Dec 08 mums - embuggerance to it all - sleep or no sleep we love our babes

[waitinggirl]

i hope people don't mind, i took the bull by the horns and did it. title a bit naff, but more important the thread exists rather than search for a better title. hope i haven't stolen anyone's thunder...

Hi everyone! Haven't had a chance to catch up after our trip to Ireland and I'm now off to Canada (killing time at the airport now actually). Will have very intermittent internet access from the middle of the woods, but will try to keep up as best I can.

Travelling on my own today (well, with DS of course!) but so far so good. I even managed to schlep my guitar amidst all the multitudes of other luggage. Luckily the flight isn't full and they have reserved the seat beside me so I can bring on the car seat. Wish me luck!

My DS's stats are as follows...Born Dec 16th (due Dec 6th) by CS. Breech despite all attempts at turning him. Tried for a natural breech delivery but labour never started so at 10 days overdue they scheduled a section. He was 8 lb 13 oz at birth and is now about 22 lb. He eats and smiles loads. Sleep, not so much. DS is Sebastian, but known as Seb or Sebi.

Cheerio ladies! Next post from the wilds of the woods in Canada...

Arti: did the medical stuff go OK with the new job? Only 3 weeks to go - resist the urge to sabotage the office before you leave

mom enjoy Canada!

Hayfever a bit better this morning, but still bad. I normally get it bad in the Spring and in late September, but for so me reason it is bad now! I hate it, hate it, hate it!!

DS slept better last night but wide awake for the day at 5am, and DH and I had a row over who should get up with him. He said I should, but as he is off I said he should as I hardly ever get chance to stay in bed! Cue lots of shouting "you get up", "no you get up!". Anyway, he got up in the end. I have just accepted the fact that DS is not a great sleeper, and trying all these different things to get him to sleep leaves me confused and stressed. He is such a smiley boy its hard to stay mad with him when he's babbling away and grinning at me.

why oh why do i bother with home made food for madam??? i've just tried her for the first time on ella's kitchen stuff and now, at last, i know what ppl are on about when they say they can't shovel it in fast enough. and she looked so happy to be eating!!!

fil has been diagnosed with bowel cancer. hoping they have caught it early. we haven't got a great track record with cancer, dh and i - my mum died of pancreatic, and mil has already lost one of her kidneys to it. fingers crossed he's ok.

Morning all, WG I'm so sorry to hear about your FIL, how is DH? Poor things he's had all the stress of work (which can I say again was hilarious) and now this!

Glad to hear about the feeding, I always love hearing when things work, I think I should have given up on home made with DS1 sooner. I wish I'd had you lot back then.

Poor little DS2 had a bad night not sure if it's teeth or a virus, he's just so grumpy and just had really short sleep so is even grumpier. Have given him some calpol but might get some karvol.

Hello all - do you mind if I join you please?

I have lurked on this thread every now and then. During ante-natal I was on January 2009 thread sometimes but DD2 came 5 weeks early - on Christmas Eve - and was then in Nicu.

She is now 29 weeks old, was 5lb 9oz at birth and now weighs 16lb 15oz.

wg that is awful about your FIL. Am hoping that they have caught it early and that he has a good prognosis.

dysgu welcome aboard!

Re: jars V's Homemade...DS definately seems to prefer the jars. I would normally take this as an insult to my cooking but I must confess that it is so much easier. DD was such a fussy little beggar and wouldn't let any kind of jar near her lips but DS seems less bothered. I am hoping this means he won't be as fussy an eater as DD.

welcome, dysgu - we love meeting new people in a cyber sort of way - glad you have been lurking - come and join us! that must have been hard with dd2 in nicu - glad she is doing so well now - 16lb15 sounds great! do i presume a welsh connection from your nickname?

having said that about ella's kitchen stuff, she has just vommed most of it up, but i'm not surprised, the amount she tried to guzzle down. she gave me big messy smiles through practically inhaling it down.

yes, we are going up to wales next weekend to see what the real news on fil is - with this crazy family wiht all their secrets, you never know whose version of events to trust. he sounds quite chipper, so we are hoping it is just one of those things which can be solved relatively easily. i have to say i find it quite hard to really take it on board. my mil had kidney cancer a year and a half after my mum died of her cancer - mil was operated on and has been free of it since then. i just couldn't get that worked up about it. my mum was so gracious when she was diagnosed, so brave and got on with life - she gave a lot of her money and possessions away, saw the people she wanted to see, went on holiday etc. with mil it was different, obviously, but i felt there were some dreadfully manipulative melodramatic moments, when she didn't die, she got it sorted without any chemo (and is still smoking btw which infuriates dh beyond beyond), and is now to all intents and purposes fine. blah blah blah...

Hi Dysgu, so glad you decided to come out of the shadows. Sorry to hear your DD had a shakey start but def catching up, my DS2 was born 8lb 1oz 2 weeks before your DD and is only just over a pound heavier than her.

I'm currently tidying DS1's bedroom he is at a friends house. He has made an amazing building out of lego but one of the Walls is out by a square brick width, is it bad or even sad that I want to fix it? I won't because it's his work but still maybe I need a hobby. I also find that making Thomas the tank engine train tracks has become quite an artistic outlet for me????!!!!!

you may have noticed i am doing a lot of posting today. madam has got into the habit of going down for a post lunch snooze in her cot - waking after an hour, coming down, feeding and then falling asleep on me. i am too chicken to move her (she'll wake up for sure) and so the laptop proves very useful at these times. honestly! i know i should be tougher, but it is so lovely to watch her.

she does so much sucking in her sleep that i worry i've denied her by not giving her a dummy. mind you, most of the people i know are trying to ditch the dummy now, so it would be stupid to start now, i suppose.

Hi Dysgu, nice to meet you and it sounds like your DD is doing great after what must have been a scary start.

mom- have fun in Canada. I visited a few years ago and thought it was a lovely country (and got to see a real bear in the wild which was amazing)

veggie- that's the sort of thing that would nag at me until I went and "fixed" it. I would try and do it when he wasn't looking though...

wg I went down the dummy route with DS, mainly because he would spend 18 hours a day on the boob and I was going bonkers from lack of sleep/food etc. Despite his obsession with sucking it took ages to get him to accept it because he preferred the real thing so you definitely haven't denied your DD, she probably would have spat it back at you if you'd tried!

Hello everyone,

Congratulations on the interview trace I think the idea of doing the presentation as you would to 14 year olds is a great idea. Shows them exactly how you'd communicate complex ideas to that age group. When's the interview?

pmk What a scary thing getting locked out. Wow at your super human fence breaking powers.

Welcome dysgu, glad you decided to formally join us.

WG Sorry to hear about your FIL. Hope things are ok when you go and visit. I let DD sleep on me quite often. I love having her snuggled up on me.

veggie I'm a bit worried about the swine flu stuff as well. I don't think I've mentioned on the thread before (I was scared of any real life people spotting me - I can't imagine who really) but I had a liver transplant 5 years ago and therefore have to take immunosuppressants which weaken my immune system. The transplant medics don't seem overly concerned but it is a worry.

mom Have a great time in Canada. Hope the flight isn't too bad. Great that you can take the car seat onboard.

DD rolled from her back to her front today. I fear her being mobile! She only needs to co-ordinate her front to back and back to front rolls and she's off.

evening
JB the interview is wed 22nd. Yikes. Have started to do a little reading up but nothing major yet. I think I'll have to give myself a little MN ban until I can focus myself!

re swine flu - my dh is a teacher and 3 staff at his school are off with swine flu (only 1 confirmed, 2 with similar symptoms) so today all children who are 'vulnerable' were went home from school - so those with liver, kidney or heart conditions. Those with asthma were supposed to be too (local authority advice) but weren't. My dd1 has asthma so if her school follows the same rules she may be with me tomorrow!

Hello Dysgu

Well I have 2 positive pieces of news...

1. Phoebe has only fed twice in the night for the last 4 nights! That's reall progress for us. She's been sleeping till 11ish, feeding, then sleeping till 3.30 ish then feeding then sleeping till 6.30 ish. There is light at the end of the tunnel!
2. Phoebe drank 1oz of water from a bottle today!!!!!!!! Albeit in small screwed-up-face mouthfuls - but she did it! She seem sto want to hold the teat in her fingers and squirt it in, but I don't care as long as there is some means of her drinking something when I go back to work - and this is definitely promising!

Sorry not do do more personals but I'm sleepy so will obey my tired instincts to turn the computer off...

nighty night all xxx

oh and it's time to get our thinking caps on again...nearly new thread time

That must be worrying Jolly - but as you say if your transplant medics aren't worrying overtly then that must help.

Am really trying hard not to worry too much about pig flu on the basis that worrying isn't going to make a tiny bit of difference either way. But it's hard when you have little ones. And I spend quite a lot of time symptom spotting in me and them. Sigh. Also my asthma has been bad this year - daisy like you I'm usually ok in the middle of summer so not sure what's going on.

Trace how's Lucy's asthma? And congratulations on the interview - fantastic. I always think the thing to remember is that they want to give someone the job - so actually the panel are willing you on. I only realised this when I started doing lots of interviewing.

Hello dysgu. Good for you for joining in. Is weird at first but surprising how quickly you get used to it

Also pmk am and at your wonderwoman antics. Breaking down and fixing the fence. That is nice work. I too take my keys out with me whenever I put a toe out. And even for a while contemplated putting a yale key around my neck a la my grandmother aged 92.

Also all this talk of 3...am giving away all my baby clothes as I go along so I absolutely couldn't afford to have another. And also I found my sickness/food diary from last year the other day. I had forgotten how horrific it was and will be getting it out whenever I feel remotely broody.

Wg am sorry to hear about your FIL. Your Mum sounds amazing.

Evening

Jolly - I can see why Swine Flu is stressing you. How amazing to have had a liver transplant, you always sound so fit and energetic! Is there anything you can do to boost your immunse system (or would that be bad for your liver?).

WG - sorry to hear your news. I hope your trip to Wales goes OK. It sounds like Madam is napping better, how are the nights?

Have fun in Canada Mom. I love the idea of you carting a guitar and a baby all the way to remote Canadian woods.

Welcome Dysgu.

I remember you really suffered with sickness Lal. Did it go on throughout your pregnancy? I would be put off by that too. I was sick for 14 weeks and that was unbearable enough. However, I do think we will go for number three in a couple of years. I don't relish the idea of another pregnancy but I feel like I am not done having babies. I will give it a few ears though I don't want to sandwich DD2 between two siblings close in age, I'll let her have a few years of being the cherished youngest before I do that to her.

So I have survived two days at work. Today was better than yesterday because I felt less fuzzy headed and could actually engage with things. DD2 has been fine, loving watching all the other kids the nanny has, taking a bottle happily and being very smiley - what a little traitor!

PMK I used to find that episode of Friends so funny, but now I don?t even crack a smile at it. I have a fear that I?ll lock DD in the car and I?m always so careful that I know where the keys are (I think it comes from my sis and her then boyfriend?s dog locking himself in the car and them having to call the AA out to get him out!) I am very impressed at how quickly you got back in, so fast DS hadn?t even noticed

Trace E?s conversations are all either ?eeee? or ?aaaahhh? or ?oooo?, definitely no baba?s, mama?s, dada?s or anything else. Although she has started to hum and sing a lot recently ? we do sing a lot to her (the bathtime song, the porridge song, the getting dressed song etc etc) and DH and I were laughing the other day that we think she?ll be singing before she talks! Hurrah for the good sleeping at night

Katie I hope the test shows up the result that you want to see

Spiggy your new house sounds lurvely, do you have a moving date yet?

Sybil v nosy question here, so tell me to bog off if you want ? but how did you know you were pregnant if you weren?t having any periods? When did you find out?

Daisy I suffer hayfever, normally at its worst at this time of year as its the long summer grass/hay that sets me off. Strangely pregnancy seems to have cured it as I hardly suffered at all last year or this year. I swear by eating local honey everyday, plus nasal sprays and cooling eye masks to relieve the itching. Also change your pillowcase and wash your hair every night (if you can be bothered, I was a bit lazy on this one) so that pollen doesn?t get into your bed and make your nose and eyes itch all night

Good luck with the second job Tilly MOM have a great holiday

Hi Dysgu , my DD was due Christmas Eve but arrived a couple of days early, a lovely day for a birthday I think

Jolly it took my DD 7 weeks from rolling from back to front to work out how to get back again, so you may have some time yet before mobility kicks in!

DD had her development check yesterday. A student HV came, who was very nice but a little too thorough I fear. She was disappointed DD wasn?t sitting yet and said she couldn?t sign her off until she did sit so will be back in a month. If she wanted to see her sitting then booking the check for 6 ½ months is a little unrealistic IMO, all in good time ... She also suggested I give her more finger foods as well as purees. I?ve been slack on this as finger foods seem to baffle DD ? she?ll happily chew on all her toys, but put some food in her hand and it just gets looked at. What food is good for finger food, I tried a bit of toast this morning, any other suggestions?

Good night everyone x

I've just been sorting through some files on the computer and found my birth story. I'm now feeling a little teary as it was so lovely to read and remember about my tiny girl coming to meet us. I will go to bed happy now!

Hey Arti glad DD was good for the nanny buy know what you mean about traitor. DS1 was a nightmare for daytime naps but apparently at nursey he used to happily lay da own play with his blanket for a bit then fall asleep, cheeky begger.

Mom I have an image of you with babe strapped happily to your back in some rainbow coloured sling, playing a guitar singing the Mamas & Papas songs whilst walking in sun streamed woods.

Daisy I have a mental image of your DD screwing up her nose at jars and giving you the cats bum mouth to ensure that 'none shall pass'

JB wow that's just a little bit amazing I'm so glad we have you with us healthy and special. How cool was it for you when you got pregnant?!?!?

Trace, you need to find all the names of the relevant give White paper etc on or which mention school nursing. Healthy starts healthy futures springs to mind and there's another on the tip of my tongue but can't remember it. Will try to remember for tomorrow. Also if they ask about the future challenges for SN there is obesity, diabetes and also the increasing number of children with complex needs being intergrated into mainstram education. That's just some examples anyway. Also obviously Child protection is a big one but you've probably had some training in that already. But as well as your own CP specialist liaison within the health service the schools you work in will also have a CP officer. I have interviewed for school nurse posts and I have to say the candidates my colleagues and I tended go for were the ones who seemed confident enough to work independantly but who could be easily understood so good communicators and who were likeable so would get on with both their own team and the schools staff and pupils. I think they will def like you. The rest you can daily learn. I would stress that your a keen learner.

ZJ I'm having a giggle at your HV what does she mean by signing off does that mean she can't go onto the next developmental level???? We don't have another check til 8 months and I'm not expecting that to happen anyway. DS2 basically didn't see a health visitor after his last clinic weight at 7 months.

Morning,

Trace Good luck with your interview!!

ZJ That is rubbish!! DS2 can't even remotely sit up yet and he is 2 weeks older. I've stopped taking him to be weighed. I am fed up of the HV finding something wrong with him.

JB Wow that is really great. I bet the swine flu is a real worry. I'm sure you'll be fine.

Dysgu Welcome to the thread!!

It is our 3 year wedding anniversary today. DH wasn't allowed to have the day off work so is at work at 2
Going shopping to Meadowhall tomorrow so probably won't be on until evening. DH has given me £200 to spend!! So will hopefully find something nice!

Hope everyone is well.

kayz have a lovely time shopping!

zj with finger foods, I've given ds2 toast dipped in a puree, rusk, rice cakes. Also I'm just using up purees now, he seems to prefer lumpy food! Am lol at your HV, I guess as a student she's been thorough, but still. Ds2 isn't sitting up but I think that's my fault, he's trying to crawl so I pop him in his chair or travel cot to stop him learning too quickly

trace good luck with the interview!

MoM have a lovely time in Canada!

dysgu hi, glad you've joined us!

wg sorry about your fil, hope they've caught it early enough & that he'll be ok.

jump am sure the medics would be concerned if there was a great risk to you with the flu

Speaking of swine flu, I came down with a bad cold the other day so checked my symptoms just in case . But all good, just a cold!

Think we're off to the soft play today. Its raining, we were stuck home yesterday as I was feeling too ill to do anything, so ds1 needs to burn off a lot of energy!

DS2 has a tooth. He has bitten me and there is a tooth!!! Complete surprise, no crying, dribbling etc.

veggie thanks for that interview info - that is sooooooooo helpful Can't stop now as P waking up....
off to work library to check out some School nurse journals!
see you later xxx

Child mark 1:- wet cough, snotty, grotty, temp.
Child mark 2:- snotty, grotty, covered in rash, temp.

Prescription:- tamiflu and quarantine.

Happy days!

finger foods- chunks of veg (courgette great and nice and squishy in the middle, I cut a lump off and slice in half then cook.) New potatoes, halves of tomato, pretty much any fruit sliced (nectarine a fave here, leave skin on as is easier to hold), pasta (fusili easiest to hold), pancakes, fritters, slices of omelette....