May 09 - Six months on. Sleepless nights, hen nights and a sexybuilder.

[HeadlessLadyH]

Over here!!!!

Morning all!

Belgian - Jennster's post reminded me of some more stuff about DH's sciatica (not really that interesting though!). Anyway, he was referred for physio initially, so he had that and they gave him excercises; he then started the deep tissue massage (and had ultrasound too). The guy who did the massage/ultrasound is a sports physio who works almost exclusively with cyclists. It was long distance cycling and a desk job that caused DH's) so the physio gave him sets of exercises and stretches to do. DH does his stretches evey morning and night, nad hasn't had sciatica for nearly three years now. He had a muscle that was very knotted putting pressure on the sciatic nerve, so the massage and stretching helped. I don't know what specfically causes mine, but the chiro helps.

Sorry that was a lot of waffle...I think my point was if you know what is causing it (the pressure on the nerve) then you can deal with it appropriately.

Back to normal nights here, A awake on and off since 3 and grumpy now. Me too!

Morning!
Well, last night did 5.5hrs in his cot! 7.10pm til 00.40am! Hoping this is a sign of things to come
I did manage to make him cry this morning though. As usual, he was sitting in his bouncy chair in the bathroom whilst I had my shower. No- it wasn't the sight of me in the shower, but as pulled my towel off the rail to wrap round my dripping torso, a huge spider ran off the towel and up my arm. I screamed and shook the spider into the bath. O's face just dropped, bottom lip turned down and he just burst into tears.
So picture the scene with spider trying to escape the bath, crying baby and me with no towel now, dripping everywhere!
All fine now! I hope O will grow up to be able to deal with spiders for me!

Also had some sad news this morning. I got a text to say that a guy I knew from work died last night. It's so sad. He was only 23 and had just passed his registration exams last month to become a pharmacist. I'm waiting to hear what caused his death. Such a shock.

flippin - 18th on the list!!! I agree with the others that it may be worth seeing GP in the meantime (but obviously up to you as you know how you're feeling!)

Momino - H does sound like she may be teething. O always gets v grizzly and sometimes screechy when his gums are bad. I use Calpol and Ashtons&Parsons powders but also you could try children's ibuprofen if Calpol isn't working.
Great that DD1 has already mentioned ballet. It must be so difficult to know whether these things are just one big phase or whether you need to take further action. You're doing all the right things by seeking advice though.

Jennstar - like the new name! Hope your household is bug free soon.

Belgian - sorry to hear about sciatica but I guess you know what it is now and can hopefully do things that will help.

Febes - glad you're feeling a bit better. Hope DD has a great birthday!

Oh my goodness, it's quiet today! Do you all have lives or something?! I'm just delaying doing the hoovering .

Afternoon,
I feel so much better today, thank goodness, my rash is fading heaps too so I guess it was a part of the virus.

Ses at O sleeping so well. R seems to have lost the plot again the last few nights waking every 2 hours or worse. Maybe a 6 month growth spurt? Maybe had a cold like me or disturbed by me coughing? Also DH has worked in the night for the past week so its just been me and I haven't had the engery to adminster any sleep training. DH is off all weekend now so we will get him back on track tonight hopefully. Will go to bed armed with sipper cup of water and a strong will.

Jennstar Lovin the new name. I hope this means the puke has been banished.

Belgian I had sciatica in the past and really bad when pg with DD and I found the oestopath really helped. I have also visited a chiropractor in the past and they are usually great for backs and nerve pain.

Momi Ballet is a great idea for DD1. My sister is a dance teacher but she's in NZ might be a bit far to travel .

DH and I took both the DCs to tots time swimming lesson today. I used to go with DD from when she was small up until I had R (our last time was my due date) but I hadn't been again until 3 weeks ago.. She had lost lots of confidence the first week but since then she has got really confident again. I usually have to leave R with someone to go but it was great taking thm both today. He is such a water baby. The swim teacher is so good and the class is pay as you go so you don't have to pay for a whole term IYSWIM.

Anyway enough waffle from me must sort DCs tea out.

Afternoon everyone

Belgian Sorry to hear about your Sciatica
hopefully you'll be able to get something sorted soon, so you can feel abit better.

Ses on O and his sleeping, hope it carries on for you but on the guy dying at your work.

Baby J's rash has gone, I'm going to hold off the weetabix for a couple of days still, he likes his ready brek, and I'm scared about it reappearing.
DD had fancy dress at nursery today, so she was a princess, like I could get her to be anything else!

Right I'm off to go sort dinner out for J XX

Hello ladies- I'm back. My mum has gone, DH is due back soon, and i am looking forward to reading through this week's chat and doing a proper name check later, as she was reading over my shoulder whilst next to me on the sofa so i didn't feel comfortable!

It was nice to have some help, but i am glad i don't have to listen to the same stories about family and her friends over and over again. Although she did make me laugh with a couple of gems-

We were watching "the carpenters tribute" and she said "oh, that karen carpenter took her own life you know. She had that eating disorder where you make yourself sick, you know, bul..., bul..., what's it called, bolivia?" .

And the other one was she was reading DS1 a book, and said that the cooker in it was different to ours, it's called an "argos" .

Evening everyone,

Thanks for all your comments re my sciatica. I can't figure out why it's suddenly got worse this week. I haven't done anything different from usual. Well, except for sleeping badly. Maybe it's fatigue related somehow? Anyway, I'm looking forward to the osteo on mon and at least I'm not worried about my tingly leg anymore (it's tingling as I write this now)

momi That sounds like C the night before last. She was OK last night though. I'm also putting it down to teething and she slept fine after the calpol (and in my bed)
I also think that ballet might help your dd. Especially when she's already mentioned it too.

febes It sounds like you had a nice time swimming. I'd love to take all of them some time soon, but DH is always at work or away. The pool here is great too, with a proper waterplay area, a big slide, a flume and a wave machine! C's been loving her mum and baby swimming sessions though. She doesn't seem to mind to have to be woken for them either

ses So sad to hear about the guy at your work. So young. Hope O keeps up his sleeping

jael Girls and princesses hey?

Well, we've had a busy day today. We've given our hens to my ds' friend to be looked after on his parents small holding today. Our friend in the Midlands who wanted to look after them wasn't doing a good job and dh noticed that they weren't being fed or locked in at night, so hopefully they'll be happy chickens from now on. Then I went to pick up a bargain baby walker I'd bought of someone, only to discover that dh had found our old one after all, so now I've got 2. If anyone would like a V-tech baby walker in the future, I've got one spare, lol [hmm[. Then I had a friend come round for an hour too.

It seems like C can't look at me without trying to suck or lick my chin or cheek. And it's not hunger, because she does it right after a feed too, lol.

Oh and I forgot. pula Welcome back. Lol at your mum. Mine is apt to come out with that sort of things.

OK, I have spent an hour or so catching up with the last few days (you have been busy):

Muddledaizy ? if I could be guaranteed a girl then I would be tempted to try for another baby too, as it would even things out lol. But the thought of 3 DSs is too much
Momino - I would love to meet up but am running out of days before christmas so January would be best for me if you are free then? S has been unsettled this week, hardly sleeping in the day, and bad at night too , but I am putting it down to a massive developmental spurt ? in the last few days he has learnt to roll back to front, front to back, found his toes, got really good at fiddling with little things, using both hands together, and starting to move his body to work towards something he wants which is out of reach. Can't believe how much he has changed whilst DH was away. Sorry to hear about your DD1. Hopefully you can help her build her self-esteem. I am a bit worried about mine too, and am trying to be positive and praise her. She has developed a stammer when talking (she has had this on and off a few times), which I don't mention as I dont want to draw attention to it, but I worry its a confidence thing. There also seem to be lots of birthday parties at school, and she hasn't been invited to any. She seems to have one good friend, and a few girls who seem to like her. She also does ballet and has done since she was 3.5 and does enjoy it.
tummum- how distressing for you and your friend- glad her DD was safe and well. Hope you get your work issues sorted.
ses - great news about your kitchen extension being approved . O sounds very active and mobile. Love the new photos of him on FB. Great progress on the sleep too. S has taken a backwards step this week whilst my DH has been away- I've been cosleeping and feeding in the night again, just to get some sleep. DH is ready to tackle sleep training.
spangle- try not to worry too much about H. I have heard prem babies can take up to 2 years to catch up in terms of size and development. I would be about having to rush back as your DH wanted to get on with things. I think we all need some time on our own. I went to a couple of christmas fairs last weekend, not to buy anything in particular, but just because I wanted some time on my own.
Llareggub ? glad G is sleeping better- I think S sleeps worse when he needs to poo and is uncomfortable. I now give him weetabix with prunes every morning to keep things moving .
running- would A sit on the floor if surrounded by cushions? We have borrowed an activity centre for S which he loves, and have an inflatable ring.
looby- hope your mum is on the mend. Sorry to hear about DHs gran.
belgian- sorry to hear your GM is ill. Hope the sciatica is not too bad. My boss has it and would have spells of bad pain, which a TENS machine helped a bit.
jael- no teeth here yet, but plenty of drool
Jenn- sorry to hear about all the sickness in your household. Hope things improve soon.

I was just wondering- are most babies in their own rooms now or still in with you? S is over 6 months now, and we still haven't moved him out.

Oh and another question whilst i'm on- S has a dummy for when he goes to sleep (and when he is grumbling sometimes). I am thinking of taking it away, as i did this with DD and DS1 when they were 5 mo. I want to be sure he isn't waking and needing it to go back to sleep. But he is very strong-willed and I am worried he will be very angry without it. Has anyone stopped using dummies around this age and did you go cold turkey (we did this with DD) or slowly slowly (we did this with DS1). He has started being able to fall asleep in the car without his dummy/crying and self-soothes by sucking his bottom lip.

Pula - wow that was a great catch up!!
Welcome back
O is still in our room (although in his cotbed). We are thinking about moving him soon, possibly this weekend!

Belgian - LOL at C sucking your chin! Also at the people who were meant to be looking after your chickens!

Febes - swimming sounds a big success!

flippin - LOL at delaying the hoovering!

Thanks for everyone's comments re guy from work. It's stuck with me as is such a shock and v sad. All we know is that he went to bed last night and never woke up. He is a FB friend of mine and his wall is filling up with tributes

evening!

pula - no advice re dummies, my girls have bithg refused them (much to my disappointment at times). A is still in our room - the only place for her to go is in with DD1 but I don't think either of them sleep well enough to share yet (and tbh I don't think DD1 would cope with A moving in, there's hints of resentment at times, scarily). We'll have to do it at some point, but not in the immediate future.

ses- I meant to add that I am sorry about your friend dying so young and so suddenly.

pula,... and breathe!
agree with ses, great catch up. your mum sounds funny and slightly like mine . about dd1, I see a few similarities with your dd. my dd1 doesn't have too many friends at nursery and I also noticed she stutters. not often but I don't metnion it either when it happens.

Ses, that is so sad about your colleague. no other words...

belgian, busy day! baby walker: I'd love one but am loathe to add yet another thing to clutter our already-cluttered house.

Jael, I can relate to the Princess with my 3 girls ! how lovely.

been One Of THose Days. I'm not sure if dd2 and Harper have caught a tummy bug. both have terrible nappies. H exploded at play group today... all over me! funny, I don't think ever to bring extra clothes for myself, just the baby. also lots of crying again which just wears on me. then, I lost a £20 note on our way to buy A&P teething powders. i know it's just money and not our health but I'm dwelling on it anyway. and couldn't get the powders, boo.

but, now I'm sat on the sofa with a martini by an open fire doing nothing.

what's everyone up to tonight?

Oh and another question- for those of you who are going down the puree route rather than BLW, how much can your LOs put away? I am not sure whether S is having a growth spurt or whether i need to increase his quantities. He can easily put away half a weetabix and a fromage frais for breakfast, half a 4-6mo jar and fruit pot for lunch and the same for tea, and last night he had a whole 'ellas kitchen' pouch and 2 fromage frais for tea.

oh, and febes, love the thought of sending dd1 to NZ for ballet class .

flippin, did you get the hoovering done? i did ours at 7.30 after dh came home. PIL coming tomorrow morning and no other time to do it.

pula C's still in our room and will be for the next 2 years out of necessity. While we're renting this 3 bed house. The eldest 2's room is too small to add a 3rd child and the other bedroom is reserved for an ap. We don't use a dummy, but C thumbsucks and the appearance of her teeth seems to have caused her to selfwean a bit I think. I can see that sometimes she wants to thumbsuck, but because she's only got 2 teeth it must feel uncomfortable and she seems to stick it in and take it straight back out. She seems fine about it, so maybe at this age taking away a dummy might lead to a similar reaction?

momi How annoying about the £20. It's a lot of money and you couldn't get the powders because of it. So it's annoying x2.

pula, i'm doing a bit of both but H doesn't seem to be eating loads. she has a bit of banana for breakfast, for lunch about 1/3 of a jar and 1/2 a fruit pot or fromage frais and same for supper. but then, she has sticks of cheese on toast or rice cakes in between - a lot of it falls to the dog so not sure how much she's really eating.

pula - lol at your mums's comments.

momino - Sorry to hear about your day. Nope, didn't hoover. The only reason I was going to was because my neighbour said she'd come round for a cuppa if her inlaws went home; I could see that they hadn't gone (car still outside) so I knew she wouldn't be coming! A was asleep, so DD1 and I were just playing and eating biscuits [double ] instead of doing anything constructive. How's your martini?

I'm not doing much, messing around on various forums, and facebook, and drinking Tuborg (special offer in Sansburys) although I'm waiting for DH to make me a cup of tea. It's tragic, we both sat here playing on our laptops (well, I'm using ours, he's on his work one) and not talking to each other. But tbh, I can't be bothered. That's not good, is it?!

Pula funnily enough, I was wondering the same thing today while I fed G. Today G had a pureed pear for breakfast mixed with Plum porridge. I give him 3 tablespoons of porridge and mix it with the pear and a bit of water. For lunch he had sweet potato and cinnamon and he put away about 3 tablespoons. This evening he had 2 heaped tablespoons of leek and potato gratin, some fingers of pear and a fromage frais. He also has water with meals. Did you see my note about our mutual friend, btw?

ses so sorry to hear about your colleague.

Momino what a horrible day but I love the thought of sitting by an open fire.

Belgian sorry to hear about your sciatica. I've no experience of it but I do get bad backs occasionally and pilates helps me.

Jenn are things any better with you?

Tummum sorry to hear about the job situation. As an HR bod I have no further advice to add to what Dandy has already said. It is irritating that so many of my HR colleagues give us such a bad name. Makes me remember why I don't want to go back to it!

Jael sorry to hear what happened to you at Birmingham. I meant to post on facebook but got distracted. Re teeth: none here either.

Sorry if I've missed anyone but DH has just put Spooks on. We've had a quiet day today with a playdate at home this morning. G has finally got to grips with rolling and is looking suspiciously like he wants to start crawling.

I did have a bad moment today. DS1 helps me cook and today I absentmindedly put a large knife on the counter which DS1 picked up and kind of thrust in my face. I think I scared him with my stern response though I was more annoyed with myself. He said in a really small voice "I was only trying to help mummy" which made me heart melt. I felt awful.

Momi I'd be so at losing £20.

Pula R also has been hard work this week with waking at night and only napping for 20 mins at a time.
I started off with purees and finger foods but R seems to like BLW so most meals have been that this week. Today he had some fingers of toast, chunks of pear, pasta with vege sauce and cheese and some banana. He drops a bit but he is great at picking it up and shoving it in his mouth.

BTW DD eating has improved this week so she seems to be over her little fussy phase for the time being. She has been eating like a horse once again .

R is still in our room and same as Flippin will be in with us until he improves enough to put him in with DD. Also DD doesn't want to sleep in her 'big girl bed' yet so is still in the cot.

llareggub- oh yes I did see your note about our mutual friend- small world eh? She did ask how i knew you and i was a bit vague too.

I might just feed S until he's had enough and see how much that is- I usually stop even though he still seems to want more, as I don't want him to get tummyache but maybe he's really hungry. He really isn't too bothered about milk anymore (apart from at night ). He seems to use it to quench his thirst rather than because he's hungry.

Well the birthday cake is pretty much finished... just a few wee bits to do just before it's collected tomorrow lunchtime. I need a name check amnesty (except a couple) though as I was up late last night with it and then at 3.30am & 6.45am with G... fortunately ds didn't wake until 7.30 so I did get some sleep. After dropping ds to pre school I managed to pipe all the lettering on the cake and have finished the rest of the piped decorations now... good job I don't do these very often as I forget how tiring it is to try and fit in around G & DS... but it's also good fun iyswim? I'll post photos on sunday so as not to spoil the surprise for the recipient who is one of my fb friends.

ses i'm so sorry to hear about your friend awful at any age let alone that young

pula welcome back and wow at the mammoth catch up! Glad your mum didn't drive you crazy too much.

momino i'm sure dd1 will be fine as she's got you I'm sure she'll really enjoy ballet too.

G is still in our room... in her cotbed. DH has started muttering about moving her into her own room & getting it organised

G is mostly in with us. He goes up in his cot between 7ish and 11ish in his room. He usually wakes up at 11ish for a feed which I do in our room. He then sleeps in our bed. I tried putting him back but he wouldn't settle and I didn't get any sleep. When he is in the bed he is far more settled. He likes to sleep with his hand touching mine which makes my heart melt!