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

[castlesintheair]

Will this do?

thanks for asking. I'm still shattered. She was up twice in the night and is still feeding lots now. getting fussy too which is unlike her. i guess her teeth could be sore too. i'm just not sure tbh...

hope you're all ok.

Oh, my neighbour saga rumbles on. Her DP recognises that she has a problem, but believes that he can solve it. So now I'm just on tenterhooks waiting for the next binge. He's on holiday this week, so things have been quiet. Its amazing how something like this impacts so many people, and it can be hard not to get .

I have asked DD1's BF Dad (the teacher) to raise the subject with their child protection people. If it happens again, though, I will have to ring social work.

And then, just to round off neighbourly relations, neighbour's DS has just fallen off the slide in our garden and cracked his head on something, requiring some 'glue' up at the infirmary. worst thing was that I was in the kitchen making hot cross buns and didn't hear a thing How irresponsible am I????

bp - these things happen to kids. dont worry about it. at least you could get him to see a doc!

Poor you BP. Dont feel guilty, better you being there than his drunk mother by the sound of things Sound's like her DP is in some sort of denial. Poor bu.
GS, DD2 is really cranky today. I can't work out if it's teeth or she's turning into one of those pita's who wants to be held all the time

DD2 has hit growth spurt. I'd forgotten what constant night time feeding was like.

Glassy, hope things are easing for you.

BP - hope it is a short one!

DD2 went 2 1/4 hours between 2 feeds yesterday afternoon so I'm keeping my fingers crossed it is coming to an end. She was up 2 x in the night though.

DD1 was sick all over her bed after catching a tummy bug from a friend. I hate vomit

So, a good start to my weekend, yes??

Hope everyone else is ok and isnt too sick of my moaning yet

Happy Easter weekend everyone.

Hope the weather stays okay.

I am going to do a bit of gardening, sorting out and tidying and we are all off to a bbq on Monday at another Mnetters house.

Hey GS, we've all been there, we know what it's like and we'll all be back there at some point so moan away . That's what we're all here for!

Ds2 has also hit a growth spurt, I think. Either that or he's decided he doesn't like sleeping anymore . The last 2 nights he's been up every hour feeding so I feel like I've been hit with a shovel today. The worst thing is, we're at my mum's and dh isn't, so I'm doing all of it, night and day. Ds1 is also being a prime pita at the moment - clingy, whingy, stroppy, grumpy, etc. He's driving me bonkers and because I'm so tired I'm handling him really badly. I bloody hate going away with kids, wish I'd satyed at home now!

See GS, told you someone would be moaning with you soon .

She's just gone down for a nap and her last feed was at 7am. Dare I hope the end of the growth spurt is nigh??? It has last six days

6 days? OMG, I'm not going to be worth living with if ds2 does that. You poor thing. Can't believe how stressful this whole bf lark is, even once you think it's established. Ds2's been feeding so much I haven't even had time to express in the last 2 days so dh can't even help when we go home tonight. Gah!

thanks for the sympathy olihan - i wouldnt have wished this week on anyone actually. its been really hard.

But........drum roll please.

DD2 has just gone for another nap and hasnt needed a feed since 10.! i may be on for 7am, 10am, 1pm which would be 3 hoursly and make me very happy!!

Happy Easter everyone!

• DS took hiw first nap in his cot this morning - yay

GS - good news about the napping and sleeping, long may it continue and improve for you!!!

DS currently asleep in chair after mamouth lunch

DD in garden helping (not) daddy dig.

DH digging over the mud patch he thinks I will be able to grow veggies in

I'm off to wrap my e-bay parcels to send on Tuesday - OMG I have one to send to South Africa, I hope my P&P guesstimate covers it!

DS has come out in chicken pox - 8 days after DD's spots dried up.

We have gone from a packed weekend to being exhiled from all who know us again. Poor DD, now her GP's wont be visiting as we had told her.

aw milkshake - how unlucky hopefully he'll get over it soon and the easter eggs may placate your dd.

My DD has been great today feeding at 2.30, 6am, 7am, 10am, 1pm, 3.30pm, 6pm, 7.30pm. Sounds a lot but it is 8 feeds in 24 hours as opposed to about 12 each day the last week

GS, that does sound improved

LFM, I am sorry to hear about your new outbreak of spots. Maybe you can find all the children who have had CP recently and invite them round for a spotty party? Similar thing is happening down here with measles - I know of NCT groups splitting into the measles group and the non measles group for coffee. So I can't see my sister at the mo until she is sure her ds is measles free.

DS been a fussy, snacky feeder today and thrown up a feed so either a) he will sleep really well as he is tired and under the weather or b) he will wake and eat often as he is hungry and under the weather......I vote for a) but am expecting b)!

Sacha, measles Haven't heard of anyone getting measles for years now.

Glassy, so glad to hear things are improving You must feel drained!

LFM, what a shame about the chicken pox. Chocolate may be the best treatment for you all.

I spent the day shopping! The first time really since DD2 was born, and it was such fun DD2 made sure that we took plenty of coffee (and brownie) breaks as she is definitely spurting and needs to be fed every hour or so. Still, sometimes its nice to have an excuse to sit and read a book with DD1 in Costa

Gs, glad its getting better

Milkshake, what a pain for you all, I was hoping dd4 would get chickien pox from Nursery but she didn't. Whats the betting she will get it when everyone elses have gone

Been for a lovely walk with all the kids, ds1 in the 3 wheeler and the 2 dogs. We left at 7pm and got home at 8.30pm. It was a great way to excersise after our fish and chip dinner

Ds1 has decided he wants to suck but not have milk!!!! Of course he is frustrated that my boobs don't realise this So dh gets the pleasure of gettinghim to sleep. Which he has done very well

OMG, gs, that's an improvement???!!! Yikes, I thought we had a lot of feeds here, I'll have to rethink...I rang la leche league on weds, I was getting so frustrated with the endless cycle of trying to get him off nipple shields/poor latch/painful nipples/blocked ducts/back on nipple shields grrrr every darned week. He had formula tonight so I could put ds1 to bed for the first time in abou 8 weeks. I just cannot get the bath routine sorted as I have to feed ds2 for at least an hour & both need to be in bed by 7pm but dp only gets home at 6.30 - I cannot see how you manage it castles. How's the childcare arranging doing?

Feeding and measles and pox - oh, my!

It's hard to say w/ ds2 when one growth spurt stops and another one starts

Had to take ds1 to the doc today. He's got a fecal impaction He's handling the situation well though.

dd was only up once in the night - yay!

aq - our bedtime goes like thisd :

6.45 go up with dd1 and 2 and run the bath. dd1 plays while it is running and dd2 lies on the bed and watches
7.00 dd1 in bath. dd2 still on bed. or being held
7.15 dd1 out of bath, lies in bed with milk and dd2 in bath
7.20 dd2 out of bath, dried. dd1 talks to us
7.30 i feed dd2, daddy takes dd1 to her bedroom for stories.
7.45-8.00 dd2 goes to bed.
8.20-8.30 dd1 goes to bed.

this takes two of us. if i am on my own thenthe baths are shorter, dd2 might not get a bath, and the books are shorter.

we try and eat before all this but sometimes eat after,

hth

Hi All -

Chocolate looks like it wil work with DD Although I think her GrtGD and GrtA are a little disapointed not to be seeing her too!

Plus the friend who is having big bash tonight really wants us to go so has said to bring DS and her mum will sit with him in the corner when we want to dance etc. Although as long as DS only has 2 spots on his face (6 in total so far) her and her mum are'nt going to tell anyone else - it's her choice. We were happy to avoid the situation. But DD is thrilled as she now get to go to the pyjama party my friend has arranged for all the other chidren at her house with baby sitters.

And same friend still wants us at her house on Monday morning for an egg hunt!

I am thankful we avoided DN Christeneing last Sunday as DS could have passed on CP to her and I think she has her op on Friday.

Meant to say GS are bedtime routine is similar.

We all go up about 6.30pm, both DC's in bath together (DD wont have it any other way )
Both out and dried side by side by 6.45 - is great having DS in with her as he cant have long baths in case he gets cold, and she wants out when he does.
DH goes and gets DD's hot choc and DS milk and they both sit on our bed having milk and stories until 7.30pm, by which time DS has normally dropped off - sometimes DD too if she's had lots of fresh air.
If not she goes in her room to play until she gets tired and puts herself in bed, usually about 8pm.

I love our bedtime routine it works well and both DC's seem to recognise it now as the time it's okay to get tired. It does take two, but it's a small price to pay for DH and I to be able to sit down together and enjoy the rest of the evening by 8pm.

Will be even more important when I go back to work as DH will not be getting his afternoon catch-up sleep from getting up at 4am, so will need to go to bed by 9.30pm - 10 at the latest.

To all of you who have older children what do you do in this situation?

yay, feeds at 7, 10, 1, and now 4. spurt is over