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

[scarlotti]

New and shiny thread

I need to stop complaining! I should be in bed. Why arent we in bed? I am so happy you havnt forgotten little me!

Hi Koumak! Ouch at 11lb 2!! Sorry to hear about your colleague.

On moving babies into their own room, we moved Ethan around a month ago when he was about 5 months. His sleep has improved no end. He now sleeps through from 8ish to around 5/6am and goes back to sleep after a quick feed for a couple of hours. I'm the snorer in our house, so I was probably disturbing him, but he also sleeps a lot better in the bigger cot and seems much more comfortable.

So, tomorrow is DP's interview for a permanent teaching position, my DSIL's interview for a residential worker position after years out of work raising the family, my friend's interview for promotion to Depute in a nursery, and my twin's operation! Oh, and DP's aunt has a meeting in work which may result in redundancy. So much going on in one day... think I'll need a glass of wine tomorrow night!

Scarlotti Thanks for that link to the BLW site. Any progress in your house with DH?

what cups have you got?
we have this one

koumack of course we remember you!!! I am glad you are back to share your sleepless nights, teeth etc with us, TWO of them! blimey, Ursi's Paula has two I think?

Talking of sleepless nights. I should be asleep, instead I have been hammerite'ing the staircase to our yard, in dark green. It is going to be our city oasis! I am actually starting to think I might not want to leave this place, despite being too small, we are just getting somewhere with it. I am putting fairy lights out there

We took Bear cub for a dip in an outside pool near us, the weather was so lovely I did not need my wetsuit! DD has a wetsuit now, and she looks so so grown up now. It makes me tearful and a bit more clingy with DS as they change so fast. I sat there holding him, watching my beautiful girl prance about in the water laughing, bouncing and being happy and tried to remember her as small as he is. And it is hard to do and I felt tearful, because she is so gorgeous and I love her this age, and because I love bear cub the same way and wishing I could remember every detail about each of their stages. I must take more movies of them both. Anyway, bear cub had a paddle, wearing a NY Yankee shortie romper! He loved it and got soaked!

Koumak I'm also struggling to keep up with the thread. C doesn't sleep that long in the day anymore, so not much time for anything! Sorry to hear about your colleague . Wow at your friends baby! Was it her first?

scarlotti I will probably make the move when we get back from France. No point in unsettling him before that. Part of me wants to keep him in my room for a bit longer. Will you make the move soon?

koumak We have the non-spill one but also have a freeflow basic sippy cup and alternate between the two. Ethan doesn't seem to like either, or the taste of water.

ooh I know exactly what you mean. i feel so so sad that i am never going to have anymore children. but i cannot afford the two as it is! dont think my marrige would survive more either. its not easy is it. they grow up so quickly and i find every milestone so much more emotional with the second. With ds i always wanted him to reach everything early/on time but with dd i know its the last time so i want her to stay my baby forever. but they all grow up eventually so i suppose i will have to learn how to let go [happy tears emoticon]

yes my friends first baby and only a week late! i havent spoken to her properly yet. think it mustve been c section right? her waters went on monday/tuesday night, went to hospital for check, sent home, some random contractions, back in hospital tuesday night, probably not much happened yesterday but had some regular at 5mins apart, so she mustve had some help to get him out this morning

and is two teeth a lot at this age? they are proper big ones- 2 number 1 at the bottom but I am sure there are some almost coming on top as well. surely it is common at this age no?

ooh can you tell i miss the company of other mums i have been talking to myself for the last half hour! think thats a sign to go to bed!

Koumack we have that one, and also the first stage spilly tommee tippee sippy cup same as DWB but we don't use the non-spill as he can't get water out and chucks it in frustration. He loves the normal sippy cup, has gone from pouring it all down him to being able to actually draw and swallow most of the water. I am impressed and pleased as intending to bypass bottles and give him milk from this in the day when I return to work.

Two teeth - i think teeth are imminent at this age, some have them and some a bit later. DD had two within 2 weeks by the time she was 7 months. DS seems to, well i don't know, he has all the signs apart from red gums (except where he should not be having teeth yet!). I bet Olivia looks gorgeous with teeth doesn't she?

DWB I am so that Ethan sleeps sooo well ! He is younger than bear cub, and bear cub is nowhere near sleeping so well!

Pav Only one day younger! And it might be down to weight, Ethan is at least 19lbs just now. Is Reuben anywhere near that? I think Ethan might be big for his age. I'm of your photogenic bear cub, he is absolutely beautiful.

Koumak Hi! Nice to see you back. Sorry about your colleague and congrats to the friend.

Scarlotti it's this one we got. Very good, easy to put up - no longer than 30 mins first time. In choppy conditions. There are two separate sleeping compartments and a massive vestibule / porch. We were going to have to buy one anyway as we both love camping and this is perfect for a family.

Fruit camping is the prefered holiday for us since our Europe trip. It's fab. We'd love a camper van, too. In a few years... and a few more paychecks...

DWB fingers crossed for your busy day ahead.

You're right: what on earth are we doing up? Bed, girls! Good night!

SB So sorry to hear of your loss. I am trying to catch up with everyone and missed reading your post when I was on last night. Hope you're ok. Lovely to hear that you encountered a lovely lady and she had some kind words to say to you about bf. Hope Bryn is feeling brighter today.

scarlotti How is Ioan's constipation? Sounds like you're doing everything to get things moving. Hopefully the apricots will start him off. We used to give them to DS1 for that reason and it worked a treat (still does!)

Pav Im charging my video camera as I haven't taken much footage of C or DS1 for a long time. I will be on the case this week and when we're in France. My baby memories of DS1 are coming back to me when I look at C doing certain things. Having 2 boys it's hard not to compare them both. The brothers have such a special bond already. I feel very blessed. I've had lots of fun with DS1 this week. I feel so sad that he's starting big school soon. I don't want to let my big baby go

I am soooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo tired. I threw DDs cup out instead of the nectarine pip in my other hand this morning. I put his frozen cubes of sweet potato in the cupboard, and I burnt the toast. I am struggling to retain information (that might just be me normally though ). Bear cub is sleeping much much better, until the early morning, then he is still refusing. He then wants his mama. And when I try to put him in his cot, it wakes him. So I have to let him sleep or else he does not get enough. Last night he did 8pm-11:30pm, then milk and back to bed til 3:15am, then woke at 5am and refused to settle again. But, this morning, unlike other mornings, he did feed, I could feel and hear the milk coming.

We went to a bbq yesterday, and today have a picnic on the moors (in woodland by the river) then dinner at a friend's house. Next week we are camping for DHs birthday - laugs we managed to get some space on a camp site we thought was booked, so change our plans a little. We have rented out a tipi there, with everything we need already there! We just need duvet/food/clothes/torch/travel cot ! How lazy is that! Lots of friends coming, and we there is a proper fire pit. No music/parties/caravans allowed, lovely.

Bear cub is actually a pretend bear at the moment. DD and he are in the travel cot playing and she has put him next to the other bears and she was saying to him 'you need to sit at the end as you are the biggest, mama, look at all the children' and then she moves them around, including bear cub! Poor boy, i guess this is how it will be from now on for him. He has already been dressed up in her socks and hats!

Pavlov LOL at your DD! Bless her - I'm sure I did the same to my brother...

Hi Koumak! Good to see you.

Sorry haven't read all today, I have ants in my pants! SIL is in labour. I got a text at 2am saying strong contractions, then at 8am saying it was a long, slow process (tell me about it) and am no just waiting, waiting, as well as trying to get ready to go down to London tonight to meet the baby. I've never been on the waiting end before and am feeling so anxious/ excited I could pop!

Have a great weekend girls!

Happy Half Birthday Alfie!

Hello Koumak good to see you here again! Two teeth! We have a big fat zero still. Toby's asleep at the mo. DS1 is doing his homework and DS2 is playing with trains. I'm bored. Where should we go this afternoon? Hmmmm. We need to buy a bathmat and some mince but that is soooo not exciting.

Hey Koumak lovely to see you!

Sorry, all news I've just read has already left my head. Who was talking about information retention ?

I've given up on getting I. to nap in the day. I could spend hours rocking her in a darkened room or she could lie contentedly jangling her baby gym, talking to the animals whilst I see daylight. She's not getting anywhere near the daily number of hours' sleep she is meant to but I just can't keep her asleep. It takes ages to get her to nod off (either being bf or rocked in my arms, never in the cot!) and she wakes after 10 or 20 minutes, screaming. Hey ho. Up at 4am again today, needing to suck on me constantly and when I eventually refuse she grumps, pinches, kicks and thrashes just to make sure you don't get any sleep. She also rolls closer to me to make sure I have about 20cm of bed to perch on. I nearly fell out yesterday! Tired of this game. pav what on earth do you think they are up to?

Poor dd1 was ignored this morning whilst I was lying in bed trying to ignore dd2. When I eventually gave up on sleep I came downstairs to find her cutting her hair (with plastic scissors, thank goodness) and attempting to tighten the screws in a plug socket with a screwdriver . We've never really needed to toddler-proof the house because she was always so good, but I think our time may have just come...

PS I's has 2 teeth since 5 months....

no, I'm not shallow enough to brag . DD1's took months and months and months.

DP didn't get the job. He's very disappointed but was told it was a very close decision between him and someone else. Out of 104 applicants it's not bad going and he should feel confident next time but there are no jobs! Looks like I'll be working full time for the next year and Dave will be "working" as a supply teacher. Not ideal but will have to do.

My brother's back on the ward but we won't have any more news until later. Hopefully his op has gone well.

Laugs Looking forward to hearing the good news!

We've just been to Telford. I get lost every time I try to go there. Horrible place.

Toby loves sitting outside. He's there now in his carseat. If I had brought him in he'd be crying and winging to get out. Leave him in the garden and he'll sit for ages and ages quite happily. He loves being outside!

Some babies don't get teeth until after 12 months! A friend of mine said her three girls were 14 months, 16 months and 12 months respectively. I was quite at that as DS1 and DS2 were both 3 months and 4 months. So I can't get used to having this gummy bear for a baby who has to suck toast!

DWB sorry about your DP's job. In one respect it's good that he was a close second as it's a confidence boost but in another way, frustrating that he didn't get it! I remember being told I was a close second a couple of times after job interviews. All very nice but...

Hi all

no teeth here yet either although they've been threatening for ages.
Ioan's constipation is still bad, poor boy was screaming again today. Think I might try the brown sugar in water trick tomorrow and will probably have to go to the gp on Monday. He's had two days of his apricot and apple concoction now but no real change Fruit how quickly did it work for your DS?
Think it's the heat not helping either, he's a hot boy (always sweaty when sleeping) and so needs more fluids, but isn't fussed about water either.
Cot wise, will probably move him over the next week or two. The holiday will put him out of routine but will have a cot in the room so probably best he gets used to one here first!
DWB interesting you said the move helped Ethan to sleep better - I can but hope! Sorry about DP's job.
No progress from DH as yet. Hopefully it will be forthcoming soon

sorry to hear about the job DWB, so disheartening when that happens.

day from hell here, ds has been playing up since dh went to work. not listening to me mainly and waking his sister up all the time. he keeps coming out of him room now. Have had to take all his 'sonic screw-drivers' away already. he is driving me crazy. doesnt help I couldnt sleep last night so am knackered.