March/April 05 Thread #2

[Olivia's Mommy]

Sorry, no time to catch up girls. DH is on his way home from work and then we're packing up the car and headed to the ILs. Just wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving...those of you in the US anyway. I know Canada has already celebrated...I'm not sure about everyone else. Sorry, I'm not very culturally aware! LOL

Anyway, hope you all have a good week and a great weekend, whatever you're doing!

Nancy

[Colesmom]

I will try to make the chat...but to be honest I'd rather chat Friday as I find it more fun with just you ladies.  shhhhh, don't tell anyone. wednesdays it's hard to follow as I don't know the ins and outs of everyone's story.  I figure I should only chat once a week.  I've got a lot going on right now and I'm pretty pooped by the end of the day, shouldn't really be up late two nights a week.  And this is me talking, not DH.  He'd let me chat every night if that's what I wanted.

okay, off to do those many things...

btw-i feel like I've fallen behind...i can only read and respond to a few posts now it seems.  but it was me who said not to feel bad about not responding and playing "catch up" so I'll try not to feel bad :oops:

I'll say Happy Turkey weekend now for those that are travelling.  Have a great time with family and friends

[Arwyn's mom]

Happy Thanksgiving to the US of A-ers!!

Roz... are you a teacher? I looked back at your intro but you didn't say... truly the mystery woman, eh? Your website looks interesting! Sounds like a great program... no wonder you didn't notice you were preggers until 4 months. Summers must be very busy for you!

Hannah... yup, multi-task is not my middle name, it is my FIRST! I don't have a hands-free model... it is manual. I am looking at buying the new ISIS IQ DUO that just came out. It is the same Avent one I have except it is electric... pricey but I figure the price of formula would work out to the same over the long run.

Okay... question about bottles... Arwyn is the winner of all the bouts of trying a bottle. Last night at dinner, I managed to squeeze 2 oz. into her but only by making her thirsty with Cheerios first  :lol: . This morning at the 11 am bottle fight, she took 1 oz over 45 minutes.

My question is... how much is the average bottle? I have to throw out the remaining 3 oz. now because I made a 4 oz bottle but shouldn't she finish that much per bottle?? So confused... I have a need for clear, calibrated breasts so I can see how much she usually takes and match her needs. (neurotic or what?)

Anyhow... gotta run... pat/shush required. BTW, Friday chat or ??

[sophieandhannah]

I say YES! Friday chat!  Although funny, now that I think about it dh has no hockey this friday becasue of the thanksgiving weekend...that's ok, he can just hang out with his little tiny girlfriend

I totally understand Traci!  As you can see from today, I am really good at doing a whole lot of nothing but being on the computer...not a bad idea to limit the chats etc. 

Ankie, electric is where it's at!  And OMG!!! The price of formula :shock: It's OC (out of control!) So, yes the pumps is worth it.  Do you have Craig's list up there? You might want to try it or even ebay for a used one if that's not too creepy for you...of course all of the improtant parts should be new

I totally hear you about the calibrated boobs   The few (VERY few) times that Sophie did latch, I always wondered how much if any she really got.

I am still struggling with how much to offer in a bottle, I am seeing her eat anywhere from 5-8oz, but most often right around 5.

So really 1-2 is a great start!

HTH.
See you tonight or Friday!
Hannah

[becca24]

Hi Everyone,

I have read all the posts but I don't have time to comment on them all - so don't think I don't care OK  :wink: I feel like you girls really are my friends especially since we have been sending all the pics KWIM?

We are off to swimming lessons today then I have to take my aunty into town (she hates driving in town :roll: ) so I wouldn't be able to chat today. As for the friday night chat, that is saturday here so I could probably only make it sometimes. It is summer here and we are planning to be away surfing and camping every chance we can get. I usually check on here every day so if anyone wants to chat any other time just let me know.

Whoever asked- we don't have thanksgiving down here. Maybe it will catch on one day. Halloween has started to, we had a couple of kids come here and say 'trick or treat' and dh goes 'what's that mean??" I said 'give them some tim tams'  the DH practically yells 'HERE YOU GO NOW RACK OFF' :lol:  :lol: then they ran away screaming it was sooooooooo funny.  :lol:  :lol:

[Colesmom]

okay, i just have to come on here and vent.  My great settler has turned not so great the last couple of nights.  Of course, it's all my fault...but he should catch on that mom will make mistakes, right? :wink:

Yesterday we had 3 great naps (1:15, 1:00, 1:00) and I let the catnap run too late.  I have let it run late in the past and Cole has gone down fine. However, I think those days he had short naps. The three good naps combined with a catnap waking at 5pm did not make for a smooth bedtime at 6pm.  He finally settled close to 7pm.

Of course with him way overtired he woke more often, including 4:50 AM for the day.  YEP.  I tried feeding, even tried taking him to bed with me.  NOPE, wide awake.  Today we had 1:15, 45 and 45 naps, catnap ending at 4:15.  It was all I could do to keep him awake to give him dinner and BF.  He seemed to settle fine at 5:15...then the screaming started.  I go in and he calms right away and this is where I pose my question.

What on earth do you do when they calm immediately and want you to play?  He did this both nights...last night because he wasn't tired enough and tonight because he was overtired and on overdrive!

So I end up leaving, letting him cry a few minutes then returning to do pupd. It is just silly.  I'd much rather him just cry and let me do pupd.  In and out, pupd, in and out, pupd.  sheesh!

okay, thanks for the vent.

I just checked an email newletter and they have this item on it...from OneStepAhead.  So cool!

http://www.onestepahead.com/product/86183/17/117.html

[Arwyn's mom]

Hannah... yes we have craigslist up here and I missed a fantastic deal on a Pump in Style for $100!!! ya snooze, ya lose over here FAST! Items that are hot sell extremely quickly on craigslist here... BUT, the duds that nobody wants just gets relisted, again and again :roll: . BTW, I love the "little tiny girlfriend" and every time I read it, I read it "teeny tiny girlfriend"... you know, like the traditional tale... the "Teeny Tiny Woman"?

Friday night chat is good for me too. As usual, I will be late because Arwyn goes down between 6 and 7 pm.

Traci... UGH! Don't you hate it when you miss the window??? So frustrating. Don't worry, your great settler will be back. It took me a while to figure out that Arwyn can stay awake longer between naps #1 and 2 but not before bed, etc. She has all these awake time quirks :roll: and I am just trying to keep up. Cole will be back to normal before you know it.

Bec... Summer!! I'm looking forward to it already!

TTFN ladies.

[Little Bear's Mum]

Hi everyone

Another not so good night here, but better than the previous. I actually tried to bring Daniel to bed with me in the early hours (about 4am) but it was hopeless. I couldn't sleep, he was pretty restless so after about an hour I gave him his first morning bottle then put him back in his cot! Then when he woke again at 6am I tried again with some toys thinking he could play while I snoozed. Well, after 5 mins we both fell asleep until DH woke us at 7.40am. Yay, finally a good length of sleep. Daniel's cold is worse except he's still happy. Meanwhile all I can think about is will he be okay to fly. So off to the chemist I went, got more drugs, this time a nasal decongestant. I know he's only little and I don't want to pump him full of drugs, but if it helps him sleep and feel better I'm gonna do it. Also I really want us to be able to go away tomorrow and I don't want to put him in pain. So hopefully this will work.

The stuff you guys can buy overseas is great. I just wish there were websites with a variety of baby products here to. I think to have anything sent over would be too expensive.

Well, it's not that I don't want to chat, but I'm tired and need to have a rest while Daniel is.

Bye for now....

[Richelle]

Hello Lovelies,


A chat on Friday's is as good as any for me as i am so so so soooon be a SAHM!!  I am so excited but it will be awhiole before Sophie and I get a chance to chill together and really get into a groove.  I can't wait to hang exclusively with my teeny tiny girlfriend !!  :lol:  :lol: 9 I hope I am not eating my words in a few months :oops: )

Ankie - How is Arwyn's sleeping going?  I have an instyle pump that has been sitting here collecting dust for 3 months :oops: .  I am going to save it for my next babies - that's right plural  :lol:  but in the interm it is too bad I am not close enough to loan it to you.  Sophie has a 6oz bottle 4x a day and weighs 21lbs if that is a good point of reference for you.  I was told that you should always offer a bit more than you think they will eat when starting with a botlle I can't remember why but I am sure it was a good reason..

I leave in one week exactly and I have the IL's flying in tomorrow and staying with us for the next 4 days, I think I will make them help me pack up the house :wink: !  I am also cooking a turkey dinner tomorrow - don't ask me why - they are english (no thanksgiving) I'm Canadian...and tomorrow?  Like my DH says I'm a nutter...

Traci - How cool are those extenders!  Sophie is busting out of her 6-9 month onesies already  :shock:  We are starting to call her the bruiser!

Hannah I am at work  :oops:  and my comp here won't load pic's, I'll have to check when I get home but am sure they are cute cute cute!

Andrea - I really had a good chuckle re: Taylor made marinade - you should bottle it and sell it!

Naomi - very excited for you and your new adventure - especially if  it involves a new wardrobe - lucky girl, can't wait to see pic's!!

Becc - ROTFLMAO at your DH - sounds just like mine!

Hayley - I really hope that Daniel feel's better especially for  the flight.  I hate flying stuffed up.  How long is the flight?  I am dreading traveling alone with Sophie again, eventhough everytime I have she has been soo good, but then she just used to sleep I am not sure how I am going to keep her occupied for these flights!

Roz - How cool are those camps!!  Really very interesting and such a GOOD idea!

Anywho let me run one of my 'web/business' ideas past you ladies.  History - I love to paint and it has been a hobby of mine for as long as I can remember.   

The idea is functional nursery art.  ment to be visually stimulating for infants while providing style and function in a nusery.

Now I paint for function mostly ie; to decorate our rental apartments ect... but of course did some stuff for Sophie's room b/c I couldn't paint the walls.  I ended up doing a bunch of animals (noah's arc but funky) and some contrast work and she loves it.  Stares at it still for ages, used to calm her when she was fussy even. 

I did a couple for a friend of mine as a gift(purple and red flowers on alternating yellow and light blue squares / pink and white circles on alternating green triangles) and she said the same thing about her dd loving them and would stare for extended periods of time but they were also funky and decorative.  She said I could definately sell them so I have started to think about it and maybe i will get a collection started.  Any thoughts, would you ladies think cool or not so cool?

Ok - i need to wrap up this is the longest post EVER!!

[Colesmom]

Richelle-your artwork sounds awesome!  Something you can do from home AND make money.  And totally doable to sell over the net.  I think it's perfect.  Could you take a pic of one or two and post?  I'm very curious.

[FrasersMum]

Yes Richelle, very cool!!  Would also love to see a pic.

Hi to everyone

Keeping it short today - we have been working very hard to help Fraser sleep a bit better and it seems to be paying off - last night was a vast improvement (still a ways to go but we'll get there).  I think the crux of the problem was a constantly overtired little guy who's A times are very sensitive - miss the window and not only does it throw out that nap time but the rest of the day and night as well.  A never ending cycle.  But he'll get there, we'll get there and yes (repeat after me) "this too shall pass".

Hugs friends
Jo

[M&M'sMom]

Jo- "This too shall pass....." congrats on some light at the end of the tunnel... don't the littlest improvements give you the most hope? I think so...

Traci- The pictures are absolutely beautiful... what an amazing piece of art and history!  What kind of camera did you use? Was it blk and wht film?

Micky- we met today @ noon... sorry! Sharon (momtoellarose) and I perused the mall for 1 1/2 hours... stopping of course for a Tim Hortons on the way... I forgot the camera, but Sharon remembered so I am sure she will post the pics when she gets back to Vancouver...

Holly- Robert Munch.. ann absolute classic don't you agree??!! On the teething thing, orajel really works instantly for the girls, but like any topical anesthetic (sp?) it lasts only minutes... I think it last just long enough for the camilia to set in... and if all else fails and the screaming continues past 5 mins ( a VERY long 5 mins) then in goes the tylenol!

anyone who cares :lol: Well Maisie went from 7pm-5am last night, a bit more like her old self... so maybe the 3 teeth that have broke through are finally going to stop bugging her. It still is a bit of an ordeal at 5 am to get her back to sleep.. a 2oz bottle and back to her crib, then she talks for about 15 mins.... drive me BONKERS! Today they (after Maisie's 5 am wake, Maky slept through like usual) slept until 745am and I had to wake them because they were screwing up our day and we had to be at the mall at noon for my BW meet-up! Always when there is something going on during the day do they decide to sleep in, or take a short nap.... crazy babies...

I am so sorry this is so long, going to bed now... have a good night my friends,

jod

[Arwyn's mom]

Jody! I care that Maisie slept through!!! Gives me hope for Arwyn... it has been a long 7 weeks.

Jo... hope it is all starting to look up. I know that Arwyn's A time is also sensitive... 15 minutes the wrong way on a bad day is just horrendous!

Holly... I have tonnes of Robert Munsch... never thought to read it to Arwyn yet though... maybe I will start!

Richelle... I know I told you in the chat but I think you should run with your idea. Sounds great!

See you all... gonna have some "me" time.... oh... right... that 90 minutes in the chat room WAS "me" time. :roll:  Traci... maybe I should limit myself to one chat a week too!  :wink: DH's course is finished next week so he'll know just how much time I spend on here at night when he is not around!

[Little Bear's Mum]

Richelle - great idea. I wish I was creative enough to do something like that. What a great 'gift' to have.

Traci - I meant to say before, I loooove the photos. I've tried numerous times to take photos of Daniel's feet, but they never work. Those are great. You've inspired me to try again, even though he's bigger now, soon his 'now' feet will be considered little.

Jody - great news on the sleep. It must be so much harder with twins waking each other up.

Ankie - hang in there, it will happen.

Me? Well, now I'm feeling like cr@pola and don't think I should be flying tomorrow. Daniel's doing okay, I think the drugs are helping, his nose wasn't quite so runny thisafternoon (TMI) so here's hoping for a better night. Unfortunately now I'm all blocked up so don't think I should fly. There's another flight on Sunday night, so I'll probably go for that instead. Unless I make a miraculous recovery overnight. Mum & dad will be so disappointed, but hopefully I'll still make it for a few days.

Well, I better go curl up on the couch or in bed and rest while I can. Who knows what tonight will bring.

Oh and to everyone who has lived with multiple frequent night wakings I don't know how you keep going. I haven't got enough hats to take off for you!

[Colesmom]

Hello girls. Thanks for the compliments on the pics.  Jody-it was my Nikon digital camera I took the pics with.  It has a black and white option.  I have since learned though that you can make any pic black and white with photo software.  I'm asking for Adobe Photoshop Elements 4 for christmas.  Not sure I'll need all the bells and whistles it has, but why not?  It's so cool...you can click on something called "pencil drawing" and it turns your photo into....a pencil drawing!   :lol:

Well-we had a rough night.  My hat is off to Ankie, Holly and Jo.  I am pooped.  Down at 5:15, didn't settle until 6 (yes, he was tired enough to go down at 5:15!) Woke at 8:00 (after door-bell and phone rang in quick succession), back down in 5 min, woke at 8:40, back down in 10 min.  Woke at 12:15 to feed.  Woke at 3:30 and was up until 5:00!!!  Haven't had one of those in a while.  Just wasn't tired.  Wouldn't sleep on futon with me, wouldn't sleep with him in crib and me on floor.  Finally gave him tylenol just in case and about 15 min. later he conked out on my shoulder.  Then he only slept until 5:50.  Of course, today DH had to leave the house by 6:00 to go to the dentist on the other side of the city (silly I know-but we really like my dentist from the city where i grew up) so he was up by 5:20.  So I've had a whopping 20 minutes or so sleep since 3:30.  First big snowfall of the year today so it's officially pyjama day for Cole and I

Oh yes, forgot to mention, the last couple of nights Cole has only taken one boob for his night feed (10pm feed).  He just won't take the other and I don't want to wrestle with him and wake him up too much.  Do you think it's time to wean this feed then?  That's why I fed him at 3:30, because he only took one side at midnight and I thought he might be hungry. Just when I get a semi-decent routine going he goes a throws a wrench in it!

JO and Jody-congrats on the improved sleeps!

Hayley- I so hope you feel well enough to take you trip. 

okay-breakfast time for Cole.  No more zucchini-started that tuesday and I'm wondering if that's the cause of some issues???