Graduated Elderberries

[HazleNutt]

It's time to move to Post-Natal clubs.

Well we took W swimming for the first time this morning - she really enjoyed it, was really relaxed and just floated about taking it all in. Unfortunately the pool was evacuated halfway through after a spectacular chundering incident - despite a very heroic attempt by a dad to get his 3 yr old out of the pool (I've never seen someone run so fast through waist deep water) there were definitely floating chunks. Boak.

Janey W managed to rotate 90 degrees when we took her away the other weekend and she was sleeping in a travel cot. No idea how - she was in a grobag too which I thought would impede the shimmying.

V has another tooth, upper one now - he lets us know by grinding and gnashing them. Charming.
And no, grobags certainly no deterrent here, he still happily flops all over the bed. 180 degrees I don't mind, but he sometimes gets stuck at 90 and is not exactly happy about it.

Quod that's the funniest thing I've heard this weekend!! :)

L is on sleep bags too and manages to move up the cot, turn over and also turn 90 degrees - and get stuck!
Well finally have two statue gates fitted. Ended up with a lindam one at the bottom and a babydam bendy one at the top as we have a wide gap so the lindam was rubbish.
Also went to kiddicare as saw a britafix dual fix which is apparently a new one. It also swivels like sirona and almost same price (£340) but lighter and seams to be easier to move from one car to another. So I'll go back there next week IN MY NEW CAR to make sure it fits.
All in all a very productive weekend!!!
How's everyone else been?

I went out the room the other day for a second to get a drink, came back, and S had turned 90 degrees on her playmat on the floor - no idea how it happened as she can't really move yet!

Poor W after the pukey pool incident haha, glad she was enjoying swimming up until then!

Lovely day with DH today as I went to bed stupidly early with S on sat night so felt fresher, and we went for a walk and to a nice pub. Went to bed early with S again tonight which is lucky as she's up for her first wake up at 12, earlier than usual.

What do you all do when you eat out at friend/families houses and your baby is having a fussy evening and crying? DH has had to eat with S on his shoulder, or me with the pram next to me so I can try soothing/dummy while I eat. We've got a meal with DH's family this week and it's in the evening but they'll eat too quickly after we arrive for me to stand a chance at doing her routine at their house and getting her off to sleep. I know I'll get told to leave her crying so am trying to prepare myself for what to do beforehand!

Alex I would do - and have done- both the things you mention plus feeding her at the table if necessary. But I didn't have disapproving pressure to leave her to cry, that must be very difficult to deal with.

You reminded me I had my first bad mother moment last week when I left W asleep on a pillow in the middle of our bed to make some toast, and came back just as she rolled off the pillow and was scrabbling face-down on the duvet .

I do whatever it takes, so if he does not settle, yes I have eaten with baby over the shoulder, sling, in pram next to table etc. Leaving baby to cry is not for me.

Just makes it so awkward being criticised for it, I'm super sensitive and generally a bit shattered these days, so I'm worried I might cry or something equally embarrassing if people make comments again!

Of course it's difficult if everybody is trying to tell you you're doing it wrong. I've used

• actually, newer research has shown that it's better for babies if...
• thanks for the advice, but I prefer to do it this way.
• my doctor said ..

After all, it's your baby and you know what's best.

Alex I like the retort; "Leaving babies to cry without parental presence stresses them out which in turn raises Cortisol levels. Increased Cortisol levels as a result of CIO has been associated with children having poor emotional regulation and in some cases mental health problems in later life."

Thing is, I can't win, if I made a really good point like that, they'd just think I was being all superior and roll their eyes about how I think I know best. Last time I said she was only 10 weeks and too young to be left crying (met with disapproving looks) but feel like that excuse won't last long. And also annoyed I need to justify anything!

Alex same with my MIL... It is pointless responding. I say swear words in my head, nod and then just ignore

Alex your MIL is being superior and thinking she knows best by querying your judgement and instinct. Awkward situation and I don't envy you but carry on as you are, you're doing a great job

The thing is Alex, there kind of isn't a compromise you can make even though its in your nature to look for one. At some point the ILs are just going to have to accept that you are making your own parenting choices which may be different to theirs, but it's not up for negotiation.

In one ear, out the other.
Or in one ear, surreptitious eye roll and mental cussing, and out the other ear.
Best coping strategy, bar none.
Don't let it get to you!!

What are some of the things we're looking forward to doing with our DCs as they grow up?
Some of mine are:

• sleeping in an indoor tent
• star gazing together
• sand castles at the beach!

I'm looking forward to all the chemistry and building kits that I can play with pretending they are for V . He'll get a telescope and microscope too. I loved all that stuff when I was a kid, but the choice in Soviet Union was somewhat limited

Ooh yes

I'd love to do fossil excavations ie in a sandpit with toys

I hope to be the kind of mum where the DC look back and say "her cooking may have been rubbish middling, but by heck she was SO much fun!"

Ooh good question Zombies.
I'm looking forward to beach/rock pools/swimming in the sea. Drawing pictures/writing stories. Climbing trees, doing treasure hunts.
I saw a good dinosaur excavation activity on Pinterest where you freeze some plastic dinosaurs in a big tub of ice with food colouring in, then turn in out on a summers day and let the kids hack away at the iceberg to liberate dinosaurs. Looked like it would keep them busy a while.

What a good idea (the freezer dinosaur thing!)

I'm looking forward to:

Building forts
Swimming in the sea
Watching Pixar and Disney movies with her
Teaching her to ride a bike
Making a time capsule
Making stuff with fimo
Hide and seek
Her sleeping through the night

I'm looking forward to taking her to the sea again and swim with her. Also build sand castles!!!
Take her on amazing holidays and teach her to explore the world!
And to some sleep too

I am looking forward to selling our (too small) campervan which we should have done a year ago but still haven't got round to it and replacing it with a much more family and dog friendly bigger one and heading off for new adventures in it.

alex your inlaws will have to accept that S is your daughter and you will be doing things your way. H is usually happy to sit quietly while we eat if he can look around could you put her car seat or change the carrycot into a stroller so she can watch everyone. H is nosey so has happily sat like that through restaurant dinners. If he does kick up a fuss we usually just take turns to hold him while the other eats.

I'm looking forward to

• taking him to the beach
• taking him on the swings
• teaching him to swim
• playing with playdoh
• playing hide and seek
• taking him on a train ride
• taking him to the fair and the circus

also, warning, about to get very gushy! I'm looking forward to him telling me he loves me too