March babies part II

[misdee]

Just had a terrible night with Lauren. She seems to have caught our bugs and didn't sleep more than half an hour at a stretch last night. Finally put her in her car seat so that she was more upright and she did doze a bit. Her eyes and nose are streaming and she is generally miserable. Knew she had to get sick at some stage, but wished she'd been that little bit older. Don't know of any miracle cures, so I'm just giving her Calpol and shooting saline up her nose. Hopefully it doesn't go to her chest like DH and I had.

Am finding it hard to keep up after a week away - read all the posts when we got back at the weekend but then didn't have a chance to post and now there are loads more to read! Will type quickly while Grace is contented - and apologies for not responding individually to any posts - there are just too many .

Holiday was lovely but not quite as relaxing as I would have hoped - worried about Grace in the heat (and a bit paranoid about keeping her in the shade at all times) and it was not so easy going out for meals in the evening as she didn't sleep so well in the buggy we took. As her normal pram was a bit big to take I took a small Maclaren umbrella fold. Although it does lie back it doesn't go completely flat and she just didn't seem to be so comfy in it. In retrospect we should have taken fewer clothes and made room for the big pram!

She went in the pool a couple of times though (in one of those swimseats) and seemed to quite enjoy it - well she didn't dislike it anyway!

She was fine with the travelling though - good as gold and seemed to take everything in her stride. Everywhere we went people made a huge fuss of her - the Italians go nuts over babies!

She has started waking in the night again for a feed (about 4am) - wondering if it is because of the heat. She is going longer between feeds during the day now though - every 3 hours as opposed to every 2.

We put her in a Tippitoes door bouncer a couple of days ago and she loved it - laughing and squealing with delight for ages.

Talking of slings - I have bought a ring sling as she is getting a bit heavy for the Baby Bjorn now but I just can't seem to get the hang of it - I'm obviously doing something wrong as it seems to me she would fall out if I tried to go anywhere! I think I'll have to practise with one of dd1's teddies.

Right - she's getting grouchy now so will have to go and entertain her!

www.earthkindbabies.com/info/carriers/wrapcross.htm

www.earthkindbabies.com/info/carriers/wrapfrontcross.htm

www.earthkindbabies.com/info/carriers/wrapbackcross.htm

www.earthkindbabies.com/info/carriers/wrapnecklace.htm

bomi, - look there for tingsluing

cant do links as jiggi8ng ds2!!!!

Thanks popsy!

I have decided to stop breastfeeding. It's affecting (negatively) how I feel about rebecca and it's getting me way too down. I just don't enjoy it at all and am resenting it more and more (and rebecca too ). So it has to go so I can try and get myself together again.

Only thing now is implementing it - she doesn't have the faintest clue how to feed from a teat so this could take a bit of time. hv coming round tomorrow so going to ask her advice about whether to take it slowly or to 'starve' her into taking it. Seems a bit hot to do that, I'd worry about dehydration, but on the other hand now I've decided, I don't want this to take months and months either.

I'm an all or nothing kind of gal I'm afraid . Feeling better already having taken the decision. Hopefully I can start to enjoy my beautiful, happy little girl again.

Good Luck Zoe. I only managed one week breast feeding before I decided I was becoming so stressed about the whole disastarous situation that it wasn't doing me or Lauren any good. So, you've done really well to carry on all these months. Hope she doesn't take too long to change over.

Hope it goes ok Zoe - as jambot says, you've done really well to keep going this long so I wouldn't have any qualms about giving up. After all, what Rebecca needs most is a happy mummy .

Oh - I have added some holiday pics of Grace to the photobucket. She is having great fun next to me in her door bouncer at the moment. I remember dd1 hated it so it is nice to see Grace enjoying it.

Hope Rebecca takes to the bottle well, you'll be able to get a bit more freedom when she does as well.
Freya is 17 weeks to day and is still being breastfed, I can't imagine her taking too kindly to being offered a bottle - she is quite set in her ways already! It will be interesting when I start to give her 'solids' - we'll see if she takes to that! I'll be able to get a gym session in then, or maybe a trip to the shops on my own. I think I've forgotten what it is like to be alone!
Bit too hot for the little 'un today, she couldn't even join her brother in the paddling pool as all the big kids were getting really boisterous and splashing loads! She just sat there in her bumbo seat watching everyone and probably thinking 'Can't wait til I can join in'.
Anyway, let's hope it will be a bit cooler tonight.

Hope Lauren gets better soon Jambot, Caleb has had a couple of nasty colds already. Just lots of sleep and fluids.

Have my interview tomorrow and i'm nervous! Will be for an evening cleaner twice a week, which is a bit of a stepdown (was a NHS Buyer) but it means I can look after Caleb full time. Am far too hot, felt like a fat sweaty munchkin today. Must lose weight!! Caleb is 5 months old, can't believe it. He spends most of his time trying to shove both feet in his mouth and sucking his toes.

Still giving him 1 solid meal a day, tried to be good and brought a load of organic butternut squash, carrot & sweet potatoe, blended it all together and froze it. Tried to give some to Caleb today he pulled a right face, gagged and threw up can't help but feel a little put out that my lovely organic effort made him hurl

It is Lauren's first proper night in her cot. Up till now she has been in her moses basket thingy which I placed inside the cot. Just went in to check on her and she wasn't where I'd put her. She has moved to a totally different position and is now lying horizontally across her cot! Seems happy enough, although whether she'll last the night who knows, especially as she hasn't been well. Didn't think she would be so active in bed, but up till now she's had limited room to move around. Thank goodness for the bumper of otherwise her head would be right up against the bars!

Zoe - sorry to hear you've been feeling down about breastfeeding Rebecca. It's probably easier if you find breastfeeding a breeze to continue for 2 years than to decide to stop breastfeeding after 4 months. I have found the breastfeeding counsellors at LLL very good and I'd also trust my GP to talk about such feelings.

Jambot - I hope Lauren feels better soon. I read babies breathe through their nose only at the beginning, not through their mouths as well, which is why colds can affect them so badly. (I can't remember when they start through their mouths too.)

Shalaa - good luck with your job interview tomorrow! I know how you feel about your delicious organic food going to waste. I gave in and bought organic jars for DS, if he refused it I'd have at least only spent money, not sleep-deprived hours of work over it too.

BonyM - I have a Zolowear ring sling which I love. Their website (www.zolowear.com) gives some advise on how to do it up properly and how it's incorrect.

JoPG - how did you choose your DDs name? It's very nice.

Hot day here too. DS had his sports day and we all went to see him. This evening we went to a deaf club he attends and he was totally shattered by the time we came back.

Sylvia is sweet and becoming quite smiley with strangers too. She's not feeding all that well in this heat, I thought she'd be thirsty and need more.

Hi Lockets - I'm fine, thanks. Enjoying my time at home with Sylvia. At home is a misnomer, I seem to spend very little time at home. How are you and your DDs? I've been meeting up with Georgie. Perhaps time for another Wimbledon meet-up?

Cristina - thanks for that site address - I have now mastered the kangaroo hold and just walked down to the post office with Grace (who was very contented). I sat down when I got home with her still in the sling and rang my mother. By the time I got off the 'phone ten minutes later, she had fallen asleep. Those slings are much more gorgeous than mine though - do you think they are really better than others? In other words, would I be justified in spending yet more money . They're quite pricey (well the ones I covet are anyway!!) I got mine here and it cost less than £15 including postage. Looks very similar to the Zolo one but I could be persuaded otherwise...

Woohoo!!!! Guess who got a job today?? Had a good interview and they offered me a job there and then. I start in around 4 weeks time depending on checks and paperwork. Will be working 2-4 nights a week 6pm-10pm cleaning ect. Am so relieved i've now got a job sorted which means I can look after Caleb in the daytime.

Fantastic news shalaa

Right, tomorrow rebecca WILL take a bottle. She came close today eventually but tomorrow she isn't getting fed until she does. Sounds mean I know but she'll be fine. Not sure I will be, mind . Once she gets that, I'll mixed feed for a while and see how we go. Might be once I get a little more freedom and flexibility I might mixed feed for a while yet, will see how it goes and am keeping an open mind.

Feel much more positive, although a bit nervous about tomorrow especially as dh is out until midday. If she's not cracked by then he'll be handed her, a bottle and I'll let it out of the house with dd1 .

let=leg btw

Well done Shalaa, bet you are looking forward to starting. I would be v nervous before an interview now, I have been at my current job for 9 years (aagh - is it really that long - I must have been so young when I started) and you really get out of that whole interview thing.

Cristina - not sure exactly where I first heard of Freya, I do know though that it is a Nordic name for the Goddess of Love which I thought was lovely. Her middle name is Poppy (a close run thing between Rose and Poppy for her middle name).

Off to a 4th birthday party with DS1 tomorrow - he has got a better social life than me! I wonder if I can get away with scoffing the cake out of the party bag before DS1 notices!

Hope you all have a great weekend.

Well done Shalaa.
Lauren's sickie was thankfully short-lived. She woke up right as rain this morning. She has started blowing bubbles with her mouth. She's not very good yet, but she looks funny. Still waiting for her to laugh. She smiles and squeals all day long but no giggles or chuckles yet. She is crazy about being pulled into a sitting position and kicks her little legs up in the air to help herself up as soon as you take hold of her hands. She has such a 'I'm so clever' look once she's sitting.

Congratulations Shaalaa - fab news!

Jambot - glad Lauren is feeling better

Zoe - hope it goes ok with the bottle tomorrow. I tried giving Grace a bottle of expressed milk a couple of days ago but she was having none of it. Didn't even try to suck. I didn't need to give it to her so I gave in very quickly and let her have the breast. A bit fed up though as she took a bottle no problem a couple of months back, but I haven't tried since then and she's obviously forgotten what to do with it. I think you're right though - if Rebecca is hungry enough she will soon work out what to do!

Zoe - with Dominic sometimes I'd give him the dummy to suck on for a bit, then took it out and put the bottle in. I don't know why that worked, as he was on bottles from the start, but it did.

Shalaa - well done. A weight lifted off your mind. Enjoy the peace of mind.

Sylvia got weighed today. She's 5.95 kg (13 lbs and a bit). She's 4 months and 2 weeks old.

BonyM - I have a Zolowear ring sling. It's beautiful but was rather pricey (£65) and I won't be buying others for a while (as I have others too). The main thing I understand is for the fabric to spread as wide as possible on your back to take the strain from just your neck and shoulders. If you feel comfortable with yours and got used to it, stick to it. If you want a treat, that's another matter. (Let me know if you want the contact details of the UK distributor as sometimes people have paid custom charges if ordering directly from the States.)

Hi everyone, and hello to JoPG, welcome .

Well Faith now has a nickname - Fifi.
My DD 2 loves Fifi and the flowertots, and she has trouble saying "F" and "th" (FaiTH), she either says FaiF or THaiTH and she always put a "Y" on the end of it cos it sounds cute, so naturally FaiFy became Fifi. I have a little flowertot of my own .

DD2s last day at preschool nursery yesterday . She's excited about starting school though, so it wasn't too sad - although I'm not sure she fully understands she not going back to nursery!

DD1 has done really well in her first year at school and is going into a yr 2 class with 5 other bright kids from reception - it'll be called a yr 1/2 class. Luckily her best mate is going with her, even so some of her friends will be in the yr 1 class - guess she'll still see them at break time.

Faith is 4mths old today . My word, isn't this year flying by?!! She now weighs 12lb 1oz and likes a little oats and apple baby cereal everyday . Ive also pureed pear and banana - she loved it! I'm not forcing it - I'm soooo laid back about weaning this time, sometimes she has it, sometimes she just doesn't want it - but she always needs a bath after eating it!!!

She rolled over in bed this morning!! And I bought her a Bumbo seat last week - fantastic invention!! She loves sitting upright and we put it on the dinner table when we are all eating, we always have Breakfast and Dinner at the table and I try to feed Faith at the same time - she loves the company!!

DH is off work for two weeks with the chicken pox (could turn nasty cos of his age so I have to keep an eye on him!) so when he's not playing golf (oh yeh, he's really ill!) he's helping me with the school run - and as he doesn't go back to work for another week I won't have to do it on my own til September cos DD1 breaks up next Friday . I'm such a lazy mummy!!

Blimey I've gone mad with the emoticons again

Goodness, it's very quiet on here today!! I've added some more pics to the bucket today.