Sept '07... I'm forever blowing raspberries and my cheeks ache from smiling so much....

[PurpleLostPrincess]

Here we go! (or should I say here wii go!?). I'll try doing a link too...

Incidentally, I had a dream last night that Cerys suddenly learnt how to blow proper raspberries! Don't know where it came from but it could be that she has been trying since she was about 4 weeks old and did it entirely by accident yesterday!

PLP xxx

That's a gd idea MrsBee I might have to go to the library and do the same in preparation!
I did give Lucy a little taste of DD1's Innocent smoothie (it was literally a dab on my finger before I get bombarded!!) and she actually seemed to like it even though it was the raspberry one (thought it might be a bit sour but apparently not!)

MrsFish what section are the Ella's Kitchen baby foods in?

YAY! for Arben's snot face, Lucy's cold is imminent am standing by with a muslin in hand

Hope everyone's doing well, the weather's a bit chilly but very clear so it's quite nice and helps me keep upbeat DH is looking at another job which could help out with money probs but it'll mean he's practically away for 4 months of the year (I don't mind, it means I get some sleep eh?! ) and he's still got to be offered the job yet. . . We'll see how things go but finger's crossed!

Anywho, off for the night, got to check lottery numbers! !
Night all xxx

Hammer - They are 75p per pouch. Ben's skin is now great, he is normal skin coloured now rather than sunburned red, I am so chuffed

Kyala - They are in he baby food section, she only seems to do 4 flavours though, 2 main courses, 2 desserts, they are good for if you are out and about. ellas kitchen

Ah now I see what I'm keeping my eye out for Couldn't quite visualise it!

NH101 - i remember you and congratulatons on the twins - i wish you all the best xx

PLP - a very belated Happy Birthday i'm so pleased your dc looked after you xx

Mrs Mar/Kyala - interesting re frozen ebm! My dc would never drink my milk after it had been frozen - maybe this was why!

To add to the making up formula discussion my hv said that you need to mix the powder with hot water because the powder isn't sterile and by mixing it with hot water the heat kills any bugs! Apparently a couple of children in some parts of europe (not uk) died because of something in the powder that was then added to cooled water. I'm planning to make bottles up in advance fully then storing in the fridge until needed then heating in microwave.

We're getting ready for weaning here i've got some of the ellas kitchen stuff to try and brought some veg today to make some puree but still holding off for the moment!

Alex isn't gaining weight again!

I got him weighed on wed for the first time in 1 month and he'd only gained 1 oz. He's 21 weeks tomorrow and 13lb 7oz which is a bit of a worry. He's seemes fine in himself just small and bf on demand approx every 3 hrs day and night. I've increased his formula feeds from 1 at night to 1 in the morning as well and we're seeing the gp on monday. My hv is useless and asked if i was dieting! So do i give up bf and go to formula or wean?

Love to everyone xx

Hi Chatty,
One of my RL friends is going through exactly the same with her DS. The clincher for her was that she was planning to stop bf'ing anyway when she goes back to work at 6 months. So she's actually doing both - starting to wean AND gradually changing over to formula. But if you're planning to bf for a long time, then maybe best to start weaning but carry on with the bf??

I'm actually having second thoughts about the whole BLW at 6 months thing. I've got friends who've tried it, but whose babies will only start on the 'first tastes' foods like baby rice and single vegetable purees. So they're having to work through those really quickly, while their HVs are hassling them about the importance of increasing their babies' iron and starting protein ASAP. So I think I might start at about 5 months, to give me a month or so to work through those first foods. Anyone else have a view??

Sorry, must rush, it's bath time and DH is shooting me 'you're neglecting your child' looks. Hi to everyone else!

hi mrs bb, I started at 19 wks because a) linus was trying to eat things and b) because of the speed you need to go at if you start at 6 months - I wanted a month to work out what I was doing and gain my confidence. it was a real toss up for me because of the eczema in my family, but in the end linus took the decision out of my hands.
i've got another stinking cold and haven't slept in days. think linus is coming down with it too as he is miserable and very unsettled. DP is being a total git and quite frankly I feel like checking me and LO into a hotel for the duration. can't be bothered to put up with histrionics when i'm poorly and shattered.
rant over
s
xx

Hope you feel better soon sophus

MrsFish, I'm so glad the cream is working.

PLP, you ok love, haven;t heard from you since your birthday I don't think.

kinki, how are you doing, had any more thoughts about pursuing a legal case?

Kyala, how are things with you and DH, any better? Have you had any replies on the local mumsnetter threads?

chatty, I hope Alex starts gaining soon, must be a worry for you. Have you posted on the breast feeding thread?

Hey Hammer, it is a bit quiet isn't it!! I've been madly busy, but as per usual not actually achieving all that much!

dal, haven;t heard from you either for a while. We must arrange that meet up. I was thinking maybe end of Feb, around then?

Hope everyone else is well and enjoying their weekends.

Hi everyone

PLP - hope you had a fab birthday!

Kinki - thanks for your input on childcare. It really is a hard one. My brother and his family were visiting this afternoon and he is stunned that I am not considering going back fulltime. He is pretty black and white on the subject and thinks that it will put my career on standstill if not backwards. He is right, but i cannot face putting Ryan in a nursery for 10 hours a day for 5 days a week. makes me very

Kyala - Hope the more regular feeding is helping with the weight gain.

MrsB - go away somewhere! even you sleep, its always better in a hotel in a foreign country. We found out yesterday that someone DH and I are close to is holding his wedding in Tuscany in October! We cannot wait, we were planning another holiday round then, so will be perfect!

To all of those holding off on weaning, well done you! Ryan is absolutely packing it away and starting to sleep heaps better too. The nights we dont hear from him till 6am are becoming the norm (touchwood)

Chatty - sorry also to hear about your LO's weight gain issues. I second Mrs B's advice. It depends what you are planning to do re. longer term breastfeeding. Once i knew that I didnt want to bfeed past 6 months and that meant formula had to be introduced at some point between 6-12 months, I decided to start weaning Ryan off the breast alongside weaning onto food. If I had planned on continuing, then wouldnt have intro'd ff at all. I think there is still a risk to your supply if you start mix feeding now. And I can definitely tell the difference with the amount of milk i am producing since I have dropped 2 of the feeds.

MrsB - I have to say, having decided to wean Ryan early, I am so glad I did. Mealtimes are fun and relaxed and I am taking my time introducing new foods and increasing the quantities gradually. By the time Ryan is 6 months, he should be on his 3 main meals a day. For me, I have no doubt that waiting til 6 months would have made it all a little more stressful for both Ryan and me. I think it really depends on whether you think your LO is ready for foods. Ryan definitely was and I weighed up pros and cons of going against current guidelines. Do you think he is ready now?

Sophus - hope you are feeling better. How is your cold?

Hopey - yup been offline for a while, been (good) busy and been out and about a lot - had a really fun few days actually.
Would be great to see you in London; let me know what dates you are thinking. Early March may work better as I have a few family members floating around the last week of feb; so let me know.

Hope everyone else is ok. Off to have a nosey on the AIBU board and see if there are any good threads. There was a corker of one a week ago, want to see how it finished.

Hopey - its not the cream that made all the difference it was the antibiotics, since I have finished them his skin is getting gradually worse again, so another trip to the doctors it is.

Hello all!

Awww, thanks hopey for thinking of me! And thank you everybody else for your birthday wishes - was most impressed with the smilies hopey!! xxxx

Well, it was pretty much a shitty birthday I'm afraid - DH was truly horrible but has been trying to make up for it all week. He forgot to tell me he had run out of his ad's and then of course going back on them wasn't fun - life has been a bit tough this week but hopefully the week ahead can only be better! Apart from that the kids made it lovely - they're 9 and 13 so they made a lovely b'fast DD1 even managed to slip into conversation a question about what setting I like my toast on (without me twigging!) bless her! Although kinki I'm reminded of a mothers day when DS was 3 yrs old: XH kept telling him they were going to make mummy a nice cooked b'fast in the morning. I woke up to a funny smell (XH was still in bed needless to say) and went downstairs to find that DS had gone ahead on his own. There were four eggs in the frying pan which was on full power, there were two bits of bread in the toaster with marmite smeared all over them (before they were put in btw) and lots of other little dangerous presents rofl bless him! Thank you for saying they're a credit to me, it really means a lot! My mum made a comment that meant the world to me - she thinks I'm a brilliant mum now that definitely cheered me up!

Anyway... how are you lot?

kyala - glad Lucy was good for her jabs bless her - I've still got to take Cerys for her first ones yet . I didn't want to risk it with her cold so will take her after the op. Hope all goes well with the dietician!

MrsBumbleBee - a weekend away sounds lovely, have you decided where to go yet?

canadianmum - hope Anna is more settled now?

Hammer - did you get another mammoth sleep from Millie again?

Chatty - helloooo!!! Bless you about Alex's weight gain, hope you manage to find the solution thats right for you ((hugs)) We must arrange that meet up soon - maybe the end of Feb depending on how long we're in hospital?

Hello to everybody else ((hugs)) I've been watching LOST loads and should catch up on my other forums to see what people think of the latest episode really.

Cerys's cold went within a few days but she still has really red cheeks and is grizzly so it looks like she's teething with a vengeance bless her. She absolutely woofs down her b'fast but isn't as bothered about the other meals - I just give her a few mouthfuls after her milk for now as we'll be starting all over again after the op so I'll do it properly then...

Love to all xxxxxxxx

Oh, MrsFish, I forgot to add that my SIL is going through the exact problem with her LO - she is gradually working her way through different creams and antibiotics to find what works best. Hope you find the solution soon ((hugs)) xx

Oooh, sudden flurry of activity here!

PLP - so sorry your DH was a bit rubbish on your birthday and glad to hear he is trying to make up for it - your older DCs sound lovely, due to having such a fab mum naturally. Glad your mum recognises how great you are, but it is lovely when they say it isn't it? My mum said she thought I was a great mum to my girls and it has made me feel fuzzy and happy every since, though suspect she may be biased!

MrsFish - sorry about Ben's skin, sounded so promising the other day, really hope you get it sorted. Thanks for the link to the Ella's stuff - will definitely get some as I loved the website with singing dancing food pouches

Hi dal - good to see you, glad Ryan's weaning is going so well and is stress-free, really think that is the most important thing. Felt quite stressed with the DTs weaning at times, probably a combination of two at once, them being fussy madams and me being clueless!

Hopey - how is Niamh getting on? I always think of her particularly as she was born the same day as Millie and they both have fab taste in clothes!

Sophus - sorry you are feeling so crap, hope you cold is getting a bit better and Linus is ok too.

Chatty - sorry to hear about Alex - what do you think, weighing and HV aside? - sounds like he feeds well and is perhaps just of a smaller build. If he is happy and healthy I do believe that you will know best if all is well.

Am still too lazy to start Millie weaning yet, so will hang on as long as she seems happy. She is around 17lb according to our scales at home and has slept through soundly for 3 nights from 7-6 then down again til 8.30am after a feed - I can envisage feeling human again soon if she keeps it up - it was very weird she just slept on the other night after waking every 3-4 hours previously - not that I'm complaining.

Am planning on winning the lottery this week as I really really don't want to go back to work for ages - so pleased keep your fingers crossed for me - will share the wealth if I get the jackpot

Hiya!!

Been scanning posts

Congrats to NH101!!!!!!!!!!! I do remember you.

Hope those that have started weaning are getting on ok, I haven't started yet, am going to try and hold out until 6 months which is about a month away. Millie still sleeps through night and is gaining weight well so doesn't seem to be any point in starting early for me.

Finally put some pics on profile

sniffle snuffle, snotty grotty.
am lying in bed fullly dressed because even though it is perfectly warm I am shivering. this is so (s)not fair as I had a filthy cold over christmas but this one is turning out worse.
whine whine moan moan.

dal - my DP is the same as your brother about me going back to work, he has just assumed I will go back fulltime and seemed shocked that I was considering part-time. we came to a compromise - I will go back 3 1/2 days a week until the new year, and then go fulltime and hopefuly i'll be pregnant again by then!

Hi everyone. Wanted to start by saying aren't we all just absolutely fabulous? We've all got our beautiful babies and we all do things slightly differently, yet they all seem to be doing so well. Like feeding, some are being weaned at 6 months, some earlier, some are bottle fed, some breast, some on demand, some routine, some with homemade food, some with a packet/jar etc etc. It just reminds me of the wide latitude we have to get 'it right'. All of us are doing just great! It's so lovely coming on here knowing that not a single soul is judgemental about our choices. Fab innit?

Hey, hammer, read your thread about aspirin. I had absolutely no idea it was contraindicated. I don't usually take it myself but if I were to I probably wouldn't have even thought to check the box. I'm being a bit lazy with weaning too. Kinda got a plan to start after half term, which brings Liam to 6 months so probably a good time to. And d'ya know, I had a feeling I was going to win the lottery too this week. You can have Wed and I'll have Sat. Am also willing to share.

Plp, you're great you are. My mil keeps telling me I'm a good mum. Nice to hear isn't it. Though tbh I'm not entirely sure what she's basing it on. She said if my mum was around she'd be telling me herself, but as she's not, mil says she wants to keep reminding me instead. Sweet isn't it?

MrsF, still thinking of little Ben. Does the fact that the abs clear up his skin give the docs clues as to the cause at all? Are you still thinking it's the milk? Whatever it is, I hope he's feeling comfortable.

Dal, the whole work/not work thing is such a complex issue. It is helpful that friends/family have opinions about what one should do. We just have to make sure that the voice we listen most to, is the one from within. I've tried to follow my heart as best I can, as best as the finances would allow. And can honestly say I haven't had any regrets (so far). [After ds1 went back to my job part time (0.7wte). After a few months my dream job came up, but was full time non-negotiable. Worked flexi-time so I'd do my work in 4 days, which did involve some v long hours. When ds was 3.5 I realised I wanted to spend that last year before school with him so handed my notice in. But I kept my 2nd job, which is just a few hours once a week. This has kept my foot in the door, kept me ticking over and bought in some income. We were very nervous about quitting my job re the finances, especially as mortgage etc was based on 2 and a bit full time salaries and now there's just one and a bit. But it was a case of we'd have never known we could manage if we hadn't tried. It's amazing how you adjust.] Good luck in your decision making. And remember nothing is really irreversible.

Ooops, posted too early. Wanted to say to Hopey, can you email or text me your email addy. The document dal sent a few months ago with all our email addresses is locked in my old broken laptop and I can't access it. I need dh to break into it and he's away.

Still not decided about legal action. I need to know it won't comprimise my job and relationship with my gp before I do anything. Besides which, it's not all over yet. The hospital rang the other day to say the cultures they took from my lung have come back postitive for various bacteria. Just finished abs (again) but still have low grade temp. Got a feeling I'll be getting more this week.

Hi guys, as you can tell I'm up rather late (was babysitting and made the mistake of having 2 cups of tea, forgetting that it'd be caffeinated, I'm such a light weight nowadays)

Hopey: DH has got the week off due to illness so he's definitely mellowed now knowing that he's not going to be hassled every five minutes by his boss and he's got time to recuperate. Still not had the chat but might just leave it as I don't want aggrovate things now that he's doing better.
As for the locals I started a thread in the meet-ups section and have had a couple of replies so we might get a meet this week

Dal: Lucy's been having 3 bottle feeds on top of BF and it seems to be doing some good, although she's sleeping all through which means I struggle to get the 3rd bottle feed in as I was doing it at 2/3 am when she woke but there you go, I'm managing better now I know she's got something extra to boost her weight (although we have to go in this week, yet again, for a weighing as she only put on 1 1/2 ounces last week)

PLP: I don't blame you for skipping them with Cerys having a cold, the Hv questioned whether Lucy should have her's done as she had a bit of a runny nose but I agreed to risk it, we're stocked with Calpol due to DD1 having a cough.

What's this about aspirin? What does contraindicated mean? Not that I'm a taker of such medicines (I'd rather suffer the headache etc than take chems, I'm not one to question the abilities of science but I don't trust things like that)

Kinki: I hope it's nothing too serious, you deserve a break after all you've been through

Alright, time to (try and) sleep now, but with DH snoring rather loudly upstairs. . . . . who knows eh, I might be that tired by the time I get up there, finger's crossed
xxx

PLP - glad your DC's made your birthday. what spectacular children! reminded me of when i made birthday fairy cakes for my mum. hadnt yet realised laws of physics with regards to raisins sinking and was in floods of tears when they came out the oven and no longer spelt out happy birthday because they had sank to the bottom! LOL! My mum still loved them tho

Hammer - good luck with the lottery! if we dont hear from you, will assume you are on your private jet en route to necker island....
Have to warn you though, if you are anything like me, you feel more tired once you start getting some unbroken sleep before starting to feel human.

Hi edie - how goes things?

Sophus - interesting about the fulltime thing isnt it? can i ask why you dont want to go back fulltime? i too am in talks about a 3 day week - but have decided to wait until 9 months at least before considering heading back. DH has today off and we are seeing the nursery this afternoon so will have better thoughts on it all by tonight.
Sorry to hear you are still feeling grotty, not fair at all.

Kink - totally agree with your post - it is great to come on here and ask for advice without judgements being passed. on other boards, i would be stoned for early weaning. have started to stay away as a result.

Kyala - crazy lady! dont think i have seen 3am out of choice since i fell pregnant! even sat night saw me leaving a party at a nightclub i used to love at 5 to midnight!

hugs to all, catch up later.

Yes, I've been having a bit of a dilemma about going back to work... When we first got married (5 yrs ago), DH stayed at home and did the school runs while I worked full time; but I made myself ill and ended up not seeing the kids at all because they would visit their dad at the weekends. So, I went part time because there was no other option really.

So now we've got Cerys, I'm wandering what to do as the only way we would be better off financially would be for me to work full time and I know for a fact that I just haven't got the energy or drive in me to do it. If I worked part time, we wouldn't be any better off because the benefits would be re-calculated and adjusted. Also, DH really isn't well enough and is incapable of being a responsible parent tbh and I would begrudge sending Cerys to child-care with him sat at home on his arse. So I guess I'm saying that I probably won't be going back to work really - wow, just typing all that out has made me realise my decision!! Also, we don't know if Cerys will have any control over her poo and could be changing up to 20 nappies per day...

I totally take my hat off to those of you who are going back to work, I don't know where you get the energy from - I'm a complete mess without working on top!!!

Different subject - Cerys has discovered the TV and I'm such a naughty mummy! We bought her an Iggle Piggle toy for Christmas and somebody told me there's a program of him so I've sky plussed some of the episodes - she loves it and always laughs when he comes on the screen!!!

Hello
Kinki - you are sooo right, we have all done wonderfuly well with our LO and it does prove that there is no 'right'way to do things, it is what ever is best for your family I just cant believe that we have nearly had our LO's in our lives for 6mths, it is going so incredibly fast!!
I too am having the agonising thoughts about what to do on the work front. I really dont want Arben to go to a nursery just yet, i think he is too young and would prefer him to have one-one care for a little bit younger. He has interaction with lots of other kids whether its family or at our tuesday group or with friends LO's so i'm not concerned on that front. We have a couple of options to think about. I am probably going to go back part time, 3 days, whether that it 9-5 or shift work i dont know, I still have to go and speak to my mangaer about what options I have!
Arben is doing realy well, i am still hanging off on the weaning front, i give him tatses of things but nothing routinely. He is sleeping a little better, maybe going 6hrs between feeds on a good night tho he has had this cold for the last few days so his sleep is very broken as is mine
He is managing to sit if he has a pillow behind him for a little but the lazy boy still isn't rolling, if we give him a little push he does do it but he is quite happy just lying there playing. he can move quite far when he is on his tummy, always manages to shuffle off his play mat, My friend says he is like one of those cows, when the farmers back is turned they stand on two feet and walk around like that
He is such a happy little boy, i just love him to bits
We are thinking of going to Albania to see my DH parents and introduce Arben to DH family, looking forward to it but also abit worried. They dont always have electricity and therefore hot water, am just used to my home comforts i guess, am sure we will be fine and have a fab time.
My parents are moving back from Australia in 4wks, cant wait, they will go back up to inverness but it is so much closer than Aus, i big comfort to me!
Anyway i will now shut up, sorry for big and me postHope you are all enjoying this very spring like weather.
Love and hugs to anybody having probs at the moment and for everyone else to x

PLP: My DD1 loves "Night Garden" but totally phases out whilst watching it! And Lucy's a bit of a telly baby too, but am limiting her to 5 minutes max!

I, too, am not entirely sure what I'm doing with the whole going back to work situation, although I do have to wait and see if DH gets this job or not, then it'd be a decision made!

hi all, I'm so out of the loop now it's embarrassing.
The 3 bigger twits are playing in the sunshine and I'm feeding babytwit as I type. He's doing well, have no idea how heavy he is or even how old he is he's on 2ish 'meals' a day, gurgles and shouts along with everyone else, wriggles on his back all over the place,tries to sit and fails, and doesn't do a huge amount of wriggling on his tummy. [thank goodness] and stands and bounces in his baby walker.
dd is being potty trained cold turkey style so huge fun there she pooed in the playhouse earlier but since then hasn't missed the toilet yet. [famous last words] ds2 has won a free place at football training this 1/2 term so am already looking for my nice new mansion lol.
ds1 is getting cleverer and cleverer. [believe me this not always a good thing he's already a smart arse ]
Am back in my bigger pre pregnancy clothes and started doing Davina in my living room [bloody funny watching myself in the mirror] AND HAVE ALREADY LOST AN INCH FROM MY WAIST.

OOPS didn't mean to shout, babytwit hit thewv button and i didn't notoice.

Hi Twit, which dvd is that, is it her new one. I need to start exercising but didn'e know which on eto buy. Is it any good? By the sound of the inch loss it must be!!

yes it's her new one, mind you I do the abs everyday as well as either the aerobics or legs [can't do the arms yet as I have no weights] and eating sensibly. Mostly lol.
mind you one inch off what I started off with is nothing, I still look 6 months pregnant on my belly [though with all the walking not too bad every where else zi guess]

Hello!

Twit - great to see you! Glad to hear things are going well.

Well we went to see the nursery today - brand new, fabulous, lovely carers, great facilities but heart still sinks when I think about leaving Ryan there. It sealed the decision that i wont think about going back to work until Jul/ Aug - so planning to take my whole year.

Would like to say that I got tons done today, but i didnt. There is a cracking thread on AIBU where most of us think it has to be a deliberate wind up!