March 2010- Group Therapy on the cheap

[ValiumtheConqueror]

And cupcakes

FLiss sorry to hear the info night was rubbish but good for your for persisting with the idea - and with chasing your hospital notes.

BWD sorry to hear of your disturbed nights. You have my sympathies - you're definitely not the only dad to be unsure whether your DD needs fed or not - my DH usually assumes if she's crying, she's hungry and chucks her back to me! But sometimes I'm not even sure if she's hungry or not, so it's not just a Dad thing . I think fliss's suggestion about expressing milk might be a good one. I'm guessing since your DW is working DD must be taking a bottle during the day?

I've got money matters on my mind tonight . I guess I'm just noticing the difference in our bank balance now I'm on MA and, although I'm trying not to think about it too much yet, I'm wondering when to go back to work and indeed what work I'll go back to as I'm technically unemployed Anyway, there's time enough to think about it and it's all a bit too heavy for a Friday night...

We had a nice day at a big park not too far from my Mum and Dad's house, DD1 ran around their adventure playground and got a glittery rainbow unicorn painted on her arm which she was SO excited about. In fact my mum reports she had her bath with her arm raised out of the water the whole time so it wouldn't wash off

hey all i have been rearranging toy boxes etc all day! omg my kids are so spoilt! a huge car boot is to follow! the profit made will pay for a day out i reckon!

Ah arcadie we missed each other again. Still, v glad of poos in toilets, well done (for info: rkd has already acquired said skill and so far in her life, has done, ooh, thousands of poos IN toilets...(i think). We're talking arcaDDian potty training. Of course)

Well done sarah on the sorting!! V envious and I really think I should do something like that myself!

dummies gulp - whilst i really don't mind DD2 having a dummy, i'm getting a bit fed up of the traipsing up and down stairs every time the dummy falls out....I hasten to add - it's for about 20 minutes every evening and then once she's conked, she's conked..... Any thoughts? I'm sort of gearing up to cutting out the dummy at 6 months (tips on that please too) but any thoughts on whether I should try to get her to sleep without it? And how??

slings how is iwcas (name still to be decided i assume?) getting on with her summer sling? I do like the look of it! My question is - do we think moby/karime is too hot to take with us to Greece mid August? Do I need a summer sling? I'm just thinking of those hot mediterranean evenings at restaurants etc, DD might settle better in the sling (and i might get to eat a feck load more of Feta....)

Hello ladies! I haven't posted in ages and it's taken me hours to a) find you and b) read through everything!
I have been trying to catch up for ages but now my ds sleeps less in the day and is quicker with feeds my MN time is severely curtailed I used to catch up during mammoth feeding sessions. I suppose I should be grateful that spend less time with my norks out!
I can't even begin to give individual shout outs as I have only just got my head around the name changes that have occurred. Pleased to see we have a dad though.

Sarah- pleased to hear your dd getting over her ops, she is clearly very brave and you are clearly superwoman for dealing with all that

Couple of topics I would appreciate views on

Aaargh bloody iPhones!
Flip- will sign your petition
MElk - v impressed at exercise. A mate of mine is doing a triathlon less than six months after birth of ds2. I can just about manage buggy fit once a week
Re: hospital notes - I made an appointment to see consultant who delivered my ds to go through notes, cue stressful morning getting ds dressed fed and out to hospital only to find con had not got them!!!

Quick questions:
Baby led weaning - anyone going to try it?

How do I get ds to take a bottle- was taking no problem last week now point blank refusing! I feel lime I will never get out alone!!

Ps can I join the facebook group I stand a much better chance of keeping up with at least some of you on there. When are they going to make a MN app?! What's the group name?

ang grr at bloody iphones, agree whole-heartedly!! (more to the point, bloody MNHQ not getting an app out asap [grr])
and YES to BLW I will be doing it - mixture of both that and the odd jar puree tbh, i did it last time and it was lovely (albeit messy) and life was much easier. I do advise getting a dog highchair that's easy to clean. A dog is very helpful though .
Remember though - it's babyled. I've had several friends who found their babies weren't so good on the old hand to mouth bit, etc - to which my response was - that's fine!!! My dd1 was well up for it and point blank refused my help. Looks like DD2 is headed that way...

bottle - tried using different bottles? tried someone else doing it? tried differing temperatures of milk? um....

MElk - bottles - yes yes and yes! Don't understand as has had same bottles on and off since birth! Teething??!!

mn march 2010

Can't believe it but this thread has fallen off my threads I'm on list. Think that's a first.

So, what was I going to say? (Blimmin' iPhones don't allow for multiple tabs either.) Umm, yes, Sarah, very pleased to hear that your dd is doing so well. And well done you on the big sort out. I so need to do the same. Or move to a bigger house.

Flip, I'll sign the petition too. Exactly the same thing has happened here (happened in March, in fact, just before dd was born so I'm v lucky I didn't need their help).

Heckle, hope you're feeling better. Tonsillitis is just the pits.

Dummies,

D

Stupid iPhone text box ran out of space for some reason. Weird.

So, yes, dummies. No views here. Tried very hard to get ds to take one. He wouldn't. Made a desultory attempt to get dd to take one. She wouldn't. Perhaps that is why she is right now asleep on dh's lap rather than in bed, which is where I expect all your babies are (BWD's dd excepted, given the time difference).

Am finding all the potty training stories very interesting. We are not ready for it here although, today, I have kind of felt that we might as well be attempting it after one wee in his cot (long story but it involved a very cross mummy putting a nappyless ds in his cot for timeout, although I did learn that he needs to go into a bed now - he can almost climb out) and one poo in the hand incident. Thanfully dh dealt with the latter incident and, fair play to him, ds was very upset by what happened. So, too, I imagine was dh, although he maintained a creditably calm facade.

Now, I can't see what I'm posting so I'll stop in case my typing is going nowhere. If

ang Nice to see you back. Have my reservations about BLW... I prefer Baby Led Puree. ie spoon as much into them as you can but also give them stuff to put in their mouths themselves. Bottles - try offerring it first thing in the morning. It's a ball ache getting it ready and heated etc but it's when DS should be hungriest.
And come find us on FB Melk is right about the name and I'll approve you fairly swiftly.

ArcadianNews Went to IKEA today to look for bunkbeds for DD and DS1 (not Simeon no....) Screamingly awful time with miserable Simmy and stressed Mummy. But we did catch some beautiful moments of DD and DS1 doing roleplay cooking in the kitchen sections and typing on pretend laptops in the office sections. Very cute. Didn't get a flippin bunkbed though.

Glad you had a good time Pixie - but am standing back in awe at your calm contemplation of the prospect of more babies (says she who doesn't want any more but has yet to sort out any contraception - a dangerous game, I know).

hey lovely to see some of you lurkers back!

all good here !

oh and yes i am i ncredibly proud of my brave DD she has gone thru such alot for a child of 2 and still amazes me every day

Hi everyone

Flip I signed the petition.

BWD how about this for shade

What has happened to PD [missed that post emoticon]. Is it the sleep deprivation?

Very interested to hear about the alternative career options. Valium are you serious about locksmith?!

DH and I are talking about me taking a career break until DD is 3, which will be very tough financially, as he is self-employed and I am the one with the steady income. Thinking switching to interest only mortgage etc. Going to start up a thread about it looking for ideas so watch this space!!

Pixie wow to the baby making! I am still dithering about a sibling for DD. 2 kids sounds so hard....

Sarah and BMI great news re your DCs.

sariska poor you with the non-settling babe. Tis very hard (DD doesn't really hold with napping).

OOh have to get something to eat...waves to everyone else!!!

Good morning all,

Pixie very at your surprise holiday and staying in a boutique hotel. Well done Ophelia

Arcadie Taking 3 children to IKEA... you are such a brave woman!

ang It really might be teething. I've now realised that DS refuses the breast if he is in really discomfort.

Heckle hope you are better

MummyElk DS used to have a dummy, but once he starting teething he learned that his fingers were better than the dummy. Now, he refuses the dummy and prefers the fingers (and yes, he doesn't prefer his thumb, he prefers as many as possible he can fit into his mouth)

Fliss Ds rolls a lot from side to side, but has rolled only twice from tummy to back.

Flip I'll also sign your petition

In laws are on their way back, but my mum is coming this week. DS seems to start having a good routine and he gets grumpy when, for some reason, we can't make it. His two front teeth look so funny (not funny when he bits the nipple )

Hope everyone is doing well
x

We're ba-ack! From holiday that is... and I seriously need a few months weeks in a sanatorium now to recover from it all.

'Wee blue hoose' (google it if you want to see) was phantastic accomodation and v close to lovely huuuge sandy beach.
But: DSs1 and 2 were at each others throad a lot, DS3 has perfected the art of the the non-stop tempertantrum and Joe.... oh well, Joe, the amazing non-sleeping baby still doesn't sleep; so no news there then! He had a fair few bottles of FF in the evenings which made absolutely No Difference to the sleep side of things. The infamous 4-months sleep regression turned him from a baby that did not sleep much to a baby that slept less.

TTSP, TTSP, TTSP, TTSP etc etc but I have to admit I am beyond rocking in a corner. DH and I slept in seperate bedrooms to stop DS3 from getting up at 6am, so no romance in that department either.

Friends came to visit us for a long weekend and that was lovely. The boys need other children to keep them from fighting, it seems . And I think we lacked outdoor space so were not able to chuch them out when it all got too much.

Lovely part of the country though, Cullen Skink (smoked fish soup) is delish, weather was ok, we saw some dolphins and minke whales and I would certainly go back to the Wee Blue Hoose: little fisherman's cottage done up to the highest of standards with underfloor heating, all mod cons, beatifully decorated - well, it was until we descended on it...

So, how are you all ?? I missed you lots.
Well done on potty training and weaning, food and dummy, and generally keeping it together.

We are frantically unpacking and washing mountains of laundry and repacking as DH and big boys are off to Germany with my mum's car tomorrow and I will follow with Joe on Wednesday.

Sunny here today, lots of washing in the garden .

I hope to be back again in the next couple of days, then will be off line for 2-3 weeks as I am not sure I could cope with my parents dial-up Interweb...

Morning all -

WELCOME BACK PD Glad you had a good holiday - sorry you're stil not getting much sleep.

Sarah you must be a proud mummy ofyour tough little cookie - good news though.

pixie your break sounded lovely - and great idea taking your DD1 to babysit - we are taking all 4 grandparents and DSis and DBinLaw to Rhodes in two weeks - many many babysitters!! I must offically question your sanity tho - soo many children already and you want more when the twins aren't even 6 mths!!! Wow - there is NO WAY I'd cope with 1 more let alone your huge brood - well done superwoman!! Hadn't heard that teething is like labour - poor little sod!! NO wonder he screams.

donttry thanks for link - bought it!

Just scoffed some nice peace crumble I made yesterday. Writing shopping list to go buy more veg/fruit to puree and freeze. Haven't found anything yet that DS won't scoff - he is just like his father!

I was just about to post 'never fear, everyone; PD hasn't desserted us, do you not remember she poste she was going away on holiday?' but no need now...

I've been putting James in his cot once he's asleep at night for the last few nights, then after the first feed back in, until he wakes for the second feed (usually about 4am) when just tak him back into bed with me... THis is how I've done it with the other two, it's a very gentle start of a seperation from full time co-sleeping with me/DP.

Well, last night I just knew I was too rediculously tired; I kinda felt I risked dropping him if I had to lift him out of the cot to feed him in my sleep deprivation. So he came straight into bed with us when we went at midnight. He was by the wall, and so fed from my right boob, then I passed out went to sleep. He wakes to be fed. I lok at the clock - a few minutes shy of 5am. Wow, I think, nearly fives hours. Then I realise that he's i the middle of the bed, my left boob is exposed and so I must have moved him, fed him and gone back to sleep passed out... all with absolutely no recollection of it at all. And it's kinda scared me. Surely I'm now in the realm of being a danger to him? Gah.

Woo-hoo! Pacific's back! I had totally forgotten that you were going on holiday But I'm glad it went well (mostly) and sorry that Joe's not showing any signs of improvement in the sleep department. It's so nice to have you back, though. Who else was going to diagnose our minor illnesses and virtually prescribe drugs??

Manda I sort of know that feeling - I nearly always fall asleep boob hanging out and often wake up in the morning and can't really remember what feeds I've done and when. Now, I'm no co-sleeping expert but I reckon you're still subconsciously aware of where baby is and it's still very unlikely you could do him any harm. But, obviously if you're now feeling uncomfortable with the idea it might be better to make the move to the cot - ha ha - easier said than done, eh?! I'm doing something similar to you - Robin goes down into the cot when she's sound asleep mid-evening and then comes into bed for the next feed (usually somewhere between 12 and 2am). I really should try and get her back in the cot again after that one but in the middle of the night I always want to go for the easiest option... I'm currently sleeping on my own (with the baby) in a double bed at my parents and it'll be hard to go back to us sharing with DH again too - I was enjoying an extra few inches of space

Gotta go - we're going to go out for a walk. Later all x

Welcome back Pacific! We've missed you; I also forgot you were on hols. Sorry to hear Joe's stil not sleeping well; did the Losec help at all, with his temperament in general? Wee Blue Hoose sounds fab; my Mum grew up in that part of the country.

Well done on the clear out Sarah. I must take inspiration from you and finally put away all the baby clothes Isobel's outgrown already (sob). I have those bags from Lakeland that you suck all the air out of to compress them down. I'm strangely excited to see if they actually work.

ang good to see you, yes, do join the FB group, I love seeing all the baby photos!

Pixie glad you had a nice break and the DCs behaved. I'm also still in awe of you planning more babies already, but if anyone can manage it, you can

Sariska Isobel's never been interested in a dummy. Or maybe just couldn't figure out what to do with it. We've never really felt the need for one anyway. And at poo in the hand. Poor DH! Isobel has peed on her own bed (me trying to be clever, changing her nappy in bed without waking her), and ours (after a bath) in the last couple of days. Oh well. It's amazing how blasé you get about poo, pee, vomit etc once you've had children.

evitas sorry to hear DS is still biting you

Manda I'm sure Heckle is right, you might not remember feeding DS but you'll have been aware of what you were doing at the time.

Heckle have your tonsils recovered?

Wel, Isobel's two newest habits are thumb-sucking, which is very cute (she used to just suck her fingers before), and squealing as loudly and high-pitchedly as possible, which was cute at first and is rapidly becoming less so. It's the kind of thing that would really make you wince if someone else's baby was doing it. She's definitely getting more vocal these days, chatting away and giggling quite a bit.

After Isobel's fall last week, I was quite annoyed to find DH had put her in her bouncy chair (not strapped in) in the computer desk beside him. He said it was OK as he was right there, but she can move pretty fast when she wants to. Maybe I'm just being over-cautious now, but I was at the time.

Oh, she's just woken up. DH is having a nap, so I'd better go and get her. (I ran 7 miles this morning! When do I get a nap ?)

on the computer desk, even.