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I'm still lurking girls!!
Hope everyone is well, I have had a very clingy baby who hasn't really given me time ot do much so I haven't been able to sit and do a big post!
Harlow has started walking now, she gets into EVERYTHING! I just ordered invites for her birthdaynext month, can't believe all our babies are 1/turning 1!!
Bec - that is AWESOME! Well done on taking such a big step. You will be glad to go back, I know your heart is truly there, and that David is just an added an attraction. Just think how much your friends there are going to adore Isaac!! Did you end up paying for a separate seat for Isaac? On international flights you pay a small percentage of the fare but domestic you have to pay the whole amount. Which MCN's do you use? I am starting to really get into mine, but have to admit to a wee addiction in trying out lots of different sorts. I normally get them new but the other day I borrowed one from a friend to try.... quite unlike the germ phobe me. DH was aghast.... he just repeated the word "borrowed" with a look of horror. I will PM you, I have another question to ask about Tz for a friend of mine.
Wite - good to hear from you! Harlow walking, wow, she is not even one yet. What a clever girl. Hope you are coping with her sep anxiety. Today Hannah went to a complete stranger for about 5 mins, no crying or fussing. It was a complete shock and a little weird.
Anyway,better go. I have some gardening to do and am procrastinating by being on the computer. LOL. Take care.
Thanks Dory, I'm so excited. You are so right, David is just an added bonus of going back and not the main reason. I look at friends photos on facebook and it makes me feel a bit homesick for the place. I never thought I would fall in love with Africa before I went there, but I did. So anyway its all turning out more expensive than I budgeted for (just paid $190 for a two week tourist visa today, wasn't expecting that!) so I'm trying to pull in my spending even further than I already do. Oh well, lucky I like toast!
I had to pay 10% of the fare for Isaac, about $230 just to hold him. He doesn't get a seat, but with any luck they will give me a bulkhead seat with extra room and maybe one of those bassinets he can sleep in to give my arms a rest. On domestic flights he can fly for free, if I hold him, until he is two which is great. We are having a stop over in Dubai each way so that will break the trip up a bit, should be good, I've never been there (or anywhere in the Middle East for that matter) before so looking forward to it.
MCN's, I use mainly Baby Beehinds. I got a pack with all the different types in it, and then bought some extra Magic-Alls with velcro because I love them. This is going to sound very strange, but I got a great deal on some large ones, but they are hot pink! Who said boys don't look good in pink! I use the minky magic alls with extra boosters as night time nappies, they soak up a lot, and stay nice and dry. I also like the hemp nappies, they stay dry too. I also have some Bum Cheeks, they are ok now that Isaac is fitting into them properly. I also use good old terry flats every day, with a bamboo fleece booster and a BBH cover. They dry so quickly, and are super cheap. Haha that's so funny about your DH, but when you have another baby I bet he won't bat an eyelid about using Hannahs old nappies on the new baby! I feel a bit bad that Isaac will be in disposables for a whole month, after using MCNs they just feel so flimsy, plasticky, just not nice. It was so great to put the good nappies back on him after our last trip! Much more comfy for him. Maybe I'll let him have lots of no nappy time to make up for it.
Hope you had fun gardening :)
(PS I'l reply to your PM hopefully tomorrow, I have a feeling Isaac is going to wake up very soon so I'll be going to bed as soon as he does :))
Wite, sorry to hear Harlow has been clingy, but good to hear she has reached another milestone :) They are growing so quickly, we don't have little babies anymore..
Bec - I loved Dubai. It also makes a long haul flight much more bearable. We had a stop over there en route to Europe and I loved it. It was hot though. We stayed in a hotel in town, and not on the tourist strip ( near the beaches). It was a hotel that was primarily for indian families so the breakfast buffet was interesting! They have opened the new airport. I read something somewhere about the airport having facilities for children but I can't remember exactly what.....I think it was that they provide strollers or a play area. There is sooo much money in that place, but having said that we were there on a very tight budget and we got to do most of the things we wanted. I loved going to the markets and going on the funny little river boats and just cruising around the city esp at mosque time. It feels quite safe ( well except for the markets, where they stall holders are quite pushy and even follow you down the street).
I am awe - terry flats? I have thought about trying them... but have baulked. LOL. Much cheaper than MCN's. It's interesting about MCN's - there are SOOOOO many brands out there and so many different styles. It's actually so confusing until you just take the plunge and get some and see what you like and don't like. I tend to like the OSFM ( one size fits most) and AIO ( all in ones). I prefer snap ins for convenience but the pocket ones do tend to be more absorbent. I have yet to try ones that need a cover, but getting some terry flats and some groovy covers would be quite economical too. I have just stumbled across one called MonknBear. They are snap in AIO's. They are more economical than a lot of others. I bought one today ( I said I was addicted). Can't wait to try it. I read some reviews that said it was better than the itti bitti snap ins.
I will have to stop buying them soon. I really can't afford it but like you, lucky I like toast, as does HB and DH. Fancy blowing my budget on MCN's. Sometimes I feel like a fool. But I have 10 now. It's just this week I have bought 3 different ones. bad dory.
How is your EC going? I was making some progress then got side tracked because I got busy again. At least there is no guilt.
I am currently waiting for H to wake up and then I will got and visit my mum and aunt who are in town for a medical appointment. HB has got two more teeth coming through. so far not too much discomfort. That will be 6 teeth. No walking yet, but lots of balancing independently and lots of cruising.
It's weird about TTC for me. When I was BF'ing I was so keen to TTC. Now, I am due to ovulate very soon and could have had an opportunity this morning but was reluctant. That could just be about practicalities though - we're going to visit my Dad at the end of October and have just paid for the flights and car hire etc. Even though we have insurance and may not lose $, if I were UTD we couldn't go on the trip and I am looking forward to it. But it's interesting anyway, being on this roller coaster again.
Anyway, better go cherub has woken, so it's time for lunch before our adventures begin.
Hello to everyone else, sorry I have been so self absorbed today. I hope you are well and you little ones continue to delight and amaze you. This is an amazing journey but I am curious to know how I will manage toddlerhood!
Dory - that's great to hear you loved Dubai. I acually don't know much about it, but looking forward to it now. Oooh and I can't wait to hear the call to prayer from the mosques, I really love that about Islamic countries. It really makes me feel like I am somewhere different, and interesting. Where I used to live in Tanzania, when all was still and quiet at 5am or some crazy hour in the morning you could hear the call to prayer from a mosque over the hills :)
How's your mcn addiction going? Did you see the reports in the media yesterday? The 'news' was that 95% of people use disposables, even though they cost way more and the high environmental costs :( It's interesting, disposables have only been around for 34 years. You know, I only have 10 MCNs I use. I have four large (and pink) ones in the cupboard but they are too big. The combination of mcns and flats works well, especially in winter when the mcns were taking forever to dry. Talking to a friend at the park today, she is tempted to try cloth now that she has realised how much disposables cost, and do a mixture. Cloth at home and disposables out and at night. I agreed with her and told her that even if she buys one MCN for $25, and uses it once every second day for two years, she will save herself from buying 365 disposables.
Oh funny thing, I think David got his months mixed up. He messaged me yesterday and asked if we were in town and when can we meet.. a month early, but at least I know he's keen lol :)
wow look at all these ONE YEAR OLDS!!!
im still around, guess FB has really taken over and i hardly get the computer out to post, too hard on my iphone these days lol
Bek that is AWSOME news!! im SO happy for you guys! make sure you take HEAPS of pics of them together!!
all is great here Bella is almost walking and we are going crazy planning her party for next week!
so glad everyones doing well.
Bec - ah, the call to prayer, so haunting, but in a nice way. I am not religious and it's kind of nice to know other people are. LOL David is very keen.
Ahh the MCN's addiction. I haven't bought any this week.... yet. I had 6 initially, and I started to use them intermittently from when H was 6 months. For whatever reason I just wasn't up to it before then, even though I had wanted to. I also was worried about them being too bulky on H and too hot. I did try and it seemed too much. Now that I use them 95% of the time, I wonder why I found it so hard initially. Having more of them helps me to use them more? It means the pressure is off to wash every day. I still wash every day because I don't like the idea of dirty nappies. I use at least 5 a day. I do only try to buy ones on sale though. There are soooooo many out there.
However the next step is I want to get some swim nappies, as I currently use dispossies for swim nappies.
I was going to ask you a question about travelling with Isaac, but I have forgotten.
Buzzie - good to hear Bella is going so well. GL with the party!
Anyway, I am going to watch some telly and then go to sleep. Hoping for a better night tonight. H was unsettled last night from bed time til midnight. Maybe it was her cold and maybe it was a new food I gave her.
Hi Ladies,
We have been away for a month and got back last night. We had a really relaxing break in Keppel Sands (near Rocky), Hervey Bay and Surfers but it is also lovely to be home. DH is off work until Tuesday which is also nice.
Dory - how is HB sleeping? Hopefully it has improved. Where are you at with TTC?
Bec - great news re Tz - what a spin out to introduce a man to his 1-year-old son!! It will be interesting to see if Isaac picks up any daddy vibes. Good on you for biting the bullet and buying the ticket.
Buzzie - nice to hear from you - does the party have a theme? P is still just bum shuffling around - does not even pull herself up on the furniture (gets to her knees and that's about it!)
Wite - hello! I am waiting for the clingy stage to start here - no sign of it at all while we were away P was just trying to make friends with everyone and both times we were on the monorail she shuffled off my lap and onto the lady next to me's lap! Hope Harlow grows out of it soon must be super annoying.
Hi to everyone else.
AFM - I head back to my old job next week two days a week - I am very lucky with how flexible it is so I can do a super long day on Fri while DH is home and make up the rest of the time in the evening etc so P won't have to go to child care.
Also since my cycle finally started again last month we thought we would start TTC and I was hoping to have some news to tell my fam when we went to visit - sorry for TMI but AF was due on about the 11th of Sept and I did about three tests between then and the 18th all BFN but I tested again on the 22nd - BFP!! I am a bit confused about how far along that makes me and still a bit in shock because we did not BD THAT much (not like we did for P!) but it all feels great so far - just a touch of insomnia (like P) and sickness which seems to be made worse by fatty foods (good reason to eat healthy). I'm heading to the Drs next week to get a scan and try to work out the dates but I think I will be due in mid-late May (approx 5-7weeks). Of course I will feel less paranoid once I pass the 12 week mark but I am feeling very positive about this preg and feel very lucky to get progo so quickly (and without really trying).
PS Please don't mention my news on fb as I am yet to announce to ANYONE!
OMG - Chuckie - congrats. BBL to type more. BUt well done my friend. A BFP!! Will you keep us updated?
Chuckie!!!! OMG wow congrats, that's awesome! Honestly I can't believe how time has flown that folks are starting to ttc (well not just start in your case!!). That's so exciting for - funnily enuff it was nearly the same for us. Got PG first month we tried - for Annika - so very lucky.
AFM can't believe I now have a 1yo & a 3yo!! We had a joint party on the weekend. The party itself was great, but X had allergy troubles for days before (means little sleep for mummy & daddy), I had shocking sinuses and the daddy got the dizzies back again. So he's not allowed to drive & is taking it v easy right now. We're desperately hoping it won't last 4 mths this time!! But I'm hopeful actually cos at least we know what it is this time. So busy week for me, and thank goodness for family daycare. I slept 90 mins yesterday arvo - heaven!! And Annika is so settled there now, she smiles at me when I say goodbye - awesome!!!
Hope everyone is well with all those gorgeous 1yo bubs!! (or nearly 1yo!).
Wow congratulations Chuckie!! That's amazing news, I'm so happy for you!
Happy birthday Annika! Wow I can't believe all our babies are one, or almost one! How fast has that year gone!
Busy few days here, preparing for our trip. I am having many moments of extreme nervousness.. I don't know why, I was fine before the last trip. Maybe its because I'm meeting David, or maybe just because I'm not coming home after WA but going straight on to Africa so if I forget anything important I can't just come back and get it. I better start packing tonight, first things going in my bag are passports and travel documents. Without all that I won't be going anywhere! OH NO!! I just realised I haven't picked up my tickets from the travel agent!!! Bugger, I hope they are open tomorrow.. omg.
Belfie - well done on getting through a hard week! Poor X. Well done Miss A! Poor DH with the dizzies. It's weird, I had them again yesterday too, but not too bad, though in general I think I just had a case of SOTL ( poo on the liver) or the grumps then tears yesterday. I hope it passes for DH very quickly. Good that A is settled in FDC now. Well done.
Bec - when do you leave? I am so excited for you about your trip to both WA and Tz. Will you have internet access when you are away?
Not much going on here. Must be CD 11 today so guess what's going to happen at our house today? I am green with envy Chuckie, but green suits me apparently. Hope the pregnancy is going well. Hugs to Pearl.
Hello everyone else. Can you beleive we have toddlers now and not babies?
Hi ladies,
Back at work today - blah!! Hence straight on BB - really don't have a lot of work on yest so just enjoying being able to faff around and get paid for it!
Belfie - sounds like fun and games at your place - hopefully you had your Super Belfie cape handy to pop back on again - hopefully the new meds will help DH and his dizziness goes away - I guess the silver lining is you are not on crutches!
Bec- hope you are having a great time in WA or maybe you are already on the way to or in Tz?? wherever you are hopeyou and I are having a nice break.
Dory - will you have to go back on your modified bed rest when you get your BFP? How will you manage that with HB? will you go for the stitch again (I know I am jumping the gun but I am sure you have considered these things) I am already researching VBACs!! If it makes you feel any less green I am pretty sick with ms this time around - seems to be affected by what I eat which is different to last time.
AFM - as mentioned I am back at work 2 days a week from today onwards - DH works long days so he does not work Fri so he has Pearl at home I was hoping to put in a big day on a Friday and making up the reest of my hours at other times (evenings weekends etc) but I am thinking I might try to find some regular care for her one day a week as I also have other commitments and want to make sure I am not putting my preggo self under too much pressure. It is very hard to find care here though so I don't like my chances. I went to the dr on Tues and I was really looking forward to hopefully seeing a heartbeat but he is such a grumpy old man and has a crapy machine so we couldn't see it - I head off to an AGM in a bigger town next week so I demanded a referal for a dating scan and managed to get in on Wed next week so I am really looking forward to that and hoping this little bean has a nice strong heartbeat (I am really hoping to enjoy this preg and try not to be too paranoid) I can't remember how to change my sig - any tips?
Help - I can't remember how to fix my new ticker - any suggestions I reckon Belfie helped last time!
Chuckie - I'm looking at your ticker, it looks pretty good to me :) How exciting. Sorry to hear you're suffering some MS already tho :hug:.
Just popping in very quickly, I'm using borrowed internet so I have to be quick.
Isaac had his birthday party on Thursday at my sisters house, was lots of fun with all his cousins there. Lots of preparation, cooking and cleaning though! Exhausting stuff. Isaac was ok travelling, my sister lives about 600kms north east of Perth so we had a loooong couple of days driving but leaving at 5am helped because he slept for the first few hours. Good practice for the flights to Africa. We're now at my other sisters house in Perth, and I'm flying out on Tuesday to Tanzania via Dubai, Ethiopia and Kenya. Long trip but it'll be worth it.
Hi to everyone and hugs for the toddlers xx
Bec- enjoy the rest of your trip sweetie. Give that darling boy of yours a hug for me!. Glad the party went well - they are exhausting huh? GL with travel too.
Chuckie - your ticker looks pretty good... OMG 8 weeks already! I am still green tho you are too it seems. Hopefully you work out what helps keep the ms at bay. Blah for grumpy old Dr's and yay, scan in two sleeps. I think that you might enjoy this pregnancy more because you have Pearl to distract you! My only suggestion is to try to just be thankful for every moment and then before you know it, the new bub will be here. I know it's not possible to be thankful every moment, I doubnt even the dalai lama could achieve that. We are all human after all so with that comes the whole range of emotions.... but you know what I mean. GL with work.
About all that stuff? Yep have considered it all. Will be on "modified rest" but what exactly that means with a toddler will need to talk to the Obs about. He said at the post partum check with HB that it would be "different" with HB around to care for. I see the obs in mid November, just for a chat and pap. I will have the stitch again. I will have steriod shots to assist the baby's lungs to mature. I will be on high dose of iron and folate. I will likely be on low dose antibiotics from week 14. I will ask about progesterone supplements too. It's hard to know out of all the precautions I took last time, which one it was that helped, if any, or it was all of them in combination. But now having at least some success, I can't not do any one of them without doing my head in. I am really worried about the bed rest thing. There is only so much you can rest when caring for a toddler. We don't have family, or at least no a lot of them, to help out. So maybe putting HB in care for some time every day or every couple of days might be the only option. MIL said she could help, but she lives 4 hours drive away and is 70. Whilst her help would be wonderful, I can't impose. So its a huge undertaking for us to TTC again, and then be lucky enough to get a sticky bfp. But still it's something I want to do. I don't feel like our family is complete yet. Never expected to be a mum to 4+ babies tho....
I am so excited for you. I was talking to MIL about how to manage more than one, esp at dinner/bed time. She told me I would work it out and to quit worrying. LOL.
Wite - one of my friends on BB just had a baby boy and she named him Jett, and I thought of your Jett. How is he doing? How are you doing?
Buzzie, Belfie, Wite - so how do you do it? What routines worked for you when #2 came along, at least in the newborn days?
HB had her 1 year old vaccinations last week and EVERY night since has reverted to newborn sleeping patterns. Yikes. I am tired, but given I want another baby, have decided to just suck it up and get on with it. She seems ok during the day tho. Not sure if it's a reaction to the vaccinations or just something else that has coinicided. Just hoping it settles down soon - poor wee girl, she seems so very miserable during the night, waking up crying, crying in her sleep. I was also wondering if she was going through a wonder week or maybe new teeth?
Take care, even if you're reading along and not posting. I am letting HB play with her toy box in my room whilst I type. She is happily pulling stuff out and showing me. I feel like a lazy mother tho.
Hi ladies,
Dory - I hope you don't mind my nosy questions I was just wondering and figured you would have thought of all those details - just tell me to butt out if you want! Pearl is often playing happily around my feet while I type - I don't think that makes either of us a lazy mother, our bubs are learning important skills related to entertaining themselves! Thanks for your excitment - I am taking every day as a blessing and trying not to think about the realities of looking after a newborn and a toddler! At least I have learned a lot from Pearl and (hopefully) won't make any of the same mistakes, also I am very lucky that Pearl is pretty cruisy.
Bec - I hope you are having a great time and travelling such a long way with Isaac is not too much of a headache! I am sure once you have arrived you will get lots of support from your mates over there and they will all be super excited to meet him and see you again.
Belfie - great to see on fb that the meds are helping Jon somewhat - hopefully things continue to improve - this (relatively) early improvement should hopefully reassure you that you are not set for another 4 months of sickness! Great to see your little chubba moving her considerable booty around! P is still happy just to bum shuffle and pretty much refuses to stand - DH had a dream that she was still shuffling around on her bum as a teenager and he has been putting her into the walker heaps every since! lol
AFM - had my scan on Wed - burst into tears of relief when I saw the heartbeat - was mumbling something about being soo grateful - such a relief - I don't think I really realised how stressed out I was about it.
My dates were a bit confused and she adjusted them back about 2 weeks! which means I dot my BFP at about 3w 2d! Am actually pleased as I will be trying for a VBAC and I will not be allowed to be induced so more time is great (remind me of that when I am desperate to get the bub out! lol)
Pearl has been a bit sick with a mystery illness this week - waking up every night with a temp and haveing a couple of temps a day and generally been miserable - no runny nose or signs of a cold though so not sure if it has been teething etc - last night was the first night she didn't have a temp so hopefully she is on the mend. Back at work again today and not much on hence wasting time on bb!
Hi ladies!
A quick me update, sorry! I am still in Tanzania, and soooo glad I came. Everything is going amazingly with David. He just loves Isaac so much, and Isaac loves him too. It is amazing to see actually, he can make Isaac happy just by holding him. Isaac even fell asleep on him the other night, something he has never done with anyone apart from me and his nan. D has been proudly showing him off to all of his friends, and we met all of his family who live in town today so Isaac has now met his Bibi (grandmother) and Babu (grandfather), and some of his aunties, uncles and cousins. And I hate to admit but I have developed a slightly massive crush on him which is making things a little difficult for me, just need to stop and take some deep breaths and focus sometimes haha. Ooh I don't want to go home!
Hope you are all well, and congrats Chuckie, that is such fantastic news x
Bec - that is awesome that things are going so well. Keep having fun. Not sure what to do about your crush. Take the deep breaths, and move away. Crushes are intoxicating and beguiling, that's half the thrill. Give that gorgeous boy of yours a hug. Glad he got to meet his paternal family.
AFM, well I think I have a little raspberry on board. HPT's are positive. Went for bloods today and got my referral and early scan date booked. It was kinda exciting changing my gynae app to an obstetric one. Already so tired with some nausea and sore bb's. Oh and no AF too. So I am hoping this little one stays snug. It's a long road, but its exciting for now.
Bec - great to hear you're having a good time :hug: and so nice that D is loving Isaac. Can't think of any wise words about that crush... but really ditto to what Dory said.
Dory :happyforyou: that's great news :hug: I'm very pleased for you. I hope not too much nausea. So how does the management plan for this little bean look?
Chuckie - how are you doing now? Glad to hear there's another shuffler out there still lol.
AFM, well dizzy man is still dizzy (it's been a month now, and I'm expecting another month as the first meds trialled have done nothing). I was crook for 3 weeks too which really wasn't helping, but finally after two lots of AB's feeling human again. Am adjusting my supercape for maximum flair and starting to feel I can conquer the world. Annika is zooming around on all 4s now and enjoying her increased mobility. And they both still love their daycare which is a huge boon.
Dory - a thought for you, will you make some use of daycare during your PG? In retrospect with my limited mobility last year, I should have used a bit more daycare I think. I tried to be superhuman (which as you all know i have down pat har har). I'm using a bit of extra occasional care for X at present and it is really helping.
Hope all the mummas & bubbas are well xx
:happyforyou:
Just want to quickly pop in and say congrats Dory!!!! As you always say just appreciate every single day and fingers crossed for a nice strong heartbeat sooner rather than later (it always helps me relax).
Will be back for more persies later.
oh wow Dory! Congrats lovely, I am soooo happy for you, wishing you all the best x
Omg dory. !!!!! I am so so happy for u xxx
Hi to everyone else. Miss u all and hope u are all well.
Bec how did u go with David meeting Isaac? Sorry if I missed the post.
Quickly popping in to say CONGRATS Dory... fingers crossed for a strong bubba who holds on for the whole ride.
I have been checking in and reading, keeping an eye on everyone and staying up to date with your pics on fb.
George started swimming lessons last week, he held onto his daddy so very tight the first week, but last week he was better and go into it more. He isn't walking yet... we have tried everything to encourage him, but he is just too scared to let go. This kid has been cruising for over 6 months now!
Dory & Chuckie- CONGRATS!!! What exciting news, Hope everything goes smoothly for the both of you, I am so so happy for you Girls!! And kind of clucky now hahaha!!
Sorry I haven't popped in for awhile, things have jut felt so hectic lately!
Firstly, Harlow turned 1 on the 8th October, Her Birthday was great, about 50 people came and I set up a really nice table, It was a great day, My only downer was that almost everyone bought her clothes (At my request) and got her Size 2's and she is still in 0's so the clothes won't fit her anytime soon.
Harlow is running now, It drives me CRAZY! She has also mastered stairs and goes up and down them backwards, or she will hold on to me, DP or Jett and walkdown them. She is a smarty pants, too smart for her own good, I think most of you would have seen on FB what she has been up to, Putting lids on bottles, bringing the Nintendo DS and the charger over for people to connect, standing by the front door if people put on shoes, putting cat food int he dishwasher and closing the dishwasher door...hehehe.
I think she has had a reactio to her Immunisations because she had been doing my head in the past couple of days. She has been screaming, crying, carrying on, tantrums, then she had a temperature and head cold and I looked on the form and it says they are all related to Immunisation reactions, so I am going with that right now and hoping it passes soon, I want my happy baby back- and my sanity!
As for juggling a pregnancy when you have a Toddler...I don't have answers for that sorry, I have NO routine in thise house and never have, so everything has always just been "go with the flow" and fallen in to place- But once you girls are pregnant, you find your own routines and you might find it will all work out, I only got restless in the last couple of weeks when Jett become demanding and I had to get up and down every 5 minutes to get him stuff while I had pelvic pains!
I am so sorry I haven't been popping in frequently, I miss you girls and I want to be involved, but I have just felt so exhausted lately
Have i got you all on Facebook?? if not, I'd love to be friends- Sandie Patane
Hope everyone has a great weekend xoxox
Ooh sorry, Congrats to Chuckie aswell!!
I'm definitely not clucky... the newborn phase was extremely difficult for me, so I am absolutely not ready to go through all that again. I'm happy to wait :)
Don't worry Sandie, George had the same sort of reaction to the 12 month immunisations aswell. He also got a really full on cold for about 2 weeks, and then went back to his normal self. It's tough when you've just gotten used to them being a bit more easy going and then they go back to being needy and clingy.
thanks fuzzy, meeting David went really well. Isaac just loves him, and breaks into a huge smile whenever he sees him. There are some pics on my facebook, you can see how happy Isaac is with him :) We have now met Isaacs grandparents, and some of his aunties and uncles here in Tanzania, and some cute little cousins too. It's such a weird feeling to see Isaacs features in these people I have only just met!
All is going well, I extended our stay here to a month instead of two weeks so we still have about a week left. Isaac is going to be so bored when we go home, there are just so many things going on all the time! It's a crazy place, and I'm a bit worried about how I will manage to keep him entertained when we go back to our boring little town. Even going to town is exciting for him, we get the local mini buses full of people, usually with loud music and rattly doors, stopping every couple of minutes on the bumpy road with a guy yelling out of the door, and usually someone sitting next to us making conversation in broken english/swahili. I have even done the Tanzanian thing of handing my baby to another passenger so I could fit into a seat.. he started squirming so I swapped him for my hand bag. You wouldn't do that in Aus! I have a 24 hour guard at my house and also a cook/cleaner/baby minder so there is always someone else around the house or yard to keep him entertained. I have noticed he has become so much more sociable now, I don't know if its because he has met so many new people, or if its because the people here are so much more social than in Aus, or if its just an age thing.. but I have noticed he is really interested in other people, will smile a lot to get their attention then 'talk' to them and reach out to touch them. Especially kids and babies, and also Tanzanian men, strangely. He has been happily going to strangers, which has been a great break for me. People offer to hold him and look after him when I am out, especially handy at a friends wedding and also at a funeral I have just been to. When people speak in swahili he will just stop and stare at them with his mouth open, its like he can tell its a foreign language. He is loving the food, my cook is making local dishes for us every day and the fruit is so cheap.. sugar bananas (about 5 cents each), juicy mangos (50c), and fresh raspberries ($3 punnet!).. I won't be buying those when I go home, I'll go broke!!
Immunisations, Isaac had his early, a week before we left for Perth. No reactions as far as I can remember.
Developmental stuff - just doing the usual one year old things, all normal as far as I can tell! He did a funny thing a few days ago though, pulled his little friends beanie off, looked at his head a bit worried, picked up the beanie again and put it back on his friends head haha so cute.
pregnancies - hopefully all is going well for those with new bubs on the way! Oh and I think I'll be going home a few kilos heavier.. but no baby this time! Just food lol.
Wite - I have you on facebook but I don't think I have been getting your updates for ages. Will look into it and see why!
I'm noticing the differences in the way babies are raised here is so much different to back home. Won't go into it too much right now, but I just found out feeding babies cows milk from as early as newborn is not uncommon. Needless to say, I am shocked, but there are reasons. My friends 11 month old has been fed cows milk diluted with water since three months because his wife had to go back to work (normal time here, because there is no such thing as family assistance or any type of welfare payments in this country so new mums have to go back to work very early, usually just after their standard 3 months of being 'house bound'). So baby is being looked after by grandparents during the day, who obviously can't breastfeed so they give him cows milk mixed half with water. Formula is out of the question, horrendously expensive. That's a negative, and there are more, but the positives include bed sharing, baby wearing and quick responses to babies needs. I'm going to update my blog with more on the differences when I have time. I'm finding it really interesting :)
Hi ladies,
Connie - Pearl is not walking either - she doesn't even like to stand up! Loves bum shuffling and if you hold her up she will put her legs out ot be put on her bum - never seen a kid like it! George will walk when he is good and ready. Swimming lessons sounds very grown up but I guess if we were in a city we would be doing the same.
Wite - Harlow sounds like a smart little cookie - funny when they start demonstrating they understand things that are going on around them when for the longest time you assume they are clueless. The party sounds like an extraveganza!
Bec - I saw the pics of D with I on FB - they look really happy together. I think kids pick up on a biological connection. How does the accom work over there? are you renting a house? The fruit sounds fantastic - I am hanging out for stone fruit season here. Interesting your observations about diff baby rearing techniques here and there - I guess some of them are based on nessesity - like wearing babies because footpaths are not really up to pram traffic etc. Funny about the cows milk too - although my understanding is that formula is just dried cows milk (or based on it anyway) so may not be as different as we all think. You must be having such a great time and will be sad to leave just like Isaac I imagine - he will prob sleep well when you get home!
Belfie - I noticed you are measuring the months DH has been sick - so he is obviously not getting any better than? Must be bloody hard for you financially, emotionally, physically - every way really - that sucks. I hope he improves for good and soon. On the up side little Annika is such a little cutie, particularly with those pig tails - you have inspired me to try that with Pearl!
Dory - how is the little bump? Hope the first tri is treating you well. My bbs are really getting sensative with the bfeeding - still nothing compared to the vasospasm I had early on but weird for it to hurt after months of pain free feeding.
Fuzzy - hello!
AFM - All good here with the pg - up to 10 weeks now which is great 1/4 of the way there - will feel heaps better when I have my NT scan at the start of Dec - If I lived in the city I would prob book another one about now just to reassure me as Dec feels like ages away. Still got some ms but pretty mild compared to some people. Been doing heaps of overtime for work - I figure need to earn maximum cash now before I leave again - gotta pay for this house we are building - we are trying to get the mortgage down now so when this bub comes along I won't have to work as much (that's the plan anyway) Yet to tell anyone at work about being preg - am hoping all of our contracts get extended and I can claim more mat leave so keeping my mouth shut for now.
So glad everything is going well for you Chuckie! Yes I am renting a house here, much cheaper than a hotel and I get my own space, kitchen, living room etc. You're right about being able to sense the biological connection, Isaac even fell asleep on David the first night he met him. Something he has never done for anybody except for his nan and I before. It was really amazing to see. Yep I will be sad to leave, I always said I didn't want to be one of these people who falls in love with Africa, but there is just something about the place. It gets into your heart whether you want it to or not! Your comment re babywearing inspired me to write a blog about it, something I have been meaning to do for a week. So my reply to you is very long, and is here :)
Hi ladies,
Bec - cool blog - I love the pics! My experience has been the exact opposite to some of your observations!! - I think because I live in such a small town and right in town so I never use my car so the pram has become like a replacement car! I actually purchased a close baby carrier (and it cost more than my second hand pram) but Pearl hated it - ended up loaning it to my SIL and her baby loved it! Hopefully this next bub will like it! I also did quite a bit of research before buying my pram and it is really easy to manouvere and I take it everywhere - the beach (all the time) and we often walk through the golf course - I don't think I have ever been stuck somewhere that I couldn't go. As for stuff - pushing the pram means I can load my shopping or library books into it (which I do every day) and hang my handbag off it so I am pretty much hands free if I want to be. I have tried other prams and found them hard to manouver so I think I am pretty lucky. I am tossing up getting a double pram for #2 or just strapping the bub to me and leaving P in the pram so I can keep the one I have (she will be 20months when bub is born but still hates standing so I don't think she will be a great walker by then - any thoughts ladies?)
This is my fifth day straight of working and I am over it! Tired as because of this stupid cough that is keeping me awake at night - can't wait for a day off tomorrow so I can spend a bit of time with P and have a snooze when she does in the arvo.
Chuckie - that's such a shame your carrier didn't work out for you, there are so many other benefits besides convenience! Did you watch the video I linked? The one that I think must have been taken with a small camera on the babies head? Amazing. And I'm in the same position as you too, small town with no car. I choose not to have a car as I prefer to save my money so I can travel, and I'm close enough to town (20 mins walk) that I can walk everywhere I need to go, including to do my grocery shopping. I usually go to either the library, shop, park or pool every day, with Isaac on my back. If I am going to buy more than a couple of bag fulls of stuff I take a granny trolley! Don't laugh, they can be cool haha.. And wow you take your pram to the beach! Must be a super duper pram.. I think I would stick with that one instead of getting a double one, I imagine it would be very hard to find a double one as good as that. Hopefully your next bub will like being worn more than Pearl did, might save your sanity at home too, getting stuff done etc and no wasting time settling the little one to sleep. Hope you have a fantastic restful day off :)
I seem to have been lost for a while... not sure why, but haven't gotten any of the email notifications recently.
Anyway, we're back from our holiday. It went well but Hannah got sick while we were away with the flu ( poor kid had a nasal swab) and fevers on and off since.
All going ok with the pregnancy. I am exhausted and nauseated all of the time. I carry a bucket with me when I drive and have a sick bag in my nappy bag. Not had to use it yet.... FX, and FX the nausea eases soon.
Bec - I will go back over some posts and see how you've been going and then write some more.
Chuckie - GL with your early Dec scan and don't work too hard.....
hello to everyone else.
Hi ladies,
Dory - great to hear from you - I was getting a bit worried that everything was alright with you when you hadn't posted - I even tried to stalk you in the belly buddies group but couldn't find your group! That nausea sounds horrible - I have had a pretty easy time of it this time around - not sure if that is good news or not!
AFM - I decided early on only to tell people I would tell if the worst happened and last week had to take DD to the hospital because she broke out in a rash - so I was standing in the hallway talking to the nurse and a young hos worker came up behind her and listened in while I explained that I was concerned because I was preg etc. The next thing I know this young workers' mother (who runs the newsagent - small town!) is saying congratulations to me while I am buying the paper - I was pretty annoyed about the lack of confidentiality and am still considering complaining to the hospital.
Last week was horrible at our house because we all had bad bouts of gastro - I was puking for almost 24hrs and was starting to get worried about the bub but the mw let me know it would take what it needed first so it would have been fine. Feeling heaps better this week but already feeling butterflies in my tummy about the thought of the scan next friday - we are now driving the 300km each way there and back in one day adn I have moved the scan forward to 11:30am. Part of me wants it over and the other part almost doesn't want to know in case of bad news. Time seems to be flying by though and DH's family are arriving tomorrow so the time should go even faster while we are busy with them so I am sure it will be here before I know it. If I do get good news I am going to finally start feeling excited about this bub. I did get some good news this week when I learned my contract is going to be extended which means all going well I can claim my full mat leave entitlements - woo hoo!
Hi Dory, I was wondering how you are going. Hopefully the nausea doesn't last, yuck. Where did you go for your holiday?
Chuckie - Oh wow I can't believe the hospital worker did that, there has to be some kind of privacy/confidentiality thing she has broken there. I would definitely complain. Good luck for your scan x
Not much here, except I want to be back in Tanzania. I've proabably already said this but I'm looking into the possibility of subletting or getting a house sitter for 3 months then going back early next year. Lots to think about..
Chuckie - oh sweetie, gastro is just so miserable. It was hard enough before kids, and when you have to look after a turbo toddler, it makes it even harder. We all got a bout in June this year, and it was the illest I have been, not much vomiting for me, but I never have been cursed with that. But OMG, the fevers, the shakes, the delerium, the aches, the headaches, plus the squirts and the intense nausea made it a miserable time. So I feel for you all getting sick. Just glad you're on the mend. I hope all goes well with your scan, so understandable to be nervous. A long way to drive too. Hope Pearl goes OK on the trip - does she travel ok?
Bec - are you a little miserable to be back in Aus? I had forgotten about your blog and when i read it yesterday, I just fell in love with the pic of Isaaac fast asleep on your back in his ergo. H has never really loved being worn byme. She loves it with DH. It's more that she tolerates it for a while. HTough I must do it enough as the Obs receptionist said she was surprised to see H in the stroller when we went in last week. I still do it, but not as much lately. I haven't been going out much ( hehe) and also the nausea is a disincentive to wear H either on the front or back. I really don't want to wear her whilst I am vomiting, worst case, or just generally when I feel so off colour. Anyway, anyone would think I have vomiting on the brain. I think you should go back to Tz. I know that's where your heart is, and you'd regret if you didn't go. Just make sure your lease allows you to sublet. I would be worried if I was still the head leasee, because if the person who's subletting does the dirty and not pay the rent, then you are legally up for it. But maybe I am just a worrier. We went to Melb and then on to Lakes Entrance area to see my Dad for his 70th birthday. It was freezing while we were there - about 14-17 and raining and windy. Then we come back to Qld to a heat wave - by comparison - 30 degrees for about 3 weeks. We did a little touring around while we were there and went on a great cruise through the Lakes - H loved being on the boat. Then we spent a few days in Melbourne with some friends. We didn't get out and about too much - my fatigue/nausea and H was coming down with something ( which ended up being the flu, poor kid was so sick and ended up having a nasal swab which ruled out whooping cough and some others, but confirmed the flu, officially para influenza 3).
Anyway, yesterday morning was a complete parenting FAIL for me. I was uncharacteristically short tempered and frustrated with H most of the morning, though it felt like all day. From my perspective all she seemed to do was whinge, and then she didn't sleep when I so desperately needed a sleep yesterday. I spoke to her in a harsh voice about 50% of the time, and at one point I picked her up and told her she had to stay away from me for a while as I was very angry. I also wasn't very compassionate when she would fall over, and once I even swore under my breath when she did. I also broke down and cried a couple of times. So all was not right with me yesterday. Thankfully a friend was coming over in the arvo and before she came H and I had a shower together, and that in combination with the company and yummy treaties seemed to lift both our moods. Thank goodness for friends, even when they don't realise the gift they have given you - sanity. I am wondering if it's the preg hormones? That sort of mood and the crying is very out of character for me. I cried because H split water for goodness sakes. So I didn't cover myself in glory yesterday, but we got through. I just feel disappointed in myself for being so harsh and not being able to find a way through it.
We have decided to splurge and get H a trampoline ( small one on special $89 at toys r us). Our friends in Melb had one and she loved it. We figure there are swings in the parks nearby, but a trampoline can be something special for home. And a wading pool. I've just been giving her a bowl with some water in it to splash in on hot days. Saw an inflatable wading pool that can also double as a ball pit. The handy thing is it's portable and easy to store. I am worried about sharp cat claws and something inflatable though......
Oh another factor to the parenting FAIL yesterday. My friend bought me flowers, and they had lilies in them. Lily's are deadly to cats. I forgot and left them on the bench. DH saw one of the cats chomping on the lily.... so he threw out the lily. He said there were teeth marks all over them. Why do they find the things they can't have irresistable? Well the good news is that each of the cats is alive and wasn't ill during the night. Phew. I just plain forgot about how dangerous the lilys were.
Anyway, I have rambled enough, time to try and nap.
Dory - your holiday sounds like it was great. Yep, I have had days exactly like your 'fail' day, it is such an awful feeling. I think I over did the cuddles afterwards when I was back to normal again. I hope you are feeling a bit better now :hug:
Thanks, yeah I am a bit miserable being back, such a huge lifestyle chnage. I was only there for a month but I kind of got used to the socialising, volunteering and having staff at home to make things a lot easier for me. Now I'm back here, no social life except for baby related things and going to the shop, and having to do every single little thing myself again. I am exhausted, tired, lonely and bored!
I just want to write about something here, I can't write about it anywhere else as it contains info that is very private but I really need to get it out. I have had a very sad couple of days, trying to process some very upsetting news. When I was in Tz, one of the house mamas from the organisation I used to volunteer for passed away. She was also a good friend, someone I had gotten to know pretty well and loved very much. The last time I seen her was at the craft workshops I ran, about two weeks before she died. It was a mystery as to how she died, she was only 33 with three young children the youngest being only around 3 or 4 years old. Anyway, I found out the reason yesterday and I am just so upset, sorry I have to keep stopping to wipe the tears away. She was HIV+ and possibly had known for a few years. She didn't tell anybody. She didn't ask for help, she didn't take any medications and she died from stage 4, which means her HIV status had progressed to AIDS. I am finding this incredibly hard to deal with, how she lived with this knowledge but refused to seek help. It must have been so hard for her, so hard for her to accept, that she just denied it, probably in the hope it would just go away. I don't know, and we'll never know. One of the other mamas is HIV+ but hasn't told anyone apart from the volunteers who need to know (health vols), she receives medical assistance and will probably go on to live many more years. I just wonder if she had of made her status known to the others, then her close friend may still be alive today? We'll never know. My friend who was the health manager there is taking it very hard, and kind of blaming herself for not picking up any signs. But at least her children now have a safe place to stay (instead what they were living in when the organisation found them, something equivelent to a backyard shed in Aus but not quite so luxurious) and are being looked after by the close community there, they are able to continue schooling, something the older two would have had to stop in order to do something for money to support themselves. So some help has been done, but now the kids don't have a mama because of the stupid stupid stigma attached to this disease.
Oh another thing I wanted to ask about.. lately when Isaac is feeling frustrated or upset, usually if I take something away from him that he is not allowed to play with or bring him inside (he loves being outside), he will cry. I can see how he would be feeling mad, angry and frustrated that I have stopped him from the fun thing he was doing. I also know that his immature brain can't process these kinds of emotions yet as they are all so new to him. My understanding, as I see it, is that he cries because he is learning about how to deal with all these new feelings, he just can't process the strong emotion in any other way yet. So my (probably silly) question is, is this what you would call a 'tantrum'? Do you see this as 'bad behaviour' or do you try to help them through it?
What I have been doing (and please don't tell me it is wrong), it's just what I feel I should do, is to hold him and let him cry. I let him get it all out and make sure he is feeling comforted at the same time.
Bec - that is so sad about the mama... who knows if telling people would have helped, I guess you'll never know. It's such a hard thing for us to understand here in a world where we rely so much on medicines and doctors etc - but at the same time we also have illness here that people are too scared to talk about and have stupid sigmas attached to them. It's something that goes on everywhere, and is definitely a crappy situation. If there was a simple solution the world would be a much better place for us all and for our kids. I don't really have any words to make you feel better about it, it's a tragedy to lose anyone so young.
As for what you are doing when Isaac cries, I would consider that to be the 'right' thing (whatever right is). When George does that I tend to try and give him a cuddle and say 'I know you really want to do that but we have to do this now'. I then try to distract him so that he forgets about it, and he usually does pretty quickly, unless he is in a stubborn mood then it takes a little more persuading and distracting.
I wouldn't however call that a tantrum... George has only had a couple of tantrums - I feel like a tantrum is a bit more than just a bit of a cry. When George had what I called a tantrum he was on the ground crying and screaming, and when I tried to pick him up, his body was all rigged and he didn't want to be held. He just sat there flapping his arms and screaming. I think a tantrum is a bit more of an episode where they are being dramatic and trying to get your full attention and their frustration gets the better of them. I also think depending on their age, characteristics of tantrums change, obviously as they get better at communicating it probably includes more talking or yelling.
Taking a toy away just results in a little cry, which is there way of saying 'hey, I want to keep playing with that, why did you take it away?' Why is why I like to try and explain to him why I did etc. I definitely don't see it as bad behaviour, he has no other way of communicating at this point.
Thanks Connie, it's still very sad to think about. I am certain though that if she had told the health worker at the childrens village (where she lived) she would have been put on medication which would have allowed her to live longer. Thanks for your words, it is a huge tragedy.
About the crying, yes a couple of times he has collapsed himself onto the ground and cried very loudly and when I picked him up his back was arched and stiff, I think that's what I was talking about but my mind was on other things so I didn't explain properly. No arms and legs flailing though, but still a much worse cry than he has cried before.
Does anyone else use baby sign language? I'm just starting with it..
All is fine here, oh Isaac has done two wees in his potty! Poos were always easy to catch but I had never caught a wee until last week so feeling pretty happy about that :D