********** December 2006 PART 2 **************

[castlesintheair]

Will this do?

Aww shucks thanks for the sympathy. I get more on here than in RL! Pain has subsided, now I'm just completely deaf. I lie on the good ear if I want to block out DC noise/DH snoring. Quite good really!

Eli, going to Southsea (ILs) and then Wiltshire (my DM). Lots of washing machines and babysitters. Tee hee!

Magnolia, hope your MIL is better soon. Know what you mean about enjoying the peace. I often find myself unable to go to bed as I want to relish it.

Calmriver, yes, my DD2 is very chatty and LOUD!

Castles - Southsea as in Portsmouth? Let me know if you want to meet up for a coffee at Gunwharf Quays or somewhere....sachaj underscore course at yahoo dot com.
Well that's the first time I have heard of a manual pump being better than an electric. I have a Medela electric that can be mains or battery powered but is 5 years old. I have borrowed a manual so will try that. But yes the washing and sterilising is annoying - thinking of changing from microwave steriliser to tablets in solution.
I;m not so worried about my supply (indeed I was dripping everywhere whilst trying to get him to feed on my rhs yesterday - that's not happened for a while) but I must make a conscious effort to express - but it is so tedious!!!
Off to express now then!!

Magnolia, of course I mean GIL. Temporary insanity as well as temporary ear loss!

Sacha, do you live in Southsea/Portsmouth?

HI everyone - just a quick note while I hop on e-bay to get DH some lawn mower blades

Good vibes for toothache and earache!

And hope Magnolias GMIL is better too.

We have'nt seen any friends or famly in weeks as they ar avoiding us in case DS got DD's pox - which he still seems to be clear of - quite miffed with DH family actually as they have given a 21 day period to it so assuming DS got it from DD on the last day she was contagious, they will be avoiding us for 6 weeks - although where MIL is concerned it's a bonus . But DD is asking when she will see her Grt Grandad again. and I can't say because she has spots cos they've gone! Also GRGD wants to see us, but FIL and MIL dont want to drive him here and he has to rely on them - bah!

Castles, Thought I'd just drive to Portsmouth for the fun of it......{grin] No, really, I am Pompey born and bred, managed to escape for 8 or 9 years on and of but am back in Pompey again as of August last year (funnilly enough pretty much the day I returned to Portsmouth the morning sickness stopped - I don't think it was a coincidence - the fresh sea air and all). Probably quite good for one ear not to be working if your's is making the ear piercing 'noises of enjoyment' (aka girly shrieks) that mine is making.
LFM, that does seem unfair on DD - will there then be another 21day ban if DS comes up in spots in case you or DH catch it? Can you not meet up for lunch somewhere and leave DH with DS? (I have no idea how long their drive is and whether that is reasonable or not).
I do love the chattering that ds is doing, still very cooey as he is only 14(I think) weeks. It's quite funny how he goes all shy and quiet when people come round then if they have been here a few hours he starts chattering again.
First attempt at expressing with Manual pump - not bad but need to get used to it, and needed 2 hands - 1 1/2 oz from my 'bad' side after ds had finished(although he hardly touched that side at all) - but might make it possible to express in evenings as sooooo much quieter - could watch tv whilst pumping rather than read MN whilst pumping!

My dd2 "said hello" to my DB the other day. He was saying hello and she was trying to copy the sounds and it sounded remarkably like a real word! He couldn't wait to gloat to my sister. They have a competitive aunt/uncle thing going on. It's quite amusing watching the pair of them compete for my dds affection!

But she is just gurgling for me

Hi all, I have been lurking occasionally, but haven't been able to face posting.

Things are a bit better. Well, a lot better than they were back at the beginning of the year, in that Hettie's home and well.

Still on medication though, and the stroke she had means she is going to have some degree of physical weakness on her left side, we're told. They can't speculate about cognitive development yet. We have to just wait and see, and they say they'll know by the time she's 2!! At our last check up the consultant seemed pleasantly surprised that she was so alert, so I'm taking that as a good sign.

We're taking things a day at a time, ie right now, today, there's nothing to be depressed about, she's just like any other 3 month old: smiles a lot, laughs, good head control etc etc. Hopefully that doesn't mean we're in denial, just trying to make sure she's a happy little girl who fulfills all her potential, whatever that may be.

Hope everyone's babies are doing well.

Hettie sleeps well at night, I'm grateful for that, she's sleeping through from about 9pm till 6.30am now. And in the day, she LOVES her sheepskin rug. I never had one first time round, I'm sure it would have changed my life.

Long post, sorry x

Hi Mardybum, glad you posted

I'm so glad that Hettie is home and she sounds like she's doing incredibly well.

Take care, xx

Hi Mardybum, it's lovely to hear from you. I can imagine about not being able to face posting especially with us all moaning away. Re development: my SIL had her DD at 24 weeks and they were told (after she survived and was expected not to) that she would have developmental problems. She's nearly 2 now and completely fine. I don't know if this helps you but sometimes it does help to hear these stories. I know it's what my SIL wanted at the time. Sometimes our DCs take the experts by surprise and it certainly sound's like Hettie is doing really well

Oh I'm so pleased things are looking positive Mardybum, it sounds as though you are coping really well and Hettie doesn't sound any different to any of the other LOs on here. Really for you all, I can't imagine how worrying the last few weeks have been. I'm also very very of her sleeping - what a good girl!

Hi Mardybum - so nice to hear from you again. And really nice to hear that thus far all Hesters progress has been positive , may it go that way evermore.
As for 9pm to 6.30am sleeps

Mardy, I'm so glad you've updated us. And very, very happy that things are going well with Hester.

Also very envious of her sleeping

Mardy, so very glad you and little Hettie are doing so well. Thanks for letting us know.

I'm glad you were tempted out of lurking to update us, mardy. I hope all continues to be positive for Hettie

Phew, Mardybum, am so glad to see your post. And happy that Hettie is doing well...she sounds great: dd is still struggling to keep her big head up, and she's over four months now Also totally understand you not feeling up to posting for a while.

Magnolia, hope your MIL is better soon.

Castles, the babysitters (and to a lesser extent the washing machines)! Hope you have a great time, and a well deserved rest.

We're not so sure we're going anywhere now...packing is on hold (as in, piles of clothes everywhere but nothing in case yet): dd2 has a very heavy cold, and has been projectile vomiting most of today..mucous in everything, sick, poo, the lot (sorry). She had a dreadful night last night (bunged up nose, windy tummy) and slept five hours this afternoon. She's hardly eating. But on the other hand, she's still smiling and making eye contact. I have been worried enough to call NHS direct: shades of bronchiolitis coming back to haunt me, and as her breathing gets so noisy so easily its really hard to tell whats serious and what isn't..

They were lovely, but kept telling me to rely on instinct. Feels like a horrible responsibility, what if my instinct doesn't do its job?! Not looking forward to tonight, at least during the day I can 'assess' her easily enough...

elibean. hope your LO is a bit better today....

I'm knackered. DD2 has been feeding every 2 hours for about 3 days and up twice in the night. do they have a growth spurt around 4 months?

GS - not sure about growth spurt - is likely if DS is anything to go by. He's 16 weeks today and is consuming everything he is presented 4 7oz bottles, breaksfast, lunch with dessert and a yoghurt around teatime! And when not feeding he's sleeping!

Not sure if this is a good or bad thing considering we have round 2 jabs today

Glassslipper
My dd2 was up twice last night and she hasn't done that in ages, so maybe there is a growth spurt

Thanks, Glassy

dd very, very snotty this morning. We've cancelled the first night of our trip away, still hoping to go on Thursdsay but...even if we weren't a bit worried, projectile snot all over hotel carpet, no sleep and no washing machine too daunting. Ah well, thats life with smallies.

And, re spurts: she's over four months old and always has two feeds at night - if you count the 5-6am one, which I definitely do . Think she's just hungrier these days, as more active - at least, was until the cold struck!

yes...my DD was up 3 times! 10,1(because some silly fool called my mobile and woke us all up!)and 5.30..(I also call that night time.

She goes down at 7pm and most nights goes through to 2.30-3.30 without a feed! Then up at 6.30am chatting and smiling at the world again!

...arent they funny little things!?

Nice to hear from you Mardybum, I hope l/o carries on getting stronger

Ds1 definately had a growth spurt at 16 weeks it was awful. Constant feeding for about 4 days and I was soooo tired. He is still up every 3 hours at night even now though

Dh has just taken him for his 2nd lot of jabs. I have posponed them 3 times so I let dh take him. I hate injections for kids and would have probably cancelled again

Well, dd had 3rd lot of jabs this morning - poor thing was wide awake and smiley then screamed non-stop . Thank goodness no more for another 8 months! Timing worked well as she was due for a nap afterwards - I gave her a tsp of Calpol and she is now sound asleep. Hope she won't be too grizzly when she wakes up.

Sorry you had to postpone your holiday Eli. Hope you get to make some of it and DD2 is better. My DD2 is spewing up lots more so I suppose I have to go and get her weighed again then make a separate appointment to see the doctor and get her meds increased. I tried her on solids and she isn't that interested (just as DD1 wasn't) so that option is out for a bit

Thanks, Castles - made an apt with gp for this evening, but am going to cancel it as she really doesn't seem to have anything other than a big cold.

Bummer having to go back to the reflux conveyor belt, but know what you mean. Though I cheated last time - got her weighed, then looked up dose on internet and adjusted myself

I forget, are you doing domperidone too? Or Gaviscon? Or just Ranitidine?