MAY 07 Post natal - This time a year ago it was all just beginning, look at us now...........................

[Mrsjaffabiffa]

Morning........

Hi all sorrry for not keeping up.

Preggers who what when how , have to say not actively trying not to but DH doesnt want anymore especially after recent experiences. He very kindly told me if I was younger he might be more inclined to consider it If I continue the same as after DD AF wont return for another year anyway Hoorah for BF.

G seems to be showing no signs of being interested in food and he is still BF. I have been warned about oral defensiveness though if I leave it too long, anyone come across this or heard of it? DD wasn't weaned until 6.5 months so wasn't in any rush but she did at least look interested by then. G seems quite contented with his boobies - obviously mine not his.

We have just progressed into our 0-3 months clothes although some newborn ones still fit even though he was 6 months last Wednesday. I visited Benjamins grave on Wednesday with G and DD, she could see I was upset and offered me a tissue out of my pocket but I didn't have one so she said I could share her sleeve and made me wipe my eyes on her sleeve, bless. She also said she wanted to go in a box like B so she could have some flowers. Gulp nearly lost it then but told her she could have some flowers anyway and she seemed quite happy about that. She took him some conkers and a picture..

The barn we are converting has suddenly got going. The builder we had has taken a year to clear the site and put an RSJ in the wrong place and put floor joists in the wrong way round so we sacked him and the new guy (been on site 3 weeks) has us on site nearly every day asking us a question about toilet position and drain layouts. It has suddenly become real and scary and stressful and exciting all at the same time.

Went to a NCT sale here this morning and got a few bits but went late so missed loads of good stuff, saw it being carried out on the way in.

We are off to CP Sherwood Forest with friends/rellys for Bonfire night, if anyone is localish and wants signing in as a day visitor (have to pay and not sure of rate off top of my head) let me know. Obv you don't even have to meet me you can just come in and do your own thing.

Hope you are all having a great weekend.

Uploaded new pics loving everyone elses. Cute babies and pats on the backs for us lovely mums for making them that way.

MUM2G dont move to swindon, horrible place!!!! sort of area you want to pass through QUICKLY!!! Im sure there are some nice bits on the outskirts but from what ive seem and heard about the place - not good!!

CM Good to hear from you, awwww at your dd, it is lovely some of the things they say and do isnt it, we take dd to Morgans and my brothers graves and she always helps with the flowers, she just says she is seeing to the gardens, bless her, not heard of oral defensiveness sorry, lovely pic of George he is really coming on isnt he, glad the barn is getting there

AM have a lovely holiday

SOH I will have a look through see what ive got

Benson, I reckon Matilda is worth 3 heifers and a goat? They can't afford to be too fussy as negotiations are currently underway for another cutie called Emmeline who is already in residence in Nairobi ..and thank God there is another chubster amongst us.

Swindon, lovely place I hear..as Lups says I am sure in the countryside surrounding it there are some beautiful villages, its is Wiltshire after all.

Charley lovely to hear G is doing so well, I have to admit to wiping away a tear at your dd's compassion. Have a great time at CP.

And you too April, how fabulous to have a granny to hand!

CAM - he could always have a bride in every port so to speak

How fab to hear from you CM, we dont mind the sporadic posting it's just lovely to hear that you and G are doing so well. Like Cam i wiped a little tear away reading about the visit to se B's grave. You are very brave and it will do the world of Good for dd to be comfortable talking about B. Huge effort on your part im sure to keep it up, kids are incredibly resilient and seeing you show emotion makes her know that it is a good thing to do. I will talk to dh about the CP visit, it is such a lovely place and would great to meet up!

I did not NCT sale it, forgot all about it So sorry MUM2G. We could meet up next week if your not too busy? Come over for a cuppa and cake, your not far from me are you.

AM very of your holiday, have a fabulous time and think of us

Jonah (ds#3) was a bit rubbish at weaning, i think i left it too long. He just seemed so contented with booby i didnt bother till he was just over 6 months. He took ages to get used to it and never really ate lumpy food till he was 1. Then it was straight on to cut up food that the others were eating. I do remember thinking 'bugger' alot of the time. He just had no tolerance of it, he would eat smooth ok but one teeny tiny lump and the rest would come straight back up. Funny, i had forgotten all about that till you mentioned it!

I am not preggo... but i want to be.

New pics on profile!

Afternoon everyone.

SOH - was thinking of you yesterday when my dad informed me that England had won. Won't pretend to know anything about rugby.

Did anyone see Strictly Come Dancing? Kelly Brook is unbearable. She just looks so bloody smug all the time, although I might myself if I had a figure like that. I like Alesha Dixon, what a beast that Harvey was to her. Thought John Barnes was hilarious, obviously loving every minute.

Knew the sleeping was a one-off, L was up at 2am this morning, then in with us. I took her to my mum's at about 11am, she's still there, I've done our packing for CP and had a bath and stuff. Have felt so guilty about leaving her there though! Stupid, really.

Heading off to CP at around 12pm tomorrow, will let you all know what Whinfell Forest is like.

Off to mum's for a roast dinner in a little bit. Strictly and X Factor both on again tonight! L better go bobo's or there'll be trouble!

Gorgeous pics LG & BP - B is gorgeous, what a happy little chappie. You look so radiant on that wedding picture too.

Hi Charlie, lovely to hear from you. Another one wiping away a tear. George looks beautiful, really thriving. You must be so proud of your little family, they're lovely.

LG&T I have bouncy chair envy! Beau's a handsome wee chappie, his Mum's fairly stunning too. We can see your face at last and you look young and radiant. I've had one baby and I look like a mutant.

Oi Nairobi woman. M is not sharing. Little J had better make up his mind and soon as a Turkish bloke's offered us a camel for her and I'm sorely tempted.

Not a Good Day here. M is Screamy McScreamerson. Keeps shoving her finger in her mouth, even when feeding and rubbing the same bit of her gum. I assume it's a tooth coming but I can't see or feel it. She is also refusing all naps. She was awake for 12 hours straight yesterday and is on course for the same achievement today. Do baby teeth move around a lot under the gums, because something is troubling her and she keeps pointing to the same spot?

Put a pic of M from this morning up so you can see what she actually looks like now.

Hi all
lovely piccies!

CM - good luck with the rest of the build, glad you have found a decent builder, it is a nightmare finding good people for jobs. When do you hope to be in by?

Lup's and Cam - Thanks for putting me in the picture re Swindon! In that case i will definately have to look at the surrounding villages if dh gets the job - no wonder property prices seemed cheaper!

LGT - don't worry about nct sale, went to exchange something we bought yesterday in Soton. When we got back internet was down and i was knackered, still got bit of cold or summat, will let you know when i am feeling better - don't want to give Beau any nasties, and will pop over for some of your legendary baking!

right off to watch extra factor while g is still asleep - can't be bothered to do anything more constructive than that!

What lovely pics from everyone - one day I will organise myself to sit down and put some pics on here...
CM lovely to hear from you - your DD was so sweet. It is lovely the way they care and in such a matter of fact way.

Anyone at the Toddington services on the M1 at about 7pm this evening - we were the ones with the 4 yr old running around shouting in a Tshirt and pants having removed his shorts and shoes (plus the pirate hat that he has been wearing now for 5 months). Oh I was so proud...AAAARGH. Poor child just lost it - he was too tired. Meanwhile S just guzzled away on my boob. The good thing about this was that DH had to deal with manic child because my hands were full.....

Beginning to get a bit panicked. Off to Belfast on Tues with Mum and the boys to see my Granny. Not sure when i am going to get everything done before going.

BTW - meant to say for all those heading down the teething route - I had an amber necklace for DS1 and S is now wearing it too. It is meant to help with teething etc. I got mine from Greenbaby.co.uk. Seemed to work - worth a try and looks v sweet! Mind you I do get some of my more testosterone fuelled friends (?!) looking askance at my necklace wearing son!

Morning everyone. We've had a lovely weekend away at my sister's so haven't been around at all. Hope everyone's well amd los too.
I can't believe this is my last week at home with Ruby. Although I am really looking forward to going back to work I do feel sad too. She's growing and changing so fast and I'll miss her a lot - even the screaming! The truth is I know my 2 childminders are fantastic and Charlie loves them to bits and I know Ruby will too. It's just hard to think about not seeing her all day every day. Having said that, I love my job and am looking forward to getting back to being 'me'. I only have to do a week and then it's half term so I'm breaking myself in gently. This week I have actually got 2 return to work days on Thursday and Friday so I have actually only got 3 days left with Ruby.

Helllooooo

Hello Abby - where is everyone!?! I went into work today for a Dept meeting (also a teacher) - we were discussing stuff that I will have to deal with on my return so I'm glad I went. I am starting back full time in Jan so I know how you feel. It will be hard to start off with but I find that the sad truth is that my kids are perfectly happy with someone else and you will find that too I am sure. The good thing about our jobs is that we do get chunks of time to spend with our LOs so we do not really lose out - that's what I tell myself anyway!

Back to work already? Wow, time's flying. Seems impossible that my baby who was only born yesterday is 5 months old.

TYG WHERE ARE YOU???? Need your sleep bible's advice. Or anybody's advice really. M currently a nightmare about napping during the day. Can't get more than half an hour out of her and more often than not she resists completely. She becomes hysterical, arches her back, screams and refuses to sleep/feed/play/anything for the next couple of hours until she's so exhausted she gives in. I know she's tired and not getting enough sleep but I can't break the cycle. I try getting her before the eye-rubbing/yawning etc starts but she seems to resent me interfering with whatever she's doing at that time and screams at me anyway. Help! Do I start putting her in her grobag/simulating bedtime for each nap? Our house is very light with lots of windows. Would a black out blind help? If dh is here I can put her in the car and we drive until she nods off but she wakes up again after 20 minutes or so. I've tried shushing her and soothing as she stirs but once she's coming out of it, there's no stopping her it would seem. She did have very clockwork naps for weeks but all of a sudden it's gone very wrong. Since the croup/hospital malarkey in fact.

And a question for everybody: In all honesty, did introducing solids improve the quality/length of your lo's sleep? I keep telling myself that at the magic 6 month mark when we start the carrot and apple routine she'll be better at sleeping. Am I hoping for too much?

And finally: should I shave my head? Seriously. No time to wash/style anymore. Fancy a wee change.

HDWP - do not shave your head! I had all mine chopped off about 6 weeks after G was born as i was fed up with tying it back wet, managed to wash it at a push, but drying it no way! The thing is i could have got up earlier to do it, but i need my sleep!

Sorry to hear about M's sleep troubles, could it be linked to just being out of her normal pattern after having been ill? If so it might just be a phase and may settle down after a bit. Whenever G had his jabs it always unsettled his nightime sleeps.

I also find that now that G is more alert, being that bit older and taking that much more in, that he is harder to get off to sleep during the day. so if he doesn't settle in my arms like he used to then sometimes i just leave him to wind down for a bit in his bed (in his sleep bag), and then go back in to put his dummy in and shush him, otherwise he tries to talk to me instead of winding down.

If that doesn't work and he is still crying for me, then i get him out, sit him on my lap, in the rocking chair facing away from me (again to discourage play, but he is still getting the physical contact) and sing the same song to him over and over, and that can calm him - poor kid probably will be scarred for life!

Don't know what to suggest for M though, she is obvipously a strong willed little lady

MIL thought that our black out blind would be a waste of money but i do think it seems to help G.

Abbeylou and Anneme - good luck for when you go back to work!

Anneme- didn't realise you were a teacher too. What age do you teach? I've got Year 1 this time after a few years of Year 2. Our school is on Ofsted alert at the moment. They have been told by the LEA to expect a phinecall anytime - great, that will be nice to go back to!
HDWP - I have exactly the trouble you are describing with R. She has been like that pretty much since birth. I have been given so much good advice on here by various sleep gurus and the simulating night time thing seems to work for her. When she seems tired, and definitely no more than 2 hours after she has woken, I put her in her cot awake, in her sleeping bag, with the blind and curtains closed. Her bedroom is not particularly bright but it seems to work. She does have a black out blind and has done from day one as we have a street light right outside our house. Today I have been very strict with the 2 hour thing, trying to get it closer to an hour and a hlf if possible and it seems to have worked. She napped for an hour and a half this morning and 45 minutes this afternoon which is very good for her. I wish you luck and hope it works for you.

Have been a bit busy and am too tired..

Good luck going back you teachers, sometimes I think it would be nice to not do this all day and use my brain again.

SOH have you tried putting her in her pram to sleep - A has his best naps there in the hallway, i have found light makes no differance, but he does settle himself quite well at night if his mobile is on - its the tiny love symphony in motion one it twists and turns and things on it - so it keeps him entertained until he nods off, also what about a walk round the block then leave her in pram, as for the eating and sleeping it has definatly made a differance he goes 7-7 every night without fail altho tbh he did only used to wake once and occasionally twice in the night anyway

Anneme and Abbey good luck going back to work, hope its not too hard leaving your little bundles

btw had A weighed today and my chunky monkey is a whopping 17lb 5.5oz funny thing is he is so short that its all blubber bless him

HDWP, I find that Ella is tired about 1hour after waking in the morning. So i try and feed her when she first wakes, then give her some solids about 15/30mins after. About 1hr-1.5hrs later i put her in her grobag and pop her back in her cot. It depends whether dh is working (he has his 'office' in her room) as to whether the curtains/blind are pulled. I pop her mobile on and 99% of the time she falls asleep. She can sleep for 30mins to 2.5hrs! I feed her again at 11.30 and then solids at 12 (give or take, depends on when she wakes up). She might have a sleep at about 1.30ish and then feeds again at about 3pm. Feed again at 5 then solids at about 6.15 once we have picked ds up from nursery. Then feed at again at bed time.

I cant say hand on heart that solids made a massive difference to her sleeping. I know this will sound like a cop out but it really is about gut instinct. You can always try her and if she likes it then great but if not then equally great - its not like she is wasting away!

Just had all my hair cut off this afternoon! I now have a chin length bob. Thought i needed a change. Will get it coloured when i get back from holiday. Off to get my eyebrows waxed in half an hour and then its a full on packing mission