Babies Born ~ September 2007 #68

[Artechim]

Happy Birthday Noah!! Hope he had a great day (and managed to talk someone into a helicopter ride over the volcano!)

MD, how was your trip? Did you have time to catch up with any old friends or was it a flying visit?

I rested up yesterday So far 3 hasn't been a problem, but E slept for most of the day. We have taken the opportunity to outright bribe W to go to sleep by himself - DH told him if he does it for 3 nights in a row he gets to choose a present. He did it last night and tonight with no problems, so hopefully it will continue. A is also sleeping much better. It took a hard month of leaving her to cry, but now when she wakes we only need to put her back in bed and she is fine. So nice to have them both sleeping so well for once!. Hopefully it continues.

Thanks for all the lovely comments about Erin. I thought she looked a bit like a spud lol. She is cuter today now that her face isn't so puffy.

[Trillian]

LOL Arte! They all look a bit worse for wear at first! But she is just divine. I think she will be a lot like A - she has the same cute chubby cheeks. How has W been with asking about the birth? I was wondering if you would let him in while you birthed because I reckon he'd have loads of questions about it if you did. And I know you rested yesterday, but promise me you will take every single opportunity you can to rest up OK?

[AnyDream]

Happy belated birthdays to Katie and Noah! I hope fun was had by all because being FOUR is fabulous!

Arte, E is just sooo beautiful. I hope you're resting up and looking after yourself my dear. Will DH be taking some time off work? I don't know if you've seen my last post in the previous thread, you must've already been in labour by then, lucky you didn't keep your legs crossed! I was lining up to board the plane when my phone beeped, so good timing LOL.

BTW I thought someone did predict Tuesday as the big day? Who was that?

And now, we're all waiting for Ella to have her bub, that can't be too far away...?

Trill, I think Chewy's getting a bit of feline fan club in this thread. LOL BTW I didn't comment on the Naplan results (excellent! you must be so proud) but I'm waiting with bated breath to see what H's will be like as she has had some very adverse marks recently. She told me on the weekend she had failed an assignment (!) and then she got her results for the UNSW writing comp (which she'd got a distinction in a few years back) and she was under the 10th percentile (!!!!). So there was a long conversation about her tendency to tell herself what a lot of work she's done and what a hero she is for doing it without asking herself hard questions like, Is this good enough? and How could I make this better? Anyway I'm hoping the juxtaposition of these events within the same week or so will be enough to give her a good hard reality check so she knuckles under in time for high school.

Ginger, I totally agree, you have the weigh up the benefit vs the cost, and that additional stress load you get when thinks aren't really workable just isn't worth it IMO.

Cass, how are the convalescents going?

Trip back to Canberra was fantastic, it was for work but I organised to travel a little earlier and hired a car so I could catch up with a few friends. It was unexpectedly a very emotional trip for me. In the last couple of years there I was in such a low place for a long time and my world had shrunk down to such a small and dark little place, it was absolutely amazing to revisit the scene of my misery with such a changed sense of self and a much larger enjoyment of life.

[Trillian]

I'm glad that the trip was cathartic for you hun When you think about how far you've come in that time it is pretty mindblowing so it's no wonder the contrast was so stark for you.

I probably shouldn't get wrapped up too much in the Naplan either, but the school does use it as part of their overall assessment of the kids so it's good to know that they managed to get it right on the day kwim? Speaking of the Uni comps, both L and E went in them this year and L was at his usual range getting credits for them, but he actually managed to get a Distinction for English. He was just so pleased with himself! He has been aiming for a distinction for ages. E on the other hand only got 15 questions right for her English test and DH and I *know* she could have done better so we did have a talk to her about that. But then this is the first year she has ever done any formal examinations so we weren't really expecting much ITMS. It does go to show though that any exam is only a snapshot of how they are on that particular day. I know they carry no weight towards school performance and assessment, but I really like that they help the kids get used to formal exams and how to handle them and manage their time. I think the kids who don't ever do these exams would get to high school and then have no idea how to handle them.

[Cassius2]

Cass, how are the convalescents going?

Trip back to Canberra was fantastic, it was for work but I organised to travel a little earlier and hired a car so I could catch up with a few friends. It was unexpectedly a very emotional trip for me. In the last couple of years there I was in such a low place for a long time and my world had shrunk down to such a small and dark little place, it was absolutely amazing to revisit the scene of my misery with such a changed sense of self and a much larger enjoyment of life.

the kidlets are doing much better. Marta is a bit under the weather (i thought that she was ok, but has a temp and runny nose now ). Leila is back on top i am still sick sick sick . off to the TCM soon though as obviously my immune system is just shot to pieces. i need more help than a healthy diet and supplements me thinks to kick it well and good.

Man, your post about Canberra is something that i could of written word for word. That place became so dark and lonely for me in the last 12-18 months that we were there. to a degree that i dont think i fully appreciated until i went back recently (after having applied for a few positions etc). walking around the canberra centre and visiting my friends made me realise just how sad and broken i was in the end, and TBH it was sooo good to come back home and realise that i dont have to go back . bit of a shame on one hand as the work there is good etc., but yeah, more to life than that in all honesty!

[AnyDream]

So, Cass, when exactly were you there? Our calibration musta been out, as two displaced kindred spirits wandering around, we never managed to find each other!

[Trillian]

Cass, that just seems to be the nature of the lurgies this season. When I was doing prac there were kids there that were onto their 2nd, 3rd and 4th bouts of illness. Even A seemed to get better then got crook again. It's been totally cruddy for anyone who's gotten sick this year. I hope the TCM helps you out though

[Isadora]

Awww Arte, I am so happy for you, what a beautiful baby E is. Huge congratulations to you and your family. Just had a little laugh to myself imagining the questions from W if he had of been there to witness the birth hehehe. You did so well to birth naturally at home, she was a decent size thats for sure. Was it just you and your DH or did you have a midwife?

Cass, you poor thing I really hope you get better fast!!

[Cassius2]

Trill: yeah i think that this is what has happened with Marta and I. we both were feeling marginally better, but then the lurgy decided to move spots and go to the chest . thankfully it is starting to clear up for both of us, but Ms cough is still a bit of a worry...

Isa: thanks babe . One thing that i have learnt recently is: it sucks being sick when you have kids! there are no real naps or "time off". especially if they are sick and are up all night. i found that the hardest, with being so ill and having to get up 8 times to BF and comfort and change sheets (leila had the runs and vomits too.....eewwwwww!).

MD: yep, I think Canberra has that capacity to help people lose themselves, so no suprise that we never met (and that i never met MP!!! we lived one street away and there were times that we walked straight past eachother...i now remember her as she also had a bugaboo and they were as rare as hens teeth back then lol).
I was there from June 2004 to Jan 2008. what about you?

[AnyDream]

Cass I was there from Jan 2004 to Dec 2008 - I think you hooked into Sept mummas just after you left? I remember when the penny dropped that you and MP had been strolling around the same burb with your prams LOL. Very Canberra-esque. Don't get me wrong, there were a lot of things I really loved about the place, and in our early days there I remember a friend telling me how isolated she'd felt and how glad she was to leave, and I thought naaaaw that'll never happen to me, there's so much going on here...(!). Have you ever talked about that experience with your friends who are still there?

BTW big s - you sound like you're still a bit traumatized from being sick when everyone else was so ill as well.

[Ginger]

you girls have totally put me off ever living in canberra! LOL

my dh is back in adaminaby on a bucks weekend. thank god i didn't have to go! lol

was supposed to meet up with some of the boys' friends at the park but they have to cancel as they have nits!!!! we saw them on monday, tuesday and thursday. should i be worried?

[AnyDream]

Be alert not alarmed Ginger.

The nitty little sods camoflage really well so it might be a good idea to slop some white conditioner through their hair in the bath and do a quick comb-through with a nit-comb, wipe it onto a white tissue/paper towel and then if you find any of the little blighters or the eggs (they look like tiny oval tubey things) then treat them. I've found that it's best to use a cheap slightly translucent conditioner for this so you can see the lice/nits better.

[Cassius2]

yep, alert, not alarmed in this case lol. all our neighbours' kids have had it and we had numerous playdates during that time (when they thought they were gone!) and thankfully we avoided getting them.

MD: see, i never really felt the love of the place. i made some truly beautiful and life-long friends there which is kinda funny that i had to go to hell to find them . i also got some cool opportunities to travel to Tonga and around Australia presenting my work and talking at some very cool diplomatic conferences etc. so from that perspective it was cool. but it was the soul of the place that i couldnt balance. it wasnt the right kind of fit i guess. I have spoken to my dearest friend who has made the committment to live there forever (!) despite not actually liking the place, as, similar to me, she has made great friends and the work opportunities and experiences are phenomenal, but TBH i think most of my friends are in protection mode because they have made the committment and there is also ALOT of canberra-bashing that can go on IYKWIM. and i dont want to be part of that crowd as there are bits that i do miss (like the ease of getting around, the wildlife at your doorstep (kangaroos, ****atoos, emus!). i do miss that. i also miss the 3 min drive to the lake at yarralumla and watching my dog go for glorious swims and then meandering up to the nursery and cafe and all of us chowing down on something yummy (dog included! doggy menus!).

AFM: leila is back on track for good now i reckon! she is off to dancing today . however we were literally up alllll night looooonnnggg with Marta who has an ear infection . DH took her to the GP this morning and yep, sure enough, nice and infected....waaaahhhh! when will it end??!! poor poppet! and now i have to try to get ABs down her throat (so different to Leila who loves all kinds of medicine lol)

[Cally]

Clare - oh, I love that nursery and cafe, it's just down the road from my parents place (Deakin). Miss K is quite a medicine fan, she's constantly asking for some which does make it very easy when she needs it.

Looking forward to the weekend. 4 day week next week, then a week off - YAY!!

[Artechim]

I have heard Canberra described as the city with no soul.

Cass, glad L is better, hope you and M are better soon xx

Isa, we had a midwife - homebirth is quite common here

MD, DH has a couple of weeks off. We are thinking of him going in until lunchtime to stretch it out longer since I am out for the morning most days anyway.

Typing one handed. I love holding newborn babies!

I have barely slept since Monday Apparently squeezing a 4.5kg kid out of you can cause problems with pelvis ligaments and trying to sleep is torture! MD, you are my hero - I don't know how you lived like this for so long when you were pregnant. Laying in any position aches, moving hurts. Thankfully it has eased off during the day but I seize up when I try to sleep.

[Trillian]

Arte, have you tried sleeping with a pillow between your legs? I never had any problems after A's birth thankfully (remembering he was over 10lb too), but before he was born, sleeping was a PITA and having a pillow between my legs really helped with the pelvis problems. Maybe ask your midwife if she has any suggestions to help you or a physio or something?

[AnyDream]

Arte I'm sorry you're in such pain. If it's your fanny bone you can try icing it (hmm, I was never much of a fan of that) but you should ask to see a physio if possible because a support belt and some exercises at this stage could help. Also, speak to the middies about what pain relief is appropriate - not ideal to be popping pills, I know, but you need sleep in order to heal and to function. Definitely try to sleep with pillows either under your knees if you're a back sleeper or between your legs if you're a side sleeper. And BRACE your tummy muscles AND your pelvic floor whenever you go to roll over, get up, sit down, pick up E, etc. The bracing is what will help the most. xxx (I don't know how I lived like that for so long either ).

[Artechim]

LOL, MD - icing the fanny bone conjured up an interesting picture (I have been in cake mode for the past few weeks!)

I think it is getting better. The midwife gave me some panadiene and they helped last night and even after they ran out I was still able to move which is an improvement.

Erin is settling in really well. She seems to have day and night mixed up and was awake until 3am last night (and up at 5am!!) but is sleeping a fair bit during the day. She looks very similar to W as a newborn. Might attempt to get a photo with all three kids today - wish me luck!