TTC First Baby Catch-up With Our Babies Continued!!

[ELW85]

Hi all

As I’m rubbish and keep double posting I thought I’d start a new thread as we’re nearly at 1k.
I don’t have all of the OG’s so apologies for anyone I miss or anyone I miss in general (blaming lack of coffee this morning!!)

@Delilah7 @RanchoRelaxo @MrsR16 @thumper59 @trashkitten10 @Bostonfern @crossfitgirl @Fivebyfive2 @MrsEG @purplefig @LarryDavid @Lemonysherbet @Stormtrooperjulian @MrsH497 @LokiCat @Cupcakesandglitter

@ELW85 If he isn’t rolling yet maybe keep swaddling if his Moro reflex is still present? You can swaddle until they roll over. Could help him (and you!) And yep seconded @MrsR16 a good late afternoon pram nap seriously knackers the boys ready for bedtime bottles and bed!

@MrsEG @MrsR16 - thanks ladies. Just having one of those days.
He’s currently napping on me (first time in ages) as he was such an overtired mess that he was just crying and I couldn’t settle him in the crib.
I’m sure I’ll get there.
Too scared to start swaddling again as we’ll have to go through all of this again but the Moro reflex is still really strong in him.
There’s a zipedee zip thing which is like a transition thing I’ve ordered. Can’t be worse than trying to pin him down as I do now?
They can still have them when they roll etc too.

@ELW85 my motto - just do whatever you have to do! Ahh enjoy a cuddle nap. Ruairí actually fell asleep on me the other day when his teeth were at him! It never happens anymore.

So big news - wish I could upload video - Conor stood up today! And stayed stood up for like 20 seconds!!!!!!!!! And I missed it 😫

@MrsEG - no way?! Already?! Bloody hell that’s awesome! Go Conor! Did DH witness it?

@ELW85 DH filmed it! He’s sent me the video. I can’t get over it he’s barely 6 months! He does roll constantly though they’re on the mat just rolling about all day long haha. Clearly he’s been working on his core strength ready to surprise us all!! DH just said he was holding him up and he felt solid so let go. And he just stayed!!!!

@ELW85 I’ve just posted on my Instagram - obvs so outing but I don’t care I feel like I ‘know’ you all anyway!! I just can’t get over it!

www.instagram.com/p/CDB71xDhTDj/?igshid=ja26z6niv90b

@MrsEG - I’m so excited for you and gonna have a spy now! Ah we’ve all been through too much together to not share socials, it’s fine!
I’ll happily share mine which used to be exciting 😂 how do you even get a link to a profile?! X

@MrsEG - is it weird that I’m happy and emotional for you? His little face!!
I’ve just ‘liked’ it so you can spy reciprocally 😂

@ELW85 I thought that too - we’ve all known each other bloody ages at this point - you’ll have seen half the photos on there haha! Will follow back for sure!!
Ahh thank you - I got home and he did it for me too!! Crying my eyes out! My tiny boy!!!

@MrsEG aw, well done Conor!! I've liked it too 😂 how amazing?!? Your DH definitely doesn't have a British accent, huh? 😂

@MrsEG, that's so awesome!! His, little face, so chuffed with himself 😀

@ELW85, how are you feeling this evening? Xx

Well I think Joe has been on the blue smarties again! He slept 7 till 8.30 this morning and then didn't nap properly until 3.15 😮 Tried putting him down about 10.45, he just laughed. Went for a walk, was wide awake people watching. He had lunch, then a bath. Took him to the park and he finally fell asleep until about 4.30. He's had his tea and a roll around, now he's in his lazy boy chair, staring at the stereo lights. God knows what tonight will be like 🤷‍♀️

@MrsEG - I’m so happy for you and thanks for being my insta buddy! I would have cried my eyes out too; it’s beautiful!
How’s DH getting on with gym prep with Covid?

@Fivebyfive2 - thank you for checking in 😊 I’m less upset than I was but Finn was SO over tired and he’s just world himself up now because of his hands so I’m back to feeling horrendous. I can’t see a light at the end of the tunnel at all.
How’s Joe getting on other than refusing to sleep? Xx

@ELW85, hope Finn sleeps well tonight! Joe has been golden to be fair, I can't believe he wasn't screaming the place down but he just wanted to be awake?! I think it's because my mum was round, she's his new favourite person 😂

Well, he went down after a big feed at 7.30, so we'll just see how tonight goes... Maybe see some of you at 3am 😕

@MrsEG oh wow! Look at him standing! I may have followed you too 🤣. You'll work out who I am from my username on here.

@Fivebyfive2 you never know! I had what I thought was a terrible nap day yesterday and then Esme had the best nights sleep she's had. Only up once for 20 mins between 9pm and 8am.

@ELW85 Sorry you're struggling with sleep. Were you having to do much settling between his 2 wake ups overnight? One of the best pieces of advice I've had after having a baby is "lower your expectations, then lower them some more". It's helped me when Esme has woken 5 plus times a night and when I've done nothing but feed and change her for a week.

@MrsR16 Rocking back to sleep is definitely allowed! I boob Esme back to sleep every time, sometimes she only suckles for 2 mins and she's back off. But I'd rather that than, a laborious routine taking much longer. Plus I actually really love the snuggles in the dark in the early hours, feel so close to her like we're the only 2 people on earth that are awake.

Esme must have had hot feet in her sleep 🤣🤣🤣. This is how I found her when I unzipped her sleeping bag

@Fivebyfive2 I hope you have a good night tonight!!

@ELW85 positive affirmation for you to have a think about, or not, as the case may be! "This too shall pass" 😊 it's helped me a lot recently and thought you may appreciate it too.

@LikeTheFruit that's a wonderful way to look at the night wake ups! Although I'd prefer it if DH was awake too 😂😂😂 Esme, that's hilarious! What a memory to have and treasure 🤣 I'm definitely not being nosey at everyone on Insta 😂

@MrsR16 Ha nope not at all! He’s Irish, as our most of our family - hence the boys names!

@Fivebyfive2 He’s so pleased with himself!! I’m terrified now he’ll be on the move far sooner than I’m ready for haha! Oh Joe - fingers crossed for a smooth night for you!

@ELW85 I just keep watching the video and smiling even though they’ve been in bed nearly 4 hours!! DH feels a bit apprehensive really - his is a small independent gym so to be using an app and having a booking system etc, I think that’s where the nerves are coming in as it’s such new territory for him. I think he’ll be really happy when tomorrow is done with!

@LikeTheFruit Peach!! I love it! Oh look at Esme with her wee tootsies our, bless her! I love the ‘lower your expectations’ advice, it’s so bloody true. I really thought I’d be a Mum who was out all day with her babies and instead a trip to the park feels like it needs planning with military precision. I swore they’d fit around me and not me fitting around them, I’d even be taking them to the gym as they snoozed while I trained.... what a fool I was haha!

Morning all!

I think the early wake up last night was because he ended up only having 3 naps yesterday so must have been confused 😂
He went to sleep super quickly with his cuski over his eye (his new fave trick) and arms pinned down.
Last night he woke briefly just past midnight (does this every night) and then back to sleep again and then up at nearly 3am for a feed. Had pretty much the full bottle, was still awake and then back to sleep but keeping his hands down. Of course he didn’t keep this up for the morning nap...just when I thought he’d cracked it.
When I used to feed him to sleep, and ninja him to the crib, he’d still end up with his arms above his head but obviously couldn’t obsess over his hands as he wasn’t awake. He is trying to self soothe with them (and does in the night as I hear him) so I guess I just have to keep going with it?!
He’s also massively in the throes of a leap. He’s making all of these bizarre but cute little noises.

@LikeTheFruit - once he’s done feeding, he takes about 20 mins to get back to sleep? I just worry as I really can’t see a way he’ll ever be able to be put down again like I used to when I swaddled him and he’d nod off on his own.
Esme looks so adorable in that photo! She looks really tall too?
You’re totally right about the expectations, it’s more about how I come up with a solution for him waking himself up by flailing his arms around! Any ideas greatly welcomed!

@MrsR16 - I’m SO hoping it’s a phase. I guess everything is but I just can’t think of a solution at the moment and it’s driving me mad.
And hey insta buddy 😘 how freaking cute are your photos by the way?!

@Fivebyfive2 - I hope you had a decent night?

Off to view the dream house today!

@MrsEG - I totally get why he’d be apprehensive to be fair. You’ve both got a lot going on work wise at the moment but the boys will be a beautiful distraction I’m sure, especially now Conor is 100% keeping you on your toes, haha!

@MrsEG, hope today goes well for your dh!

@ELW85, Finn will get there I'm sure! I'm so excited for your house viewing, keep us updated!!

@LikeTheFruit, I know what you mean about the night feeds, sometimes I love it, even when it is the 4th wake up of the night!

So, Joe slept 7.30 till 2.30!! He was then awake (but chilled) until 3.45 and up again at 5.15. Then he slept 7 till 9! Maybe catching up from his 8 hour wide awake stint in the day yesterday??

@ELW85 oh goodness, Finn! Trying to learn to self-soothe in the middle of a leap! 😂 last night was good though! Haha well thank you! I only share ones of Ethan being happy 😂 I'm not sure everyone would want to see his sad face! It really is very sad 🤣 ooh, exciting about the house!! Hope it goes ok!

@Fivebyfive2 yay! Good for Joe! I can imagine he'll definitely be catching up...

Ethan decided being awake since 6am this morning with only a 20 min nap was a great idea today! When I eventually got him to sleep, it lasted 45 minutes... 🤦‍♀️ cue an overtired grumpy baby!

Well I turned up to the house viewing 5 mins late and a day early. So technically 23h 55m early.
I blame motherhood.
Finn wouldn’t sleep in the car; got to 2h10 and he was finally asleep...as I arrived at the property. So I drove round for a bit and he had 20 mins.
He’s passed out now though! Not sure if it’s this leap or whatever but it feels like he’s loads more awake in the past few days. I was assuming swaddling issues but it could be more than that.
Anyway; the house was AMAZING. Driveway definitely not as big as the angle suggested but the house is just awesome. In a little private road about a 5 min walk to the seafront. Just perfect.
Now the problem is I really want it! I would give him asking to be fair but he doesn’t need to know that.
I’m gonna go in with a stupid offer and we can talk up from there.
If DH agrees, haha!
We had a horrible squabble last night. Finn woke up and DH just thought it was hilarious that he was chatting away so I got upset and said ‘ok, you resettle him’ which basically escalated into DH saying ‘you’re really making me do it?’ (He’s never done it before - ever - which is why I get stressed over sleep as it’s all on me) to which I said ‘yep’ and got told to go and F myself.
We’ve never EVER bickered in our entire relationship. Couldn’t tell you if we’d even had an argument before Finn came along. It’s awful. Feel proper low today.
Anyway, sorry for being such a downer.
I sincerely hope all of your weekends are better than mine has been so far.

@Fivebyfive2 - that’s awesome! He’s doing so well. And it’s not linear so he’ll have rough days but he’s 100% getting there.

@MrsR16 - cross post! Yeah, I’ve decided I’m putting too much pressure on the situation and so Finn will sleep how and when he can entirely on his own. He was shattered before after the viewing so I cuddled him and gave him loads of kisses, put him down drowsy, he put his head into his cuski and went to sleep. Just sat here in the dark watching him, and catching up with you guys.
I don’t think I could take Ethan’s sad face either!

@ELW85, good stuff first; the house sounds amazing, I'm keeping everything crossed for you guys!! And bless Finn, sleeping with his comfortor 😍 Now to the shitty stuff... I'm sorry you're feeling down and had a row with dh. It's hard isn't it, like a whole new landscape to navigate. I also totally get where you're coming from in terms of the pressure, feeling it's all on you. Joe used to go to sleep for either of us really; maybe a little quicker for me, but dh could usually settle him too. But since about 4 or 5 months, we've somehow fallen into a pattern where it is Always Me and that's how we're so stuck in the feeding to sleep... I do try rocking etc and sometimes it's enough, but he knows the boobs are there and is quite persistent!!

We actually had words the other day, he keeps banging on about me stopping breastfeeding, apparently he thinks it's too much on me and I'm 'too tied' to Joe and can't go anywhere etc. I 'politely' pointed out that he had no issues with me bf when it meant we saved on formula, always have a quick way to comfort him, not to mention he never has to do night feeds, etc etc. That I didn't push through cluster feeding and a nursing strike just to basically be made to feel I shouldn't have bothered because he wants us to go to the pub now they're open!! He was just like 'where did that come from'?! Men sometimes 🙄

@ELW85 oh no! 24 hours early is quite epic 😂 don't worry about the minor tiff. It feels like the world is ending at that point (trust me, DH and I have done the same!) but neither of you really mean it. I hope you manage to talk it through and get back on the same page! Parenthood is hard! Good on you for just going with Finn and what he needs at that moment - I decided to do that this week and that's when Ethan started sleeping through 😂

@Fivebyfive2 totally agree! Men definitely forget themselves sometimes... it's not as though we went through 9 months where our bodies weren't our own and then labour itself! Then after labour, feeling like we'd been ten rounds with Mike Tyson, trying to recover while having a newborn and them buggering off back to work after 2 weeks! 😂

So far, a successful day! Joe's had 3 small meals for the first time; fruit puree, carrots with cheese and then the rest of the fruit puree stirred through his ready brek. He ate the lot! Has had 3 decent naps in his cot, one of which dh got him for, the first time in aaaages that's happened. I think my words the other day finally hit home! He's down for the night in his cot now, got him to sleep just in time as he's oblivious to the thunder storm outside, thank god as he hates them! Here he is, happily playing away earlier 😀 Fingers crossed for a good night, but I'm not counting on it 😂