Hi Girls - Happy Valentine's Day and Happy Chinese New Year to you all, I've been down at our holiday house since Sunday so haven't been on! Well, the Year of the Ox has gone and it's now Year of the Tiger. Along with Amelia I was also born in the Year of the Ox so that was a special year for me....you know what they say girls, "strong as an ox"....I think they also say "stubborn as an ox" hmmmmmm.
Saturday night's babysitting from my nephew was great, she was very content and happy when we got home a couple of hours later. I did laugh though as he didn't change her nappy so she had the heaviest wee nappy on lol........I think he was a bit nervous about that but he fed her a bottle and burped her and played with her. He said she didn't cry at all so that's good. He's a lovel boy and not like most 17 year old boys that I know so I feel very comfortable leaving her with him. Moreso than my nearly 16 year old niece, she freaks the second Amelia drops her bottom lip!
I had a lovely Valentine's Day, Amelia has definitely softened DH, he surprised me with a gold locket bracelet much like the one mum gave Amelia when she was born and I even got a card!!!! Very exciting as he's terrible at buying cards. I was so chuffed. We then headed down to our holiday house for the night, DH had to work on the house so I went and hung out with my mum as she lives in the same town now. It's nice to be able to do that as she misses Amelia a lot, she hasn't been a nana for ages as my sisters are 10 and 7 years older than me so all the other grandids are in their late teens now. Amelia gets spoilt of course ha ha. Mum can't believe how much she's grown in the 2 weeks since she'd seen her, just goes to show how quickly they grow. How sad is it!!!
Anyway, hope you are all well, haven't had time to read everyone's posts yet so will do so and check back on later. I'm off to the city again today to see my boss as he wasn't there when I visited last time. I really can't be bothered but I've told him I would so I will.
Hugs and kisses to you all and your beautiful bubbies.
I've had a housefull of rellies from interstate so haven't been able to get on to do a decent post, been jumping onto FB a bit but it's quicker to "like" things and do short responses on there than it is to post on here...when you type as S L O W as I do! LOL
I've only checked the posts on this page so I'll only respond to then till I get back and go through all the others that I've missed...
BS Sounds like Eva's getting better with her wind problems but still not quite there yet, I hope she settles for you soon it's soooo frustrating and heartbreaking when they're like that. But Thank you again for the swing advice!!! Harry still loves it and I think it's helping get him into a better sleep routine through the day! We're not having any poo problems here although Harry does get a bit fussy before a poo sometimes and then very relaxed after. He can be fussy for up to an hour sometimes. I have heard that it's sometimes normal for them to only poo every few days but that's if it's routine like that all the time, not just on and off.
Hannah Harry likes to be rocked to sleep specially when he's having cranky time and my back was suffering! I got a glider/rocking chair which is great for when he wants to be rocked my back is so much better! I hope Amelia works out a better sleep/wake routine soon it is so exhausting and really hard to get motivated to try make a change in her routine when you're exhausted and just want to collapse. I sometimes get nauseated from lack of sleep, maybe that's what upset your stomach? I'm sure Amelia wasn't crying for too long, but you must have really needed that sleep, short as it was!
Excellent that your mum has a bit more energy now she's eating, hope your shopping trip goes well.
I can hear Harry starting to stir, he must know I'm trying to post, hopefully he gives me a little longer....
Lani Harry has rejected a dummy so far too, he does seem to be trying to get his thumb in his mouth though but still doesn't quite have enough hand control, I'm holding off trying the dummy again, I'm pretty sure the sucking would help him settle as he uses me as a human dummy a lot specially at night, if he can get his thumb in I'm happy with a thumb sucker, you can't lose a thumb, you don't have to stress if they're out of your brand at the shop, and they can put it in themselves in the middle of the night. But if he doesn't suck his thumb in a few weeks when he has worked out his hands, then I might try the dummy again.
Suzi I've been tossing up what to sleep Harry in too the last week or so, it's definitely been cooler with the rain...and OMG the RAIN! But still doesn't seem really cool in the house?? I have had Harry in a grow suit too he won't keep his arms covered and they did feel quite cool while he was sleeping so the suit keeps them warm.
Hope you didn't have any water damage or flooding? We held up ok over here.
Hope DH is ok! I don't know what happened yet but something must be up judging by BS's post, I really need to read back through the older posts!!
Kanda Hope you're doing ok, BS sounded worried I'll go back over the older posts later to see what's been up.
Alison Sounds like you had a great 's day, a card and all! He has done well!
It is very scary how fast they grow!!! One minute they're a newborn then it's like overnight they're a giggling infant, omg they're gonna be off to school before we know it!
All's been going pretty well with us, cranky time between 8pm and 11pm seems to be getting easier to deal with and not so hysterical more just fussy...now I've said that he'll probably have a shocker! Hopefully not
Hope everyone else is doing ok!
Well Harry's given me all the time he's willing to give so I'll check in again later.
Alison - Sounds like you had a nice Valentine's Day My DH has remembered every one since Craig was born, so maybe they do 'soften' when they have kids? Not that I'm complaining Sounds like you had a nice weekend at the holiday house. Hope you have a nice day visiting your Boss tomorrow.
Willow - I actually hopped on FB today to see how you were going. Good to hear you survived the rellies. Wow! Wasn't that rain amazing?! No damage here and both our rain tanks are full. Craig was facinated by the thunder, I think he thought it was fireworks. I bought 2 of the new style Bonds Wondersuits for Ryan. He's in one tonight and seems comfy. Craig was a little older by Summer, but I was still wrapping him and didn't have a fan running. So Ryan must've been cold in short sleeve no-leg onesies, unwrapped and with the fan going DH is fine, he just embarrassed himself. He went out for drinks after work on Friday and got woken up by Police in a stranger's front yard and had to ring me at 5am to come and get him.
AFM - We survived the Big W sale, but a lot of the things I wanted I couldn't find. I'm still happy with what I managed to get. Craig fell asleep sitting in the shopping trolley, but didn't chuck any tantrums. We went so well that I stopped to have a coffee at Gloria Jeans before we went home and just as I sat down with Ryan in the Baby Bjorn, he peed on me. All down the front of my cargo pants. I hoped no one would notice and just finished my coffee. Then as I got up to leave this old man smiled at us and said I was doing a great job.
BS - Did Eva continue to settle down yesterday? It could be that she has reached her next developmental leap as this happens around 12 weeks. I used to think Amelia had a problem pooing. Almost every nappy has a little poo in it...it often comes out when she sneezes or coughs. I used to worry that she never seemed to have a complete bowel movement. Now that she is so much happier, I don't worry anymore. Every few days she'll have a 'proper' poo and be a bit cranky beforehand. I don't think breastfed babies can have too little poo. If they're not pooing often its just because their body is using up all the milk and there's no waste.
I have thought about this, but I'm not ready to have Amelia in her own room yet... DH is sleeping on the spare bed in her room anyway. It was actually when we started taking her to bed with us that she started sleeping for 5-6 hours. (But read below, because I have news).
suz - I find chocolate upsets Amelia too. Around Christmas I was eating a little bit each day, but it was a few days before I noticed any effect on Amelia. I read somewhere that it can take up to 97 hours for caffeine to exit an infant's system. So having that little bit each day had a cumulative effect.
Glad you had a good shopping trip. Amelia started getting tired while we were shopping and wouldn't sleep. I did manage to pick up a few bonds wondersuits in size 0 for winter.
Alison - Looks like you've found yourself a good babysitter...you just need to train him to change nappies lol. Glad you had a great Valentine's day.
willow - How did Harry go last night? Glad he's getting easier to deal with at night. I had my rocking chair all picked out but decided against it after going to my breastfeeding class. It didn't offer enough support like they say you need in the early BFing days. Mum's hospital room had a rocking chair in it that I used to nurse Amelia in and I wish I had got one for home now. Our 5th wedding anniversary is in a couple of weeks, so maybe I can convince DH to buy it for me.
AFM - We had a complete turn around yesterday. I was up most of Monday night with Amelia. Think I managed about 3 hours sleep and 2 of those were after waking DH and giving her to him at 6am. I gave up on trying to get her to sleep. How can I expect an 11 week old to sleep if she's not tired? So I just let her go and sat up with her. It was much easier to go with her flow. From 5:30am until 2pm, Amelia had a couple of catnaps but was happily awake for most of that time. She went to sleep in her pram while Mum and I were shopping. But the whole afternoon was characterised by short feeds and short sleeps. Yesterday evening was a bit of a nightmare since she was so overtired. When DH or I managed to get her to sleep she couldn't seem to stay that way for long. DH helped me give her a bath and we put her down at 9pm. She slept until 2am, woke for a feed and went right back to sleep. She woke again at 5, 8 and 11 with sleep in between. She slept the entire time wrapped in her bassinette. It was such a welcome relief after the last few nights.
I'm hoping we can continue this. Mum suggested a 9pm bedtime rather than 7pm. She was sleeping so well from 7-11 but would be awake when DH got home from work. Hopefully, by putting her down at 9, she'll sleep until 1 or 2 in the morning and DH and I won't keep her up with our chatter. Its worth a try. DH was home last night and has tonight and tomorrow night off of work. It makes such a difference just having him home.
In other news, Mum told me that the cancer has spread to her liver and lungs. When she first told me she had cancer she told me there were smaller tumours, but led me to believe they were all in the bowel. I'm glad she told me as I now know what we're dealing with, but she hasn't told my brother yet. But her liver function has started to improve, so that's a sign that the chemo is working.
Hannah! Are you OK? That's tough news to hear, but as you said, it's good that she told you. That's great news that the chemo is working and she sounds like she's feeling better if she's able to eat and go shopping with you. We'll keep positive for you and hope she continues to improve.
The 9pm bedtime sounds like it works better for you and Amelia. The hard part is making sure that you go to bed when she does so that you get some sleep. That's roughly when I put Ryan to bed, but only because I have trouble getting Craig to bed earlier than that. Ryan also wouldn't wake before 2. Hopefully once Amelia's got the hang of it then you can move her to her own room and she'll probably sleep through the night! You won't know yourself
Hi Girls! I've been a bit slow getting on BB today.
Hi Hannah - oh my goodness are you ok, I'm so sorry to hear about your mum. I pray the chemo works for her. It really saddens me to hear stories about cancer and people suffering from it etc......why can't they find a bloomin cure!!!! Re bedtime with Amelia, I put our Amelia to bed after her last feed around 9.30 pm - sometimes it's 9.00 pm sometimes it's 10.00 pm and she is generally sleeping through until 4.00 am - she was doing 10 hours nights but she's reverted back to 6 the last few. Give it a go, hope it works for you, it makes a big difference when they sleep for longer. You'll get there mate, you're doing really great. It's hard having a bub, Amelia's been quite grizzly when she's tired, gets to me a bit as I'm not used to it but I give her a cuddle and her eyes close and all is well.
AFM - I spent all morning what I thought was burning all my belly pics and pics of Amelia (and there's a lot of them) onto disc so I could get them printed at the shop, I want to start doing my pregnancy album and Amelia's baby album which I'm going to scrapbook and I got all the way to the shop and the friggin disc was empty, it didn't work! Was so p'd off! So have to do it all again and go back another day. grrrrr. Guess I should've checked it properly before I left. I went to the OT today as well, Amelia arked up while I was there - typical so the receptionist had to do bog laps up and down the hallway to keep her quiet ha ha - she was due for a sleep so bad timing I guess.
Is anyone else noticing their bubs are sucking on their hands? Amelia constantly has her hands in her mouth and drools everywhere lol. She's also lifting up her dresses when she wears them ha ha - obviously finding her hands work!
Best run, got a few things to do before preparing dinner. Sorry for no persies, will check back on later. Hope you and your lovely bubbies are all well. xx
Oh Hannah, I'm sorry to hear that. Brilliant that the chemo is working tho. My fingers are crossed for her and thats great that Amelia had a better night, oh I hope it continues for you.
Suz - poo, I wanted to go to BigW sale too. Apparently Babies R Us had a good sale on too...just realised yesterday and that was the last day. Typical!! Oh dear, thats happened to me too. He was mega cranky at the shopping centre so I was carrying him everywhere...next thing I knew I had a gigantic wet patch on my top and dribbling down my pants! Hehe!
Willow - welcome back! I totally understand how its quicker to hop on facebook! I seem to take an eternity to write a post on BB!
Alison - thats cool you and Amelia were both born in the same chinese year. I have heard its good to be an Ox tho, isn't it? Glad your bday party went well, and you had a lovely time with your mum.
AFM - had a lovely lunch with my Mothers Group today. We decided to meet ourselves since this week was our last session for a while. We're going to meet every Monday at a cafe. Plus some of us (including me) are going to go to Koala Kids (like a playgroup) on a Friday morning together. So, that will be nice. Thats if they'll take us all at once! We shall have to see. I'm putting Michael's name down at our first preference for school now too...stupid that you have to do it so early.
Umm...not much else to report really. OH! Silly me... We slept Michael in his cot in his own room for the first time last night. He went quite well. 7pm-5.30am. Tho of course, I was waking up just as often as if he were in our room anyway! I couldn't sleep from 4.30 onwards cos I was expecting him to start stirring. Hopefully I'll relax tonight!
Oh Hannah, I am so sorry about your mother I don't even know what to say. Good idea on the later bedtime...here's hoping that works! I also noticed that Eva sleeps later with a later bedtim but strangely wakes up more often, so I stick to the 7/730pm and sometimes she is up around 11 for a feed but most night goes until 2or 3 am these days...I found that when I put her into bed at 9 she is almsot always up at 12...but every baby is different..Maybe going out for a daily walk is good for her too? It should also help you clear your head and get soem fresh air. Keep us posted! I really hope this is what will help!
Suz, lol on ryan peeing! How does he leak so bad? I almost never get leaks with Eva...I have gotten two when I did nto change her at her 3am feed since she was too sleepy, so now change her every time...You poor thing, sitting there having your coffee covered in pee - I guess boys have more directional pee that the nappies can't always handle! You're right to have stayed for your coffee, you deserve it And what's alittle pee these days? I spend my days covered in spit up, vomit, poo (not as often as I'd like...lol), drool etc...I don't even bother with nice clothes anymore!
Alison, not sure if you saw my last fb pics, but yes! Eva has her hands in her mouth and won't even take a dummy anymore except for to sleep! She can't seem to work out how to separate her fingers though to get one in her mouth so just does a lot of fist sucking and drooling! She also has been grabbing things...I have these little cloths that I keep around the house (like soft burping cloths) and she has taken to gripping them and keeping them on her lap in her high chair or swing and putting it in her mouth or just rubbing it. It is cute, and I am ficusing a lot on playing with her hands, giving her textures to touch, letting her touch my face (just have to be careful since sometimes you get a jerky punch in the eye or the glasses get thrown of my face!) etc...I bought her a few new crackly plush toys so she can touch things that make noise and make sure she spends a lot of time on her little playmat...Today she played peek a boo - it was so cute. We have asort of little wrap we put her in in her high chair, and she managed to get her face in the hood and kept doing it and cracking up whenever she got her head out. I made a video but of course once she saw me coming she was a lot less funny I can see the golden days of baby hood coming - she is so much more aware and receptive. Another cute thing to do is to put amelia on her changing table and make noises...I find that eva copies us...I stick out my tongue and she does, I gurgle and she does, I go brrrr, and she does and you can actually see them trying to figure out how to make the noises I am falling more in love every day with her cuteness! She has full converstaions with me too, so I talk to her and ask about her day and she just goos and gaas and oohs and aahs back to me as if she is having a real conversation! I am preparing her for mother daughter tea time later I have not put her in dresses lately but I should try to see if she will lift them! She has just gone up a size to 3-6 months clothing so the dresses in that size are a bit too large and for warmer weather, but I'll try to put her in one and see if she lifts it
Beany, congrats on the big step! I was the same the first few nights I kept waking up and laying there then sneaking over to check on her! Eventually you'll be able to sleep and you'll wake up as soon as he cries. DH is always so surprised at how quick I jump out of bed and am in her room. I don't know how - I can be exhausted and she cries and I'mm like in super mode...lol...I also had to sign eva up for her dayscare when I was still pregnant! The daycares and schools want to reserve the place since they don't want to have too many babies at once...that's what they told me. And she is going to a really good school so space is limited and I had to sign up and pay a deposit when I was still 5 or 6 months pregnant!
AFM - after a few days of eva crying all day with gas, I was dead yesterday. I pumped a bottle of milk and told DH to do her 7ish and 12ish feeds so I can sleep. She did not wake up for her midnight feed and slept through to 2am and of course I woke up but stayed in bed since DH went staright to her but then she was crying a bit (I guess she does not like the bottle as much as boob at night - goes to show that eventually it will drop off since it is probably a comfort feed) and I could not just lay there so I got up! DH is so sweet - he was like go back to bed...but I know he works early in the AM so I just took over...Anyway she needed an extra go at the breat after the bottle before falling asleep. This morning she was def easier - had her 6 am feed then slept through to 930 and I fed and changed her then brought her back to my bed and we napped through until 1130. I needed that - I am exhausted and carrying her on my shoulders for days has taken a toll on me physically!
It is incredible how adorable and well adjusted and giggly she is and then bam, she starts screamin gin pain. I cannot wait for this to end! She is three months on Friday! Time flies so fast!!!! But then I realized that since she was 3 weeks early this might not all end until around 4 months... that this ends soon and I can have a baby not in pain.
I feel really down so have decided to try to invite friends who have recently had babies over for lunches. That way I won't be bothering them if I breastfeed or if my baby cries...and I can talk to them and they will understand. DH is so supportive and keeps telling me how great I am but I don't feel so great. I just can't wait until I get slightly back to myself physically and mentally. I am really avoiding people which is a problem so I am trying to force myself to invite people I feel good with over to get myself back into reality...
Off to shower while baby naps...She is gassy again this morning, but I hear lots of gurgles so am hoping for a poo day...I never thought my well being and happiness would be so centered around baby poo!
's day, a card and all!
He has done well!
My DH has remembered every one since Craig was born, so maybe they do 'soften' when they have kids? Not that I'm complaining 
That's tough news to hear, but as you said, it's good that she told you. That's great news that the chemo is working and she sounds like she's feeling better if she's able to eat and go shopping with you. We'll keep positive for you and hope she continues to improve.
I have not put her in dresses lately but I should try to see if she will lift them! She has just gone up a size to 3-6 months clothing so the dresses in that size are a bit too large and for warmer weather, but I'll try to put her in one and see if she lifts it 
that this ends soon and I can have a baby not in pain.
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