Jan 09 - weaning,smiling,laughing and chatting and loads more fun to come:)

[stripeywoollenhat]

there.

Keeping everything crossed for you Dog. Spink I get my boys a cheaper version of crocs off ebay every year they love them until we arrive at the beach, then they complain that the sand is getting in! They also love the little jibbitz/charms that you can decorate them with, they have little vw campers on theirs.

They have some here

and

here

Alternatively the official crocs website is here

and these people have a sale on some of the kids crocs at the moment jellyegg

Quite fancy the cypress crocs in black meself.

Tree weird how they like Daddy's armpit isn't it, dd always goes off to sleep best buried under there - must be pheromones or summat.

Changed my mind, bizarrely prefer them in silver.

Routines... er, remind me

No really DS kind of has one - he has gone back to 3 naps from 2 so generally naps around 9.30/10am for 45 mins and then a long nap, sometimes a couple of hours at lunchtime follwed by another 45 mins at about 3pm. Sometimes the longer nap is the late afternoon one instead of lunchtime. He is a light sleeper though and far too interested in everything that goes on to nod back off once he has really woken unless he's in the car where there is nought interesting.

He has started going down at more like 6.45pm now, and will sleep until 1/2/3am ish if he isn't disturbed. If DH comes to bed tramping hippo like across our creaky floorboards he wakes then and I look like this --> at DH in the dark.

Sleep cues - well he has his nounou (dummy) but he spits it so often he may aswell not. Much prefers his thumb, but having been a thumb sucker myself and the daughter of an orthodontist - not a good combination - I'd rather he had his dummy. Plus the SIDS research on them is so consistent it is hard to ignore. I want him to have his doudou soon but am not sure when it is safe. Anyone know? Was such a fab sleep cue for DD who would drop off the minute she got hers clutched in her hand - just what you need when you've got a grizzly overtired toddler in need of a nap. And a lifesaver if away and out of the normal routine. We had two for DD, but the swine caught on and now has to have one in each hand Other than that I just play music for both of them to drift off to at night (not for naps) which we find reassuring too as our monitors often go out of range with thick stone walls so at least we know they are working. [oddball mother emoticon]]

Dog Hope it all goes smoothly - you sound like you heart is firmly set.

Spink Let me know how the crocs go down - I'm always eyeing them for DD but wonder if she is too little.

Talking of sleeping - anyone else having mutiny with back sleeping? DS is insistent on sleeping on his side atm, I roll him onto his back once he has gone off if he hasn't rolled himself when he goes into a deep sleep in the flat out baby pose, but I seem to remember DD becoming a tummy sleeper around now and in the end I would just leave her to it. He can roll both ways so I guess it is out of my hands how he nods off, I'll just keep rolling him back for now.

Sleep cues. I found with both boys that singing them the same little trio of songs every night when they were just drifting off worked like a charm. After a few weeks I only had to get a few bars in and they would be deeply asleep. Twas fantastic if we were staying away from home or needed them to drop off in the car on a long journey.

At 7 and 5 now they still drop off against their will when I sing those songs to them, despite the fact that ds1 asked me not to sing one of them anymore as it made him feel sad because the man is missing his lady (Nancy Spain). Daddy generally does the bedtime routine with them now and then they get Whisky in the Jar which doesn't have the same effect.

Song most guaranteed to knock them out in this house is the Galway Shawl.

lenni we are already using a doudou... well, a forggy from ikea actually, but hey.. there is an age limit?
eek- he has had his for a good few weeks, maybe 5 or so, and he loves it- really hugs that little froggy. When its harder for him to drop off (over-tired, or stimulated) he covers his eyes with the fabric... so sweet. He also likes to turn his head so that the frog's head is on his forehead- as if he were sleeping in my arms...

We have music too to drift off to... but that is really to cover up dd's noise, rather than anything else- he always drops off without during the night, or when she is at nursery.
DD always drops off more quickly with music when she is manic- always the same 3 cds that she's had since birth (2 of them were cds I listened to loads in the final months of pg... which crazy as it seems, she seemed to know and recognise once she was born- really- always became calm when I put them on, which was nothing short of a miracle really with her!)

Routine... well- ds feeds roughly every 3 hours still, so he gets up, has milk, then play, change, play, then after about an hour to hour and a half goes back for a nap. He goes down just after dd, so around 7pm, then 2 feeds in the night atm around 1 and around 5, then up around 8... of course this will all change tomorrow as dd is back at nursery school, and I can't feed him at 8 as I'll be on the school run. He does have a lot of naps... but dd always needed a lot of sleep too (though she didn't get it until around 8mo)- DH and I like our sleep though so we're not surprised NONE of us are morning people!

EPPM - how gorgeously cute..

Have been waiting to do that for weeks but had the fear. Thank you

Dog Sorry to hear your still in house of Pox. Esme in Cot- has been for well over a month now! Can't recommend Jumperoo by fisher price enough!!!!!

Tree i personally didn't mean to head to a routine, but i think Esme seems really happy for it. It really makes my life easier, as if she cries, i only need to look at the clock to realise its either approaching a time she usually feeds or naps. I know its not everybody's idea of parenting, but its not like i forced her into a routine, she sort of evolved it herself. Good luck trying to set one up!!

Spink We have only had the jumperoo a few days, but its probarly one of the best buys i've made. I'd also say i think i would happily have paid full price for it if i'd known how much she would LOVE it! Plus she is on the smallest baby setting, it adjusts as your baby grows. I'm sure you could pick up a second hand one from nct, or ebay or something? Afraid i'm no use on the Crocs. Sure somewhere online will stock them though if you Google it?! Good luck!

Lenni no side sleeping in our camp as Esme is wedged with one of those Teddy Bolsters. (Teddy Cal i believe its called by Red Castle) Maybe worth a look?

Our new lightweight pram/stroller for Disney arrived the other day. We have an out and about nipabout for day to day, which Esme is still in the pram section, want to keep her laying flat for as long as possible. Been VERY happy with it, but the idea of train, tube, eurostar with that wasn't nice. So ordered a stroller that goes into a BAG its brilliant. Searched high and low for one that laid flat, as obviously want her to take naps flat. finally found the petite star zia stroller. Folds into a back pack sized bag with back straps. Great for tubing it!!!

Have just had a lovely dinner outside with OH. Have been discussing wedding (almost all major things planned- venue been booked for some time) and Hen and Stag Dos. Oh has decided wants to go to Vegas.... for 3 nights. Am pleased, as was just going to go out in Brighton. Which while fun, we lived NR. Brighton for so long it was nothing special. I want his Stag to be memorable. For my Hen, i think we're hiring a villa in portgual. I'm not a drinker, not interested in a big night out, a week by the pool relaxing would be FAR more up my street. Am DREAMING of next summer..... Bar 3 days in Disney we aren't getting away at all. Doesn't sound like a big deal, but given that OH works (trains) Christmas day, Easter, 7 days a week, the works, the 3 weeks he has off in the summer is precious time.

Well i've rambled far too much about...er... blah.

Hope your all wellxxxx

I just make sure it's not over his face when I leave the room. He has a dummy too, which I used to be really against... until we had dd when tbh I would have done anything to stop the screaming... she never took a dummy though. Thing is- with having dd too, I cannot be a human dummy this time round, and both of mine are very sucky babies. I am interested about 'nipple confusion' though... DS always indicates when he wants the dummy not milk- he does a different thing with his mouth, and makes noises to tell me 'no mama, not nipple-dummy!'- he really knows when he wants to suck not eat. Often he wants to have a 5 minute suck after feeding- just while he snuggles in my arms, then he spits it out and is ready to play.

It's this froggy one btw- I checked and it says from birth. They also have a rabbit but it has blue on and I wanted to be gender neutral.

Oh and spink - one of the mumsnet partners does crocs, so there is a discount available if you are a subscriber. I'm afraid I'm in the anti-croc camp, sorry- on looks not practicality

Yes - DS does the "dummy not nipple please" thing too. In fact, if I miss it and he gets milk he spits it out like it is the most disgusting thing he has ever tasted he then looks at me like with this look of disgust as if to say "Come on Mummy, get with the programme. Where is my nounou?" And when it arrives he does those contented sucks like Maggie off the Simpsons before spitting it out within a minute or two.

Ah... I actually miss him when he's in bed... such a different babyhood to dd's I am constantly amazed that some babies (ie ds) wake with a smile!

dog thats a cute little cow ... hope you hear about house tomorrow

This is dd1's Moo A giraffe but nobody tell her!

I looked and searched and foraged and eventually found another on ebay in France. It is stashed in case of Moomer loss. Though hers is now grey, bare, abou to get a hole, it had taggies that are now worn away.....

We had a very very traumatic loss in Bruges - I took her for a girlie weekend on the Ferry adn Moo's friend Bee got lost.

You can imagine. I have learnt that if your child looks like they will attach to something......go buy another and stash it. Go tomorrow. It isn't worth the heartache believe me. Even now when we see Bee in pics we all feel a bit glum after her.

Ray - think I will start taking more notice of the time. I stopped as it was making it all seem so much worse, in the bad bad old days before dairy free mummy milk. It would be nice to have bit of a pattern, and there may be one I am missing. So I will start paying attention.
Your hen do sounds lush, I know you were gutted about your holiday so think your hen do is a great idea.

I know when Hatts wants boob out dummy in as she starts to nibble. ouch!! Have 2 sore ones this eve, so tried her on the prescription formula from a bottle. Didn't go well. It tastes sour and yeasty to be fair. Yak!

She's a sad soul today with needing a poo. Jess back from a night a nannas, full of news and fun. Got her lovely Monsoon flip flops for her holidays on our day out yesterday, she loves them but can't actually walk or tolerate them between her toes.

Violet rarely wakes unhappy. right now she is doing the cute cooing and growling on the floor while chewing her toes. boy she is loud and chatty.

Violet is such a lovely name.

Am currently freaking about immunisations. Dd1 had all of hers.

DD2 is behind with her 3rd lot as she had shnuffles at every clinic time.

The MMR is worrying me due to her gut issues. Sigh. Beats worrying about redundancy I guess. It's not for 10 months!! It is there though, at back of mind, grubbing away saying 'worry, go on, worry'

Tut

Chef Esme too is discovering her tootsies! :-) So cute! She has developed a new high pictched Coo..... Eeeek!

Tree i wouldn't hang yourself up on Clock watching- You wont enjoy H. Maybe just have a think of how long she happily stays awake before getting cranky, and sort of find a routine around what seems to suit her. Military style routines are going to be hard to keep to anyway, unless you never leave the house, or have anything to do! With DD1 i think thats unlikely. We too are having trouble in the Poo department. It seems to be since her 3rd lot of jabs. She is going for poos.... but its taking a HUGE amount of straining, crying and going purple in the face. I wonder if i should up MY fibre even more and maybe some OJ or something ... I think i'd rather the runs than blockages!?!?...i think?!

Dummies Pre- Esme i was ABSOLUTELY totally set against them. But... We used one for about the first 2 months of Esme's life, but only after her Bath. Post Bath she would HOWL when getting out until fed. But one day she just clamped down on it and spat it accross the room, the same the next evening.....and she hasn't had anyhting to do with it since. Shes a hand sucker...not thumb... just randomly whatever part of her hand (and as much of it as possible) she can shove into her mouth!!!! Silly girl!

Another BEAUTIFUL day here.... Off to lay things out to pack for Disney. Am aiming to pack VERY lightly! The nice weather forecast helps!

Could anyone with any ideas let me know...

How to cool Esme's nursery at night

Just pooping in quickly, will catch up later...
Ray When we lived in Hong Kong it was super hot when DD was tiny, 30-40 degress and humid. We had aircon , but you need to install a shaft/vent for it to blow all the warm air out of, either making a hole in the ourside wall or in a window...not really worth it for a few weeks of hot weather and the air con air is really dry and horrible, made DD cough a lot. Also air con units are genrally pretty noisey, so might disturb dd's sleep.
With DD I just used an electric fan, on most of the time, to cool the air, kept on at night, but not blowing directly on her. Also she uust slept in a nappy or a vest at the very most, no covers or blankets or anything.

A dehumidifier can also cool things down, might be a cheaper alternative...HTH

hi

toys - bought a couple opf new toys for bracken when pregnant - pink soft electronic vtech phone, vtech pink musical hard book,jungly soft apple,lamaze - mortimer moose and purple elephant,pink taggy doll,lamaze colourful soft play cube,lamaze magenetic stacking bugs,lamaze fish bowl,nct picked up a manhattan skwish and a couple of other bits. all rest of toys she has are dd1s

sleeping - brackens room gets to 27 degrees, make sure she sleeps in just short sleeved vest and lightweight sleeping bag.

dd1 back @ nursery

2 days till britney
4 days till my bday

Ray - room cooling. Are top floor is very warm, it sort of super heats as south facing and loads of windows, plus the air comes straight up from the floor through the landing.

Only way I have been able to cool the house is leave an upstairs window at the front and at the back a tiny bit open and then the doors open too. It seems to suck air throught the house making it fresh.

Hope you hear Dog.

Hi,

Started the sugar detox. Small bowl of porridge for breakfast, then school run, then walked to the next village to stock up on salad and wholemeal pittas (got a supermarket and greengrocer in my village but wanted to kick start the walking). Managed to walk just under 4 miles so am quite pleased with myself really.

Got back and realised I hadn't done a weigh-in so just weighed myself. Being realistic, I need to lose 1 stone 3lbs to get back to where I was when I last felt even a little bit happy with myself. In fantasy land, I would like to lose about 2 and a half stone.

Am absolutely flippin starving now though and have just scoffed wholegrain ryvita with light philadelphia, tomato and avocado.

How ya doin' Pat - still starting today?

We also have a ridiculously hot bedroom, as it overlooks the garden, which is south facing and has 3 external walls. We have both windows open with the curtains drawn and a fan circulating the cool air. We also have the landing window and front bedroom windows open all day as well for a through draft. DD is sleeping in a short sleeved body suit and 1.0 tog sleeping bag, but am buying her a couple of half tog bags today.

hi

at new name Julie

Fingers crossed Dog.