March 08: We're about to get our first little sister or brother!

[turtle23]

Thought I'd start a new thread as as soon as evie pops we're bound to fill it hugely and some of us have phones to work with!

Pants I'd love to have the domesticated feeling, but it's not in my nature. Then i feel all inadequate for preferring to spend time doing DIY than cooking a proper meal
Not that this would be so bad if my DIYphobic husband had any idea how to use his more feminine attributes, but he can't bloody cook either.

Or see dirt. But i think that's a genetic male trait.

Thanks for the advice, will take the stroller. Would rather take the Xplory, easier for me to manage than a stroller but just takes up most of the car boot!

SNOW SNOW SNOW! Love it! Just got in from Basement Jaxx - they were phenomenal! If you get a chance to see them and you like that thing, HIGHLY recommend!

I'm feeling very Christmassy with all this snow!

Argh. We're back to hourly feeds. He isn't finishing so coming back for more an hour later. Can't hack this.
P up at 5 just as baby going to sleep....AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!

you poor love turtle. you need to pollyanna your head so you can pretend you're coping. rather than 1 lil fecker wakes as other goes down, you have to see psychotically convince yourself that you are the luckiest mummy alive to only have 1 to look after at a time given you haven't slept for 3,59378 years. this cluster frenzy feeding thing will pass, it will pass esp. with your excellent milk supply.

xmas here at last, snow. school out today. bought a mad table tree for kitchen last night, cabbed back in snow from town. felt xmassy. real tree delivers today yeeeha.

Am in a big grump at the snow.

Bloke and I were meant to be meeting some friends in Oxford this evening for beers, merriment, and possibly a curry. Because of the stupid snow not melting, the stupid temperature not getting above -1, and the stupid camp being in the ridiculous countryside, Bloke's parents didn't come down to babysit, so no night out.

Plus, Ff has a stinking cold and is even grumpier than I am, so we didn't even get to play in the snow.

I know in the grand scheme of things I am being a child, but I haven't been out for so long, and was really looking forward to tonight.

Anyway...Turtle, as usual, Merry speaks sense. Also (and I am in no was advocating this method as one you should use, I am just saying it worked for US, I had similar issues with hourly feeding when Ff was about a month old. MIL (breastfeeding councellor and lactation consultant and generally scary bf militant) told me not to feed her every hour because she was just snacking. She said she was never going to empty my breasts, and would generally come back as often as she liked because she was never filling up. (This was an issue here because she was putting on weight veeeeeery slowly). She told me to wait at least two hours after the end of each feed before offering her the breast again.

I thought the screams would be hellish, and for the first 12 hours they were...but then she was perfectly happy and settled into a three hourly feeding routine (because the little bugger took an hour EVERY feed). Now I know we were lucky, but it worked for us and saved my sanity at a time when I was ready to give the child away to the next delivery man to knock the door with a 'Congratulations' present.

Feels pretty Christmassy here too, Merry. Bloke broke up for Christmas today, and if it weren't for the ton of revision, I would be feeling nice and cheerily relaxed.

What is everyone doing for Christmas? We're off to the IL's next Tuesday evening (the plan is that Ff'll sleep in the car), but they're only ten mins from my parents so we'll flit back and forth. Christmas Day at my parents, and I think maybe a gathering of both clans at the local on Boxing Day (God help us all...)

Thanks you two. I do KNOW that I shouldn't feed the little monster darling every hour. I really do. Am just very tired. Having said that, hehas now been asleep for the last two hours and has given me time to play duplo with p, make tea and sit down and eat it WITH P, bathe P and do the long-forgotten massage bit...and now we are doing our Night Garden for you, MN for me old routine.
We also got (ALL OF US!) a two hour nap this afternoon so I am fortified for making him wait a bit tonight. May have to delve into stockings boxes and get the dummies that father xmas bought him...

It was one of you, wasn't it? You know who you are and what I am talking about.

I'm intrigued... do tell turtle!

Somebdy nominated me for xmas appeal. There are only two people on here who know my address, so am pretty sure I know who it is.......

well, to be fair, a few of us now know your address...but I have no idea what xmas appeal thing is, so tell more!

But since it's Christmas and all that, I thought I'd tell you ladies that I think you're all fab and am happy to know you all, even if only virtually and not in person

Now, if you haven't sorted out xmas pressies for anyone, I'm doing a spesh until 6th Jan, £10 donation to my dogstrust page in return for distance Reiki treatment for human-based or animal based lifeform of your choice.
www.justgiving.com/cazarnold
Please pass on to anyone else who might be interested, as otherwise I'm about to get hit for £900 or so on the credit card for the trip costs in early Jan

The Christmas appeal secret santa turtle... Clue is in the name!

What did you get anyway?

I have a bloody cold and such sore dry cracked lips, have had a lazy day today feeling most sorry for myself!

Ewe- have you tried this stuff ?

No, looks great though, will invest! 8 hour cream seems to be working now, thankfully.

At work today, it's dead, I wonder what the point in opening is to be honest. To inflict misery on workers?!

How are the boys turtle? Can you all make your new years resolutions to be to spend more time here? It's lonely without you all!

I have now had THREE secret santa parels from 3 different MNers. Weep, weep...
Boys are grumpy, but ok.

Get this... exH has been round every day for 10 days, playing with P, making cups of tea for me, giving me the odd hour or two to sleep and being kind. He even... put a plate in the dishwasher. Stunned.

I am always on MN, Ewe, just dont always feel like posting. Will make an effort!

WOW! Sounds like you've been thoroughly and deservedly spoilt.

What does exH want? Good to hear he is being nice and decent though, will hopefully mean an easy Christmas period for you all.

I spoke to soon earlier, I am ridiculously busy now! Boo hiss work.

it's beginning to look a lot like Christmas

said sod it today and have treated gg the human tank/climbing/running/jumping boy to his first bikelet

the blue one at top. SO cute irl

happy xmas everyone, how went the day with the nearly 2 year olds? mine was revved, mostly by our all day and overnight visitor, who he adores (my best mate). He calls his dad mummy, and his brother nothing at all, but she gets the full 'Lou-lou' treatment, dad and brother getting a bit jealous

i've truly given myself killer toothache again, am up waiting for painkillers to ease the pain down.

dontpanic, how are you doing love? turtle, did HWMNBN pull something out of the bag later yesterday? xfx

Merry Christmas all. Hope no one is saddled with a Christmassed out toddler today.

Dontpanic, I'm so sorry for your loss, and have been thinking of you and your family.

Teepee was a massive hit, Upsy Daisy bed and bike went down very well, she was thrilled with the easel, but out and out star of the show was her dustpan and brush. She's a simple creature.

She was very excited, but I was surprised at how well behaved she was. No meltdowns, a bit of a sleep on my mum's sofa after lunch, and happily off to bed after our second viewing of The Gruffalo.

We fled to Wales on Monday because the weather in our corner of the shire was dreadful and getting worse, so I am just about ready to go home now... ILs are lovely, but FIL keeps shouting at the dogs and it's beginning to drive me batty...

Was Santa kind to you all?

doing ok thanks MB - everything on hold until tues due to holidays unfortunately.

For those who don't know, my dad died at 3am on xmas day following a stroke/heart attack/pneumonia combination.

I'm feeling a bit on autopilot about it as my brother's still back in Belfast & they can't make arrangements to get over yet until we know how long it'll take to arrange a funeral. The old bugger refused to make a will as well, so no idea how long it'll take before my mum can get any of his money. Hopefully my brother can take care of that side of things. But I'm glad she's over here with me as I was able to do the whole call an ambulance thing and get him to hospital. All the staff there were wonderful, big contrast to the maternity ward staff, showed nothing but dignity towards him.

Thanks everyone for all your messages, really appreciated & there's nothing really anyone can do for us except give us a hug. E is keeping my mum & me well distracted.

btw, if anyone has practical suggestions re my thread please chip in
x

DP, hope you and the family are holding up ok, lots of love to you all.

How was Christmas everyone?

DD has been utterly spoilt, I literally have no room for all of her new toys - I've had to ditch a coffee table! Kitchen, keyboard, upsy daisy and bed and easel have been the big hits. As well as a little singing penguin that one of my friends got her. Most annoying toy, ever.

Anyone got exciting plans for NYE?

I hate my children and I want to run away.

New Year's Eve is my wedding anniversary and I am being forced to spend it wth HIM.

Kill me now.

Turtle, how come you have to spend it together? Hope it's not another one of his lame excuses of having nowhere else to go.

Turtle, you don't hate your children, you love them and you are a FANTASTIC mother. Trust me, I've seen it first hand, you're a bloody natural with your boys and clearly adore them to pieces.

PLEASE stop giving yourself such a hard time, you really are doing a great job. And yes, why are you spending NYE with him?

FIL has gone blind over last two weeks. MIL freaked out and hasnt driven for years. Said they could come here. It has grown from there. I am, unfortunately, kind at heart.

Have made it through the worst colic night ever. 5 solid hours of cryying and screaming...and that was just me.