March/April Thread #3

[kate585]

Hey, all! 
Holly, WAHOOOO!  Don't get too upset about the backslide...they say it always happens, but now you know he can do it and that all of your hard work is paying off!  Aren't you glad you ran into Traci that day at the mall?   :wink:

Nancy:  Ryan is pushing 23 lbs. and he's pretty tall...we go in for an appt. next week, so I'll give you all the official stats.  He's wearing all 12-18 mo clothes now.  So sad b/c he just zoomed through the 6-9 mo. and 9-12 mo. clothes and we had some cute ones, too!    :?

Bianca:  So glad to "see" you and your GORGEOUS kids!!!

Bec/Traci, I was singing the kookaburra song here, too!

Andrea:  CONGRATS on the samples.  I know you'd rather have a wonderful product out there than worry about your deadlines.  You had no idea how long it would take the guy to get set up.  And, just think, you'll probably be ready just in time for our lo's b-days, so it's perfect!   

Hayley:  Welcome back!  ADORABLE little bear, as ever!

Can't remember who I responded to and who I didn't in the last post, so I'll just say a quick way to go/sorry it's stinkin' and hope that covers everyone.   :wink:   

As for us...a so-so report:  Nap # 2 is getting to be a pain in the rump!  Yesterday did pu/pd for 70 mins. only to get a 40 min. nap.   :evil:   Then, he went down like a dream, since he was so tired. 
Up at 11 or so.  Dh said he'd take care of it so I could sleep.  (As if!)  But, he tried and after 20 mins. or so of pretty steady crying I popped my head in.  Dh was sitting in the chair and Ryan was lying (laying?) in the crib sobbing.  I said, "Why don't you go over there and put your hand on his hip or something?"  He said, "In the book, it says to leave them alone unless they stand up."   :roll:   A little info is a dangerous thing.  So, I went over there and he was silent in about 1 min. and asleep in about 3!      (I should not be so proud...we are supposed to be on the same team here...just doesn't feel like it this week.   :cry: ) 
But...Ryan was up about 30 mins. later, so I gave him Tylenol and he was right back to sleep.  4 1/2 hours later, same thing.  That little tooth bud must have been bugging him. 
Fine for nap # 1 at mil's then a short fight for # 2 here...we're 1 hour into it, so that's better than yesterday! 
 :?:   Why does Ryan seem to lay a big turd a lot of the time when he is fighting sleep?  Could he be doing it on purpose so I'll get him out of the crib?  Could he be gassy, like Cole, and that's the issue?  No change in diet or any other signs of discomfort though.   Maybe he's fighting to stand up so hard it just all comes out?  Hmmmm   :?
 :?:   Why am I always writing about my son's digestive issues?  You all must think I'm nutty!!!

[kate585]

Erin, now WE posted at the same time. 
So glad, b/c I meant to say happy 9 months to Katie!!!  That'll be Ryan in a few days.  Isn't it weird?   They are such little people all of the sudden.
Love the pictures, too.  The tree looks very tempting!

[Olivia's Mommy]

Michelle--yes, Liv is 24 lb, but she's still in a rear-facing car seat. She has graduated to a transitional car seat (can face rear or forward), but is still rear-facing. Our ped said she needs to remain rear-facing till 1 year...something about their neck muscles not being developed enough to handle an impact if forward-facing.

Andrea--thanks! You're right people do say the dumbest things...I just have to keep reminding myself.

Hayley--we also stayed home for our vacation (also due to finances), but we planned one fun "outing" each day and got to do things in our area that we rarely take the time to do: go to the zoo, visit a pumpkin patch, go on a picnic, etc. I think you'll find plenty of fun things to do....enjoy!

Well, Liv is waking after only 25 min...better go see what's going on.

[Arwyn's mom]

Hello ladies... knew I was in for some serious catching up as I had not checked for over 48 hours!

I love all the new avatars and posted pictures! Isn't it cool that we can follow everyone's lo as they grow up and do cute things? My local friends don't even know as much about Arwyn as you girlies!

Naomi... I love the haircut... I meant to comment on it long ago :oops: . And what a nightmare about Janean!!! Some people, huh? Now, for a high school comment... FRIENDS FOREVER... about the friends we've met here!

Happy 9 months, Katie and Happy 8 months, Cole!

Hayley... welcome back and WHAT A CUTE PIC! I love the naked one and the strategicaly placed ornament. He is such a cutie.

Nancy... I love chubby babies. I know what you mean about the comments though... almost all my friends who are Chinese comment about how the caucasian in Arwyn must be influencing her heftiness :x .

Food... yes... Arwyn will refuse foods too. I often have to let her have a toy :oops: so that she will eat. It has become a prop, I kid you not, the child must have a toy in her hand before she will open her mouth for ANY food now. So...about the offending food... I just keep offering it at subsequent meals... sometimes I will wait a week, sometimes not; sometimes mix it with cereal or another food.

No proteins or meat here yet. I think I will start at 9 months. Traci, thanks for the menu planner... I think I don't feed Arwyn enough either but when I asked her doctor, his comment was "Whatever amount she eats is fine." How helpful is that? :roll:

Umm... lots of comments about sleep and naps... we also have a short AM nap (45-60 m) and longer PM nap (1.5-2 h) but sometimes both of them require quite the finessing. Night sleeps are improving but still getting up 3-4 times). She is teething again... her cute little tongue keeps flicking her upper gums and I can feel the teeth so... hopefully only a couple of more rough nights left (sighing emoticon here).

Okay... why is Arwyn hysterical at nap times now? She needs to be held to sleep... pretty much stage 3 of sleep before I put her down. If I put her down right away in her crib, she will instantly freak out before realizing that "hey... I'm in my crib... pull up time!!!" and then proceed to pull up and "rattle her cage" as DH and I put it :lol: . I have left her before (for about 10 m) but all that gets me is an over-tired baby who then takes over 40 minutes to settle... SETTLE, never mind sleep.

So... I have resorted to holding her until she is drifting off which usually takes me about 5 minutes. This has only happened in the last 3 days or so. I can't quite understand it. She has been a funny one about settling down to sleep... she has gone back and forth from being able to fall asleep from awake, to needing to be held to sleep the entire nap (very rare) and everywhere in between. I am stumped... anybody have any suggestions?

[sophieandhannah]

Some days I feel like I could just go through all of your posts, pull out quotes and that would be my post.  I sit here reading going, uh huh, uh huh, yup, uh huh, yes!  I guess that's what makes this thread so useful, special, wonderful.

We have been having difficulties with nap #2 here too.  I think the problem is too short of A time.  I think I am misreading bored cues/fusses as tired cues/fusses.  I also think sometimes I'm thinking..."OK, MOMMY is ready for you to have a nap...wether YOU are ready or not.."  As I have said before they grow and change so fast it's hard for me to remember sometimes to grow and change with her.

BTW, first work day is Thursday, day after tomorrow, and thanks to you lovely ladies, I am actually feeling pretty ok about it.  I will definately be posting during lunch or at recess on that day. 

I went out last night and bought two new bras!!! How exciting huh?  I obviously don't want or need to wear nursing bras any more...funny, even though Sophie didn't latch I always wore bf bras becasue it was easier with pumping...anyhow...my boobs are so much smaller now (although the right one is significantly larger than the left...what these babes do to our bodies I tell ya!) but still not quite as small as they were to begin with. Hence the new bras.  Plus...sorry if tmi, but has anyone noticed that they have much more noticeable nipples after bfing?  I had to get a thicker bra to hide my headlights (or my one headlight...again on the right side, weird huh?)

Richelle...lol at Sophie being chubby with bubbies   I love it.  I have a friend who is absolutely obsessed with weight.  Her own, mine, her dog's, my child's....her future child's ...sheesh...it drives me crazy.  I want to scream at her...not everyone is a size 4(or wants to do what it may take to be one)!!! So get over it!!! And please watch your comments in front of my child because I don't want her to have a complex too. (eventually...how are we going to deal with that with these girls??...issues with weight are starting sooo early now).  This woman is also a running partner of mine and tends to be a little slower...I try to encourage her to consider the possibility that her body is starving for fuel...but you just can't change these folks who have these issues with weight.  I don't mean to make light of it either, nor do I eman to say that I am issue free.  I do however wish people would leave our babes out of it.   grrr... :roll:
So yes, ignore ignore ignore silly comments about baby's weight you own weight, your dog's weight, dh's weight etc. 
Congrats to Holly for brady's sleep through!  And to Traci for figuring out the food thing.
We don't really to an afternoon snack btw, I guess i thought the late afternoon milk feed was considered a snack??  But we do sometimes do a morning snack before lunch if we are out and about, espceially when she doesn't take a good feed at 10:30ish.  HTH.
Jo, thanks for the warm thoughts.  I loved reading that.
Andrea good of you to wait for it to be right.  I am sooo impatient and have regretted it sooo many times.  And yes....like kate said, birthday gifts.  I can't wait to see the pics.
Enought from me for now.  oh wait...one more thing.
Naomi, I just have to say once again my hat's off to you.  I think I would be ahving a nervous break down if I had to look for new childacre after starting my new job where I am being graded etc etc.  I am such a fanatic about having everything ready/pinned down/taken care of before that first day of school (The important stuff...you know...clean sheets, new bras, clean house
 :wink:  :roll: )  I definately lack your flexibility and ability to make a decision on the fly and go with it.  So good for you.  Wow.
OK, later chickies.
Hannah

[sophieandhannah]

Ankie, we posted at the same time.  I've been having nap torubles too.  How long is your A time? Do you think that could be it?  That's what I was thinking but....?
Also, Who was it who said that they were going to be in Seattle on Dec. 8th?  I am sorry I can't remember :oops: but I know it was mentioned during chat on Friday. 
I would love to get together.  I know I mentioned that the 8th is my first day of work.  So obviously that doesn't work, but I think you said you were here for a few days?  It is going to be a busy weekend for us too.  It's Brendan's birthday on the 8th so we are celebrating this weekend.  But if you can, get back to me, maybe maybe we could meet up.  If not this trip, maybe another  time?

Hannah

[Arwyn's mom]

Hannah, we posted at the same time!

Congrats on the new bras!! :lol: and being able to hide the headlight(s)  :shock:  :lol: Your comment made me laugh because I need to wear padded bras to hide my enormous nipples on my teeny tiny breasts!!! TMI, sorry!

Good luck with school on Thursday! Bring a picture of Sophie and maybe some when she had developmental milestones and bring your students "up to speed". You know most of these students even if you had not taught them this year, right? You mentioned you work in a small community. They would love to hear about Sophie! (Of course, you can also turn it into a teaching moment... you know, journal entry, "Know, Wonder, Learn", sequencing, time line... the list goes on!) You could probably fill your whole day with it! :wink:

[james030405]

Hi everyone:

Naomi:  I hope your experience with your nanny hasn't put you off.   :oops:  there are some good ones out there.  I am glad you have found someone who is happy to do your routine.   

Jo:  James eats anything and everything in sight.  Although I think he has the opposite problem to Fraser.  He prefes savoury things to sweet things.  I thought it was becasue fruits etc were really cold from the fridge, but he drinks his milk cold from the fridge, so I think it is the sweet things. BTW, how are swimming lessons going?

Katie:  Happy 9months.  Hope the next are just as exciting.   

Judy:  I hope you get lots of cuddles.

I am not sure who said about the vasectomy.  I actually got DH a pamphlet on it and nothing has been said.  LOL

I am sorry I haven't replied to anyone else personally.  How do you ladies reply to everyone?  I cannot remember what was on the last page! :shock:  :shock:

Anyway, I am feeling a little bad this morning.  James has been sleeping great.  Naps are great and he is generally sleeping through the night.  On the odd night, he wakes a couple of timesbut a few pats later, he is asleep.  This mornign when he woke at 5am and wouldn't go back to sleep, I felt angry and also at DH who was leaving for work.  Then I thought, I shouldn't feel like this.  I have it easy compared to some of you poor ladies :oops:  :cry: So please forgive me for feeling angry at my early start.

On brighter news, James has totally given away bottles now.  We are using a cup with a straw in it.  He seems to much prefer it.    No more buying teats.  It is especially good, because I can give it to him inthe car or in the pram and he can drinkwhile we are out instead of waiting till we get home for a bottle.

Just a question to the Aussie mums who are experience our heatwave at the moment:  are you finding your lo's seem to be more sleepy?  Although James woke at 5, he can usually stay awake until at least 8:30am if not closer to 9am as this is his normal nap #1 time.  But today, (I think by 8am it is close to 30 degrees already) he went to bed at 7:45am?    :?

Naps in our house seem to be nap #1, usually for about 1.5hrs - 2hrs.  Nap #2, usually 1hr.

Sorry for thelong post and also not responding to everyone,  hope everyone is well and happy

thanks for thelovely support and friendship.  I feel blessed that Ihave found this site, but especially since I found this forum.  It has been my savour.

Lisa mum to James my textbook/spirited koala

[Taylor's Mommy]

Seriously Kate what is with Ryan's poops!?!?!  Too funny!  :lol:  :lol:   And it is kinda scary giving some info. to the dh's huh, only to be used against you or in the wrong context.  The other day I made Art read a section in Baby Talk, a book about enhancing your child;s communication skills, and now he is all acting like the expert telling me "don't do that, do this, etc.!"  Sheesh!

Hannah and Ankie-Yup, nap troubles on this front too (I reported earlier).  I think it is a combo of getting the right A time figured out and them just really wantign to play now with all their new found skills.  Good news though is that today for nap #2 for MIL she went down like a breeze!    27 minutes into it and counting.

Hayley-welcome back!  what a cutie he is.  love the naked babe picture!

okay, back to invoicing for DH!

[Olivia's Mommy]

OK, Liv is not going back to sleep after only sleeping 25 min. I know it's because she's overtired, but I've tried EVERYTHING, and she's not settling. I finally just left her in her crib b/c she's not crying, just kind of fussing off and on. I'm hoping she'll drift off, but I know that's a dream now! Of course, it doesn't help that my neighbor has just started some sort of mulching machine right outside Liv's window!!

I guess her long night and late morning has really thrown her off. She went down for nap #1 when she should have been waking up and only slept for 45 min. I might have spoke too soon this morning about taking it all in stride. I wouldn't be stressing about it, except DH will be home soon and we're supposed to be getting family pictures done and I haven't even gotten ready yet! So, he'll come home to a cranky baby and wife still in sweats and no makeup! Then he's going out with the guys tonight, so I have bedtime duty all to myself....joy of all joys. I think I'll try to put her down a little early, and maybe we can get back on track for tomorrow.

Wait, there's silence, maybe she's asleep....nope, no such luck.

Later.

[becca24]

Hi Everyone,

Mickey& Erin - LOL at the animal thing - I have only seen chipmunks on cartoons and deer at deer farms :?  !! I was trying to come pick out some christmas cards for you all yesterday but couldn't decide. I think now I will get the one's with kookaburra's on the front !

Jo - I haven't made the fruit gel yet but I would use the Junior juice if I did. Because it is so hot here I froze some apple&blackcurrant junior juice in ice cubes, then wrapped one up in some muslin, tied a knot in it and Halle had a great time sucking it!!

Traci - I was thinking I wasn't feeding Halle enough solids either, but I am worried if I give her more she won't drink enough breastmilk? Silly of me really when there are starving babies in the world and I am worried about breast before solids, not enough solids, too many solids, etc etc etc etc  :roll:  :roll:

Kate - I actually read an article the other day about lo's doing poos just to get out of bed. I will see if I can find it for you.

Speaking of poo - Halle has done FIVE poos since I used the suppository yesterday. It was not a pleasant thing to do but at least it has helped

BEAUTIFUL PICTURES EVERYONE !! KEEP THEM COMING.

[Judy]

I know - I can't remember the posts I've read by the time I get through them all... I think of things I want to say but then can't remember it by the time I'm ready to post :oops:

Like now - I remember Haley said something I was going to comment on - but... nope I can't remember it.

As for food - gosh if I put anything but cereal in these girls' mouths - OMG look out.  They will scream the house down as though I'm cutting their arm off with a dull knife!!  No kidding.  They'll accept a couple spoons of yogurt - MAYBE, a couple bites of banana and applesauce but nada on everything else I've tried.  It seems such a waste of time to be making them food myself since most of it gets thrown down the drain anyway.  7 months and almost one week and barely eating food.  Yet they dive for all of MY food.  Crazy girls   I can just see it now - they'll be 18months and refusing anything but the breast and I'll be as haggered looking as can be.

Naps - you know if one of the girls wakes after 30min or so I have often gotten them up still in their babyinabag sleep sac and just sit with them for 10-15min and then take them back to bed.  Sometimes with success and sometimes not.  And sometimes I forget all about it.  Today after Kaia's second nap (Hannah woke early) I went in to find Sarah in the crib with her AGAIN.  Not sure if Sarah went in after hearing Kaia or if Kaia woke because Sarah was lying beside her :roll:

[Taylor's Mommy]

Judy you crack me up!  so you mean to tell me that Sarah will crawl into Kaia's crib with her?  that is too cute, but also probably really annoying huh mom?  how often will she do that?  just sounds soo funny and cute at the same time!   :lol:

Bec-Yay!  I vote for the cards with the kookoobooboos or whatever they're called!   :lol:

[sophieandhannah]

lol about the kookoobooboos....we call Sophie kookoo ka boo and I sing the kookaburra song to her before each nap!!! Never knew what it was though
Also, forgot to say lol at "Screaming the tent down" ...not that it was funny while it was happening.
Also...Judy I am SURE that brendan would crawl in the crib with Sophie if he could but instead we often find him sleeping under her crib....
Gotta go, baby up.
Hannah

[Judy]

The cribs are currently in an L shape... Sarah climbs up the one then pulls them together and climbs OVER the HIGH part to get to the other crib.  If I'm changing a diaper I'll look at her (as a baby lays under HER) and she'll say "I be very very careful mom" and she is.  Never falls on them somehow (at least not when I'm looking.)

That's cute that Brendan sleeps under the crib