March/April '05 Thread #4

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Yes where is Erin?

Ankie, so pleased to hear that Arwyn is fine. 

Traci, the good boy thing is hard, I do do it a lot, but I know I just need to be more mindful of when I say it and if there is a better way of appreciating what he's doing.  Such as if he's helping me unload the dishwasher, rather than just saying good boy (which really, why is he a good boy for doing that, he didn't need to help me and he's not being a BAD boy by not helping kwim?) - but I might acknowledge how great it is that he's helping me and how nice it is that we're working together.

OK, so me and my baby girl are sitting here jigging away to Jack Johnson while the boys are off doing the groceries.  She's so funny she start shaking her head and shoulders to the rhythm - mind you, so is her mama!

[becca24]

Hi Girls,

Ankie - So glad to hear Arwyn is doing ok.

Judy - I was actually reading something last night in a toddler care book I have and it said not to worry if you see bits of carrot in their poo! It basically said that their bodies have still taken what they need from it.  We went out for lunch yesterday and I fed Halle carrot, zuchini, broc and chips all from my plate and she LOVED it! Maybe they do get sick of the mush.

Traci - good job on getting Cole to go down easier for naps!! Our friends also had a baby boy on Dec 24th !! They gave her a c-sec after only 2hrs of labour  :? She showed me the scar  :shock: it looks very OUCHY !! We went to visit them when they got home. Remember the cartoons with the giants? The stork was delivering babies and the giants got the peoples baby and the people got the giants baby? Well he was so small it looked as if Halle was the giants baby  :lol:  :lol:  Ok maybe i am the only one who remembers that??  :oops:

[Colesmom]

ankie-so happy to hear she's okay.  guess it's best to stear clear of DH until you've had time to calm a bit. totally understandable.

girls-a couple of questions please

1) do you let your los do their sippy cups on their own?  If i do it seems he takes in an awful lot of air because he doesn't tip it back far enough.  but how will he ever learn if i'm there holding it :?:

2) Judy-you do yoghurt right?  Did you say to give 5-8% MF?  i found one that is 6%.  Gave Cole some today and he liked it.  Hoping to introduce cheese and egg again in the next week or so. 

3) Anyone giving their LO homo milk yet?  I've tried giving Cole formula in a sippy and he'll drink about 1 oz before he realizes it's not water.  A girlfriend said her ped said 9 months is okay to start milk. Maybe worth a try?  I'll introduce the other above mentioned dairy before that of course.

okay, so i kind of cheated today but not on purpose.  Cole did 1:20 all on his own for second nap.  I got him up and 5 min. later went back in his room to feed him and he fell asleep eating.  I let him sleep another 35 min, so he woke at 3pm.  Obviously needed the sleep.  So, no catnap today, put down at 6:15 and settled at 6:35 doing PUPD.  I DID NOT PUT MY HANDS ON HIM.  phew.  My battle to end poor baby syndrome has begun!

hoping to make chat but i'm pretty tired.  maybe i'll nap beforehand :wink:

[Richelle]

Ummmmm I think I get what you are saying Bec but have never seen the cartoon.  About Halle eating off your plate yesterday, Sophie has not been into the 'mush' for weeks.  I feed her mostly "real" food, loves toast and cheese, noodles, cheese sticks, carrot chunks, zuchinni, chicken breast sticks, corn - LOVES corn and any fruit (except apples-the-evil-choking-fruit) but namely bananas, she will eat a whole banana AFTER she eats lunch, I just break it in 2 and put it on her tray and she goes to town  :shock: .  Tonight we went out for an early dinner/happy hour and I brought a jar of food for her and she ate two bites and refused anymore so we ordered her a grilled cheese (her 1st restaurant meal!!) and a banana plus she ate bits of our veg.  The only jar food she will eat are certain veggies and she has fruit puree with her cereal at breakfast.  It is fine by me, that food is fairly sick and is fairly pricey!

Ankie - So glad to hear that Arwyn is OK, knew she would be and maybe it is a good thing that you have 'resigned' yourself to the sleep thing.  I mean maybe now being more relaxed, things will shift into a different light for you.  I can imagine the chilliness towards DH, I have no idea how I would react, stay strong!

Traci - Do you really want input?   I just don't want to be pushy or know it all, KWIM. 

 :arrow: Anyway, my instincts say, from reading your posts that maybe Cole should get cut off of the booby after he goes to bed.  I know that it is so hard, when that boob is right there and you are sooo tired but maybe try it and he will pack more in in the daytime. 

 :arrow: Also, have you tried the counting to 100 idea of Andrea's (Andrea could you elaborate I don't remeber the finer details)?  It sounds really good to me.  Sophie will cry out in her sleep sometimes and I am in such a daze that I go running into her room and she is still sleeping and thankfully she is a very sound sleeper or I am sure I would wake her up. 

 :arrow: I know you said Cole will pull up to standing in hos crib, is this still happening?  What is he like when  he wakes at night scared? whingy? hurt? 

 :arrow: You also talk about it may be gas, I know you have tried gas drops, do you give them to him before he eats?  It doesn't say it on the boxes when to give it. Sophie used to have and still gets sometimes, terrible gas and the drops did not do anything!  I told this to my ped. and she said that you have to give them right before they eat in order for them to be fully effective.

 :arrow: Have you gone to your ped. ?  Maybe if your ped. isn't even sympathetic change doc's.  I mean if he/she gives you the token *sigh* "he's a baby he will grow out of it" ect.. response without giving him a look over then maybe you should consider someone else, or push the issue with the doctor. 

 :arrow:  Even if you don't get to the bottom of it, it really can't last forvever right?  Just know that even in your vents your are so sweet and it is so obvious that Cole has such a wonderful and patient mommy, no wonder he wants to hang out with you all night!! 

Judy - Sophie poos all sorts of things, ummmm a bit of ribbon yesterday  :oops:.  How in the name of Peter do you keep track of 4?  I know, I know, we have all gone through it with you but I honestly stopped today after pulling the end table off of Sophie (yes she was underneath) I was exsaperated and thought, jeez I wonder what Judy is doing right now?!

Did I mention I gave Sophie a haircut last night?  Some of the fluff of the ends and it was really hard with her moving every other way but straight. 

OMG the chat is tonight!  I may go rest up so as to try and make it!

[Judy]

Traci, let's see um, teething and routine.  I generally just stick with my fairly flexible routine regardless of what's going on.  With teething if they seem to be having a hard time sleeping I will give them some chamomilla prior to nap/bedtime. 

Constipation... I did find the one night that it did affect Kaia's sleep a lot - she seemed to wake every couple hours in pain.  Just needed a hug and went right back to sleep.  I'm sure it bothers their tummy prior to them actually pushing.

Someone mentioned fissure - Ankie? yup I think so.  Gosh I hope she didn't/doesn't have one of those... they sound so painful.  She's all cleared up and out now - been a poop machine all day 

Yogurt - Traci, from what I understand you want a yogurt with a high MF % so 6 is awesome.  5% was the highest I could find and more easy to find is 3.5%.  The higher milk fat is good for good and healthy brain development.   As for Homo milk - my pedi told me I could start Sarah on it at 9months and I think I actually started her a week or so prior to that.  I recently heard that they've changed that since then (only 1 year and a half or so) to 12months.  I'm thinking I may not ask my pedi this time around just in case he tells me 12 months - I like 9months better   sooo... although I'm seeing him this week so, who knows.  Although he almost always looks at me with a shrug that says "whatever you think is fine"

I help the girls with their sippies because it's hard for them to hold them up high enough to avoid air.  If you fill them RIGHT up then they don't need to tip them up so much.  He'll learn as time goes on to tilt it up.  I think with the older two I'd just tip the end of it up while they held it.  Sarah used to get annoyed with that so eventually I just left her to figure it out.  But she also had a big sister to watch which made a huge difference.  How much does he drink from it?  I'd say K&H only take in maybe an ounce or a bit more a day of water.

Bec thanks for the bit from the toddler book on carrot in the diaper - very reassuring.  I gave the girls some pears tonight - I just sorta made them in to small pieces and fed still off the spoon and they were not at all put out by that as they have been with everything else I've given them.

[Richelle]

Traci - You posted during my novel! 

Yes, I let Sophie do her sippy cup on her own and 8 times out of 10 she gets hiccups bit they don;t seem to bother her.

I give her YoBaby Yogurt  http://www.stonyfield.com/OurProducts/YoBaby.cfm

I haven't given her homo milk to drink yet but she still LOVES her bottle of milk, I can see that being an issue in the future!

[Carter'sMama]

Hello all!  We have had quite the day here today!  Well, actually it started last night.  Carter was wearing one of his new Xmas sleepers so we decided to take a picture.  Dh put him in front of the Christmas tree (about 3 ft in front of it) and he took 4 or 5 pictures.  Well all of a sudden the whole tree FELL over and landed on my baby!  It is a real tree and teh tree stand and everything fell right over.  I don't think Luke or I have ever moved so fast.  Carter was squished to the ground screaming his little head off.  DH grabbed the tree and tried to yank it off of him but the lights and garland had wrapped around his neck  :shock:  :shock:   I was screaming "it's around his neck, it's around his neck".  It was pure chaos.  The water had spilled everywhere and the lights were still plugged in and there were sparks coming out of the outlet.  I untangled Carter and got the hell out of there as fast as I could!  He kept screaming and looking behind him (the tree fell on his back) as if something was going to get him again.  He was covered in pine needles and his skin was pretty irritated from the needles where they hit him.  DH was super mad and started yelling at the cat (who was no where near the tree when it fell).  He couldn't believe that it just fell on it's own. It was a pretty big tree too.  Thankfully the crying stopped in a few minutes and he went to bed really well.  I kept checking on him all night to make sure he was ok.  He did get me up once at about 2:30 but he settled back down pretty quickly.  DH and I kept looking at each other and saying "I can't believe the friggin tree fell on our baby!"  Needless to say the tree is outside in the back yard ... and DH never wants another one!!

Enough about me!!

Ankie:  So glad that Arwin is ok!  It's so scary eh ... 

Traci:  Carter can't crawl or walk or even go from tummy to sitting but man can that boy use his sippy cup!!  He actually can drink out of a normal cup all on his own too!  As for teething and routine ... I always try and keep the routine the same.  We just went through teething (still are but not as bad) and I stuck to the same routine even if Carter didn't.  His one top tooth is through (took forever) but the other one is just breaking the gums so I am sure I am in for some challenging days.  The only difference is, if he gets up early from a nap I just let him get up without trying to extend it.  When he is teething, there is no way I can get him back down to sleep after he wakes without feeding so I don't even try.

I am so jealous of all these babies on dairy products     Carter is apparently allergic to milk and eggs (although I eat both and ebf and he hasn't had any problems).  I am not allowed to give any dairy products for like 2 more years according to the allergy specialist       It is hard to make or buy foods that don't have milk, cheese or egg in them.  Basically Carter lives on fruit and veggies and boring stuff like that.  Luckily arrowroot baby cookies are dairy and egg free.  My ped says that for normal (non-allergic) babies to wait until 1 year for homo milk.  I am currently tryign to get Carter down to 2 bf's a day by introducing hypo allergenic formula and he is having none of it.  I guess I will have to try another kind ... any suggestions?  My ped won't let me give berries or pork or fish either until a year.  He ok'd citrus and wheat but that's it.
I am hoping that he will grow out of these allergies and soon!!!!

Ok, that's it for me .. for now!!  I am hoping to be at the chat tonight for a bit anyway!!  Must go put Carcheezy to bed!!!

Oh ya, DH put Crater down for a nap today for the first time in like 5 months!!!!  I was at the hairdressers so I didn't have to listen to the crying!  I guess it went pretty well too!  Yeah, maybe I won't have to do all nap times, bed times and night wakings anymore!!!!  INsert "happy dance" emoticon here!!!

[Colesmom]

Richelle-You have no idea how much I appreciate you thinking about our situation when you must be so busy sorting out your house!

Anyway, my instincts say, from reading your posts that maybe Cole should get cut off of the booby after he goes to bed. I know that it is so hard, when that boob is right there and you are sooo tired but maybe try it and he will pack more in in the daytime.

I agree and since I'm bracing myself for a few days of pupd anyway I might as well go full on!

Also, have you tried the counting to 100 idea of Andrea's

I have tried this a couple of times and find myself counting very fast :wink:  I think because I have been rescuing him on a regular basis he just cries LOUD as he knows I"ll come a running. 

I know you said Cole will pull up to standing in hos crib, is this still happening? What is he like when he wakes at night scared? whingy? hurt?

yep, still doing it. Not sure WHY he's waking.  I have theorized that he's standing before he's awake and it freaks him out when he wakes up.  He doesn't whine...all out cries for help.  As said above, I have perpetuated this by rescuing him over and over again.  So, bracing myself for a very long weekend.  DH better put the ear plugs in...then I get to sleep in the daytime!

I told this to my ped. and she said that you have to give them right before they eat in order for them to be fully effective.

rats, i give it after...will definitely give it before from now on.

Have you gone to your ped

no.  don't like my ped and in fact am supposed to be switching to Holly's.  She told a fib and said I'm a good friend of the family to get me in.    Last time I was there she checked his ears and they were fine so.......................I am considering chiropractic though...maybe next week if the weekend is unsuccessful.

Just know that even in your vents your are so sweet and it is so obvious that Cole has such a wonderful and patient mommy, no wonder he wants to hang out with you all night!!

awwww, thanks richelle.  i needed that

Judy-he normally drinks an oz or so of water at each sitting.  I left him with the cup while i tidied up and he drank 2 oz and i'm sure plenty of air.  he's kind of chewing and sucking at the same time.  oh well.

k-better go get DHs dinner together.  He's getting home at 9 so not sure i'll be on chat, we'll see.

OH ya Judy-he just went to chapters so I think I'm getting the "how to talk so kids will listen" book tonight!

[Colesmom]

Cathy-

DH was super mad and started yelling at the cat (who was no where near the tree when it fell).

amongst all that chaos I had to laugh at that line.  the poor cat!  Anyway-that must have been quite a scare!  especially with the water/electricity combo.  good to hear he's okay and had an okay sleep after that.

Carter can't crawl or walk or even go from tummy to sitting but man can that boy use his sippy cup!!

this made me LOL

[kate585]

Hey, girls!  I am back home and the computer is looking like a long-lost friend.  How sad is that? 
Traci, Ryan figured out to tip up the bottle (no sippy at my mom's) just this morning.  He was so proud of himself.  I've just been lifting it for him and I guess he finally got it.  Not sure if it was a fluke, but he did it a few times.  I think the only reason he likes water is that he takes a sip then uses the water to blow raspberries and watch the spit fly.  Very entertaining for all..check back in a few weeks, though.   :roll:   We also use YoBaby whole milk yogurt. 
Ankie, (((Hugs))) to you and Arwyn!  So glad it turned out alright.  How scary.  I will learn from this one too...I'm not as good about closing the gate if I'm just running downstairs for something and dh has Ryan.  How hard is it for me to lock and unlock it?  Must be more diligent!!!
Got TONS of cards today and it just made my day after a pretty horrid drive home.  Roz, you are another hot mama!!!  Jo, your letter was BEAUTIFUL and so matched my own sentiments (although with much better writing than I could manage!)
Holy guacamole, Cathy!  Just scanned down to see who I'd missed and read your post.  How scary for you all.  Had to smile at the bit about dh yelling at the cat.      Glad you are all doing fine! 
Oh, yeah, another Traci.  We keep to the routine even during the teething.  Still going strong, btw.  Remember when I was so excited about Ryan's first real tooth like 3 weeks ago? IT'S STILL NOT ALL THE WAY IN!  Is that abnormal?  It's like a halfie.   :roll: I can see the other tooth trying to poke through, but will not get excited until I can feel it! 
Also, Ryan has the WORST cold.  Has had it for a week or so.  Several night wakings, but will generally soothe himself back to sleep.  He just can't breathe and totally hates the nose sucker and I suck at the nose sucker, so there you go.   :?:   How long do you wait until you see your ped. for a cold.  TIA. 
Must run to the grocery since I've been gone nearly a week, so no chat for me tonight.  (Can't believe I've gotten 45 mins. to read and post, so don't want to push it!)   
    Dh rave:  He stayed up late last night cleaning up the house so it would look decent when Ryan, my mom, and I got here today. It was just trashed from Christmas morning and trying to get on the road.  What a doll baby that man is!!!!  And, quite the hunk!   :wink:

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Yay!  My UP Book arrived today!

Cathy, what a drama with the tree, how freaky and scary - poor cat ( :wink: ). 

Kate, what a sweetie your DH is tidying up the house nice for your return.

Traci, sounds like you've got some great advice, good luck with your pu/pd - wish I was brave enough, would totally do it if Nathan wasn't so freaking touchy with sleep and get woken up!  :roll:  :evil:

Dairy and milk - we do high fat unsweetened yoghurt, I've used whole milk in a bit of cooking (I think the main concern they have is that whole milk shouldn't replace formula or breastmilk nutritionally) but it's ok to incorporate into the diet.

Judy, I've been giving D Camomilla at naptime too lately since her tooth is trying to come through and she's been taking an age to settle.

Sippy's - yep Danielle's been lifting and using it herself (she's only go the straw sipper so no big manouvering needed there - no idea on how much she drinks though, not much) - I still look at her and think wow, she looks way too little to be doing big girl stuff like that!  She's still only a liteweight but average on height - in fact I just packed away a bunch of clothes and got out the size 1's (funny, Nathan's still wearing a pair of the same size shorts since he's out of nappies).  :lol:

Richelle, D does a lot of food off our plates too.  She also had her first restaurant meal on Boxing Day (in fact I think it was the first we've taken NAthan too as well  :shock: ).  She had a big plate of veges and scoffed the lot.

[Colesmom]

OMG Nikki-Cole is a skinny runt then.  He still fits in pants that are 3-6 months and in fact can fit in one pair (European make) that is 2-4 months! Think he's built like his dad with shorter legs and longer torso/arms.

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

I think Nathan has short legs too, I only just packed away a few size 1's of his a few days back.  Mind you he is a little stunted in growth, but only by a few cm's.  Danielle wear's cloth nappies though, so her bum fills out her pants sooner than normal.  :wink:

[Nikki~Nathan&Danielle]

Just had to share this photo, I brought D some hair ties today and wanted to see what a little "fountain" on her head would look like.

[Judy]

Nikki what an adorable picture!!!  Love the hair.

Cool on getting the book.