TTC GRADUATES! Who's baby will we be welcoming first? Mrs? Seaside? Iampg? Beansprout?

[honeyapple]

Morning all

Dex did another stupendous sleep... had to wake him up to feed him and take DC to school. Fingers crossed this is a pattern he is going to stick to.

Fettle- hope Toby is ok with the jabs... Dex has got his 2nd lot next week. What is the third injection for? Did they do the polio one in his mouth yet? Dex only had 2 jabs first time around. That Messiah was a bit gruesome!

mrs- any action overnight?

Seaside and Iampg- a lot of the lovely ladies on here were early- Bodders you were 38 wks, i think??

Sorry- so excited about the pending births that I cant remember what I was going to say to anyone else!

Fettle - would you believe that they have not just closed down the website, but all of the phonebooking lines too, the message on the website says that no bookings or changes to bookings can be made until monday night. Currently working on plan B! so will probrably be travelling with someone and them flying the other way, either dh will fly here next week and drive back with me,or my sister or someone else will drive with me and fly back. But we have to wait until we can book the flight for whoever is travelling with me anyway.

I am getting more settled about it all now, I have to say I am not letting go of the tens machine now for anything.... it is more psychological now, I feel that I can make it through everything as long as I have my tens machine Last night was a better night, more minor contractions, mostly strong braxton hicks ones, and then it settled to nothing. Each time I move I get tightenings but fortunately this baby has had a quiet night and given me a break from contractions.

Sorry if this is still not reading right, my brain is like mush still.

Hi all - DH back now so back to normal living - well almost!! Poor bugger had a 6 hour ferry ride as it was so windy up here yesterday [bllleeeuugh]. Glad your DH is back too Greedy!!! Gosh - Marcy waking up Lets hope its a one off eh?!!! Theo still hasn't had a night when he hasn't woken up . He's been feeding a lot at the moment and seems really hungry - is there such a thing as a 7 month growth spurt

Oh Raibow - I can't believe you asre having such trouble getting home!!! What a nightmare - how do these companies operate properly if they wont let people book sometimes??? . At least you've got a plan B and you get home soon. Hopefully its calming down now???

The painting / pottery sounds great Honey - I know it is pricey isn't it!!! We got the boys feet done when Theo was abouy 5 weeks old and it was lovely to do, but cost an arm and a leg!!!

Thats a tricky one with work fettle but my thoughts as a fellow working mum is that in 5 years time I very much doubt you will regret spending loads of time with the kids at this young age but you may regret it the other way around. After all there are only so many years that our LO's will actually want to spend so much time with their mums . Its hard to say that as I work and I know others on here do too and there's nothing wrong with that but if you genuinely have the choice and you are not that keen to return to your job then I say leave and see what you feel like in a few years. You never know the break away may give you the opportunity to try a change in career????

Better head off now as the sun is shining and DH is itching to do something outside today - All is well here, Theo is almost crawling and doing well but he is constantly on the go and rarely sits still for a second so he's fairly exhausting! Max is doing great too but has decided sleep is for wimps and wont has been going to sleep later and waking up earlier .

Iampg - you sound like a natural!!!! I think the others have said everything about foreskins - I've never bothered with Max's and he is 3 - hopefully you'll get some answers soon

Thanks Chooster - wise words, from someone is a similar position. I had many a time while working with DD that I really wished I didn't or at least worked part-time and now I've two, it will be so much harder working - but that whole money situation is what I keep coming back to. Keep trying to tell myself that money isn't everything and quality of life etc etc etc is the way to go!

Hope you have a good day out - DH and DD have just gone swimming. Toby has now been asleep in his cot fo 35 mins! He hardly ever does that during the day, so there was no way I was going to disturb him and throw him into a cold pool - so i'm off to get dressed [, I know, I know it is 1pm, but I had a lovely 3 hour lie-in this morning and we've been pottering around tidying stuff up til lunch, so there didn't seem any point in getting dressed til now!], then hopefully sort through some baby clothes that Toby has already grown out of and cook roast supper - so an excited domestic day for us here!

Rainbowy - glad you got another plan sorted - hang onto that tens machine! (It will probably all settle down soon and you go overdue after all this!)

xxx

poor old you rainbow. at least you are nearly 34 weeks now so getting closer as you say. so have you been early with your other two then? do they know why or not?

chooster - glad dh is home safe and sound. theo sounnds so grown up......nearly crawling indeed!!!!!..................my children (so far, dont know if marcy will be the same too) dont do anything until 6 months apart from lie flat on their backs! i think they were/are all too porky to attempt to roll!! then they spend 3 months or so happily sitting about and not moving and then crawl VERY slowly and then walk at about 11 months!!!! that is what ellis and kiki have done anyway, but i dont think marcy will walk early cos she wont bear any weight on her legs at all and i know the other two were by this age. i reckon marcy is going to sit quite early, and then just stay sitting like a little budda until she is about 12 months and let the entertainment come to her. i will have to wait and see if my predictions are right or not!!!

fettle............. i have found with two children at school/ preschool age its a ral juggling act when it comes to assemblies and plays and ballet and karate and parent consultations etc..................especially at xmas time...........that was a nightmare. or at the end of term. so if you have the chance NOT to work, then definately GO FOR IT!!!! make things easy on yourself................you would hate to be missing out on assemblies and stuff, especially when toby starts doing it all too. anyway, if you give up work you can concentrate on baby no. 3!!!!!

honey - i have been to lakeside today!!!!! i looked at every slim woman of about 30 with a baby and wondered if it was you!!!!! not that you would be there really when bluewater is so much nicer and closer........but just in case!!!! i bought two new summer outfits!!!!! marcy gave me her approval in the changing room. and dh took the other two to the cinema and then we all met for a late lunch of yummy food really bad on my diet!!!!! i can feel another week of no weight loss coming on!!! you getting dexs feet done has given me a real pang of guilt!!! i did ellis and kikis feet when they were both 1 week old and always meant to do the same with marcy but have never got round to it!!! just mentioned it to dh and he said we will do it tomorrow..................better late than never!!!

ok......off to watch crap on the tv.

how you doing new mummies??? seaside? mrs? iamamum?

dh has just instructed me to ask all you lovely ladies which baby montitors you use! we have had 2 tomy basic thingys and they are crap!!! an angelcare which was crap! and some other crap one!!!!!!! anyone found a DECENT one that actually works???

thanks greedy - you are right - I don't know why i'm just not happy to go with my decision to give up, as I don't want to miss out on a moment of Toby growing up! No sign of much movement from Toby either at the moment - but he does love to stand on my lap! Rolls onto his side from time to time, but that's a far as it goes!

We had the Tomy ones at first with DD, but they both broke pretty quickly! Got a BT digital one then - we bought another one when Toby was born as DD never shouts at night, only makes very very quiet pleas for Daddy, so didn't want to encourage her to start shouting, but after about 3 weeks, the monitor started having some bad interference - no idea where from or how, but we've given up on her one and only use Toby's now - but it is great! With the Tomy one when we were staying at DH's parents in a large town, we could hear the couple next door (also with a baby) argue through our monitor, so they obviously had a Tomy one too!!! With a digital one you shouldn't have that problem.

Right - back to the school run - think I had a great week last week, as I'm feeling a bit blue this morning and like I'm going to really really miss DD (she's only away for about 4 hours!)

have good days everyone
xxx

hiya

greedy- nope wasnt at Lakeside ... When are we going to meet then? I need to pop briefly into Ikea (is this actually possible?) so we could meet up after for lunch or coffee...
Dex loves standing up on a lap too Fettle (has done sice he was a few weeks old- freaked the HV out)- and also rolls onto his side. Dunno whether his liking for standing up means he will walk early as my other DC did this too... DS1 walked by one, DD not until 15mths- she was too happy crawling as was an earlyish crawler.
Dex has had me up a lot in the night the last few nights... including on friday night where he just screamed and wouldnt go in his bed- so ended up with him in with me and DP. I felt like poo on saturday. He is 16wks today- growth spurt?? Might start properly giving him some solids soon.

Greedy- I have a cheapo Tomy monitor and it seems fine- if basic- bought it recently- so hope it doesnt break too soon. Havent been listening to the neighbours yet either .

Inset day today so no school- DS1 is at a football fun day, so just me DD and Dex. going to pop to the library when i can pull her away from peppa pig...

BTW pottery place overcharged me by £12.50- so not quite so madly expensive as first thought.

where is everybody???

I am here working on half-power only

How are you rainbowdays?? Whats happening about you getting home? Are you back with your sister?

Hey Honey - Hows things!? How has Dex's sleeping been in the last 2 nights? Any better? Theo has been doing OK but still no sleeping through although last night he only woke once at 1am ish.

Hi Greedy - We had a cheapo Tomy one with Theo but it makes an annoying beep when the volume is being increased or decreased so if I was quietly trying to turn the volume up to hear Theo in the night, DH heard it. So I ditched that one and now have a Philips digital one. It was half price which is why I bought it but so far so god. The good thing about it is it has 2 parent units - one plug in one and one that can be charged and taken around the house.

The thread has been a little quiet recently - I guess thats because we've had all these new mums on here and they've temporarily disappeared - come back new mums!!!!

Things are good here - Theo is doing really well but has decided on 2 things. 1) There is no way he's lying on his back for anything including a nappy change so we have this constant battle to get it on. 2) When he feeds he now decides to latch on then grip the nipple and lean backwards until it pops out his mouth - I admit it must be good fun from where he is, but not so great for me . The cheeky blighter .

And we've been talking holidays again! My PIL are devoted cruisers (as in people who go on cruise ships for holiday not wierdos who scout for sexual favours in parks ) and they are keen for us to go on a cruise round the med with them in May . It sounds fab and I really hope it works out but its all looking a bit expensive at the moment . But in the meantime we do have centrparcs in April .

I also had my meeting with my current boss today and I met my new boss who was there too. The new guy seems fab and is just about to go on paternity leave as his wife is 9 days over so he is VERY empathetic about working parents and is really keen on flexability . I'm SO SO pleased!!!! Thats going to make a massive difference to me as my current boss is a workaholic with no kids. They agreed to my request of part time with 3 days in the office and half a day at home . Hoooorrraaayyy!!!!! . DH and I went out for a drink the other night and worked out our finances and thats the minimum I can work and we still have a reasonable lifestyle. So all is well in the chooster camp

Anyway better go and read DS1 a story - he moved up to the big class in nursery today - Last one before school!

I don't know where everyone is - kept popping in through the day, but saw noone posted, so went away again!

Nothing really to report here - Toby was very noisy last night, but I didn't actually go to him until 5.45am and only then cos DD was awake - so here's hoping for an even quieter night! He'd wriggled right up his cot and was stuffing his soft toys all over his face when I went to him, so he was obviously having a good chat with them through the night and that's why he was so noisy!

Right supper calls and some big decisions, basically need to decide if I'm going back to work before tomorrow evening - if i'm going back, I want to apply for this new position, if I'm not going back there's no point and the closing date is tomorrow, but I've been given a little leeway as I don't have the application form as yet!

Anyone got a crystal ball I could borrow?!

Rainbowy - how you feeling? and how the plans for getting home going?

xxx

crossed with you Chooster - great news on the job front!! Lucky, lucky you! mine won't even entertain the thought of part-time - I've gone from a child-friendly fellow working-mum as a boss, to an older, married man with no children as far as I can tell, so much less flexible! (obviously he says that they have to look seriously at my request for flexible working legally, but cannot see how it would work!)

Have you arranged when you are going back?

xxx

Hi, sorry I've been awol for a while - been hectic here the last week.

Rainbow - just skimmed the last few posts and see you have had a scare but are (kind of) OK now. Can't believe you are still working though !!!

Chooster - sounds like everything is tickety-boo work-wise for you and your new boss sounds fantastic!
PMSL at Theo's new feeding technique - you must have 3" long nipples by now . NO sleeping through here either by the way. She did in fact do 2 nights, oooh, when was it erm not last weekend but the one before, but I was so excited when I woke at 4am and there was no sign of her I couldn't get back to sleep! But she's been crap again now for the last couple of nights - waking to feed and then staying awake for AAAAAAGGGGGGES.
The saturday just gone was a classic. It was me and DPs birthday (we have the same one) and we went out for a meal with loads of friends - fab night out it was too. Then came back with a couple of friends and chatted til about 1.30am, when they left. Just as a rather bleary eyed DP and me were off to bed, we heard footsteps upstairs - DD1 had woken up, and half-asleep, charged down the corridor and into Isla's room (WHY for godsake child ) waking Isla up. So now we;re all awake, so me and DP surrender and take both kids downstairs to watch a DVD for half an hour. DD1 back to bed no problem, but Isla just WOULD NOT SETTLE until aaaaarrrrggggh 4am. Then she woke up at 5.40am. So that'll be my shortest ever night's sleep then. I can laugh about it now, but at the time I did seriously consider putting her on Ebay...

Fettle - your work dilemma sounds rather tricky and urgently in need of sorting. I can't offer much in the way of advice, though I'm afraid, except to say it is jolly nice being a (mostly) SAHM, even if it does mean we are a bit skint. We have a good quality of life though and that is priceless.

Hello everyone else. Knackered now. Must go and eat remaining birthday chocolates to stop DD1 hassling me for them all the time

hi girls

just wanted to say I am still here just have been inundated with guests for the past week - we are in B&B mode again as it as been half term etc - it was hard enough before a baby being hostess but now !!

The last one leaves next Monday so will be desperate to catch up with you all by then - there are just not enough hours in the day - arghhh.

hope everyone is ok

lots of love xxxxxx

Hi everyone sorry for going AWOL for so long but having three LO's is bloody hard work.
Catch up!
well Connie said mama at 3 half months, sat up at 4 months (on her own), dada at 5 months,standing and side stepping at 6 months, first tooth came Christmas day (of all the days) second tooth soon followed, this week she has started waving saying "hiya" and "bye-bye" bless, it's all going soooooo fast but that's baba's for you, I'm enjoying dressing my little girl up she has a better wardrobe than me LOL!
Me! I'm great, getting use to being a family of 5, DH started driving so we've been making the most of being out & about and having that freedom! My boys are wonderful and good, and Connie to them is like the little (big) light in their lives', it's likes she always been apart of us, now our little (never to get any bigger) family is total complete!
How is everyone? A big congratulations to ALL the new mum's, including a big one to a fab MrsMcJnr A very well done chick, I love LOs name .

Well one question, has everyone missed me! LOL!?

I have added more pic's!
back soon BMxx

hiya buggymad! lovely pics- cant believe how grown up connie looks . I do think having older siblings helps babies develop quicker.

fettle- so what was the final job decision? agree with bodders- SAHM is cool . I know I am lucky that we can live on just DP's income.

Chooster- never been on a cruise- not sure I'd be too keen- might spend the whole time trying to avoid people- have a fear of being adopted and then stalked by some dreadful family... oooh sorry i am a snob sometimes . We are probably ditching the villa idea for now- but think we will hire a cottage with SIL and her lot in cornwall... oh please lets have a decent uk summer!

Dex slept from 10pm to 5.30am which was much better. He's got third lot of imms today .

rainbow- i order you to stop working and go home!!!!!

chooster and bodders!!!! both of your posts made me PMSL!!!! you are both on good form!!! even with your sleep deprivation bodders!! and i love the fact that your parents cruise round parks for sexual favours chooster!!!

babymad - hello...............having 3 is NO excuse not to post!!! your connie sounds like superbaby!.....sitting at 4 months! wow! i've never heard of that before! she looks beautiful in your pics and VERY well dressed!!

honey - when are you going to ikea then? i cant do next fri cos i am going to kent to see a friend!!!................just realised thats a bit odd!!!!!! she has just had a baby and we are goign to visit (its not you in disguise is it?!!) but the week after that i think we could do.................how about you?

just had marcys photos done professionally this morning. she was pretty chilled considering she got manhandled for aout an hour and had some silly man making faces at her.............but getting her to smile was a nightmare!!! i THINK he managed to get a couple of decent pics in the end. it took nearly 2 hours and poor little kiki got SO bored and whingy!!! bless her!

marcy is now on 3 meals a day (very small ones). does that sound right? i really cant rem when my other two went onto 3 meals a day but i know they were by 6 months. she is still only having fruit veg and baby rice. i am going to avoid wheat for as long as possible cos ds has a bit of a wheat intolerance.

fettle - glad toby doesnt move much either, but he sounds like he does a lot more than marcy!!! she cant even roll onto her side and wont bear any weight on her legs which seems so weird to me. i used to stand the other two on my lap all the time but she just collapses if i try and do that to her.

anyway, better go........marcy is having her 2 hr lunchtime kip, (lucky thing) so i better try and get something constructive done!!!!..................i feel the need to make more butternut squash puree!!!

hi greedy-

sure marcy is doing great with the food- 3 little meals is lovely- if you can find the time or inclination! I made some potato and pea puree this morning... bought some freezer tray things from boots the other day... going to do parnsips in a minute. Dex had some of the pea and potato and he loved it! SO feeling very chuffed with myself- never managed to make much babyfood last times. As for meeting up, friday would be great... is that the 7th or 14th?? Where in Kent are you going? I'm in West Kent.

Dex has just woken up after his...oooh... 20mins kip .

wow! just got dex to go back to sleep... parsnips are cooking...and i've even just got a stifado on the go...blimey i'm never this good .

Stifado?? Am i missing out on something? What is that!? Well done on the cooking too Honey - I've been making most of Theo's food and I'm actually enjoying it . Hardly did any for DS1 . Maybe thats why he's not such a great eater . Great that you got Dex back to sleep - I managed the same with Theo today. He was a nightmare sleeping last night as he has a cold (ANOTHER ONE!!!) and was awake at 11.30pm til 2am then was very restless til 6am - Grrrr!!! He was also sick again while coughing, all over me this time - Thanks pal!!! Anyway, he woke from his afternoon nap after 40mins but I just snuggled up with him in my bed and he (and I) slept for another 40 mins . He's in bed now so thats why I'm here and DH is playing with DS1.

Wow, babymad!!! You're back!!! Of course we missed you - you'll see many posts a while back wondering how you are . Gosh Connie really is a superbaby!!!! She makes Theo seem positively lazy! I remember you saying she was smiling early so she's obviously a very advanced young lady - and cute too - she looks quite like your DS2.

I reckon 3 meals a day sounds right to me Greedy. I had Theo on 3 meals a day at the same age and they were quite big meals - he's still a fantastic eater . Great you go those photos done - I want to the the DS's photo's done when Theo is about 1 as thats when we got DS1's done. I still love looking at them .

So whats the decision then Fettle??? Even if you applied you could always have a change of heart but I can understand the need to just make a decision and stick to it. Its exhausting thinking about it all the time I bet - especially as you are so torn between the 2 options. Good Luck!!!

Good luck with the visitors Seaside - hope to hear all about cassius soon

Dh just asked me to google stifado as he was curious too - Sounds good Honey!

stifado......................hhhhhhhhmmmmmmm.....im thinking some kind of greek dish with beef (or is that just a beef stifado!!??)...........im off to gpoogle it now too.................we have got boring old chilli!!!

but...........newsflash.............i did lose another 1 1/2 lb this week (first loss for 3 weeks, so very pleased with myself esp as i have been out for dinner twice!!)................so i have now lost 1 whole stone since january!!!! yippee!!! only another one to go!!!! crap!

stifado sounds good!!!! can i come for tea!!!???

marcy was most unimpressed with my butternut squash.....................she choked on a lump (i tend to mash, not puree!) and then puked the whole lot up everywhere!!!................one nice white top is now orange!!!! what was i thinking putting her in white anyway?!!

greedy three keeps me on my toes morning, noon and night, i dont have time to grab a bath most days, never mind MN lol, but i will tried harder!
She sleeps pretty good at night it's just in the day, only eatting one meal a day the rest is 6oz bottle's, she doesn't ask (in her own way) for any more, LO moaning so bk soon!

Buggymad - lovely to see you back. Connie sounds (and looks) incredible! In fact, she could be the baby from the Incredibles Good to hear she's behaving herself at nights for you. You are clearly a far more organised mum than me.... Isla would be in a babygro morning noon and night if I had three kids - as it is she's in one about 75% of the time and i've only got 2 kids

Honeyapple - liking your Greek cooking! Boring old spag bol for us tonight!

Greedy - well done on losing a whole stone now. Don't worry about old rubber legs Marcy - some babies like to lap-stand, some don't. Isla is an olympic champion lap-stander, like Connie. She's even trying to stand on her own now... she keeps pushing herself away from the edge of the sofa and trying to balance... even though she is standing on her tippytoes!

Seaside - now listen to me, you must tell all these visitors to FECK OFF. You have just had a baby for godsake. I spent the first year of DD1s life cooking and cleaning for guests, the freeloading bastards
Seriously, take it easy. Go and do some visiting yourself and let others look after you and get some kip in while they coo over the baby.

Chooster - poor you, poor Theo! Sounds horrendous, another cold! not what you need. I too PMSL at your "cruising" parents