has descended into a blubbering misery who is baking hot and currently napping on my chest between screams. Poor wee pet. At least we'll be tackling tonight on the back of a good nights sleep. DH is working long days over the weekend though so looks like it'll just be me and a poorly bubs.

I am also shit at name checking today because I'm on the phone.

Wors fingers crossed for success with dinner and another night of self settling.

Stormy ouch on the ear. Madam has taken to grabbing skin on my neck or chest plus some eye gouging. It's delightful! When I squeal with the pain though she thinks its hilarious. I'm worried I've produced a little bully!

Worse I asked dh and he says: Is she live in the studio or somewhere else? If in studio top tip is to look out for the cues. The presenter will probably be making it clear if they expect a long or short answer, for example. Also, don't speak too fast, take a breath. Maybe also smile whilst you're talking, you're happy to be there and you want people to hear it. Without knowing more, that's probably my lot for now xxx

Hello everyone else. Am just putting Eco baby to bed and have people here for dinner so more later. Happy Friday!

So much to catch up on :) Well done worslet on self settling and wow vj! did you photograph that poo?

eco, I started with baby rice! then she had the mash. Yesterday she had two fingers of toast and butter at breakfast time and shoved them in her face so hard you'd have thought we hadn't fed her for weeks!!! Last night she had some of DH's home made potato wedges (done in olive oil and a bit of garlic I think), again these were shoved in.

This morning she had toast and butter again, for lunch we were at a church lunch so she had some (very) cheesy mash, fed to her from a teaspoon on DH's lap with a tea towel tied round her neck! My DMum also gave her a teaspoon of custard until I told her off

Tonight she had some broccoli and some bread. I actually called her a little pit at one point because she really was shoving it in as if there was no more food in the house. She then had some yoghurt on a spoon from me but was more interested in getting the spoon herself and shoving it into her mouth feeding herself.

We went to look around a childminder this morning who has been recommended to us by three separate people. She was absolutely lovely although her house was a bit of a mess but I would feel happy leaving DD with her. We're going to look at another childminder on Wednesday who has also been recommended to us but she's further away in another village whereas the lady today is in my DPs' town which would also help.

So much to think about...

Haaaaaaaang on. Did someone worse say that Woman's Hour lurk on here??! Ooooh. Good job they didn't lurk on the Just Shagging thread I was on

Yes, please let us know when you may be on, or at least the topic is being broadcast. eco I have brain melt tonight. Did I miss that your OH is in radio or summat?

And I called DD a 'little pig' not a 'little pit'. Oops.

Oh gawd...no-one told me how horrid "baby's first cold" is. Especially when said baby likes a dummy A LOT and doesn't understand why she can't breathe and suck at the same time like she's used to. Luckily I noticed some very early snuffles this afternoon, and so mr-v was dispatched to buy sainsbury's best baby cold remedies. In true non-laid back style we are throwing everything at her and hoping something sticks. We have a bowl of hot water with inhalent in her room, I have saline-sprayed, snot-sucked, vapour-rubbed, calpoled, and she is now vaguely sleeping in a very restless fashion. Long night ahead I think.