Babies Born March 2006 #8

Hi kas

We are still around, just busier with work at the moment, and have started back doing my last subject for my Masters. Only about 7 weeks to go and it's done forever, but in the meantime every time I turn on the computer I'm swamped with must-dos.

Liam is little - but I bet he's a cutie! Lucy weighs just shy of 13 kgs now (which I can hardly believe, since she started out life at 2.5kgs!) and has grown much taller. She is 90 cms tall now, or was a month or so ago. Which would explain why the legs on all of her size 2 pants fit her. I'm jealous!

We want to go and get another pixifoto done (my Mothers' Day treat), but I have to go and find a voucher. We've had three done already and it works out really cheap when you don't buy extras and just get the bonus print!

Lucy is talking heaps and uses proper sentences now. Her favourite thing is singing and I get endless requests for the various nursery rhymes she knows so she can sing along with me. She also likes dancing, Angelina Ballerina is a big hit. Very much a little girl, loves her dolls and teddies and being 'pretty'. Her dress ups and her sparkly bag and shoes get dragged out of the toy basket every day.

She started in the bubble class at swimming last term (where they are in the water without a parent and learning to actually swim properly) and after a great start she had an unfortunate incident where she bumped her chin. It's taken about four lessons since for her to get over chucking a tantrum when she's put in the pool. We had one lesson after a late night the night before, and I think given that her class used to be on a Saturday evening we were probably asking a bit much. Plus it's not as much 'fun' as the water baby class, no toys, no songs. But we switched to a Monday 8:30am class and it went great this morning! She's the youngest in the class by miles, but at least it means she follows the bigger kids example when it comes to behaviour. She's the best swimmer in the class after one little boy who's four. Not a bad achievement when you're half everyone else's size!

Must go, work to do, phone calls to make. Sorry you've been a bit lonely in here kas, I promise I do pop in when I get a chance!

Hi to all!
Hiya Kas, your household sounds like its going to get interesting with Bradley starting hiphop, hope he goes well at it. Liam sounds like he is coming along - attaching to the same kind of things as Cainie....Thomas is a favourite here too. :)

We have been very busy here.....speech therapy and doctors and health nurses and the early development centre. I am run off my feet with these 3 boys!
DS1 goes to 'school' (early childhood development program) Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons from 12:30 to 3:00. DS2 goes to the same school, Mondays and Wednesday mornings from 9:00 to 11:30. Then Next term DS1 will get Monday afternoons added to his schedule and DS3 will be going to their Friday playgroup to get him started out. DS1 and 2 will be going to day care on the Fridays so DS3 can get all the attention he needs. So next term we are going to be even busier! Anyway just as I get 5 minutes someone shows up so I gotta run.
Hope all mums and bubs are going well and hope to hear from everyone soon!

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY
to my fellow march bubs MUMS :hug:

I hope you have all had a lovely day,we have! Lunch (ate too much lunch and Pavlova :sick:) with my Mum and my Bro's family at our place and Dinner tonight at MIL's. Currently all my boys are playing playstation and I am enjoying quiet time. I dare say we all may have a bit of a :asleep:before we leave to go to dinner.

I am on the countdown to my Birthday and my trip to melbourne - only 9 sleeps to go. Not sure if I have mentioned it previously but I am going for three days with my mum and SIL for some girl time. It should be a blast. Also a bit of a bumma as i will miss the opening of the Belly belly place by two days :(. And as much as i want and need time to myself I am sure I will miss my boys like crazy.

Steph, it sounds as though you run a marathon everyday. Good work and make sure you have time to look after yourself too :).

Jen - It sounds as Lucy has turned into a real little girl now. With the preschool, swimming lessons on her own, and full sentences. I love her photo in your signature she is so cute. Congrats to you on only have a handful of weeks left of your Masters, there is no way i could work, study and chase after my boys, well done :clap:.

Hi to everyone else

Hope everyone had a great Mothers Day and got to RELAX (cause it sounds like that's what most of us need!). Lucy learnt to say 'Happy Mothers' Day' for me and had a lovely handprint pic for me that she did at preschool. DP got me a DVD that I wanted and a cooked breakfast.

I have a mountain of work to do today and I have to finish early to take a friend to the airport. Only a month to go and the study stuff is finished. Unfortunately work will only get busier so no real rest until after September I think! I don't feel like a superMum - something always suffers when you take on an extra task and in this case it's any time I get to relax and I am sick of fighting with DP over stupid little things when I'm tired! Needless to say we are both looking forward to the end of June!

Lucy is doing well though - but has anyone else started seeing a rise in the intensity of tantrums??! My goodness she chucked a beauty in the shops the other day, full on lying on the ground kicking her feet, totally distraught - over nothing in particular! I just waited it out, picked her up and cut our shopping time short. But goodness me it's like she's a hormonal teenager sometimes!

On the nice front she seems to like singing all the time and I get endless requests to sing different songs (sometimes half way through one I have to start another!) and she sings along with me. Too cute!

Hope everyone is well.

Hi,

just thought i would pop in with an update.

Liam is talking a lot better and putting sentances together usually only about 4 words but thats a start. He has been showing interest in the toilet so on and off we humoured him, but since having a clean up of the spare room (well in fact still unpacking from the move last august) i found the potty and after a few "sits" Liam started to do "wee's". So now whenever we change a nappy or have a shower/bath he tries for a wee and after a minute or so of him sitting, grunting, and checking he does a wee. He is so happy with himself. If we are out he tells me as he is doing a "wee in nappy". I was struggling with Brad at this point when he was a few months from 3, so i guess we will see if it's just a novelty or will actually stick in the coming week/s.

I had a great trip to Melbourne for my birthday and did a lot os window shopping which was great excercise and ate lots! It was a nice break away but I missed my boys, until i got back home to the whinging and fighting...LOL.

Thats all from here i think, take care

Hi everybody. How are all the mums and bubs going?

Not so good news here - it looks like two of my babies have autism. it is hard to swallow the news. It is harder still be DH to come to terms with it all. So we are both really upset about the whole thing - not only do we have to deal with the autism but also Cailan's very severe exzema and also the reality that we will not be having any more babies. It is all sad and confusing. You know when you have a baby you have sort of an idea or maybe an ideal of what things are going to be like and I guess I was just living in that kind of fantasy world thinking that it was one way when it really was another. I love all my babies regardless of anything that any doctor says - I have to get to know them for who they really are and not who I thought they were/would be. I am sorry that I haven't been in for ages but that is the reason why. On a lighter note we are planning a holiday down to Singleton to visit my older sister which we are really looking forward to - it will be a welcome break from all the medical blabber and we have said we'll not say the words autism/autistic while we are away. It will be good to break from routine too. Time to mix it up a little and relax.

I hope all mums and bubs are happy and healthy and not too cold!

Oh Steph, huge :hug: . Of course you will love all of your boys no matter what label is applied to them, but it must be so hard to see how much more difficult things will be for them as they grow. We want to protect them from pain and suffering, so to know that just because of how they see the world it is going to be more of a struggle for them must be immeasurably painful for you. My Mum is permanent guardian to a five year old foster-daughter who has cerebal palsy and I see in her the struggle to work with a society that isn't as accommodating as it should be. She has CP that affects her intellectually and behaviorally more so than physically. It gets harder on Mum as she gets older, particularly as she watches her granddaughter (Lucy) develop and do things that her foster-daughter cannot. People's comments can also drive her wild sometimes. But we love our foster-sister for who she is and trying to make her into something that she is not is not fair to her.

I guess what I'm trying to say is, stay strong and I pray that you find the courage to be the best Mum to your boys that you have always been and can be in the future. You must have been picked to be their Mum for a very good reason.

Kas - I think you should send Liam down for the day to show Lucy what toilet training is. Talk about not interested in participating! We haven't made a big deal about it, but she very clearly tells me that she doesn't want to go to the toilet or the potty if I ask. I'm not pushing it since it's cold and I don't think she's going to enjoy hopping onto a seat in this weather! I'm figuring that if it's an overwhelmingly positive experience she'll get more out of it. That and her first (and usually only) poo is first thing in the morning and I cannot be bothered getting out of bed to watch her before the sun is up! She sees other kids at preschool using the little toilets so I figure she'll decide to try it for herself eventually.

I have been a bit quiet for other reasons too. My DP and I are going through a rough patch in our relationship. We have started going to see a counsellor though and I think that is really helping. I'm not sure what it means as far as the long-term goes for us, but we're still here and getting through one day at a time (not all of them very well, but YKWIM!). The upside is that we both carry around a lot that is impacting on our relationship with each other and dealing with that is helping on an individual level as well.

I have two more weeks to go and uni is done for me too. One more class (tomorrow) and one more assignment. Feels so good to get to the end and I can't wait to put the books away and start thinking about spending some time doing fun stuff!

Hope everyone else is doing as well as they can. :hug: again to you, Steph.

Hi there and the biggest :hug: I can find is headed both of your ways Steph and Jen.

Steph, you are and will always continue to love your boys no matter what, you will continue to be a great a mother and wife and you will continue to have dreams and paint pictures in your mind of what the future holds. They may not be the dreams you once had but with each child comes individual dreams and i guess milestones and goals. I am sure you have been told many times since being given a diagnosis that they are still the same little boys you have raised and loved. Nothing has changed for them, they are still themselves and they still have the love of family and friends. Please take care of not only your boys but also yourself and your DH as you readjust, and enjoy catching up with family.

Jen- I am so happy that you have almost finished studying. The light is at the end of the tunnel. Well Done.
The only problem sending Liam down to help TT Lucy is that he is an exhibitionist already, He likes you to watch and as he sits he grins, and hums and carries on like it is a full on stage performance. But he does look cute doing it. However maybe it would work as Lucy likes to sing so they could start a duet type thing. LOL.
On the other side of things I am sorry to hear you and DP are having a rough patch. Hopefully the councilling will help and once the study is out of the way will free up some time for family and trying to get things on track. The best you can do is what you are doing by seeking help both as individuals as well as together and just getting through one day at a time.

Hugs to both of you...if only I could give then IRL :hug: :comfort:

Hi Jen and Steph,
How are you both?

A quick update from here. I took Liam to the peadiatrician just to put my mind at ease over his size. He still weighs just on 10kg and is 83cm tall, which places him in the 2nd bottom %. After going over both of our families histories and each persons height, and giving Liam a full assessment he seems to think his Pituitary gland isn't woking properly. This gland controls the bodies hormones and he seems to think that Liam is not getting enough growth hormones. He refered him to an endochronoligist who will establish if this is the case and we will go from there in terms of treatment. The Pead seems to think he will require hormones to get him growing. So we are just waiting for the Endo. to contact us with an appointment. I am so glad i listened to the voice in my head that had been nagging away for some time now, otherwise the pead recons Liam would only grow to about 5foot 2, which comparing to both of our families would be short.

Thats all from here, take care

Hi Kas

Not much time to type as have to finish off my final assignment due tomorrow. Never enough time! I've been putting off the last bit, so head down now.

I'm glad to hear you listened to your mother's intuition and saw the paed - hopefully the endo will give you some answers and help. Let us know when you get an appt and how it goes.

We are doing okay, still up and down between Anthony and I but we are working through things and counselling is helping. Yet to see how it ends up - but I guess that's up to us. Lucy is well, talking and singing all of the time, gives me a running commentary on everything and very adult in some of her phrases. Probably because she spends so much one-on-one time with adults. Very cute to hear her say, "That's a nice ..." and that kind of thing. She loves her books and the current favourite is 'The Very Hungry Caterpillar'. She 'helps' reading it as it prompts her to remember what each page says with the pictures. We have confirmed her two days a week at preschool next year, up from one at the moment.

Must go, so much to read and write!

Just a quick update

We are doing really well. I finally think we have got on top of Mia's asthma after 4 trips to hosy in 4 weeks and changing her preventer yet again. I guess only time will tell though. Mia has adapted so well to having a little sister and i cant even remember what life was like with just one. Her speech is amazing me more everyday i dont even know how she picks up so much. We are also TT now so good bye nappies (well one lot DD2 is of course still in them) I wanted to wait until summer but she didnt ;) I always have had a potty in the bathroom and for 3 days straight she hopped out the bath t do a wee and then got back in so i thought well if she's ready i better be. In 2 weeks we have had only 3 accidents one in daycare, one at a party and one when my sister had her so not too bad. She even told me on the way to a friends today she had to do "poo" so i had to sit her on the potty in the car on the side of the road. Not nice having to drive around with poo in the car but better than in her knickers.

Kas- So glad you got some answers i hope everything goes ok. WTG for following your instinct. Us mums sure do know best.

Jimssteph- Sorry to hear about all the medical issues you've had with the boys. I dont really have any words of wisdom but i do have a :hug: for you and i'm sure you have the stregnth to deal with whatever is needed from you.

Jen- Sorry to hear of your problems with Anthony though its lovely to hear you are having counselling and not just giving up. I really hope you both come through it ok. Lucy sounds very much like Mia with her singing and talking etc.

Take care everyone. SOrry i dont pop in very much i barely have enough time to shower daily :p

Hey girls.

Firstly, hugs to Steph. How are you guys going, getting your head around it all? That would be hard news to receive, but as others have said, you love your boys regardless, and now you can get on with loving them the way they need. hmm.. not that you weren't before.. just.. hmm.. you know what I mean I'm sure heh.

Kas - how's things going with Liam? Did the endo come up with anything?

Jen - sorry to hear your having to work through problems with DP. Good to hear of people actually working on their relationship tho, I hope it all works out for you.

Hoody - well done on the TT! We're still not there yet. I do pop him on the loo now and then, I've just got to take the plunge and stick him in undies and be prepared for the mess. LOL. He has his favourite pooing place behind the lounge at the moment, so the fact that he runs there to go, means he can just as easily run to the loo! If I find him there he tells me to go away LOL. So I'm thinking of moving the lounge up against the wall and putting him in undies and making him use the loo.

Well, I'm trying to think of news with us! Umm.. swimming lessons are going well. He goes up a class next term, so I'll no longer go in with him. It's been really good watching his confidence grow. He's such a passive/shy little boy, but now he just loves swimming and isn't phased at all by the instructor taking him, and he's kicking and paddling so well now. So he's going up to the next class. then the term after that I can start Kayla's swimming lessons! (got to give myself some kind of break LOL).

We're also starting music lessons next term. It's a 2 yr old class. A friend of mine has her son in the 3yr old class and she said it's really good. I got a phone call the other day saying a spot has opened up, so we're taking it! I'm looking forward to it. I started piano lessons when I was 4, so i'm keen to encourage music with my kids too. DH was quite good at piano as a kid, but had horrible teachers that smacked his knuckles with a ruler if he made a mistake (this was in Singapore) and his mum MADE him practice, so he lost any interest in playing.

Tallon is a lovely big brother. He plays with Kayla and shows her books and toys. He doesn't seem to have the concept of things being his.. which is great.. so he's more than happy to share with Kayla which is lovely. He's always coming up and giving her kisses and 'huggles' and her face just lights up when he's in sight. He likes to help feed her too LOL. Puts the spoon in her mouth and says "good girl" hehe. I'm in the process of reminding him of the baby signs so we can teach Kayla, so he's enjoying showing her how to talk with her hands too. Not that she's doing that yet.. but hopefully soon!

Well, take care everyone :)

Hi everyone!
Thanks for all your hugs and well wishes....it was so lovely to read them.
Things are a lot more positive in the Bloomfield household since I last posted. Cainie's exzema is all but gone, thanks to the wonderful paed at the Kingaroy Hospital. Dr. Diplock is his name and he is wonderful! He has really tried to get to the root of the problem instead of just giving us more steroid creams which just bandaid the problem not fix it. Thankfully the paed we saw at Nambour re the older two boys has transferred our cases to Dr. Diplock too so we have the pleasure of dealing with him with the ASD as well.

Kas ~ I hope the endo comes up with something for little Liam so that he becomes big Liam.

Liz ~ Yes totally understand what you were saying above lol. I wasn't doing the best job parenting them the way they NEEDED but I was doing the best job I knew how to do (if that makes sense). It is so much easier parenting them now that I know what is going on with them. Things really make sense to me now, so it isn't as hard. Before I just thought that their behaviour and speech and other probs were a result of me doing a lousy job bringing them up so I felt guilty. Now I know its ASD I am not beating myself up so much. Let us now how the music lessons go, it sounds exciting, like carrying on a tradition almost, with both you and your DH playing piano, now the bubs also. Lovely to hear that Tallon and Kayla get along so nicely, it must be beautiful to watch. Lucky girl having a big bro to look out for her in later years too.

Jen ~ Prayers that you and Anthony work out and good to hear the counselling is helping. Lucy does sound grown up and looks so cute in her little fairy skirt. At least she is not completely nuddy which is how DS2 loves to get around even in the middle of winter lol.

Hoody ~ I hear you on not getting time for a shower.....it is so hectic sometimes the last thing I feel like doing at night is jumping in the shower. But a nice relaxing bath would be nice...I'm not holding my breath for it though. So cute that your little Mia is TT. That should help you out with things, its easier with one being TT. Well DS1 is TT but the younger two aren't so I still have them in nappies which can be a pain and costly. I am jealous thinking of the money you will save lol. thanks for your kind words also.

DH and I are set to go to two ASD workshops on the 18th/19th of August, fully paid for too so we have been blessed. It will be good to learn all about ASD and then in turn learn more about our boys. Thanks everyone for your thoughts.

Hi to all mums and bubs I have missed and take care everyone!

Hi Girls, I just seen that you have a group going for babies born in March 2006. My eldest daughter Mia was born then. She is a pretty bright girl, but seems to be going through some major behavoural issues at the moment, with most of her frustrations targeted at her 9 month old sister. Is anyone else experiencing anything like this? Help! I feel like there is something I am doing wrong or missing.

Karen

Kazaraz- I hear you. My eldest daughter also called Mia is very bright (speaks very well and is TT etc) but also has very challenging behaviour. She too has an almost 9 month old sister who she likes to torment. I find that if she is bored or feels like she is not getting enough attention then she plays up. I have found since Mia has stopped going to daycare and is less stimulated she is alot more hard work. TBH i have to go out of my way to make sure our mornings are busy and that we get out iykwim or by lunchtime i'm ready to explode. I think alot of our problems though are because by the afternoons she is tired but she WILL NOT under any circumstance have a day sleep. I cant complain though as she sleeps from 6pm-7am most nights. Our biggest prob is her trying to be a mini mummy. Yes its nice to see her wanting to be involved but if my almost 9 month old is in bed and i turn my back for a second she is in the cot with her trying to change her bum :cryinglaugh:

Jimsteph- Thats great news about the Eczma and that you have found a decent Paed. GL at the ASD workshop i hope you get lots from it.

Liz- Its funny you saying that you are putting Tallon into music lessons. My DH is very musical and wants to get Mia into piano lessons as soon as she is 3. I thought it was a bit young but i guess not. I wish Mia had no concept of what was hers trying to get her to share with Molly can be a nightmare at times. I certainly do have a very head strong lil girl.

Jen13- How are you? Hows Lucy doing? Would love an update.

Well not much to tell here. Mia is just as head strong as ever and at the moment been very demanding. She is no longer in daycare so i have both girls 24/7 and really miss my break. I am finding it almost impossible to get any house work done. She still loves been a big sister but has her moments with jealousy.

Hoody - these music lessons aren't instrument specific, it's just singing and dancing and clapping etc. We play a few percussion instruments, learn loud/soft fast/slow. It's a class of about 6 or 7 kids. I started learning piano at 4. I think it only works that young if they show an interest already. It's also hard to find private teachers that will teach them that young too.

Oh my gosh hoody, how alike are our girls..!! You Mia sounds just like mine. We did try 2 mornings a week at daycare, but by the 4th time she become hysterical when I tried to leave and it broke my heart. So we stopped. Now we have moved to Melbourne I was thinking about trying it again, but havent got to the stage that I can do it yet. Because I am home all the time with the girls, I can see how much they have different needs. I thought that Mia has started annoying her sister more, as Tay is now on the move and more attention comes with that. Its hard to keep them stimulated, but that is what we have been told. That Mia is bright and needs it at this age. Bring me back to the daycare issue again. I feel guilty for going down that path again, when I am home fulltime.

*SIGH*

Kazaraz- I would love to put my Mia back into daycare as she is very outgoing and misses it terribly. I never had any problems leaving her mind you it was a family day carer so not the same as a big centre. Maybe this would work for you. I too am a SAHM but find that food shopping and running errands etc is so hard with 2. If i take Mia alone she is an angel, Molly my baby is an angel alone also but both together at the shops do my head in. Its like Mia knows i dont have the same control over her as i am pre occupied. The reason Mia no longer goes to care is the lady whos house she went to sold and no longer does it. I could find someone else but Mia has severe food allergies and i dont feel overly confident in the level of care she would get else where iykwim. I think i had so much trust in our old FDC'er that i dont know how i could find anyone to replace her. If you can find somewhere and are happy to leave her in care 1 or 2 days a week do it. it wont hurt and she'd probably get so much out of it as you would too. You shouldnt feel guilty about it.