Oct 07 - this little piggy stayed at home...

[Dalrymps]

Hey guys sorry for the sh*t title, if there's already been a new thread set up please direct me there???

happy new year everyone!
we went to see my godmother and her family for turkey curry last night and then went to a friends for the rest of the evening. two toddlers, a baby and two bumps mean next year will be even more noisy - and they are all boys so far! Olly was a bit grizzly as we got towards midnight, but seeing as he's spent the whole festive season as a parcel in pass rhe parcel, i don't blame him.
My boys are now happily playing with their toys - dh on xbox and ds on baby gym - and I am on mumsnet - looks like we are starting 2008 as we mean to go on!
here's to a good year for everyone. i'm wondering what big thing we will do this year - bought a house in 2005, married in 2006, had a baby in 2007. will we have a rest this year???

Happy 2008 everyone - hope you've all had good days. We had a quiet night in, bubbles, chinese food and Jason Bourne on tv - brilliant! Things areok here - Madeleine is still full of cold and is extremely hard to settle - shes' still up at least twice a night for long feeds but it's much better than other's so I can't complain. I too would also like to say how much this thread has meant to me over the last few months - so thank you all for your input.

And on that, here is a thing I'd like your opinions on ladies. It's my Dad's 60th this coming weekend and he has arranged to take his 4 kids and grandchildren (4 of them, my 2 and my brother has 2 - a 3yr old and 6 month old)to a hotel for the weekend. Part of this is a lovely dinner on the Sat pm in the hotel. They have a great baby monitoring system where you link it to your mobile and if there is any noise in the room, it rings your mobile and you can listen in to check all is well. We used it when DS was a baby and that along with our monitor and us checking every 20 mins, all was well. I sholud explain also that this place (Hotel du Vin) is small, with about 25 rooms. So we've arranged to use it again but in light of the summer's tragedy, my brother is now really reluctant to use it - and has got me wondering whether i am being too blase thinking it wil all be fine. Madeleine would be with us in the dining room but DS would be in the room...... what do you all think and what would you do? Really want this to be a lovely meal for my Dad but on the other hand am now wondering whether I should rethink the arrangements. There is no way DS would settle with someone in the room with him (eg a babysitter) but it may be that we have to take it inturns to sit up there..... any thoughts much appreciated!

hope you are all having a good evening though - and hope 2008 is fantastic for you all

Happy New Year everybody - we had a lovely evening - the neighbours came round, and I cooked 2 curries, and we sat, chatted, drank, and ate ... it was absolutely wonderful!

Today I've been to see a friend from work - her lo was 1 today, so we went to have a party tea with her ... her mil was there, and told me off about my going back to work full-time once I go back ... my friend will be mortified! Her MiL is in some respects worse than mine ... we are able to have a good moan about them when we're in work ... you just can't get away with so much when you have the DHs listening in!

We've taken our decorations down today ... I'm going for my Christmas present from DH tomorrow - a 1 1/2 hour hot stone full body massage ... serious brownie points for him there: he even checked it was ok for a bf woman to have that done - I'm seriously impressed!

I'm coming to terms a bit more with Mairwen's day-time cat-napping habits: Rhydian slept much more during the day - but she sleeps better at night than he used to ... tbh I know which way is easier!

Right, going to do srories with Rhydian!

Oh, and I love you lot because I can be completely honest with you ... and have a rant without fear of come-back - it's like having on-line counselling! ..

nellie - x-posted with you there ... personally, I'd use the baby listening service: whatever happened to Madeleine in the summer, her parents were not using any form of baby monitor ...

We've used these systems ourselves, and they're fine - what we've also done (depends on how many free minutes you get on your mobile!) is to ring your hotel room from your mobile, then take your phone with you on speakerphone - and you may find that your own baby monitor will work from your room ... we regularly go to our neighbours house across the road (or they come to us), and we have our monitors set up so that we can receive the signal from the house - we can be back just as quickly as going upstairs ... and we tend to pop back every 20 minutes or so anyway, just to check. The only thing that would stop me doing that would be if the smoke alarms weren't in working order, and it's a bit difficult to check that out ...

Hello ladies,

Nellie I have to say that I would happily have used a baby listening service like this prior to Madeleine McCann. I would now be very reluctant. I agree totally with ejt that its a totally different situation and also think its very very unlikely that anything untoward would happen. The problem is I can't help thinking what if and for me I just wouldn't be comfortable with it. I don't think there is anything wrong with it if you are comfortable with it though - I think you have to go with your gut reaction. We will have a simnilar situation with dh's mum's 70th in September and we will be telling her that we cannot come out in the evening if she wants the boys to be there. We are happy to drop them with my parents so we can all go out in the evening (unless we stay somewhere where we have friends who would babysit) or otherwise we will need to look into alternative options like going for a meal at lunchtime or hiring a house and getting caterers in (or all helping with the food). I think this is probably extrememly paranoid of me but this is what I personally am happy with - thankfully dh agrees.

If the hotel really is that small though your baby monitor might work? I would probably be happy with this if the room was not on the ground floor... Liking ejt's idea of phoning the hotel room though! Sorry this contradicts everything I said above but if its very small then I guess no different than a big house...

Well I have had a funny type of day. Feeling very stressed and overwhelmed this afternoon about having to manage on my own again after having dh and family at home with us over the holidays. Just feel as though I can't cope. Silly really as I know that objectively I can and even though I will have some very demanding days with the 2 of them the majority will be great and wiull also get easier and easier... Need to chill with dh and some wine and sure all will be ok in the am...

Nellie - You have to go with your gut feeling on this type of situation, it all depends on the place you are staying etc. Personally I would use it. We went to Cornwall in August and stayed in a hotel that used a listening service. They had an in built intercom in the room, and someone sat in reception constantly listening to the rooms, we just signed in and out and told them where we were, which was in the dining room having dinner, so we were only ever away from the room two hours max. If they heard anything they would come and get us. Luckily Sam sleeps well and once asleep rarely wakes up before midnight so we felt very comfortable using the facility. If I had any doubts about the set up when I got there we would have had a rethink on the situation. Its a very personal decision though and I would never think badly of anyone who did this, unlike the grief I got on another forum I frequent when I mentioned what I had done

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVEYONE!!!!

sounds like we all had nice evenings last night on the whole, which is good

Well i had a quietish one last night, didn't have dd1, she was with her dad, had my mum and her bf, my best friend and her bf and me and shannon at my house for a bit of food and drink, i only had 3 drinks so no hangover for me for a change but i'm tired, went to bed at 3 and Shannon woke at 5 then slept till 9, oh and my kind of bf turned up at 11pm very drunk but at least he bothered to make an effort for a change

Nellie-personally if i where you and i'd used the service before, i'd be inclined to use it again, but its whatever you feel comfortable with, you don't have to make your mind up till you get there do you, and you can always do it and then if you can't relax, go up and bring lo down

has anyone been thinking about it being around this time (ish) last year that the conceptions of our lovely babies occured? or am i just weird i had a moment of nostalgia last night for a bit, but i've been getting nasty messages off the sperm donor since xmas day because he's found me on face book, but he didn't even bother asking about dd2 so the nostalgic moment didn't last long!

does anyone get really affected by things atm? sometimes i can hardly drag myself out of bed at the moment and i've been getting where i don't want to see or talk to anyone, i have to make a real effort to do anything, i feel exhausted. hopefully its just the christmas thing and everything will get back to normal very soon!

right i'm rambling again so i'll be off, love to you all xxxxx

J20 I've been thinking a lot too about it being this time last year that Adam was conceived. Dh actually gave me a pregnancy test in my stocking which was his way of telling me that he was ready to try for another baby after I had been up for it for a while. I call my boys my one shot wonders!

MrsFish can't believe you got given grief for using a baby listening service. Some people don't think twice about dissing you for things that are really personal without knowing you properly don't they? It makes me really cross. Just because I (probably) wouldn't do it doesn't mean I think badly of people who would - like you say its a very personal thing.

Was it J20 who talkied about struggling a bit at the mo? I have today. Just been talking with dh about it - no reason why really as both boys have been great. Maybe just a downer that everything is calming down after christmas - who knows. Sure I will be fine tomorrow - hope you are too honey xxx

Hello all. I do feel like an interloper as I only discovered MN properly and the communities like this one on it, but I really appreciate being able to come on and ask things, or see others talking about things that Joseph is up to and which I have no idea about whether they are normal or not!! I do wish I had found this when I was pregnant. So, really just wanted to say thanks and Happy New Year.

J20 - I've been thinking about it. I found out the first week of Jan that I was pregnant again, they worked it out that I must have conceived on Boxing Day Last year went so quick, I wonder how quick this year is going to go. Well I have joined a weight loss thread, I liked the thread title so have bitten the bullet, 12 weeks in with lo and I haven't lost an ounce I need support and having to talk about progress every day should help, especially with a weigh in every week too

I would second what EmMcK has to say - i've not posted on a forum before, and I wish i'd known you all when i was pregnant - perhaps next time eh?? . Thanks for brightening up my day and happy new year to you all

Alicet - I completely empathise with what you're saying about dh going back to work. Although I only have one to look after, its been so nice having someone else around for the last couple of weeks-ish. I've completely forgotten all my little routines, and am not looking forward to being in the house on my own again...

J20 - i hate this time of year as well, and can't wait for the spring and warmer weather. I think i will have to make a real effort to get out in the fresh air each day. its so easy to hibernate, but i know that will make me feel much worse, and i will end up going mad.

We will have to all keep each other sane on MN!

Thought i'd say hello too. Have been reading a variety of threads, both during pregnancy and now dd is sleeping well. She's 12 weeks on friday and i can't believe where the time has gone! Every day is packed full of 'stuff', and then dh comes home and asks what you've done and you can't bladdy think of anything remotely interesting. Anyway, started a thread the other day for the first time so thought i'd say hello to the October piglets. And happy new year of course! We're trying for no. 2. Same as stawberrylace - met dh in 2005, bought a house. Married in 2006. Had dd in 2007. 2008?????????? Watch this space...

Hi all,

Just got rid of the other tree from the living room and have spent the past hour changing furniture back, clearing up the mess from the Christmas tree -the needles get EVERYWHERE don't they!
We moved the piano (clavinova, elecrtic so comes apart) upstairs to the living room as Ollie keeps asking if he can play it. As it was in the study underneath all dh's junk no one could even get to it let alone play it... It will be nic for me to start to play agian and also play and sing to Henry like I did Ollie.
We also cleared Ollie's toys away, well, the old ones anyway. You can't do that sort of thing when he's up as he wants everything out again so we've packed old stuff in boxes and put it into the garage. I hope he doesn't notice as I can't be doing with his arguing atm.

Need to ask advice re bf, routines and sleeping through but are too tired to do that now so will be off to bed and I'll check in with you lovely ladies in the morning.

Night night -1st of 2008!
btw our lo was conceived on a ski trip in Kaprun last year...

Adam was conceived on a weekend away mid Jan!

Welcome ellensmelons - are you mad trying for no 2 already?!?!?! Actually ignore me - I have 2 20 months apart and they're great - just VERY tiring! Good luck!

strawberry guess it will be good relearning all our little routines actually - sure it will be fine! Anyway I always have MN if they're both being 'challenging'!!!!

Actually have noticed over the past week that Adam seems better able to wait - he chatters more and you can tell from his tone that he might not be happy but he tells you in a normal volume for a while not going straight to meltdown!

Sam is also being a little star - apart from when he hit Adam over the head with a metal ambulance the other day! Think he is just being a bashy toddler rather than trying to hurt him but he does know he is being naughty when he does it as he then went and cuddled Adam straight away which is what we get him to do to say sorry when he is naughty to other children...

Our LO was conceived 3 days AFTER we did it! So you can imagine d's reaction to that. He thinks he's superman. Well, supersssomething else...

I know alicet - everyone thinks i'm mad. She's just so gorgeous and sleeps well and everything, and i'm getting nearer to 40 every day, and i'm generally bowled over with the whole baby thing like i never expected. And to think i never wanted children!!!!

ellen that makes a lot of sense - dd's are often conceived by sex a few days before you ovulate - x sperm (that make girls) apparently swim slower but live longer. So to get a girl stop before you ovulate to allow the y sperm (that make boys) to get there but die leaving the way free for the x's! If you want a boy you need to have sex when you ovulate to allow the y's to get there first.

I know this as we tried to conceive a girl when trying for ds2 - have to say I'm now delighted that we messed it up as I love my boys!

And great to hear you loving it so much too! It is amazing isn't it? Hard work though!!!

I'm going to write that down! We'd love a boy. The family currently has 7 girls (ours plus 6 other nieces) and no males! So you can imagine we've had fantastic hand-me-downs.

I actually thought the motherhood thing would be a life of stresses and compromises. How wrong i was! The job i thought i loved has been long forgotten, and i don't miss spontaneous trips to the pub really (well, a bit). It has turned a sensible, pragmatic woman into a bit of an emotional wreck tho - will now blub at baby animals on tv. Where the hell did that come from??????!!

Off to give Josie her dream feed. Hope to catch you soon. it's addictive this mumsnet lark.

Hello and welcome ellensmelons I couldn't imagine trying for no2 right now even though Zoe is a wee star and generally sleeps well (though I am secretly jealous of you as well and have been day dreaming about number 2 ) Glad you are enjoying motherhood it is great isn't it

Is it still only New Years Day? (does that sum up the kind of day I've had?) Zoe has hardly slept all day, she has had 10 - 15 min power naps which she does some days but is usually asleep by this time if she has been like that during the day, however she is currently lying in her cot laughing and giggling! Is it possible for your 13 week old daughter to mock you? Thankfully she has been in good form so I don't mind too much. DH on the other hand thinks it has been a tough day and says he doesn't know how I manage to get anything done as you just get 5 minute slots of time its nice to feel appreciated, he is shattered and I am feeling not too bad

I know what you all mean about DH's going back to work I was just saying the same thing earlier today, my Dh is working tomorrow but then off thurs and fri so I have prepared myself to be shattered next week when he is back at work.

nellie personally I don't think I would use the listening service but that is just me I am really paranoid about those type of things and it would more be from the point of view of what if there was a fire than anything else. But you know the hotel and if you feel comfortable using the listening service then go for it, the chances of anything happening are probably really small. Hope you have a lovely time away.

A wee question for you about dream feeds, basically how do you do them? Do you lift your LOs and feed them in their normal positions? also what do you do about changing their nappies?

This time last year I was cursing as Af arrived on New Years Eve. DD2 was conceived around the 17th.

We have had a quiet day today. DP is back at work tomorrow so DD1 will be able towatch Cbeebies instead of her daddy playing on the Xbox all day.

Dp and I worked out that ds2 was concieved around christmas last yr. dp had been in hospital and when he came home we got jiggy.. well after a few days of him recovering from his op lolol i was bad didn't let the poor man rest lmao

Polar - Dh does the dream feed as Henry hates the bottle from me. He lifts him out of his crib, the room is dark and he doesn't talk to him. Generally H is still asleep but he sucks and drinks still. If he smells like he needs a nappy change then we do, if not then he goes back to bed. That may mean he doesn't get a nappy change from going to bed at night till getting up in the morning but the nappies these days are made to keep the wet away. Ollie never had nappy rash and H hasn't had any redness yet. If this does happen we would change far more often.

ALice - That would be great to meet up mid March. Ledbury isn't that far -I multimapped it as I really didn't know where it was geography not my strong point!

Right, have decieded that today's the day I begin to get more 'tough mummy' on Henry as he is begining to feed all over the place during the day every 2-3 hours, though yesterday is was even below 2 hrs!!
With Oliver the PND made me quite rigid with routine and it gave me confidence to know what Oliver needed at a certain time. He fed every four hrs so it was easy to decipher what he wanted. Henry is bf on demand and although I am loving the bf I spent yesterday trying to work out what he wanted as he was hungry every 2 hrs and this was really stressing me. He's over 14lb and bf's really well, surely he should be going longer than 2-3 hrs???
I must admit we did do the walking round and not feeding till certain times with Oliver (never longer than 15-20 mins) and this worked to get him to sleep through the night (10pm - 5-6am) I haven't done this with H and I feel that we are not making any realy progress towards this. H Currently feeds 8 (bed then) 10pm dream feed (asleep) 3am, 6am. I wouldn't mind if I just had H but I have Oliver too who is challenging at the best of time...

I suppose what I'm asking is is it possible to bf a baby, get them to sleep through from 10-6 and be in a routine? I only bf Oliver till 6 weeks so I don't know! Once Oliver was on the formula he did all this and began to have 2 sleeps during the day. I think I'm going to give my old routine a go for 4 weeks and if it doesn;t seem to help then I may switch to f/f completely. At least then I will get help with the nights...

Oliver loves the piano upstairs and has treated me a 'Oliver's Concerto' most of the morning. Thank God for the volume control

Going to spend most of the rest of the day organising the house as everything is still muddled from Christmas. See you all later
x

I take it all back, Zoe is an absolute star!!! She fell asleep just after my post last night and only woke at 10.10am this morning!!!

muppet zoe is breast fed and has started to go 6 hours plus at night, but this can be at any time from 7pm onwards so she would still be up in the middle of the night for one feed some nights. Although I do think a large part of the reason she is doing this is because I am still expressing most of her feeds so she is still getting breast milk but she doesn't have to work as hard for it! Good luck with trying to establish a routine for Henry I keeping talking about doing it but haven't actually tried it yet