Babies Born June 2006 #33

Hello everyone, I hope all is well with everyone and their bubs.

Rory I had a good chuckle at your bebarkle (sp) in the shower, I could just imagine his face pressed against the glass and you trying to coax him to move, lol.

Well Kailen's ENT appointment went well his ears are really looking good and his hearing is great, he has another appointment in May so we'll see what happens then. Hervey Bay was wonderful, it was nice and relaxing, just what I needed. We went swimming most of the weekend, all the boys loved the beach, the sand was so hot on Sunday that we had to run not a nice site but luckily there was only one other person on the beach that was fishing so I don't think he saw anything.

While up there my mum has started to reiki, she did a healing on me and the boys and I must say that I feel better, I've also been a bit tired lately but I think that's passing.

Well better go dinners ready.

hugs xoxo

RoryRory - yeah I had a giggle about Flynn too, probably thinking he was doing something wonderful as mummy was so animated!!

Hey Amanda - sounds like you are a bit rejuvenated! awesome - what IS reiki? I'm glad you felt it made a difference for you, anything that helps when you are a mum hey?

Oh bath - so with you, Ruby is a happy bub, but only as long as she is being held! I'm SURE giorgia wasn't like this? If she was I don't remember it, but I probably wasn't having to look after an older child!!

alrighty, off to chat to DH about our roles/chores in our house. We both agreed that we can't get cross at each other if we don't spell out what each other's jobs are. Of course if we see something that needs doind and we can, we'll do it, but it's good to have things out in the open to remove any guilt. This could be an interesting discussion... ;)

just a quick one from me. In the end the gastro bug has caught up with me, so ive felt pretty aweful since last night and typically Nixon chose to wear his grumpy pants today.
DH found him standing in his cot cot tonight.... i ddint even know he could pull himself to stand yet, but was across the rd so missed it.
Hello everyone, sorry for lack of personals.

Hi all, feeling exhausted tonight. I worked again yesterday which was good, but I am now not working to Fri which I think is good because both Tori and I need the break. Tori is much better, still struggling with her teeth and has a bit of nappy rash which has slowly started to clear up, but was hurting her yesterday because she would cry everytime she did a wee.
My worst nightmare finally happened to me on the weekend, I fell over holiding Tori. It was my nieces bday party and we were at Mum and dad's house and I feel down the back steps (in front of my SIL whole family :redface: so embarrased), I managed to save Tori and land on my knees, I hurt one knee but not to badly. I think my pride was hurt more than anything, but it was is the one thing I have been dreading since she was born.

Nic- Sorry to hear that the Gastro has caught up with you, make sure you kep your fluids up. Woohoo to Nixon for standing up!

Amanda- SOunds like your w/e did you a whole world of good.

Rory- That is hilarious, Tori does the same thing on our back sliding door sometimes if we duck outside to do something.

DH and I have decided that we are going start TTC no. 2 as of April, I am so excited. I went to the Dr. to have my rubella immunity booster today because my immunity is low. But the Dr. said becaues I had a booster after Tori was born, and it did nothing to improve my immunity it looks like I am one of those women who the booster doesnt work on, she said in most cases people like only have their immunity kick in when they are exposed to the virus.

Anyway best go and do a few things before bed.

Ali - I dropped Flynn a while back - i know how you feel!!

Nickers - so sorry you are sick now too - hope your boys are looking after you:(

Nickel - Sooooo with you on the need for a division of roles talk - DH keeps avoiding it (LOL) but he has his masters as an excuse ATM

Amanda - I have always wanted a reiki healing....

Jess - mars chocs are DANGEROUS!!

Hi Ladies,

Im having such a lazy day today. its great but i know that there are things that really need to be done.

Rory - How funny about the shower!!

Ali - TTC #2?? Thats fantastic!! As for the falling with your baby, that is my worst nightmare too but hey, we cant prevent everything!!

Nickers - Oh i was really hoping that you wouldnt get sick, its the last thing you need you poor thing. make sure you take it easy!! lachlan has just started pulling himself up in his cot now too!

Nickel - Hope the discussion goes well!!

Amanda - Glad you had a good time away, i think we all need a break from time to time

IK - Sounds like you had a good time away too. Hmmm maybe i should have a holiday!

Bath - Lachlan is eating really well but he wont drink anything during the day, water or milk. I feel that if i cut back on his night feeds he wont be getting any fluids. He has been a bit constipated lately too and i know that if he just drinks more water he should be ok but he wont. I just dont know what to do about it. He NEEDS to drink fluids but he just pushes the bottle or cup away.

Anyway, i think i might go and have a lay down on the lounge, Lachlan has been up since 6.45am and its now 12.30! he just wont go to sleep!!

hello girls,
sorry for being a lurker and not a poster... but all is well here... got my period today, so think I have had a case of PMS for a week... oh well... Feel better now....

Ally is an absolute gem, we are have a wonderful life together as a family. We are really just crusing along having fun. She is eating really well, and sleeping really well and today she gave her first wave, super cute... I have found 5 girls who live within 5 minutes of my home with babies born in either June, July, August so I'm pretty much spending my social time with them... but I sometime lurk on BB and am happy to see you all doing well.

Dee- try giving him a wet washer to suck on during the day, at least that way he will drink something... HUGS..

take care
luv
CC

Hi all! Great to see you back, CC :)
Gotta fly, got a haircut appt now! Had Booby Club this morning then took the dog for a blood donation (he did SOOOO well, I'm so proud of him!).
Might be in later...

Hiya CeeCee! Good to hear all's well :) Donna: maybe you could try introducing fluids via his feeds... making his cereal more milky? It's a tricky one. I'm just updating my ticker... Niall sat in his pram seat for the first time a few days ago... bit of a sad milestone, I loved the bassinette attachment. He slept in the seat today but because he couldn't lie on his tummy (the bassinette was the size of a small cradle) he didn't sleep for very long... but at least he is strapped in now... he was trying to stand up in the pram before... uh oh... gotta go...sad boy here now, tired of being in porta-cot.

ETA: arggh: just spent the last half hour feeding and trying to settle Niall... finally I delicately managed to place him in his cot... eyes remained closed...quietly lifted up the cot rail... tip toe to the door... then: "MUUUUUUUUM!!!!" bang crash Wade bursts into Niall's room screaming because he's bored... i turn around to check Niall... his head popped up... bugger :( So much for that.

Oh, and good-bye summer, bring on Autumn, the most beautiful season in Melbourne :)

Hi All,

IK- can dogs donate blood??
Bath- great new ticker, such a cheeky smile!
Hi CC- glad u have found some nice mums and bubs thats great. Im hoping i find a nice group either playgroup or new mums group with no#2 when i get back to Sydney.
Nixon is slowly on the mend. however he had a big vomit last night which for about 30sec just kept projectilling. i almost got worried it wasnt going to end. He was grumpy last night so possibly why! 2min after his big chuck he was having a giggle though....
Hi Dee- luckily the big sort of seemed to come and go quiet quickly through me.did u get your nap? I went and layed down about 2pm after Nixon went down, i was just about asleep when my ph rung, was a gf so on the phone to her for 30min, while talking to her had 2 calls on my mob so by the time i returned those calls there was no way i could have a nap then.......

ahhhhh, I'm back with follicles tended to!
I've also spent some birthday money - a fabulous cardigan that has been looking for me for two years. I have resisted buying cheaper, less-fabbo cardigans for a long time, and today, in my new local boutique...it found me! It's layby'd to save DP the heart-stopping news of a whole purchase...it's not THAT expensive, but boys don't see how a price can reflect the worth of a garment and still not be extravagant. It's hand-knitted, chunky and purple. When I pick it up I'll post a photo on photobucket ;) Anyway, that's just my little woo-hoo - it's perfect for BFing, too!
Nickers - yep, certain dogs can donate! Odin will have some blood tested, so it's still not confirmed that he can be a regular donor, but the first criteria are over 25 kg, over 2 yo and phlegmatic enough to take a ten minute duration blood sample from! It's through the Uni of Melb Vet people at Werribee. If you were interested in seeing if your dog was eligible, let me know and I'll procure a contact...the study is upside down at the moment with DP doing a major overhaul, so it might be a while before I can furnish a number! Hope Nixon stops with this throwing up caper.
Jess - alpacas, schmalpacas...how's Pat??
Rory - so glad you had a 'moment' in your thoughts about life with Flynn, even if it was prompted by someone elses's conception difficulty :)
Ali - I hope you've recovered from your feelings after the fall! Best of luck with TTC in April - pretty exciting times! Who's next??
Well, better organise dinner so that we don't have to have a quickie pizza at brigade tonight...

ON the falling with babies, I have fallen twice with Ruby, but fortunately had her in my sling which is why I always carry her in it!! Got some awesome bruises though...

Hey IK! Happy birthday! Sounds like a yummy cardy - I'm a bit of a cardy girl myself but i'm having a "mutton dressed as lamb" crisis at the moment. You know some people you look at and you think "you'd look so good if you would just..." and then there's the people who just look tragic because they are trying to stay young so I'm not sure how to dress at the moment, especially with all these weird fashions, I think they all look like pregnancy clothes which is great for Nickers (and soon ali!) but not so good for me...

Nickers - Nix is really having a vomit workout at the moment hey? They're funny how thye do this almight vomit and then just chill and giggle. Ruby will often fall asleep covered in it.... well not often! She has once.. but it was pretty gross!

bellasmum - how's pat doing? is he a bit better yet? Did I read that he has asthma?

Ok gotta go!
Just quickly - HI CeeCee! Awesome about having some friends nearby, that's just perfect! I wish I had a few more friends close by with children. Let me know next time you are up this way (narrabeen) as I'd love to catch up and meet little Ally! I'm glad you're having such a great time, you deserve it.

REally really have to go now!

Yeah Nickel he has asthma, its a family thing though so not new to me!
Still whingy pants...bbs

DH is doing the "dad rocks" thing ATM - calming Flynn down before bed. Flynn reacts so well to him - I think he is "over" me by the time I try to get him to sleep.

Can't type long cause I have to work tomorrow and wanna get back into the kitchen to tidy up - tonight I made spinach pie, lasagne and rice slice so we will have a full freezer soon.

goodnight all :)

hi there,

IK - HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU, HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO YOU!!!
i hope you had a wonderful day, and good on you with the Cardi, I do the same thing with DF, Layby, they just dont understand money and clothing do they?

Bath - How annoying just getting Niall down. DF does the same thing to me, i will get him down, have a really rough night with him and he will get up for work and bang around in the kitchen and wake him up, then he is up for the day!! Im going to try putting some more milk on his cereal too thanks

Cee Cee - Great to hear from you, so glad you have found some friends in your area!! I have the lady next door and the other lady two doors down, they both have young kids so i spend a fair bit of time with them! Thanks for the washer idea too!!

Nickers - Oh poor nixon! Its funny isnt it, if we vomit like that we are in bed sick but babies seem to get it out of the way and have a laugh!

Rory - Spinach pie sounds really good, you will have to give me the recipe. Yummm

Oh well, thats about it for me, im off to playgroup today, lachlans cold seems to be clearing up and i need some adult conversation so we are getting out of the house!

Hope you are all well and ill try to get back on later.

Well it seems as all the positive thinking has worked out,I have been offered 1 days work a week back at the school I was at last year. It is such a relief and takes the pressure off big time. I may pick up a second day but it is not so urgent now, otherwise I can pick up the odd relief day here and there and al that money willjust be extra savings. It is nice to finally know that we wont have to stress about money and I can get ourbudget up and running properly and hopefully with our new budget money should be a stress anymore.................

Great news, Ali, that the job will take the edge off things for you :)
Donna - so glad you have the company of other mummies nearby! It helps, somehow, doesn't it?
Thanks, Nickel! It was last week, but as we went away - and, mercifully, nowhere near shops - I didn't really get a chance till yesterday to spend any of my money. I also needed some time to think carefully about what I would buy with it. I knew I'd go visit the new boutique and had a feeling I'd get something fabulous, just didn't think it would be the cardi I've been after for ages! The haircut was the other thing. I was going to buy the ABA book "Lives Touched by Breastfeeding", as every story that has been published in Essence from that book has made me teary with warm fuzziness, but DP said he'd get that for me. So, I think I'll renew my ABA subscription, subscribe to Kindred magazine and just put the rest into monies owed (agistment, farrier needs to be booked soon etc). I just become like a rabbit in headlights with birthday money - I want to get something that will suitably commemorate the reason it was given to me, instead of just buying groceries.
Bath - how's Niall today?
OK, got some things to do before I head off to meet a couple of GF's for lunch, I'll probably lurk a bit later :)

Hi girls... only just turned on desktop after using the laptop for the past few days... (still don't have email on laptop)

boys really whingey (but they loved French Music this morning) ... back later...

ETA: received your email Nickers (product recall)... I use Coles Online too and get messages from them, but ta, I liked that brand of dip too. Pretty scary... imagine if you had bought it! :(

Ugh, feeling very flat.... had insomnia last night after Niall's feed... had to get up early for Wade's music lessons... have drunk too much coffee and had chocolate too to keep me awake throughout the day... haven't been able to nap... when Niall napped Wade wouldn't and kept whingy/tugging at me. I didn't crack it... I just tried to ignore him (as I lay on the couch... but it was just awful... i'm walking around like a zombie.... I've just taken another dose of In-Liven because sometimes that gives me a bit of extra energy... now Verity is home and filling the house with even more noise and running through the house even though I've told her a million times not to.... and she's saying "yes" to everything Wade wants to do even if it's wrong and then he gets confused because I tell him "no" and now he's a screaming mess and I'd better get off here :(

sorry to girls who asked me stuff... Hi IK... good work on the cardy... it sounds gorgeous :)

Hey guys, forgot to mention that i have put some piccies on my website so please have a look!!

Ali - Great news about the job!!

Bath - Lets hope you sleep a bit better tonight and have a bit more energy tomorrow!!

Bath - know how you feel re family chaos. Have hubby at home now too after an accident at work. He'll be off for a few weeks and will be nursing him so probably won't be on here for a while. I also have Luke charging into the room as I am getting nathan to sleep. very frustrating.
IK - thought of Oscar last night. I fell asleep feeding Nathan in bed. I woke a few hours later to find him reattached and feeding again.
Rory - had to laugh at being trapped in the shower.
The last few days have really knocked me around having to drive to the hospital each day, over an hour each way because of traffic, why couldn't he have fallen somewhere closer to home? (i'm not used to driving anywhere more than 40 mins away and get headaches from driving) But Nathan was so good in the car and at hospital. We're very lucky it could have been a lot worse. DH badly broke his wrist which was operated on and he has trouble walking which we hope is only muscular. Anyway better go and get some shut eye before tomorrows onslaught.
Take care everyone and will be back when my freedom returns.

Karen - hugs for you! Sounds like the world gone mad at your place ATM - hope it all subsides before you know it. Did you just have to hold back a giggle at finding Nathan reattached?? It's amazing how they know what's good for them, isn't it? So, when does that all change and you have to keep them away from junk food??? I hope the driving doesn't fatigue you - stay safe on the roads, please!
Donna - great photos! It's about time we got some nice piccies of your boy :) Don't have a clear shot of you, though, I notice - I'm starting to put a face to a name...;)
I've just been baking with Oscar fast asleep on my chest here. I botched some more soda bread, then very nearly bothced another, but it's salvagable. I baked a variation of an anzac biscuit recipe - used honey instead of golden syrup and added currants. They're not bad and I can hold my head up when I present them to the other mummies in my Mothers Group tomorrow! I also cooked up a mean chicken curry thingy. I used a recipe but deviated again by using coconut milk instead of chicken stock and added some crispy vegies (snow peas, red and green capsicum) and it turned out quite presentable, indeed. Now, this may seem, to many of you, quite basic cookery...but trust me, these are culinary feats for someone like me! I'm a kitchen dud (hence botching a couple of soda bread attempts in as many days...and it's a p!ss easy bread to bake!). So, I'm chuffed thus far.
There's more upside-downness going on in this house and the bed is covered in filing cabinets and other study debris. Can't go to bed till DP gets onto that...he is SO lucky Oscar is asleep and ready to transfer to beddy byes...grrrr...I'm sleepy, though!
Bath - please find your mojo soon! I hate to see you on a downer, but everyone needs them every once in a while, even if it's just to appreciate the better times when they come back - I do find value in pausing a while to feel a bit of misery before moving on to better feelings. Not dwelling there, but 'feeling' it for a moment instead of trying to stuff it back into its box before it's done its job. Does that even make sense? It IS closer to 1am than I'd like...
OK, might get a chance to get back on tomorrow, but not sure. Take care, all!

Karen- oh your poor dh, and poor u having to look after the whole household. i hope his injuries heal soon.
Donna- great pics of Lachlan, he has such a cute smile!
hmm what else. DH as of yesterday is offically 2IC of his company! He has to start in Syd on April 2 so will be saying bye bye to Nixon and I and just returning on weekends. i hope i cope ok as ive been getting very tired of the early arvo.
Tupperware training is going ok, as much as i want to train to be a manager (alot more $$ and incentives) i dont want to take anymore on at this point in time. i dont think they really understand this.
Im going to be on my own with a baby 5days out of 7, to keep the house up keep incase of inspections, trying to pack by myself, whilst dealing with pg symptoms and doing parties and finding a babysitter each time!! i got the feeling last night the lady just thinks im using excuses, i got a bit emotional on the way home and quickly pulled myself up, this is exactley what i dont want this time round is stress.
speaking of work when i go back to syd i'll prob be going back to work (syd office) 2days a week. went in and saw work yesterday to tell them i wont be back in the melb office so waiting to see what they have to offer.

Hello all, well Cody is 9mths today and he is starting to shuffle forward so yay for my boy, this is the longest that I've b/f my boys, I'm so proud of myself I'm hoping to get to 12 mths but I'll see how it goes.

Nickel reiki is where the person performing it on you connects with your aura (sp) and finds problem areas and takes all the negative stuff out and heals your body and soul so to speak.

Nic thats great that you may be able to get your job back once your in Sydney, sorry to hear that the Tupperware lady doesn't believe you, as you said don't let it stress you, you don't need that s**t this time. How's the morning sickness going?

Karen sorry to hear about your DH, hope he has a speedy recovery.

Everyone else hello, it's really slow in here, ah well better go and watch Love Actually.

hugs xoxo

Happy 9 months Cody

Happy 9 months! It's gone way too quickly. Amanda, I forgot to comment on the reiki - sounds awesome, there's so much energy in the human body, how could we not find a way to transfer it for good instead of evil? Glad it had some sort of effect on you :)
Oscar is now standing for ages at a time and it's not long now till he takes a step while doing it...time for that leash and harness!
Nickers - maybe the lady does understand, but with heightened emotional responses, you may not have perceived her care-factor to be as high as you perceive the situation to be? She may have been quite sympathetic, but just not shown it as much as you wanted her to, is all I'm suggesting - give her the benefit of the doubt, perhaps? Only because if you don't it might make you more defensive and you'll get more upset when the both of you are feeling a bit adversarial.
Wonder how Mel's holiday is going? I imagine it's going great, but I won't dwell on that too much or I'll burn up with jealousy!
Well, tomorrow swimming and then catching up with my sister.
Have a great weekend all.

Hi there,

Well another quiet day here at work today, the only thing is that my boss is in here with me today so i have to try to look busy, no playing games and emailing everyone today, and definitely no sleeping on the desk like last week! hopefully he will leave early. We went out to a bbq last night, we took lachlan for the afternoon and then my sister came to pick him up and take him home for dinner and bed. Its just easier, there was about 15 other kids running around at this party and i have a hard enough time getting him to bed at home let alone with all the noise there. The only thing is that my boss has re scheduled our work boat party which we started last weekend (it was stormy so we came in and just had a party at his house!) for two weeks time, i dont want to have to ask someone to come and babysit again, i feel like a neglectful mother going out and leaving him at home but its just not practical to take him on the boat. he cant crawl around or anything, there is no where to heat up his dinner etc. Im thinking that we just wont go. It would be a great afternoon but like i said to DF (he didnt take it too well by the way) We are parents now, our social life has to change, it doesnt have to end but we have to consider whats best for lachlan too!

IK - I will have to try to get a piccie of myself to put on, its funny, i was going through them all and i dont really have any good ones of me and lachlan, i seem to be the one taking all the photos! The baking sounds delicious too. Im not good in the kitchen either (not like BATH!!) but im getting there, its just finding the time.

Amanda - Happy 9 months cody!! I love that movie 'Love Actually' Im going to have to watch it again!

Nickers - Wow, not long to go until DH goes to Sydney. When do you officially move up? Is DH going to find somewhere to rent etc??
Dont take on too much with the Tupperware, it may be extra cash but the amount of things that you have to do at the moment is huge and considering Nixon hasnt been well, i think you are doing great to still be standing, i would be exhausted. Good luck with everything and if you are going to be staying at Engadine, i will come up and meet up with you!

Karen - Sounds like a pretty hectic time for you. Doesnt it make a difference when the kids behave themselves?? I hope DH's wrist heals up quickly, how painful!

Oh well, girls better get back to work.

Dee its a shame you'll miss out on the boat cruise - is there no way you could bring yourself to get someone to babysit? I can totally understand just not going though, sometimes it is way too much hassle!

Amanda congrats on bf till 9 months and beyond - I am really starting to know what a challenge it can get to be. I am still bf Flynn but he has had a few feeds of formula because I was desperate to get him to sleep and thought it would help. It didn't though - of course!!

Karen do please drop by and let us know how things are going at your place - I hope DH is better and you are not suffering to much from looking after the WHOLE family.

Hello to everyone else:hello:

Better go - Flynn just woke up!

Hi girls... just checking in again... everytime I've sat down at the 'pute lately it's suddenly become too hard with children needing stuff/noise/demands. Hopefully things will settle down soon.

Rubystar is still not really doing anything milestoney so to speak! She has no teeth, is not crawling although trying to get around, and is almost sitting for about a minute before falling in slow motion to one side! oh yeah! she did say Muma this morning! but just to herself in the playpen, still...pretty cool. I'm trying to teach her to say Dad first (as I did with Giorgia) cause they say Mum often enough later, and it's great to be able to say to DH "no she's wants you, mate!"

The housework division conference ;) went really well. It just helps knowing that I don't need to feel guilty to ask him to do things. And it helps if I think, "well this is my job" and know that not everything is my job to do. We pretty much just verbalised what we already do, but having it "formalised" was very helpful. I also told him he needed to help out more in the mornings, and not just get up, shower and go to work. (aaah, remember those days?)

We were minding another little girl this weekend which was great for our eldest as it keeps her entertained. I think she really enjoyed helping someone younger than her. Unfortunately having her around reminded me of how impatient and selfish I am. Not that I would ever be that way to someone's elses child, but I know what I was thinking inside ("NO - not again" and "@#$@$@#@' ) as i cheerfully said "sure we can play the princess game for the 159th time this hour..."

IK - you (almost) make me wish I could cook, but I'll just have to be happy with my chef hubby.

Oh #KAREN# - how hard for you! You must be exhausted from the travel alone, and the emotional distress too. Really thinking of you and sending you some positive coping vibes. Look after yourself as you hold everyone together ok?

AMANDA3 - Thanks for defn. re. Reiki. does that mean you need to have a good connection with the practitioner? BTW I'm hoping to get to 12 months too, aren't we doing well on the breastfeeding front! (no pun intended)
Is Cody shuffling on his bum or tummy?

NICKERS - that's a LOT to cope with. Make good decisions won't you? Awesome that you can transfer your job though, that's great. I think if you are aware that you don't want stress you'll make decisions based on what's best for you and your family, remember you are not obliged to anyone except them!

ALI(27)- YAY! YAY! YAY for you! I'm so happy for you, it's sounds like life is starting to pull together for you, you deserve it! :dance:

DEE78 - you are not neglectful! Even if you went out every two weeks - that is hardly neglectful! But I DO know what you mean, you sometimes just have to leave places early, or not go because it's best for your kids. I have started having to be home at 5 each day to start the girl's night-time routine started as it's just better for them, so having to get myself organised to make sure this happens!DF can't babysit? or is it a work day?

BaTHSHEBA - sounds like you need to start telling the kids that Mummy is having some quiet time. Are Niall and Wade in the same room? Wade wouldn't just play quietly or at least just play while Niall is asleep? or is that hoping too much? You might just have to use a DVD every now and then for 30 minutes to yourself each day - it's really important that you have a break and just a little bit of down time. I know the zombie on caffiene feeling, you take heaps to get through the morning and then can't have a nap in the afternoon, and then go to bed early and wake up at 4.30 am with insomnia and it starts all over again! That's my cycle anyway! I'm seriously surprised at the difference enliven makes, I'm still trying to work out WTF is in the stuff that can make such a difference?
BTW - you were having a great up time recently, so it may have taken it out of you a bit - so rest and recuperate, oh and win the lottery while you're at it!! (So hard to do these things with little children!!)

Bellasmum - is Pat teething and that's why he;s a bit whingey? I swear babies just have an inner stress radar that knows the exact moment that you need to focus on other kids because they need dinner, they are in the bath or whatever, and they let it rip. Does that happen much to you? I find cooking and bathing with a baby in one arm a bit difficult on the dexterity side of things!!

Hi everyone else! How were your weekends?
Has anyone spoken to Neeny lately or did I miss a post?
Ok, ciao bellas!

Hi All,

Donna- dont feel bad for asking someone to babysit again, you really shouldnt, its not like u hand Lachlan to someone everyday so u can go on a cruise! i agree it wouldnt be suitable to take him but could ur sister or someone else mind him?
Rory- your doing great with the bf, dont let anyone tell different, maybe there is another reason to flynn's waking, teething or something?? Im wondering when nixons next tooth with come through although he has 6 he hasnt had one for 2.5months

Nixon is so funny, he throws little tanty's now when he goes to grab something and i say no! and his newest thing is throwing his legs as hard as he can at me back and forth whilst trying to change his nappy. i manage to distract him for a few moments but seems to be getting harder and harder. i dont know that changing on the floor will be any easier cause he will just wanna slide away from me!

hello everyone, actually good night bed time!

Hey all - quick one from me (again!) cause I'm working tomorrow (again!)

Found out a uni mate of mine is 23 weeks pg (yay) and I tried to call my mate who is 39 weeks pg (due tomorrow) and GOT NO ANSWER!! And I was ringing to organise dropping off a pram, baby bath and BF pillow to her (and we know how pg women love to nest and gather stuff like that ASAP) so it is pretty suss that she didn't call back. I sooooo hope she is in labour:pray:

I had a marvellous day today - walked to B'meadows shops (45mins), had a swim with Flynn and a mate from mothers group, then walked home (45mins). So I am very tired, but a good tired IYKWIM

Nickers, thanks for the encouragement on BF;) Turns out he is teething ATH - poor little lamb had hot cheeks last night.

Nickel, on the milestones thing - every time Flynn does something "social" I count my lucky stars cause he's not autistic - that is the bummer of having the youngest kid in mothers group - all the others are so far ahead (one turns one on Wednesday in fact) so I know what you mean by having a bub who is not doing anything milestoney LOL!!

Better go - gotta get ready for work :dance:

Good afternoon :) ABC Kids has started which means I might get about 10 minutes on here before Niall is due to wake up... which could be any time. It seems that he has almost gotten himself down to 1 sleep a day! Last weekend he dropped his usual 10am nap and since then has refused to go down until about noon/1pm... although he dozes for a few minutes during BFing he won't tolerate being put down. He has been sleeping from about noon/1pm for about 2 hours. Today he went to sleep at about 1.30pm so time's almost up. He'll then be awake until just after dinner when we'll have a shower or bath together then he'll go down at 8pm for the night... until his 3am feed (after which he resettles very well after about a 10 minute feed). He wakes up properly between 6/7am.... which isn't too bad. I guess this could all change... but the adjustment is hard. It's all so different to Wade's sleeping pattern when he was Niall's age.

Verity is on school camp this week.... the house is very quiet without her. Last night DH and I had both boys asleep by about 8.15pm and looked at each other and said "OMG how long has it been since we've had peace and quiet at this time of the night!!!???" Then we realised that it'd been about 12 years! And even then it was only for 1 year before Verity was born! (I admit there were a few years before the boys came along that we sometimes had a bit of peace after Verity was in bed but they were the uni years when I had essays to write.) Anyhow last night we dug up some chocolate from the pantry and watched TV together and really enjoyed not having to modify our conversation (or share the chocolate!) It was amazing how weird it was knowing that we could get into a nice deep discussion without the threat of a child barrelling out into the loungeroom demanding something or Verity eavesdropping. That might sound a bit mean... but it's hard work modifying your conversation so that it's child-friendly all the time. Some people might say "why bother?" but when you say something flippant (which your DH knows is flippant) and your child thinks you are being serious it's a concern. If I didn't modify my conversation in front of Verity she wouldn't be the fair-minded and polite young lady that I know that she is... in public anyway! LOL

Nickel: All the kids have their own bedrooms but it is hard to reason with Wade and engage him in 'quiet time' when Niall is asleep. I guess I could come online after all the kids are in bed but that's DH's time generally. So yes, it's just getting too hard. When Wade is at Kinder I prefer to shop/relax in a cafe (if Niall is napping in his pram)/come home and sleep...depending on the length of the session.

I've also been considering hiring a Mother's Assistant. DH has given the nod... so I'm going to find a retired lady to come around and be a Nanna and play with the boys while I do paperwork etc or get her to do a few light chores while I play with the boys. It would just be for 2/3 hours a week. I don't want to use childcare... this would be a much better option... the housework has just been getting out of control and been really getting me down. The novelty has well and truely worn off... remember I've been a SAHM for nearly 4 years... and for 5 years before that I was working in childcare which involved a lot of cleaning... I'm just so over it all... the boredom and monotony is sending me barmy!

Sorry for the mini vent... better go make a cuppa before Niall wakes up!

Bath, no need to apologise for the vent - I hear you! I must say that being able to go to work is an absolute salvation - even though when I am there I want to retreat to the world of babies and housework it is definately good to get on the train, read the paper or a novel in peace, and get down to work. The trade off is I am in the thick of it while I am there and it is non stop, and the work looms ahead of me and clouds my view of my days at home. Even when I log on to BB at work I find myself in work mode and being really anti baby-stuff - I can kind of feel myself getting all hard ar$ed, which I think you have to do to survive when you are in that kind of environment. But I decided today that try as I might I cannot just do the random work from home thing - I have to set days and times (which will probably be evenings) otherwise I have this constant guilt and, like I said, it clouds my Flynnie time, which I don't want.

The Mother's Assistant sounds like a great idea! I have often thought that to have someone come to my house from, say 3pm to 6pm every day would be a godsend. In the mythical time when I am working (almost fulltime) and we have our 3 kids I can picture something like that. Problem is I don't think anyone would do as good a job as my mum, but I doubt DH would tolerate his MIL coming over every day!! Maybe I could get mum to interview someone for the position?

I have another full day planned for tomorrow - house cleaning in the morning before a 1 hour walk to mothers group for one of the kids' first birthday (OMG!) before heading home to drop Flynn with his day while I head in to the city for a seminar on leasing law. Oh and I have to cook dinner in the morning too otherwise we will starve LOL!

Better go - I want to get a bit of work work done tonight, even if its half an hour. Check out the latest video on Flynnie's site - "I wanna be a test pilot". It cracks me up!
http://s95.photobucket.com/albums/l1...ion=guestlogin password is my username

Bath regarding the SAHM issue.I'm sorry you feel that way about being a SAHM. I've been a SAHM mum for 11 yrs and I find every minute with my children is a blessing.I have always found time when the children were in front of the TV, to do housework, or any paperwork. The past 14 months has been hard for me because I have been in the van but I always have at least 1-2 hours to do "van"work and that includes running up the house to do a couple of loads of washing. It's really only now that I feel I can cope with managing my family and working for a couple of hours(even if it is only with "alpacas" (believe it or not a lot of ppl like me talking about them) I may not get paid but I work bloody hard!)If I had my choice and DH could work, then I would be a SAHM forever or until Pat finished school. Being a SAHM to me, is not a boring monotonous thing, it is an enriching job that fills you with joy. Bella started talking....I mean really chatting, in the past few weeks and if I was out working then I would have missed her saying 'pocket' and that she had an'itchy ouchie!'
I'm not arguing with the fact that you may be over it but I'm pointing out the benefits of being a SAHM that I have seen...I'm sorry if ppl don't see it my way but I'm not attacking anyone just showing everyone my view.

Rory- that video is a classic lol! he loves it!!
Bath- Nixon is in between 1-2sleeps a day now, depending on what time he wakes up during the day etc sometimes he is having one big sleep and other days he had 2 medium sleeps. today he didnt want a second sleep till 6pm, i woke him up after 40mins cause i didnt want him to slumber to 3hrs then stay up all night. Ive just put him down for the night now.

speaking of working etc Last week i went into my work to inform them i wont be returning to the melb office. anyway boss from sydney rang today to offer me a job back in the syd office 2 days a week as a casual. Its great because it is doing stuff that i have done in the past in Sydney (Marketing, web stuff) and they are really flexible with days. he pretty much said i can come in whatever 2 days i want and doesnt have to be the same from week to week. i did not tell him i am pg just yet i may wait a few more weeks for that news! So i will only end up being there about 4months but will be good interaction for me, good for Nixon to get to know his Nanny's (mum will take him 1 day and MIL 1 day) and some extra $$ before number 2 comes along!

Good afternoon :) Niall is toward the end of his single day sleep once again... Wade is playing with my pegs. He really enjoyed Kinder this morning... I'm glad all the tears are behind us now.

Rory: Thanks matey, yep, the "randomness" of housework is challenging hey? Sometimes I wish that somebody would just come here and tell me what needs to be done and in what order and I would be happy to do it! LOL The thing with working outside the home is that you have peers and people to say "gee! you're a good worker!" but obviously I don't here at home... it's just my personality... as I said, I function well under pressure and in environments where my work is compared to others. I got that at uni and in all the paid jobs I've ever had: praise and acknowledgement. Jess, I'm not saying that being a SAHM isn't rewarding in its own way... it's just that I have a weirdo brain that likes to do mental gymnastics every so often... and I love interacting with a really wide range of people... I miss the 70 families that i knew each year at my old job... I miss being the only student to grasp a difficult concept and have my lecturer say "excellent! You can do my job next year!" But I also hear what you are saying Jess, I would hate to miss Niall's first step or the chance to be at home for Verity for the last few precious years I have before she stops craving my attention! Rory, you sound like you have a great balance... I too am going to aim for a good balance but not until Niall is in school.... then, with a bit of luck I'll be teaching too and be able to still be at home for the boys after school too.


Ok... can't do anymore... I've had to read every sentence I typed three times because Wade has been constantly asking me for food... "please...can I have an apple mum...please" (so I gave him an apple)... then, whilst eating it he started saying "Mum, when's ABC kids on? mum? When's it on? Muuuuum".... so i put it on... Now he says he needs help with the potty.... it will never end...

Hi Nic :) I'll get to more personals at some stage....

Jess: I've been thinking of you looking after your alpacas :) It sounds like you're becoming really fond of them... anyhow I was just wondering, and please don't read this as being antagonistic, but I was wondering what you would do if you became really really good at looking after and maybe even breeding alpacas... and maybe you even established a really good reputation as an alpaca expert and people came to seek your advice etc... and say you were able to earn about $50,000 a year looking after alpacas... but only if you did it full time... what would you do? I know NOTHING could take away your love of looking after your children... but I was just wondering... if you developed a passion for something outside the home that you could earn a significant income for? You see, my dilemna is that I have a passion for teaching, I just love it and could earn good money as a teacher... I was just wondering if you could understand this issue of wanting to have a career AND be there for your children if you loved working with alpacas as much as I love teaching... maybe it's not a good example... please don't shoot me down though ;)

I love being a SAHM, I really do, I love that each day has it's own little challenges and joys. I am in a very lucky position that we can afford for me to stay home with the children and raise them as we see fit not how some policy at day care sees fit, which mind you really isn't all that different, it's just the principle of the matter. I will miss it terribly when I go back to work. I understand the yearning to want more for ones self. There have been many days over the past 11 years where I have thought being educated was a huge waste of time for me and perhaps i should live in uneducated bliss, because why did I bother getting a degree if I'm not going to use it. I love nursing, it's a wonderful profession but with such a large family and horrible hours and a shift working hubby and with very limited family support, it's just not viable to stay in it for now. I love working, I love contributing not just mummy stuff but financially to our family. I will never ever earn the kind of insane money my DH earns but it is still noticeable and welcome. I have enjoyed being home for their baby years. Melissa and Nathan will go off to school a year apart, and then what. Being a SAHM is a hard often thankless job. It gets to me sometimes too. I too yearn to be more.

Teaching was always my second choice. A very close second. I am so glad that I'm getting the opportunity to do the course and to be out Teaching next year (if I get a job) will be fantastic, great hours, great pay and fabulous holidays. IMO Teaching provides that balance between family and career. A career and a family can work. I will be going back to work (next year, the year after, or maybe the year after that, who knows but), because I choose to work, I love my children but I love having me time, and I didn't get edumacated for nutin., lol. but ultimately it will benefit my children, nah, my family. A happy mummy makes a happy home.

My little mate Nate cut his first tooth on Monday and his second and third today, I expect number 4 by the weekend. He has started mimicking me, it's so cute. He is also waving and says nah nah, nah nah, I wave to him and say night night nate, night night. So I think that's what he's saying lol. He copies me when I say la la la, he repeats it. He's been saying all the usual Mum mum mum's and dad dad dad's and bub' bub' bub's for a long time now but only this week has he decided to extend on his repertoire. He loves his walker and follows me and his sisters all over the house. He chases us and deliberately runs into us to get a reaction, naughty boy, so cute. He's still a booby boy 4-5 feds a day plus 3-4 solids a day and some water in a cup. He has had a few early mornings this week, 4.30amish but it's just cause he's teething other then that you wouldn't know he was teething.

Uni is going great, work load is huge but I'm pretty organisedso I'm still on top of things, lol, so far so good. I'm really loving the course. My sister in law is letting me come to her classroom (yr2) to be a little helper, she set it all up for me and it's great. so good to observe and participate and perhaps model her teaching. She makes it look so easy.

Nic, yeah I'd hold off by a few weeks too. I just hope they will realise wat a great asset you are and are this flexible for you after baby No. 2 comes along.

Hello everyone, hope your all well and happy.
I heard a lovely little quote the other day and thought I'd share.

There is no single recipe for happiness
but love is definitely an ingredient. ~Anonymous~

Well I've had a very long and exciting week, on Sunday Cody said his first words in the morning he said Bub Bub and while he was eating dinner he said Mum Mum, I was so happy. On Monday I went to my very first playgroup ever which was exciting in itself, all the boys enjoyed it, I got Cody weighted and he is only 8.6kg, he's a very petite boy as the MCHN said and it's true, but he is also very long so he is well proportioned and she was happy with him.

In the last few nights tho he has been waking for an extra feed at night, I don't know why, maybe he's going thru a growth spurt.

Dee like I've already said congrats on Nate cutting his first, second and third teeth and isn't it cute when the start coping you, Cody is shaking his head like he's saying no, it's so cute.

Bath I'm glad that Wade is starting to like Kinder better now and how is Niall going with his sleeping is he still only having the 1 sleep a day? Cody is still having two during the day and sometime just the one, it makes life a little more hectic when they only have the one doesn't it, because they get cranky later on.

Better go Wyatts cracking up. Hello to everyone else will see if I can post more later.

hugs xoxo

I'm back! But for one day...back from East Gippsland and off to Bendigo tomorrow for the fire brigade champs...Oscar is going to be so sick of that carseat by the end of tomorrow!
He is spending so much time off on his own, getting into jams...and standing up! So much standing up...right before falling onto his well-padded bum! Padded from fat and cloth nappies, that is...
The dog has gone down to the peninsula with MIL for the weekend, so I haven't seen him since I left on Monday morning...sad me :(
I thought DP would have done a lot of the work around here that he was supposed do (reorganising the study and pulling up carpets), but the place possibly looks worse than when I left...huh?? Shall I go back and try again?
I got a bit of study done when I was up there.
I hear you girls on your experiences with staying at home and working/studying. I think I'm still in honeymoon period and don't feel qualified to comment yet! Like I've said before, I never had a 'career' before Oscar in order to miss true financial independence, and I still haven't experienced proper SAHM duties, cos I do get to share that with DP, as he has been unemployed, largely, since Oscar was born. I'm straddling a few identities that are, for now, compatible. Let's see what happens later on. Like, when DP is working and I'm studying whilst trying to look after Oscar!
Gotta unpack the car, fold washing, repack bags for tomorrow and wonder what to have for dinner - lots of fun!
Is Mel back yet?

Quick one from me again!

Dee love that quote :D
Amanda that is so cute - can't wait for Flynn to start talking!

Helloooooo every one else!

MY NEWS - FLYNN SLEPT THROUGH LAST NIGHT! Couldn't believe it - DH put him to bed at 7pm (I was at a seminar) and he woke for a feed at 10.30pm BUT SLEPT TILL I WOKE HIM AT 7AM!! At the back of my mind I was worried something had happened to him but I got up at 6.30 and did my make up and hair (I worked today) before going in to him - and there he was, curled up asleep.

better go - big day at home with the boy tomorrow - pram walkers group at 10am, cleaning at home then visit to mum for a haircut (her hairdresser does home visits) before off to pg friend's place to drop off my emmaljunga for her to use.