March '13 - packing up our troubles and getting excited about the new babies

[ecofreckle]

It's that time again. This thread is going to explode with squishy babies. Which is nice.

Thanks ladies if I knew how to play poker I reckon I could do well
yummy fire away!
wotta hope you're ok.

I'm lying in bed trying to summon up the strength to stand up and take the sick bucket downstairs. From the next room I can hear Fartypants singing all the rainbow colours that Momo loves. Oh god, today is going to be a trial.

Uhoh Stormy you caught the plague? Is there anyone you can summon to help out a bit today?

Shattered how's life with 2? Tell us about DS2! Is he, as Worse asserts, a doddle compared to these demanding but lovely toddles? How are you?

eco love you're so busy these days we have hardly any eco time! How are you and yours?

yummy how many working days left now?

Worse I hope you're still feeling not-crap, and possibly even feeling well?

Wotta sending as much strength as I can virtually muster hope you're ok.

I'm having a positive day today, which is nice . Working from home the rest of the week and Tuesday and there's not actually enough work to keep me going, so have just snuck out to plant some squashes and yet more strawberries. The toddle's at nursery all day so I'm actually attempting to do some relaxing and bump-connecting, and making the most of the peace and quiet!

The man's due in a couple of hours. He was throwing up over Monday night so hopefully he's over it now, and Fartypants is fine. Gonna make for a pretty crappy thirtieth though. And how do I manage nursery dropoff and pickup without falling foul of the 48 hour rule?

When did FP last have diarrhea or vomit? It's her they'll be bothered about, not you, but if you're unsure then call them and ask.

D&V bugs are the absolute pits.

FP is fine so long as she doesn't chuck up tonight. It's myself the walking plague pit that I feel should probably stay away from enclosed spaces full of small children.

On the plus side, Zebra is looking wonderfully clean after his second washing machine experience this week. Fartypants is tucked up in her cot with him, and I have returned to bed with the sick bucket.

stormy after seeing how it affects the toddle, I can't imagine it to be much fun for adults. Fx you stop up chucking soon.

DS hasn't stopped yet, it's been 3 days so the Dr referred us to the children's ward, which is where we are now. Apparently his tonsils are huge so any time he swallows, it hurts so it comes back up. And he's not getting enough fluid so not enough wees. Gastroenteritis + chest infection = a shit time. He's getting some throat spray to try and numb it enough to get him to drink.

shattered how are your 2 gorgeous boys? What does DS think to his little brother?

worse how are you and your 2? Is it solo time this week?

betty and wotta cars are buggers. Mine needs a lot of work doing to it but I'm hopefully going to wear it out without having to spend any more money before getting rid and getting dp's so he can get a 4x4. Which is my dream. I right love big cars.

plonk your day sounds divine. I'd love a day like that. Just to potter. Only 9 more days til half term and on one of those days, my mum will have DS so I will potter to my heart's content.

Oh no Something, sounds nasty. I hope the drs are able to settle him and get him drinking again. Chest infections scare me now. What antibiotic have they given him? I hope he starts to improve soon, but based on personal experience if he doesn't pick up in a few days take him back to the dr as he may need a different one.

Stormy have you been able to step away from the bucket yet? Vomit bugs are the worst, you have my sympathy.

I on the other hand am feeling super well. It has been so long since I have felt super well that I am classifying this as major news. Not as major as a baby-Shattered putting in an appearance, but a good second . I have celebrated this status by not getting even slightly stressed, or tired, or even teary by Babax testing the limits through not napping at all, not even a little bit, between the hours of 5.30am and 2pm, and scheduling in a foot to shoulder poonami necessitating not only a full wash down and change of clothes, but a bath for added fun somewhere in the middle! When he does difficult, he does it in style.

Speaking all things baby, Shattered how are you doing? Shattered or sailing through it all? I've got my money on sailing. Anyone who can swim three times a week when 9 months pregnant, then pop a baby out in 30 mins has got the whole parenting thing pretty much sorted in my book. Respect to that woman.

It's sunny, the toddle is outside with DH (not alone today, but will be tomorrow, and text week he's away.... all week.... arghhhhhhhhh), so all is well with me. Even better come the weekend I will be bale to swim. I fully expect DM and MIL to pile in with lectures on how people who have had pneumonia should not swim, outdoors, ever, but I so don't care. Am desperate to be me again. The me who can do stuff, take exercise, and generally cope, whatever, not the fainty feeble substitute I seem to have been of late.

Gerry you about? Not seen you in ages? If yes, drop in come half term. I have a small (but getting bigger), slightly baldy person who'd love to meet you.

Actually, Something, after seeing you facebooking from hospital, I figured we had the better deal over this way. Vomiting bugs are grim. But this is only the second one I've had in eighteen years, so could be worse. Can't even keep a sip of water down though, which means I've taken no tablets today. Cue hip pain, back ache, twitchy restlessness, and a need to tear off my skin so it feels less urgh.

Hope all poorly smalls and not so smalls are less poorly soon.

Am sort of more on top of things (???) and hope I will organise the latest project sort cars out tomorrow. Trying to look on the bright side and look forward to a new to us car for me too.

Hope shattered isn't too shattered! Trust you're enjoying your lovely boy and not getting hit by the blues too hard about now.

Hi ladies
Thanks for asking! worse you flatter me . Ds2 is, of course, lovely. Not biased!! Feeding is still rather painful but hoping that settles. I'd forgotten the joys of latching! dS1 has been a lot better than I feared but it's still early days. We very much need to teach him how to be gentle! Feeling ok so far but aware that lack of sleep can catch up quickly so we may try a bottle at some point soon. Although my boobs are exploding so may leave it until they've settled a bit.
plonk hope you enjoyed the pottering. Make the most of it. worse swimming sounds lush- I am a wee but jealous but equally pleased that you are feeling up to it. wotta glad you're feeling slightly better.
Night ladies

Worse lovely to hear a more positive you again. Glad you're back to being completely barmy with swimming outside.

Shattered it sounds like you're coping well. I think taking things as they come might be the answer. Hope the latch becomes less painful soon. I'm dreading the start of BF again, so if you have any tips do share!

Wotta hope things continue to be more cope-able. How's DH? is he still having health niggles? It's important to keep your eye on that bright side (hug)

Stormy hope you're better. Our kids seem to share a love of Show Me Show Me.

Something hope the toddle had a better night and kept his dry toast down. Give him a squeeze from me and tell him he's not to go near that hospital again any time soon.
Also, I can just see you lot packed into a 4x4, with several dogs too, for a yomp in the dales. Sounds lovely.

Pottering about yesterday morning was lovely. I got through the mountain of washing and "booked" a week down in Dorset for us in July. I also discovered I have one of those leaning over the fence type neighbours. She asked where ds was and when I responded nursery she made a fabulously un-PC comment about how I shouldn't feel like I'm shipping him off to be someone else's responsibility. She's got a habit of sticking her head in the car window as I'm reversing out of the drive with an almighty "alright duck!" bonkers. slightly terrified of going in the garden today to dig up the enormous rhubarb crown.

Shattered ah yes, the teaching to be gentle thing. Were still working on it! Toddlers do rather like to throw themselves at people. Not good when the people in question weigh 8lbs and can't jump out of the way. The latch thing gets better pretty much immediately your milk comes in, so hopefully things have improved now.

Plonky you have a crazy lady next door?! Excellent. Lots of entertainment for us . Did you win v the rhubarb? Speaking of rhubarb, what does everyone do with this? I tend to just stew it, and stir it into yoghurt. DH tends to avoid it. The toddle has yet to try it. All very uninspiring. Inspire me, but don't say cake. If there is anything worse than cake in general, it is rhubarb cake. Vomitous.

Which brings me onto Stormy and Something. I hope your houses are now vomit free, and everyone is on the mend. Toddlesome especially, as it sounds like he has been really unwell

Quiet day here. Babax has settled himself down into a 50:50 bm and ff routine which is suiting us both, as getting my milk up to 100% would require more patience and time than I have, and getting him to take all his milk from the boob would require more effort than he is prepared to give! You know when 'they' say babies get lazy when they are bottle fed? well, they are right. If he's a bit tired, or just hungry rather than really hungry he snuggles down and goes to sleep. Trying to persuade him otherwise is a thankless task.

Toddle news... she gets cuter everyday! Today she walked all the way back from the shops holding my hand without being asked to. Awwwww! Normally hand holding is for sissies, and running away is how cool kids work... but not today. Today she was cute

Too much to catch up on you Sexy lot so I shall just say a big happy birthday to stormy but maybe ribena in those glasses as you're going steady on your tummy. How has your special day been? The man, dad and Bro treating you well? It's a big birthday too I believe. Many happy returns.

Something it sounds bad your end. Are they saying it's just a regular tummy bug? Can tummy bugs last that long? Really feel for you. And now the softie has it too. Lots of love your way.

Shattered! Our calculations say it's rock hard boob and blues o'clock so really hope you're finding your way through. That baby is so lovely! Has your dh got two weeks off with
you?

Worse is it swimming pool mechanics, temperature or time post partum that is dictating when you swim again? The hand holding is lovely isn't it. We have it occasionally. Magic moments.

Plonky thanks for e
asking after me (does that make me sound ancient?). How are you sleeping? I have just got my dream genie up duff pillow back from friend (laundered) if you'd like it. Made my dh well jel that did :-) I was addicted to it.

In law mum and nan have arrived. Dh and I are off to wedding child free tomorrow whilst they play with Ecotod. There's a hotel afterwards too. Yippee! What a cool way to start the weekend. Am in hotel for Sunday night as well so sleepy times ahoy this end (sorry worse and shattered....that was insensitive). Ecotod has mostly been saying 'I'm not Ecotod I'm Ben' so is in that phase of pretending to be someone else. Anyone else have this? Dread to think what the underlying message of that is

Lovely to have a night out eco, and a proper sleep sesh too! I bet you can't wait. I've never had a proper preggo pillow but they do look good. Currently i sleep like the dead, but I can imagine needing one some time in the not so distant. I shall certainly remember your kind offer before going and spending a horrendous amount on one. Thank you

Your girl sounds streets ahead in terms of social ability. I say that because pretending to be someone else is beyond my toddle, who haw recently discovered that if he rubs bunny's ear on his foot it goes all tickly.

Worse We have no hand holding either. I thought it was just us! I see all these toddles out and about happily holding hands and presume I just got a wilful one. Glad to know that's not the case.

Babax sounds completely adorable. Can we have an up to date photo please? I bet he's changed so much.
rhubarb is still in the ground because I too am scratching my head a bit over what to do with it. It's the same size as my car! So I will make compote and apparently you can do a good spicy relish with it, bit like mango chutney. And a crumble obvs but DH hates rhubarb. He says he prefers chocolate so, er, compost bin?

Mad old lady next door is lovely but very mad. She's told me three times that she's not seen me since Christmas. ds is terrified of her. She's tried to win bin over by giving him "tuffies" (pit village Derbs speak for sweeties) but can't accept that I won't give a two year old boiled butter mints. She's bound to get more bonkers when she notices we're expecting another.

Ds has discovered his cheeky side in a big way. He spent most of yesterday running around with an empty shampoo bottle blowing air in the other kids faces, laughing heartily at with them. His love of the words "bloody mess" know no bounds. Everything is a bubby mess. He woke me up this morning by poking my eyelids. Everything is followed by an absolutely filthy, very loud belly laugh. He has also worked out how to pretend to be sad.

Happy Friday everyone. Hope you all have nice days ahead and that the poorlies are on the mend (including the Softie).

I will try not to make this post all "woe is me" but I'm bloody fed up of illness now! DS perked up enough yesterday for me to go to work and leave him with my mum and dad, but halfway through my shift he had a huge d&v sesh so has gone back to my weak, lethargic, skinny boy complaining of a painful tummy and bum (the diarrhea has pretty much burned his bum). Then Softie spent the night curled around the toilet having succumbed to the bug, and I woke up in the middle of the night with major stomach pain having started my stupid period. Ugh.

plonk I love the sound of mad lady next door, and can just imagine your DS's belly laugh. We miss him! He is instant medicine. He sounds lots of fun.

worse I must admit that DS is a hand holder. I don't know if that's thanks to my vice like grip or not. I second the need for another picture of babax.

eco enjoy your well deserved lovely weekend. Some you time sounds just right. I'm meant to be going to a spa hen do tomorrow but if the men aren't well, I fear I won't go.

shattered hope bfing is easing with each feed and that your reflexes from preventing the toddle from diving on his brother are on point!

We just found out the Softie's occasional who just seems to turn up in the summer friend and DS's godfather is expecting. It's quite nice news and will hopefully grow him up because he's quite irresponsible and flaky. His baby is due the same time as Bungle so they're may be two newborns at the wedding which is fine because they don't take up seats

Happy belated birthday stormy! How was your day? Did you manage to keep down the bacon sarnie?

I am wishing all those with the bug a speedy recovery. It is awful. Do you think there is a sudden increase of this? I have never heard or experienced the d&v bug until ds came along. Since I have had ds he has passed it onto me twice.

eco your weekend of sleep sounds amazing. You have a very imaginative dd either that or she is learning Turkish. Ben is me in Turkish.

shattered how is our youngest member of the Marchers? Hope the bf gets easier for you.

worse thank you for the pic of babax. He is so cute. Ds will hold my hand 20% of the time. If he is in a bad mood there is no chance.

plonky why has it taken you so long to tell us about your neighbour. We need more stories please to make us laugh. I have only heard of these neighbour stories on mn. Of course in London we don't even know what our neighbours look like.

So this Monday will be my favourite Monday ever. It will be my last day at work. I hope to god I never work for an organisation who don't appreciate the hard work you do.

Happy Friday everyone!

Well Something when you're all de-plagued you'll have to come over for lunch. Maybe MOWND (mad old woman next door) will insist on getting to know you too. I think she'd like that

Thank goodness your tummy cramps were AF related and not the bug striking you down too. Sounds utterly miserable.

Yummy I think I managed a good twenty three years between tummy bugs. I think nurseries and schools are breeding grounds for nasty bugs and adults immune systems are generally hardened enough to deal with them. Till our own toddlers are sick on us of course.

Our street is very neighbourly. I can't step out of my front door without someone asking if we're all settled in now and how we are. It's nice really but sometimes I do miss anonymity. The couple opposite have a one year old and elderly neighbours frequently drop in on them for a cuppa so I'm sure it'll be my turn next year. I worry about that. I don't watch any soaps and I listen to punk...Thank god babies are a wonderful distraction!

Mmm, birthday bacon.

It's definitely prolonged contact with small people that causes stomach bugs. Last one I had, maybe four years ago? Went to stay with my sister and they'd all had one, sister still had it, and I came down with it too. Before that I hadn't had one since I was twelve.

It's suddenly got all nice and sunny. Long may it last - birthday barbecue is set for Sunday.

Hi ladies
Have a baby asleep on my chest so finally time to post rather then just read!
DS2 has had a tongue tie which partially explains the latch so now that that's sorted hopefully it will improve. I don't remember feeding being this hard last time!
Hmm plonk tips. Im using the rugby ball hold on the sofa so DS1 can tuck under the other arm if he wants to altho he seems happy destroying the house whilst I can't move . Lots of lansinoh, have a drink to hand before you sit down ( I get a raging thirst as soon as I start feeding!) and lots of batch cooked food in the freezer so you don't have to think about that (your forte) and a DH who will hold the baby for a few hours in the late eve so you can at least start the night with a few hours sleep!!
something are the boys recovered? Did they do much in hospital? How horrible to see DS like that.
eco love have a Fab wedding. Enjoy the well deserved sleep!!! Are you wearing the outfit we saw?
worse how are you finding your solo days? DH is still trying to get some work done so he's around to help but it's giving me a taste of how hard it will be to achieve anything !!!
Happy weekends ladies we have the hordes descending so I'm going to lie back down until DS1 up then go for lots of

Getting ds tongue tie snipped was revolutionary for his latch. Shame it happened too late for my supply. In 9 days he hadn't fed properly once. So you're doing well shattered!

Happy weekend ladies.

Wotta I think we had the same issue but noone around here seems to believe tt actually exists. And they wonder why bf rates in my ward are among the lowest in the country. I can see he still has it.

Shattered sounds like you're doing fantastically well. Hope you're getting enough rest despite everything. Thanks for the tips!

I still think tongue tie is why FP would never latch on properly. GP dismissed my concerns when she was tiny, but having seen the way she tries to stick her tongue out, it clearly doesn't have the freedom of movement it should.

Plonk you wanted to know how the gro clock worked out. Had it set for 7 yesterday for nursery and she was all quiet until I got her up. This morning it was set for 8 (when we usually get up). She woke at six and couldn't find her dummy ("Where my dummy gone?" overheard through the wall) so I went and gave her it and pointed out that the sun hadn't come up yet. So she lay back down, I went back to bed, entertained herself quietly until "Good morning sun!" at just gone 8. So I'd call that a success, because she clearly understands how it works.

Tongue tie sounds like such a simple thing to fix. It's disappointing diagnosis rates are so low in some areas. Neither of mine had it, so I count myself lucky on that front.

Shattered solo days are ok, although they probably involve more peppa pig than they should. I save it for those moments where both are having a full on melt down, as I figure it is better to pacify one with the evil screen than have me join in with the screaming . Mornings and evenings alone though, those are a disaster waiting to happen. Both need me at the same time, and neither are prepared to wait. The usual scenario is I have to forgo the basics like a shower and food, and everyone else has to cry a bit. It's not much fun tbh, but it's a short lived phase I have to tell myself this to stay sane

Something how are the boys?

Stormy miserable timing that you were sick on your birthday. Double celebration for your 40th instead maybe. By that time FP will be old enough to organise it for you

Eco swimming is dictated by when we get the pool opened, as after the winter shut down the water bears a close resemblance to one of those 'green juices' foodie types detox on, and the chemicals need some time to work. Best thing about the toddle being old enough to join me this year is DH will insist the water is warm. Normally we don't heat it. I will report back later as to whether or not I actually get in, as it isn't a particularly nice day and I'm not as tough as I was

Hope you're feeling better Stormy.

Worse did you brave a swim? It's bloody chilly up here today! We went swimming this morning but madam wanted out after about 5 mins which is always fun! DH is on call today so it's solo parenting here and so we've done gardening, hung some washing out and buried a few pegs and watched a hell of a lot of TV and eaten loads of biscuits.

My lovely work colleague lost her husband very suddenly and in awful circumstances today so I'm a bit blue but also very determined to make a huge effort with DH and make life less shouty and more full of nice things because it can be bloody short.

Eco how was the wedding?

waves to everyone else and passes the gin as it's after 5pm