Dec 08- Must keep chocolate & cheerfulness near, teething time is nearly here!

[pmk1]

Right.... back to post the link now!

Happy for others to bring DH/Ps, but I will CERTAINLY not be bringing mine.

SirT's current location

WG: that sounds terrifying. Thank God for nice neighbours. Ours came to the fore when DH locked himself out and I was 100 miles away (with DS, luckily) and helped him break in with the aid of an NHS card and a tin of kosher tomatoes. People will tell you this never happens in London cos all your neighbours are psychopaths and/or out working all day.

Love the idea of a bbq, not sure DH would be up for it as he is an antisocial bugger. A trip to the races on the other hand...

I was going to post a grump about how DH is always working and I rarely get a break, but I've spent an afternoon walking through the marshes and drinking tea in the park while DH has been writing about carparks .

Any tips on which hoss to lose money on tomorrow?

I'm so far behind and still reading but just wanted to say PMK do you have some cardboard and bluetac or even sticky tape you could cut the cardboard to the size of the skylight and stick it on it???

Sorry about your fight DH has a mysoginist (sp) friend who used to live with us he drove me mental and we us and we used to fight about him all the time I won't go on about his faults as it would fill a page but I know where you are coming from.

Ladies with dads who run or love trains can I get them to adopt ds1 as a grandson it makes me a little sad that my boys don't have any real grand dad input and never will really and a grandad like your dads would be brilliant.

Right back to catch up more.

I'm so far behind and still reading but just wanted to say PMK do you have some cardboard and bluetac or even sticky tape you could cut the cardboard to the size of the skylight and stick it on it???

Sorry about your fight DH has a mysoginist (sp) friend who used to live with us he drove me mental and we us and we used to fight about him all the time I won't go on about his faults as it would fill a page but I know where you are coming from.

Ladies with dads who run or love trains can I get them to adopt ds1 as a grandson it makes me a little sad that my boys don't have any real grand dad input and never will really and a grandad like your dads would be brilliant.

Right back to catch up more.

Oh and hooray Verso you made my morning when I read your first post.

Pmk if the Veggies come Mr PMK can talk to Mr Veggie he will talk sports and fitness til the cows come home. He's not a cycling purest as we a triathletes in the veggie house but cycling is his strongest leg. Mr PMK doesnt have to even talk much, Mr veggie could talk the hind legs off a donkey. Although I warn you he may sign the PMKs up to a tour de France holiday as we have been meaning to do it for years.

Oh Kayz how exciting, although don't hole our much hope for the match tickets unless they are tied in the FA cup as Newcastle will be championship next season I fear.

Right still catching up.

Hooray I'm caught up Kayz I can't view it on my itouch as I need to download something like a PDF thingy.

Had other stuff to add but have to get ready as I'm going out!!!!! Hooray just down the road with some girls and just for a few hours. Luckily we live quite close to some nice bars so I can have a couple of glasses and if ds2 wakes I can easily pop back.

On the BLW book I think some of these patenting books have so liittle that hey actually have to write that they have to waffle on to fill the book. The allergy thing is funny as DH is gluten intolerant but he is constantly putting up with dodgy belly just so he can have pzza or bread. I will use it for simple reason that puree feeding was such a disaster with ds1 and we are still dealing with the fall out from it. In addition to what effie said I would say be relaxed and do what you are comfortable with whether it's purees BLW or atkins. Obvioulsy do what the LOs are gong for but to have to be comfortable with the approach you take or it just won't work.

Oh and on cup use we started ds1 at around 6 months with water and just tried loads of different types of cup until we found what he was comfortable with. Find out if friends have any you could try to save buying loads of different ones.

evening ladies

DH is out (end of term drinks...) and the girls are in bed so it's me and the lap top tonight!

day 3 of Operation Bottle...I tried the new teat (a Nuk one) which she pushed around her mouth and chewed on a bit, but I think she did one actual suck! We will get there in the end She just likes boobs!

Kayz that's exciting about your bro

WG how horrifying for you . So glad it all turned out fine in the end - it'll be one of those stories you'll tell in years to come...

veggie I'm sure my dad would gladly adopt your ds1 as a grandson for train purposes! He's trying his best with Lucy and she does have a train set but at the end of the day if it isn't pink and princessy it just doesn't cut the mustard (is that a phrase? it seems weird now I've written it!)

jolly - I never got Lucy any non-spill cups because they're harder to drink from like you said. i think non-spill is just designed for the parents' benefit. I've bought just a free flow 4 month one to try with P but I don't want to just yet. She seems too young to me!

Trace - I second Kim's recommendation of the Playtex bottles. DD2 refused every other bottle but will happily chew/suck these. It still takes hours though. 100ml of milk can take 40 mins to get down her even when I use the faster teats. Its quite weird given she can empty a nork in 5 minutes flat. Good luck with it all.

Well day one of potty training went very, very well. Not one accident . I am sure its beginner's luck and tomorrow the novelty will have worn off and DD1 will be depositing gifts for me in all sorts of places. In fact its guaranteed as DH is away at a wedding all day (he was home today).

Am loving the idea of a MN BBQ. DH and I will have to pass on the sports chat though, we are both couch potatoes (actually that does not stop DH going on about cricket and rugby for HOURS so he will be fine).

I hope everyone has restful nights. DD2 has already woken twice and its only 9pm. I am not feeling at all hopeful about tonight. Shit, as I typed that she started again...

arti - thanks for the bottle advice. Just looking on the website - is it the Drop-ins bottle? Where did you get yours from? Hope your dd2 is getting all her night waking out of her system now then she's going to give you a lovely long stint!
Am watching Supernanny - always makes me feel better about my own offspring!

Lol! This BBQ idea with the Mr Mumsnetters has really taken off! Oh Lady, no Mr ladyT then?
Veggie I didn't think about the cardboard thing, but DH wants to put black rubbish bin bags up there, but I think he'd have nightmares! Trouble is, it's a really big skylight, and it's up really high but I still want to be able to open it during daytime as I like him knowing the difference between "naps" and "don't wake up for 10 hours" if you know what I mean! I think I might just get a dark sheet and some nails Funny you should say about the Veggie household being Triathaloners - friends of ours are coming to visit this weekend and 'Mr' is big into triathalons (so is Mrs but just had a baby)and he has been trying to get Mrpmk to enter the Ironman UK with him! Mr pmk won't as he isn't strong at swimming and running! Anyway, Mrpmk doesn't have to be asked twice to do anything cycling related, so France holiday talk would be welcomed I'd say! He is currently trying to convince me he needs to buy £400 wheels (which apparently were £800 and I said he has to put together a power point presentation for me
Trace LOL at babyTrace only liking the boob

B has been miserable today.... sniffling, coughing etc... I have some Calpol but he really needs Calcold. I looked on Boots website, and the write up about it sayd "from 6 months" but on the box it says "from 3 months" I'm enclined to believe the actual product though! asked DH to bring some back on the way home, but he's still stuck at work B took forever to settle tonight, but is now out. I'm going to leave him until a bit later for the last feed - Maybe 11pm and see if that makes a difference...

Hi everyone, have been lurking this week but not posting (can read whilst feeding DD, but can?t type!!). I hope you?re all well?

We?ve just settled DD in her own room for the first time tonight, she?s gone off to sleep very well so we?re hoping the night goes well Wish us luck!

Hurrah for Verso?s great night?s sleep . And for Daisy, Effie and MOM too

Have had a wistful look at the Dec 09 thread and our first Dec 08 thread too ? this time last year DD was just a tiny cluster of cells that we didn?t even know about. I told her that today, she looked unimpressed

Trace I?m thinking of trying a cup too, as we?re still battling to get DD to take a bottle. I?d be very interested to hear how you get on. Although we did have some progress with the bottle this week ? she happily sat with it in her mouth, rather than screaming like the world is ending, but didn?t suck anything from it. Will keep trying

Hi modernlove, good to hear from you again and well done on the breast feeding

Trace/Veggie/Jolly I also have a train freak Dad, who would probably love to adopt your DS Veggie. I was a little scared to tell him he had a grand-daughter, cause he?d been setting up his model railway again since we told him we were expecting! His response was ?girls can like trains too?, I?m not sure what gave him that idea as neither me or my sister ever showed any interest. He never had anything like your Dad?s pulley system though Trace

I?m another one who loves the first smile of the morning, its gorgeous when I peep into the moses basket and DD stops talking to the ceiling and gives me a big gummy grin to start the day, she?s beautiful [soppy]

LadyT and Ros sorry you?ve had such crappy days with your DP/DH ? I hope they?ve both suitably apologised this evening?

On weaning, I?m quite looking forward to puree-ing and mashing, so I hope DD is a baby who likes all that and not one who goes straight into ?proper? food. Am I little deluded?

WG how scary for you! It reminded me of that scene in Friends where Ross and Rachel get locked and imagine lots of horrific scenarios for the baby, but she?s fast asleep, oblivious to all the panic. Funny, if it?s not you

Arti good luck with potty training

I?ve heard today that my friends 4 year old DD has broken her leg, is in pot up to her hip and can?t put any weight on it for 6 weeks , she was bouncing on her bed and bounced right off it (which would be quite funny if it wasn?t so sad). Apparently she?s bored senseless already, which doesn?t surprise me as everything she does involves skipping or dancing or running or jumping. We?d planned to meet up next week, so I need suggestions for an entertaining gift for a bed bound little girl ? what would your DD?s love?

Anyway, off to bed now ? to read in bed I?m looking forward to that far too much, after 3 months with DD by my side!

Traceface I use the Playtex Nurser bottles with the Drop-ins. They're nice because you throw out the liner after each use and you only have to wash the teats. You can also use breast milk storage bags in them as well. I got mine back in the States, but Turnip had mentioned she'd seen them in a chemist near her.

LadyT Sorry about your row with DP.

arti hooray for the good potty training day!

MN BBQ sounds great! We should totally do one! DH probably wouldn't join in on the sports talk much. He's not a sports fan. But if it has anything to do with art, music or philosophy... he can talk for ages!

DS finally took a massive poo! Bit worried because it was bright green! Must be from not going poo for a few days. It was quite funny though because as soon as he did it he passed out. I bet he feels SOOO much better.

Hi girls, have finally recovered from my night out and am back in the frame.

My neighbour tells me that she particularly enjoyed my 3am rendition of "Rhinestone Cowboy". I felt awful as it was so late and my volume control was clearly not working but she said that the thought of me taking 3 kids to nursery a mere 4 hours after going to bed plastered more cheerful than was decent was too good to suppress a smile! I only drove today though, so worried was I about alcohol etc. Doesn't bode well for fatties thread.

Hope all are well. I'll post properly le weekend.

arti - yay for the beginnings of potty training! my dh will keep yours company on the cricket and rugby (although he is welsh so the latter may be coming from a different angle)

zj - reading in bed... sigh... how i long for that day, although not for the day i put madam in her own room and close the door - my heart sinks a little at the thought. she'll be having sex at college soon.

sybil - well done on the whole glen campbell thing - and for having such an understanding neighbour. will you be doing a rendition at the bbq?

oh yes, and you may have noticed the time - the god of irony is laughing at me again. everyone else is still asleep.

here is a link to make you laugh. have been trawling mn for something to read and this has now made me laugh so much i may have woken dd and dh up.

that's all I'm saying...

...and again

but thanks for the link wg - made me smile. "human food" lol.

Verso sorry you'rehope you again soon.

Sybil I second that - I can't wait to hear a bit of Glenn Campbell at the BBQ! I have Singstar, and I could probably rustle up some cowboy boots and spurs
DH will join in on the rugby chat too that's for sure....

lady THANK YOU!! He finally dropped off around 8pm, and didn't wake until 11 so was able to push his last feed back until then. DH put him down as I was on the phone, asleep in 2 mins and not a peep until 0610!! Happy days in the pmk house!

Now I can't get that song out of my head - or the visual of Sybil doing her version!!

Sigh. Another unsettled night for us. And I'm beginning to hate weekends

morning [in dull, dreary, squinty-eyed fashion]

I'm with you Verso. Every hour last night with one glorious 2 hour gap. Have tried to express a little this morning to try her with day 4 Operation Bottle at her next feed, but oddly enough there's barely a drop in there!
I was rather horrified at one point in the night - found blood on her sheet where she has been slobbering and so grabbed her to find out if it was from mouth or nose, only to find she had used her razor sharp nails to gouge a hole in her cheek. Phew!

I have questions for the experienced expressers...

1. how long can it stay at room temperature? If there's only 2 hours between expressing and giving it, can it just stay out or does it need to be in the fridge and then warmed?
2. If I express say an ounce at 7, then another ounce at 9 and another at 11, can I keep the bottle in the fridge and keep adding each ounce to it, or do they need to all be in separate bottles?

dd1 demanding me...back v soon

oh Effie sorry yours was a bad'un too

DD1 has been given 'Floppy' to look after for the Easter Hols - thankfully he's only a soft toy who appears in the books they're reading at school, but I'm feeling the responsibility all the same! He's a bit smelly and I'm dying to chuck him in the washer but am a bit nervous of destroying him!
My parents are coming over from Manchester today and have offered to look after the girls so DH and I can go out for lunch, but as my boobs are not detachable then it's not really an option!

Morning,

I am a bit this morning. MIL had DS1 yesterday and she asked when we wanted him home. So we said by 7 as he goes to bed at half 7. He came home at 5 PAST 9!!!! I am really really pissed off about it.

I have just done 30 minutes of my exercise dvd and I feel like I have been hit by a bus. But in a good way!

Verso Sorry you are , hope you cheer up soon!!

Hope you are all ok. Love the idea of a MN BBQ

verso/effie/trace so sorry to hear you all had bad nights - do take every opportunity to rest today

trace if you're knackered I'm not surprised you couldn't express anything this morning, I really struggle to get anything out if I'm remotely tired, and you sound way beyond that. Can your DH look after the girls for an hour this morning, while you have a lie down and eat something robust? That seems to work to increase my supply. On your other questions;

• I think you can keep it at room temperature for up to 6 hours (we have done and DD was fine).
• I don't think you can keep topping up the bottle, you'll have to store all those ounces separately, but you can mix them in the bottle at the time you feed DD. However if your DD is still not happy with the bottle, just try an ounce at a time, then you don't have to throw away the leftovers (the most demoralising thing IMO)

(It might be worth checking with others on these, in case I'm doing it wrong) Good luck