July 2016 #2

[Bluebell20]

A new thread as we (hopefully) move towards longer sleeps and lovely little smiles!

Ah that's good to know blue! Thank you. How much is Ruben sleeping in the day? Grace just tends to cat nap in between feeds. I did manage to get her to nap in the cocoonababy today for 30. Wooo!!! I managed to play with DD1 which was nice.

My house is a bomb today as been doing lots of play. Got a £3 roll of paper from IKEA. DD1 loves colouring it. Thinking of using it for wrapping paper at Xmas

Anna - re BF, a combination of longer stretches at night and a better routine of expressing has made things go haywire here. Spraying milk everywhere when I feed. The other morning I needed to relieve the pain and managed to express 70ml by hand!
For birthday/Christmas presents, have you thought about opening an Amazon wish list for each of the children? That way they might get exactly what you're hoping for!
Great idea about holding back half the toys. Ooh and I love the idea of making wrapping paper. Maybe I'll try making some with Jasper's footprints - haven't got around to doing anything about that yet!
What sort of good stuff does ikea have for babies, apart from the high chair? Do you mean toys? Or furniture? Or general household stuff?
Loved your baby massage story!
And what a gorgeous pic of Grace! Beautiful smile!

Anna, Indians - remember: happy mummy, happy baby! Cheers!🍷

Indians - hope you have a lovely time in Rome. Enjoy lots of red wine while you're there 😉
Love the selfie! And the caterpillar 😄

Sunday - ooh yes a nice wooden toy box, great idea. My husband is obsessively tidy so he'd be keen on that. Or maybe one of those nice old-fashioned travel trunks could be upcycled...?

Ooh Bluebell, I love that rainbow stacker! Is it just me being OCD or is it a bit weird that they start with yellow and end with green? Really smart though. The music set is lovely too. Thanks for the ideas!
Wow, that's amazing that your husband is as talented as you are! Please can we see pictures of the toy box?
Does your name begin with G? If so, congratulations on having 3 friends 😉
Oh, and here's an idea for your next project:

And here's a photo of my little baby on a big sofa

Ha julf yep that's me - three whole friends! One of the three hounded me into it - they're all from my RL post-natal group and they swore I was missing out on vital information and gossip through not being on there. Alarmed by the accuracy with which Facebook is throwing people I might know at me, though - I assume I have somehow allowed it to access my gmail contacts. Unnerving!

Husband put pics of the example toy box up on etsy. The idea is that once it's done as a toy box, it can become a linen chest and so remain useful: www.etsy.com/uk/listing/471455294/toy-box-dovetailed-english-ash?ref=shop_home_active_1 It would be nice if he'd make one for Ruben, but to be fair there isn't really the room in our bijou home! And I wouldn't say either of us are talented; we're just both sadly addicted to making stuff, which means we will never, ever have a tidy home... (And mmmmm, what a beautiful crochet project you have found!)

Love the idea of the vintage travel trunk as toy box. My brother has one as a coffee table and it looks soooo lovely.

Holy crap that is a giant sofa! (Or a very small Jasper!)

Anna Ruben was cat napping when he first started sleeping through, too, but then on Tuesday he did two hours in the morning and three in the afternoon! I missed baby massage because I wanted to take full advantage of him being asleep and crack on with stuff! He did two hours then one hour yesterday, too. I wonder if he perhaps sleeps more during a growth spurt?

Your wrapping paper idea is so clever! (And I love the footprints idea too julf!) Storing that one away for when Ru is a bit bigger. Gosh I can't wait until I can get him lovely boxes of big fat crayons (arranged in correct rainbow order, of course, julf).

Turned my phone on this morning to an apologetic text from my brother. He had rung my landline at midnight, forgetting that he was in America and eight hours behind. Apparently he wanted me to recite the alphabet backwards very fast to some people on speakerphone (this is my party trick). I'm gutted we all slept through the call - I would have enjoyed waking up for such a random request.

blue, jufl back to feeding every three hours last night. Boo!! I knew she would as wasn't feeding as much yesterday. Hopefully she goes longer again tonight though. Thank you for sharing your exp though. Good to know!

jufl that pic is amazing! I keep a list on my phone of things as everyone was asking me last year so am being organised. I love IKEA! Their stuff for when you start them on solids is great. Really good bowls, plates , cutlery, bibs. I've also got some lovely little book stabds that sit on the floor so they can get their books when they're mobile. We also have the castle tent that DD1 loves! It's worth having a browse online. Those shorts!

blue that's so funny of your bro! Fab that he lives there though. Do you visit much? The chest is lovely! I have a plastic tub and ikea storage unit in the playroom! Would love nicer stuff but got quite a few other things to but for the house first! It's gorgeous though.

Bluebell - ha ha, "bijou" is a good word. I generally describe our flat as "cosy" but I think I'll start using "bijou" from now!
Yes the sofa is enormous! I just had to take a photo with jasper on it for scale!
That toy box is lovely.
Ha, yes I do like things to be in rainbow order 😄 Occasionally I arrange my wardrobe that way. It normally lasts all of about two days...
Looking forward to the meet-up, when we can hear your alphabet party trick! That's hilarious of your brother 😄

Anna - I'll check out the ikea website, thanks!
Good luck with the feeding pattern tonight. Jasper was hungrier than normal last night too. But I guess they say "feed a cold".

Well, we've finally found and ordered a chest of drawers for Jasper which'll fit in our room (we only have one bedroom in our "bijou" home - London living, eh?). I can't wait for it to arrive next week. Poor boy has been living out of a suitcase (to be fair, we have been moving around between three places for much of his little life). Will be nice for his clothes etc to have a proper home, so I'm not tripping over them all the time 😬

3 months tomorrow!

Bluebs - I just read the following brilliant phrase: "Despite the rather pluvial weather of late..." - please can you try to include it in your novel? I think it would add a certain je ne sais quoi...?

Anna he doesn't live in America (fortunately!); he's a touring musician! He lives in the UK, currently on a plane home, and I'm going to visit him this weekend :) Castle tent sounds FABULOUS. I can't wait for Ruben to be old enough for castle tents and Pinterest-worthy teepee dens full of twinkly lights and cushions and then hog them to myself.

Julf I got 'bijou' from estate agents' websites when we were looking to buy our house. 'Bijou' was pretty much what we could afford so it cropped up a lot... I shall be delighted to astound you all with my reverse alphabet in Bath. It is a truly useful skill.

And oh my god, where on earth did you read that?! It's hilarious. I should definitely have a character who says stuff like that in my novel. One of the characters has a bunch of random housemates so I could assign it to one of them...

Today's task list includes booking a smear test that I couldn't have while pregnant. Joys!

Bluebell - glad you like the language! Yes I think you should definitely have a housemate character who speaks like that! I couldn't possibly reveal my source, but it might not surprise you to hear that she describes herself (on twitter) as a "bibliophile" rather than a "book-lover"

Ah yes, you mentioned your musician brother once before - I'd forgotten. What sort of music does he play? Can we have a group outing to one of his concerts? 😄

Thanks for the reminder re smear test - I have a feeling mine was due while I was pregnant too - must find out.

indians I've told you! Hallie could be a baby hair model! Are you having a nice time? Despite Mozi bite?

blue oh yes I remember you saying he was in a band. How cool! Ah bet you can't wait to see him. The tent is awesomd apart from when k was heavily pregnant DD1 would run into it at bedtime and I couldn't bend to get her

juf how's Jasper? Think Grace has a cold too. Lots of sneezing and feeding! Hoping to get some sleep tonight.

Re smears i had one shortly after first baby. It bloody hurt! Apparently breast feeding makes your cervix tender, so I didn't feel too much of a shrimp. Please get it done though. My best friend has just had a biopsy done following a smear. Hopefully it's all ok. This year can bugger off! Bar Grace, she's Ace

Julf - of course she does. I now feel I must get both pluvial and bibliophile into the book. My bro plays in a pop / rock band that my friends who are in their early twenties get excited about, and my friends in their thirties and forties go "Who?" I am dead proud because I knew who they were BEFORE he started playing with them. Down with the kids, me.

Indians that is hilarious! Maybe she'll make whatever the Italian equivalent is of the Daily Mail!

Feeling pretty wrung out today, guys. What with booking a smear test, baby swimming lessons, cocking up posts on Facebook, and Ruben crying on and off for four hours this evening, I need to hit the hay. I'm driving to the Midlands tomorrow and I'm crapping myself about it! It's like when you are a kid and can't sleep because you want Christmas to come quicker, only exactly the opposite. I haven't even worked out how to use my brand new satnav yet (and if my FB prowess is anything to go by, I shall be satnavving myself to the wrong place or something, argh).

Eeek Anna thanks for the warning! Hope everything is okay for your friend. I seem to remember that a couple of the ladies on here had had lletz treatment after abnormal smears? It's great that it's screened for.

Cracking up at crafty DD hiding in the tent from poor pregnant mummy!!!

www.facebook.com/WOWbiz.ro/videos/1024754037570867/

Night, all xx

Love that video juf!!! So cute!!!! Dogs are amazing aren't they?

Ha ha blue it was bloody awful. I had to pretend I was going out so she'd run out then I had to grab her quickly. She still runs in there now but I can climb in! Oh the band sounds so cool! Do they play them on radio 1? I've started putting that on as DD1 loves dancing to some of the music on it!

Grace and I are full of cold! But I need to get to the shops today to get some bits for the girls. Can't go till next Wednesday otherwise. It's my birthday tomorrow so hoping the cold clears up a bit. Grace had been having lots of little feeds in the night so think her throat could be sore/dry. The joys of the colder weather!

That ratio 1 comment makes me sound so old. I do often listen to it but now I've hit 30 I like radio 2

Don't worry Anna I'm a radio 2 kinda gal also! Happy birthday for tomorrow! What have you planned for your bday in the end? The wrapping paper idea is cute- am storing that idea for the future.

Julf I'm glad you clarified that you live in a cosy flat, when I saw your pic of jasper on that sofa I had visions of you living in a stately home!

Argghh my phone has gone a bit mental and tried to paste a link to a local beauty salon on the thread!

Blue the toy box is beautiful. Just what I'm after, I wish my budget stretched! I'm intrigued by your Facebook fail?! It's very scary what it knows. I get an ex boyfriend suggested as a friend even though I don't have his number in my phone and none of my friends are his friends . Also needing a smear test so thanks for the reminder.

I look forward to seeing news of Hallie's hair go viral Indians! Have a lovely time in Rome and lots of ice cream.

My boy has just woken after 10 hours sleep! He's suddenly started sleeping through naturally, not every single night but most

Hello ladies! Fallen off the thread something rotten!

Just had a lovely 20 mins or so catching up with all your news. Missed you all over last week or so. DH had a week off at end of sept which was lovely - we went to Paris to visit his sister - but rather fell off posting since then as we've all had colds plus jabs, blah blah! Will attempt to catch up a bit!

julf so so sorry about your cousin's partner - that is so awful. Hope they're surviving ok inthe worst of circumstances.

How's everyone surviving cold season?! We're so snotty here. Mo is so stuffy poor little thing and now DH has it - oh joy! Anyone taken the plunge with snot....? If you know what I mean...?

Great idea about Amazon gift list - brilliant! God love my inlaws but they don't half but weird presents!!! They also have dogs bluebell - going back a bit here I know. They got a puppy before M was born and now visiting them is a nightmare as the puppy is bonkers and tries to jump on Mo. They are doing positive training of said puppy (ffs) and won't tell her off in case she develops negative associations with babies - so she gets a treat if she tries to jump on him or nip him. Dreading xmas....

Also julf - I'm going to join FB group. bluebell - I said I would if you did so here I go!!!! My initials are CS

indians ciao bella! Have a wonderful time in Rome. We went there for our babymoon - was so lovely and you can eat and drink all the delicious things!!!

Speaking of eating and drinking - diet is awful here! I've put on about a stone I reckon (I don't do scales really as I used to have issues) but so unmotivated to lose it. So impressed by your Friday weigh in. I'm trying to fit in exercise as I really miss it but it's tough!!

Meant to say - cold has meant Mo feeding every 2 hrs at night again. Sooooo tired!!!!

Snapshot of M in Paris, taking in the local culture

Mo looking very dapper in his beret and stripes! Have purchased a snot sucker (I assume this is what you are referring to!) but fortunately haven't had cause to use it! Have you yet cheery? The thought of it is disgusting but I'd obviously do anything for E if he was poorly! I'd be really pissed off if anyone was giving a dog treats for jumping on my baby- your in-laws are being very unreasonable.

Have attached a pic of baby footprints done with water based paints for julf Works well providing you don't put too much paint on and much cheaper than any special footprint making sets.

Yep sunday pretty pissed off with dogs scenario, especially as we're made to feel like we're making a fuss! Grrrrr.

I was referring to the snot thingy. DH stepped up and did it. It did work and neither of us could bear Mo bring so stuffy and sad. Gross though, right???

Haha! Good work getting DH to do it!

We did pregnancy and birth so snot is nothing!!!