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

[Princesspowersparkle]

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

Hope everyone had a good Easter weekend. It's been quiet on here for a few days. Guess you are all busy.

I'm still here! Lost the thread again!
I'm lurking on MN to try to avoid eating more chocolate
Minimeep has decided that being spoonfed is a big no-no - but she's not qite grasped the concept of how to pick up food and get it in her mouth - she's getting there - but we've had a messy (but fun) Easter weekend as a result! (see profile page )

Meep - so pleased to hear minimeep is refusing to be spoon fed too - thought it was just Evelyn. She won't even put a food (already loaded with food) in her mouth which she was doing before. Looks like I have going to be cooking some mini fish cakes and lots of veggies this afternoon so she will eat some tea. I'm not sure rice cake and pear is substantial enough for an active 8 1/2 mo!

We've been to a baby group this morning and dd was so tired when we got back she fell asleep in her highchair (with her mouth full). Had to wake her to clean her up and put her to bed - she was not pleased!

Right - off to see what I have in the fridge & cupboard to have for my lunch.

Hope everyone is having a good day.

Oooh - it's been quiet on here! Hope you and your little Easter Bunnies are all well!

MelissaM and Meep - I've got a freezer full of spagetti bolognaise, macaroni cheese, chilli con carne and the like. I would be seriously disappointed if Little O stops taking stuff from the spoon . I didn't even consider this eventuality - might be back on MN for some finger food ideas !!!

Our Easter was a bit subdued as DH was ill in bed - very unlike him so I knew it was bad. He seems to be on the mend now but our plans were all cancelled, so it was just me and O. We had a nice long girls' weekend!

Nursery is still going well, although O cried for the first time this morning when I said goodbye to her - made it extra hard to come to work today. I'm still not really getting into work yet and keep looking at photos on my phone.... It is getting easier though.

Welcome back to MN Justabout - hope you and your brood well!

I am now loading up toast fingers with the pureed mush that my freezer is full off! Seems to work - so don't worry catstar! We had banana sandwiches for tea tonight - went down a treat! Followed by prunes - to cancel out any constipating banana problems!

Is there any way you can get your dh to take Little O into nursery - it makes for a much easier start to the day for you and her. That's what we do - and it it great because i get to pick her up which is the best bit!

Get ready for many more cancelled weekends due to illnesses - me and dh pick up all teh germs that minimeep gets and it floors us. Dh got the d&v bug - I didn't but could have done with it to lose some weight !

MelissaM - I had a sleepy minimeep moment today as well. Got a puncture so took the car into the garage - loads of noise - and she stayed asleep even when I carried her out the car in her car seat! She'd missed her midday nap because we were out for lunch (and she doesn't do sleeping in her buggy any more ). But I did laugh at the image of Evelyn asleep in her high chair!

Catstar - I cooked tons of spag bol and chicken & veg on Monday and have lots of other things in the freezer too. Really stuck for ideas for quick finger food. Everything takes time to prepare and I'm not very organised.
Made some salmon fishcake things for tea tonight with sticks of cheese, tomato and fruit. They didn't go down that well but she did eat all the cheese (takes after her dad as he's a cheese-fiend!) and I managed to shovel in a few spoons of veg purée and 1/2 a yoghurt. The melon & tomato I chopped weren't as ripe as I thought so she didn't do so well with them.

You are doing really well with O at nursery. Glad to hear it is getting easier even if today was tough. I can't even bring myself to phone any nurseries to see if they have spaces and I am rapidly running out of time before I go back to work.

Meep - tried the purée on toast/rice cakes and anything else she'll eat - usually works but not today! Oh well. I did take a picture of Evelyn sleeping mid-chew, but not sure how to get them from my phone to the pc. When I work it out will add to my profile as she looked so cute! It's been so long since I've been able to get Evelyn out of the car without waking her - not helped by being way too long for her infant car seat and being in a forward facing one for about a month.

Goodnight all - going to clean up the kitchen then try for an early night as dh not coming home tonight (away with work) so no one to wake me up when they come to bed. (What's the betting he phones as soon as the light goes out?)

Ok - so Evelyn has proven me wrong today on just about everything I said yesterday. She has eaten puree (and even managed to stick her hands in the bowl and then her mouth). She also fell asleep in the car on the way back from our first baby signing session, and I managed to get her out of the car, into the house and into her travel cot/play pen, without waking her. She woke after 3/4 hr, had her lunch and a bit of play and is now asleep again! I guess she is shattered as she decided it was time to get up at 5:40 and only had a 10 min nap around 9.
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine today.

Ha ha - minimeep did the same - she's wolfed down her last few meals by spoon!!!

She got sent home from nursery on Friday - temp of 38 - poor wee thing! Yet another day off work for me - it is so stressful - I just don't have enough time to get everything done - looks like I'll be working from home this weekend again

Sorry to hear minimeep isn't well again. Hope she picks up soon (and you don't have to do too much work over the weekend).

Serious nursery/childminder hunting in order next week. Just realised how soon it is that I am due back to work and I haven't done anything about finding childcare for dd! Guess I was really hoping not to have to go back

Hello folks.

Just realised how long it has been since I've posted.

Just had a week in Devon for Easter with all of DH's family. Had an absolutely fabulous time, except ds is now waking once in the night again. He seems to be completely uninterested in daytime bfs. He has suddenly started eating loads, but not enough to reduce his feeds as much as he has. I've been leaking and busting my bras all week.

He's crawling and not letting me change his nappy, and if I turn my back in the bathroom, he's trying to get into the nappy bucket.

Hope everybody had a great Easter. I managed to read 5 books not 4, lost a load of weight and probably put it all back on last week, and did far fewer supermarket shops than normal, so overall not too bad a lent.

Welcome back jennster!

Justabout - minimeep doesn't even roll! I roll her - she squawks when she gets stuck on her tummy! I should just leave well alone though as it is so easy with a sitting up baby who stays put! But her cheerfulness is getting tested by her inability to get the things she wants, especially when her mummy now refuses to pander to her and has stopped putting everything within grabbing distance!

Hi all hope you all had a great easter! We went up north ( well as far as the midlands but that's like scotland to us) to my grandad's 90th birthday which was great both dd's were shown off ( v hard not too) dh got lots of sponsorship for his run ( lots of alcohol and a very persuasive d sis = loadsa money!!)

Lydie is now offically on the move crawling but constantly pulling herself up on any thing and everything. I'd forgotten what a target the wastepaper bin is, I walk in to find her either munching happily on the newspaper or worse sitting in shredded snotty tissue (colds all round at present!) Yuk!

The other thing of great appeal at present is shoes on or off people's feet, have to say she's starting young as I also love shoes although I prefer wearing to eating!!!

Quick question how many and how long are day time naps for your LO's? I'm still putting Lydie down for a morning and afternoon nap but it's a fight everytime (getting better but i'm persisting more) but it is hard screaming crying and now standing in her cot and chucking the dummy over the side in disgust!!! ( yes she already has attitude!) Although if she doesn't have her naps by evening she so over tired she screams the house down. Big sis seems to have a longer nap in the afternoon than Lyd.

Anyway must go and do yet more ironing and although I (still) don't post much I do lurk regurlarly

love to you all Doris

hi all, we just got back from our trip...LO had the time of his life, he swam every day and slept loads! needless to say, now we are back he hates getting dressed and is creating at every nappy change. is it possible for a baby to have the post holiday blues?

okay, i know im being silly but just cannot stop getting upset at the thought of returning to work. dh is getting fed up with me now and said i should just not think about it until the day before. if only!
im afraid im going to spend the next 3 weeks crying about it. ive never been this emotional!

meep, sorry to hear mini is a little unwell again..hope shes better soon.

doris, my lo sleeps anywhere from 30 mins to an hour. hes not consistent so i just let him sleep if he's tired and if he isnt i dont push it...hes sleeping at night right now so not going to complain.

big hugs to all and a belated happy easter.

Welcome back everyone!

Hope Minimeep is getting better? Little O is also a non-mover, but is very vocal at the moment - lots of mamamas which is lovely .

Myfairone - I'm now into my 4th week back at work and like everyone said, it is getting better. I would still prefer to be at home with Little O, but have no choice at the moment but to work, so I'm trying to be positive, rather than make it a miserable experience for everyone, which is what happened the first week.

I took O up to St Thomas's yesterday with a view to enrolling her in a peanut allergy study, up to 5 years old. Apparently babies with eczema have an increased risk, so I thought it better to find out in controlled circumstances. She had to have all sorts of skin prick tests, but came up with a reaction to egg, which we now have to avoid, and also a very slight reaction to peanuts. This means she probably won't be able to take part in the study, but still means we can follow up with the other allegies. We've also been advised to carry Piriton round with us all the time.

Little O is now sleeping well during the day - about 45 mins in the morning and up to 2 hours after lunch (even at nursery)! Night time ok at the moment too - it's all bound to go wrong now I've written this .

Just seen the Red Arrows fly past the office window ! Reminded me of my childhood at the Southend Airshow every year!!!

Justabout, just sent you a text. I haven't got the cat anymore, and can't find your email address. Would love to meet again. Somewhere in Yorkshire this time I think!

Hi all!
MFO - it will be okay - well it might be rubbish for the first couple of weeks but it becomes normal and just part of life.

Minimeep seems to really get a lot out pf nursery - she come home with all these new tricks learnt (currently blowing raspberries!)and I reckon she finds a day at home with me pretty dull in comparison!

The thought is worse than the reality - I felt so so guilty - I used to sob and say to my dh "she's too wee to go to nursery"! (I can be a tad dramatic!) - but it does get easier. And if it isn't for you and LO then you can rethink things!

One thing I have found pretty common amongst the mums I know is that after the first couple of days you just want to move your wee one to another nursery - I think it is just a gut reaction to the change and that nursery will never be as good as you at looking after you bub - but now I really like the girls that look after minimeep. She even starred in one girls Uni presentation on how babies react to music - and they all say they think she is great because she just smiles and claps all day!

Don't get me wrong there are stil things that make me a bit angry - like giving her tinned soup - but when I suggested there might be too much salt in it for a baby they were fine!

Naps - well because minimeep refuses to sleep at nursery - she seems to catch up with her sleep when she is at home. She goes to bed at 7pm and wakes at about 6.30am. Then has a 2hour nap at 9am then maybe another hour at about midday.

I think once they can haul themselves up in their cot it must be so much harder to get them to sleep - doris am loving the image of Lydie chucking her dunny on the floor in disgust!

Saying that -= I can hear wee mepps from eth nursery - so it looks like only a short nap this morning!

Meep - I absolutely agree with you! I wanted to take Little O out of nursery after the first phasing in session but soon realised that the girls were more than capable - and like you I'm sure that Little O feels a bit bored when it's just the two of us!!

Can I just ask you a question about Minimeep's food routine at nursery? Little O has a bottle at 7am, then breakfast of toast or Weetabix at about 8.15am. Lunch starts at 11.45am and is pretty substantial. She has a bottle at about 2.30pm when she wakes up from her nap, then tea is at 3.30pm when they do something like teacakes, or soup etc. The last few evenings she's been desperate for her bottle before 7pm and last night we had to refill it and she had a total of 12ozs . Does Minimeep have such an early tea? I'm wondering if O needs a snack at nursery at about 5pm to see her through....

When at home I usually give her tea at about 4.30/5pm.

One thing I meant to mention to all you fellow mums who have "eczema LO's", we were advised at the allergy clinic to apply O's emollient cream (Diprobase in her case) 6 or 7 times a day and to really drench her in it! We'd only been doing it 2 or 3 times. We have asked the nursery to do it every nappy change and I have to say her skin is so much better! It's worth a shot - very time consuming though.

Anyway, better dash - it's my lunch hour and I intend to make the most of it! A friend had twin boys yesterday so a good excuse to get to Next for baby outfits!!!

Catstar - we only get lunch and snacks at our nursery!
So - I send her in with her breakfast so I reckon she gets it at about 8.30am.
She gets lunch at around midday. Bottle at about 2.30 then I send in a yoghurt/fromage frais which they give her around 5pm. That seems to tide her over until dinner at home at 6pm - then bedtime bottle at 7pm. However she is becoming a greedy wee thing so I am going to have to ask them to include her in the snacks which I think they give mid-morning and mid-afternoon.
I reckon you should give them something for LittleO to have just before you collect her - a yoghurt or a fruit pot or something? Then she won't become a milk monster when you get her home

Thanks for the words of encouragement. I know that things will get easier once I get into the routine of work and I'm sure that the thought of it is worse than 'doing it'!

The thing is, like all of you, I have enjoyed my time at home with DS so much, the thought of a work routine again just fills me with dread. But, thats life and I'm not fortunate enough to be a SAHM.

Catstar, thanks for the tip about the cream application. After our appointment at St Thomas's about DS's eczema, we were prescribed a really strong steroid cream which cleared it up in no time and are now using Doublebase cream. I doubt I am applying it often enough if you have been told 6/7 times per day. Will definitely try and apply it more often now. LO is still on a milk free diet for 3 more weeks but loves his Neocate. It smells gross but he seems to like it!

Is anyone else still breastfeeding? I am down to two feeds per day (morning and night), but think I want to drop the morning one because LO is just fussing so much. He is way too busy to want to feed from me and is constantly pulling off to look around. I'm kind of sad at stopping it but I'm being guided by him and he can't make it any clearer that he doesn't want to be fed by me in the morning!

Big hugs to all and thanks again for the kind words of wisdom.

BF? Oh yes. 5-6 feeds a day. Going back to work in 4 weeks. Did our first settle in session yesterday. DD was so funny when she realised we were there. She suddenly became a bossy little madam.

Going to have to start to think about expressing. No I'm going to have to start expressing. Not bothered doing it in earnest yet. I've tried giving it in a cup and it's too precious to waste like that. DS hasn't had a bottle yet so maybe he will take it that way. It just seems crazy to start giving a bottle at 9 months, when he should be off the bottle at 12. Oh well, I'm sure it will sort itself out.

And did I say I was potty training dd this week? She was walking round in my new favourite shoes and she peed in them. Since then she's been really good but is sick today. Nothing has stayed down the poor little mite. DS has eaten more than her. I'm considering expressing to give her some easily digestible milk.

Jennster - LOL at your DD in your shoes!! Hope DS settling in going well?

Myfairone - glad DS is enjoying the formula! When is it you go back to work? I have to say it's much easier now the clocks have gone forward and the evenings lighter. Seems like the best time of year to be returning !

Thanks for msg about food, Meep. Think I might start sending in some rice cakes or something for a 5pm snack.

We are having a tricky time on our household at the moment. DH suffers from cluster headaches which come around in a cycle every five years and last about a month. He mainly gets them at night - about 4, each lasting around 20 mins. They are nicknamed suicide headaches by professionals because they are so painful - he's sleeping in the spare room at the mo because he can't keep still when he's having one. Sometimes he has to bang his head on the wall to deal with it . He's trying a new drug today that he has to inject himself in his stomach so fingers crossed he gets some relief. He helpfully directed me to a website which suggested lots of sex helps with seratonin levels ... fits in nicely with my sudden desire to have another baby!!! We're just going to "see what happens" from now. I want to get going because I'm 36 this year and know that no. 2 can take a wee while.

Hope everyone ok - best thing about being back at work is getting to surf at lunchtimes!!! And the view - when I look up I see Tower Bridge .