June 2008: Nine months in, nine months out

[Essie3]

Here's to the next nine months!

lol Aberdeen - I know!!! I will read it but also read other things to to balance it out (I have Toddler Taming by Chris Green as well - have you read it?)

Phew, 5GoMad posted on the lambing - I was just about to. It's not one of these scares in pg like avoid cheese because you might get listeria (unlikely, small chance, but not worth risking) because with lambing ewes it's a real risk. To make matters worse, I know someone who caught it. About 15 years ago now, but it was horrific.
Very of your lambs, 5, and amazed that Amber said she 'always wanted to feed one'! My grandfather was a sheep farmer - one of the finest on Anglesey - and every year I got a lamb of my own. When I was born, he gave me the twin lambs from one of his Texel ewes, born on the same day as me, and that was what paid for my Masters! Tim has now admitted that he has never fed a lamb either! Come and visit and we can fix you up with one! Or visit 5 - with that many ewes there will be several bottle fed lambs!
Now when I see lambs in the fields I feel a mixture of happiness, but also a tinge of sadness because my grandfather died a few years ago and I will no longer have a lamb of my own.

Now I've forgotten everything I was going to say. Sorry to all those with babies who are unwell, and all those with sleep problems. Ali, was it better last night? Amber how did it go with the ignoring?

Essie - yes last night was good. Thanks for asking. 7 till 6 with one BF at 3. A couple of minutes (literally) to go to sleep and a bit of gentle grumbling at 8 and 9.30 that stopped within minutes. Such a transformation! Tonight DH put P to bed. He was asleep before I had switched my little buzzer on.

neenz I don't read parenting books anymore. I look for people who have lovely, well-adjusted kids and then just ask for advice.

5 I know exactly how S feels, boy it's miserable being sick and when they're so little, it must be so confusing for them.

Fraser's fever is gone!!!! It broke at 1am and even though he was up and down and in bed with me all night, I'm so happy because I'm not worried about him. There still might be a tummy thing happening, he has refused all solids for 24 hours now, and he definitely has a sinus cold, but I think we're on the mend. (Which means I can focus on myself a bit and realize how sick and bloody tired I am - but that's the same as most of you).

I'm so coming to visit Essie when Fraser's a bit older so that the boys can feed a lamb! Actually they are everywhere around here (500 yards from the house!) so I should go make friends with a farmer. We follow their tractors around anyways so I'm sure they recognize us already!

Ali hope last night went well again - it sounds like (fingers crossed) you're home free! (Well there's still the night bf but that's acceptable in our house).

We are getting 2 at the end of lambing so we can feed for the freezer.

this is why I am a failed vegetarian, my first thought is ohh! how great!

Aberdeen - pleased he is on the mend. Didn't realize you were feeling poorly too. Hope today is better all round.

Five - LOL re the freezer.

Last night was better again. 7 till 7 with one BF at 3.30 and under 5 mins of grumbling at 4.50. Not sure that we are home and dry, but I think I am ready to rejoin the land of the living. Aberdeen the HV said (reluctantly) to keep 1 night bf for now. If nothing else of it is giving my boobs a chance to readjust to not producing litres of milk all night.

ali I kept the night BF for DS1 until he was a year and am planning to do the same this time. It sucks but I think my boys need it. It must depend so much on the kid...

If they want it they want it bugger what the health visitir says but glad everyone seems to be on the mend.

Update here - things move quickly in the Fletcher household, this weekend we have started CC, Ethan is commando crawling, and we're slipping over to the BLW camp!

CC -grumbles at bedtime and I only had to get up and do the shushing thing at 4.00 for about 30 minutes in total, he was all night in his own cot - hurrah. But it is so hard , you feel so bad don't you.

BLW - after days of refusing food and stressful mealtimes for everyone I tried BLW/finger foods, and so far it's a success (but what a mess)

ABdn - hope you feel better soon

Aberdeen - I'm not in a hurry to drop the night feed. After months of being woken 3+ times a night, once seems entirely reasonable

Deb - an exciting weekend. Glad the CC was worth the pain. It doesn't feel good doing it does it. I will tell P that his birthday buddy is on the move to see if it motivates him. Infact he has got much more mobile in the last week. Lots of bum shuffling and pulling himself up on things. He is v annoyed with his efforts to crawl especially when he spends 10mins edging towards the DVDs only for me to move him back to the middle of the rug.

So glad the CC is working so well!! I have felt so bad for ages using it myself thinking 'everyone thinks I am a terrible mum' because everyone else seemed so happy to be getting up all night . Last night was better for us, up just once each and going back to sleep straight after their feed which was not the case just days ago (hours of crying). No need for Calpol or Medised last night! So must be on the mend. I am happy to get up once each, it is just when it is more than once each that I think this has got to stop!

Been to SIL's baby's baptism today which has been lovely. The DTs have been very well behaved, just in the middle of their tea now, so better get back to it.

DH has just said 'wehat are you doing?' 'Ha ha,' I said 'what do you think?' Sending a message on MN?' he said

He knows me too well.

Got to go now and give the DTs their Oatibix!

Abdn, know exactly what you mean about finding people with nice kids and asking them - that is my sister, who lent me the books. She is like something off a TV show - perfect mum!!! Her kids are just lovely.

It is not commando crawling it is LEOPARD CRAWLING

Hi all, just a quick check in .

5, thanks for clarifying the lamb thing - although I still don't understand the leopard crawling!! Alex looks much more like a commando than a leopard - leopard makes me think of grace and there's not much graceful about my little tonka!

Essie, that's so sweet about having your own lamb - made me go all mushy!

AH, how crap about your dh - that must be so hard when he just disappears with no warning. Glad to hear the boys are on the mend though.

Neenz, I've also read Biddulph - v anti childcare, esp for boys. But I agree with AH, I generally tend to avoid parenting books, it's just that this one was given to me by a friend!

As for the CC thing - everyone is ready to do it in their own time I think, no one was judging you!

Rolf, sorry you're feeling so low. Sleep deprivation is hard enough with one so god knows how you cope with four .

Deb, an exciting weekend at your house by the sounds of it!

Ali, your CC is going great guns - well done Peter!

As for me, I'm ok, thanks for asking - have been keeping busy and trying to be positive. Dh is being very positive and has already started checking out double buggies! I can't think beyond Tuesday and realistically I'll only be six and a half weeks even then. It's going to be a long nine months!

Five - as I typed commando I thought shall I put /leopard but I couldn't be bothered!!

Ali - don't worry he's not leaving Peter behind , he's only done it twice and it causes lots of crying tears of frustration as he's not quick enough.One night feed is perfectly reasonable.

Neenz - glad you enjoyed the baptism and you had a better night.

only 2 more sleeps Sponge - not long now.

Thanks Deb, I know - two more sleeps!

Btw, Neenz (and any other G & S fans!), have you seen this: Horne and Corden?

There is a clip of the show in the thread - it looks absolutely crap! Think they should have stuck to the sit com personally. Looks like they're trying to copy Little Britain - and you know what I think of that!!

Apparently the army call what we call commando crawsling leopard crawling.

I see! That makes more sense!

neenz you're doing a modified CC anyways since you still are happy to feed them at night if you think they need it. Your two are getting all the attention they need - and there's nothing wrong with being firm about sleep! We've always done it so aside from when there's been a major upset, we've not had to CC. (ignoring the fact that Fraser needed to eat 2-3x a night up until recently - but at least he only woke for food).

sponge the only realistic option is the phil 'n teds. Want to buy a very well-used one for cheap? I'll be selling mine around then and am not expecting to get much for it as I'm not exactly easy on it... fingers still crossed for you!

DH got home tonight - we're very surprised! They normally don't have flights on the weekend so I'm very pleased -especially as he's off to Norway later in the week for a meeting and it's nice to have him home for a couple nights first.

(and what I meant to say there - but somehow didn't is a big thank you to everyone for all the support! it really threw me this weekend and mn made me feel less alone wrt Fraser's fever. I hate making decisions about my kids health without talking to others!)

Abdn - glad he's home

Night from hell last night. Couldn't ignore him as he was as sick as a dog yesterday - really bad projectile vomit. Potentially may need to purchase a new car seat. Still i have lovely hair (dyed and cut). Luke's crying now and I'm ignoring. We'll see hopw it goes. Amazing how much worse baby sick is on solids.