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

Oball are huge here too and apparently a common first toy for babies

@Inmypjsagain I mean he wouldn't notice if they went back in his stocking... 😀 they'll all get there when they're ready!

Oh no @Smurf123 that sounds very frustrating.He definitely doesn't deserve the 'D' for DH today

Wooow! Now we're talking. I LOVE these cars! One is going straight in the basket for DS for Christmas, what a top recommendation 👌 Thanks a lot, girls.

@Daffodil21 It's funny cause he went from not turning his head to being able to hold a three-way conversation with DH and I "talking" to each of us separately and also turning his head to lots of sounds. Not just us, but for example rattling toys, the dog etc. Unless he's engrossed in something like staring at the leaves in the garden, Christmas lights or sometimes a blank wall 🤷🏼‍♀️🤣

@Inmypjsagain A 4/5 month old standing by a sofa? Are you sure this child has not been swapped in hospital by accident? 😏 I couldn't imagine Leo trying to stand up. His legs are getting stronger and he can sit upright with very little support now, but standing?? No way 🤣 He's also now getting really lovely full cheeks and a cute chubby belly. His legs look long and skinny in comparison, the 3-6m leggins are getting too short already 😄. I think has grown quite a bit in the last week! xx

And @Smurf123 I was brought up in Europe and never heard that before! In fact I asked my mum as we're dipping in and out of our video call and she just laughed. Either it's a specifically Danish thing or more likely your MIL's thing. I'd ignore and continue doing your own thing, you know you're right. But that's super annoying. And wth, they left you with two kids and went off for a nap? I'd be livid. No wonder your DS is climbing the walls too! Is he getting new toys for Christmas there? This might help hopefully? Any play centres, could your DH take him there, or swimming, to burn some energy? Glad Sophia is sleeping better too Rant as much as you wish! xx

@Smurf123 crikey in that case I am a crap mother!!! 😂 wonder what they suggest for refluxy babies? And what age do they sit by themselves? How’s the covid doing with your PiL? Hope your son get some new toys to play with?! Not surprised his bored!

@Daffodil21 it’s given me an insight into what it must be like when they can move with the throwing of things, it’s gonna be LOUD 😂

@PurplePansy05 it’s a great car and it too has been thrown on our (wooden) kitchen floor on many occasions and it’s survived! And yes!! I swear! Standing on the sofa with hands on the back for support. He’s 1 week to the day older than my baby, I tried to stand him as soon as I saw the video thinking maybe he might be able to do it too, obviously supporting his arms, but his legs bent into sitting position straightaway. But this ninja baby also had his head very well held up from the first time I met him at 2 weeks and has been on the jumperoo since about 3 months!

@Smurf123 ugh typo city, hope you know what I mean 😂

It's a Nordic country thing including Germany. People use carrycots here until the baby is sitting unaided which is like a 8-9 month milestone! I find it so weird. People probably judge me putting the pram up to full on sitting which he loves as he's so nosy. Do whatever you think best and ignore the MIL. Tell her your midwife said it was fine. IME people here take midwives' word as gospel even though a lot of what they say is no more than folk remedies.

Alex would stand like that but we don't call it standing :o

We have an Oball from Leo but we don't have any of the cars. Maybe I can get DS1 to get one as his Christmas present.

Yep, his legs just fold immediately too @Inmypjsagain 🤣 I think he'd like to stand up, he's sort of trying to push himself off everything so he can see more (he'sa curious devil now 😄), but it will be months before he can do it.

You've motivated me to try the jumperoo now. I'll get it out of the garage. Also, I'm shamelessly copying your toy recommendations from now on, I bought that Tiny Love arch and it's a big hit, used every day. I'll be getting him a Cusky for his birthday. Now the Oball Keep these ideas coming, please, they're so good! xx

DS would stand like that as well, but I also wouldn't actually call it standing! And he certainly couldn't pull himself up to stand.

@PurplePansy05 glad he's turning to sounds now too :) get the jumparoo out - it's a game changer 😂 I plan on using it while I have lunch shortly!

Oh @PurplePansy05 also pleased to report the bibs survived a 40 wash and the tumble drier. The tumble drier one actually felt nice than the non tumble dried ones

Oh that's brill @Daffodil21, thanks for an update. I might invest in them if so. He chews on every bib or on his sleeves. Obviously toys aren't enough 😄 So these bibs could become very popular! xx

@PurplePansy05 folds is exactly the right term, just tried it again against the sofa and he just sat down and chewed the sofa, so there’s now a lovely drool mark 😂 I can stand him up but he won’t stay even leaning on the back of the sofa (sorry I know people wouldn’t call it standing but I don’t know what else to call it!) and agree, similar here, you can see he wants to lift up but can’t! When he’s on his tummy he really rocks as well. glad Leo is liking the toys, the toy bar is great isn’t it? He loves spinning the ball thing and moving the fan but he hasn’t figured how to spin the fan with the carrot on a string yet! I’ll let you know if we get any others that he likes.

So seems like some babies just have better leg strength and others have better upper body! We’ll probably give the jumperoo early and see how he goes!

@Inmypjsagain He's figured out the carrot/fan, but not the ball and I think the red fox scares him a bit 😂😂😂 He loves the bee and the strawberry-mirror though. Mirrors are generally his fav. Funny how they have their own preferences already 😄 xx

@Inmypjsagain I guess it's assisted standing?!

@PurplePansy05 so true! I know what you mean about the fox, think when he realised it crunched as well he was a bit shocked. When I put it on his baby bjorn I angled it to begin with so in front of him was only the spinny ball and the fox, that’s when he got to grips with the spinning. I’ve moved it so it was the fan and the fox but he moves the fan with fingers only! Now he gets all three but has ignored the carrot entirely!

@Daffodil21 yeah or supported standing? Still pretty cool Elliott can do it, we are away off from that!

Anyone Instagram I follow naturalbornparenting and they do positions and movements to help baby with strength and coordination which I’ve found good! Dunno if they work but a worth a try!

@Inmypjsagain well I haven't tried it recently tbh. My friend tried it with him once about 6 weeks ago when she visited as she did it with her nephews but I'm not sure what age they were. He did stay standing unsupported against a small foot stool (with her/us ready to catch) but he was far too young to be doing it really and I haven't done it since. We hold him lots while he 'stands' and pushes against us, which feel much more age appropriate...! I know 6 weeks ago sounds like massive BS - I do have photos but I'm not going to post as he was too young and I don't want to be mum-shamed!

He's always been unnaturally strong, which is why he's been the high chair and jumparoo for ages, but still!

Yeah, my kids have never sat or rolled early but all of them held their heads up, pushed up with their legs and wanted to stand for months before they could actually weight bear. DS1 started crawling at 8 months and then literally 2 days later crawled to the coffee table and pulled up on it. I was NOT READY!! Because when they start crawling you immediately move all things to tables. So when they start pulling up you have to move everything even higher :o

This is a photo of DS2 at 5 months old - crazy. But he definitely couldn't stand up.

@Daffodil21 not questioning it, not judging and certainly need evidence of it 😊 I wonder if he’ll be an early walker then? (Having said that I don’t know when early would be?) we have baby “standing” on our laps with support under his armpits, but I think he just likes the feeling of his feet (he is so into his feet, maybe I should have said they’re his favourite toy!)

@BertieBotts what a cutie! Looks like he was ready to start marching! I bet the pulling up was a shock so soon after crawling! And I’m dreading having to baby proof, when my niece was here I realised how much stuff we had at baby level, where’s it all gonna go?!

Just realised we have Christmas at kew this weekend! Hope baby likes it and stays awake for it….

Certainly need NO evidence of it. Sorry! @Daffodil21 I wish I could type

@Inmypjsagain we often say we wonder if he'll just skip the crawling and go straight to walking - maybe he'll skip the sitting too 😂😂

Aw thank you all. You have reassured me that I'm not being totally unreasonable to be annoyed!
Ds will be getting new toys at Christmas which he will love it's just a long time to go until then. We weren't even initially meant to be here until tomorrow. I thought we could maybe borrow some of his cousins toys too as he's only a year younger but that doesn't seem to be happening. We were also due to go to dh aunts house on Sunday and she has grandkids of her own but also does daycare from home so has lots of toys that ds loves but ofc we now can't go because of fil having covid.
@Inmypjsagain I think he's doing fine. He's bored and wants to come back home and stop isolating saying we will all likely catch it anyway. I think he's insisting he will be coming back at the weekend he tested positive on Sunday past so just about a week. I've told dh that if fil comes back and stops his isolating then he's risking our kids catching it and risking dh having any chance to see his extended family of someone else catches it from it. Dh seems to think it will be fine. I disagree.
Our first pcr test came back negative yesterday for the rest of us, test number 2 done today so fingers crossed we all get negative again and then we have to take the 3rd pcr on Saturday.
We are no where near standing but she loves so sitting up a bit to look around!
I think I need to buy a few things for dds stocking I didn't really get anything, just a book so far.

Is it just me who isn’t really treating Christmas as a thing in terms of the baby? Not doing gifts or stockings for him because he’s only four months (yesterday!) so I don’t think he’ll understand?

@Daffodil21 😂 🤣 does he sit forward in the high chair at all? I predict mine will be a late Walker but a bum shuffled.

@Smurf123 what a thing to say, that you’ll all catch it! I hope not! Glad you’ve tested negative. I’m with you I wouldn’t want him a back early… I’m cautious about covid at the best of times but you don’t the little ones to get it! I also feel like I need to buy but mainly because I’ve taken most of it to play with early…

Off topic- is anyone watching Just Like That?

@RandomCatGenerator yes I get you, we weren’t going to but the grandparents seem to have been a bit extravagant with gifts and we felt bad we’d bought nothing. My in laws ordered him a personalised stocking so I felt obliged to fill it, mainly with toys and clothes that I’d get anyway but as I said a moment ago I took them all out 😂 I think it’s more a point if you have older children they may find it odd if Santa doesn’t bring anything for their little sibling. (And happy 4 months to Solomon!)