November 09 - solids and crawling underway but sleepless nights still here to stay!!

[scarlotti]

New and shiny thread

a) how much your children actually eat during the day? A lot!!!! Toby has breakfast - two cubes of apple with porridge and weetabix plus bottle of milk. Lunch - toast or 'sandwich' plus milk? Or bits of bread, couscous and veggies. Tea - pasta or rice and veggies from my stock of cubes in the freezer plus milk. Banana for pud. He has another milk feed before bed.

b) day time naps? Toby has regulated himself thanks to school run. Nap 9.30-11am. Nap 12.30-2pm Nap 3.30-5pm. That's good! I feel lucky

c) weight - I haven't lost any - I want to lose 10lbs to get back to 9 stone as I was after DS1 was born.

d) how much water yout babies drink during the day? None! He just has milk. I should offer him water.

I'm feeling really as DS1 is at a Beavers sleepover and I feel real grief for his absense. It is horrible, really horrible. I couldn't sleep last night worrying about him! He's probably having the best time ever though. Also DH is asleep upstairs and I can't help but feel pissed off with him for just sleeping whenever he feels tired. I can't do that, ever, thanks to having three little people to look after. I just feel really grrrrr even though I shouldn't really, he's tired. Then he moans when I cark out on the sofa at 9.30pm.

e) how many milk feeds in a day

Forgot to answer e) breakfast, mid-morning-ish around 11, lunch, tea, bedtime so that's six.

And to answer your questions Scarlotti

1. Do you think it's a good idea? Yep, love it!
2. does the price sound ok? I think £1.50 is better.
3. do you think I need the area for them to make their card, or will taking a little pack home be ok? Making it there is more fun
4. if the craft area is a winner, can I charge a little more for them to sit and make it? A bit like eat-in or take-away? It might put them off, I'd say one price is best.

scarlotti It sounds like a fun idea and I bet once you get a few kiddos at the table, all the other kids passing by will want in!

Lemon - Isaac 30/9
Fruit - C 31/10
Helips - Millie 1/11
Koumak - Olivia 2/11
ursigurke - Paula 4/11
Scarlotti - Ioan - 8/11
Wook - Hedy - 9/11
SirBoob - Bryn 11/11
Trikken - Annabelle 14/11
BeckyBendyLegs - Toby 14/11
Weston - Lexi 16/11
Hobnob57 - I 22/11
Babba - bear cub 28/11
Dontworrybaby - E 29/11
MissInterpret - Rosa 3/12
Laugs - J 4/12
skorpion - Lucy 9/12Hi all

Sorry haven't been on here for a while but always enjoy reading the thread when I get the chance. It's a bit odd cos Isaac was born so early he's two months older than some of your lovely babies but sounds like we're having similar problems and fun. It sounds like everyone is in the throes of weaning. We are doing a mixture of BLW and mashing cos he will literally eat anything.

Isaac still hasn't got any teeth although there must must be some coming soon. He's not crawling either but is getting very frustrated with himself and has developed a bum shuffle to get around! He's 8 months old now and everyone I meet comments on how big he is. He's on 98th centile for both weight and height, so nicely in proportion, but is just huge. Some of his clothes are 12-18months already Nobody believes he was a premature baby.

Hope you're all enjoying your weekend. Will try and post a bit more often!

Thanks all, I was thinking originally of charging £1.50 so will go back to that idea. Will see if I can sort out having a making area too then, although that will depend on the availability of helpers!

Lemon - Isaac 30/9
Fruit - C 31/10
Helips - Millie 1/11
Koumak - Olivia 2/11
ursigurke - Paula 4/11
Scarlotti - Ioan - 8/11
Wook - Hedy - 9/11
SirBoob - Bryn 11/11
Trikken - Annabelle 14/11
BeckyBendyLegs - Toby 14/11
Weston - Lexi 16/11
Hobnob57 - I 22/11
Longwayaway - 25/11
Babba - bear cub 28/11
Dontworrybaby - E 29/11
MissInterpret - Rosa 3/12
Laugs - J 4/12
skorpion - Lucy 9/12

Adding myself. Sad today because some of our best friends are moving away, we said good-bye and dropped them off at the train station earlier. Boo Just our luck that as soon as we moved back, others are moving on. That's life I suppose!

lemontop glad to hear that Isaac is thriving!

Well I got my night out Went to see SATC2, was very good, albeit about an hour longer than needed, I think. Fantastic scene between Miranda and Charlotte talking about how rubbish being a mum is sometimes. Made me smile.

Bryn is now refusing a bottle though This is the second time he has done it, so am worrying I will have to bail out on DPs Mum for out day out together next month. Have tried two different bottles (both of which he has taken before) and two different teats for each. Still nadda. Any suggestions?

I have, for the last several hours, been listening to the shit of a boy next door playing music so loud it is unbelievable. God awful banging music. How can he listen to it? it is awful. Since 1am or so, some kind of after club party. I would go around and string him by his you know whats if not for the fact that he is most likely off his tree. I cannot imagine that his mother and father are in and tolerating this. His father went spare at his sister for having music on and disturbing us about 3.5 years ago at 11:30am when DD was a baby. Why do they bloody wait til I have a baby to do it? I have in fact called the cops, as I am scared to go around, and have been told they can do nowt as it is not on the street.

Just he bloody wait til the children are up. I am looking forward to listening to something child related very, very loudly.

Pav did you see my thread in Chat the other day about my neighbours? If I didn't know differently I'd think you were living the other side of them! Am put in the extra awkward position by the fact that my brother is friends with the lads, and their mum has several issues.

I would so love to live in the middle of no where at times I hope you got some sleep. Maybe you could contact the council if the police can't do anything?

Sorry to hear about nasty neighbours We have Gloria on one side who is 80-something and very quiet and a family on the other side with two boys who have never spoken to us (I feel quite sad as they have a lovely big paddling pool and I wish they'd say 'wouldn't your two boys love to come play in our pool?' but they never do. They also have a big trampoline which I know DS2 would love

Two hours until I get DS1 back home. I can't wait!! I've missed him so much in 24 hours.

Lemon - Isaac 30/9
Fruit - C 31/10
Helips - Millie 1/11
Koumak - Olivia 2/11
ursigurke - Paula 4/11
Scarlotti - Ioan - 8/11
Wook - Hedy - 9/11
SirBoob - Bryn 11/11
Sleepless - Charlotte 13/11
Trikken - Annabelle 14/11
BeckyBendyLegs - Toby 14/11
Weston - Lexi 16/11
Hobnob57 - I 22/11
Longwayaway - 25/11
Babba - bear cub 28/11
Dontworrybaby - E 29/11
MissInterpret - Rosa 3/12
Laugs - J 4/12
skorpion - Lucy 9/12

Food, few tsps of weetabix in the morning, 3,4tbps of lunch and 4tbps at 5pm.

Very jealous of all your daytime naps..we have 30m at 9.30am, 30m at 12.30, 30m at 4pm.
ridiculous.

WAter, sippy cup given at all mealtimes and she prob has about 1-2oz ...and given its so hot i offer it whenever she frets.

Weight. back to original weight but hips still out, belly a bit pouchy and clothes seem to hang differently..how upsetting is that..

Milk at 7.30am 12.30 after food, 2.30pm and 7pm. Then once/twice in the night.

SirBoob have you tried leaving the house and letting someone else try feeding him(for the first few goes)..worked with me..

hobnob what a mare..are you ok??poor DD1
DD2 on losec but trying to wean her off as i think its teething that is causing rank nappies, colds and general unhappiness

We too have two bottom teeth..its hilarious..her hair is totally out of control too, she needs hair clips!

Food- weetabix and toast, lunch salmon or chicken or beefy or lentils or fish pie or pasta plus yoghurt or fruit, supper the same

Naps- about 9 and about 1.30-2.30 seem to be the best nap times- roughly coincide with school run

Weight- have lost stone and a half, stone and a bit left to go. Was arguably a bit too thin before so a stone would probably do. Will be v sad to see boobs go!! Tend to go skeletal on top but stay big below. BOO!

Milk very hit and miss in day but I offer between meals. Still up to four decent feeds spread through night- bedtime, about 1 am sometimes, about 4 am sometimes and getting up time.

I have had the day from hell. DD almost drowned. I say that perhaps a bit loosely, but then again perhaps not. She disappeared in the very busy pool after I stupidly gave me glasses to the lifeguard so I did not lose them, so she was in front of me, playing in and out of a slide in the baby pool then disappeared after I turned to talk to a friend for a moment, and I could not see her. I searched for a min then the alarm rang, i wondered what that was then saw DD being brought out of the water by a female lifeguard. I did not even notice she was drenched, I was so releived to see DD. Then it dawned on me that she had jumped in to get her .

We were with a friend and her niece aged 7 who is confident in the water, it was a fun pool with a tunnel to the other side and DD had run after her as she had run off with her noodle and ran into the shallow water and carried on following as it got deeper. She did not have the understanding to turn around as she got deeper. The lifeguard was on the ball and saw her immediately and she got to her before she was under the water for more than a few seconds and she was on her tip toes bouncing up, did not swallow any water and is absolutely fine. I am not. What an absolutely shit parent I am. I should not have gone, I was too tired and did not have my glasses on. I am struggling to stop crying (not in front of DD).

Pav that's horrifying but please don't be too hard on yourself! I'm sure her instincts would have kicked in if the lifeguard hadn't acted so quickly.

In the meantime have you considered swimming lessons? Ever since I read this I've been planning to take my kids in for lessons early: pacingthepanicroom.blogspot.com/2010/05/fall-in-with-your-clothes-on-test.html

hobnob That sounds like a disastrous day! Glad you survived it! DB is doing very well thanks, had the hip replacement on Friday and has been up on a zimmer today and yesterday. They should let him home on Wednesday or thereabouts with crutches and should be back to normal within 6 weeks. DSIL got offered the job she was interviewed for, but she is a SAHM at the moment and my DB (a different one!) would like to start his own company. Ideal opportunity for DSIL to work fulltime and DB to start up his valetting business but the job is a residential worker with children in a care home so she?s unsure she can take on the shifts. She did very well to be offered the position though. My friend was also interviewed on Friday for promotion and got the job, which makes DP?s disappointment harder to take, when everyone around us seems to be celebrating! The plan was for both DP and I to be working full time and trying for another baby... now it looks like he?ll be working casually if at all and I?m going back full time indefinitely, which is really hitting me hard but needs must. Trying not to let on to DP how much the prospect of indefinitely working full time is upsetting me. I thought I could cope working full time if it was only going to be around 12 months as we?d start trying for baby no2 in a couple of months. It?s probably going to be at least 12 months before DP knows if he has a job for the next school year. Sigh.

Koumak Answers as follows...
a) how much your children actually eat during the day? DS is mainly BLW and is fed as follows: between 6am ? 8am two big breastfeeds. Around 10am readybrek and around 5oz of formula (trying to replace the bfs during the time when I?ll be working in a few weeks). Between 1 and bedtime at 7/8 he has three other ?meals? but doesn?t eat much yet, and probably around three breastfeeds as well. He then sleeps right through most nights.
b) day time naps? No routine whatsoever. It?s been easier to see recently when he is really tired during the day and we?ve successfully managed to get him to nap in his cot but I think the heat is getting the better of him. Usually one nap during the day for around an hour if we?re at home. Otherwise he will nap in the pram or in the car.
c) weight ? I think I?m back to pre pregnancy weight but have a very flabby middle which I?m not at all happy with. Need to tone up I suppose.
d) how much water your babies drink during the day ? Since Ethan now has one bottle of formula I?ve started to really push the sippy cup but still significantly less than 50ml a day.
e) how many milk feeds in a day ? I think around 5. The morning and bedtime feeds will be both sides. First mid morning feed is around 5oz of formula. I think he?ll have two normal sized breastfeeds around lunchtime and late afternoon as well.

BBL Hope DS1 enjoyed his sleepover and you didn?t miss him too much!

Good to see lemontop and longwayaway back on the thread.

Pavlov We had a similar problem while I was pregnant with one of our neighbours but I went to their door at midnight! Turned out around 3 of my neighbours had also called the police so the police were up about three times. It?s so frustrating that some can be completely inconsiderate to others. Hope you got some sleep eventually.

longwayaway yes she is having swimming lessons now! We had considered it, then reconsidered it over and again as she is so confident in the water (too confident), can swim underwater, loves ducking, and normally is excellent at not going away from me, or any place above her armpits. Today, she had no fear, and i think got a bit cocky, especially with a swim confident older child. I think she forgot she could not swim, and i did not think that she would have forgotten and took my eye off the ball for a second. But now, DH and I have said, lessons, the pool does 1:1 lessons which she will benefit from I think. The sea is not such a problem as she always wears a life jacket. But, in reality, the quicker she can swim the better, after today. I do blame myself though. I was soo busy talking, being tired, not thinking, not seeing without my glasses.

Oh. And I got a ticket in the carpark as the ticket expired. Just the icing on the cake really. Once the kids are in bed, i am having a glass of wine.

I shall look at that link thank you.

Oh Pav, what a horrible experience! You must've got such a fright. Don't beat yourself up about it, these things happen. We can't keep our eyes on them 24/7. Is DD ok? Did she realise she was in too deep and get a fright herself?

Oh, I should note that despite what it sounds, that link is not at all scary - actually quite a relief and very adorable!

dwb yes she did a little, but i think the guard was in with her before she had a chance to realise she was in danger. I think the whole process of being scooped up by a stranger in clothes and then taken to the first aid room for form filling was more daunting for her. I tried to keep it as light as I could, I did not cry (in front of her) or tell her off, but did say 'where did you go? you were meant to stay close to me I lost you, i looked for you everywhere' and she said 'i am so sorry mama, i tried to call for you but my voice was not very loud' and i said 'i am sorry too. I think I am a bit tired, and really would like one of those yummy sandwiches, do you think 'xx' and 'xx' would want one too? shall we have a shower then eat them?' and she said yes, then said she wanted to go home. She was subdued this afternoon but is fine now.

Sounds awful pav. Get yourself a big glass of wine! And both of you back to the pool soon xxx

Oh Pav Huge huge hugs. You're not a shit parent - a combination of factors left you slightly more distracted than you normally would have been. That doesn't make you shit, it makes you human. Have the biggest glass of wine you can. x

Pav sorry to hear what happened. Please don't beat yourself up about it though, these things do happen to us all.

Lemon - Isaac 30/9
Fruit - C 31/10
Helips - Millie 1/11
Koumak - Olivia 2/11
ursigurke - Paula 4/11
Scarlotti - Ioan - 8/11
Wook - Hedy - 9/11
SirBoob - Bryn 11/11
Tigger - Hen 11/11
Sleepless - Charlotte 13/11
Trikken - Annabelle 14/11
BeckyBendyLegs - Toby 14/11
Weston - Lexi 16/11
Hobnob57 - I 22/11
Longwayaway - 25/11
Babba - bear cub 28/11
Dontworrybaby - E 29/11
MissInterpret - Rosa 3/12
Laugs - J 4/12
skorpion - Lucy 9/12

Hello all, sorry been away for so long again! I do keep track of you on fb though.

Pav I have just read your thread, you poor thing, I really hope you can get some sleep tonight. Please don't beat yourself up about dd, she as you said is fine and you are not a bad parent just a tired one.

Right off to bed, will pop back tomorrow for a catch up.