August 2021 Babies - They Had To Be Gorgeous, Just Look At Us

[PurplePansy05]

Welcome to the chattiest post-natal club on MN!

We spent a year together chatting about all things pregnancy and baby...

...we've tried and tested countless baby products...

...exchanged hundreds of tips...

...talked about all the big things in life, all the little things, the good times and the tough times...

...we had a good laugh together 😁...

...and somehow we now have gorgeous 3 month old babies without looking a day older ourselves 😅 (must be that good laugh!)

Graduates of the August 2021 (and thereabouts) thread:

@Smurf123 & baby Sophia 💖
@wimbler & her baby boy 💙
@Jessicapebbles & baby Ebony💖
@Inmypjsagain & her baby boy 💙
@PurplePansy05 & baby Leo Alexander 💙
@WinterBabyof89 & baby Rosie 💖
@Winecoffeeteamum & baby Emily 💖
@Ready2020 & baby Rowan 💖
@Magik01 & baby Isaac 💙
@Hoares3 & baby Ellis 💙
@Daffodil21 & baby Elliot James 💙
@sarah13xx & baby Freddie 💙
@MrsB2019x & baby Ella💖
@biscuitcat & baby Rowan 💙
@Whatshouldbemyusername & baby Arya-Nyah 💖
@notinthestarsigns & baby Erin 💖
@Aaaaa1519 & baby Anum 💖
@Angelesque & baby Isaac 💙
@Millymay13 & baby Ethan 💙
@WolfMother326 & baby Alasdair 💙
@BertieBotts & baby Alex 💙
@RandomCatGenerator & baby Solomon 💙
@lucyrp & baby Evelyn Rose 💖
@HopefulB & baby Chloé 💖
@Mmr224 & baby Alasdair 💙
@Smallbean27 & her baby boy 💙
@Fran919 & her baby girl 💖
@Caz1226 & baby Dougie 💙
@Ava50x & her baby boy 💙
@dirtyfries & baby Frankie 💖
@ame88 & baby Lily 💖

Sorry if I've missed anyone, please join in! xx

No, you can only use the supports for each seat as they come with.

Do you have one where the wedge and head support are one piece, they don't come apart?

Maxi Cosi have so many seats they are hard to keep track of :o

I've bought a tumble dryer in the Black Friday sales :o it's a boring thing to be excited about but I am excited anyway!

Gap has 50% off everything BTW - they do lovely but pricey baby stuff if you're looking for Christmas presents. Decent at half price. I checked but it wasn't really to my taste this year. Last time with DS2 at this age I got a sleepsuit (they fit small - buy bigger) and a knitted cardigan (generous, buy current size and it will last). I also got some vests from H&M as I preferred short sleeve with my older 2 but much prefer long sleeve for Alex for some reason. I've got some autumnal colours because he looks gorgeous in forest green :)

@PurplePansy05 in the same boat! He's 13.5 weeks but has turned so whingy and fighting every nap (lots of crying). Come out of no where, I also feel like throwing myself through a window! It's so tough, just letting you know your not alone. I feel like I see every other baby being nice a quiet and sleeping so easily, it just makes me feel so much worse!

@BertieBotts its one piece but upon scouring mumsnet for ideas I came across a few people who said they could pull the wedge out of it like a pillow case and currently en route home so will look then!
Funnt you should say about baby Gap as I've been on a hunt on eBay and Facebook for second hand gap hoodies and one pieced and found some absolute bargains! Love gap

@sarah13xx I’ve just seen your post, I’m sorry, what a frustrating experience! You’re Amazing for being able to laugh about it already. All the very very best for the internet sales xx

@Smallbean27 I so know what you mean about feeling bad when other babies sleep/don't cry all the time! My favourite person in my NCT to hang out with is the other one with a 'difficult' baby as I don't feel bad when Rowan cries as hers often is too!

@biscuitcat I've been staring at walls while doing some painting and I just read your post as 'as hers is a bit of a tool' - I thought that's a bit harsh 😂😂 sorry you're having a hard time atm - I hope it doesn't last long.

@Smallbean27 Thanks lovely feel like we both need it. Big virtual hugs. He's actually asleep and I'm watching Adele and eating chocolate cake. It was that kind of a day. xx

@Daffodil21 😂 that would be really harsh! And thank you lovely - it's actually much easier than a month or two ago, but I think DS is just a high maintenance baby! My mum keeps saying it's revenge, apparently I was just the same!

I've been a bit lurky recently on here. I've got a new roue of no phone at night to help my sleep and it does work (clearly breaking it here! ). Though I'm getting not much sleep these days thanks to DD! Ever since we got back from up north her sleep has been terrible. Sometimes crying every 30 minutes! No clue why so I'm trying to not question it and just go with it and hope it passes. I'm just so tired during the days just now but seem to be quite busy with family and friends visiting and Christmas prep.

I saw my sister who has cancer yesterday for the first time in 2 weeks and she looks so ill. She was in hospital for a few days with fluid retention. Appointment that's a sign of very advanced cancer. It's really shocked her and made it very real to her as she was feeling OK and making plans for next year. She just doesn't want to talk about it though. Before my dad died of cancer I remember we never said what we wanted to say. But I guess I don't want to talk like its the end for her even though it is!

It's turned so cold here recently. I've bought a set of pram gloves from amazon yesterday so I hope they are good. Also bought DD some cute jumpers from H and M. I'm feeling pretty skint but I've still not bought any Christmas presents!! I'm still making my lists.

@sarah13xx keep going with the markets. I've been doing them for many years with my embroidery and it can be very hit and miss. The more you do them the more you'll find the things that sell and the markets worth doing. There will be more disappointing markets to come but keep going! It's worth it and your stuff is lovely. I really miss doing the usual Christmas markets I do but I've not found the time to make anything.

@Ready2020 feeling skint here too, basically done all of DS and OH Christmas presents but realised most of his presents are clothes as he's got to the stage where he needs all new everything ( great thing about kids🙄🥲) also remembered my 2 friends LO need presents too and its one of their birthdays next weekend also. Would be okay if my pay wasn't going down to statutory next month 😓

@lucyrp this might be a very sweeping comment, and obviously it depends entirely what your partner earns but I've been on statutory since May, and honestly you just made it work. We've actually managed to save most of it, despite not saving anything when we were on a full wage. It's amazing what you can cut down when you need to. DH doesn't earn an amazing wage at all, but of course we don't have other children other than Elliot. I am starting to panic about Feb/March though when it will stop totally and I don't have any other work lined up atm. We'll have a buffer with what we saved, and we could just about live on DH's wage but that would literally mean absolutely no extras - not even 'mum coffees' etc.

@Ready2020 that sounds very hard. I'm lucky enough not to know much about cancer but that sounds horrible to see. I hope Rowan settles soon - sounds like 4 month sleep regression? Which apparently can happen anytime between 3-5 months

DH and I have said we won't do presents for each other this year so that helps. I say that but he's got me some shampoo and conditioner from the hair dressers that I wanted so I'll have to get something for him now, even though he won't expect it. We've done most of our shopping for others but have limited it much more than usual. It's also going to cost us about £500 to get back to family for Christmas as well because we have to pay for fuel for DH to get back, my train ticket and both our cats to stay in the cattery for 2 weeks 😱 obviously we'll be dipping into savings for that! Hoping not to spend much while we're down there.

We also haven't got Elliot anything... is that just mean? 😂 I feel like it's slightly unnecessary as we've been buying him things as he needs them, and he'll get things from family anyway. I'll probably get a couple of little things but I feel like we'd just be buying for the sake of it?

@Daffodil21 we both earn a pretty average wage ( probably less than a lot of you ladies but we're rural so cost of living lower etc) we'd be fine if I didn't have to pay around £300 back a month for empty debt 😅 was going to be debt free by the end of this year but I wouldn't change it for the world 🥰 tell me about mum coffees.😂 spend so much when I go to groups then get invited for dinner or coffee after 🤣

@Daffodil21 all I've got DD is a jumperoo second hand, a couple of small rattles
/tethers etc she can hold and a couple of clothes items as I know others will buy for her x

We will get Alex some things as Leo is so excited about Chrismas and very much believing in Santa so would be odd for him to have nothing. But will be very low key. Some toys for 6-12 months, next size clothing/sleeping bags/dummies, drool bibs, and weaning supplies (bibs, spoons, open/sippy cup, bowls, etc) and things like a jumperoo/activity centre are good presents for 4 month old babies. Much of this you'd be buying anyway so it's a bit of a performance to wrap them up, but good if you want to do presents on Christmas day or have older children. If you don't want to and it's your first baby then don't worry about it :)

It would cost us nearly €1000 just for accommodation this Christmas :( And another €500+ for fuel, ferry etc. Everything is insane and that's not even counting covid measures so we will be staying at home and hopefully visiting in March.

@Ready2020 could you write her a letter so saying those things doesn't encroach on your time together?

Alex has such a bad cough he could not stop this morning. I gave him about 30ml warm water and that seemed to help.

@lucyrp my DH is probably about average but mine was below average because no surprises my boss was an arse 😂 I took the job to make the big move and planned to move elsewhere when we're settled but obviously lockdown and baby happened. Aw that sounds so lovely! I wish it was like that more here. I say 'mum coffees' but actually it's mostly me going either on my own or with my walking group once a week on the Friday walk only, and they're mostly like 70 😂

It's now snowing here and the pavements are icy so I guess I'll be saving a lot of money on coffees now! DH is insisting it's ok to go out which is just annoying me tbh as obviously I can't take him out of the pavements are icy!

That's what I was thinking about DS for Christmas. He already has a jumparoo, a high chair etc so I feel I'd just be buying for the sake of it. I'll probably get him a couple of story type books because he loves that. Obviously he has nooo idea what's going on but when they're story type ones I can be a bit more animated which he loves (and I do too 😂). We have a few books but they're mostly short ones that aren't really stories so I tend to read the same two over again which is getting a bit dull!

Dd is getting a jumperoo from her grandparents who have said just to leave it out as if it's a Santa present so we are doing that for her and I have bought her a wee book and an outfit for her stocking plus I'll probably put in a teething toy and soft toy that she got given for her christening to bulk it up purely for ds sake. But tbh we are due to be travelling to the inlaws and they do Christmas different. They tend to get a gift on the 4 Sundays of advent and then one more from Santa on the 24th apparently it would be the norm to get someone to dress up as him and come to the door to hand it over 🤨 then the rest of family presents are all under a tree and everyone takes it in turns one by one to open a present after dinner on the 24th so I don't think ds will notice what dd gets. Tbh his big present will be left at home also with a note from Santa saying it was too big to bring home on the airplane so he's left it in Belfast. I think it will be ok for this year because while ds knows Santa is coming and bringing presents he has no concepts of dates as yet but I don't know how we will work it in future years.
Dh is panicking about the new covid variant and would really like to jump on a plane tomorrow and go to his parents so we definitely get there. Dd is due her jabs in Wed and I've said she needs a week to get over them before we contemplate about flying, I can't do 6 weeks in someone else's house. I just can't. I understand he really wants to see them and hasn't been able to on 2 years but is also think we have to think about the kids and I don't want ds missing his first school Christmas play and celebrations. Plus I want to have time with my family too which I was already planning on doing incredibly early in December.
Dd had 2 days where he cold seemed much better and she slept through the night. Last night was a disaster she is back to being so congested she couldn't lie down on her back because of it so she was up every hour or two. The fancy snot sucker sort of works but she absolutely hates it and screams the house down so can't get it all. I'm sure it works perfectly on a baby that lies completely still

I think it's quite a good age for Christmas really because they need loads of things so you can just wrap up a load of stuff that you would buy anyway :o

Oh a bigger snuggly towel is a nice one, as I find newborn sized towels (if you have any of these pointless things) are starting to get a bit small around now.

@BertieBotts I'm and idiot and bought 3 of the hooded towels. This is before I realised how washing one baby generates - definitely didn't need 3 as the washing machine is on pretty much every day! (We don't bathe him every day atm)

Got a very drooly, miserable, snotty, tired baby which I think is possibly teething. Can't think of anything else. She slept for 9 and a half hours straight last night then woke for a feed and went back down for another 3 and a half 😳

Ah it's always nice to have spares :) If you go swimming it's useful to have an extra one so I'm sure 3 won't go to waste. It was more the size I meant - we have these teeny ones which are probably about the size of a large muslin which I have always hated and they have ended up as spreading under the highchair food catchers :o

I somehow use all four of his hooded towels! I can't believe how much stuff he has, just everything, clothes, towels, prams, bouncer, chair, now toys will add to it. I've made a mistake of sorting through his clothes and putting them away today and it's made me depressed cause I've realised there isn't enough storage in this house. I can't face more work or moving though and it's made me cry. DH has a new job and he's hardly here and I just feel like looking after Leo and running and worrying about literally everything is on me. I dread to think what will happen when I return to my job which is also demanding. I'm feeling more and more anxious about juggling things even though I don't lack in confidence. I can run a house on my own, work or look after him well but not sure how I could do it all at once 😔 just having a bit of a crisis. It's really hard with no family support.

It's also true that the more money you have, the more expenses. We're the richest and the poorest we've ever been at the same time, making more money than ever but also more stretched than ever with the new house, paying off the renovation, baby stuff, now SMP and then nursery all happening within a year. It's not how I wanted it to be but you can't always plan it. I guess we lost faith that baby would ever happen and so we decided to invest in this house which was going to be our retirement fund once sold. And now this has screwed us over a bit. I know it's a privileged position in many ways, however I regret this decision tbh. Had we stretched ourselves less, I would have been far happier now and wouldn't feel like I have to be stuck in the corporate world with a young baby and no help 😔 I'll have to deal with it somehow, I'm just suddenly frightened that it's impossible to juggle. xx