It's the Christmas party at Mugabe nights, pull up a bar stool and order your shots! August 2015

[FattyNinjaOwl]

New thread for all the regulars at the bar, and the not so regulars too.

Grok xposts- made me laugh at the thought of you merrily sat in your Knicks eating cereal!!

Just checking in for a bit of company at the bar. mugabes is the gift that keeps giving, with an Xmas party every night, wohoo.

mzzf hope you're getting some sleep now, lily too.

Grok I can't sleep either! I think these little people mess up our sleep routine, though I've been a bit of an insomniac for years!

I need to start reading to baby too. I'm sorry to say that sometimes she gets quite ignored due to older dd needing more attention. Often I put her in the living room in her bouncer whilst dd1 is watching TV so I can do some housework etc.

I'll have a White Russian I think, cheers!

Morning

Well DD slept from 9-12.30am and then slept on me from 12.30-5am with boobie in her mouth - better than being up every minute of last night but got a sore arm this morning from her lying on it!

frolic definately go to docs - you are absolutely not being pfb - better to get checked out and put your mind at rest. I once took DD1 to the docs because she was crying - doc just said unfortunately babies did this sometimes!! But at least I knew nothing was wrong!

fatty I am in awe at your little bookworms!! DD1 likes to read but DS not a keen reader at all. I get DDs 2&3 to read to baby and toddler when they bring their reading books home from school - keeps them all entertained whilst I make tea.

kbro I downloaded Book of You on my Kindle - it has good reviews - looking forward to snuggling down later today to breast feed and read

Having a friend round with her baby (5 weeks younger than my DD) this morning - looking forward to catching up. Have a lovely day.......

Had some rice for tea last night but sadly it set me off again. So annoyed. Toddler Christmas party today and there's going to be sausage rolls and what not. Still I'm managing to keep water down now so that's a relief. Also the girls haven't got it and Dh is like a tank. Could be worse. Just wish I could get better. Haven't had anything (bar last night's failed rice experiment) since Saturday. Bloody ravenous!

Hang out the flags: Dh did some Christmas cards last night. Why is it men seem to struggle with stuff like that? I always insist on him doing at least some because I am not solely responsible for being thoughtful!

Dd1 is a mad keen bookworm so dd2 hears all her stories. I can recite some (Each, Peach and so on) so I "do" those for her. I'm an English teacher so one thing we're not short of is books! Dh is building some more shelves just now. Our house is minute so he's having to do them recessed into the under stair cupboard. All very complicated. A big excuse to make a mess and hassle just at a particularly difficult time of year! Shouldn't complain. He is brilliant at solving these kinds of things.

What like the weather where you are? Plenty snow here. I was skiteing all over the road yesterday. Just went sailing past the junction! Argh! Should be out making snowmen with the girls but can't face it. No doubt it won't be our only snow this winter but still. Wonder if it'll be a white Christmas.

Cheery Tuesday everyone!

Good morning.
Sleeping at 8pm didn't last. He was wide awake and doing really horrible screaming until about 10. BUT, he then woke at 11:30 and went straight back down until 5:30. We've not had a stretch that long in a few weeks. He's still asleep now.

Thank you for all the reassurance about taking him to the gp. I have already called and booked a triage call from the nurse for this morning.

I try and read to Ds, but he's not that interested at the moment. He likes my silly voices, but is often looking in the total different direction to the book! We don't have a bedtime routine yet - I will include a book when we start.

Frolicdog often wakes the baby mzzf. She is only little, but is like a baby elephant jumping around the house. She wakes up on s good mood every day and throws herself around, behaving like a puppy but sounding like thunder.

How lovely that your dad is singing in Welsh to the dwarfs. Ds' loves track no 17 and creases up when I try to whistle along.
It was nice to meet everyone at dh's work. They were lovely. I think I managed to look presentable. I did open the door to the postman yesterday morning with my button down feeding pj's open though!
I hope you got some decent sleep.

How lovely that you have such little bookworms fatty.

Your underwear and cereal party sounds fun grok, but what on earth were you doing awake while baby slept?

I hope you got some sleep lily. Ds did a massive, mucousy sick into my freshly washed hair and all over my pillows last night, so I will join you on operation clean up today.

Have a good day mung beans (I quite like that autocorrect, so it can stay!) 🙂

X-posts jockstar. Glad you are feeling a bit better. I hope you manage some proper food soon.
I'm envious of your pretty snow - nothing but rain here.

I have got quite lucky with them as they all like books. I think bring slightly obsessed myself helped we have literally hundreds of books and more coming for Christmas.
I'm too tired to read at the minute though

loves I think that's what got DD interested, her big brother reading to her. She wasn't bothered at first and doesn't have a bed time story as it just kept her awake so she would get stressed and upset. She would rather read in the day.

I keep getting a pain in my ribs I don't know why. It's not nice. .
I got sleep last night. DP stayed over and was up with them. I slept for a few hours on the couch earlier on, then from 1:30 ish to 7:30. So why am I still knackered?

DS had another terrible night. Does anyone watch Dr who? I feel a bit like that episode where the Dr is trapped in the castle trying to smash through the wall. The sleep regression has been going on for 2 weeks, 2 months, 2 years, 100 years. I honestly can't remember when it started. To be fair he did do 3 hours and then woke at 2am but wouldn't settle for another 2 hours. And then when he did he went back down for......drum roll please......45 minutes.

I don't want to be the voice of doom on formula but DS knocked a bottle back on Sunday night and woke every hour. It never changes his sleep. But might be worth ago as I know people who swear by it? The break from feeding is good though (although I hear you rrra - bit emotional as well) how did you get on with it? I have my fingers crossed for you!

I don't read at bedtime as our bedtime 'routine' mostly involves me tearing my hair out fighting the urge to scream what do you want at ds. Bed no? Sitting up with us no? Boob no? Cuddling no? Do you want to actually go to magube nights?? But I do read during the day (when I remember) I sometimes take him to rhyme time too and they said to let them get used to books by holding, chewing etc so I do that too but of course could be bollox. I love reading and want DS to enjoy it. My brother never reads which I find sad so hoping DS is a bit of a book worm.

Ok today is the day I write the christmas cards. It must happen.

Hope it goes well with the nurse frolic. I meant to say in my last post that there is nothing wrong with calling the GP anytime - they always seem happy to see babies. Better to have the reassurance

Almost fell asleep at the reflexologist this morning. We had a WTF 11pm feed again last night as well as 2am and 4am. She woke again at 4:45am and DH (bless) kept her quiet until 6am so I could sleep. Sadly he thought not to check why she had woken so the massive poo was there for me to deal with later . Almost 10/10 DH!!

We've seen the GP this morning. Ds' chest and ears were clear, but he has a sore throat. Poor baby. The dr was really lovely. Said he thinks around 4 months is the hardest age as there is so much going on in terms of development, growth, sleep and teething. He was pretty sure that Ds is teething - and thought the lump in the back of his mouth could be an early erupting molar ! At least I know I'm not imagining things now!

You are tired fatty because you've had a good few weeks of being ill yourself or dealing with poorly babies. You need plenty of rest, cake and wine to aid your recovery.

Your bedtime routine sounds like ours kbro. Such fun!

Reflexology sounds lovely slow. How kind of your dh to leave the poo for you!

I hope everyone is having a good day. I am going to attempt some Christmas card writing and present wrapping this afternoon.

I went to sleep with ds2 for another 2 hours
DP is sleeping now because he's oh so knackered

Poor baby having a sore throat. It must be awful, and I think it's worse when they can't tell you what's up so you're left guessing.

Just a quick one as going out the door to my mother in laws (argh). Formula didn't help. Had two hourly wakings last night after taking a while to get down. So a bit better, but not really worth the hassle and expense of formula at the moment.

Frolic that's interesting about 4 months being the hardest. I have being hating it today and having more 'bad' days lately.

Fatty lol at your dp and his 'knackered'. My Dh just managed to stop himself the other day from going on about how tired he is. Must say I am in ore of you for coping with 3 by yourself.

I have 2 friends coming over tonight. So looking forward to some girlie company. Hopefully it won't be spoiled by DS and his current bedtime 'routine'.

I'm another who can attest to how crap formula is for making them sleep through the night!! But making its more to do with the combination/switch over that does something - or like everything else it's just pot luck.
I had the fabled "when you start her on food she'll sleep through" WRONG! Mini mzzzf has been happily guzzling puréed veggies for over a fortnight now and no easy peasey sleep through the night.
And today - just to mix it up with a dose of something extra she's decided that naps are crappola. And has for her longest nap notched up 25mins - woohoo! All the others have been 20min ones...
Nighttime will be fun!! Cue my hollow laugh and sweary words being primped for use.

Hope you sick notes are feeling better today. I'm now at the annoying cough stage, the sort folk would hate in a quiet train carriage 😁

I've still not written any cards, considering not doing any as I'm so fucking bah humbug about it all at the moment. Which is so unlike me but I'm really not feeling festive with no mates or family around... Ah well bring on the gluhwein tonight!!! 🍷

Going to have to do a proper catch up later but pleased to say that Christmas visits are now DONE. Still have some shopping to finish (Amazon) and cards to write and send but visiting and being visited by relatives is sorted. Now to get the house ready for the Christening in early January! Just a few niggles to sort and possibly skirting boards to install and we will be done apart from the disaster that is the loft room.

Needs insulating properly, reskimming and painting so of course needs emptying before that can be done.

My parents are seriously besotted with F so we actually get along now which is great!

F is just starting to get shy but warmed to them eventually and was chatting happily. Amazingly having a nice long nap - first for a while - phew. She's never lost her 6 ish hours night sleep but it tends to be a babybottom alarm clock for me at 6 or so. This morning it was 4.30 which was less popular but she went to 7 after that so not too horrific. She doesn't always yell instantly for a night poo but always does eventually so it's easier to catch it fresh so she doesn't get sore (or risk escaping which is so much more complicated to solve). Day sleep is less easy and is most likely to happen at a baby group, in the car or on a walk. She fights so hard and if I try too soon we just get yelling and no nap so I just don't make it a battle and ignore the need for sleep.

Think we might have teeth on the way - serious gnawing of any grabbable adult fingers and my parents are going to raid their local supermarket for French teething toys!

Better go and take advantage of the nap by doing another wash load - so behind it's ridiculous!

Ha ha ha. Mzzzf I totally pinned my hope on 'they sleep through and then get up and make you breakfast in bed' once they have solids. Dam it.

The best thing about introducing a formula feed is that it buys you a block of sleep... So breastfeed, go immediately to bed, do not pass go, collect £200, etc. Get DP/DH to take the baby and entertain them until next feed, then feed them and put them to bed. You then wake up for the next bf. So even if they're up every 2 hours you at least get one 4 hour block. It's how I survived weeks 4-8 I reckon. But now DS is almost exclusively FF I can also attest that formula doesn't seem to make any difference to length of sleep. He's refusing to go back to the days of one wake up... But I know things could be much much worse so I'm not complaining.

Think teeth are also on the way here - had to get the calpol out earlier as A was beside himself and nothing he was chomping on was helping at all. I can see the little white buds beneath the gum but they've been there a while so guess it could be ages till they actually pop through.

Hope you feel better soon Joskar and Fatty, extra buenos for you guys coping with multiple kids while feeling rough.

Hope everyone has a good night tonight. I've got a banging headache so planning on getting to bed asap. Catch you guys in Mugabe Nights later...

A bit of a better day here. it helps to know that there is something wrong, rather than just wandering iykwim. And the dr said to give calpol, which has definitely helped. He's also had a huge poonami that required a bath and is having a mega long feed, so I'm hoping for a decent sleep tonight.

I've not tried formula yet. I think the thing is that you can't tell how much they're getting when you breastfeed, so when they're unhappy it's very easy to wander if they've had enough milk. It doesn't sound like it's helped anyone here yet, so I might not rush to give myself the extra sterilising work.

I hope you told dp to grab a coffe and woman up fatty?!

The dr we saw was lovely kbro, and just having him say that has made me feel a lot better about how difficult things have felt recently.
I hope you have a nice evening tonight.

How are you getting on with the solids mzzf? What sort of things are you giving her? Ds has started to take a real interest when we're eating, so I'm starting to think about when we might try. So many people have told me he'll sleep through if I give him solids - if only it were that simple.

I've still not done any Christmas cards ....

Frolic - we're doing things very slowly Chez F. First tastes were just puréed single veg - it's recommended to start with the bitterest first so broccoli, cauliflower etc etc. I use Ella's kitchen cos I'm a lazy slattern (plus they're almost always on offer and you can freeze the leftovers unlike other ones!). She's now progressed into veggie combos like carrot and sweet potato. She likes the baby porridge but goes nuts for the veggies. So since baby porridge and rice are almost pure sugar hits I've just kept going with veg. There's a lot they can tolerate this young (gluten, meat etc) but saying that mini mzzzf successfully grabbed a sausage sarnie from my hand the other day and I had to wrestle it out of her sticky mits - she was not my friend after that.
Also she grabs for glasses/cups when drinking so I've let her take the last dribble of water out of them a few times. All good cup practice!

Right, I'm near the end of my goodwill when it comes to bedtime. The old hippy in me just says go with the flow, an early bedtime will develop but the selfish adult in me wants an evening with my husband not fighting an overtired baby to sleep For hours in my own. Do I persevere with a 'bedtime' or do I just take her up when she's at the end of the road for the day?

Either way I spend a large chunk of my night sitting upstairs alone. As DD will not have DH settle her 😕
I'm stuck and do not know what to do.

Btw no cards here either. No one measly one....balls

Ola!

Good news Mugabeans! The last second class posting date for Christmas is not until the 19th so we all have at least until Saturday before the lack of card action becomes an issue. I have done some serious triaging of our Chrimble card list tonight. Anyone who hasn't sent us one for a couple of years is off as are a whole load of people that I regard as 'duty' card receivers. I figure having a new baby in the house is a helluva good reason to scale back on the card writing hell (especially as grumpy 1 loves signing on behalf of her sister and herself but does take about an hour a card to do so... )

frolic some months my visit to the reflexologist is the only thing which keeps me sane. I've been going for years, started due to a prolapsed disc in my back which was very niggly even after it had supposedly healed up but found it to be excellent for general wellbeing. Pretty sure it helped us finally conceive grumpy 2 as well - my reflexologist was doing a course on fertility and used me as a guinea pig. After three cycles, bingo! Needless to say she passed her course

kbro I've mentioned it on here before but its worth saying again that PND often comes on around months 4-6, which makes perfect sense really. This is definitely a really tough phase. Hang in there, it does get easier (and then harder, and then easier. Repeat)

randoms well done for getting your Christmas visiting done and dusted. Ours starts next week. It's a bit bah humbug of me but I'm not looking forward to it that much this year. Your loft room sounds like our hallway, landing and stairs. We started work on them in February and it looks like they will be celebrating their 1st birthday still unfinished...

love I do the same with grumpy 1 and her reading books! Tbh grumpy 2 seems to enjoy the tedious phonics books much more than DH and I do and it does grumpy 1 good to have a more enthusiastic audience!!

Tomorrow is Christmas baking day so I am decamping to my Mum's. If we don't murder each other with spatulas before the end of the day I will count it as a success

The bedtime thing is a bitch mzzf. I feel exactly the same as you.
I'm sitting upstairs with him now. I want to go down and spend time with dh - but Ds sleeps so much better when I'm here.
Over the past couple of weeks he's evolved naturally from being quite happy dozing on my lap downstairs to wanting to be in bed. I wander of he'll move on to being ok on his own from here?

Thanks for the food tips. Are you following a specific book / program? Is it your friend who works in the industry and had some great advice?

X-posts slow. What are you baking? I'm not that far away if you need a taste tester 😉

I'm going to be wasted by morning ladies! Does Mugabe nights have a loyalty card for visits?? This is the second time DD has woken up crying tonight. Sorry I know some of the other babies haven't even nodded off yet Her cheeks are very red, is this the true start of teething or has the 4 month regression got even worse...actually can it get any worse?! 😂 bloomin' jabs day tomorrow too 😖 just for good measure, and apologies in advance... FUCKITY FUCK FUCK FUCK oh and DH is snoring next to me

fanby I hear ya! We are having an evening of random unexplained crying also. DH has just taken over cuddle duty so I can regain feeling in my right arm. Look on the bright side re: jabs. At least she is already unsettled. It'd feel far worse if she was currently going through a good sleep phase and you then had to fuck it all up with the jabs