Jan/Feb 05 chat - Thread #3

[Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom]

Oh Julie.  {{{{HUGS}}}} to you.  I've had those moments too, and it's best to just put them down and leave for a couple of minutes.  We love our guys, but everything together can sometimes be a tad too much to deal with!  Especially with adding dh to the mix.  I have those moments too - dh works out of town most of the week, and is home Fri - Sun.  So I suppose I may expect a little too much "help" on those days, and when I don't get it, I get irritated.  That would be a long rant to get into!   :roll:  :wink:

I got irritated at Ethan yesterday because I was feeding him dinner, and he somehow managed to kick the jar of baby food (luckily none came out), and throw the spoon with food on it on the floor, hitting me, him, his chair, my chair...  I had to take a deep breath, cause I was seriously annoyed to say the least.

So, you're not a bad mom, you're just having a moment...

Counseling might be good for you though, just to have someone to talk to and listen to you!

Chin up!   

[Schae]

Branwen: I cannot believe your paed! :evil: You'd think that doctors keep up to date with the latest in medical information, for instance what the WHO says???So what is 30.5inches in centimetres? :oops: I'm guessing Eirwen is really tall though, gorgeous too so I must agree with the 'supermodel' comment :wink:

Julieb: I LOVE the way Asher walks. It's sooo cute! I'm not too sure whether to say 'good luck' on the interview for your dh.. I hope you guys get what you want BIG HUGS about the bad day you had. We aren't saints and certainly don't always have the patience of them. It is VERY frustrating when our bubs are unsettled. I SO understand the frustration at the nightwakings. We have the same thing, also about an hour after he's been put down for the night and every hour after that. This too shall pass it's my mantra :lol:

Deb: Poor Olivia! Gastro sucks big time, I really hope it doesn't spread and she gets better soon. Did she eat at all today?
The weather is the same here (no wonder there are so many South African's in Aus!). It was so hot this morning then it poured, then hail and now it's hot again.

Tarri: So, do YOU like the toys that make a noise?  :lol: Luka has one toy that 'sings' and I must say it has reached and passed it's expiry date. I've had more than enough of it!

Jaime: Good luck for next week all by your lonesome.

Early Potty Training: Isn't that just 'elimination communication'? Personally, I won't be starting full on PT at 9 months, but from around January I'll intro Luka to the potty. I'm hoping to begin 'real' PT from around 18 months in the view of having him fully PT by the age of 2. That's how my mom did it with my sister and I, and I'm going to see if I can do the same. It's also quite prevalent in the rural areas of South Africa to PT very early.

When it was winter here, I dressed Luka in a long sleeved onsie vest and a babygrow with long sleeves and feet. But we don't have central heating here either. :?

Tammy: I hope Ethan feels better soon! That's a long time to be ill, poor munchkin. What meds are you using? As soon as I feel a cold coming on (in me though) I dose myself up with Tissue Salts and that normally heads the cold off. Apparently you can use them with babies too...

Us: Nothing much, just wanted to respond to you ladies 

[Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom]

Branwen - I was re-reading the post where I responded to you about early potty training, and I totally didn't mean to come across so down on it and mean.  I totally apologize if you and anyone else read my message that way, that really wasn't my intention!   :oops:     And it's totally your prerogative to try it early!  And I promise I'm not thinking bad things about you if you do! 

Anyway, that's all I wanted to add.  Have a good weekend ladies!

[thitz]

Branwen, Emily's been to lots of stores, just not the grocery store because she gets overstimulated and overtired and it takes me a long time to do the groceries, dh usually baby sits.  Oh, and Emily kind of starting to do the bum lift thing like in Eirwen's video.  As for potty training, I'm going to start once I think Emily can sit on her own on a potty chair.  It's going to be a few more months for her, I think.

JulieB, At night I put emily in a diaper shirt, pj's, thin flannel sleep sack and throw a double layer flannel blanket over top.  Then after the df I add a fleece blanket over that.  I've got the thermostat programmed for 23C at night and one hour of 24C in the early morning and that seems to keep her toasty.  For naps, I just put her down in what she's wearing and the double flannel blanket.  She's always wearing long sleeves though otherwise she'd scratch her arms to bits cause of the eczema.

JulieB, you're a great mom cause you did exactly what you should do, by putting him down and leaving the room for a few minutes!  I hope your dh hurries up and makes ammends.  I hate it when dh has to leave when a disagreement hasn't been settled.  Why don't you get one of those family members near by to babysit and you go see a movie?  Also, I think counseling is always a good idea, sometimes it's just a relief to have someone to talk to and have them listen.  As for the waking, Emily also wakes around 10:00 but never cries out,  could you try to leave Ethan a little bit longer before going into his room?  Or maybe he's cold? (add a layer of clothing)  Stuffy nose? (add saline drops before bed)  Constipation? (more prunes) Just trying to help brainstorm a solution:)

Schae, so far so good with the musical toys.  I think cause she doesn't have the attention span to play with them continuously, she always flip flops between the music ones and one she can chew:)  What are Tissue salts?

Deb, is Olivia any better?  I hope no one else got it.

Us, not too much new.  I bought some more clothes for Emily since dh is getting in his first pay check next week.  Also, I think me walking Emily around the room is strengthening her back cause she seems to wiggle around a bit more during tummy time.  Her excema on her hands and face is getting pretty bad.  She scratches her hands/wrists in her sleep and she has all these little scabs on them.  She doesn't scratch her face, but she's got a real red spot on one cheek, the same side as she sucks her thumb.  I tried the prescription cortisone cream and it helps for like 2 days then it's just as bad as before.  So I stopped using it and keep putting vaseline and calendula cream on all day.  But I'm starting to wonder if she'll get a scar or something their if I can't get rid of the redness.  Hmmm.  Maybe we need another visit to the dermatologist.

Good night/day everyone?

[Deb_in_oz]

ok - as my mom said to me this morning "it's a shi@ty job" ugh! as is normal with gastro, after the first stage of vomiting, we had diarreah 5 times yesterday and then after having had no food from Fri lunch time until this mornign (Sunday) we gave her 3 spoons of apple and a few bits of bread and diluted formula for feeds = had the worst bout of diarreah yet - it was insane!! she is so clingy at times although that is improving a little- i think it is great that she is in good spirits but most of the time if we leave her sight the sep anxiety is hard and she screams and cries for us to return (EVEN IF WE ARE JUST GRABBING SOMETHING 2 FT AWAY).  so far no one else is ill, but olivia is not supposed to be around others until no diar. for 24 hrs  :roll:

Julieb - hugs to you - you had a bad MOMENT but did the right thing.  as you said, you were stressed and sometimes all it takes is bad timing and you just cannot take that little bit more pressure - the pressure is too much and pow - explosion! leaving the room and deep breaths are the safe and correct response so that is a good mommy moment!!! feel free to PM me anytime, but a counselor woudl be a good help i bet.

Schae - i forgot to tell you sorry about the job, but you were right to stick by your worth.  it is terrible what some people think you will work for these days.

Tarri - Emily's eczema sounds painful - i hope she is not suffering.  both of my girls have inherited extremely dry skin from  my grandmother and mother (i got dad's oilier skin) and are covered on extremities (not chest and minimal on face) with a rash that does not go away no matter how much cream i put on - alex started it at 5 mo and Liv around the same. people comment on it but i just hope it gets better - my mom had it until she was around 7  :shock:  and kids can be so mean these days i worry about their self esteem.

[HeatherC]

Sorry for my delay in posting, but big HUGS to you, Julieb!  You are not alone in this.  We are here for support and listening, but a couselor is a great idea.  Sometimes it's just so great to verbalize your feelings to a neutral party.  You did the right thing.  As I've said before, this is the toughest job on earth.  God gives us children to make us stonger.  The kiddos aren't the only ones learning and developing, we are, too.
Definitely call in some help and get out of the house for a few hours.

[julieb]

Thanks everyone for all of your kind words!  You fellow BW mommies are just wonderful to have around!   

Today went better, emotionally, at least.  Despite the rough night, Asher still made his 5:00 am wake up call, but fell back asleep till 5:40, then 6:00, 6:40, and 7:20.  That's okay.  Tried a new experiement on his naps today.  I put him down for the morning nap 15 minutes later and only let him sleep for 1:15 hr.  Then I gave him a bath before the afternoon nap to make him all warm, cozy, and SLEEPY, and crossed my fingers!  He cried out at 1 hour, but went right back to sleep until I woke him up after 1:40 hrs!  Woohoo!  Could be because of the rough night, but I'm optimistic.  My mom came over and hung out with us this evening so that was a nice distraction since we had to miss my friend's 1 yo's birthday party (the birthday girl had a recent stomach bug and I didn't want to risk it).  Tomorrow I'm going to a parenting seminar ( :lol:  ironic, I know), so that will be a nice break for me.

I had an ephipany last night.  I really need to loose weight.  All of these issues and stress all go back to the root of being overweight (overweight=low self-esteem=don't love myself so how can I properly love DH or let him love me, etc, etc).  The motivation to start is SO hard for me.  And what's even harder, ever since I gave birth, I have the worst sweet tooth I have ever known!  And it just hasn't stopped (and has now turned into emotional eating).  Oi!  :roll:   

Eczema/rashes: I'm sure you all have already tried all of this, but do you think it's related to any allergies?  From soaps to clothes to foods?  Tarri, have you seen any different calendula creams/ointments/gels/lotions?  I swear the gel works better than the lotion.  I keep putting it to the test and the gel works better on Asher's diaper rashes.  The dosages are different on the labels.  Oh, and what about dietary supplements?  Omega 3 fatty acids I think are supposed to help?  I'll have to look in my book again.

[Deb_in_oz]

just a quick one to say "it got me" - after suffering for 5 hours with an insane level of nausea  :evil:  i finally vomited and accept that i have got her gastro bug (it is very hard not to with such a highly contagious bug and being the primary person changing all the nappies and vomit clean up - and i was being so careful about washing thoroughly...)

Dh has said he will sleep in spare room tonight and take the monitor with him. i will just have to trust that he will hear the girls if needed.  I have told him that if i am feeling bad in the morning he has got to call in and take the day off as i cannot take care of sick me, sick olivia and keep "healthy alex" healthy and happy  :!:

feels like it has been a very hard few weeks and i am ready for an upswing!!

[thitz]

Julieb, I hear ya on the lose weight thing.  But I too have little will power to stick it out on a diet.  One thing I've been trying to do is drink water instead of juice.  It certainly doesn't help having all those halloween candies around...  I haven't tried the gel yet, I'm going to have to order it over the internet.

[Daniel's mummy]

Us - The last couple of days Daniel has started doing this body rocking thing which is soooo funny.  He does it mostly when he's sitting and it basically just consists of him rocking around on his hips.  Looks so cute.  Not sure what he's doing.  I guess it could just be that he's realising he can move his body as well as arms and legs!  He squirms around a whole lot more now when he's on his tummy as well.  Maybe crawling isn't too far off now.  I'd better prepare myself.
Sleeping is going well again.  I have no idea what all the nightwakings were for a couple of weeks back.  He just gradually stopped it and now  occasionally wakes once or maybe twice with a cry but nothing much more.  I think it's a case of just enjoy it whilst it lasts.  His next tooth will not be far away I don't think :?

Julieb - I'm so glad you had a better day yesterday.  I can so sympathise with you on the whole 'I don't need you I'll just do it myself' thing with dh!  Since having Daniel I've realised just how much of a control freak I am :oops: I'm really having to learn to let dh do things his own way with daniel.  He doesn't always have to just do it the way I tell him.  He is as much Daniel's parent as me.  But it is so hard to let go of stuff.  I hope the parenting seminar was good.  Who was it run by?  We are hoping to find a good one to go to.  I think it'd be really useful.  Let us know what 'gems' they shared with you!
As for the losing weight thing goes, well today was the first day of my new diet!!  And actually it's gone ok.  This past week I've been feeling really fat and horrible.  None of my clothes are comfy anymore and I just decided enough is enough.  So I'm dieting.  I lost most of my pregnancy weight quite quickly but over the last few months it's just all gone back on again :x   So it's time to take action. Maybe we can all encourage each other in this.

Debra - I really hope you feel better soon.  You poor thing.  I hope dh does take the day off to help you out.  And I hope Alex does manage to stay 'happy and healthy'.

[Deb_in_oz]

alex is sick too - found her covered in vomit in her cot this morning - whole family off to the doctor at 11am.  Dh taking day off but he needs a note from the doctor to get sick leave to care for us all  :roll: at least he got a solid night sleep in the spare room. i slept 930 - 1:30 and then off and on until morning  :evil:

[Jaime]

Debra - yuck!!  hope you all get well really quickly.  and that your dh doesn't get it too. 

I am definitely needing to be part of the lose weight club!  got about 25lbs (a little over 11kg) to go myself!!

[sedona314]

HI all:

first, hugs to Julie, and glad you are feeling abit better.  thanks for support to all. and feel better to those Mommys who are sick and have sick lo's.

We got back from the west coast of florida on Saturday to NO POWER. we are part of 140,000 left without.  to top it off, it got warm here - it wasnt so bad right after the storm cause it was in the 60's and 70's. but now its hot, mid 80s in the day  :cry:

I was going to stay on the west coast but my agency decided to schedule a double training for tomorrow and tuesday because we missed one day last week.  I was so upset we had to come back as its very tough to stay in a hot house and take care of a baby without electricity. 

we have a generator and that is how Im writing to you guys.  Fortunately you can get gas now.  But we have no hot water.  A neighbor filled up some gallon jugs for us with very hot water so I was able to give Matty a bath tonight by mixing this with our cold water.  I on the other hand am bracing myself for my cold shower when I get done with this post. 

we still have poles down in our neighborhood and so much of the foliage from Fort Lauderdale is gone.  They are finally opening school after two weeks of no school and they cancelled halloween this year for all of fort lauderdale because it was too dangerous with so much power still out.  We were all so dissapointed. its a big deal in my neighborhood and our first year with our child so we were really looking forward to it. I didnt get a chance to dress Matty up in the Tigger costume I had for him.

Anyway, I am so hoping power goes up soon!  I was sooooooooo bummed out yesterday and this morning to be home, wishing we could have stayed where we were, but Im better now.

I just dont get these agencies scheduling trainings within two weeks of a level 3 hurricane, when so many people still dont have power.

okay, done venting.

sorry I cant give more feedback to everyone, just trying to get through right now.

Julie

[Tammy: Ethan & Kaden's Mom]

Julie - I'm so sorry you guys are having to go through all of that!  It's bad enough to have to deal with the aftermath of a hurricane, with no water, electricity, etc.  But then to have to try to juggle work in with all that?  I know it's work, but how do they expect their employees to cope when their basic needs aren't even functioning yet?  Geez.  I'm so sorry you guys had to miss Halloween.  Maybe in a week or two (after some of the craziness dies down), someone on your block could host a late halloween costume party, and all the kids could wear their costumes and get candy and such.  At least it would make it up to them a little bit - and they could wear their costumes!

Debra - I'm so sorry you guys all have the same bug!  That really stinks big time.  Here's hoping your dh can take a couple of days off to help you with the girls (and so you can get some rest too!).

Us - Can I join the "I need to lose weight" club?  If I'm really truthful with myself, I need to lose about 15 lbs.  That doesn't sound like much, but why is it so completely hard?  I have about zero willpower to stick to a diet.  My whole life I never had to deal with weight issues.  Then right after I got married I started some meds that made me gain weight - like 20 lbs!  I've never been able to work it off.  I got off those meds, and gained a normal 35 lbs. during pregnancy.  Most of that came off, but now I need to get those stubborn 15 lbs. remaining from before!  With dh traveling during the week, I need to just start eating cereal or something for dinner every night. 

Ethan is still sick.  Driving me crazy that he's still coughing and a bit congested.  If this doesn't clear up by mid-week, I'm taking him to the doctor.  By that point, it will have been over 2 weeks since he got sick.  That's crazy.  And he's decided to get up at 6 am now.  I don't know why, but I wish he would go back to his 7 am wake up!  Usually I'll just let him talk to himself for a while, but this morning he woke up crying.  I think because he was congested.   

Hang in there everyone!

[Leah's Mom]

Hi Everyone! 

Deb- SO sorry to hear about everyone being sick.  Take it easy and try to let DH take care of everything!

Branwen- Do you like your doctor? If not, I would consider going elsewhere. Your post made me fume!!!!!

Tarri- Leah has a rock and play piano by Fisher price. We took the seat off and she can play it sitting on the floor. She loves to pound on it too!

Jaime- How's it going with DH being gone?

Julieb - Leah wears fuzzy jamies and a cotton halo sleep sack to bed. Our house is 68-69 degrees F at night. Hugs to you! You are a wonderful mommy!!!! I have had momments like that too. Good luck with the weight loss. You're right, that should make you feel better.

Tammy - Leah had the same cold for three weeks!!!!!  :shock: We are finally getting over it. I thought he nose was going to run forever!

Julie - HUGS to you!!!!!!! What a horrible ordeal to go through. Amazing the things Hurricanes can do. I hope things start to shape up. Vent all you need. We're here for you! 

US: Leah has her 9 month check up tonight. Will let you know her stats. My guess? 22 pounds and 30 inches long. This is going to be fun to see how correct I am!!!! BTW, I have not measured or weighed her since her 6 month check up. Things are going well here. Very busy at school. I have three evening meetings/events this week. So for three days I will not see Leah before she goes to bed.  :cry: That makes me sad....