May 2008 - The Third Thread.... Hot sausage and Mustard continued.....

[Haribosmummy]

New thread... Hoep this one is a bit more accessible!!!

well it took ages to load but at least it hasn't crashed the laptop!!!

not much to say as i haven't been able to catch up on all your messages but i stopped bf at 6m with ds1 and 8 weeks with ds2 - it's nigh on impossible to bf with a 2yr old who climbs all over you etc...

must go boys yelling and sophie needs some help!

will come back later and see if i can still get on

Just posting on new thread so I can find it again. Hello everyone

Yeah!!! the new thread works!!!!

Flick lovely to hear from you - will text you tonight, I'll find my mobile once DS is asleep!!

Hello Mitchell!

HM xx

I went to check out stage 1 car seats at the local in-car safety forum today. None are slim enough to fit two in the back with an infant carrier as well. If I bought two Maxi Cosi Tobis then I could prob squeeze in between them and put a baby in the front (if DH is driving), but not sure if air bag can be disabled.

Anyway, I looked on the Which website and they say the best/safest is the Kiddy Infinity Pro which is FF and not even isofix and scores higher overall than even the RF seats. RF seats do great on front-impact crashes but only average on side impact (which they say is the most common). The Infinity pro are only £130 too so they seem perfect. Can't find the actual dimensions online but they seem pretty slim. I have found a supplier in Manchester but he says they have been inundated with requests for it since the which survey. They import them from Germany. Still a while till I need them so will probably be getting them.

Well the chicken pox have progressed and the poor little monkey has an extremely spotty back and bottom. I thought we were getting away lightly, but he's had more each day. Went to the GP today for some Piriton since you're not meant to give it to under ones so thought I'd get some advice. My only consolation is he starts nursery next month so we won't have that will he won't he get it whenever there's an outbreak.

My breastfeeding has continued mostly due to laziness. I'm no good with change and having to think about amounts and sterilizing is far too much for my little brain. I stopped suddenly with DS1 when I was put on ADs, but am hoping this time to wean a bit more naturally. I find it convenient to not have another thing to take out with me. But I have started to put in a bag of rice cakes now and sometimes water which he takes out of a tommee tippee beaker really well. My HV did ask me when he was about 2wks old when I planned to stop, which was not something I was thinking about at that stage. And I was also asked when I went to get a bra at bravissimo ( I did the 2 hr drive especially last month) and they didn't have my size (32H ). They looked at me as if I should know the exact day. I do think though that you do what's right for you and your family. I hate it when people force their opinions on you. Parenting is hard enough without other parents increasing the pressure.

Thank you HM!

Well as you know we have successfully managed to get DS2 into his own room. He has a bottle at 7pm and then if I dream feed at 10 he wakes at about 1am, if I don't he still wakes at 1am. So I am happy with the one waking in the night, I am sure he will sort himself out soon enough and stop waking up.

It is DS2 baptism this weekend, it is going to be very small as decided to not invite anyone except the god parents and my sister. My parents had to go away at the last minute so won't be here and the godparents are coming up from London, so don't want to postpone it. As probably wouldn't get around to organising another. Not regular church goers.

Hi,
just a quikie from me... Poor DS is a bit under the weather today... He has two teeth just ready to pop through and he has a bit of an upset tummy... He's OK in himself but a bit off his food (OK on milk though) and tired... Poor love...

Mitchell - Hope you enjoy the baptism!

Niknak - Hope your LO is faring ok with hte CP

Hope everyone else OK.

HM x

Neenztwinz - I just checked out your photos - they are great!! I do like the pint of wine (in plastic beaker!! )

HM x

FuzzyPeach - Hope it goes OK tomorrow! I agree completely that it's so unfair that women are expected to work,,, and it's not like we get a fair deal of it either.... I'm sure I've said it loads of times before, but I have been SOOO shocked at the effect mentioning my (very young) son has on potential employers.... I've been to quite a few jobs and been a total shoe-in, till I mention that I need some flexibility / won't be able to travel at the drop of a hat etc., and then (inexplicably) a more SUITABLE candidate appears - yeah... a candidate that doesn't have a baby to look after!

Mind you, all this talk of job losses is really quite worrying... I had expected January to be a bit of a blood bath, but I hadn't expected so much so soon, IYSWIM...

Ahh, well, I must join my DS in the land of nod... I have a feeling neither of us is in for a peaceful night!!

HM Xx

Fuzzypeach and Haribo, Hope your two cuties slept better.

Neenz your twins are very cute

Niknak Hope chicken pox clears soon.

Fuzzy Sorry about feeling the dread of being back at work, I am sure you will start feeling better as soon as you get back into a routine.

Aw, thanks for the nice messages about my pics. I was on Clomid (fertility drug that helps you ovulate) so it wasn't much of a surprise when I found out it was twins. About 10% of people on Clomid have twins. My periods were really irregular after a m/c two years ago so I got put on Clomid and got PG first month!

The pint of wine was at a music festival a couple of months after my m/c.

Yes it is lovely that they will always be there for each other - they already hold hands (and try to pull each other's hair ), it is lovely! They also like to pull each other's bibs at mealtimes. They never get jealous of each other. They are perfect.

Had 8m check today and they did fine. The HV really scared me tho with talk of accidents etc and how they change so fast at this age that they get themselves into all sorts of trouble. Will have to spend less time on MN and more time watching them

haribo hooray for moonwalking! Really glad you decided to do the Edinburgh one too, will be great to meet you. Myself and the lovely gingerwench are definitely doing it, should be a great night (though at the moment I'm still in aaaaaah what have i done?! mode )

mocat Very impressed at the talking! We have dadada but that's it and I'm not sure if it really means dada but I treat it as though it does

monkeysmama I had great intentions of BFing til a year old and I think I still will but not exclusively. We now do about 12oz of formula a day too and I have no regrets. He was just squirming so much and getting very irritated that he couldn't look around at the same time so would be on and off all day never having more than about 3 sips at one time and it just got too stressful and upsetting for both of us. He eats and sleeps more now so I'm happy.

mitchell Hope the baptism is lovely.

All's well here. Getting a bit stressful with DP's job applications. (He graduates in the Summer) and I'm not enjoying all the doom and gloom and no jobs for graduates in the papers. Lots of other students will just move home when they don't get employed but it's not quite the same when you have a family!
I'm having an hour off today Can't remember the last time I did that. I'm going to go and sit in a cafe and work on my play Bliss.

Good afternoon ladies

We're just warming up after a morning in the forest! We did a trial trip with the local Steiner group which was very cold but good fun. I think I may finally have found an activity dd and I can both enjoy .

Neenztwinz I love the photos too and your post about them pulling each others' hair is so sweet. I am not planning to get broody or pregnant for a few years but it did make me feel all gooey and have to give dd a BIG kiss. I love babies!

Thanks to everyone for the breast feeding replies. I am still really enjoying it & expect to continue until she's 12 months at least all being well. Though then I am supposed to be going back to work .

Fuzzypeach I feel for you about work. Everyone who knows me in RL could never imagine me giving up my career but I have no interest whatsoever in going back. Ever! That may change but for now I'd like to be a SAHM for as long as possible. That's not to say the constant cycle of preparing food, cleaning up after food, doing washing, hanging out washing, putting away washing, dressing, changing etc doesn't get to me sometimes. Like HM I work in a male dominated industry (construction) and even though I have a legal right to lots of things I've seen what has happened to other women. I've spent my career fighting the warped sexist culture that still thrives in construction & think I've done my bit. I am happy to never have to fight again - or at least not for a while! Really though, Iit makes me so sad to think of those of you who have had to go back and would rather still be at home.

A random question I would post elsewhere but for the fear of starting a war - when you make porridge what do you make it with? I've been using cows milk but dd's having it for breakfast almost every day and I am not really keen on her having that much cow's milk.

I have forgotten now but who has the sling passion? Maybe Fuzzy peach? I have several slings but only really use my Sleepy Nico. Dd is getting heavy now though and it's starting to feel a bit tight. Any sling advice for the slighty bigger bubbles would be gratefully received. Do you know anything about those hip slings...?

Ah - before I go something to get you all thinking (or thinking I am mad at least). The house next to ours is rented out & new people (a couple with dd aged maybe 3) moved in 3 months ago. The walls are really thick and we never used to hear anything from the old neighbours really but recently there is almost constant beeping and "electronic" noises coming from their house between 10pm-3am . Beeping, the occasional alarm, computer noises, whirling and whoosing.... I had to go over and collect one of my 3 highchairs (the saga continues) last week & the woman almost shut the door on me as I offered to go in and help lift the heaviest part. It sounds silly but it is loud enough at times to wake us up - indeed dp woke up last week thinking there was a spaceship landing in our room!

Finally, if anyone has any good tips on how to stop hair pulling please share them with a desperate monkey's mama. Dd can now only sleep by pulling handfuls of my hair slowly but very hard. My hair and scalp are her comfort blanket and I've had as much as I can take. It hurts! I've tried wearing a scarf, a headband, a blanket on my head , a hat....

That's all from me - I am off to make some cheese and black pepper buttons before dd wakes up.

MM

Baiyu - thanks ever so much about the Moonwalk (and Gingerwench too) - I am trying to talk Mitchell into it too, so it would be great to meet up! I'm only doing the half marathon in Scotland, as I'd like to make a weekend of it and not be too knackered, but am doing the full marathon in London - I've done it twice before and, honestly, it's BRILLIANT fun!! Yes, after 24 miles, that last couple of miles feels like forever, but I kid you not, it's an amazing feeling when you finish!!

MM - Couldn't agree more that you're whole attitude changes once you have kids!!

Neenztwinz - My DS had his 8 month check on Monday... It's odd, cos I don't have one worry about him, but it's always so reassuring to have someone tell you they are happy with progress... isn't it?

FuzzyPeach - really hope today is going OK for you. I was talking to the MA place today (my Maternity allowance runs out in Feb) and they reckon that it's illegal to change your hours if they were previously agreed - even verbally... Your employer can't go back on that agreement if you can prove that you've organised childcare around those hours...

HM xx

just v quickly before my laptop crashes again....hi all sorry not to have been posting very regularly recently.

you all sound really well and lo's are coming on well.

re the porridge - try half water and half milk if you like, or alternatively rice milk is pretty innocuous and not soya based or anything like that, or maybe some goats formula is a possibility? we don't have porridge really at all as both boys spat it out! but when i do weetabix i use half milk half water.

anyway ds1 just finishing bath with sophie so i need to go and read him a story - hair washing just done and i heard all the wailing!

just rushing in....

aaah neenztwinz your photos are soooooo cute. What beautiful eyes they have too!

fuzzypeach yes we got the piriton, not sure if it made any difference. He's on the mend now, only a few more to crust over, but going to take him with us to DS1's swimming lesson tomorrow, will try and keep him away from anyone else.

fuzzypeach - it's a shame you are forced to go to a job you don't like, it sounds like you are a bit stuck though if you need the tax credits etc, i also don't think it's fair that a mum looking after her child isn't working but someone else looking after that child doing exact same thing is working.

MM - I agree with the others that it's fine to use cows milk on cereal etc unless you think she has a reaction to it or something. It's not recommended to replace formula as a drink before one because it doesn't have much nutrients in it i think.

Baiyu - hope your dp manages to get a job easily, I can understand why you're feeling stressed about it especially with all the credit crunch stuff going on.

Well dh's hope that this year would be less stressful has not started off well, firstly my gran died on tuesday night, it was not unexpected but it is still sad. Luckily i had just seen her a few days earlier but obviously still got the funeral to come.

Then yesterday i took ds for a development check at the hospital and they were happy with his development but they noticed one of his testicles hasn't descended enough so he may need to have an operation to correct it. They are going to check it again when he's one and see whether it's improved so now i feel like i've got the next four months with that in the back of my mind until we find out and I'm dreading if he needs an operation, feel like we have already been through enough with him being ill after he was born.

Indigoblue - I'm relaly sorry you have had a tough week. I don't think it matters how expected or old a person is when they die - even when you can say 'well, they had a good life' etc., it's still so hard to deal with the finality of death. I lost my gran before DS was born, and though I wasn't close to her at all, I sort of wish she'd have met my DS (her first great granchild)... She'd have doted on him, and she'd have loved his name. Anyway, sorry, I'm ranbling... hope the funeral goes OK.

I'm sure your DS will be fine, but I do agree 4 months of waiting is difficult. Can you find out what would be required IF an operation is needed?

The point you make about childcare is one I've never considered before, but I suppose it just all comes down to economics and SOMEONE has to pay - but it's totally unfair that if FuzzyPeach didn't have a job, she'd clear more on Jobseekers and still be eligble for the tax credits... There is something really wrong with that, cos there must be LOADS of people who could work who don't because it's easier (and in many ways more cost effective) not to... Sorry - rant over.

Hope everyone is looking forward to nice weekends. I'm really hoping for a good one, cos this week has been a bit of a grind, with DS not being on form and just being back into the whole 'being alone' routine, but I am not really all that hopeful, to be honest...

HM xx

Indigo Hope you are ok, 4 months is such a long time. When my HV saw DS2 at his check she struggled to make sure they had descended and told me when he was next in the bath in the warm water to check as they can still go back up when they get cold. You should be able to see or feel them. Sorry if you have been told this before.

I agree with everyone about it being unfair that there is not enough help for parents who work and would want one of them to stay at home and look after their babies. Hope things work out for you Fuzzy
I know how lucky I am that I don't have to work.

HM How is DS now? Will let you know about Edinburgh this weekend once I have spoken to my cousin.

Hi

Just a quickie. Niknak hope the pox is getting a bit better and Indigo so sorry to hear about your gran and hope you can manage not to worry too much about DS. We saw the doctor for the last jabs whenever they were and don't see her again til he's 15 months for the next jabs! No checks or anything!
I also am not enjoying work, had the most annoying time wasting meeting this morning. Come June I'm going to pack it in and be a WAHM. Can't wait...altho that'll bring it's on problems, but at least it'll be a change and I'll be at home.
Off to the seaside tomorrow!