June 2008: New Year, new thread, new names, new words, new goals, but no resolutions!

[abdnhikinginawinterwonderland]

New thread since the last one's at 997 posts...

I forgot to say Happy Birthday before Essie, so Happy Birthday!

I think I would opt for the storage space and go for the wall units as well, as you say you won't be sitting around in there so it doesn't really matter if it feels a bit cramped.

Looks like the thaw may have started here, keeping my fingers crossed and hoping it isn't going to go cold again like last week.

PMSL Essie - I win, I win, I win!! Michael is 13 weeks and 11lbs which officially means he takes the crown from Iestyn as the smallest baby on the thread !

Ohmigod - I can't believe I just wrote that! He's smaller than Iestyn - yet look at the size difference between you and me. You're slender and small and I'm elephant woman. How on earth did I produce such a tiny baby?????

IKWYM about babies born so small won't shoot up the growth charts but, um, that's exactly what Alex did! He started off on the 9th and ended up on the 75th by the time he was 8 weeks old!! Don't ask me how he did it, but he did .

ktpie, his feeds are really hit and miss - and very small on the most part. That's part of the worry. But, despite what they would have you believe on the bf thread, you cannot overfeed an ff baby! He will take what he wants (which is normally feck all) and no more.

Goddess, thank you. I know you've worried about S in the past. It's ironic really cos I spend half my time worrying A is eating too much and the other half worrying that M is eating too little! I just worry too much!

Oh, and I would go for wall cupboards - you can't have too much storage space in a kitchen IMO!

tedi 25lbs would be fantastic - Fraser is closer to 20 than 21 but seems to be moving back up towards his 9th centile. So either Fraser's now the teeny one and you've lost your bragging rights or ... are you sure he's really that big? That's 50th %ile range Here's the WHO charts for everyone's reference. (My 3.5 yr old is only 29 lbs).

I'd opt for no wall units on one wall - we took some down in our kitchen and the place is so much friendly. A welcoming space makes cooking more fun and really, we all have way too much junk in our cupboards anyways.

DH just got home from volleyball so I'd better pretend that I was waiting for him and I'm the poor hard done by wife instead of someone who's been wasting time on the internet all evening...

Essie, would your dining area fit a nice big sideboard/dresser type thing that you could use to store lesser used kitchen junk essentials?

Sponge, how much milk is he taking over the course of a day? If he's very regularly not taking much milk maybe think about increasing the number of feeds? That said, I remain sure that he's fine! I'm not convinced that apart from proper over/under feeding situations, how much milk they get makes a massive difference. Babies just come in all shapes and sizes as M and A show! .

Aaarrrrggghhh, S has just woken. I think our baby monitor is a bit knackered, either that or he's really super loud. His cry keeps escaping through the mute button . 4 minutes till next trip upstairs to see him...

Goddess, PMSL at "his cry keeps escaping through the mute button"!!!!

No idea how much milk M takes tbh - don't record it . We used to but it became too depressing onerous .

Having said that though, M officially disproved my hypothesis that small babies don't sleep by promptly SLEEPING THROUGH THE NIGHT!!! Yep, 6pm til 4.45am ! Amazing .

Happy 3 mths Michael & Happy 19 mths Alex .

Morning everyone.

Sponge - I've got no real idea about the feeding thing. Have your health visitors / GP been any help?

In our old house we had a tiny kitchen so we had a dresser in our dining room, the bottom of which was used to store all those kitchen items that you rarely use but take up loads of space. Could you put something like that in your dining room Essie? Just realised that is the same suggestion as DG made , I should pay more attention.

I've just ordered another diary from the sale here, even though I have a diary, I'm such a sucker for stationery.

We seem to be getting full blown tantrums here, J loves drawing at the moment and was doing a beautiful picture (scribble) with a biro, which is fine when supervised but when I wanted to go and do something else and took the biro from him (replaced with crayons) he went into meltdown. Then just as he seemed to be calming down he started running backwards and forwards screaming. Cbeebies seems to be the only thing that has the ability to sort him out and he has calmed down enough now to watch Timmy Time. How do you handle drawing activities they are enjoying to an end (I think he would have sat there all day scribbling)? Or the ensuing tantrum?

X posted Sponge , good news on the sleeping through the night. M is 3 months already!

I didn't even wake up for a wee last night so I'm feeling fairly good too .

Sorry, I am officially rubbish at posting despite reading each day. P doesn't help as he slams the laptop shut whenever I open it.

Anyway...

Essie hope you had a happy birthday. Have you thought about a full length larder cupboard? If you can remember what my kitchen is like it is fairly small and narrow, but the larder cupboard provides a lot of space. Really glad we put it in. I would also recommend a over fridge/freezer cupboard for the less used things.

Biscuits your on call schedule sounds hideous.

Sponge sorry you are worrying about M's weight. Nothing to add to what the others have said, except less of the "elephant woman" comments please. It's not true.

Sleep update. Well, having got tough since New Year we are seeing results. The most amazing night was on Tuesday when P went from 6.30pm till 8.10am . DH ended up getting me a cup of tea in bed. More normally though he is lasting till about 6.30am with the odd random waking up in the middle of the night. Last night was less good with P awake for an hour in the middle of the night.

Right, that is as much as I am being allowed to type by a certain small person. Have a good day all.

I shall check my red book when I am at home sponge, but I'm pretty sure that C was 10lb 13 oz at 13 weeks - I remember distinctly as it was an oz less than my friend's baby, born the day after C, was at birth! C started off on the 50th centile Sponge, so I also am very firmly in the centile schmentile gang with tedi Goddess abdn and UDC If we're having a small baby competition let's compare shoe sizes again! (Michael is not allowed to enter this one!)

C is still a size 3. It's saving me a fortune!

thanks for all the sympathy, I had a lovely sleep during the day yesterday - at least the hellish night meant I had earned yesterday off work!

Iestyn is still size 3 too! And he's still wearing a 6-9mo outfit and it still fits.
MUST NOT post. Too much to do and I'm wasting time. Back later with proper replies, and thanks for all the kitchen opinions - will respond in a bit. Shame we can't get photos up on mn.

essie, having not had J weighed since the 8 month check I can't be sure, but I would be amazed if he weighs anywhere near 25 lbs. He still fits in some of his 9-12 month sleepsuits and often needs the legs turning up on 12-18 month old gear. His feet are a 4.5 H, but his instep is so high he has to high a 5 shoe for a comfortable fit.

Sponge, as long as you are happy he is active and healthy try not to worry too much. I hardly ever had J weighed as it was too stressful and the graphs are bloody stupid. You know your own child, and I'm sure any child who is sleeping through is getting enough during the day.

Does anyone feel brave enough to point out to Neenz that strong morning sickness is often an indicator of a multiple pregnancy?

Yay on P's sleep spider - that's fab . Now we're not snowed in anymore we must come and visit .

Oh, and I consider myself suitably told off .

Biscuits, damn - I thought I'd won

ROFL at the glint. No, no, mine is glintier, Sponge!

May get Iestyn weighed this week...(all estimations were done by trying to get him on the 37 year old scales at my Mum's - they were a wedding present!). Maybe he's heavy but small?

25lbs does sound a lot tedi !

I don't think that's far off what Alex weighs, and I would be quite surprised if they now weighed the same! Although, to be fair, I haven't seen Iestyn for a year so he might have beefed up!

There's no way I'd tell neenz that sybil

tedi are you saying that Iestyn is... dense? I will try and get C to stand on the scales at some point this week!

sponge centiles wise, you probably have won, as girl centiles are lower and in your photos, you are most definitely not an elephant woman!

spider yay for P's sleep, sounds like you are making leaps and bounds forward!

Must remember to weigh S on the home scales this week and join in the competitive small baby competition...

Had a HELLISH night's sleep after assuring Sponge on fb that S was a skinny minnie and slept fairly well apart from these crazy episodes he has where we go without sleep for a fortnight. Thought he was back to sleeping through but he started about 11pm last night and we didn't have the energy for CC. So he came in with us and disturbed us ALL night. Little bugger.

Someone, amber I think, mentioned a while back about loving all the cute things they do at the moment. I'm loving the sheer delight on S's face just now when he's enjoying something. e.g. he loves getting into our bed and hiding under the duvet with me until DH 'finds' us. He loves it! I think he's going to burst with all the giggles he holds in. Ah, bless. Must get back to work. Working on a massive, but horrible, job at the mo which I can't talk about but suffice to say LOTS of employees are going to be very unhappy.

Maybe someone can help me with this very trivial concern.

Thanks for the nice messages Biscuits and Sponge.

Ktpie I have now bought a couple of things from that diary website.

Sponge I wondered whether it might be twins when Neenz said her clothes were already getting tight. Mind you, second time around aren't you meant to show earlier IIRC?

I have had the Wii Fit out whilst it has been snowy. I have set P up as a "Mii" and can weigh him on it. He is about 2 stone 2lbs, so about 30lbs I guess. He has always been a bit of a chubster though. I worry too Sponge about whether I am feeding him too much.

You're all getting a slap for mentioning multiple pregnancy! I think the ms is cos i'm probably not as healthy as I was with the twins, plus you are supposed to show more the second time AND I have been eating loads. [hopes]

But I could swear I am feeling some movement in there - you know the bubbles popping feeling? But surely it must be gas. Or I am carrying quads as I didn't feel that till about 14wks with the twins.

I am still feeling a bit sick today but it is much better than when I was at work - I found that so hard, I think cos I didn't get to sleep in so I was so so tired. That makes me feel more sick. I have decided not to bother eating so much cos I still feel sick after eating anyway so just eating my normal diet (well maybe a little bit more ) In fact, I'm off to make myself some cheese on toast now.

But before I go, Sponge, I think you can only offer Michael the milk and if he doesn't want it then you have to go along with what he wants. You know it is not a question of supply etc - the milk is there, he just doesn't want it. And he is sleeping through the night bang on schedule. So sounds like he is perfectly normal to me.

(Esther is a 3.5 in shoes!)

Sorry Spider - can't help you with the yoga pants question the only yoga I do is on the Wii - so I'm impressed that P is on Wii fit -what's his favourite game??? How did you get him to stand still long enough for it to weigh him? Sounds like P is sleeping really well - thank goodness

Sponge - wow M sleeping though and a simultaneous sleep in the day, I hope it lasted long enough for you to enjoy your cup of tea in peace.

Goddess - love the image of you and ds hiding under the duvet! Today after hours and hours of a very moany Ethan he suddenly started playing a "Bye Bye game", puts things in a bag and comes to say bye bye and gives me a kiss. He kissed me in the usual haphazard way then reached up to kiss me on the nose then on the cheek - such tiny sweet kisses not baby slobber - they melted my heart!!!!

Biscuit - what a horrible work schedule

Neenz - you've got all that multiple experience now - it would be easy for you

Ktpie - glad you managed to sleep through too. Haven't had the tantrums about drawing yet, usually distraction is the answer , I think I'm going to get E one of those aquadraw mats for his birthday - does J have one? Might be a nice present from the new baby.

Tedi - Happy Birthday for yesterday, kitchen photos on FB please

Very proud here, boys did their ski race - in separate groups and ds1 came 3rd in his class beating some very speedy locals and ds2 came 1st in his group

Ah, FB. I could take a picture of the kitchen cupboards for you Essie and then all my FB friends will think I have a peculiar kitchen cupboard obsession.

Deb, well done your DSs! I have an aquadraw mat and they play a little bit with it but not so much yet. It is obviously great for not worrying about crayons/ink/paint going everywhere, but I think it is maybe not as rewarding for them playing with it cos everything looks the same iyswim. And then disappears.

Spider, no idea about the yoga pants!

I got a real flaming earlier in AIBU (the thread is titled 'To tell my friend' cos I sent a really insensitive text to a male friend earlier this week. His wife is 18 days overdue (she was 13/14 days when I sent the text) and I just wanted to warn him that the placenta can die if you wait too long. No one ever told me that (probably cos I didn't go 2wks over) so I was so shocked and saddened when my sister's friend had her baby die in the womb the night before her induction at 12 days over . I was so worried for him, he seemed so flippant about it, saying 'the baby just doesn't want to come out in the cold' I just thought I can't not warn him. Anyway he didn't reply so I knew I had said the wrong thing (as always ). Anyway I have text him and he is fine with it, I think lots of people have been sticking their oar in! It was really upsetting though to think I may have really offended him, but you know what they are like on AIBU, they just love to put the boot in and some of them were being really OTT. Anyway it forced me to sort it and say sorry and that was for the best .

I am officially a saddo and have used FB to post kitchen photos for Essie.

Didn't see your AIBU thread Neenz. Glad you sorted it out though.

Say well done to the boys from us Deb. That is great.

ski race videos on FB now - just to compete with Spider's cupboards!!!

Sorry, I've been hiding a bit. Then again, it's hard to read with all the glinting whilst ducking slaps from Neenz.

Absolutely gutted that the depression seems to have worked out where I've been hiding and come and got me again. Not full blown or anything, just upset because I really thought I'd left it behind. Actually I know what it is, NZ don't stock the same meds, so I'm on the third world version of what I was on in the UK and it has completely confused my body. I'm freezing when everyone else is wearing shorts and I could sleep for England/New Zealand. And I don't sleep, I feel like I've blacked out. And I don't want to be on these dangerous, stupid pills anyway (10,000 law suits pending in the US because they've caused diabetes as a result of the massive weight gain they give everyone). Wow, I'm really ranting here aren't I? Anyway, drs appointment on Tuesday so hopefully we can devise a way of coming off them then.

Essie - I'm with Spider on the full length larder idea. Every house has them in NZ and I've got to say I absolutely love it. I get so excited at little things here, my ILs think I'm barmy.....lemon trees, palm trees, larders, cookers which have plug sockets for your kettle and stuff! (However the cooker controls are at the back of the hob, so you need to lean over hot pans to turn them down ).

Sponge/Essie - Ry is about 28lbs and on the 75th percentile, so I'm not sure how it all works....this is NZ percentiles, but Kiwis aren't known for being slender.

And Sponge FGS you are not an elephant woman. You're a normal sized beautiful Mummy.

Abdn - Like the pretending to be a hard done by wife bit, I used to do that when DH had a night out when actually I loved the peace and quiet - not to mention control of the remote control.

Goddess, I too LOL at "his cry keeps escaping through the mute button". And your job isn't sounding too fun, I'm not sure that there is ever a day when employees like their HR dept though, so might as well live up to the evil image!

KTPie - I love stationary too! I'm missing paperchase. Sounds like our LO's have picked up the habit too, you take a pen off Ry at the risk of your own sanity, it is guaranteed tantrums will ensue.

Oh before I forget, it looks like our London flat will have tenants moving in at begin of Feb. We were getting really worried as we can't afford the mortgage there and rent here for much longer (also w/o tenants we're still paying water rates and council tax ).

OK, this post is getting a bit big. Back soon!