July 2007 part 2- 4 months in, doesn't time fly?

[Princesspowersparkle]

Hello July ladies, we are here now!!!!

believe even

Happy birthday to Jennster's dd

Just added a couple of pics of my liitle!!!! one too. Its great to see everyones beautiful babies xx

Grrrrr Just had a roast chicken dinner for Dd's birthday. You BLW your darling dd who eats very well with fork and spoon, and then you start your other little darling, who proceeds to puree his own food with his fists while dd regresses to eating the whole dinner with her fingers. I suppose she was showing her little brother how it was done.

gorgeous little boy emmyb.

I just need to add ds didn't get the whole roast..... just the carrots potato and chicken

Thanks for the reassurance started to perk up now dh is home to help but you (obviously) know how it is!!!!

Forgot to add dd2 put on 1lb and 5 oz in 2 weeks Yeah!!!!! Admittedly this is after her extended stay in Bristol and dropping into the red zone in the "Red Book", but i'm chuffed anyway! she has an appetite like a human dustbin gave her porridge this morning then a rusk to top her up as it was finished far too soon for her liking, she's also devouring anything I put in front of her, eating main and dessert, sorry there's no smug emoticon warning.....back down to earth, she's still only in the bottom centile
You all have gorgeous photos I really must try to do the Profile thingy just too lazy/ tired etc
night night

Doris- can empathise- DD is a human dustbin. Will eat anything & everything in such large quantities I just don't know where it goes. She doesn't seem to care about whether food is lumpy, runny, stinky...- so different to DS! Her weight gain isn't too bad but docs would like her bigger...she certainly is a fairly slender baby. Mind you we keep getting constipation issues...she's on 1 kiwi and a pile of prunes in addition to her 'normal' food. Does your DD2 still take lots of milk too (wasn't sure if you're still breastfeeding?)? My DD spends most of her afternoon attached to me. I end up being a bad mummy to DS as have to find one-handed ways to entertain, which never work for long (playdoh or painting always end up covering DD...) so resort to watching DVDs to keep him from creating havoc while I'm occupied with DD. And I didn't let DS watch TV at all until 7 months ago!!!

Huge hugs (((( ))))

Meant to add- lots of hugs to 2+1. Honestly don't know how I would cope in your situation and take my hat off to you, I really admire the wives and families of people in the forces and like others have said they are not given the support they so deserve. Thinking of you lots xxx

Who was it that said they are more exhausted than ever? I think it was doris....i feel that too. I feel totally frazzled...hair is still falling out and looking thin and lank, skin is pretty grey looking and i have the hugest suitcases under my eyes...and to top it off my husband smiled at me tonight and said 'you look weird in real clothes'!!!!!
He is so used to seeing me in pj's when he leaves for work and sweat pants when he comes home that he was shocked to see me in jeans...how bad is that?

Anyway, im loving motherhood even if i do look like crap!!!!

I stood making purees for LO today. Just hope he likes them!

How is everyone else coping with leaving their babes with others? I see some have started a short stay at nursery...I just get this real feeling of dread when I think of going anywhere without him. Is that normal?

Okay, time for my sit down...LO is in bed and i've got an hour and a half before his 10pm feed.

NIte all and big hugs

MFO

I'm feeling pretty tired-
thinks its because LO has been awake in the night, although not crying- just wide awake and happy and noisy, so I end up going to check on him, and reswaddling (still).

DS has had 3 full days in nursery now, and I am feeling better about it, although I spend most of my time thinking about him! He did his first painting there on Weds. Glad i'm not precious about things like that, although if it was first step, first word etc it may be a bit different.

Well tonight is the first night we're trying 7-7 without feeding. I was bringing the dreamfeed forward, and decided to bottle-feed last night at 9pm, and he only took an oz, and made it through to 7.30am without another feed, so guess he can manage without it. Feels very liberating, although still need to express shortly to avoid pain and leaky boobs overnight!

Hi again, can't believe I'm getting on here again so regularly (it's almost addition again!!!

MMN- Likewise on the don't know where she puts it all, I am still breast feeding but she seems more interested in the solids, however I BF before each meal to ensure that she's getting enough fluid. The reason we ended up in Bristol before christmas was another bowel obstruction, (partially as a result of adhesions from her previous surgery...) We saw our local team afterwards and she was started on lactulose, and we have since upped the dose as her stools were still causing pain, don't like to stick my oar in as each team is different (and each patient) but if she needs that much fruit it may be worth discussing a laxative with your team.

By the way we're also on nebs now as she grew pseudo in Bristol and had nearly 2 weeks of IV's whilst we were there,the local team want it to continue for 6 months, she normally tolerates the evening one but the morning one trying to get out of the house is heart breaking sobs etc

By the way have you had any dealings with DLA???

Would love to chat properly with you but have lost your e-mail (good intentions and all that) if you Cat me I promise to get in touch (guides honnour and all that!!)

Sorry for the thread hijack ladies hope you're all ok

2+1 ex service here and not missing it one bit my sympathy to you, had to do 6 months on my own with dd1 and that wasn't with all the added issues of going to theatre.((((hugs))))

Glad I'm not the only tired one!

So pula, are you hoping to go onto bottles now and stop breastfeeding? I have to start doing that soon and hope I can feel liberated (still feel kind of sad at the thought of giving it up).

Night all.

meant to say addiction no more additions here

MFO

I always give EBM at bedtime so will only be giving 3 BF a day now, but not sure when to stop completely. With DD it was at 8mo and i feel i should do at least the same for DS. I didn't enjoy BFing DD so was glad to stop. Not sure how i'll feel with DS.

Well DS was awake 4.45-5.45am and then we all slept in til after 8.30am (DD woke us up) so he went 14 hours without a feed- longest ever!

Pula, excellent news on the long sleep! So I take it you dropped the late feed?

I have never bottle fed LO so have tons of resistance to it!

Yes MFO i dropped the dreamfeed although when DS was awake in the night i did wonder if he was hungry, although he wasn't crying. No feed again tonight either, so DH and I got to watch a DVD tonight without interruption, which was great.

Has anyone decided whether to try for another DC or not? Some friends with 2 LOs have announced that they won't be having another DC - they'd always talked about having 3. I think I am happy with DD and DS but although i don't enjoy the newborn stage much, it feels a bit sad to know i won't experience the excitement and wonder of it all again.

Hope everyone well. I have just waved goodbye to DH and Little O and had a big cry! I am meeting a friend for lunch and DH wanted to take Little O to see her Grandparents in Kent. This is the first time I've left her for more than a couple of hours. I'm having all sorts of irrational thoughts of car accidents on the M25 etc and DH has got strict instructions to phone me regularly - I'm going to try not to call him.....

Please tell me it gets easier than this! I think I would be a lot more comfortable if they were just staying at home but DH really excited about their little adventure.

Right, off to reapply the mascara that has run down my face making streaks through the bronzer I've slapped on!

Sorry haven't caught up with everyone's news, but hope everythinhg ok with all.

catstar - it really does get easier! Having just had a week of mini-meep being in nursery (on Thursday for a whole day!) it seemed to get much more bearable.

So - go and do something you love doing but can't when Little O is there - have a bath, eat chocolate, watch a film - and relax!

I am currenlty wishing minimeep would wake up so that I can play with her - I go back to work tomorrow and just want to absorb all her cute little ways and get as many smiles as I can today.

But a tired baby is a grumpy baby so i must let her nap!

Good luck tomorrow Meep - how many days are you going back? I'm going to be doing 4 days a weeks and we're starting "experience visits" in a couple of weeks. Thanks for your words of encouragement - it sounds awful, but I've actually had a lovely day . Had a long lunch and then a spot of shopping - nothing exciting but stress free. I'm now missing O and had to call DH to speak to her but all I could hear was a bit of snuffling at the other end!

Off now to blitz the spare room whcih has looked like a chinese laundry for too long now!

thanks! She got a bit of a late bed time because I didn't want to put her down
I'm going back 4 days a week too - my mum & dad are looking after her for one day which is nice.
Catstar when you do your nursery visits try to arrange to have Little O in for a full day before you go back to work - I would have been a crying wreck if I'd been at work when we did it! But because I now know that she can survive a whole day and be her usual happy wee self at the end of it, tomorrow won't be so hard!
Is Little O away overnight?

hello! Just a leap into the thread - splash!

sleep news - Ds sleeping through every other night....have just bought some 6mth+ grobags and I think that will help. The ones we had were too small, I think that was waking him up

Also he sat up on his own today.

But in general am feeling TIRED too....

Hope everyone is good. Those with dps in the services, I don't know how you cope. Yuu have my 100% admiration, Dh is away tomorrow and I am going home to my parents.

Am wrestling with the nursery / childminder decision. Have found a good ones of both, can't decide.

Theprecious- glad to hear your nights are much better now. Well done you.

I would echo what Meep says about leaving LO in childcare for a full day at least before returning to work. I feel much better about returning to work this time as DS seems happy at nursery. With DD I found it hard and thought about a career break but the best advice i had was to give it a month back at work before making a decision and sure enough, DD was fine.

I'll be working 3 days a week, but my hours are officially 4 days a week but I'm using up some of my leave. By summer i'll need to decide whether to take a pay cut or go back to 4 days, which will mean either arranging more nursery care or enlisting the grandparents help.

Thanks ladies - will try to arrange a full day in nursery during February. I'm sure O will be fine at nursery and that it's just me needing to release a bit of control. Her going out for the day with DH yesterday was a big step and although I missed her it just proved to me that I'm not the only one who can look after her!!!

Intesting reading about sleep habits - we have found no pattern to whether we have a long night or short night's sleep so are just riding out. Luckily there are more good than bad nights.

Enjoy your time with DH Twoplusone - it's made me appreciate having my DH around even more. Sounds like your daughter is a great help to you!

Hope work is going ok Meep.

Goodluck to all those returning soon.xx

I really need to think about what I want to do for work when lee is older.. We have agreed that until he starts school I will stay at home.. it is driving me mad tobh.. but with childcare for 3 it just wont be worth my while.. not many high paid jobs on camp.. I havent worked properly since dec 2003.... then I was a pa for hte area manager of the naafi..(looking after dorset, winchester) Before that I was an accounts assistant for a big multinational accountancy software company, looking after the uk banks and 20+intercompany accounts.. and ebing problem solver for any dodgy accounts..

Think I might need to do somesort of course. maybe start my accountancy exams again.. but at the mom really dont see when I will have the time to do anything else.. lol
Will just stay a lady of leisure .. tbh if dh was home more.. I would be quite happy taking a bar job just to give my self some extra pocket money.

DH gave me some good news last night, He has said he is ok with it if I go away on hols with my friends in September..(he will get his mam and dad to come over and help with the children.. as he cant handle a week by himself!!!.) SO I am looking at Cyprus, Turkey or spain.. tbh Cyprus is looking favourite.. so we can go back to our haunting grounds and see if the bar owners still recognize us!!! More insentive to loose the weight...
But although I am going to go..(hopefully) I feel guilty as the children are only really used to me.. esp the baby, he screams if i go shopping for an hour.. until he hears my voice.. but on the ther hand it will do him good.. tto realise there is life without mammy..lol

Is anyone elses littleone really starting to fight the sleep during the day. We have huge screaming fits when it comes to afternoon nap, he is so exhausted rubbing his eyes etc. but too frightened that he is going to miss out on something with his brother.. lol

Nust go going to go and visit some friendsbefore I pick dd from her sports excellence club (on another camp) then take her to cheerleading (on the other other camp). then back home to sort the boys out, then go back and pick her up. Not sure what time dh is home tonight as he os on an excersise.. he should be home tonight and tommorrow at some point then back friday..
We have a leaving do on friday for his sqn.. abefore they deploy, then we have anther do next friday fo the regt. Should be good nights, just wish better circumstances.. but I am sure I will be able to let my hair down and enjoy myself..

Sorry so long ( I am soo bored...)
Take care all

Hello everyone, really nice to catch up on the threat. Not been on since pre-Christmas. We all had that flu thing for Chrimstas which meant DH wasn't able to get up see DD1 opening her presents. Was first time she's really understood it.

LO has been waking up without fail at 4.00am for at least a month. We tried doing a dream feed, she would clamp her mouth shut. We tried letting her lie in her cot and she was quite happy but her 'singing' would wake up DD1 and then we'd all be up at 4.30. Last night for the first time in weeks she actually slept from 7 until 5.30, but I think it's only because she's got a bit of a cold.

Good luck to all of those getting ready to leave LOs in nurseries, etc. it does get easier. First time I came home from doing so with DD1 I cried into my lunch and just sat there, it was all so grim. But looking back I can see that she really thrived with nursery. I was watching her today at tumbletime and she's so gentle with littler children, I think nursery really helped her get to grips with so many social skills.

Pulapula, I'm like you. I'm sort of happy to have my two girls, but I have to admit, I just love the feeling of finding out I'm pregnant and that amazing moment when you see your baby for the first time. I go all wistful thinking I might never do it again...

Anyway, big hugs to all the LOs out there.