May 09 - The Sleepless Babies Club, All Dubious Fashions Welcome

[Grumpyoldcaaaaaaaa]

Ladies.

dandy I'm afraid I did have a bit of a chuckle at your ballet shoe rant. I could see the episode being done in a sit com, Outnumbered perhaps! But yes, totally get why you are ranting. Dh's just don't understand. My bug bear is the tops from the Avent bottles. DH just discards them when he takes the top off to feed R, with no regard at all as to where he chucks it. Consequently we are two short at the moment. A minor thing but one that has me able to rant away for a good 20 minutes about it too!!

Loved the Baby Disco song/theme too.

grumpy bleeding hell. £24.50 for PE kit. Shocking. Better make sure she gains no weight and no height for the next 5 years and get your monies worth out of it. We managed to get DSs from Next for about a £10. Thankfully, his school just says white t shirt , blue shorts and plimsoles.

So, DH and I had a v nice Saturday night for our anniversary. Some lovely friends of ours who already have 4 children offered to have both DSs for the night. DS1 jsut fits right in as their youngest is the same age, and Mrs G is getting broody so she was more than happy to deal with R. Who was a good as gold, only waking once and going straight back to sleep in his cot for them. If only he would do that for us!!!!

We had a takeaway with our friends after all the kids in bed, got quite drunk and then headed back to the hotel for the requisite anniversary shag! And a decent nights sleep and a lovely relaxed breakfast. Dh and I got on really well and had some good chats until we got home last night and ended up arguing over something really daft.

Still, a good weekend.

SOunds like you all had fun at the Baby Disco!!

belgina think I made a boo-boo on your FB and outed you as not returning to previous job (if that makes sense), I deleted my comment, hope I didn't knack things up for you

grumpy 's OK. It's a bit my own fault for writinig such a message. They should find out soon enough anyway. (Tomorrow if the Royal Mail does it's job properlyl ). It's very sad. They were all very lovely colleagues.

headless sounds like you and your DH had a good time (minus last night). My own DH and I could do with a similar night.

On one hand I'm a bit particular about things like laundry, but I do have a bad habbit of leaving baby bottle tops behind. So I've lost my only top of my only bottle I also have lots of different pots of sudocrem/callendula because I never put them back and have changed to the having a pot in every room strategy, same with nail scissors for some reason.

belgina They'll all be at work anyway, so obviously won't see your status

I'm going in to my work tomorrow to request 3 days a week working. Suspect I'll get laughed out of the building.

I really hope they agree though because otherwise I'll have to work full-time and just can't bear the thought. Unfortunately I have to work from a financial point of view........can't imagine having to apply for another job atm

morning all.
grumps, sounds like you've got the cold we've had. I hope you're feeling better. Have a hot toddy, I say (don't forget the whiskey).

can't believe how much school clothes cost, especially the gym kit .
Belgina, glad you had a good time in Belgium, Hippy woman .

looby, I'm broody as well as I sort through and give away H's clothes that are too small. we're definitely finished but I still can't help being wistful. maybe your DH will change his mind?

ladyH, glad you had a good anniversary and about the night (and shag) in the hotel.

last night's sleep wasn't too bad but dd1 woke up 4 x. she yells for me and i jump to attend her like a servant. it's usually only to turn the music back on and I'm not really sure if she's even awake. I just want to keep her quiet so she doesn't wake up dd2 or H in the other room.

maybe if i instruct dd1 to turn it on herself? otherwise, I have no idea how to get her to stop calling out for me in her sleep. on the other hand, it was her first night in pants and she was dry ! she's been stubborn about leaving her night pull-ups behind but for some reason wanted to try last night. all's well then.

hope you're all having a good day.

Hiya,
Just checking in - been away from the weekend and have a velcro baby so not much time to read. Will attempt to later.
Hope all are well x

Looby your DH may change his mind. They don't feel the sense of urgency like we do, unfortunately.

Momino you must have the patience of a saint. One DC waking me up is all I can cope with!

Dandy YANBU to feel pissed off, especially with the 'not my responsibility' attitude. He has redeemed himself to an extent though, so maybe you should try to put it behind you. I would let your DD off with a first warning... I'm not familiar with children of your DD's age but I think she is probably too young to be punished for losing something, yet old enough to know you can't keep replacing things if she loses them.

Anyway perhaps you can all persuade me into a serene attitude to my own DH who has made me really this afternoon...

Background - as you all know H's sleeping has been bad for weeks and abysmal for the last 4/5 nights, waking up every hour and can only be settled by me, though DH has tried. Anyway because of my tiredness, H needing a lot more attention these days and him not napping much in the day, the housework, laundry and other tasks have been mounting up and this is beginning to get me down. DH is at work 6 days a week and spends Sundays doing DIY type things that, to be fair, do need doing but always seem more important (even though they have been dragging on for months) than the day to day stuff, which is all down to me.

So - DH says to me at the weekend he will take H out today for the afternoon to a friend/customer who wants to see him to give me a break and a chance to catch up. We agreed DH would come back 2.30ish. 2.30 came and went, no answer on DH's mobile (which I eventually realised he had left here) and his shop phone went to voicemail. I eventually got in touch with him around 4.45 - turned out he's had trouble contacting the friend he was going to visit and she'd had to go out. He was apparently 'just thinking about' ringing me to tell me it was off . He knows how much I was looking forward to having a break from childcare and getting on top of housework (possibly I'm mad!), and he knows how much it annoys infuriates me when he's late or breaks an arrangement and doesn't even bother to contact me.

I feel like an old harridan being so narky with him, but the not-contacting-me thing in particular really gets my back up.

Sorry, rant over! As you were

oh spangle i'm with you on the not getting in touch when expected.. not only would i be worrying myself silly but also on tenter hooks unable to settle.. at least with a 'sorry not going to make it' call you can just get on with other stuff without wondering if you'd have time to do x y z before he gets home.. grrr

spangle that would have pissed me off too. Especially as you were looking forward to a bit of baby free time.

momi I don't know how you manage it. Interrupted sleep and your absent DH. I would be climbing the walls.

Managed to get to the gym today. R went to creche and was no trouble. I am making a big effort to get fit now. Or is it just so I can get a shower and wash my hair in peace whilst R is looked after by someone else........?

spangle at your DH. I would have been equally annoyed. You would have had all sorts of nice stuff lined up for your baby free hour and on top of that would have sat there waiting for DH. Like fi I would have been worried and close to phoning all hospitals/the police too, lol. You need to demand some compensation and have double baby free time next weekend . Oh and I was thinking of you when I saw this add on telly for lactofree (or something) milk. Still check with your HV, but maybe that's something H could tollerate?

I have only managed half of what I planned today, because I started reading this really really really good book and I can't just read one chapter. Luckily it's one of those books with tiny chapters.

Headless Good on you for going to the gym. I fail miserably every time, so have given up on memberships now.

momi Your nights sound like a bit of a nightmare. I usually end up letting them sleep in bed with me when on my own with them. Luckily they're past that age now I think. It hasn't happened in ages. Maybe 1x since moving here?

Right carry on now. Bedtime for the eldest and then time to do a bit more ap searching, though I'd rather carry on with my book.

Spangle - absolutely . I'm with Belgina and think you should demand compensation in terms of double the amount of time at the weekend.

Running - hope you had a good wkend and velcro baby isn't too frustrating.

Headless - gym??!
I seriously need to do something to get rid of this jelly belly and lose some weight but I've never really enjoyed any exercise. Oh except for my antenatal pilates... Don't see how I'll be able to fit in any pilates when I'm back at work but maybe I could do a couple of classes whilst O has his settling in days....
Anyway, glad you had a good wkend

Belgina - LOL at hippy woman! I think some of my friends and family think the same thing about me. Strange woman that's still BF and hasn't done any purees and co-sleeps with her son.... I normally respond by just saying, "Each baby and each mum is different and you just need to do what works for you. This is what works for us." What I believe too - I may do something completely different next time

Looby - M may not be BF as much as she's eating more. O only had wake up feed, 4pm feed and bedtime feed today. I'm hoping he'll manage at nursery without milk and have water. He also eats lots of fruit so that will help.

Dandy - did you let DD go in her old shoes in the end?

Grumpy - £24.50!!! NCT classes don't tell you about that sort of thing do they?!

Puppy Update - she's gorgeous but chewing everything in sight and instead of Lucy showing her how to behave, Lucy seems to think she can regress into puppy behaviour too

Ses don't you worry, I'm saving up favours for the time when H doesn't need me to bf him to sleep . It includes a very large favour for the time he went similarly AWOL and uncontactable until midnight when H was v small (went round to friend's house early evening and stayed there for a meal, drinks etc).

We are ok now, I have told DH how out of order he was not to contact me and he has apologised. He's generally pretty rubbish at being on time and keeping people informed of his whereabouts, but every now and again manages to royally piss me off by being spectacularly thoughtless. We all have our bad points though, I guess .

Thanks for the sypmathy, that and a large glass of wine has made it all seem not so bad.

Headless well done on going to the gym! Wish I could summon up the energy.

Dandy As a lady of SYSTEMS myself I can completely understand your meltdown at balletshoegate. My DH is fabulous in many ways but puttingstuffinitsplace is not one of them. What I have realised over the last 8 years with him is that he never changes it's my reaction that does. Sometimes I sigh and put things away myself, other times I point out all his faults as I slam things back in their places.

I hope the other shoe turns up. I bet your DD looks super cute in her ballet getup.

I'm going to make the most of the milder weather today and take the DCs to the city farm close by. We haven't done anything like that in a while so hopefully they will enjoy it.

When oh when will R's night time waking get any better?? Surely there is a magic remedy somewhere. I just don't get it. He goes down for his naps and at 7am like a dream. So why will he not go back to sleep when he wakes up later in the night???????

Last night it was 4.30am. Cry cry cry.Cuddle andp ut on mobile light/singing frog. Replace in cot. Quiet. Frog and mobile go off. Cry cry cry. Go back in. Cuddle. Reset mobile and frog. Quiet. Frog and mobile go off. Cry cry cry. repeat ad nauseum till 6am at which point give in and give bottle. Goes to sleep. GGGGGGAAAAAAARRRRRRGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHH.

febes enjoy your farm visit.

dandy Stop looking for shoe now. Give it 2 weeks and it will turn up when you have completely forgotten about it.

spangle glad your DH apologised. I think the lateness trait is somehow genetic. Some people just cannot help it. I have a friend who is always late for everything ( except school pick up thankfully) but whenever we arrange to go anywhere, she is without fail 30 mins or more late - even when she has organised it and specified the time. Which I just don't get. SHe is just oblivious to it too.

pula good luck on your first day at work ( just seen your FB status).

Fi G's progress sounds very like my Nairn - he was walking around the furniture by 8 months although he didn't have the cajones to let go of the sofa until the week before his first birthday. Erica was almost 15 months before she walked. If it's any consolation with DS & G, Nairn hated Erica so much when she was born that he tried to hit her with a toy bus when she was about a week old. It took a long time but they're now the very best of friends.

Ses Wheeee!! I'd love a puppy but (Little Britain voice) Bob Says No.

Pula That's so funny! I'm in no hurry for G to crawl, she can roll to wherever she wants but it's funny comparing her progress to the others

Belgina I'm glad it's not just me! G isn't sitting fantastically yet because she throws herself backwards when she's sitting. C is so cute! She looks so much older with all that hair.

Grumpy Thank you! I actually won that alarm clock from Habitat, Erica LOVES it! She comes up every morning and asks to play with my 'chicken'. I'm feeling much better now thanks - how's life treating you?

Flippin Can you get time away to go swimming? I found it really helped my sciatica.

Co-sleeping We used to while all our babies were tiny, but they all really like their own space so they sleep in their own beds. G's been in a cot in her bedroom since before Christmas

Dandy I can relate to so much of the ballet stuff rant, it's DH & I's #1 argument. Hope the shoe turned up? Erica's stuff comes straight off and into a ballet bag which hangs on a peg in her room, it's the only way I can keep track of everything.

Grumpy That's extortion! Private school?

Looby We've stopped BFing too because G was too fussy at the breast after getting a bottle at nursery one day a week. Nine months is excellent!

Broodiness I would be pregnant again if DH hadn't been neutered! G has been such a pleasant and happy baby that it seems a crime not to make more of her ;)

Hi,
Claiming namecheck amnesty for now. I am so tired, and fed up and annoyed because I don't really know why I feel this way when I should be making the most of my last four weeks with A before I go back to work

Sorry folks, normal service should resume shortly.
x

Evening all,

Dandy- i have some sympathies for your DH as I am a "shove things in random places" kind of girl. My DH is an anal obsessive tidy person and gets very annoyed with me when i can't find my keys/phone/purse/ because i've shoved them somewhere silly.... However, i used to take DD to ballet every week for a year, and then the one time he took her, she came back with one ballet shoe that was hers and one that was someone elses and a different size. Luckily we got the matching one back but i can understand your annoyance.

My first day at work was quite nice actually. A trip to the London office, and a catchup with old colleagues. I felt like "me" again rather than just "mummy" if that makes any sense.

I got soo uncomfortably engorged though- I got my letdown twice (thank goodness i remembered my breastpads). I expressed 6oz at lunchtime (which went straight down the sink as i had nothing to keep it cool in) and 9oz when i got home which i can send to nursery tomorrow.

Poor S only drank 1oz of milk in the day, and around 4oz at bedtime, and had 3 short naps so DH had a tricky bedtime but was very proud to get them all to bed before i got home.

pula, great to hear about your 1st day back at work and glad it was nice. ikwym about 'me'-feeling. I haven't felt non-mummy for awhile now. oh, actually, that's not true: i've been into town shopping without DDs and, although it was only for a couple of hours, felt independent and vomitless.

running, have one of these . hope you feel better.

just an odd question, has anyone gone down a cup size and still BF? maybe since H is taking less milk, my boobs are reducing . in any case, i'm not filling my current C cup BF bra. attractive .

also, remember our ladygarden talk of last year? (ah, those were the dayz...) never mind lady garden, i can't remember the last time I shaved my legs! with that and the bras that don't fit, no wonder I'm not feeling attractive and pushing DH away. don't know why i'm offloading that on here. feel free to .

(it's only bcause dh is watching footie and i'm bored)

Evening all!

pula - glad your day was good, but boo to the engorgement, and how sad to have to throw that much milk away! Well, it always upsets me for some reason.

lol at balletshoegate.

We've all got colds, A is teething, DD1 has finally got over her sulking with DH for going away, crappy weather, not much money. That's the sumary of this week so far really.

A hardly fed today, she was really fussy at all the day time feeds, so by the time she was ready for bed my boobs felt like they were going to explode (so know how you feel, Pula!). Luckily she had enormous feed before bed so I feel better, but still tender. She's so distractable now that it's getting quite tricky at time to feed her, hopefully this phase will pass quickly.

momi - yep, my cups don't runneth over so much any more . Back to an F instead of a G or H .

I can remember when I last shaved my legs! It was for my spa day in October, how terrible is that?!

running - would you like a hug?

ta da! Getting ready early for Easter. Well, the creme eggs and hot cross buns are in the shops, so why can't I have an Easter name?