August 2007- Happy Birthday babies!

[JamesAndTheGiantBanana]

New thread. Happy birthday to all our gorgeous girls and beautiful boys!!

hi everyone

congratulations blackbird - he's lovely. How is your dd adjusting to having him around?

James/My2 etc - ds is another throwing tantrums but they are really funny too - he gets down on the floor and just sort of rolls over while fake crying - when he bangs his head, he says 'bang' and then gets down and gently bangs it again a few times saying bang each time, just to make sure we know whats happened .

lol at james just smiling as you tell him off - struan is like that with biting - he still bites me on the shoulder etc from time to time, and its really sore but he finds it funny when i say no - and he loves hearing the word 'ow' which worries me slightly. but scary about his attempt to escape - guess that's what people mean about needing eyes in the back of your head.

he doesnt have lots of proper words yet but he can say tick tock, tick tock when you ask him what a clock says, and car noises, tractor noises, fire engine noises etc when asked what they say. i love this age.

my2 - is everyone feeling better now?

lizziemum - at lizzie getting out of her cot. is she particularly tall? or have highly developed gymnastic abilities?

Gill - when do you have to make a decision about schools by? i'd always go with one which makes life easiest for everyone by being close etc (if its reasonably good) cause then you are more likely to be able to get involved with things that go on there, and friends will be closer by. And how is your nephew now?

leifmum - we dropped the bedtime bf a few weeks ago and didnt really replace it with a cup/bottle, so just went straight from pyjamas, teeth, to bed and story - it is different from the closeness before bed, but i dont miss it as much as i thought i would when we stopped cause he's still a really cuddly boy at other times, and i love getting him to bed within 15/20 mins now.

meandmyjoe - you sound very broody in that last post - wouldnt be surprised to see you back on the antenatal threads before long .

Conker

No Lexie isn't that tall (she takes after me and has a low slung bum )still in 9/12mths clothes. When Lizzie fell out she was about 18mths but was about 4inches taller.

Leif

Lexie hasn't had a bottle at bedtime for weeks. She only realy drinks a 5oz bottle in the moring. If anything Lizzie has more milk then Lexie. She has a beaker of hot milk when she gets up and when she goes to bed.

Blackbird i hope everything going well. i know i found it very hard going from one to two children.

OMG - james and Lizzie. They must have given you both a fright. We're having stairgates put up at top and bottom this week as Caitlin has gone from not showing the slightest interest in stairs to it being the only thing she wants to do and she can go from the bottom to the top in about 10 seconds. I stopped her last wednesday and she threw her first major tantrum. Threw herself on the floor and headbutted the sofa. I left her to it and she stopped after about 5 minutes.

My Mum has been over from Spain this weekend and it was really good timing as Caitlin walked for the first time. She went from taking 3/4 steps, then to 10 steps, then to the length off the room in less than 24 hours and is immensely pleased with herself.

well done Caitlin - i love how they are so proud of themselves when they realise they can do it.

lol lizziemum - ds is similar - takes after me in the height department - think dh is surprised cause he is 6ft 2 and think he always imagined he'd have tall children. you never know - they may surprise us yet - my dad always says that our family have short femurs so i guess he takes after us.

Had some good news today. My nephew is off life support and doing well. He has been given some meds for his kidney problem which they diagnosed before he was born. Hopefully he will be well enough to go home soon, or at least to sil's local hospital which is just round the corner from her.

James - you must have been so scared when James escaped. Ds can't even reach our front door handle so he's contained for a while yet, but he can open the door to the hall. We'll have to watch him like a hawk now unless dh will finally do something about a safety gate at that door or at the bottom of the stairs. James must be very intelligent to plan how to get up to his high chair. My nephew used to have a gate at his bedroom door but one night he decided to pull up a toy box to escape. Sil was woken up by the tv!

Blackbird - good to hear from you. Hope everyone is well.

leifmum - we had to make dd give up her bedtime bottle at 2.5 years. She was only using it for comfort though. Ds gave his up at about 8 months and his morning bottle at 12 months. It is useful because putting him to bed only takes a few minutes.

conker - we have to have the form in some time in January so plenty of time to think. I think we will go with the closest which is a good school and I couldn't fault it and the nice one we saw on Friday as second choice. Last choice will probably be the school near my mum's. One of the reasons I don't want her to go there though is because my niece will almost definitely go there. Don't get me wrong, she's a lovely girl but dd relies on her too much. She never plays with anyone else at pre-school but her cousin and I don't think she'll bother making any other friends. I think she'll do much better in a school where she doesn't know any of the other children.

Lizzie - my dcs have short legs and a relatively long body. Dd is 3.9 and only just going into 2-3 yrs trousers but she's in 3-4 yrs tops. Ds is still in 9-12 months trousers but only just fits in 12-18 months tops (will need 18-24 soon). The sleeves are all too long though. We expected them both to be very tall. Dh is 6'7" and all of his family, even the women) are very tall. All of my side are short though so maybe they will both have a growth spurt and end up average height.

Oops - forgot to say well done to Caitlin for her first steps!

Wow - not walking to whole room in 24 hours is impressive! Euan walked 5 steps on sat, got it on video and has refused to repeat since! He has also discovered a love of stairs and can do them in seconds. Really can't be bothered with a gate (openning it for the other 2 will be complete hassle) so have taught him to go down too. He lies on his tummy and bumps down again in seconds - a great game!

How scaring openning the front door. We've got a beeper that goes everytime the door opens - good advanced warning for dh coming home - I jump and look busy (turn off MN!) when he comes in!

Lol loler! I am same when I hear the front gates opening

Well done to the new walkers, be prepeared to wish they didn't do it! Joe is so bloomin tall that for the past few months since walking it seems nothing is out of his reach. I have to have eyes in the back of my head but I suppose that's what being a mummy is all about!

Conker, you are right I have been very broody again lately. I know I am not ready though and I'm not sure if the time will ever be right. One day I can really see myself doing it all again but then the next day the thought of it scares me so while ever I'm not 100% I doin't think it would be fair.

There has been a little baby girl abandoned in a car park in our town. She was left naked and apparently only a couple hours old when she was found. It has made me very sad and even dh said he wished we could go volunteer at the hospital just to cuddle her so she knows that some people will care for her and she will know what it's like to have someone hold her. I know they'd think we were crazy though and obviously not want anyone near her but it just makes me so sad that she won't have had any skin to skin contact or any affection. Her parents have been tracked down and they are reportedly known drug addicts and the baby is in special care being weaned off heroin.

It did make me and dh very broody though, we have a lot of love to give and I would hate to think that we won't be able to do it again. I miss cuddling my little naked baby and hearing his little grunts and snuffles in the night. Now he snores like my dad, hence why he's been in his own room since he was 5 months old!

Great news about your nephew gill!

Oh god, I am crying at that Meandmy

hiya everyone, trying to catch up as things are a wee bit manic here.

I had a lovely birthday and dh/Callum bought me a nintendo wii-i really wanted the wii fit as i enjoy doing pilates but it had sold out! We also stayed up the night before watching the election!

conker-it does sound like spd, thats how mine started and i gradually found walking more painful and difficult and like James i could hear a clicking sound-your doc or midwife will be able to confirm.

my2-hope you're all better in your house

blackbird-dd and ds look so cute, hope you're managing to get some rest

James-glad to hear from you more on here again, J sounds like such a wee cutie and it's so nice when they're affectionate isn't it.

meandmyjoe-clever joe on his new words, C calls my dad nandad too. So sad about the wee baby, it always makes me want to go and say I'll take them home with me!

Callum now scoots up the stairs at every opportunity and last night dh heard "daddy, me" and looked up to see C waving to him from the top of the stairs

Gill-hope the eye test helps find the cause of your headaches. What month did you and dh marry in?

He was feeding himself today and he managed to stick his fork into a quaver (that he pinched off my plate) and he was very proud of himself. He can also drink his water from a cup with no lid at meal times but he's a bit messy with it if he's not sat down. C also has a morning and evening bottle and refuses to drink it from his beaker. Also as he can't have cows milk it is very difficult to make up his milk in a beaker but rhankfully he normally only has it twice a day.

Sorry if i missed anyone i will try and catch up again but with dad here and FIL was staying whilst MIL was visiting our nephews and SIL popped in, our house has been like piccadily circus

Sorry, didn't mean to make you cry blackbird! It just made me very sad and I am still thinking about her now. Knowing that she's all alone and noone gives a crap about her. She will be thinking that that's just how life is and that it's a cold and horrid place where she is hungry and isolated, craving for a drug she doesn't even understand what it is. It makes me want to cry.

Joe went to bed in his first big boy PJs last night (I have kept him in sleep suits til now but he is too big for them!) He is in age 2 pjs and age 2-3 years dressing gown. I am slightly concerned he has some form of giantism but apparently he's fine, just on the 99th centile for height and weight. He looks very sweet in his pjs though, they are Tigger ones from the Disney store and he looks adorable!

Callum climbing the stairs and waving! I'd have a heart attack but although Joe is obsessed by the stsirs, we already had a stair gate to keep the dog downstairs so he rarely gets a chance to run up them! He is so clumsy though he'd deffinitely fall if I didn't stand right behind him.

Joe don't worry too much. As soon as she's well she'll be transferred to a caring foster home, and the drug addict parents won't ever get her back so she'll be adopted by a couple who probably can't have children and be the apple of their eye. Much better than her fate if the druggies had kept her with them!

Joe does sound like a big boy but some kids just are. Are you and his dad tall? Have you asked your hv?

Gill, so glad about your nephew, that's good news. J can't reach the front door either but he's learnt his ride-on toy is a portable step, and uses it to get to what he wants. He can ride on it properly now too, it's very cute!

Helibee, dp and I were so impressed by the "daddy, me!" thing. I can't imagine J ever making that much sense.

loler that beeper on the door is a great idea, where did you get it from, please?

Hersetta well done on C's walking, funny how they learn things in fits and spurts, J was similar, and now he just never stops. I saw a sign on ebay that said "mothers of boys never stop from son up to son down" and I know now it's bloomin' true!

Still so excited about the new house I haven't been able to sleep the last week, and even found myself thinking about paint colours at a very inopportune moment last night (don't think dp would have been impressed had he known) We will be moving in 5 weeks yesterday, it's so going to draaaag!

Bought James a little toy yesterday that I can't reccommend highly enough: a £2 magnetic drawing board. Having scrubbed various coloured crayon scribbles off the walls and kitchen cupboard doors here, it's nice to finally give him something he can draw with whenever he wants which I know won't end up on my freshly painted walls!

Ah well better get something done, bye for now x

James so you be in your house before christmas.

Lexie latest trick is to dance she bounces up and down like she is on a invisable pogo stick. She loves listen to fun radio (dig radio station).

Awww lexie's dancing sounds so cute!

James, yeah I asked the Health Visitor and they aren't worried at all, just said he's well built! He was fairly big at birth though so I guess he's just meant to be big. Me and his dad aren't massively tall to be honest, I'm 5ft 9" and dh is 6ft. My dad is 6ft 2" though and my brother and cousin are both 6ft 5" so I suppose it must be in the genes somewhere!

Lizzie - Caitlin does that dance too. It's soo cute.

My mum was over this weekend and was doing a silly dance for Caitlin whilst Cait was sitting on the bottom stair. Cait laughed so much she slid off the stair, onto the floor and just laid there are carried on laughing!

James is whining and grumbling and doing things I swear he knows won't work (like piling up his wellyboots in the doorway then trying to shut the door on them) or things he knows will make me shout (opening the oven door, climbing on the f*ing kitchen table) so that he has an excuse to whinge and fling himself about.

The cats are on pins because they can smell sausages so whenever I move they orbit my legs tripping me up, and dp is usually home 4.45pm but has decided he is working late tonight just when I could really use a break from the whinging. Can I just scream here please?

Ah, that's better.

Bless you James! Feel free to scream! They are all whinging little sods from time to time, do you think he is teething again? Joe is unbearable to be around when he's teething, I find myself getting quite aggitated and don't really want to be around him when he's getting more teeth which is awful cos I know it's not his fault but no amount of calpol or teething powders and gel seem to help.

hi everyone - james - I am having day just like you - it made me lol actually to read your post cause i am sitting on the sofa having got him to bed an hour or so ago, and still not wanting to actually get up and do any of the tidying etc that needs to be done, cause its just been such a tough day - your post made me laugh even though its not funny.

Struan didnt sleep at all today despite the usual walks etc to encourage him, so by 5.30 he was a nightmare. had tea while falling asleep and crying etc, then half an hour later was sick everywhere, so then he was even more upset.

last night he was so disappointed that it wasnt bath night - i laid out his pyjamas etc, and as soon as he saw them, he came and got my hand and led me through to the bathroom, and started taking off his trousers, but didnt get a bath cause his skin is still pretty bad so only gets a bath every 2/3 days. anyway, he ws very cross, so was pleased that it was bath night tonight - i never knew he liked them so much. its so funny how much they copy adults now too - was leaning on the wall just thinking and watching him play, and he toddled over and leant on the wall next to me with his legs crossed the same as me .

sorry a bit of a me me me post.

meandmyjoe - very about the baby - you just want to help in some way dont you? i've thought in the past about being a foster carer (but not till my own children are older) and that sort of thing makes me want to more.

helibee - cute about callum climbing the stairs. they are learning everything so fast.

gill - great about your nephew. and sounds like the school decision is working out well - do most people get their first choice?

james - sure the 5 weeks will go fast once you start packing etc - i'm having trouble sleeping too but nothing so exciting to be keeping me awake. well maybe the odd kick from the lo i suppose - cant believe how strong its kicks are - dont remember anything this strong at this stage with struan - knocks the wind out of me when it happens.

I'm supposed to be washing up and sorting out the washing but I can't be bothered. dh is away and last night ds wouldn't go to sleep so we couldn't get anything done.

meandmy - that is sooooo sad about that baby. Agree with James that she is so much better off now that she can get the treatment she needs and a loving caring home. Dd is just going into 2-3 lol!

helibee - we married on 1st May 2004. I can't believe Callum is drinking from a cup without a lid!

lizzie - ds does that bouncing dance. He puts the radio on himself as he knows which button to press and stands there swaying and bouncing. It's really sweet.

James - I can totally sympathise with trying to get things done with kids whining and cats trying to trip you up.

conker - hope Struan is fast asleep and feeling better. I think there are a lot of children that don't get into their parents' first choice school. Most of the good schools are oversubscribed from what I've heard.

Conker, hope struan is behaving today and had a nap. Me and dh have looked into fostering too, we'd love to but maybe not til ds is at school.

James, hope ds has been happie today and given you a break from the whinging. It's hard work isn't it? They are growing up so quick but sometimes I swear Joe whinges and cries just to be carried around like when he was a tiny baby but then other days he's so independant he will only sit on my lap for a second before wriggling to get off and play.

Helibee, well done callum on drinking from a grown up cup! We tried it with ds a few weeks ago, he did really well at first but then just tiped it all over and laughed .

Just wondering if most of the babies are still having one or two naps a day ? It varies with Joseph but usually he still has 2, he goes for about a week with just the one but then the next he wants 2 again, is that normal or should I be encouraging him to cut down to one nap a day? I guess it depends on him though, somedays he's shattered after 2 hours of waking up in the mornings. Just wondered what was average I suppose. He sleeps 11 hours straight at night and usually has two 1.5 hour naps, does this sound OK or too much/ little sleep?

sorry happier james, that's not a new and funky spelling of happy!

meandmyjoe - dh had him today but he was apparently in a better mood. Struan tends to have one sleep a day for between 30 mins and just over an hour - he sleeps from 7.30pm - 5.30am usually, then comes into bed with us and sleeps till 7am most days (9am this morning).

I think really that there cant be too much or too little sleep if the child is happy - my dad and brother need very little sleep and my dh seems to need loads so I think ds takes after my family (so far at least).

9am!!! That must be lovely! I was wondering cos Joe has 13 hours sleep a day usually and we don't have fuss at nap time or bedtime, he seems to WANT to go to sleep, he's quite foul when he needs a nap so I suppose I'll just keep giving him what he wants, I guess he needs that much day sleep as he ALWAYS starts the day at 6am now so Struan's getting more night time sleep !

yes the 9am thing only seems to happen when its dh's days to be at home - not sure quite how he manages it .

If we get the sleep right during the day - usually a nap just before or just after lunch, he goes to bed no problem at 7.30 - I read Peepo, and he rolls over and shuts his eyes, but days that his nap doesnt happen like Tuesday (for whatever reason), its a nightmare from 5.30 onwards, and getting him to sleep takes a lot more effort.

But some days he just refuses to have a nap and nothing can persuade him to.

Ah well its all a learning curve - this next lo is going to sleep through perfectly from about 14 weeks - I can tell .

I will keep my fingers crossed for that happening for you conker! Joe slept through from 10 weeks, 11-13 hours a night but was still horrid in the day so I think I'd prefer broken nights over that! My next one is going to be a total angel who only cries when he/she's hungry and sleeps through from day one. I wonder what the odds are of that happening???