June 2008 - The Olympics are here and Mums deserve gold medals

[ThePenguinProject]

Thought I'd start a new thread before we ran out of space! Couldn't remember the exact name suggestion so have paraphrased, the sentiment is still the same though...

hedghog, the gig sounds fun - glad your LO enjoyed it too! And thanks for the tips on sleeping/growing. He has slept slightly less over the last couple of days but has cut right down on his feeds (from 7 to 5 daily). However, he's now taking the whole bottle every time so is maybe just being more efficient with his eating - which I'm not complaining about!

Interested to see that you were worried that Isaac would be tall/heavy - why does that worry you? I am also tall (5' 9'') but we have a couple of shorties on the family on both sides and I was more worried that Alex would be short!

deb, we're actually predicted a really lovely weekend for this BH - yesterday was gorgeous. However, have woken up this morning to grey skies and rain - the British summer has returned!

katyjo, glad I'm not the only one who cried at X Factor! Paro, how cool that your cousin's in it - you'll have to point him out to us when it gets to boot camp!

BDQ, yes, I've definitely been advised to avoid bathing straight after feeding. Can you bath first and then feed?

Laura, good to see another West Wing fan - one of the best dramas ever made IMO! Have you tried 'House' - or is that a bit too close to home being a hospital drama! ER is also excellent, but again, bit of a busmans holiday!

Morning everyone else - hope the weather improves today!

I think neenz was going on a camping holiday, maybe thats where she is.

We are big west wing fans here too and have the whole lot on dvd. We also like House and are re-watching it on Hallmark at the moment which is going through each episode from the beginning at 8.oo on weeknights. I have also just bought Heroes series 2 but am disappointed that the writers strike mean it is such a short series.

Anyone else have any tips on good things to watch? When J was up between 2-4 every morning I started watching Boston Legal, which is a bit mad but slightly addictive - William Shatner is bizarre but ace in it

sybil, Dirty Sexy Money was a series dh and I got addicted to in the final stages of my pg. Very few people seemed to watch it, but it had the guy from Six feet Under (another excellent series) in it and he's gorgeous so I was hooked!!

ER is a huge favourite in this house. We're also planning to try that new series which starts on Tuesday this week, Mutual Friends. Has a v good cast so could be worth checking out.

Love the West Wing! And House. And ER. Accidentially got into Weeds about a year ago and highly recommend it. Main character is Josh's on/off girlf in West Wing. Completely different style of show, but have started watching Two and a half men whilst feeding in the afternoons and Charlie Sheen has so many of his Dad's mannerisms.

TV recommendations - Lost, 24, Weeds, Dexter, CSI, NCIS, Dirty Sexy Money, Six Feet Under, Numbers, Sex and the City, Hustle (an english one), Red Dwarf

Can you tell I am a bit of a tv addict. Unfortunately not really into the reality tv, although I am currently really into Discovery, National Geo etc for the documentaries. Also Sky plus loads in the evenings to watch the next day

SBBP was worried about the height as I am 6 ft, and my mums smallest baby was me at 8lb 3 (my sister was 3lb 12 but was born at 29 weeks and would have been over 11lb @ term)

Now that we have done one gig we have another few scheduled in for November, and could quite easily do more. Probably corrupting my son but I am adapting my life to him rather than letting him stop it

Right nearly bath time, see you in the morning

HI all

Paro - I have dipped Ethan's feet in the pool but it is only heated by the sun so the water is chilly - too cold for him. I will wait until next week when we go to the spa, then he'll go in, as the water's nice and warm. E still hasn't had any injections yet - are you supposed to wait so long before taking them swimming? I can't remember. I did go to make an appointment at the Drs but he's on holiday for 2 weeks , if you're ill in the 2 weeks we have to go to the next town!!

Josey - OMG - I have watched the vagina programme , I feel decidedly normal and cannot believe what some people will have cut off for the sake of appearance!

BDQ - Ethan feeds at about 5 ish, so that we can eat tea in peace(or try), by about 6.30/7.00 he's wanting another feed but I bath him then, or just strip him down for a kick about without his nappy ( I don't bath every day), atm I can also help the older 2 get sorted for bed then whilst E's happy kicking on the floor, then older 2 go to bed and I give E his bedtime feed all snuggled up in his sleeping bag.
This works for me with Ethan because he loves his bath and it distracts him from his hungry tummy for a while, but I realise it wouldn't work for all babies. It wouldn't have worked for my other 2 as they both used to cry in the bath!! hth anyway.

Sponge - hope the weather improves, our has today.

Hedgehog - you have the right attitude to parenthood!
Also love your TV recommendations, problem with having older children means that when I settle down to bfeed E on the settee during the day I can only watch TV suitable for my boys which cancels out most things I'd like to watch!!They do have a liking for makeover programmes though!

My top DVD suggestion would be Entourage. US comedy /drama about an up and coming Hollywood star. We watched it when I was pg and loved it. Now the writer's strike is over I think they will make another series. It has been on itv3 I think but is much sharper than that would suggest. Its still easy enough viewing for tired bf I think.

We are now on season 3 of "the Wire". It is very very good, but boy is it hard to get into. For most of the first series when I was pg I could not follow the dialogue and fell asleep in every episode. Now I know who the characters are it is much easier.

Now that the olympics are over I am looking forward to starting the west wing which I have never seen season 1 is available on virgin media

agree that cake is as essential element of a new mum's diet: regardless of whether you are ff or bf! Happy to have the extra lbs whilst I bf, as long as it comes off in the end [wishful thinking emoticon]!

deb - At least they'll watch makeover programmes. When I bf during the day, I usually have to watch Noddy or Stuart Little....

hedghog - admire you taking Isaac to the concert. I totally agree with your attitude that they should fit in with you not v v, but I don't think I'd be brave enough to take Caspar to a gig yet.

GF & UDC - impressed that you have managed to give up dairy. I would find that a real struggle. Luckily the only thing that seems to upset Caspar is hot curry (unsurprisingly, I suppose)

Alipali - I loved your post about weight loss, difficulty with clothes and (lack of) shagging. Completely identify with all of it...

BDQ - have same problem as you in that Caspar feeds about 6, and I wouldn't be able to string it out till after bath. Usually give one breast at that feed, do bath and then do other breast. I find he settles better if he has feed just before bed.

Love all the TV chat. Yes please Paro, tell us who to look out for on X Factor when boot camp starts. I try to record stuff to watch while bfing, but TV is so crap in the summer that I struggle to find anything I'd want to watch. Series wise, love West Wing and Grey's Anatomy. I've heard The Wire is v good too, and Series 1 is cheap on Amazon, so might give that a whirl.

I have been feeling like s**t today. Have got mastitis for second time and have had the full on shivers, headache, aches etc. Have started the antibiotics though, and they usually kick in v quickly so hopefully will be much better tomorrow.

alipali - cross posted with you - funny that you recommended The Wire!

Agree about cakes - I've been eating loads more while bfing. Ice cream too...

Morning all, settling down to quiet Monday morning after mad weekend. DS1's birhday on Saturday - 9 years old already!!!! So took our lot plus 3 friends to legoland. I kept losing count of how many kids we should have. Then yesterday went to football match, so A's 1st game. She didn't seem that bothered either way. Then mad rush to bake cake for ds to take into school.

Daytime tv? Am I the only one that doesn't?

mamawizz - hope your mastitus clears up quickly, poor you.

Is everyone following routines? I see a few people saying their babies feed at x time. I haven't got a clue I don't pay attention to when I feed her or when she sleeps. I suppose I should start . I don't even put her to bed for her naps, just let her nod off in her bouncy chair or play gym (more crap mumness)

Hi everyone, no time to post properly, heading off to my mum's til Saturday, so just wanted to say have a good week.

Glasgow girls, I am fine for meet up any time apart from the 1st, so I'll double check it's still the 5 th when I get back.

Better go - the Screaminator is kicking off!!!

ernest I don't have a routine either. I keep fretting that I ought to but ds is quite strong willed. Your post made me smile though as you are on number 4 so you must be more confident than me that no routine is ok.

ernest, DS settled in to a routine when the girls where at school/nursery but since they have been at home we haven't kept up with it except the evening bath.

Morning

For those who watch x factor here is a clip of my cousin you only caaught a glimpse of him!! So he is repeated a couple of times!! Dont know how boot camp works how many people get through the 1st auditions they are showing?

my cousin

Debs - not sure re injections, Fleur haad had hers before she went in pool but think i would have dipped her in anyway and a spa is warmer than any pool here

Glad mad weekend went ok ernest. we dont really watch much daytime tv ocasionally the simpsons and the news. I cant watch tv whilst Fleur is breastfeeding a) it distracts her and b) she only feeds for 5 10 mins!!

Sorry bout mastitis mamawizz and welcome back

Have fun whiinegums

AH, 5 go mad, amber, libralady ,allnew hope you all had good wkends havent seen yous around for a few days

Ernest no routine here that I've identified, other than Charlotte managing to want feeding exactly when my own meal is ready, no matter what time we decide to eat at! feel reassured that a pro on no.4 is the same!

mamawizz hope the Abx are kicking in and you're feeling better!

thanks for all the recommendations! house and er a bit close to home, although have watched a fiar bit of er in the past - much better than casualty that's for sure! Have had boston legal and the wire recommended in RL too, so think we'll try them! (PS cried in the last episode of the west wing, DH put it down to hormones, but was just so disappointed that it was finished!)

a pro ha ha. Just lazy or enjoying my last baby, take your pick. I was so strict with the others.

Kept saying to myelf, no point till after we go on holiday, as it'll just upset the routine. Now we're back, I've still not done anything. She's too cuddly Na, I'm too lazy.

Paro - can you wake Fleur for a dream feed around 10 to see if she'll then sleep through till morning from then?

Thanks everyone for bathtime info and suggestions. S hates the bath at the moment, so I need to have him quite calm when he goes in it. I'd rather bath him then feed him to make him easier to settle but unfortunately he's always hungry at 6 and I really dont want to start his bath/bed routine any earlier. Will have to keep working on trying to move his feeds back half an hour. He did wait till 11am for a feed this morning, so in theory should feed at 3 then 7 which would be great but who knows!

Laura I forgot that C was in real nappies. S really is outgrowing all his new/1 month clothes so have started putting him in his 0-3 clothes. I realised too that he couldn't stretch his legs out in his sleepsuits anymore . He had his first pair of jeans on at the weekend - cute, but it made me think he was growing up already

TV - am also very bored of the current offerings, but the fall season should start soon. New series starts on Thursday BBC2 9.30pm about the parents of kids in a football team so I'm going to check that out. Will have a look at that programme you recommended too sponge. If Laura or anyone feeling very retro a friend of mine has started watching Dallas - she's got the box sets and says its hilarious watching it now!

alipalli - interesting what you say about the wire. I got season 1 thinking that I would love it but I couldn't get into it at all. I kept getting confused with all the characters and found the dialogue really hard going - kept having to rewind!

Blockbusters now do box set dvd rentals if anyone wants to try out a new show before committing to purchasing all the box sets. My faves are Lost,West Wing and Spooks. Spooks is quite cheap to buy actually.

Ernest S is in a routine, but he's FF so need to know when he's going to eat so I can have bottle ready. It also makes it much easier to arrange to go out etc. Re: tv - I like to have something to watch when S is feeding as he can sometimes take up to an hour. Quality of daytime tv beyond dire at the moment!

Laura S also has an inbuilt radar that programmes him to wake as soon as food is put down in front of me.

Wedding yesterday was fab - we left S with my p's till about 11pm in the end! Then had to drive back to edinburgh though (DH drove, I was on the vino!) so am shattered today. Thankfully S waiting till 7am for a feed and slept well last night. He woke a couple of times but a quick pat and occasional dummy sorted him out. He's been sleeping most of today though, and he's just started taking an extra oz so think he may be having a bit of a growth spurt.

Not dressed yet, so think I should go rectify that...

OMG that was a marathon post. Sorry!

ernest I'm also not one for daytime TV, except cbeebies because it's the only thing that keeps DS1 under control while I feed Fraser. And with three other kids I expect that schedules have to remain pretty fluid!!

Am very impressed with your parenting skills too since your DH was working away so much. My DH was away last week and I was a complete wreck by the end of the week (with exhaustion) and that's only with two kids.

today's TV is even worse than I thought it was going to be... have ordered series 1 of the wire! it's been raining here all day so far, although looking drier now and we might get out for a walk at last!

I just found a cloth nappies in the bucket that must have been sitting htere for a while, it was covered in mould - YUK!!!!!! I have put it in on a 95 degree wash (yes very bad for the enviroment!) and hope it come out clean!!

Laura, me too re: crying when WW finished!

I was just so disappointed as there's very little good drama on the tv and dh and I hadn't missed an episode of what still remains one of the best dramas ever made. We also have the complete box set and still often watch episodes that we really like when there's nothing else on to watch!

ER is finishing next year and we'll be equally sad to see that one go!

BDQ, Mutual Friends has received some good write ups with some critics comparing it the absolutely wonderful Cold Feet (anyone else remember that - anyone else cry buckets when Rachael died! ), so really looking forward to it. More info here: Mutual Friends

deb, nope, the weather has been crap! Typical British bank holiday! Remind me again why I live here?!