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March 2013 - time to wrap them all up in tinsel

997 replies

StormyBrid · 04/12/2013 11:21

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.

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
somethingbeginningwith · 24/12/2013 07:22

Ahh you're both right, and he has wrapped them so nicely. It'd be a shame not to open them. Also, I've no need for a PS3 game otherwise I'd seriously consider it Wink

He just doesn't think and expects me to deal with everything DS-related. yummy next time, I'll definitely just go and leave the pair of them, it's just not worth arguing on Christmas Eve!

Glad you're safe and sound in this Wizard of Oz style storm, how is everyone else?

Plonkysaurus · 24/12/2013 08:04

Something how long does he have off for Christmas? I think he's got a touch of the 'I-work-really-hard's as a reason not to help with ds - though I know he really does work hard and wants to do the best for his family in that respect. I also know he voluntarily does housework, so don't ltb! Any chance you do such a great job with ds that he's intimidated?

Worse, Gerry, any, Pud, shattered, yummy (do we have any other southerners?) hope you've weathered the storm ok. It's just been blowing a hoolie here, nowt new really.

Ladies, if you're eating, dont read the next bit. DP was feeling really very sorry for himself last night, so we went house (window) shopping. Perked us both up! Anyway, between ds' mild cough and DPs throat we had a fairly disturbed night. DP developed an abscess (ew!) on his throat two days ago and refused to see a gp (bloody men!). Anyway, I was getting tapped on the arm at 4 am to see his big grinning face declaring 'it's popped'. So, so disgusting. But he can now swallow, which means he can drink - apparently alcohol is antiseptic?

Right then. Having told such a delightful tale I'm away to pack a bag and get ready to decamp for the next four days. I'm sure I'll check in tomorrow, but Merry Christmas yam lot.

Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife · 24/12/2013 09:20

We're alright on the Essex/herts/cambs border at my dad's, but it sounds like home was hit quite badly. wors did you survive the night? A neighbour was helpfully sending pics of the increasing water levels on the road outside our house last night... Think I'd rather not know if we've been flooded!

So, last night we hit the wine and sloe gin. Dd slept til 6.40 then with so many aunts and uncles around there have been plenty of people to help entertain her, so this mornings sore head isn't too debilitating.

something don't ltb coz then I'd have to leave mine. His newest habit? Knowing full well I did all of the packing for our trip round the country, asking questions like 'did we pack her towel/cup/toy'? When I pointed out that we didn't pack anything, he said "well if I said did you pack you'd only get pissed off that I should have helped with packing". Yes dear, and what, exactly, can we infer from that?!?

Shatteredmamma1 · 24/12/2013 09:53

Hi ladies

plonky hope your DP is better now that his
abscess has burst. Nice of you to share!
Smile.
We survived the storm thanks, driving was
horrible yesterday but now at the parents.
Whole family has now buggered off out
leaving me with the sleeping baby!

stormy I think you need to share the sleep
Love. DS didn't travel well bless him - we set
off at 7, took him 30 minutes to go to
sleep then screaming after 45 minutes bless
him. Just up at 1 for milk then slept until
6.30, but in with us as the house is packed
so not the best sleep for me!

Hmm, on my phone so can't fully name
check.,hope everyone has a great day
tomorrow Grin and that Santa is generous!
Might need to get cracking on the alcohol
to survive the parental griping and the
4 kids under 3! Thank goodness I didn't
have twins...Smile lots of festive cheer
ladies

StormyBrid · 24/12/2013 10:57

It was sobriety all the way here last night too. I might want a drink, but it's not worth it - partly because parenting with a hangover is horrific, and partly because one drop means I won't sleep. We stayed in and watched the first Hobbit film. Planning to see the second one in the cinema at some point soon, but we were so sleep deprived when we saw the first one, neither of us could remember what happened in it. Although I hadn't forgotten that one of the dwarves is really, really attractive.

Very windy overnight here, the noise of it when I went to bed is best described as "wuthering". No death and disaster though. And it's fairly dry out, thankfully, because my shoes leak horribly and we're off out for lunch in a bit.

something the bloody cheek of him! Tell him it's not your job to make sure he doesn't look like an inadequate father; that power lies solely within his hands.

I would love to share my sleep secrets, Shattered and worse, but I fear it's a combination of good luck and setting good habits right from the start, so unless anyone has a time machine my words of wisdom won't be much use. I seem to recall some raised eyebrows back in April when I said DD wasn't getting out of her cot between 7pm and 7am for any reason (except poonamis), and in the night I'd not be giving her cuddles or eye contact. It seems to have worked a treat so far though - the idea of getting up to play in the night just isn't on her radar. You're quite welcome to put my face on a dartboard for having such a good sleeper though Grin.

OP posts:
Shatteredmamma1 · 24/12/2013 14:42

stormy did you not even feed her overnight
at that age? We have never had playtime at
night but he has always fed overnight. Ah
I think they're all different.

worsestershiresauce · 24/12/2013 15:25

Hi guys, just a quick one to say we're ok.... just about. A 13 hour power outage and a tree down on the house. No one hurt though.

BettyOff · 24/12/2013 16:54

Glad you're ok Wors and that the power's back!

StormyBrid · 24/12/2013 17:42

We did overnight feeds, Shattered - we were still on three when a lot of people here had cut down to one. But I had a major boob juice fail, so we've been bottle feeding since day five. No need to pick the baby up with a bottle, although I appreciate hauling a boob into the cot would present some insurmountable challenges.

Mainly though, it has just been luck. DD's amenable to going to sleep without a fuss so long as her needs are met. For the first four and a half months we had to swaddle her, because her startle reflex was ridiculous and she kept hitting herself in the face. Then there were the months of traipsing up and down the stairs until she figured out how to put her dummy back in herself. She also spent four months pretending she couldn't roll front to back. That was a loooooong four months of flipping her over at 4am every single night. I'm not even going to start on the months of frustration when she just wouldn't nap more than forty five minutes no matter how knackered she was. Really the only good thing about her sleep is we can put her down awake at 7pm and know there's a 99% chance we'll not be disturbed until at least 6am.

OP posts:
Anypants · 24/12/2013 20:43

All good here in sarf Essex - had to tape down my letter box to stop it banging but no damage.

No sleep advice here i'm afraid - git lucky with the magic thumb at 4 months and apart from being ill she sleeps through.

Feliz Compleanos muchachas - have a well rested, turkey filled, chocolate for breakfast, sprout farting day tomorrow ladies - see you on the other side! Wine Wine Wine

somethingbeginningwith · 24/12/2013 21:51

God bless those thumbs any although I have to rub cracked nipple cream into DS's because he sucks and chews so much.

Have a lovely Christmas lovely Marchers. Hope all the babes have the best first Christmas ever Grin

XmasPudtat · 25/12/2013 07:46

Merry Christmas everyone. Just making a quiet bottle and getting presents together to go upstairs and start the day. Definitely got the excitement back and he hasn't got a clue...Grin Have a lovely lovely day all. Thanks

worsestershiresauce · 25/12/2013 08:33

Merry Xmas everyone, and let's raise a glass to all those wonderful engineers who have been working 24/7 to get the electricity back on, and everyone who is out on the roads clearing trees and managing flood water. I for one would be having a pretty miserable day without them.

BettyOff · 25/12/2013 10:57

You're so right Wors, here's to everyone at work today making sure everyone else has a lovely Christmas, including my wonderful colleagues looking after my friend who had her Christmas Eve baby!

Merry Christmas everyone, I hope all these babies have a magical first Christmas. DD is already thrilled with her walker and ball pool but her absolute favourite thing is the dog's new chew!

yummychocolate · 25/12/2013 12:48

Merry christmas everyone!

Ds adores all the wrapping paper. Xmas Grin

worsestershiresauce · 25/12/2013 20:54

Evening all. Here's hoping you had a wonderful memorable first xmas with plenty of photos for the album. It's certainly been that here despite the inauspicious start as in all honesty xmas eve was memorable for all the wrong reasons. It's certainly a story for the worselet's wedding.

First mishap, the storm. It was loud. It woke the worselet.

Second the power, it went off about 2am as I was on about the 3rd settle of the night and already on my knees.

Third the cold. You have no idea just how cold this house gets when the heat goes off. I had no idea either, or rather I'd forgotten. I swear to god there is a heat sucking gremlin in the roof space. Whether there is or not is academic, but the upshot was there was no way on earth dd was going to sleep, so neither did we.
Fourth, and the piece de resistance, the tree. If you really want to ruin an already sleepless night a fairly good way of going about it is to arrange for an ancient cedar well into into its centenary years to fall flat bang on the roof of your house. It is an excellent finale. Not.

So that was that, and it only improved when my entire xmas grocery order arrived later in the day, only to be squirrelled away in various corners of the garage due to the fact there was no power to the fridge. Utter joy.

But despite that, or should I say because of that we have had the best xmas we have ever had, because having imagined a miserable cold candle lit feast without even hot water to wash up with, the return of the power meant a proper knees up. I have never been so grateful for anything in my life. Oh ok, maybe the worselet's arrival pips this at the post... but hey, I was happy.

So it's good night from me, and goodnight from the tiddler, and good tidings of the season all round.

Anypants · 25/12/2013 23:09

Oh bravo worse for battling through and having a fab day after all!

And to the rest of you lovely lot, Merry Chrimbles with an extra mince pie and glass of wine to anyone still awake. Haven't been this tired in a long while but will hopefully sleep soundly tonight after a fun filled day with too many people crammed into a tiny house.

Night all Grin

ecofreckle · 25/12/2013 23:17

glad tidings to you lovely lot! I am just in time.
Worse your run up sounds awful, but glad there was a silver lining.
It has been a cold, crisp, sunny day here and ecobaby and I went out for a nice walk whilst dh slept as our little bundle decided she was excited, got up at 0430 leaving daddy to entertain her. Hence his nap! Ecobaby enjoyed her first Christmas meal and the present unwrapping. She also enjoyed stealing other people's gifts and eating inappropriate things like packaging, tissue paper, ribbon, batteries. In addition to our own there were two other children waking up here today aged 9 and 14 and they are still so into Christmas and all of the buzz. I think I am going to enjoy these next few years of Christmas with this little person part of it too.
Night night all, I am off to find a rennie.

worsestershiresauce · 26/12/2013 13:30

omfg apparently we're going to be hit by 70mph winds tonight. There is a huge tree with a split trunk which will definitely come down, and if it does it will take out the front of our house. DH is trying to find a tree surgeon.... like they aren't all busy. We used to be quite sheltered here, but there has been a lot of tree work further up the hill recently so we get the full force of the wind.

Really fed up Sad

Shatteredmamma1 · 26/12/2013 14:02

Oh what a nightmare worse, really hope
you get it sorted and there's no more damage
today Sad.

We had a lovely first Christmas, bit of stress
from the mum but DS had a great time and
loved his presents/wrapping paper. Glad
everyone had a good time. Back home now
and enjoying just being the three of us for
a bit Smile hope all well with you ladies

XmasPudtat · 26/12/2013 14:17

Sending tree surgeony vibes your way Worse.

worsestershiresauce · 26/12/2013 15:55

It's possible I may be being a drama queen. We're not coastal so revised wind speed estimate is nearer 40mph. Here's hoping!!! We'll just decamp to the back of the house, get the candles out ready for a power cut and muster a bit of British spirit. I sure I have some... somewhere Grin. Worst case scenario we do a full house renovation, again. Least we'll know what we're doing second time round.

Disasters and dramas aside, what a gorgeous day. It's like Spring, the sun is out, the snow drops are up, and everyone is in a good mood. You've got to love the British weather, it can turn faster than

Hope no one else is due a storm related battering tonight. If you are, solidarity!

BettyOff · 26/12/2013 20:09

Shit Wors that's crappy. I hope the wind misses you & you're all safe and sound in romantic candlelight!

We had a lovely couple of days but madam is totally overwhelmed, completely shattered & already woken up a couple of times in her overtired state! DH has gone back home with the bad dog (she found all kinds of ways to be bad with all the wrapping paper, food, toys & decorations) but I'm staying in Nottingham for an extra night.

Right, she's down again so I'm going to have a glass of bubbly with my Mum & watch Love Actually.

ecofreckle · 26/12/2013 23:05

m.nurturingsleep.co.uk slightly random contribution ladies but found this highly recommended sleep consultant. She is Kent based! She helps families with baby sleep using no cry approaches. MN seem to love her!
Happy boxing day all. We are back home now. Worse and Gerry hope you get through the storm unscathed. Thinking of you.

XmasPudtat · 27/12/2013 08:45

Hey Worse, how are you this morning?