May 09 - weather and jabs = hot cross babies

[Momino]

hope i'm not duplicating

Pula good luck for this evening. I dreaded the first night I put them to bed on my own, but it honestly wasn't too bad

Spangle dd cut her first tooth at 5 months. Thankfully she didn't seem too bothered by it, except for excessive drooling.

Looby I have huge countdowns to B's poos too. It's 3 days atm and B has real problems - his poos are dark green and he has eggy farts - always a smelly aura.... The health visitor and dietician think he has some form of milk allergy, but it has taken a week and a half to get a doctorss appointment so I can get a prescribed formula . Imagine if we all had to wait a tenth of our lives to see the doctor.

Ses I am lazy shy so haven't done any classes, but have heard good things about our local sing and sign thingy.

Belgian - v busy day. I bow down at your energy

Hope everyone who was feeling exhausted and down have had a good day.

B is 12 weeks today (I always think of you Looby when I recall how old B is - there's 3 minutes between our two I think). We have a really good evening routine so both kids are tucked up and asleep by 6.30pm at the latest. B gets a 10.30pm dream feed and wakes anywhere between 4.45am and 6.30am for a feed. The days are starting to fall into place too, although usually he still fights his daytime naps. This last week he's had quite a few days with a long midday nap of c 2 - 3 hours.

Sorry this is going to be a me post. I'm at the end of my tether with ds1. I hate the person I've become trying to deal with him. Ds2 is also missing out as I don't have any time for him other than feeding him as ds1 demands my time. Tried to talk to dh and he thinks I'm being all hormonal and this is what the terrible 2's are like. Gee thanks for the support I feel like such a failure and I'd quite like to leave home at this moment in time!

daizy, have only had time to read your post and feel so sorry for you but empathise with how you're feeling.

what a shocking day

got to go, F screaming AGAIN....

daizy- maybe your DH needs to spend some time with your 2 DSs to see what it's like- he sounds very dismissive but i know from my own life what it's like dealing with more than 1 DC.

Well bedtime was pretty good really although i'm shattered now - DD and DS1 were both very good reading books and S just fed. DD and DS1 in bed at 7 as usual and S went down about 7.40 after finishing his feed and having a cuddle, but then i did let him sleep til 4.45 today to make sure he was rested, and he generally stays awake 3 hours before bed. Got to do it all again next Tuesday as DH has an overnighter.

Evening all!

Thanks for all your lovely, lovely comments everyone! Momino - its great that you understand my 'transition' thingy - had a chat with dp last night, and I think he really understands how I'm feeling now. I know my parents would love to come down more, and I'm sure they will once our house is a bit straighter, and the garden is made dog-proof (ie so she can't escape!) Mum also has commitments to look after my brother's kids (who only live a few miles away from her) a couple of times a week.... hmmm... part of me is selfishly thinking helloooo its MY turn.... she's been doing stuff for him for the last 8 years, and he doesn't even live there anymore! Harumph. Still, the 'his and hers' calendar has definitely hit home.... the his side is a little more filled in now

Tummum - ta for the mega gin slurp - Fab, I don't think Northampton is that far.. in fact, my brother lives there (in Roade I think) so I should definitely get my bum into gear!

Belgianchocs - ta for the housey sympathies! I'm definitely on the lookout for a mum and baby group. In fact, when I was at the GPs the other day for M's jabs, as luck would have it, the lady who I was sat next to is the area's NCT post natal group co-ordinator person! Woo! So I'm off to the first group next Monday! She was that nice, she's offered to meet me outside the library on the way to the person's house so I don't feel such a divvy outsider turning up by myself. So things are on the up..!

Ta for the hugs Dandy (any news on the appeal?) and Grumpy - virtual cocktails went down a treat!

Llare - the cricket is next week, but dp is staying over in some swanky hotel so there's no way I can come up too. But I will DEFinitely come up sometime, Brum ain't that far! And thanks also for the meet up offer as well Runningmonkey - am sure we could sort something out!

Gawd, you are all soo lovely. I had a few tears in my eyes reading all your lovely, kind posts. Hard this being a mummy lark, innit?!

Looby - any signs of a poo yet?! M manages to poo towards the front of her nappy, hitting her bellybutton. Like, how?!

Ses I did sing and sign when DD was 6 or 7 months. It was great although I was a bit crap and didn't do much of the signing afterwards as I was working again but my friend did it lots and her DD (now 18 months) signs back to her loads it is so cute. Highly recommend it as you can't do stuff like that once you have 2 dcs or more unless you have a big gap.

DD threw a glass candle thing on my toe and split the nail and made it bleed loads tonight it is so painful.

DS is sleeping. He has been so good for the past 4 day or so. He is only waking at 1ish and 4 ish for feeds now so I am feeling a bit better and less knackered. He is also feeding quicker and less often in the day and he is such a happy, chilled little man. Maybe the worst has past.

After watching the news tonight I am so worried about swine flu now .

Ses- i did Tinytalk with DD and then DS1, which is a similar thing - started with DS1 at about 4 months, but again, i didn't do many signs at home, but DD and DS did learn a few key ones (more, again,...)

Thanks for the feedback about Sing&Sign. I'm quite keen to give it a go. New course starts in Sept when DS is only 4 months but if I leave it until January I'll be going back to work. I'm hoping to go back 4 days a week so could do it on that day but I'll probably have lots to catch up on that day won't I?

Febes - I winced as I read about you toe

Pula - well done on bedtime. Don't know how you manage!

Daizy - I agree with Pula, your DH needs to experience it for himself

daisy ds who's 3yrs on 10th aug has been a pita toddler wrecking crew livewire at times this wk when we've been at home. i think he gets bored with cbeebies when i'm feeding grace etc. the only strategies that have worked to help are giving him a mass of snacks and a pile of books/puzzles/stickers/colouring stuff before i start feeding g & the snacks work best my other lifesaver strategy is going out to as many of ds's activities and friends houses for play dates as pos. all this has meant a relatively stress free 1st week without dh at home to help.

btw i'm loving my new breast pads that arrived today.. they're lilypadz. they don't show under my white tops and i can even go braless at night if i want as they stay put securely on their own! i can recommend them big time.. i got mine from blooming marvellous but lots of places stock them.

SausM I live 1/2 mile away from Roade, so I insist you pop in for a cuppa next time you are up !

Febes I am playing ostrich re: swine flu. If I think about it at all I feel sick and very very anxious. I went to Boots and bought up supplies of Calpol, Paracetamol, vitamin C and echinacea in a vain attempt to a) Boost immune system so don't get it and b) be prepared for nasty fevers in case we do. I suppose the good news is that our LOs will be able to take Calpol if we need them to

Pula so glad the bedtime went OK

I've heard about baby signing too. I know a few people who use a few signs, mainly things like drink, milk, apple. I never did it myself though, but I'm considering giving it a go if there's somewhere I can go in the area I will live by then.

sausagen glad to hear you're meeting a few mums. I hope you'll have a great time. If you ever (well, before dec anyway) come to Brum I can meet up with you too

spangle My ds cut his first tooth at 16 weeks and dd1 was 18 weeks. Ds was dribbling and chewing from about 8 weeks. C is starting to show signs too, so I think she'll follow the others. My cousin's 4mo just had his 1st 2 teeth, so I think it's a family thing. Oh and did you know that some babies are born with a tooth. I haven't met one yet, but it can happen.

pula glad to hear you got through bed time. As with anything, the 1st time is the worst .

daizy What ses and pula said really. He needs to experience for himself how hard it can be with 2 dcs all day.

swine flu After sitting next to this woman and her toddler for at least an hour at the sports day; she suddenly reveals that her dd was recovering from swine flu The little girl was recovering and not supposed to be infectuous anymore, but still . That very same woman kept going on about how vile her poor dd was for not sitting still and trying to wander around all the time and how she was cursed with a naughty child . The girl was 2yo. How many 2yo can sit still for over an hour. She was only doing what any child her age would do. In my eyes she wasn't doing anything naughty: she was quiet, but just walking around, not touching anything or bothering people. I can't stand it when parents say that sort of thing about their own dcs, especially when they can hear it!

I should also say that usually when g has finished feeding etc our lounge looks like a bomb has gone off.. i'm focusing on trying to contain it to just the one room at a time. daisy i'm sure it will get better.. maybe your dh could get a real taster of your average day over the weekend?
grace is 8wks tomorrow and this week i feel she is starting to fall into some kind of routine feeds wise which has helped too.

belgian grrr at the woman at the sports day. thoughtless of her to not mention the swine flu when she saw c and awful comments about her dd too.

Hello folks!

I've been out! In the evening! A social life beckons...

Anyway, swine flu. A friend of mine works in public health and she is very clever and very sensible. She also has children the same age as me and I told her that I occasionally panic worry about swine flu. She told me that she has read the data from the US and Mexico and the under 5s are not particularly ill with swine flu. I can't remember the exact form of words but she reassured me anyway. She wouldn't reassure me without any basis, I am sure of it.

sausage anytime, I mean it. I'm closer to London than Brum is so if you think Brum is close, I'm even closer!

I've done sing and sign and it is very good. I have the DVD too which I am happy to share if anyone wants a taster?

thanx for all your support everyone x

sausagen, hope you're feeling better.
Hi, M&Bsmum, you as well...

pula, you put me to shame. i didn't have the girls in bed until 8pm. I was able to feed/bath/get them ready for bed but dd1&2 are very active and mischievous before bedtime so hard to manage. and i had to leave Harper screaming in her basket for a bit as i helped dd2 get out of the bath. H was ok but just having trouble settling herself to sleep.

llare, great stuff for going out. you must have had a good time whatever you did.

daizy what a rubbish day and I agree with the others about letting your DH see for himself.

Fi, going to check out lilypadz. i'd love to go to bed without wearing a bra.

Belgian, and at that woman. all types out there...

febes, ouch at your toe!

all those i've missed, hope you're well .

I meant to also add that when we did Sing and Sign DS1 was 6 months and personally I think he was too young. I get the theory about starting young but he was mostly asleep in the classes or having a feed. As a class he got nothing out of it and I didn't either as there was no time to chat to other mothers. I might be self-centred here but I need that interaction with other adults!

In hindsight he'd have been better off going when he was a bit older if I really wanted to get him signing. But as a class it is quite good. The songs are memorable and Jessie Cat is very adorable.

I didn't do the signs at home often enough but always intended to. He still signs the word for hungry but I think that one comes naturally! My friend's little girl took to it really well and used quite a few signs.

lilypadz I've got them too and keep meaning to recommend them. Only thing is they say they are only meant to last for 2 months on the box so they are an expensive way of doing them. I suspect they will actually last much longer than that though.

daisy I know exactly how you feel. I felt all my time was spent shouting and telling off the older dc. It makes you feel so down being so negative. I had a nursery nurse from the children's centre come and talk to me about behaviour though. It's helped SO MUCH. I realy wasn't happy about them coming but they put things in perspective for me. I realised instead of praising good behaviour, I was ignoring it and expecting it. Turning it around and using reward charts for good behaviour has helped me cope much better.

Morning,

Today is my 10th wedding anniversary For our anniversary DH has taken the day off and apparently we are going to visit some caravan shops. Fun.

Monimo thanks for the reassurance on swine flu. It does help. I keep on telling myself that I wouldn't worry at all about norma flu, and this is exactly the same symptoms so rationally I should just relax about it all.

Have a happy 10the anniversary today, Tummum! How exciting that you get to visit caravan shops, lol. We urgently need to go to one as we're leaving next wednesday and need a groundsheet for the awning before we go.

Jennster daizy When my dcs were toddlers I found that when they started getting too difficult it used to help to stop and stand back and examine the way I dealt with them. I usually discovered that I had stopped praising good behaviour and telling them off/shouting when their behaviour was undesirable. As soon as I turned this pattern around, i.e. 'ignoring' bad behaviour and praising good, they would calm down and become much easier to handle.

I think we're having a stay at home day today. DS lost one of his teeth and it looks like part of the milk tooth has stayed behind in his gums. The tooth did look a bit rotten . So I'll have to phone the dentist and get an appointment before we go away. I don't want that bit of tooth to start getting infected or anything.

C had another leaky poo today. Again in her night nappy (disposable), again at 5.30. 3rd time this week . Maybe I need to get a bigger size nappy. I think it just doesn't absorbe the poo that well at that stage as by 5.30 she would have been in that nappy for over 6h. So after 2 lovely nights I've now got a broken one again. Can't complain really.

re: signs
the mum & baby group nursery nurse recommended a book to follow "My First Signs" which I managed to buy 2nd hand on amazon we're going to give it a go when M is older.

10 days and still no poo! she seemed to enjoy the apple juice/water last night but its had no effect, might ring the hv in a bit see what she recommends, she'll prob say to take her to the doc but I don't really want to spend ages waiting in a room full of people coughing and spluttering

happy anniversary tummum

ended up giving M some formula top up last night (she fed for so long I had nothing left!) she slept really well 10pm-4.30am and IN HER COT! first night. after 1hr feed she went back down till 8, I was awake on and off tho cos she's a noisy sleeper, moves about making little noises and she's developed a cough, I keep thinking she's awake but she's not.

Just read this reassuring article on swine flu which made me feel better