May '09 - We've had our first tooth!!

[Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa]

Here we are, in honour of baby O and the first tooth through.

Evening everyone.

Seems like swimming was a popular activity today . I'd love to take C some time, but due to the nap situation it's just not happened yet. The 'no cry nap solution' book has lots of useful tips and I've worked that she's got a combination of naps that are too short and wanting to sleep in my arms. The latter is OK at the moment, but I do want to wean her of it and there are some good tips as to how to go about the weaning of this. fi I think I might get a radio/CD player in the bedroom to play some background music. Hopefully that'll sort the problem of the other dcs. It's a bit much to ask of a 5 and 7yo to be quiet while C's asleep.

ladyH dandy I can imagine watching a programme like Criminal Justice is like watching fake childbirth scenes or even just things like Holby for me. I'm constantly picking faults.

tummum at G's amazingly talented moving/feeding ability! C's also not doing much in either department. She stays where she is. She doesn't like lying on her front all that much, but she does like sitting. I put her in a babywalker with an attached activity centre at m&t group today. She loved it. She was in there for at least 40min. Her feet didn't really touch the floor, but she loved that she could sit and use the activity centre at the same time. I might have to get her a tray for her bumbo so she can do the same at home. C is also getting quite good at sitting. She'll sit for a good few seconds before falling over now. As for food. She's still happy with just boob and hasn't shown any interest whatsoever in solids yet.

Also at the HV's who are still advising to wean at 4m. I don't know anyone with a baby the same age as C (exept for the fictitious babies of my imaginary friends on here of course), so no one is telling me to wean yet. Even my mum has just accepted that I'll wait until 6m and doesn't mention weaning at all.

sausage How exciting that your first presents are starting to roll in . It makes it all soo close. Sounds like you'll have a fun day with the Halloween theme. You know, I hadn't clicked it was halloween yet

Oh and re baby swimming logistics: I used wrap myself in a towel. Dry and dress baby, then put in push chair while I dried and dressed myself. Shower would be for home TBH. As far as I remember all the other mums in my baby swimming classes used to do something similar. When they get to older baby age I used to give them a snack to keep them quiet while I got dressed and packed up.

Good choice Jennster

followed by this?

SPangle when I go swimming I wrap G in 2 towels so that he is nice and warm, after removing his swim trunks. There are plenty of changing mats and a play-pen at the gym so I put him on a mat in the gym and he stays there quite happily while I get dressed. The changing rooms are very warm though. When DS1 is there too I get him dressed first so that he can eat his snack while I get myself and DS2 dressed.

Today I was on my OWN so I had a shower and dried my hair: luxury!

Flash Forward we watched it last night and it is great, don't you think? It took me ages to work out why the date is so significant to me. It is DS2's birthday!

We've just watched In Treatment and really enjoyed it. Going to catch up with CJ in a little while.

tummum, G does sound amazing - strawberries .

sausage, love the halloween theme for the wedding.

shower, finally had one about half an hour ago. couldn't find time otherwise.

my Earthy Mother efforts of breadmaking and painting was squashed this evening as I lost my patience with DD1&2. I'm finding it difficult some days to do the bedtime routine with 3. I often feel lost in a crying fest. tonight, i bathed dd2 and put her in pj's. then, left dd1 in the bath whilst I sat in the room down the hall giving H a last feed before putting her to bed. i could hear DD1&2 laughing and figured all was well. then heard dd2 squeal in pain so I quickly put H down and rushed to find they had squeezed out all the shampoo and conditioner and were attempting to 'wash' each other's hair. what a mess. I screamed at them and even called them stupid . or, i really hope i said it was a stupid thing they'd done but now can't remember, i was so cross. dd1 did ask me what 'stupid' meant and i told her it was doing something without thinking.

I feel horrible now for 1)leaving dd1&2 by themselves and 2) calling them stupid. I guess we all learnt something: the girls learned that shampoo can sting if it gets in the eyes and I learned that even though i was in the next room, it doesn't take long for toddlers to get into trouble.

sorry for the long post. had to get it off my chest.

still not sure I'm cut out for parenthood.

Oh Momino it can be so tough, this motherhood lark, can't it? I don't doubt for a moment that you are cut out for motherhood. Have a cocktail, my love.

I've no advice on how to deal with 3 but I deal with 2 at bedtime by getting no 1 sorted and leaving no 2 to his own devices. In fact, it is 9.45 and he is still awake, bless him. DOn't use a routine to beat yourself up!

llare, thanks for that.
I do fear sometimes that I'm not doing a good job. especially when I get angry with them and they're only little. The last thing I want to do is put them down, belittle them,they're still learning. i really just need to be more patient.

was it you, llare, that had that book about parenting and Zen or something like that?

Momino- I have still only done bedtime for all 3 on my own a handful of times, and it really is difficult and leaves me physically and emotionally shattered afterwards, so don't beat yourself up about it. I can never work out what i should do first (feed/settle S or keep an eye on the older DCs). The older 2 sometimes have to be left for a few minutes.

Yes, I've got this book which I've dipped in and out of. I've found it quite helpful.

Momino cut yourself a break, chick. Putting 3 DC to bed is hard work. As DH is away, I always do the bedtime routine, my DC are older and I find it a total nightmare most nights, because DD1 doesn't want to go to bed because she is wide awake, DD2 is knackered & winging and whiney & DS is normally on meltdown because he is over tired and wants milk. The way I work it is I put G down first, then the DDs together. I leave the DDs together in front of Cbeebies whilst I sort G out as I (sort of) know that they are entertained. I am thinking of setting up a sticker chart with each separate stage getting a sticker (e.g. getting into PJs, toothbrushes etc) but haven't gotten around to it.

I have changed a boob feed to formula feed this evening (G is currently on 2 bottles a day) and my left nork is absolutely ginormous. I am counting the minutes to be able to give G his dream feed, and I suspect I will be drowning him with milk tonight !

Also wanted to say thank you for all of your lovely comments about G. He is a fab little boy, I have to admit. Not that keen on the early crawling, though, as the DDs have kadzillions of tiny toys he is desperate to put in his mouth.

Ew, the vaseline! Why didn't you warn me!

Actually I posted that comment on a different thread. A serious thread.

We're going to need another thread soon.

thanks all. I'm sorry I feel like I need reassurance more often these days. bedtime isn't always like tonight was but, like you say Pula, it can leave me physically and emotionally shattered like tonight.

On a good day, I can get Harper to bed before the older DDs but tonight H was a bit off schedule so everyone needed attention all at once (at least that's the way they acted) and they wanted it by crying (H) or whingeing(DD1&2) and/or getting into trouble (DD1&2). the crying really wears on me at times and all I feel at the end of the day is incompetent. i know that's not fair to me and maybe I'm just tired so i'm sure i'll feel better after a chamomile and sleep.

llare, I'm really interested in that book and may place an Amazon order tomorrow.

tummum, hope your boob gets a bit of relief soon.

the thread is really moving fast, isn't it?

I do hope you find it helpful. I found the first two chapters enormously helpful but found the chapters afterwards a bit repetitive. But I've dipped in and out of the rest and there have been some useful things to think about.

night all. hope the LO's give us a break and sleep until 7am [hopeful emoticon].

Just in case you feel me completely heartless, I thought the vaseline reference was near the beginning when he put it down his shorts for his run. Obviously then I didn't realise the significance.

Haven't seen the programme, but am now intrieged...! (But can't spell!)

I thought that CJ was incredibly gripping. I really need to catch up with tonight's episode on iplayer as our sky+ failed. I thought Matthew whatshisface was pretty chilling as the barrister.

As for Judge John Deed, inaccuracies aside, I have an enormous crush on Martin Shaw. It is shameful.

morning all..

i don't watch CJ but want to after hearing you talk about it.

Dandy, followed the link...what a cool ice cream shop. i cant imagine liquorice ice cream but bet it's lovely. the oddest flavour i've tried - though prob not so odd these days- was a refreshing green tea ice cream. ah, i love ice cream. sigh.

sat here feeding Harper. she slept through till 6.45!! thank you Harper. I only got up once about 3am to calm down dd1 who often wakes in the nights (night terrors i think). otherwise a solid sleep.

ok, she's taking a break so need to get dressed before other dd's get up and make demands.

hope all slept well.

Llare Martin Shaw ?!!! Why-o-why?!

I know, I know.

Morning

Am also not watching CJ but wish I was. Might try to catch up / Sky+ and iPlayer it.

Momino, just to add my voice to everyone else's - I think you're a great mum and I have no idea how anyone could begin to cope with 3 DCs - you're clearly doing brilliantly. Try not to beat yourself up about the small things.

Llare, - as per Tummum - oh dear, Martin Shaw.

Dandy, your childfree morning sounds great. Also, how funny re the way MN is perceived - but maybe that's just how we want it to be perceived because it fits in with my our opinions of ourselves?!

F slept through from 11pm - 6.30am last night in his own room in his cot, and I didn't hear any noises in the middle of the night - fab. I was so pleased and bright-eyed that after feeding F, I walked the dogs so DH could stay in bed and cuddle him.

Got a removal quote yesterday - £650 to move the contents of a big 2 bed bungalow plus cluttered garage 140 miles. Lots of books, dining and kitchen tables etc etc. Is that reasonable? They supply all the boxes for free and you don't have to empty chests of drawers etc. I was trying to cost self drive and I think it would be £300 (plus boxes) at cheapest - 2 vans for 24 hours but lots of hard work - not sure if it might be a bit too difficult with a baby, cats and dogs. My parents would help but still... Opinions? My mat pay is going down to stat next month so we're trying to be good- and we are a tad skint. Is self hire a false economy though?