March 2013 - time to wrap them all up in tinsel

[StormyBrid]

Old thread here.

worse we're like Plonky on the timings - we keep mealtimes and milktimes separate. I spotted something in Evil Baby Whisperer that suggested around this age milk should be at the time you'd give a snack. Thinking about it, that's pretty much what we do - milk at the crack of dawn, 11am, 3pm and bedtime, food at 9am, 1pm and 5pm. It seems to work, and Fartypants is definitely in the process of reducing milk herself. Those middle two feeds, she's having about four ounces now.

How is the worselet on mush? Does she show any preferences? If we were sticking with baby led weaning we'd be getting absolutely nowhere. Savoury mushes, she'll try a mouthful then get distracted by the cat. Fruit mushes, she practically inhales. For a reduced stress option, can I suggest getting yourself to Asda? They've a hell of a range of cheap fruity mushes, and then at least you're not having to throw away purees you've spent hours lovingly creating.

Incidentally, six month old Molly may love her porridge, but all that means is that Molly's a total weirdo - porridge is vile. It's weetabix all the way round here, with mashed banana in.

eco hang in there, it does get better. How long until 37 weeks for you?

I am thanking my heathen gods we don't have crawling yet. Nappy changes with rolling are bad enough. Especially when it's a particularly horrific one.

My plan was for us to buy DD a walker/ride on thing and some stocking gifts that she needs (socks, flannels, toothbrush etc) and my parents to get her 2 or 3 toys. They've gone bonkers. DH has bought loads extra. At least she's going to enjoy all the wrapping paper and boxes!

Christi that's great news about mini-farmer's hens (not so much about the rats). I'm actually wishing for the opposite of you, I'd like it to snow heavily just in time for new year so we don't have to drive up and spend it with the ILs!

How long is the drive Christi? Hope mini farmer doesn't get too grumpy! Fancy sending some eggs my way? I have a slight egg addiction..to the extent that dp occasionally calls me Eggy Bumpkin

DS has got a few musical toys, a loooong snake, a toy fox and stacking rings. Extended family have gone bonkers getting him stuff so no worries there.

Yummy grabbing food is fine. Purposely dropping it so he can watch the cat eat less so, but it's cute. My dsis once sneezed weetabix all over my dad. On the same day she pooed in the (brown) bath. Dad was in it with her and didn't realise til the water had drained. Suffice it to say he took a less hands-on approach with me.

Only twice Stormy? That practically merits keeping them at yours forever as babysitters.

I got ds a shape sorter and 2 little cars for his stocking. I got him clothes as he needed them but decided to wrap them as well. Im sure babies will appreciate the wrapping paper. I think we can safely say this christmas will be cheap this year. Ive heard it gets more expensive as they get older.

Im slightly anxious about christmas now. Ds gets totally overstimulated when we have guests over and our nap routines get messed up.

Anyone else wondering how on earth they will be able to stay up past midnight on news years eve? I might have to sneak in a nap or two during the day.

Stormy I have cousin envy. The worselet's at 5 (although terribly cute) is less help more hindrance at baby sitting.

Xmas presents here, well nothing particularly amazing really, given the tiddler won't remember and the PILs will go overboard. A wooden walker thing with clacking crocodiles on (possibly aimed at boys... but hey...), a few books, and one of those put the shapes in the right slot toys things that I had to have because I had one at her age.

Hope everyone has had a good day, and we're all happy again. Mine was good to middling, but largely housework based, which frankly sucked. It may possibly have ended with me throwing an un-serene strop over the exact amount of housework I was doing.... and DH making the bed. An unabashed case of do as I say and not as I do there methinks .

Worselet wise, food is finally growing great guns. It would appear she has actually got the concept of relating food to hunger, and the idea of pudding has finally found some appeal. I am picking myself up of the floor as I way this but dd was seen to eat fruit!!!

Oh no... awake again.... not even calpol can touch the teething tonight

plonky what's your favourite egg then? did you shun the cooked through yolk rule during pregnancy? could you stretch to a duck egg? I am an egg fan too. but not if they are at all snotty. wrong.
worse, fruit? great work. It has been housework/chores based here during day time too. I got away with doing wrapping and baking whilst dh did shopping and cleaning. Despite the drudgery it does feel lovely to have a clean and tidy house ready for Christmas. Or is that just me? We too bought ecobaby a wooden shape sorter too. And a book, hammer through thing and a green vest with a pug on that we found in America (we have three fantasy dogs, a border terrier called Percy, a pointer and a pug, so the pug vest had to be done).
yummy for new years eve we have decided to stay at home. Ecobaby will go to bed as usual and we have decided to cook lovely food, look ahead to 2014 and play board games. But I am an old lady so this suits me just fine! Where are you off out to?
Today ecobaby has done more pulling to standing and then falling down bashing various parts of her head in the process. You can almost see it coming but how much do you intervene? She doesn't take kindly to me sitting her down myself when she's just managed to get up. Tricky bit of learning being undertaken right now! I have also been baking, yummy you inspired me. I moved on from the boob biscuitS to chocolate mousse cake and German spiced biscuits and brandy/almond mincemeat. The house has that booze/spice aroma now. We head over to dad tomorrow to begin the next round of festivities. There'S a scarey three storey high open staircase affair in the house which is a bit of a frightening prospect now ecobaby is on the move.
Hope you don't get blown away tomorrow.
Ps. on a walk today a huge alsation bounded over to the buggy and gave ecobaby a massive lick all across the face. Could have been a bite. Made me feel like a bad mum, but I try and be relaxed when we meet dogs so dd doeS not grow up with a fear. Might need to be a bit more vigilant from now on.

eco i don't really intervene at all when he pulls himself up. bad mummy. At the early stages when he was unsteady i used to go behind ds and be ready to catch him. Ds is also used to whats what in our home and knows his limits. Of course ds does lose balance but his nappy cushions his fall.

There is no partying at new years for me. I would rather be in my bed. I feel old.

So for the last week we have gone back to feeding at night, hence my post. Actually he has woken between 3-4am and thinks its playtime. Milk has been the only thing that puts him back to sleep again. I hit google to find there is a 9 month sleep regression. Anyone know about this?

Not heard of it, yummy, but so long as it's not affecting what he eats during the day, I reckon you're better off getting him back to sleep with milk than playing half the night.

Our nap schedule has gone wonky today. Uncle and his family are at my dad's today. Was going to head round after first nap to see them. Except DD only just woke up (bliss) so first nap won't start until this afternoon...

Yy to the 9 month regression yummy.
We have only had a few sleep throughs so
far but none this week. Apparently there's
one at 13momths too!!!

stormy has your LO slept from 7-9.30??!
Omg I am so jealous! I'd take a 7-7 ;
which we've had once so far....

I agree they will get spoilt rotten this
Christmas by rellies, so we've just got a few
clothes and toys including a wooden block
set which DH is pleased about! worse we
also had a hideous argument about house
work- but we have the same one over and
over sadly. This was a biggie tho

Off to the parents tonight. DS just doesn't nap
so well elsewhere so preparing for a few
days of overtired hysterics!!! And the adults
too...

Shattered she woke for a bottle at 6.30 then went back to sleep. That part's normal for us. She normally wakes for the day before 9 though! Must'be been knackered after yesterday - got up at 8.30 and went straight out, didn't get home to nap until 2.

I got it in the neck a bit this morning. DS woke coughing at four, so gave him a cuddle and cough medicine then slipped him between us. Little did I know he was wide awake and wanted to kick me and giggle. Having already had 6 hours sleep I dealt with it remarkably well - I just cuddled him and tried to get back to sleep. But I ended up giving a feed at 5am, which worked, so Yummy it's not just you.

Apparently between 9 and 11 months they need to massively up their intake of food, which explains his early morning hunger. Dp has the throaty virus I had a couple of weeks ago so was less than impressed. He's had to go out to finish (IE start) his Christmas shopping. AIBU to just throw a few beers his way when he gets in?

Eco lived off poached eggs while pregnant, and no I didn't cooked them til the yolk was hard. They definitely weren't snotty though! As I'm off grains eggs are a staple in my diet, but I cannot abide fried eggs. Scrambled is best in the absence of toast.

DS has just gone for a nap, almost all housework is done (also love that feeling), dp out and my sisters on her way. Best whisper it lest I tempt fate, but I think I've got an hour to put my feet up...

plonky im hoping this was a one off party for your ds. I think you are right about increased food intake. Ds has a milk 3/4am and it doesnt affect his appetite in the morning anymore.

shattered you are not alone. Ds is also a terrible sleeper elsewhere and even if we have guests at home. This has meant turning down invites to visiting friends/family. DM says he needs to get used to sleeping out and about but he hasn't so far.

stormy enjoy your family day out.

Last night was an odd night. Ds would whimper/cry in his sleep. So not a good night for either of us. I think we are going through a transition in naps too. Ds used to wake 7ish and go back down for a nap 9ish. Now he sleeps until 8ish and has only just gone down for a nap. He usually sleeps 2hrs in the morning which is great but not so great when I want to go out.

Afternoon all. I'm pleased to say Christmas:phase 2 has started, and we are now at my dad's place in Cambridge. I am much happier!

For Christmas, we decided to get dd all stuff that we would probably end up buying anyway. All her toys are of the small teething toy type so far, so we've got her a wooden walker with blocks in, a shape sorter, and some a set of Beatrix potter books. Stocking too, but just a few little rattles/bells/socks in there. Pretty sure step mum has gone totally crazy, and think all my thousands (well, 5) siblings have gone down the clothes route.

I feel quite Christmassy now, dSis is about to arrive, I quite want to get drinking...

best put your drinking boots on then gerry!

We've been here 4 hours, no booze yet. We're never going to get through it all at this rate...

God, I could do with a drink. My parents' house really isn't big enough for eleven adults and five small children. On the plus side, DD went from 9.30am to 3pm without any sleep, and didn't kick off about it at all. Middle niece kicked off when we left though, she was adamant that DD was going to stay and play with her all day.

Gerry I applaud your parents, managing six kids. Having five in one house just for half a day has got me needing a stiff drink and a lie down.

I'd been thinking DD looks massive, because I keep seeing her next to her two month old cousin. Having now seen her next to her fourteen month old second cousin who is built like a brick shithouse, she looks minuscule again. It's weird.

And it turns out DD is getting two walker things for Christmas. Everyone else had the sense to ask me what she's already got and what other people are getting her, but not the man's dad. Far too used to making all the decisions and getting his own way, never even occurred to him to ask. If he had, I'd've told him my brother's already got her one. Oh well.

best get the party started then gerry. Show them how it is done. A cheeky afternoon snowball is practically law in my sister's house and we are nearly there thank heavens. Pretty awful driving conditions.
Ecobaby has not slept so far today. Very odd. Almost as if she can sense the Christmas vibe in the air. Either that or she is protesting about her elf outfit...

Eco I'd put money on it being the elf outfit. Poor child

How's everyone fairing in the storm? Awful here, I'll admit to being a bit scared. The station is closed due to a landslide, we've branches down (no trees... yet.... but there is still time), tiles off, the fields are flooded and the plastic sheeting over the building works is being ripped to shreds. I was nearly blown away earlier, and I mean that literally. Here's hoping we don't wake to a scene of devastation.

I feel in the minority tonight as sobriety rules. Given we are fully expecting to spend an average of 2 hours each pacing the boards a sore head really isn't an option. Read somewhere today that babies of 9 months sleep on average 12 hours a night and 3 hours in the day. Like hell they do. Show me one. Actually don't. I might cry!

Other than that all is actually going well here. I've started to enjoy meal times as the enthusiastic squeaks for food are a little easier on the ears that miserable wails. I'd love to see inside the worselet's mind though. Can anyone tell me why it is savoury food must be eaten off a cracker, but fruit and yoghurt only off a spoon? Odd child.

Night all. Hope you aren't all blown away.

Not too stormy in Yorkshire Wors, just a bit wet and windy. Hope you're ok, it sounds scary to me too! I hope Santa's smiling on you and you wake up to everything in the right place.

Sobriety is the name of the game here too! Just as for you, it's not worth spending the night playing the 'lie down in your cot' game with a fuzzy head. Poor wee madam is suffering with her teeth still so there's plenty of trips in to her with the calpol and teething gel at the moment. I don't know who has 9month babies that sleep that much but they should be a bit less selfish and share the sleep around!!!

Gerry I hope you've found a drink by now and Eco I hope you're enjoying your snowball while the elf sleeps.

Stormy that sounds a bit manic, I hope you made it out of the house in one piece!

plonky if you throw some beers his way I would suggest he would be more than happy. Dh is getting a desk calendar with pics of ecobaby. The end! he may prefer beer
gerry tell me they have let you at the drinks cabinet now?
worse sounds bad with you. Just really windy and wet here so far. Sounds like each day brings new food breakthroughs with dd. Today fruit puree, tomorrow ham, next day turkey! Who knows!
Betty the teeth sound tiresome. I think I am bad at telling whether it is teeth or not. What gives it away for you?
Stormy that is one cute baby, as evidenced by Facebook today. Lovely! Has it all calmed down now? We too had only one pretty crap nap today which made bedtime a bit more interesting than usual.
So, we are arrived at what looks like a scene from the film 'the holiday'. Sister is a Christmas fiend. Seven Christmas trees. Bonkers! In a good way. Took the elf down to the church at dusk to see mum which was nice. She too has a tree! Ecobaby is under a velux window so hoping the rain lulls her to sleep well through the night. We had a mass game of Christmasopoly which was nice and I had my first sherry. Mum only ever drank sweet sherry and fairly sweet wine so I get my classy habits from her and having Christmas sherry really reminds me of her Currently in bath listening to wind but may get out and go and have another tiny night cap. Night all!

Had dinner and a fillum out tonight while dm babysat. Only just made it home and dm now unexpectedly staying the night as flooded in. Will try and see about getting her out and me to work in the morning but as we were over the running boards in the jeep coming home I'm not excessively confident right now...

All these lovely posts and I'm going to ruin it...

Ladies, AIBU to ltb? DP has a friend staying over tonight, they went out earlier to the pub so I bathed DS, put him to bed, washed the pots, made the bottles for tomorrow, did the laundry and wrapped the presents (no biggy, as I do that every night anyway apart from the present wrapping, we're not that frivolous). Anyway, DSis rang me and asked me to go to Matalan with her tomorrow to buy our DPs a couple extra Christmas presents, but she wants to go early so before 8am. I asked DP and he said 'it's not fair to expect me to deal with DS while my friend is round' so, pissed off, I arrange with DSis that I'll get ready early, wait for DS to wake up, bring him to hers and let her husband give him his bottle while we nip to Matalan.

Big mistake.

DP comes to me saying 'don't do that, it makes me look like an inadequate father and I don't like that'

There are no words!

Also, hope everyone is alright in this storm! Let us know tomorrow how you're doing!

something, men are willies sometimes. I'm sorry about the timing. At least he has identified for himself he has been a bit inadequate. And, don't ltb. Wait til after Christmas

something Don't ltb, you will have to give back your christmas present .

He is being annoying. Leave ds with him and do what you need to do. Next time don't ask him, tell him. What do men think we do when we have guests over? YAB for even thinking of shopping on xmas eve. Those shoppers are crazy out there.

This storm is scary. I live in a new build so relatively sound proof and usually not woken by storms until tonight. I feel sorry for the homeless people out in this weather.

How is everyone else in this storm? Keep safe.