August 2007- Half a year of sleep deprivation later... (but we're finally back in our skinny jeans!)

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

New thread! Whoop whoop!

thanks Meandmyjoe. he seems happy enough until he sees his bottle and he is still sleeping a lot through the day and night.

i am so embarrassed i took a walk up to mums and tods to see if it was on and on the way back i was sick in the street then i was nearly sick again but worked really hard to hold it down i must have looked a right sight i feel really shit today

Meandmyjoe my ds2 gets like that with in the night garden its sooo cute

poor tasha, it's awful that ms happens when you look barely pregnant! you won't be the first and you won't be the last, love.

I once heard of a girl who did it just as she was stepping off a commuter train at Picadilly Station in the early morning rush hour, with tons of appalled commuters skidding and jostling to get out of the way of the vom. she didn't look at all pregnant, so she said she felt EXTRA bad as people probably thought she'd been on a bender the night before. Really embarassing.

Nevermind, I'm sure no-one saw. You know what my embarassing brother did last week? He was going round his local asda, minding his own business, when suddenly the previous days underpants fell out of his jeans onto the floor in front of him. His wife froze in horror, but instead of picking them up and stuffing them in his pocket like a normal person, he disowned them and walked off! She said she was utterly humiliated and went and sat in the car while he finished the shopping lol What makes it worse is he says he passed the end of the aisle on his way to the checkout and they were still there, with people rubbernecking on their way past the beans to see what they were!!! lol He's such a minger!

Hello. Hope everyone's having a nice day. I'm at work now, hoping for an easy day. I'm here til 8pm (unless the night shift supervisor comes in early ). Dh was none too pleased to be stuck at home with the kids but he has taken them to his nan's, which is what he normally does when I work and he's at home. They were ganging up on us last night. Ds went to bed at 6:30 but woke up at about 8 and then stayed awake until 11. We couldn't put him to bed cos he was keeping dd awake. She finally gave in at about 10:45. Fortunately they both slept in til 7:20.

The dinner went well last night thanks tasha, thanks for the recipe James. Although, just as we started to eat the dessert my sister phoned up asking for mum and dad to come round to look at her ds's cut. His sister had cut him between the thumb and index finger with some nail scissors.

Glad ds3 is at home tasha. You must be so relieved. Hope he starts to eat more soon. Good news about him not having CF.

OMG My2weegirls. That's horrendous. I can't believe they didn't xray in the first place.

James - it's a bit early to tell. Mum only started SW on Thursday but she likes the idea of being able to eat as much as she wants of meat/veg/whatever. Lol about your brother! I normally have to shake dh's socks out of his jeans when I was them. I don't think they've ever fallen out outside though

Lizzie - Alex still has no teeth although I have a feeling there is one just cutting through - but then I thought that a couple of months ago. I can never tell.

Sorry to hear you're feeling so sick today tasha. Did you have ms with the other 3? I felt nausea but was never sick with either of mine. Hope you feel better soon. One of my colleagues once worked with someone who was sick every morning at the train station when pg. Each morning the staff brought her a cup of tea!

Oh dear, was the cut ok in the end? I remember when J did a spectuacular vom just as I was dishing up christmas dinner last year- the timing was fantastic.

We are sposed to be off to ikea shortly, tried last week but got lost- relying on the satnav soon so hopefully should see where we went wrong last time.

Wish your mum the best of luck with her diet, I've got a file with loads of low syn/free recipes if you want them? I'll send them in an email if you do, just chuck me your address here, or cat me, if you've got cat.

Why do men moan when they are asked to look after their own children? my do moans when I ask him to bath J- and when he does, he sits in there laughing and having a great time with him!

Not sure about the cut. Didn't think to call to check - bad aunty!

Good luck with Ikea. I only ever go when it's likely to be quiet. I can't stand the queues. What will you be buying?

That would be great thanks James. My email address is [email protected]. I'm too stingy to pay for CAT

I wish I knew. On new years day I got to work late cos dh was making so much fuss about looking after the dcs that I phoned mum up and asked her to have dd for the day. On Saturday night I had a bad stomach ache so I asked dh to take both dcs to bed (not at the same time). Last night he made me take them both to bed (at the same time I should add) because he'd done it the night before. When I pointed out to him that I do it every night he got shirty. I refrained from pointing out all of the other things I do every day as well as working full time.

lol at your brothers pants. ive spent most of the day throwing up in the bathroom now. i wasnt actually sick with the other 3 just nausea. feel tired and my brain is doing summer sults or something not sore just strange. to top it off dp has been argueing with me because i havent brougfht the washing in, tidied the boys room or done anything really but lie on the sofa. so now i feel really guitly because its a lovely day and he is away to the park with ds1+2.

that cut sounds terrible i wouldnt fancy getting cut there. i had ds2 come in to me thismorning with oone of them moving cars stuck in his lovely long blond hair(i really need a girl) ds1 was trying to cut his hair

james hope you find ikea ok. weve only just got one here but i havent been yet keep forgetting about it.

right off to make a cup of tea cause i feel like im gonna be sick again

at your dp tasha. My dh was sympathetic when I felt constantly nauseous and had no energy until it meant he had to do anything like put dd to bed or do the washing up. They just have no concept of how draining pregnancy is grrrrrrrrr.

It's gone really quiet in the office. By 6pm there will only be 3 of us here. I'm starving so I'm eating my sandwich but I'm sure I'll have to raid the vending machine soon (don't think I'll get much for 70p). I hate having a main meal at lunchtime.

Oh Tasha you are having a sh*t time you poor luv! The sickness is awful isn't it? I was so sick all day everyday til I was 18 weeks pregnant. I was in my last year at Lincoln uni at the time and I can't count the number of times I threw up in the halls and the library Obviously I was a student so everyone was hung over so I wasn't alone!

I just remember how fowl i felt, I missed my Christmas dinner 2006 as just the smell of the food made me hurl. I feel for you but it will pass! I couldn't get off the sofa so many days so bugger what your dp says, he can't imagine how you feel! I couldn't even lift my head up somedays to reach for the remote and change tv channels! I laid watching BBC 24 all bloody day! In every other way I had a brilliant pregnancy- even down to the birth so I can't complain too much.

Just had a nightmare putting ds to bed. Poor little lad. He has always been so good at going to sleep on his own but separation anxiety is a total git! As soon as I left the room he cried and cried. Thought I'd leave him for 5 mins but he sat up and threw up all over himself cos he was so upset. I had to strip his bed, clean him up and pop him down again. I had to stay with him and hold his hand til he was in a really deep sleep so I could sneak out. Please tell me this is temporary, I feel like all our success at getting him to settle himself has been for nothing and a waste of time! I feel so bad for him and obviously leaving him to cry is a no no for me. He just gets too distressed and now he can get himself sat up from laying down he just sits and sobs

Anyway, hope you are all OK and that Tash you feel better soon.

hi all - thanks for all your well wishes.

yes - the wee soul has got a stookie but i've made sure that no-one writes anything on it yet . when dp brought her in the door yesterday after being at the hospital, she put her arm (the left one is too heavy to lift with the stookie on it) out for me to hold her. when i got her i just burst into tears . which is so unlike me - i'm normally a hard hearted hannah .

she's actually nearly her normal self - but getting more and more frustrated with not being able to move - so i went and got a walker thing for her today. she can practice that the next few weeks.

we've got the fracture clinic tomorrow - i really hope they don't take her cast off and put another one on as seemingly she screamed the place down when they were putting it on.

gill - you're probably away from work by now - glad the dinner went well.

tasha - hope your morning sickness (or all day sickness) eases soon. you never know maybe it is a girl this time since you are actually being sick this time compared to the last 3. pleased to hear about the blood resutls too, that's really good. bet that was a sore tooth for him to get. at least that's it through now.

james - ikea? on a bank holiday? are you mad???? hope you found it. did you buy anything nice?

lizzie - hope your grandad is keeping better.

meandmyjoe - we're at the separation anxiety stage too. now with the added complication of a cast - she likes to sleep on her left hand side but can't because of it. so we're having to cuddle to sleep (which is probably going to cause problems later on....). but otherwise she will just do the same - cry till she pukes. if i remember right it lasted about a month - 6 weeks with dd1. it's just a phase remember .

dd1 is going through a 'only mum will do' stage just now, hence dp taking dd2 to a&E. (do i win a prize for the most acronymns in one sentence? ). and it's worse with a 3 year old as, boy, can they do a tantrum!

In my rational mind I know it's just a phase but I keep panicking! I have so many friends whose kids are 2 ears old, 3 even 5 years old who can't go to sleep on their own and who have never slept through the night in their own bed.

I guess I'm just anxious as our nights have always been so easy with ds and I don't want to ruin that. It's so hard. Part of me wants to run in to cuddle him and rescue him but the other part wants to run away and encourage him to settle alone. Does that sound awful? I felt awful listening to him cry- it was only about 4 minutes but it was horrendous for him and me! I can't do that again, wasn't worth it anyway cos there was vomit all over him so woke him up even more whilst cleaning him up.

Parenting is bloody hard, i feel so torn about what is actually best for him. Realistically I know at some point he has to learn to go to sleep alone but the biggest part of me can't stand to hear him so scared and upset. It's so confusing!

I'm paranoid now he's gonna wake up and cry!

Hope she doesn't need another cast on, poor girl, she's been through enough. Let's just hope she doesn't get too used to being cuddled to sleep! Having said that, I suppose there's nothing wrong with cuddling her to sleep. As long as she goes down at some point. The problem I had tonight is that ds would go to sleep in my arms but wake up the second he felt his matress under him! Hence me having to hold his hand for half an hour til he was deeply asleep!

i wish that they were born with a manual! i struggle listening to them crying. we eventually did it with dd1 at around 2.6 (hadn't done it before as she has asthma andcould really get herself in a state). but once dd2 came along we had to do something - i think one night she screamed from about 1-2am in the morning. it was very stressful dp and i kept falling out as i wanted to go in and calm her down, he said i was just pandering toher etc etc. anyway it worked - now to go to bed we read to her and she falls asleep within 5-10min, and if she's up during the night to pee she goes back no problem.

he's maybe feeling a bit insecure as well with his teeth and just wants a wee bit reassurance. but if it does start to become a problem there's always gradual retreat, rather than leaving him - takes longer but not so much pressure on either of you.

sorry, i'm belthering on tonight have had no adult conversation! going to bed soon so that can deal with dd2 wakings when she can't lie on her side!

Aww it's nice to talk to you, you're not blethering on at all! I go for a few days without much adult conversation too when dh is at work so it's great to have mumsnet!

I know what you mean about you and dp arguing about it. Me and dh only ever argue when ds is being a nightmare! We both always seem to think the oposite to eachother. It's hard for dh though cos I get snappy and argumentative when I've had a bad day with ds and he's been at work.

I hope you have a decent night with dd2, it must be awful for her. It's bad enough when an adult breaks or fractures something but poor babies don't even understand why it huts or why they have a cast on! I wonder if they get itches underneath the cast? If so it must drive them mad. I fractured my wrist a few years ago and it used to itch like mad, nearly drove me bonkers cos I couldn't scratch it!

Anyway, now I'm blabbing on! I'll be off now! x

Hi guys, ikea was ok actually, we got there quite late and it wasn't packed. Took ages to get round it though as we don't know the one at Warrington. We were originally going to get the antilop highchair but dp already arranged for someone at work to get it for us when they were going (I think to get out of having to go there himself- tough luck!) so we just had a potter around with James in one of those funky kids trolleys. They're better than a pushchair!

We got some very sweet little fake flowering plants for the kitchen, and a real one with pretty little purple bell flowers, a couple of colourful round rugs to cheer up the livingroom, a 35litre plastic box to bath James in (don't laugh! we tried it at my sisters the other day and he loved it, he could sit up supported, get all his toys, lovely deep warm water, and the box was only £1.50!) we got a box of those moreish scandinavian cookies and a big packet of filter coffee so we'll be doing some serious dunking later lol

My2weegirls, you're a brave lady, it must be very hard to see her in pain, no wonder you cried, I'd have been in bits. Hope you're ok at the fracture clinic and she doesn't need a replacement cast.

Tasha, tell your dp to feck off and bring his own bloody washing in, you don't have to feel guilty for anything, you're under a massive strain right now, physically and emotionally. If it wouldn't cause YOU more bloody work I'd say scrub the loo with his toothbrush, then he'd know what nausea feels like! I don't know how you do it, and you're the most uncomplaining person I know, too. You make sure you look after yourself and get rest when you can.

Meandmyjoe, don't worry about the odd bad night with Joe, J's a generally good sleeper but he has nights on occasion where he cries when I put him in his cot, and then the next night he can be fine. Right now I can see him on the baby monitor, wide awake and rolling around his cot (he's not crying though)

We have a consistant bedtime routine now, and he knows what to expect. Dinner, last half an hour of cbeebies, bath, bottle, cuddle til he's drowsy downstairs, then up to his cot, give him his musical bunny, switch on his cot lullaby thingy which goes off if he cries, and put his lullaby cd on. Usually when we leave the room all three musical thingies are going, it's a right din but he's normally asleep within five minutes.

Ah, he's getting grumpy now, hehe, it's going to be one of those nights where he needs an extra cuddle!! back later x

sorry for not being around, 3 kids, guides, school etc keeping me busy! add to that the day off for polling, the training day then bank hol in the sunshine!

will catch up on reading tomorrow when kids back at school, providing ds2 stays still long enough - I've never seen a child commando so fast towards all the stuff they aren't supposed to have!

I got our grass cut last week as it was sunny, but boy did I ache the next day!

today I spent a few hours getting hot & sweaty building out new 8ft trampoline in the sun - worth it tho as all the kids loved being on it - even ds2.(though that was just an excuse for me to have a go!)

our sunny afternoon was poilt tho by the new people in house behind having their truck streo thudding & copious use of B@@&er at full voice.
for 7 years its been really peaceful & now its spoilt - they insist on stitting out front too rather than using the back garden - so they can yell to their scuzzy mates in next street along.

my2weegirls - I had a greenstick fracture when I was 6 - my mum made me hold hands with my sister to cross the road & she tripped & landed on me. noone believed me at first there was anything wrong until the saw my arm ballooning!
your dd has my total sympathies - I hope she's better soon. I had 2 casts for mine - mainly cos they put a plaster of paris heavy one on overight & then changed it to one of those lighter ones the next day once sweilling had gone down. must be hard tho when they are too little to understand.

ds2 now has 2 teeth & another on the way - a top one this time.
& big proud mummy moment - he learnt to sign milk - he now signs it when he wants milk & when he's hungry - he sits in highchair signing until you plnok some food in front of him!

well it's late & school run in the morning - will do a catch up tomorrow.

Woohoo, Joe still slept through. I really thought he'd be up for cuddles but bless him, he likes his sleep. (At night at least, in the day he fights it fiercely!)

Thanks James, I'll try not to worry too much. I just find it really scary not knowing what to do for the best. I have no experience in bad nights really cos I was one of the lucky cows whose baby slept thorough at 10 weeks. Since then I've only had 2 nights when I've had to get up to him. I realise how lucky we are and i don't want to spoil that! Anyway, I just hope he's easier to settle tonight. I don't mind having to stay and hold his hand though really, I was just shocked cos normally he's fast asleep as soon as his head touches the mattress.

Awww Bogwoppit, congrats on the signing, it must be very rewarding! I got really excited yesterday cos dh was waving to Joseph and he waved back but that's no where near as exciting as actually signing for something (although it made my dh's day and I mustadmit it melted my heart too!)

Seems as though our August babies are growing up Joe is becomming more of a 'child' everyday, I think cos he's so big too, he looks (and acts) like a toddler already! Including the tantrums!

Hope you are all well and have a good day with your lo's. Better go cos ds is crawling backwards (slowly) towards the hot radiator!

My2weegirls - so sorry about DD2's arm. it must be awful to see her in pain - i'd be in floods too.

James - well done on the comp win. Glad to know these things do actually get won - you do wonder sometimes.

As for the modelling we did get her accepted by two agencies but we didn't go ahead with any of them as you have to be available at 24hrs notice and with her being at childminders two days a week it really was feasible.

Tasha - sorry your LO is still poorly. You must be completely drained. I really don't know hope you are coping. You really are a super woman.

We had a lovely weekend in the Hersetta household. We had a family day out at the local petting zoo yesterday. Caitin had a lovely time - she really liked the llamas and the chipmunks the best. We then sat in a pub gardenm and had lunch and she had a lovely sime sitting on the grass, picking it and playing with her toys. All the fresh air exhausted her though and she slept for 90 mins between 6.00 and 7.30 (she normally only has 25 mins) and was still bathed, fed and in bed asleep at her normal time of 8.45.

I've updated my profile with some pis taken yesterday or her playing at home.

Sorry that should have been wasn't feasible. Fingers are a bit dyslexic !!

Aaw, nice pics Hersetta I'll stick some new ones of James on my profile shortly.

Ooh, that reminds me- you probably all get the bounty emails, but if you don't, there's an 50% offer on online photo printing at the moment with snapfish. 100 6"x4" pics for £5.00 (+ £1.49 delivery or you can get them delivered free to your local Jessops shop) you just need to use the code 5PENCE at the checkout. Here's a link. The offer ends on thursday, so be quick!

Hersetta, we don't have a lawn so we went to the park the other day and sat on the grass. I took some toys and some raisins (whoeveer suggested raisins: bless you! they're the perfect snack and he loves them) but I soon realised the "raisin" he was chewing on was a daisy, and a bit of stick Bad mummy! He's lightening fast now though.

Was funny actually because there was a wag-wannabe mummy with immaculate white clothes and perfectly straightened hair extensions with a toddler, who walked near where we were sitting on the grass. The (pristine) toddler waddled over to James and went to sit down, and the mum went "NO! no,no, no, you can't sit on the grass, you'll get dirty!" and proceeded to clean the little girls hands with a babywipe where she had touched the grass to sit down.

She was eyeing J's filthy hands and socks (and probably the half a daisy hanging out of his mouth) but I don't give a stuff about a bit of mud, what's the point in going to the park in your best clothes? it's a bit mean, imho, like taking them to the pool but only letting them sit in a duffelcoat and watch the other kids swim...

Bogwoppit, that's fantastic about the signing milk, I'm so envious!! What a clever little chap, you must be very proud. Sorry to hear about the new neighbours, ours are a pain too, he's got a motorbike he revs all the time, and he's always bawling at his dd. Whenever I venture out into our tiny yard I'm always in again within 5 seconds because someone is invariably out there revving/chopping/drilling/shouting or the sodding dog is barking. Thanks god for double glazing, I'd go mad...

Joe, I know what you mean about the sleep thing, J slept well from about 8 weeks and we KNOW we're very fortunate for it, so you do tend to think your luck is up everytime they mess about.

God I can waffle. Off to get some work done and get out in the sun for a bit, back later x

Blimey, you've been chatty. I thought I'd only have a couple of posts to read after being away such a short time.

The dcs ganged up on us again last night and didn't go to sleep til 10:30 (half an hour after I like to go to bed). Poor dd keeps saying she is scared of being in her bedroom. She then starts screaming the moment I leave her room and wakes ds up.

Meandmyjoe - I'm sure it's just a phase. Dd has been a bad sleep since she was about 9 months old. We had to use controlled crying on her when she was 2 so we could guarantee an easier time when ds came along. She still slips every so often (see above) and we have to train her again, however, it's getting more difficult as ds becomes more of a light sleeper. Ds is so much more laid back though. He is good at getting himself to sleep most nights but some nights he needs help. He won't be cuddled to sleep so we just have to stand by the cot with him. He doesn't really have a bed time, I just read his tiredness cues and put him to bed when he starts rubbing his eyes. Sometimes he's in bed at 6:30 and other nights it's as late as 8. Apart from when he's been ill he hasn't woken in the night since he was about 14 weeks. It's dd that gets us up and she's 3! Hope it gets better soon.

Hi bogwoppit - Your trampoline sounds like it would fill our entire garden! Dd loves trampolines but she has to make do with her little Dora the Explorer one. Sorry to hear about your new neighbours. We had someone like that living next door. For 3 years we had to put up with her booming music which could start as early as 7:30am and go on til 3am the next morning. I lost count of how many nights we couldn't sleep and dh often had to go into night shifts at work after only 3 or 4 hours sleep. In the end the council issued a court order and it mostly stopped. Eventually she trashed the house and told the council it wasn't liveable so they would find her a 3 bed council house for her. Fortunately we now have a really nice girl with a daughter the same age as dd living next door.

James - I took ds out in the garden on Saturday and he loved touching the grass. I put him in the walker while we all had lunch and then afterwards I played ball with him while dd played with her sandpit. I totally agree that it's ridiculous to stop a child playing in the park so they don't get dirty. She must be so worried about what other people think of her. I would never put dd in her best clothes when she went anywhere she could get dirty. Anyway, that's what Vanish is for

Well just to update you all, Joseph went to bed reasonably well tonight. He had his bath, I read him his Hungry Catapillar book, had his bottle and then went in his cot. He started to fuss a bit and I couldn't stand a repeat performance of last night's projectile vomiting so I just held his hand for a few mins til he'd settled and then left, he whimpered a bit as I walked out the room but then went straight to sleep so i am hoping it'll be OK.

We've had a lovely day today. Me and my friend took Joe and her ds to the park and then went into town. This afternoon me and dh made some dinner and ate out in the gsrden whilst ds pottered around on the patio in his walker. He loved it and it has been such a nice warm day it was nice to be outside. I realy hope summer is on its way!

I totally agree about kids getting mucky. I thought that's what kids do! Ooo and I will have to invest in a trampoline as ds gets older. Sounds like loads of fun and a good way to keep fit!

Right, off to watch my soaps!

What do you guys think of those ride on cars/trikes with parent handles? I've been thinking about getting one, as I know you can get them with 5 point harnesses, and some are designed for use from about 8 months.

Just got our ikea highchair. It's brilliant! wipe clean, comfy and simple, James had loads of fun with it so I've put our old one on freecycle. I'll be so glad to see the back of it!

James,

DD's have one at my mum's and they both love it. DD1 (4.3) still rides it (although her knees are around her ears. ) but dd2 loves being pushed up and down the garden.

As for grass being dirty sounds like you both met her . We when to see her (such fun ). She hates the fact that both dd's like being on the grass i was told on monday that dd2 will get dirty by being on the grass and she didn't like when i said don't worry it comes off in the bath .

Sorry should have read.

As for grass being dirty sounds like you both met my MIL .