Jan '07 part 7: This time last year it was all beginning - good luck to the Jan 08-to-be's

[2Happy]

Clearly I'm feeling nostalgic! Just think, some of them even had heart beats this time last year!!

Lizz, Luke was exactly the same, sick loads, lots of changing/washing. Sometimes he would throw up what looked lke a full feed but would still last til the next feed. He was a greedy guts thought and piled on the pounds (still does hence him being 35lbs at 20months!). As long as they are happy and not in discomfort then I wouldnt worry.

Had a crap night with Luke last night as he is still poorly so I am a bit of a zombie today. Ruth was very good though, even though I woke her up getting up and down for Luke, she only grumbled a bit. Hoping that he is better before dh goes away this weekend.

DS3 was alway sick loads, it was just the way he was TBH there wasn't any refluz or whatever.

I tried to catch it in a muslin a few times to check how much was coming back up. Although it look like full feed it rarely is because it's mixed with saliva so most of it stays down and the stuff you get back is the lovely mixture!!

Also if you imagine spilling a full feed on the floor (obvoisly easier with formula) it's ALOT less then the amount of sick coming back.

Luke used to poo after every feed, then afew more through the day to keep things interesting! Always very runny so much more leaks and washes.

Ruth only goes every few days and itis much thicker. Have to say it is much easier with Ruth.

Poo info

well we have had the crappest day ever so far. started with me getting a phone call from dh to say he had been in a car accident. he is fine, but the front of the car is pretty badly damaged. some knobhead tosser came out of his drive too fast and dh went into him. tosser won't accept liability, so we have to pay £175 excess, even though it's not dh's fault.

so, that was the first thing. the next thing is that we get a letter from our gas company saying thatour bill has gone up from £25p/m to £41p/m based on an estimate. so i phoned them and asked how they could put up our bill so much based on an estimate, and they got me to do an actual reading, and it turns out our bill should actually be....(wait for it, cause this is the good bit)....£71p/m!!!!!! i still don't see how this is possible, as the original bill was based on an estimate and fuck only knows when the last actual reading was, but i have to phone them back and be arsey down the phone which i really really hate.

any advice/suggestions would be most welcome. or just a big wadge of sympathy and some kleenex would do....

UD - that is ridiculous. We had our bill through this week and have spent £73 since xmas. To have £71 a month would be like having the gas central heating on constantly and cooking constantly and running hot baths constantly...surely you dont do that?!

BTW - thanks for the sick info. I guess he is just a pukey baby at the moment, although his 9am feed has not yet come back up!

UD- might just be higher for afew months till you catch up with what you owe. Our gas comp tried to do this to us and we rang and said that it was not our fault that the had undercharged us and that we couldnt afford the rise. After much fafing they agreed to let us catch up slower so we could afford it. Might be worth a try?

ok, i've just spoken to them again and it seems that the original direct debit was set far too low, but she couldn't tell me who had set it at that price. what i don't get is how they can charge us our winter usage from July which was when the last meter reading was done. i've had conflicting advice from them, one person said they sent out meter readers every 6 months, the other person said there's never been a meter reader sent to our house! it seems that the onus is on us to read the meter, which i didn't realise.

man, i could really do without this right now.....

Just got back from mum and dads.

UD - wasn't ignoring you text, my phone had died and I only just picked it up. We had same probelm with our gas and have just finished paying of the deficit at £63 per month. We were with Scottish Power and they emailed us every three months to remind us to do a reading and submit it online. We have just changed to npower and it is SO much cheaper!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Lizz - J has reflux and I give him gaviscon in his bottles which helps but I still get through an average of 8 bibs a day. Just one of those things I guess, hoping he will grow out of it when I wean him.

Not much to say, just about to go and have a smear. Nice.

Can I ask another Q??? I've just been using a mirror to help me, ahem, trim my ladygarden and have noticed an odd bit sticking out the bottom of my fanjo (sorry if TMI). Is this something to do with having given birth???? It looks bloody awful and I'm quite upset/embarrassed by it. Dh hasn't mentioned it but I don't want him to see it

Jodie - don't worry at all - you have m't upset me.

Urbandryad - there was stuff on the news this morning about British Gas complaints going through the roof, due to billing issues - I don't know if that applies to you.

Jemima does a "code brown" as we call it once a day or even every other day - it's totally runny and bright yellow and if you don't get to change her quick enough - it escapes everywhere. The little lady likes to poo whilst breastfeeding - nice!

could it be scar tissue wilkie??

can't remember if you tore or had stitches but I suspect it is just scar tissue.

I'm sure mine doesn't look as it did pre-children....bloody far from it I would say!!!

laughalot - just wanted to say about your post yesterday about laurens sleeping issues that whatever you do she's pretty much bound to change anyway. i'm sure some people will dissagree with me but maybe there really isn't a "right" and a "wrong" way to react to this. i've found that freddie pretty much does his own thing and changes whether he's happy to go to sleep on his own or needs cuddling, whether he wants to sleep in his bouncy chair or in his cot or whatever, i just do what feels right for us at the time.... so basically, what i'm trying to say is, its probably a phase and she'll be different in a wekk anyway, so just do what makes you both happiest as it happens.

UD about BG. How Shit.

And speaking of shit...as I seem to do a lot these days...galmum, freddie's poos are usually just like you described jemimas and about 1/2 a day. But the last few days he's been doing 5/6 really small ones...more like just a runny fart... wierd

Sorry can't remember who was asking about passports but we got one for freddie a while ago. His picture was taken when he was 3 weeks old (and is very amusing!)and is supposed to last til he's 5 which is obviously ridiculous. I'd definitely recommend taking the LO to a professional photographer though as they know all the many many rules for passport photos for babies so it won't be refused by the PO or anything annoying like that.

Thanx everyone for your advice it is probably a stage shes at I just get uptight because she has been a good baby really and we are just having a bad spell at the minute.

Shimmer hows freddie the horse I really thought I had upset you with that, are you still in hong kong ? Lucky you if you are.

I'm finding it a bit hard to keep up at the moment and have officially gone a bit mental. Wedding in five days, and only just ordered the marks and spencers cake in time today (thanks for the tip, Wilkie) and have been on the phone all day and have lists coming oout of my ears. Hope you're all well. I'm never getting married again

Good luck with all the wedding preparations - the general idea tends to be that it should be a once in a lifetime experience!

Off to Cornwall tomorrow morning v.early - probably about 5am!! Have tried to persuade dh that we should have made a proper holiday of it and gone for a week rather than travelling back on Tues. But can't wait - off to see our fantastic friends (who we have n't seen since Oct as it's so bloody far away), their lovely boys and their gorgeous house in the country!!!

galmum sounds lovely

Had a lovely day got cleaning and washing done this morning and my mum came for lunch and ended up taking Hattie home with her as I had bought loads of plants and Ellie really wanted to help me so Mum offered to take Hattie so I could spend some time with Ellie. We had a great afternoon she was really good and enjoyed herself especially the watering can part I bought two of those huge galvinised silver pots that are on offer in homebase for £9.99 and they are looking fab outside my front door.

UD we had that problem with our electric bill ended up owing £280 had to pay £75 per month for 9 months which cleared the bill and also we ended up £100 credit which was refunded in January and we now pay £55 a month to be on the safe side I'd rather have a refund every quarter than owe them again as they were a pain in the arse to deal with.

Carrotcake cant beleive wedding only 5 days away !!!! Looking forward to seeing pics.

Sound slike you had good time wilkie when are you off to your sisters?

Hi all

Had my first period for a year today, forgotten what they are like! Feel bleurgh. And want to eat lots of carbs and chocs. And am v. snappy. well more than usual.

LTH - I have perfected the bottle technique on this, my third baby. It is the quickest and easiest way if you want to avoid the microwave and is great if you are out and about, and for night feeds. I make the 6 bottles up with boiled water in the evening so they are room temp. Then when you are ready to feed, just boil the kettle and add a little bit of boiling water to make them warm enough. And for night feeds and when out and about use a thermos flask of boiling water.

I used SMA last time and made them up in advance but then had to keep them refridgerated, a pain in summer when you are out in the pram.

I have passed this tip onto my new mum chums and they agree it is the quickest and easiest - no more asking for a jug of hot water in a cafe and then waiting for it to warm up while the baby is screaming....

UD - I have the Pliko pramette and that folds flat. Shit flimsy basket underneath though.

Glad I am not the ony pram collector. I know have a total of 6 but they are perfect for diff occasions and situations...honest!

EAH - I say not to the zap too - it must recline, and how annoying will it be to have nowhere to carry stuff?

Dragon - I second you pushchair choice (and as you can tell I am experienced in these matters)

Lizzombie - Rose is very sicky too - but apparently reflux is when they are sick much later after a feed, my HV told me, and the acid in it causes them pain.

Bizzarely Rose was more sick on breast milk.

Well you lot are either out drinking vodkas or MSNing like mad...so I am off to have a hot bath and a bottle of stella now...

hope y'all have a good night

Annieapple, i meant recline. god i'm dim. does the Pliko stroller recline? not fold....

quiet on here tonight - just waiting for 10pm so can do dreamfeed and get to bed cant be doing night waking when shes slept through for 3 weeks!

I know what you mean EAH. I am knackered from Luke being up last night. It took him ages to get to sleep tonight. I think he is broken.

DH - 'broken' LOL

J had a better night, still woke at 2am but DH did that feed (after having 2 nights off - lucky thing) so I got a good amount of sleep although little man has decided that 6.15am is a good waking time. Still - I can't complain, he is in bed by 6.30pm every night so me and DH get 'quality time' (READ: Wilkie gets to MN and MSN in peace )

Don't know what I am going to do for the next three days as DH is working them 8-6 and I have no plans

morning 6-6.15 is start time in this house too used to it now as Ellie always been an early riser (but in bed by 6.45pm so would prefer it this way)

After 3 nights of waking Hattie slept through last night (can't think why?)

DH working today so off to Homebase this morning with both e and h (help me) then not sure about the rest of the day

Think of me later wilkie when i've go to go shopping for shoes for ds2+3(just summer shoes, not school shoes thnakfully) and ds1 needs lots of new socks!!

I have no idea why but all of his socks seem to have holes in and theres now way on earth I'm darning them