Babies Born ~ September 2007 #68

[Junglemum]

Morning Ladies. Long time not post. Life was a little too chaotic for a while there. Who am i kidding, it still is! I had a bit of a BB break, but wanted to pop in to see how you were all going.

Wishing all the beautiful babies a happy fourth birthday. What a shock it is to have such grown up little people eh? I know its inevitable but still, unbelievable none the less.

L and S are great, S is a bit of a handful atm. Super strong willed and defiant. A characteristic associated with the second born i wonder? Little Miss P has been a bit of a challenge. She cried a lot in the beginning. She is on Losec now for reflux and is much more settled. Not a fantastic day sleeper, but does very well over night so that's ok. Life is a little more manageable with a decent nights sleep. Only problem is the Losec is only stable for 6 weeks and then the suspension disassociates and i cant get more here?! But i'll be back in November and i can get more then if she still needs it. Lucky she is cute or i may have sold her at the local market early on.

[Trillian]

JM it's so great to hear from you! I saw L's pic on fb with her written thank you note and I was so impressed! I support your theory about defiant and strong willed second-born children LOL! Poor little Pepe though. It sucks to have a bub with reflux.

Just realised I missed a few posts on the last page!

Cally, your trip sounded like so much fun! WooHoo on the new clothes too! I loved having the excuse of prac to lash out and buy a heap of new things to wear. I really hope your sister gets her VBAC too. Did you go to Koko black? I had a few days off the net and didn't get the instructions about where to find it, but MIL brought me back some Lindsay& Edmunds chocolate from floriade so it was still a win!

G, when DH had his knees done we were still close to $3500 out of pocket because of all the additional scans and meds because of the blod clot and I knew that you could claim it on your tax if it was over a certain amount. I think it is only 20 cents in the dollar but every bit you get back helps!

Arte, how are the kids today?

HOlidays have been OK so far. decided to have a few days away from the computer and lasted from Friday night till Wednesday morning and only buckled because DH needed me to do some paperwork for him. It was a good break - I got stuck back into some cross stitch that I haven't finished so I've been sitting up till the wee hours doing that.

Got results back from two assignments and got 72% for both of them! One was a HSIE essay that I had an extension on and the other was a maths subject where we had to watch a video of a child, make an assessment of him and where he is at on the learning continuum and then say what activities we needed to do with him to help him. I think I would have gotten a better mark only my activities were a bit average. I got all the assessment part right though which I think was the more important part of the assignment anyway. So I'm really happy with that. I think I will only manage a credit pass for all the subjects this semester though which is OK.

[Ginger]

cally - we might be going on a holiday to callala beach so i was hoping it was a little closer to you oh well!

trill- you have done soooo well to get a credit. congrats! i honestly don't know how you're doing it.

cubby house is up for those who are interested- check out fb. dh put it together today

[Artechim]

G, cubby house is awesome! They will have heaps of fun in it! I love the little flower boxes out the front - are you going to put in a little herb garden or something?

Trill, nothing at all wrong with credit passes! You are doing so well xx

JM, if by strong willed and defiant you mean grizzles all the time and doesn't listen to anything she is told then I would agree it is a second child thing! A drives me a bit mental actually. She just doesn't do anything I ask - W always had a need to please but she just doesn't care. Only listens when it suits. And the grizzling! OMG, she just follows us around crying! Hoping she grows out of it really soon.
Could you get the Losec pills shipped over and grind them up?

Kids were better today so we went to the trout farm to have a look. E slept there and back, as well as while we were there! So nice to have a baby that sleeps in the car! Then at tea time A took one look at her dinner and spewed up again

[Cally]

Arte - hope A is on the mend tomorrow.

Ginger - that cubby house looks so cool. The boys will have a ball in there.

Trill - wow, that is a big effort staying away from the computer for that long. I would really struggle with that (unless I was on a tropical island.....)

[Junglemum]

Credit is good Trill. You're not far off a distinction, ya never know. :-) Since kinder, L really loves to write, she needs help though, she certainly didn't do that totally unassisted! She asks which letter comes next and sometimes she forgets how to write them, and asks me to do it on another piece of paper for her to copy.

Arte- i do have some backup pills, but apparently it's hard to give it without damaging the little 'bits'. The suspension is much more effective apparently, but the pills will be better than nothing. I really, really struggle with whinging. It drives me crazy. I really try hard not to speak to them if they whinge at me. I tell them i can't understand them. It does my freaking head in.

On the topic of whinging.... why isn't whinging a word? My spell checker doesn't recognise it. Don't they whinge in America? Only whine?

Coolest cubby G. Did it come flat packed?

Far out Cally- 4 people dying in a boating accident?! I can't believe people would be out to sea with no life jackets. So sad. You've really been getting into the fitness i noticed on FB. I need to get motivated and shed these excess kgs. I feel terrible, worst spare tyre ever.

[Cassius2]

JM, if by strong willed and defiant you mean grizzles all the time and doesn't listen to anything she is told then I would agree it is a second child thing! A drives me a bit mental actually. She just doesn't do anything I ask - W always had a need to please but she just doesn't care. Only listens when it suits. And the grizzling! OMG, she just follows us around crying! Hoping she grows out of it really soon.
Could you get the Losec pills shipped over and grind them up?

OMG, this is Marta

G: DO IT! if you can spare it, or find it, or scrape it together, I would do it! It was amazing how instant the relief was, and how i just immediately became healthy ITMS. while the tonsils were in i was just under constant onslaught and it was too hard for my body to get over it all ITMS. I can HIGHLY recommend the surgeon we used (John Kennedy based through st vincents). I'll PM you his contacts. he is fantastic and i found to be very straightforward. we paid all up $1500. but i would hazard that it might be cheaper for a child?

Cally: that is cool about the shopping trip. i am quite jealous! unfortunately i spent my first pay on the kids birthday and presents etc arghhhh! next one has to be mine

Arte: oohhhh aaahhh, spew bug! L vomited the other night and i swear (and sorry for TMI :TMI it was 3 times her body size. it was immense. turned out it was some dodgy food from frikkin kindy. was not impressed.
oohh and i LOVE those newborn smiles! i was so amazed at how Marta also started smiling at only 2 days old. it was amazing!

Trill: congratulations on the fantastic marks!!! you are going to make a great teacher

JM: welcome back to the fold babe!! argh, sorry to hear that little P has reflux . I had it as a baby and Mum reckons it was just plain un-fun for a while there . hopefully she conquers it all soon!
and you are sooo right, she is just smooshy goodness and cuteness!!!!! seeing little Ps pics makes me sooo clucky!!!!

AFM: totally destroyed by the girls' party today! DH did NOTHING to help (despite assuring me that he was going to do a BBQ as we had decided previously to get catering done). i had to cook, prepare, buy everything all by myself as well as still look after the girls and cook dinner/breakfast/lunch for everyone (DHs mum is visiting from italy on top of it all). i got really cross today when i realised that he was just drinking and eating and there i was cooking, and doing all the rest as well as watching the girls etc. then he got really drunk and passed out on the couch after everyone had left and left me to CLEAN it all up!!! (can you tell i am angry hahahahaha?!). anyway, he owes me BIG time.

the party itself was wonderful though! lovely naming ceremony for Marta. the celebrant was brilliant. i made an awesome toadstool cake and a ballerina cake for Leila. i am bummed though that there was no photo of the ballerina cake...but oh well!
the girls had a blast of a time and the other kids were wonderful. and the sun actually SHINED!!!!!! proving that miracles do happen (for those non melbourne...it has been raining and cold for a week now!).

[Ginger]

the wether definitely came out for you today cass that is brilliant. any pics? or were you too busy cooking unassisted to take photos? bl88dy dh!!! hope he has a hangover.

please please please pm me. i will call dr tomorrow.

[Cassius2]

just PMd you!

we have some pics...but they are mostly blurry and a million of the one frame lol (DH took them after too many beers).

[Cally]

Cass - it's been cold and dreary here too. Seems crazy to be into daylight savings now and still have the heating on! Glad the party went well, sounds like DH owes you big time!!!

JM - yeah, getting into the fitness thing. I took my measurements the other day and it was just scary. I knew there was a spare tyre, but hadn't realised how big it was. Yeah, the accident wasn't very good, a 10 year old and her two grandparents died and they haven't been able to find an uncle's body. There was an 11 year old that did survive. It was a pretty calm day, no-one knows why it tipped, a freak thing. But if they'd had their life jackets on, they probably all would have survived. I just get frustrated with people underestimating the power of the sea. We've already had some swimmer deaths this season, people who can't swim getting out of their depth and caught in rips.

Trill - we made it to Koko Black and had a lovely morning tea. DH still has some of a voucher to use which expires at Christmas so we have to fit another trip in before then.

[MamaPan]

So awful Cally - I remember accidents like that at the south coast as a kid... would think the last 25 yrs of education would make a difference. its a terribly sad story - I hope it leads to more life jacket wearing!
G - Callala is v pretty - jervis bay is one of my fave areas! the cubby is BEYOND awesome - lucky lucky boys! hope it gets a lot of use over the summer. I am with the others - get them out, he has had so much sickness and if you can affo5rd not to wait then I would call and get him seen/bookedin. health is something that is always worth the investment IMO.
JM - good to hear from you! i was also super impressed with the writing! Sorry P has reflux - did either S or L?
Arte - you sound so happy. Glad version 3 does seem to come with requested upgrades! I agree with the 2nd child thing. J is delightful but HARD work! he does play alone more than N though!
Trill - good on you! great results!
Cass - party sounds great. Grrrr to DH. so not on! how long is your MIL here for (and is she a help at all?)

AFM all is well. had a nice weekend. tackled the boys toys cupbiard in my 'me time' sat morning. have a whole heap tpo donate to charity - things they just dont use. have mad e anew tradirtion that at each bday the boys donate some toys after they open their gifts. i do find how much 'stuff' they get pretty crazy...
Do any of you have any strategies to deal with lying? I have found N making stuff up - nothing bad - but wondering how I teach him??? assume its a normal thing?

[Cassius2]

mmmmm koko black mmmmm.

that is sad about the boating accident, especially as the deaths could of been avoided with simple safety measures. you are right, it is mostly people just underestimating the power of the water. it may look calm, but a few heavy clothes, one random wave or a strong current...

[Artechim]

Cass, I would be spewing if DH sat around while I did everything! My DH was a great help for the kids party, I had everything planned and gave him a list and it all went so smoothly - didn't even bicker about anything!

I don't know what this koko black is that everyone is talking about!! Is it some sort of chocolate? I am a low-brow chocolate consumer anyway - like it cheap and full of sugar lol

MP, that is a good idea to donate to charity - the amount of toys gets out of control! That is why we are getting sets that can be added to - single random items just p1ss me off when it comes to storage! Re lying - W stood up at mat time at kindy the other day with some toy I had never seen and said it was his and he had found it on the floor at the supermarket.... Afterwards I called him over and talked about it and it turned out he found it next to his locker. We found the boy it belonged to (had shown it the day before) and gave it back. W was very embarrassed about it even though I kept repeating he wasn't in any trouble. Anyways, the lying has tapered off after that. Usually just about washing his hands after the toilet now. I find that if I directly say that he hasn't done it he will stick to the lie, but if I say something like "it is alright if you forgot, you can just go back and do it now" then he will admit that he didn't actually do it and go back. Then I make a point of thanking him for telling me the truth.

MD, where are you? Hope all is well xx

[MamaPan]

Thanks Arte - I found little things. some are more 'imagination' - like who he played with and what they did etc. sometimes its saying I said something or DH did... and then yesterday he pretended he did a whole game by himself - which DH had seen he didnt...
So as I said, nothing bad but wondering how I curtail it.
I like your idea of options like that he 'forgot' something. and i will def call it out and talk to him about it if i see it on (like the kindy thing).

We got a few sets we can build on too - mum bought mobilo and we are already building a duplo set. and N got some lego too. i am lucky he isnt into any of the 'branded' stuff like transformers etc yet.

[Cally]

MP - in cases like that, we sometmes ask if it was real or pretend and usually she knows its pretend. That just keeps it clear in their heads, but is still encouraging imagination.

I definitely prefer the long lasting stuff too. We have lots of really random things, usually from the IL's.

Arte - Koko Black is a chocolate shop and cafe. They sell individual chocolates as well as really good hot/iced chocolates and awesome mousse, ice cream etc.

Last day of holidays.... DH has taken K out for a swim so I have the afternoon to myself.

[Artechim]

Cally, the 'real or pretend' thing is a great idea. If something is inconsequential we sometimes ask if he is just pretending.

The other lie thing that was bothering me was W agreeing just to fit in iykwim. Like at kindy when the teacher asked the kids if they had snow at their house and heaps of kids were yelling out yes, so W did too even though we didn't have any. He was doing it quite a lot to agree with the teachers/group but we had a bit of a chat about it, saying things that weren't true when he could just say what really happened. I told him that he was a really neat person and he didn't have to be like everyone else and it seems to have stuck.

Erin seems to have the vomit bug. She has only spewed twice in her life until today - has done three full-feed chucks this afternoon and looks sad I haven't had to deal with a sick little baby before.

[Cally]

Poor little Erin, hope she feels better soon.

[Cassius2]

aw poor erin It is pretty important to keep an eye on her considering her age as she could get dehydrated pretty quickly. i'd give your midwife a bell as a heads up and ask for advice. it should pass soon though, considering she is getting the liquid gold of boob!

MP: we donated this year as part of Marta's naming ceremony as a gift to the godparents. i reckon it is a fab idea!

Cally: enough of the koko black porn talk hahahahaha! all i can think about is chocolate mousse hahahaha!