Dec 09 - We've found our fingers, we've found our toes, what happens next nobody knows

[Claire236]

Starting new thread before we run out of room. Now to link from the old one. Could be interesting

Sorry to hear you were feeling a bit down and you didn't sound smug at all. I always feel guilty for never wanting to spend a whole day at home by myself with Imogen as the thought of it fills me a bit with dread as to what exactly I will do with her all day. That in turn means I don't ever get anything done at home so our house is like a tornado ripped through it constantly and there is dust everywhere and I would be embarrassed to let anyone near our bathroom! We keep saying we're going to blitz it, but don't, but seeing how much better it made you feel I might just give it a go. Dh is off on a stag weekend this afternoon until late Sunday night, so maybe I could try to get it down between now and then... right off to make a list of what to do with a cup of tea... not sure that's very productive though [hmmm]

LaDiDaDi - glad your ds is feeling fine, driving to that other park sounds like a good idea if you want to get out when there isn't another adult around.

It's such a relief to know I'm not the only one not managing to keep on top of the housework. On lazy days I still find myself making bottles, doing a few loads of washing, making dinner, unloading/loading dishwasher etc. Getting round to things like dusting is a step too far usually. Having said that when I manage to get my arse in gear it amazes me how much I can get done in an hour.

Klerka - you didn't sound smug at all. Well done at getting sorted, sounds like a load off your mind.

Off to get ds1 from school in the lovely sunshine. Think I've found a childminder for after school when I go back to work. Been struggling to find anyone.

Oh no - dh is away for the weekend, he left this afternoon and of course tonight it took one and half hours to settle Imogen. How does she know?!?!? Feeling sorry for myself already and have that OMG feeling of how am I going to cope until Sunday night when he's back!!!! I know I'll feel better in the morning but now have an irrational fear she'll wake up all night...

*LaDiDaDi-OH no, how scary. Big hugs, im glad people were kind and helped you, bless the teenage lad who went and got his Mum.

Klerka-Well done for getting motivated and blitzing your house, i could do with some of your motivation. My cleaning has definately slipped, my house could definately do with a good blitz, im going to start a cleanathon tomorrow i think!

Claire-Glad you have hopefully got childminder sorted. I go back to work end of July, and have found a lovely childminder. She will have DS2 2 days a week, and DS1 (who starts school in September) will go to her in the holidays. She has E every Monday morning for 2 and half hours, starting from couple of weeks ago, so he can get used to her, and so far so good!

Hendo-Hope Imogen is going to be a good girl for you while her Daddy is away. Sending positve sleep vibes to Imogen your way-lol!

Weaning going really well here. E is on 3 meals a day now, and is a little gannet. When i sit him in his highchair he gets so excited and his arms and legs are waving around waiting for his grub.

Re bathtime-I fill the big bath with just a couple of inches of water so he can actually lie down and doesnt need supporting, he loves being on his front though, he kicks his legs and moves his arms and 'swims' from the top of the bath to the bottom, grinning all the time.

Annie - thanks for your sleep vibes, we only had one wake up and feed just before midnight and then up at 5.30 (but brilliantly back in bed at 7!!!). One night down, two more to go but sun is shining so feeling optimistic about rest of weekend now!!!

Glad you had a good night hendo.

You don't sound smug Klerka, wish I could get that organised!

Our safe baby feeder thing arrived yesterday and Catherine tested it out with some watermelon. She wasn't sure at first but soon got into it

She's also worked out rolling front front to back this morning too so she's not getting stuck on her tummy anymore. Does mean she can travel now though which is a bit scary!!

Waiting for the delivery of a new rocking Moses basket stand this morning. We borrowed one from a friend and soon after Catherine was born, Alex decided to get in! Probably a jealously thing. When he got out, he jumped out and in doing so, snapped one of the plastic straps that holds the basket in place. I've tried ordering a spare one from M&P but they always send the wrong one so I've given up and bought the whole stand again. I'm hoping it'll be exactly the same colour and I can just give her the new one without having to explain that Alex bust the old one as I'm quite ashamed - we should have looked after it better I was only out of the room for a few minutes!

Does anyone else look back on those first few weeks with horror? I'm amazed we all survived!

Yes! I was thinking that last night actually, and about what I would do differently with hindsight (although I think muddling through actually was OK!). I remember night after night of coming downstairs and watching TV in the middle of the night (thank god for freeview TV) waiting until a sensible time until I could talk to someone else and feeling like I was never ever going not feel like I might fall asleep at any minute again!!!

Thanks all... I am pleased with my achievements over the last couple of days. I can highly recommend it. Once I get started on cleaning I quite sadly enjoy it! And I've always been an ostrich about money... I know now that it's better to know where you are, whether or not it's a good or bad place. Going up to the cashpoint and requesting a mini-statement with total dread in your tummy, is not clever. Ok, so we're not rich - but I know it and have made some moves to make it better!

Went into town yesterday and had a lovely time walking around in the sunshine. Treated DD to a pair of BabyBanz (THE cutest thing I have ever seen!) - the sun really bothers her and afterall I was walking around with my shades on so why shouldn't she have some!

Hendo - glad you had a good night. I am convinced that DD knows when I am uptight. I actively make myself breathe slower and deeper and relax my arms when holding her when she gets a bit upset. Now you've had one good night hopefully you'll have another.

GS - Yay for Catherine rolling the other way too. Holly can do back to front so far and we have a net Nuby thing which I tried her with melon the other day. Just want to note that melon DOES stain... I have ruined one of her lovely onesies my sister sent with melon juice... I think today I we'll have another go but when she's wearing a plain cheapy ASDA vest.

Claire - glad you've found a CM... that'll be a weight off your mind.

It's glorious here today. DH has gone to work and won't be home til about 8pm. No plans to go anywhere - hope to get in the garden later. Have a great day all!

Gorgeous here today again , had a lovely time in the garden yesterday afternoon with a paddling pool, ds sat in Bumbo in paddling pool! Very cute. This afternoon we have a hospital appointment for dd about her allergies but hopefully will be able to go to the park afterwards.

Wow how warm!
I did my workout at athletics track after school run. Managed the two miles and the press/sit ups but I struggled todayas was so warm

anyone elses lo not feeding well today?

Madmissy - yes mine isn't feeding too well! I wonder if she's just thirsty as she seems to be quicker than usual though?

My little brother and best friend came round for lunch earlier and Imogen was sat in her highchair. I gave her some bits of tomato to play with (cut into quarters). She spent about 5 minutes concentrating on picking it up and examining it before holding it to her mouth and sucking it. I also had toys out on her tray, but she was definitely more interested in the food so getting very excited about starting properly next week now!

Right, off to try and do some gardening while she naps...

DD has hardly napped at all today - and that is MOST unlike her. Partly due to sore gums I think as she has been teary too. I actually gave her some Calpol earlier which I haven't done before during the day for teething - it didn't help her nap any. But maybe partly due to the heat - she always gets a sweaty head when a bit upset anyway so the heat can't be helping! She is feeding - but wants to chomp on my nipple for relief too... as you imagine I'm not allowing that.

Not got anything done today as a result. It may be too warm for me to get out in the garden at the moment anyway. I am super sensitive to sun unfortunately and have to wear high factor sunscreen... 50+ which is such a pain to lather on. I know I will obviously have to sunscreen DD but I hope her skin takes after DH's not mine!

Had dd to hospital today for her allergy testing, she is allergic to peanut as well as the peas, lentils and soyabean that we knew about. |Had skin prick testing, and a blood test and may have to ge back for a peanut challenge. Annoying but pleased that we found out about the peanut allergy.

Her worst reaction was to eating some sausage with soyabean protein in it. The consultant thinks that reaction was so bad because of how much she had. At the moment she probably doesn't need an Epipen which is good news.

LaDiDaDi - sorry to hear about the allergy, but as you say definitely better to know about it.

Klerka - hope your dd is feeling a bit better this evening, or at least sleeps well for you. Imogen is also doing a bit of the chomping thing when she finishes feeding - despite having no teeth yet it feels like a proper bite sometimes which is v painful. I keep saying 'No' in a firm voice, not that I think she has any idea at all what I mean as it usually makes her grin at me, cheeky monkey!

Needless to say I didn't get any gardening done and drank tea and wasted my time on the internet instead - there's always tomorrow... Fingers crossed for a good night again tonight, she's gone down without a fuss which in my experience usually means lots of wakings throughout the evening, but at least I've eaten my dinner!

Hope everyone has lovely sunny weekends.

Ladidadi....allergies are sucha worry but schools etc are so use to children having them these days they are really well clued up on them.

Its just been so so so hot hasnt it.... one good thing is that i have drunk loads of water. ds got over hot when outside and didnt like being lathered in suncream! He is now having more finger foods alongside the purees and loved some really ripe pear today......we have loads and i hate them when they get like that!!! He also sucked on some of my houmous on toast and some green beans while we were having tea! The carpet now look horrendous!!!! He did choose the toast over green beans but will happily take anything from the spoon!!!!

DD1 gave DS a breadstick today lol!
e loved it!

Morning all,
I hope we all had a good night? DD slept very well once I got her to sleep... from 7-9 she woke a bit teary about 4 times. The last time DH was home so he went in and sang to her... she nodded off properly... must be his dulcet tones in Slovakian that did it!

She seems bright enough this morning - more than I... only on first cup of tea. No plans for the day but it is supposed to be lovely - think we'll take a walk along the river to Tesco for a newspaper later.

Morning! Imogen was the same, after going straight to sleep at 6.45 she was awake at 8 (resettled), 9 (eventually fed her at 9.20) although never really settled. About 10.30 I realised it was mcuh warmer in her room than usual so swapped her grobag for a much lower tog one, gave her calpol and another feed as she was pretty much hysterical by this point. Finally got her to sleep just before 11 and she slept then until 4.45 am so that was good. Then she went back to sleep after a feed until just after 8 this morning.

I have no idea whether she was just hot, but felt a bit guilty as when I unzipped her from her grobag last night she did feel very hot. I probably should have realised that in the first place. Going to stick to the lower tog bag now and just add covers if it gets cooler I think. What does everyone else's LOs sleep in?

Not a bad night here and another lovely day!

I've just been putting ds in a sleepsuit, no vest, and then one blanket over him in his moses basket. He's warm enough and then I don't worry about him getting too hot when he comes in to bed with me later on in the night.

We do the same as LaDiDaDi - just a sleepsuit and a nappy with 1 layer of a very light blanket over Catherine at bedtime. Haven't used her grobag for about a week now even though it's only a 1 tog one.

But then it was 24 degrees in our room last night!!

I kept the instructions from the bag when we bought it and they said that between 21 and 23 degrees, baby should only wear a sleepsuit or vest under the grobag so as it was hotter than that, we left off the grobag too.

I remember struggling with Alex over his first summer. I felt he wasn't dressed without a vest underneath and I worried he'd get cold in the middle of the night. Even during the day, I hated putting him in a sunsuit without a vest on!! Catherine is wearing the most adorable little dress today with tiny little straps and no vest and is definitely warm enough.

I'm much more laid back this time

Catherine did 7pm till 12.30 then slept again until about 5. I'd love to either ditch the middle of the night feed or make the morning one later. She's been eating for 5 days now, when we add a second meal, I might give it at 5pm when we eat dinner to see if it will keep her fuller for longer and help her sleep.

Been putting ds2 to bed in sleepsuit & Grobag but with a fan going in his room. I don't like him having his arms uncovered until we're properly into summer & it stays warm all night & he kicks covers off so prefer to keep him in his Grobag.

Thanks everyone! Think for now I'll stick with lower tog grobags and see how that works out - she wears a long sleeved vest (v thin one) underneath and I'll just keep an eye on the temperature in her room.

GS - I did exactly what you describe with the vest today! I dressed her in a short sleeved vest and leggings, then later on worried that she would be too cold and put on a sleeveless vest underneath. Poor thing is probably baking! I've got her napping in pushchair out in garden in shade as slight breeze should keep her cool and think I will take over extra vest when she wakes up and try to chill out a bit more!!!