Babies Born April 1st ~ 15th 2008 #2

[BabyWrangler]

Hi all!

I've been a bit MIA too...been busy, and sorting out the years activities with Benjamin.

Well done on the walking Fire...I'm so glad Benjamin is only commandoing!! Partly because its easier to control but also cause its still a "baby" thing to do...walking is so grown up!!

As for another one, we are definitly having one.
We are planning on starting after Benjamin's 2nd birthday...(I feel like I've said this before cant remember who to!)

[Fire]

Lisa, we said that also because I had PND after my daughter and we only wanted one... etc. But things change, you never know! Enjoy your son as though he is the only one you'll have anyway.

BW, I don't like the crawling with DS. With DD it was ok because she is a very mellow person. DS and DD are not alike at ALL. Almost opposites. So where her crawling was tolerable, Ci is just a whinging mess. He is totally frustrated, he is the most determined person I think I've ever known and it drives me nuts. He was intent on walking for soooo long, but he knew he was just a little too wobbly for it all so he just cried and cried and often screamed in frustration each time he tried to step and didn't. So even though he is still practising walking, he likes the new level of control. I think once he is walking well, my life will get easier - or so I hope. This is the opposite of how it usually is, I know.

I am a great toddler mum, not a great baby mum. I thrive with toddlers, I can't stand the baby stage. I love tantrums and stuff, I really know how to lovingly handle them and feel proud as a parent when they're toddlers. Not so much that way with a baby. I just proof up my house (we live zen, nothing anywhere) so a toddler has free reign, I don't have to say "no" all day. So I find it really easy. Toddlers sleep, they eat without throwing, they don't cry much at all.... love it!

I've been cue-ing Ci for the toilet since birth, and I had some success. I can now put him on the potty in the morning and he poops! Haven't tried at any other time because the morning one is the only reliable one. One day, I got carried away with my morning emails and turned around and he had pooped beside the potty. I felt so bad.

Gotta go, take out dinner is walking through the door! Starved...

[Nettie]

I've noticed that not many of us in here are platinum members.

BellyBelly have just done an announcement where they'll give someone membership when someone else renews theirs (or add on a year of membership if someone already has it). It's a Random Act of Kindness thing!

I will definitely be renewing my membership (due in March anyway) so I was wondering who here would like to be a member? I also figure that if all of us do this, all of us in our Baby Buddies group can reciprocate and we'll all get a bonus!

Like I said, I'd be renewing anyway so I just need to pick someone to give the bonus to. Please let me know if you're interested.

Liam's going great. He's learning to stand more and more on his own (look - no hands Mummy!) but no sign of walking yet.

Poor Dad is trying to get him to sleep at the moment and he's fighting because he's REALLY tired. Is everyone else's bubs down to 1 or 2 day naps now?

[Sequoia]

Nettie - that is so generous of you! I would love to say myself, but I'd love to suggest Fire. Although her parenting practices are different to mine (Janine, I mean this in the most sincere way), I love to read about her opinions and what she does with Ci.

PS - Baxter dropped a day sleep just before Chrissy, so now has 2 x naps of about 90 minutes each, I wish they were a little bit longer though.

SG
xo

[Leyla]

Fire - Well done on Ci walking. He is a little champ! Sounds like things are starting to get a little easier for you. I'm so glad.

Shoegal - Hope Baxter is going well. We are going to start trying for another one when Jack is 1. It took us nearly a year last time, and a miscarriage, so we don't want to mess about too much, as it does not get easier with age. When are you thinking of trying?

Nettie - Jack went to 2 sleeps when he was 6 months old and has been wavering between 1 and 2 sleeps for about 6 weeks now. This boy HATES sleep. He still wakes about 4 times a night now. I gave up on the dream of having more than 4 hours straight sleep months ago. I had to really, or else I would have gone insane. We bed share full time now, so that way I get the most sleep. It's actually much easier now that he is bigger as I feel much more comfortable cuddling into him. You have probably already said, but when is Liam due for surgery? Best of luck with it anyhow, I'm sure everything will go perfectly.

BW - I so agree with you on the crawling/commandoing thing. I don't want my baby to grow up either! It all goes by so fast.

MagicSeahorse - I can understand you not thinking you can handle another one. I have those moments, too, but don't discount another one just yet. You may feel differently in a few years when all the hard times are a distant memory. Then again, I might change my mind about another one after a few more hard sleepless nights!

[Sequoia]

Shoegal - Hope Baxter is going well. We are going to start trying for another one when Jack is 1. It took us nearly a year last time, and a miscarriage, so we don't want to mess about too much, as it does not get easier with age. When are you thinking of trying?

Hi sweetie, long time no 'see'! How is sweet little Jack? Is he walking?

I remember us in the PAML thread together. I'm not really sure if anyone IRL has found me on these forums so I don't want to give away too much but yes, I think we may start TTC#2 in about May. I ask Baxter if he would like a baby brother or a baby sister! I think I am going mad. But I feel like at least another would add to the happiness in our little family. Baxter is awesome! We have so much fun together. I cry because I am so happy sometimes...!

It didn't take us long to fall pregnant but the MC did knock me around for sure. I still think about my May 2007 angel from time to time. I'll probably go back to my FS to have the pregnancy tracked as I was on progesterone to sustain Baxter's pregnancy. I feel I need the 'hand-holding', especially for the first 12 weeks.

Anyway, great to hear from you.

SG
xo

[Fire]

Hi all.

I don't know how the platinum thing works. I know I barely visit here anymore, or anywhere at the moment because I'm doing my website and things keeping up with friends on facebook is about all I manage.

The nap thing just freaked me out. I had no idea some were still taking three naps a day! I'm pretty sure Ci would if I let him, but I find sleep has worked out better with only two naps a day. His night sleep has evened out nicely since the weeks of teething put a dent on it. I'm considering doing a "dream feed" at my bedtime, not sure yet. I tried that a month or so ago and he still woke at 3am so it only served to add another feed! Which meant he woke soaked through. He has woken for his night feed between 2 and 4am for long enough now that I'm considering trying for that dream feed again and seeing if I can kick that second feed to 5 or 6am. It would be nice to go to bed and then not wake until his morning feed. Ha! What a joke. But, I can dream. It eventually happened with my daughter, so it will happen, it will happen...

Great to hear from all of you. They're almost a year! Crazy! Leyla I hope he starts doing a long stint for you soon. It will come, I can promise you that.

[Nettie]

*poke*

How is everyone? Haven't heard from lots of you in AGES!

Give us an update on your bub... Love to hear how they're all going.

Liam's surgery is 2nd March and I need distractions!! Kinda freaking out a bit...

Janine - got any suggestions for post-op recovery? You're my natural guru...

Hi - Shoegal, Lisa, Leyla, BW and anyone else I've missed.

If anyone hasn't got me on Facebook yet - I'm Toni Scarlett. Think I'm the only one on there... BW & Janine have me on their lists.

Hope to hear from you all soon!!

[Sequoia]

Hey Nettie, good to hear from you!

We are just cruising along here. Baxter has 5 teeth, 3 main meals and 1 snack and 3 bottles a day. FINALLY sleeping from 7 til 7, the night waking was because the poor bugger was cold! Standing and walks behind his activity walker.

We are gearing up getting ready to move into our new house! Hopefully in by April. DH has gone to Perth today to pick up the tiles, tiler starts on Monday, woot!

All the very best with Liam's surgery hun.

SG
xo

PS - have stopped thinking about TTC#2, feel like I have my life back again, selfish I know, but things are good right now and I don't feel like changing the status quo.

PPS - had a BT on Tues about my thyroid, all good! So I don't need to go on thyroxine after getting the postpartum thyroiditis, yay!

[Nettie]

Heya Shoe! Baxter sounds like he's growing up so fast! Yes, we found Liam was cold - if we make sure he's cozy & warm, he sleeps SOOO much better! Did I mention he's now in a sleeping bag which has made a big difference?

Yay on the BT results! That must be reassuring..

I can't even fathom a #2 yet... get me through the surgery & recovery and maybe then I can even concieve of such a thing! I know what you mean about the status quo... seems like you're on a good thing - so why change it, hey?

[Sequoia]

Yes, Baxter's in a singlet, full legnth onesie and Grobag. It's his sleep cue which really helps him go to sleep I think.

About not having another right now. I am back playing netball this year and really want to do some entertaining in our new house. How can I entertain and have a couple of drinks if I'm UTD??

[Nettie]

Exactly! If things have settled down to where life feels 'normal'... why not enjoy yourself while it lasts! I'm sure you'll get an 'itch' before too long...

Liam's got PJ's on under his sleeping bag. We have a whole routine with bath, bottle, music, etc.. the sleeping bag is just another indicator now.

[mgm]

hi all

life's been busy, hence my lack of posts, sorry! it sounds like you and your bubs are all doing well.

a brief update - dd is great, cruising around and taking a step here and there. loves to throw things and wait for someone to pick them up. only has 2 teeth - she managed to swipe a biscuit from her brother yesterday but it took her 20 minutes to eat it! sleep remains appalling, in fact so bad that i am too embarrassed to go into the details. am determined to work on it shortly.

nettie best wishes for the surgery, i'll be thinking of you and liam. i'm sure it'll go well and be a huge relief for you when it's over.

bathtime, bye for now!

[Nettie]

*copied post*

Surgery went well. The Drs are pleased with how it all went so that's always good.

Me? Well, I'm home - alone - and not coping too well. I feel like I'm going slowly insane because I've left my boy in hospital (and my Husband) and this is the first time since he was born that I've spent the night away from him.

He's been quite clingly and dependent and neither of us got heaps of sleep last night (about 5 hours each - broken up) - as Liam will only sleep in our arms. So we took turns and switched every 2-3 hours. I feel REALLY awful that I've left DH there to deal with him while I'm home (have to go back to work in the morning) and I'm missing Liam like nothing I've ever experienced before.... haven't stopped sobbing since I left the ward!

I'll go back each night after work (around 1hour drive each way) and if I'm this unstable at work tomorrow, I might even be able to call in 'sick' to go early... I'll see what happens after a night's sleep.

On the upside (yes, there IS one!) - we got permission from the head Plastic Surgeon to use the haberman bottle to give Liam a feed around 6pm tonight. We tried to spoon or syringe feed him this afternoon (they don't want anything in his mouth) but it just really upset him as he's not used to it and didn't swallow reflexibly - so he panicked. He ate some pureed apples on a spoon, but the milk (formula) is what he really wanted. Also - the sucking action really comforted him. So we can now settle him easier and he has been playing and smiling as well as grizzling and crying!

Hopefully in the morning the pain management team will assess him not needing the morphine any more (he's on the minimum dose now) and we can remove the drip and oxygen and have him tangle free!

The splints on his arms are ticking him off a bit - but that's a small thing to deal with for now. They should come off in a few days.

Here's hoping DH has gotten him to sleep in the cot and is having some well earned sleep right now... Can I hear a 'Hell yeah!'??

Thanks again for everyone's support.

[Sequoia]

Hell yeah!!



Glad to hear it all went well hun.

[BabyWrangler]

*** Copied Post***
WOOOHOOOOO!!!!!! Way to go Liam (and Toni and DH) well done!

You were very brave leaving him Toni, when Bj ended up in hospital at 10 weeks, I refused to leave him, slept on a chair in his room for 3 nights (DH had work), only time I left his side was one day when DH came for a visit after work, I went to the vending mechine down the hall!

You guys have done very well, and I'm stoked to read he's doing so well!!

Well done, and massive hugs and kisses to all of you from us!!

Hello to everyone else!!!

[Sequoia]

Baxter is walking! He started last Monday.

[Nettie]

Whooo hooo! Go Baxter!

Liam's not quite there yet - although he did toddle a few steps to DH the other day...