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F(l)ab Feb 2009: Primark pants and teething rants

993 replies

dinkystinky · 04/06/2009 19:42

A brand new sparkling thread to mark the four month mark for our bubs

OP posts:
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mslucy · 12/06/2009 19:37

LBB. I bought some baby cereal today.
My hungry baby is eating me alive and I think he needs food (though not banana as that makes him puke .

I know you're supposed to wait til 6 months but everyone I've spoken to seems to fess up to feeding their babies waaaay before this (and their kids aren't dead).

Looking forward to curry after pushy mothers (which was hardcore) followed by kids' party (also hardcore esp the bit that involved dragging DS1 home after tons of sugar).

A glass or two wouldn't go amiss either.

dinkystinky · 12/06/2009 19:43

MsLucy - we started DS1 on baby rice at about 5 months as the milk alone wasnt cutting it for him anymore. If Stan's ready he'll take to it - and if not, well you can keep it for another couple of weeks and then try again.

Yes, I too am looking forward to a large glass of wine after Danny screaming most of the way round Pushy Mothers today - and most of the way home - and most of the afternoon once we got home... Poor little fella...

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littleboyblue · 12/06/2009 19:58

mslucy I'm not one of those 26 weeks nazis or anything, but no matter what Luke thinks, I don't think he's ready just yet, but maybe after a couple of weeks on hungry milk, if there's no difference, I might start giving him a bit of solids.
I started ds1 at about 5.5 months as felt he was ready then, and like I said before he took to it really well and really quickly.
Luke did try to make a grab for my garlic bread at dinner though

I'm just off to open a bottle of wine. I'm looking for a new one that I like so am working my way through all the cheapos, see if I find anything decent (doubtful I know)

Cocodrillo · 12/06/2009 20:19

I weaned my other two from about 4 months, but I'm liking the idea of BLW so keen to hold out to close as poss to 6 months this time. No point starting now as DS doesn't know his arse from his elbow, so even if he could eat food he couldn't get it into his mouth. He accidently took his dummy out his mouth earlier, he looked stunned to see his arm waving around with a dummy in it!

dinky i have mixed feelings about the bottle-feeding. DS is fine with it, and he's v hungry so I think it's filling him up more, but I can't help feeling a bit guilty and sort of nostalgic (the last time I will ever breastfeed, sob). But when he's having one of his rare breastfeeds I feel pleased for him, but uncomfortable in myself IYSWIM? And I'm always so paranoid that I've drunk too much caffeine, too much wine, eaten too many biscuits, so my milk would be too sugary/boozy whatever that it's not worth it. It brings out the OCDness in me, and makes me miserable!

Does Danny take any EBM in a bottle now? I would introduce a bottle asap if not, as a friend of mine went back to work at 6 months and assumed her DS would take EBM out of a bottle but he outright refused, and just held out till she got back from work - very stressful for her and for her CM. I introduced the bottle at 4 wks, as DD1 was very reluctant to take a bottle, and would NEVER drink EBM for some reason - I only managed to get her to drink out of a bottle by introducing some formula at 4 months - I partly bf her till 7 months though.

PinkTulips · 12/06/2009 20:33

i did blw at 5.5 months (22 weeks)

ds1 was 9kgs, sitting by himself and stole my food off my plate and ate it so i decided 'screw it, he's clearly able and willing!)

i'm hoping aaron holds off til 6 months though as i really do hate weaning

Cocodrillo · 12/06/2009 20:42

i really hate the mess of weaning.

gah am supposed to be revising.

littleboyblue · 12/06/2009 20:45

PT Think that's what my issue is to re weaning, not so much if Luke's ready, I'm not ready!
Can't believe I've put myself right back at the tough stage again. Oh well. And I had weaning with ds1 really easy, never had a major issue with him really, but bet Luke'll be different.

I'm bored. The cork in my wine bottle crumbled when I tried to get it out, so had to throw it all away was looking forward to that all day!
Maybe I should just go to bed, read my book or something.

Cocodrillo · 12/06/2009 20:57

When I was a student that happened to me and me and and my flatmate spent about an hour literally digging the cork out with a teaspoon (for some reason) so as not to waste the precious wine. Oh, those were the days .

dinkystinky · 12/06/2009 21:07

Coco - am sure coming on MN is probably good revision for a psych exam. You certainly get all sorts on here Danny refuses to have a bottle at present (tried him at 8 weeks and was a big fat no, have tried another couple of times when I've been out at dentist or something and he's held out for a few hours till I got home) - he's basically a carbon copy of his big brother who refused bottles too while breast was on offer. As I went through months of anguish doing bottle battle with DS1 am not sweating it with Danny - we eventually got DS1 onto bottles by me disappearing for most of a weekend and DH hanging out with DS1 for the weekend with an array of bottles and a fridge full of EBM so I suspect we'll end up doing that again with Danny. Though if he doesnt take to the bottle wont be the end of the world - our nanny can feed him via cup (again have a brilliant array of those) and we'll cope somehow.

LBB - my top tip for cheap wines is scour the supermarkets to see what wines they have on offer - they do some really good wines at cheap prices when introducing them to the market - and if you find one you really like buy them in bulk while they are still on offer. Also screw caps are not necessarily a bad thing (particularly if Australian or NZ wines).

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littleboyblue · 12/06/2009 21:09

I much prefer screw-tops, some good wines have them now and os def easier, bought this bottle because it was under a fiver.
My tastes seem to hav changed though, I used to quite like Hardy's.

dinkystinky · 12/06/2009 21:28

The antipodeans figured out that screw tops can actually be better at preserving wines that are going to be drunk fairly quickly rather than corks (read huge article on it a few months back).

Coco - your tale reminded me of my room mate in uni in first year drunkenly trying to sieve a bottle of wine when the cork disintegrated

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Cocodrillo · 12/06/2009 21:37

schoolgirl error: you need a tea-strainer

elkiedee · 12/06/2009 22:51

LBB, well done on the not smoking.

I waited until 6 months and then gave ds1 a mix of food he could hold himself and commercial purees. Somewhat to my surprise, the first person to tell me about BLW was my stepmother, who showed me a newspaper article when we took ds1 to see her in Surrey - I always think of her as quite traditional in a lot of ways but maybe not. This time I hope not to bother much with the purees.

littleboyblue · 13/06/2009 02:37

dinky yes, they don't last long in this house! I think the problem was storage. You supposed to store wine bottles ideally upside down to keep cork moist and this bottle clearly wasn't, so if cork was too dry (which it was coz it crumbled) it would have allowed air into the bottle and wine would've been off anyway, so I supppose no great loss in the end.
coco will remember that

Re weaning, I'll do purees. I might offer him finger foods alongside with each meal, but the main part will be puree.
What about puddings? Ds1 had pudding with most meals, example of normal feeding at 6 months (IIRC)
7am - 7oz milk
9am - bowl of flavoured breakfast stuff (Hipp Organic similar to babyrice just not as gross)
12noon - Roughly 4oz puree, followed by pot of custard/fruit puree
3pm - 4oz of milk, only if ratty though, most days didn't want
5pm - 4oz puree followed by custard/fruit puree
7pm 7oz milk
I kept milk and solids seperate because to give milk alongside a meal was alot of food. Will prob try something similar but have a feeling Luke won't be as keen as ds1 was.

mumoverseas · 13/06/2009 14:29

morning all,
LBB, well done on keeping up the no smoking. How many stars on your chart now?

PT at your DS pinching your food so young!
H has been watching us eating for weeks now so we've just started giving him a little bit of fruit/vanilla custard baby food at tea time. He was obviously starving when we went out early this morning so might have to introduce mornings too although I'd rather wait until after Monday to get the funeral out of the way as will be rushing around a lot the next few days.

Yesterday was a very long day. Went down to mum's and was dreading going into the house as its where she died. DH managed to lighten the mood a bit though by dropping the door key onto the grate over a drain. When the clumbsy oaf went to pick it up it fell down the drain. There was a look of horror on his face and he then pulled the grate off and stuck his arm up to the elbow down it to try to retrieve the key. Thankfully he managed to get it but ended up with a particularly smelly arm which was covered in something pretty nasty.

Anyway, once we got into the house, we were more focused on cleaning him up and getting rid of the smell. I was gutted to find my brothers had cleared out a lot of stuff including the entire contents of upstairs (little bungalow with room up in loft) and had thrown out so many sentimental things, including the rosarys my DD asked me to get. I did however manage to find a few other rosarys and have kept one for DD1 and the other I put in mum's coffin. I had wanted her to keep her wedding ring but was overuled by my brothers who insisted it was removed which made me sad.

I found loads of photos of my mum and dad, including a lovely one of them with my brother who died aged 3 which was obviously taken at his christening. I grabbed boxes of photos and this morning went to see a photographer friends of DH's who managed to come out with some fabulous 8 x 10 prints from the tiny proofs I'd found and I had a few copies done for myself and brothers and had two laminated to put as a temporary gravemarker. Thought it would be nice as the three of them in the photo are all together in the grave.

Very mixed emotions going through mums stuff and what reduced me to tears was a bag I found in her wardrobe which was full of some clothes she'd obviously bought for DD2 and some brand new baby boy clothes aged 3 to 6 months and a little blue blanket with a teddy bear on. It meant the world to me that she had thought about Harrison and even though she'd been ill (she was admitted to hospital when he was just 3 days old and was in for 6 weeks) she'd made time to get to the shops and buy things for him. Priceless.
Also found her jewellery box and eventually the key which was a relief as my brother admitted he thought he might have thrown it out! Now there will no doubt be rows about who has what

Anyway, managed to get a few nice momentos for the kids, rosary for DD1 and my dad's set of dominos that he taught the kids to play with for DS1. Things that specifically remind them of nanny and grandad.
Found the doll that DD2 was supposed to have got for xmas from nanny (remember the stapler saga at xmas?) so I'm glad she has that and Harrison has his teddy comforter.

Went to the FD and spent around an hour in total with her. They wouldn't let mem see her but they put in cards that DCs 1 and 2 had written and I wrote a note from DD2 and DS2 and put in photos and her rosery and also a copy of the poems that she'd written when her first son died. Took DD2 and DS2 in as it was closed coffin and DD was as good as gold and said 'goodbye nanny' which was sweet. I held DS up and gently sat him on the lid of the coffin and told him it was his nanny and told nanny that Harrison was there to see him. He let rip a huge fart and then boffed on the lid of the coffin. DH was horrified and ran to get tissues whilst I wet myself laughing, imagining how my mum and dad would have laughed at that.
I felt strangely calm when we left, like I'd kept my promise in taking Harrison to meet my mum. I really believe she was looking down and have had some really weird experiences the last few days which make me think she is watching over us.

Anyway, sorry to keep unloading on you all, must get depressing for you.

Going to Chessington tomorrow for DD1s birthday with 2of her friends as was arranged weeks ago then to my brothers at around 3.30pm to meet up with a lot of the family who we only see at weddings and funerals. Mainly funerals will however be nice to see the irish lot who I hardly ever see.

Hope you all have a good weekend x

Calico1 · 13/06/2009 14:42

Awwww MOS sounds like a tough day but well done for getting through it - with a sense of humour too. I'm sure your mum was thinking about her grandchildren a lot during her last weeks and that must have been a huge comfort to her during her illness, and even though she didn't get to meet H, somehow I'm sure she knows him. How stressful for you that your brothers had emptied sentimental things from the house - that should have been a job you all did together but at least you found a few lovely keepsakes that have real meaning for you. Enjoy Chessington tomorrow.

All this talk of weaning....oh they are growing up so fast. Not sure what I'll do, weaning was a disaster with DS as he refused most things and turned into the pickiest eater and still is....

dinkystinky · 13/06/2009 20:11

Calico - snap on the picky eater DS1. Which is why I'm going the baby led weaning route this time round as will save me from having my lovingly made purees, and later on meals, rejected. Should have known DS1 was going to be a nightmare eater when I offered him avocado - which babies apparently love - and he burst out crying...

MoS - sorry you had such a long and emotional day but glad that you got to say goodbye to your mum and introduce H to her (he's got quite a good comedy line in bodily functions going now!) and that DD2 ws good as gold, and that you managed to find some mementoes for you and the children. I really hope that the family meet up and the funeral go smoothly for you.

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SweetTalkinWoman · 13/06/2009 20:17

MOS sounds like a tough day for you so I hope you manage to have a lovely time at Chessington tomorrow. We must try to get together before you return to KSA.

Re. weaning, I'm going to try to hold out as long as possible this time. DD was just over 5 months and I was sooo excited about doing it - filmed her first bit of baby rice consumption etc - but the novelty soon wore off!!! I followed Gina's weaning book and it was great. DD was and still is a good eater (although I'm sure that's just luck rather than my influence!).

Dinky I'm glad I'm not the only one who's little one cries all through Pushy Mums/Mums on the Run. I've learnt to just carry on and switch off but I can see everyone else looking uncomfortable!

I seem to curse myself everytime I say something is going well... I was warned about soya, and true to form, Sam is now showing signs of being intolerant to this too. The eczema is creeping back... However we have our paeds appointment on Weds so am just holding out until then.

Hats off to you Coco and all you other mums juggling kids with courses etc. I know I couldn't do it!

LBB I'm a bit set in my ways with wine now. I steer clear of red (had my teeth whitened a few years ago for my wedding so want to preserve them!!) and usually go for a Chilean Sauvignon Blanc, which is a winner every time. I also lurve buttery chardonnays... Am going to have to pour myself another a glass now .

In my experience of hungry baby formula, they can get really constipated so I was advised to offer a few ounces of water a couple of times a day.

Am dead on my feet tonight. We've been at Bewl Water, then to the in-laws and I've been up and down stairs a hundred times this evening to unsettled children. DH has gone out on his motorbike - I should be doing a Tesco shop but just can't think at the moment. Tucking into the M&S Rocky Roadsters left over from today....

dinkystinky · 13/06/2009 20:42

STW - how do you feel about rose wine? There is some really nice rose around which is less staining than tea and wine - we had a lovely really light pinot noir from Majestic the other day (really light so rose like but so flavoursome). Sorry to hear Sam is taking a turn for the worse digestively and eczema-wise but hopefully the paed appointment will sort Sam right out. DS1 used to scream the whole way around pushy mothers on a regular basis so am kind of used to it by now! Is eerie how like DS1 Danny is - even down to looking almost exactly like him, and being the same weight as DS1 at this age! Hope your kids have now settled and you can enjoy your wine. I hate doing Tesco online shops - I always seem to lose the entire basket just as I want to check out...

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Cocodrillo · 13/06/2009 20:52

Re online shops, Ocado are deffo the best in terms of ease of use and service. Oo i sound like an ad!

dinkystinky · 13/06/2009 21:00

I am a total Ocado addict Coco - but decided to try Tesco online to try to save money while on mat leave. However used supermarket comparison site last week for my shopping and Ocado came in the cheapest by far so am definitely sticking with them...

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SweetTalkinWoman · 13/06/2009 21:27

oooh controversial! Have never tried Ocado - I've heard that the choice of products isn't as wide, but very interesting that they came out cheaper... May have to give them a whirl.

Dinky I like rose but don't know enough about it to make a good choice! Like LBB, think I will look out for some special offers to sample a few!!

Not sure what's wrong with Sam tonight - just tried feeding him to see if that helps matters. Also I gave him some Medised because he's really snuffly again ... Please tell me I'm not the only one who's given their little one Medised already?

Should turn on for an early night, but next door is having a BBQ and the 80's power ballads will be starting soon....

PinkTulips · 13/06/2009 21:35

i have 3 little ones asleep in 3 differant bedrooms

put dd into her room today and she's chuffed to bits and both she and ds1 went off to sleep without any hassle without the other waking them up and i put aarons cot in our room and popped him in it when he dozed off and he's still there

i'm twiddling my thumbs unsure what to do with myself!

hectic day though clearing out the pc room and moving all dd's stuff in there and the other bedrooms and hall are a bombsite now, will have to tackle all that tomorrow.

ds1 had his open day at playschool today... ekk, my baby's growing up!

STW, so sorry sam is reacting to soya too... i hope paeds are able to give you some decent advice and do something to help him

littleboyblue · 13/06/2009 22:19

mos xxx I don't really know what to say. How awful that your brothers cleared a lot of your mum's things out before you could get there. At least they can't take your memories though.
at H's antics at FD, little monkey, like you say though, bet your mum would have laughed, who wouldn't?
STW Last week one of the mum's at my pam-o-cise class, who has 2 dc's was getting quite stressed that her lo's kept crying/whinging and the rest of it. She has an 18mo and a 6mo. The baby spent the whole hour crying and she said she never gets to do anything for herself anymore. We all looked at them, but it was more out of sympathy than annoyance, we've all been there.
I give Luke water through the day anyway and atm his stools are loose so fingers crossed.......any problems, I'll just move back to normal formula.
I haven't given Luke any medised but I was giving it to ds1 from 3 months because it said on the box that that was the suitable age.

Had a really nice day today, our children's centre held a family fun/celebration day and had raffles, bouncy castle, sports section, face painting, cake stools and so on. Ds1 had a brill time. The local police officer came along (he is after the main outreach worker) and let all the kids have a sit in the panda car. I couldn't get ds1 out of it! I even had to change his nappy in there. He was a shit at letting anyone else in the drivers seat and kept setting off the sirens, was very cute. They're going to put his pic in the local paper and on the surrey care trust website. I sent ds's home with dp and I stayed on a bit and had a few glasses in the bar. I also had a fag I know!! It was just one though, and although I did feel complete for those few minutes, it wasn't the start of smoking again. It was just one, feel a bit disappointed in myself, but have done worse things, so no great drama.

mslucy · 13/06/2009 22:22

LBB lol at cake stools