Babies born~December 1st-15th 2009 # 4

Hi girls,

Brrr, it's a chilly old day in Sydney today. Luckily Donna Hay's store is right next to playgroup so I could duck in and get some of her AMAZING macaroons to splurge on. :)

How is everyone?

Beany - you poor thing with the virus. Touch wood Michael doesn't get it. And as for him crying at the gymbaroo thingo, I think that's normal at first. It may take him a few goes before he gets used to the idea? I've been taking Jack to playgroup, where we sing songs (very cute), since he was two months and I think it's awesome for the kids if you can keep it up. But, if it really upsets him, then I wouldn't worry. THere's plenty of time for interaction. What's he like going to other people now? Is he a shy baby?

Suz - glad to hear you're on the mend. And good to hear Ryan didn't catch anything. It's great to think he likes all of his foods. Do you think that he's old enough so that Craig makes an impression on him? Does he interact with him? Sometimes I think it would be so nice if Jack had a brother or sister to play with...

Alison - I must have missed your post about TTC again. That's brilliant! Are you going to chart and all of that?

Everyone else - I hope you and your beautiful bubs are well.

ATM - Trying to sort out a nanny to mind Jack for a six-week period from late August to October. I need to go back to one of the magazine houses for three days a week to cover someone while they go on annual leave. I've got a few people in mind (through a nanny agency) but I need to lock them down. I also need to get them in so that Jack can become familiar with them - he's such a mumma's boy these days and I'm really worried about how he'll cope. He's also still breast-fed so I don't know how that will go; I'm not sure I'll have enough to express. I'm actually thinking about driving home on my lunch break to feed him seeing that it's only 15 minutes away. We'll see.

I started talking to a counsellor online about my issues with DH, but it's starting to get a bit weird. All of a sudden this woman is saying things like "Love yourself and love the universe, blah, blah, blah". She's not addressing anything I'm saying anymore, rather, she's starting to use all of this "love yourself" stuff. Which, I have to say, is usually fine with me. I do think you need to love yourself before you can love others. Got it. But I don't think that you can just talk about that, I think you need to talk about the actual issues. And she's not. So, I think I'm going to give her one more try before I bump her and find someone else.

I watched this show on SBS last night about giving birth (anyone else see it?) and it made me cry. It all came rushing back, that incredible pain, those special first moments seeing your baby. And then I thought, I can't have another baby until I get things sorted with DH. And, there's a chance I may never get to have one again if we split. It scares me to think like that. I mean, if we split, I'd love to think that I could find someone else. But, does any bloke really want a woman who has already been married, and has a baby?! Not really, is my guess. I'm trying to stay positive, and think that everything will work out, but I do have moments where I become very scared.

I'm frightened of being alone and single again - this time with a young child. I'm scared of not being able to support myself properly, seeing that I can't go back to work full-time. I'm petrified of not being able to find love again. But I think about these things all of the time.


Thanks for listening to me go on about all of that, girls. I find it so nice that I can voice my thoughts to a bunch of intelligent, caring girls who offer such great advice. I'm still too scared to tell anyone about it in person. But I have decided to give the relationship another six months. That's enough time to think things through.

Hi girls, I haven't read back to catch up yet and Harry's going to crack it soon, but I just wanted to to do a quick post that's positive for once:rolleyes::lol:

Harry started crawling on Wednesday, he was funny though he's pretty lazy, he knew he could crawl to us and be picked up, but, he'd really rather you went to him, so the whole time he was crawling to us he'd be crying:lol: Last night it finally clicked and he worked out he could crawl and get to whatever he wanted and can now after 2 days crawl with out crying:p

Beany I saw on FB Michael is crawling too:dance: ...and I know what you mean about them not being little babies any more! :( growing up too fast!!

Carmey I did catch the end of your post too, try not to think that way, Harry is my 3rd baby and he came about from a new relationship. I actually thought I was finished having babies and then 16years later..Hello Harry! So you just never know, you may sort things out with DH, or you may end up going a different way and that's not always a bad thing, I'm sure Jack won't have to be your last baby whatever happens:hug:

Hi everyone:hello: will get back later to do proper persies xx

Carmey, Lani and Kanda!!! omg girls:hug::hug::hug::hug:

Hi Girls!

Hi Beany - sorry you're not feeling well, hope you get better soon. I had a sore throat a week ago and thought I was getting another cold and was so worried about passing it onto Amelia but mine passed really quickly and she was fine. It's really hard to completely avoid them isn't it, I struggled not to kiss Amelia that day! Don't worry about Michael not liking Gymbaroo yet, it was probably very loud for him, it might just take him a couple of goes to get used to it. It can be overwhelming and he might just be a quiet little guy, nothing wrong with that. This day and age they're far too confident and opinionated, personally I think it's nice to know there might be a lovely little sweet boy in the mix....bags him for Amelia's boyfriend ha ha. Hope to catch up again soon. Oh and yay for him crawling, wow, soooo impressive! xx

Hi Carmey - you are such a wonderful person, you are thinking realistically and I like it. I really hope you can work things out with DH but just know that you can do it on your own if you have to, and technically you won't be on your own anyway, you have friends all around you to help you through it. And hello, who wouldn't want a gorgeous girl like you with such a cutie pie little man, there's lots of wonderful guys out there who would kill for a partner like you. I know a guy who would jump at the chance but he lives in Perth, you'll have to move over here lol. That counsellor sounds a bit airy fairy, I agree with you on the "loving yourself" thing but that's not giving you any help/answers on how to move forward is it. I'd be considering speaking to someone else as well. I have to admit sometimes I hear myself in you, I've never got over my ex and I just don't feel like I love DH as much as I ever loved him - not that I tell ANYONE this - but he is a wonderful dad and treats me well, I just have that "lovey" thing missing, he struggles to express himself, I know he loves me but I'd really like to hear it sometimes - it's all how he was brought up. There are days I find myself looking at him thinking, I just don't feel it like I did with my ex, but there's other days when I look at him and then Amelia and think, wow, I wouldn't have my beautiful daughter if it wasn't for him. Sounds horrible doesn't it, I do love him, I just don't feel that immense love that I had with my last partner....I hate saying that but it's just true and I'm so glad I can be open with you guys like that. I feel guilty as DH is so good to me, I shouldn't say things like that should I! It's hard isn't it, but you do what you feel is right for you and Jack, no point being miserable and I'm not miserable, I just need to get past the fact that my fairytale relationship from the past no longer exists! Can't have it all I guess! Like Willow said, don't give up hope though, I thought I was destined to never marry and have children when I broke up with my last partner after 7 years at the age of 29 but 2 years later I met DH and look at me now, of course everything has happened later in life than I would've liked but things happen for a reason, I strongly believe that.

Hi Willow - how are you beautiful? Harry well?

Hi Kanda, Lani, Rose, BS......hope you and your beautiful bubbas are all well.

AFM - Amelia is 8 months old today, where on earth has that time gone!!! Had her health check today and she's in the 90th for height and weight, 71 cms long and 9.4 kgs....I thought maybe it meant she was overweight but the nurse said because she's tall her weight is in proportion. Funnily enough she's on in the 25th percentile for her head circumference, at least it means she hasn't inherited the Polish noggen ha ha. She said she is doing well developmentally, I told her she's not crawling yet and she said not to worry, babies will do it between 7 and 10 months, she said normally she wouldn't see her again until she's 18 months old but I'll go back at 10 months as she'd like to see how she's getting on. I worried about that at first but then thought that was being silly, she did say she's not far off it as she's lifting her leg to the side, I just need to give her more free nappy time, she's always got pants on and on the play mat which is slippery, that wouldn't be helping. Not to mention the fact that when I put her on her feet she wants to jump (Jolly Jumper)......so the nurse said to stop using that for a bit until she learns to bare her weight on her feet. ha ha...........always something isn't there!

Well, gotta run, DH is out getting takeaway for dinner, now that I've said all those things I feel bad, I'm not unhappy, I just thought I'd share my thoughts. I swear the movies give false advertising for romance ha ha.....The Notebook, my favourite movie but how disappointing when it doesn't happen in life ha ha ha - although I think I had it once but look what happened, it fizzogged out!!!!

Ok lets see how much I can get through before Harry calls...

Firstly in my previous post I was only referring to my posts of late being negative, I feel like I've done a lot of complaining about no sleep, in laws etc etc so thought it would be a nice change to just try to keep it positive.

Hi Alison I'm well thanks :D Harry's well also apart from teething he's got five teeth through now 2 of them just today, and he suffered quite a bit with them poor bubba.
Don't worry about Amelia not crawling yet they all do stuff in their own time, if at all some babies don't crawl just skip it and walk, DS1 crawled for a day or two then pulled himself up to the table and within a blink of an eye he was walking at 9 months!
As for how you feel with DH, don't feel bad, I don't think the way you feel about one partner is ever the same as another, and obviously it was a fairy tale that came to an end for a reason, so that big swooney in love feeling doesn't always make for a good long lasting relationship.

Hi Suzi Glad you're feeling better now! It was a bummer that Harry going into his own room wasn't a success, he's back in with us now and I've moved the cot in but taken the drop side off so it's right up against the bed, and, so far so good, I so hope saying that doesn't jinx things! He still ends up snuggled next to me for a good part of the night, mostly because I feed him laying down and usually fall asleep so don't move him back to the cot until I wake up, or sometimes until he wakes for his next feed he knows if he attaches to the same side and pulls off and on again until I swap him to the other side, so it's not just comfort sucking he seems to want the milk otherwise I would have thought he'd be happy with whatever side he was at:dunno: maybe
Hope everyone at your place are feeling better soon!

Hi Carmey I'm sorry you had that scare with Jack! That would have been absolutely terrifying!!
I understand the "love yourself" thing too, but like you said it seems she might be missing the issue a bit and wanting to leave it completely up to the universe, which may work for some, but sometimes trusting and loving the universe is just not proactive enough. I hope you get things sorted out soon:hug: ...with or without the help of the universe.

Hi BS Loving your pics on FB Eva is such a character, just gorgeous looks like you're all doing well and had a great holiday. Is Eva crawling yet? Or did you already post on that and I missed it?? Sorry if I did, she was well on her way last I remember.

Hi Lani I'm sorry you've had a rough time with allergies too! It must be so hard and good on him for being such a brave little guy with all the scratch tests :( omg the formula!$$$ Will you be definitely putting him onto it or will you be trying to persist with BF? (sorry if you already said I'm reading post quickly trying to catch up and my speed reading really isn't up to scratch!) It must be hard eliminating all the stuff from your diet, I found it hard enough just eliminating sugar and yeast! I really feel for you.Forgive me again if I'm asking a stupid question, or one you've already answered before, but was the constipation a result of the allergies? (derr I'm sure it was) was it the milk? Poor little guy Harry was constipated for 3 days and when he finally pooed he screamed with pain I think it tore him a little, but I can't imagine how Jett must've suffered to be in hospital and twice!:hug:

Hi Kanda Sorry for your scary stuff too! It is the worst feeling when your babies are that sick in hospital, I remember with DS1, he was in a few times with asthma you feel so helpless and it really is scary.:hug:

Hi Rose How's things with you? Liam still on the awesome sleep schedule?:D Hope you're feeling better within yourself too with the extra sleep now!? I hope it helps things a little anyway.

Hi Kawa Hope everyone's well with you guys now too. I see on FB you seem to be doing well with the business, that's good to see!

Hi Hannah How are you going? Is the self settling still happening? Hope you're still enjoying work, has day care started yet? If so how's it going?

Hi Tilda Bummer you have to move from Bondi seeing as you like it so much, but I'm sure you'll meet more people wherever you end up. have you settled on Balmain now? Do you know when you'll be moving? Harry seems to have slightly improved in the sleep department as of last night (oh please don't jinx it!) and even had a couple of decent day sleeps...WITHOUT me having to hold him, (again I hope I don't jinx it by saying it!!!) How about Matilda? Did you try with Karitane again?

Hi Beany Don't stress too much about Michael not loving Gymbaroo, he's been having teething trouble too hasn't he? Harry didn't enjoy much the last week or too with teething, even things he usually loves, maybe it just wasn't a good day for him. Will you give it another go? Maybe when he's not so fussy with his teeth he might like it? Or maybe he's just not a Gymbaroo baby, it doesn't mean he's destined to be shy or anxious. I suffer with anxiety myself, it's not nice! I was PAINFULLY shy as a kid, I still am now around people I don't know and I don't do well in large groups even when I know everyone. I never did any activities like that with DS1 or 2 and they're both pretty confident boys, DS1 is quiet and a bit shy but it doesn't stop him in anyway! He's an excellent sportsman gets along with everyone has lots of friends, did great at school, he works in a local shop and closes the store 3 or 4 nights a week which means he's in charge of the other staff there then, and he trains new staff when they start at the shop too. He's got a place waiting at uni for him, which he deferred for 12 months, and will take up next year. I'm sure Michael will be fine!!!! ( he does share the same name with my DS1 too;))
Hope you feel better soon!

AFM Harry is crawling, as I mentioned in my previous post, he has 5 teeth through now 2 just broke through today hopefully we'll get a break from teething as soon as the final bottom one cuts. He's very vocal now too saying mama and bubba, no dada as yet, but I am claiming is first word already as "num num" he says it when he's eating, and if he sees you eat he'll say num num and then take some of your food, or if he sees you with his bowl he'll say num num. So it may not be a real word as such, but he seems to say it when he sees or eats food.
The renos are all but finished just waiting on a few last minute fix ups, we're moved in but it's a slow process of getting things sorted put away and organised how I'd like it due to extreme velcro baby. The pergola out the back is chockas with stuff though, waiting for the new garage to go up around the other side of the house (the in laws are doing that) and we had to empty the shed and it needs to be moved to allow for the garage so everything from there is now under the pergola too. It could be another few weeks even a month or so until the garage is done, but at least the house is done, and we're loving it!!! Even though it's a only a small living area the privacy is great!!!

And there he is calling better go, sorry if I missed anyone!

Morning girls,

How is everyone?

Tilda - I need to start with you and say, first, I'm sorry I missed your last post. I had no idea you were in Bondi! Or were. Perhaps we could still meet up? I have lived in Bondi for 8 years and only moved when I fell pregnant to Maroubra so we could have a bigger place. So, we're really close! Anyway, let me know. Anyone else in Sydney or maybe even ACT who wants to meet up some time?

Alison - Hun, I admire your honesty to say those things. Because I do think that a lot of women think them from time to time, but may not say them. And of course, your situation is very different to mine. You're not sad or miserable. You have a great life and a fab hubbie. I also understand the ex thing. I have this one ex who I have this amazing connection with. He's obviously not in my life, but I'll never forget that amazing chemistry and love. Arh! Relationships! ;)

Sorry girls, I have to run. I will write the rest of my persies later today. Jack has had a really high temp and is miserable. We're off to see the doctor.

x

Hi girls :)

Just popping in quickly - sorry for no persies right now, will try to do some later. I have been reading, though, and huge *hugs* for all of you who are going through difficult times.

AFM - Things are going relatively well. Liam has just cut his first tooth (bit later than most of the other bubbas here!) and we had a rough night last night - had to resort to giving him Nurofen, because nothing else worked, and he finally slept then. His sleeping has still been awesome - sleeping straight through for 11 hours or so about half of the time, waking once for a feed most of the rest of the time, with the occasional night where he wakes twice. He's not crawling as such yet, but commando crawls like a champ and is trying to pull to stand sometimes as well.

And thank you to everyone who asked about Dad. One week of treatment down, four more to go in this stint. He's doing well, though all the treatment he's having is pretty draining. We've been able to Skype to him most days, which is awesome. Really sad though was that yesterday was my parent's 40th wedding anniversary :( They had a chat on Skype, and Dad sent Mum flowers, but it's sad that they have to be apart for it.

Will try and pop back later for some proper replies.

Hi Girls!

Seems like ages since I last posted.

Rose - Yay! First tooth! Bet you're glad you're glad that it's through now. Hope the rest of his teeth are easier for him. That's sad that your parents couldn't be toghether in person on their 40th wedding anniversary, but lovely that they still celebrated.

Carmey - I'd love to drive up and see you ladies if there's a Sydney meetup. It's only a couple of hours drive for me and the boys. Big Big Big Hugs to you :hug: :hug: I really hope that things get better with your DH. That counsellor doesn't sound the greatest and online sounds a bit impersonal to me. I went through counselling on my own when DH and I had a rough patch after my 2nd miscarriage and just having someone face to face who would listen to what I was saying and not judge me was brilliant. She was able to suggest some helpful things too, but mostly I needed to talk it out. Now if things do mean that you and your DH go your separate ways, please don't think that you won't find love and have more babies. My parents were divorcing when I was conceived. They stayed together for a short time but divorced when I was 2. My Mum met a new man, remarried, had my half-brother and is still with my stepdad more than 30 years later. So don't worry, you're a beautiful person and if things don't work out then love will find you again :)

Willow - Gosh you have been having a rough time! Teething, crawling, talking, it's all happening at your place, no wonder Harry doesn't want to be far from his Mummy! So far all we have is 'Mum!' when he calls out from the cot sometimes in the morning and random syllables la lala or ba ba ba and something a lot like yeah yeah. Can't be long until you're finished with the renos, must be great having your own living space and kitchen finally. I've been meaning to ask you what cloth nappies you're using on Harry. I've decided to ditch the sposies and go cloth and Ryan and Harry seem to be similar in size and build. Also interested in how you're getting your MCNs dry in the cold weather.

Beany - Loved the videos of Michael! He's so cute, especially the crawling one, but the mandarine one is gorgeous too. Hope you're feeling better too, it's really awful being sick when you have kids that are dependant on you. Don't worry about him not liking Gymbaroo, maybe he just needs a few tries to get used to it before he starts to enjoy it?

BS - Love all the photos of your holiday, especially the one of Eva in her pink sunglasses.

Ali - Hey chicky babe! :hug: Oh we all want that intensity don't we? Is your DH a 'still waters run deep' kinda guy? Mine is. He'll tell the whole world how much he loves me, but seems to forget to tell me.

Hannah - How's work going?

Kanda - Hope things are good for you guys after your scary hospital stay.

Kawazuki - I know you've been busy away on holiday and sewing, hope you get a chance to pop in here again soon.

Lani - How's Jett going? How're you coping? Sending some big hugs your way and hope to hear soon how you're travelling.

AFM - Well I got over the tonsilitis only to get the sneezes today. Ryan has been sick for almost a week now with a head cold. I took him to the Dr on Friday but it's viral so there's nothing I can give him. The vaporiser's been running nearly 24/7. Fingers crossed he's on the mend now. Craig's finally over it and DH is better too. My DH is doing meal replacement shakes to try to lose some weight before we head to Cairns for his mate's wedding in early September. He's hoping to lose 10-15kg, but he's a big guy and I think he'll do it. I had hoped that by losing weight myself that I'd inspire him to do the same and I think it's worked heh heh heh.

Anyway, I'm off to bed. Nitey nite!

Rose - Wooo! First tooth! Let's hope the rest are easy peesy to get through.

Suz - Well, let's wait til what Tilda says and perhaps arrange a catch-up. I would love to meet you girls in person. And I think it's great you've given DH the motivation to lose some weight. It's so hard doing it on your own.

Willow - Goodness, you have been through some girl. And the talking and crawling, how exciting. Jack doesn't really talk. It's more like "numnumnum" when he's eating, but I don't know if he knows he's doing it. :)

Beany - Keep up the FB vidoes! Michael is such a honey. Love him.

BS - Are you still on hols?? Lucky girl, I love all your shots on FB.

Ali - How you doing today?

Everyone else, I hope your bubs are doing well and you're all enjoying the day.

AFM - Well, the trip to the doctor yesterday led to another one today after more high temperatures, not able to feed or drink, and blisters forming on his mouth and lips. Turns out he has Hand, Foot and Mouth virus!! Apparently it's quite common but I'd never heard of it. The poor angel is in a lot of pain and you can't do much about it, other than give him panadol, teething gel on the blisters to numb them, and lots of liquid so he doesn't dehydrate.

Before that he was going so well. He's now pulling himself up on everything, like the sofa, and stepping across the length of it. He's very cheeky! He's also starting to climb up things. He has this toy box, which he likes to use as a step to climb up to the sofa or TV stand. Oh dear...

Anyway, I have to run because my poor angel is tugging on my pants and crying for me to pick him up!!

xx

Just popped in to say I would LOVE a sydney meetup!... I work Mon - Thurs though, so it maight be a little tricky...

Oh carmey poor little Jack hope he feels better soon.

I am also a Sydney girl and would love a catch up. So count Jett and I in.

All is going well with us. Just a quick post as must go and organize dinner. Will try and get back on tonight to give a full update.

Hope everyone is well :hug:

Grrrr!!!! Just lost a big post so probably don't have much time before Harry wakes now so sorry if I cut it short.

Just wanted to clarify Harry's talking, the only thing I'm claiming as a word is numnum for food, the mumum and baba are still just random sounds so far. When I re read my post it did sound like he actually had three words, but no he doesn't, just the numnum.

Rose Glad your dad's doing ok with the treatment, but sorry he and your mum had to be apart for their anniversary :(
:dance: yay first tooth! ...and I always thought crawling was crawling, commando, all fours or dragging themselves along on their bum, my cousin did that one never the all fours.

Carmey Harry did the numnumnum when he was eating, very cute isn't it! But after a while he'd say it when he saw food or saw us eating.
DS2 had hand foot and mouth it's not nice poor little things, but very common. Hope he's feeling better soon!!! :hug:

Suzi Advanced hair "yeah yeah" lol sorry that's the first thing I though of. Hey at least you got mum as the first word I got numnum, says a lot bout how Harry's wired with food as #1 priority, I wonder if mum will come in second, being the food source and all:p

As for the MCNs we use Itti Bittis (sewn in ones, I didn't like the fit of the snap in ones) Baby Beehinds and we were given some from a friend called "Nappy Land". The Ittis we use mostly mediums and have some large as well. The mediums fit with I think 1 snap each side to go but a few weeks ago I though they wouldn't fit him much longer then he seemed to grow taller and slim down a little and look like they'll be ok for a while more now. Itti's are only good for us for day nappies and he really needs a little booster so they don't leak. The BBH we have multifits, and they've been good, a bulkier nappy, but still cute and do the job! We use BBH for day and night nappies, they are pocket nappies so you can stuff n boost as needed, I use one regular BBH insert+a BBH night booster(a rectangle that you fold in half or thirds)+ a small bamboo prefold(Iishfly brand they are the best quality and price I found after trying a few) Makes for a bulky nappy but doesn't leak, well not often if he has an hourly or more feed night we have had a leak. Rose does cloth too she may have tips for night nappies, I think Hannah as well...
I made sure we had enough nappies for three days, but wash every 2 days, so just in case I missed a day or there was a day of more frequent changes we wouldn't be caught short (we also have a few prefolds, terry flats and covers too so if there's a real shortage we should be ok, but the terry flats gave him a rash as a new born)
The Nappy Land nappies are also pockets, CHEAP! The original insert were HOPELESS! couldn't even contain a newborn wee soo we threw them out but kept the actual nappy cover bit and are still using them but stuffing with the Iishfly prefolds, and they've actually lasted pretty well. The elastic is a bit stretched in some but I thought they'd be long dead by now! TBH I'm favouring them over the Ittis at the moment as they last longer before leaking. I am about to do a strip wash though on all of our nappies, the Ittis are leaking really quickly and they're all really smelly after wee hits them so I'm hoping the strip wash helps with the Ittis leaks as well as the smell. We use Earth Choice washing liquid, but I think I'm going to give Rocking Green a go or maybe Soapnuts, Even not using any liquid or powder I was reading works for some people, so might even try that, the sun kills all the bacteria and bleaches them anyway.
Drying them I have clothes airers, I don't hang them on the line. You can lay the Ittis flat so the elastic and seems with the sewn ins don't stretch out or get stressed, that way you can follow the sun too by moving the airier, and if it looks like rain you can dash out and bring the whole thing in in one go. Since winter hit it has usually taken a day out in the sun then inside on the airer over night to get them dry. I usually don't get them out before 9..10...even 12 most days lol so I guess if you got them out earlier and had more sun they could be done quicker. I don't like to put them in the drier, it's a big outlay to get the stash up in the first place so I want them to last as looong as possible!
DP just installed our version of a Little Squirt too!:p I rang Bunnings to see if they sold them, they don't but the guy in plumbing said he had made one up for another customer, so we went and got all the bits for $43 instead of $75 + delivery was the cheapest I could find online. Looks like it's going to be ok too (I was a bit dubious) but haven't been able to try it yet as we're using sposies for a couple of days so I can do the strip wash.

Well Harry's up better go, gee that was long! That's what happens when yoy ask an MCN user about their nappies! :lol::rolleyes:

Will get back later to do more persies...hopefully

:hello: to all I missed

Willow - Thanks heaps for that! It's always good to read someone else's experience as everyone on BB seems to have different combos they prefer. Just for the hell of it I got Kawazuki to make me a MCN along with some other things I wanted to get from her and I figure I'll try a couple of other brands out too, to see what works for us.

Craig took ages to say 'Mum', so it's nice, but it's only when Ryan wants me to get him out of the cot. And the 'Yeah yeah' seems to be his original 'eh eh eh' hungry noise, probably very similar to Harry's 'Num Num'. It's good he's enjoying his food!

Hey Suzi no worries always happy to talk fluff :p
I just saw your 11kg gone that's awesome!:dance:
Everyone and everything here, except food, is mum :)
Try before you buy (well before you bulk buy)is what we did too I'm keen to give Kawa's a go too specially if you get up to 6-7hrs per nappy! When the budget allows I'll probably get some form her too. We have a Cushie Tushie, they look cool and are ok absorbency wise, but it has pilled a bit with wash and wear. I think you mostly pay for the designs with Cushies. I also grabbed a couple of Iishfly Fiztails when they were on sale, they're ok too but tend to leak in the leg/crotch, maybe Harry suit the wider crotch styles, I hope that's not going to be the problem with the Ittis:pray: hope the strip wash solves their leaky probs!

Better go deal with count cranky bum.

I spy MCN talk :) Just popping in for a quick post, will be back (hopefully) for more persies later. I seem to be endlessly running out of time these days.

At the moment, Green Kids pocket nappies are the best for us - awesome value, since they'll fit for a long time to come. We still use Itti Bittis as well in medium (for which my boy with his skinny waist is still on the smallest snaps) though he's going to be out of the rise in them soon. I loved BBH magicalls when Liam was littler, but he's never fitted properly into the mediums, since he's too long and skinny for them. BBH fitted are my second choice after Green Kids at the moment, usually with a Thirsties PUL or maz-a-licious fleece cover. For night, we use fitteds - either BBH nights or Bubblebubs good night sleep tight with Disana wool covers. Liam is a super heavy wetter at night, and nothing else cuts it.

I'm actually in the process of selling off a bunch of nappies that don't work for us and/or have been grown out of. I've tried so many brands, it's kind of silly to hang onto them all when they're not being used.

Oh and I *love* our Little Squirt. And have recently switched to Rockin' Green, which is awesome.

Carmey - OMG how scary for you. I gave Amelia scrambled egg a couple of weeks ago and she broke out in blotches all over her face, hands and neck. That was scary enough and it wasn't even close to the severe reaction Jack had. Lucky your doctor was nearby. As for DH I don't know what to tell you. Just offering a great big :hug: That counsellor sounds weird. I'd see someone in person. That way you know they are paying attention to you and not giving you generic advice which is what it sounds like this woman is giving.

Poor Jack. Hand, foot and mouth disease is horrible. A friend of my mum's daughter had it when she was little. It was awful as she had a cleft palate as well. She caught it from playing with the toys at the doctor's surgery of all places. I hope he gets well soon.

kanda - I'm so glad Sienna is on the mend. They really are small and helpless aren't they? Hope everyone is well.

Lani - Poor Jett. But as Alison said, he may grow out of his allergies. Is that what was causing his constipation? You're doing a great job and I'm sure Jett will improve. He's still so young so there's plenty of time for him to grow into a healthy little boy. Hang in there.

suz - It's so tough being sick when you have to look after everyone else. I hope this latest bug doesn't hit you too hard. Well done on losing 11kgs btw (can't remember if I've congratulated you yet). And good on DH for getting motivated too. My DH has joined a weight loss challenge at work. He and a mate are sharing a trainer 3 days a week. First prize is $500.

beany - Try not to worry about Michael being shy. He's still so little and I think all the bubs are dealing with separation anxiety atm. I try to give Amelia what she needs. My thinking is that she will eventually feel confident enough to explore on her own if she knows she always has a safe 'place' to come back to if it gets too much for her.

willow - Yay for Harry crawling! Yay for him talking! 'num num' is the perfect first word for him since he's still feeding so often. I'm surprised it isn't 'booby'. And yay for an end it sight to the renos! It must be great to have your own space again. Let me know how your little squirt goes. DH is pretty handy so I might get him to make one up instead of spending the money on one.

Alison - Wow Amelia is a tall one isn't she? 9.4kg sounds good for 8 months. Don't feel guilty for the way you feel about DH. You still love him, just in a different way.

Rose - I'm glad you're Dad is doing well. It's sad that he and your mum couldn't be together on their 40th anniversary. But at least there's a good chance they'll be able to celebrate their 41st together. That's fantastic that Ryan's sleep is still going so well. How do you find the Rockin' Green? I hear it's supposed to be great for strip washes. I got a sample with some fluffy mail last week and can't wait to try it. Just waiting for the weather to fine up a bit before I do a strip wash.

Hey Tilda, kawazuki and Brussels (hope your enjoying your holiday).

AFM - Feeling a little left out at the mo even though I'm right in the middle. Will have to convince DH we need to go to either Sydney or Perth for a family holiday later in the year ;)

I've been feeling pretty crappy the last week. Out of 13 working days since my return, I've had the last 7 off (although today was my day off anyway). Can't seem to figure out what is wrong. It started with a horrible tension headache last week accompanied with dizzy spells, muscle aches and nausea. Last Friday it looked like I had mastitis again. By Sunday it had cleared up, although feeding from that side is still painful. Then I started getting a sore throat and ears. I went to the doctor on Monday and she said there's a little bit of pus on one of my tonsils but not enough to convince her that it's tonsilitis. So it seems I have a little bit of everything and a whole lot of nothing. I've got an order for some blood tests to make sure my iron and vitamin levels etc are all okay. I'm going to work tomorrow anyway since I'm sick of being at home.

Amelia had her first day at care on Monday. She's the only child at the moment so is getting lots of one-on-one attention. The woman who's looking after her has two daughters aged 8 and 6. They were more excited about Amelia coming than they were about the fact that their mum would be home before they went to school lol. She had a great day and was really chatty in the car when I picked her up. I used to complain that she talks so much to everyone but me. My mum did always say that it was because she spent all day with me.

DH walked in the door one day last week and she looked right at him and said "Da!" Does that count as a word? She says it all the time when she's babbling away, but it's the first time she's said it in context. We're pretty sure her first word is "hello" (almost anyway it's more like "herro"). DH swears she said it back to him one morning. I agree it sounded like hello but wasn't convinced. That night I said it to her and she made the same sounds and her tongue was definitely trying to get the "l" sound.

Ok, I'd better get going and get organised if I'm going to go to work tomorrow. Have to get Amelia's bag back for care. I'll try to be back tomorrow to discuss MCNs. But suz, I will say this: Try as many different brands as you can. Some places have cloth nappy libraries (I think there is one in Canberra but not sure of the details - try googling ecocubs) so that you can try a range of brands. Also the next cloth nappy hunt is on in September so there'll be plenty of bargains to be had.

Hi girls back to try for another post before Harry horror bum wakes up :p

Hi Alison I see on fb you're getting ready for #2:dance: how exciting! I have been having a surf through the forums lately and when I see a thread "belly buddies due dec 1st - 15th" it always catches my attention, then I realise it's not us any more, and, that I won't be in a "belly buddies" thread again. And I must say even though I am a walking zombie barely functioning, with a baby that is quite hard work, I get a little sad at that thought :( soooo hopefully I can just live vicariously through you girls as you all go again and that will get me through it. It's a funny feeling actually, I didn't feel this way after DS1&2 when I thought I was finished having babies then, but now I feel kind of like, I don't know almost grieving. That must sound silly but I don't know how else to describe it.

I can't wait to hear some pg announcements from you girls...soon...ish :)

Hi Hannah Sorry to hear you're feeling so crap, it's frustrating when there's no proper diagnosis too. I'd be willing to guess you're really run down with going back to work and your mum passing and having to deal with the estate. Sometimes your body just says whoooa, too much and has a bit of a crash to make you rest for a bit. Hope you feel better soon!
I had no idea there were nappy libraries! There you go, I know there are toy libraries but nappy libraries slipped under my radar
$500 is good motivation, hope DH can get 1st place :D
lol I thought Harry's first word might have been boob too, close though. He doesn't say numnum for BF, only solid food, there's a definite distinction between the two for him. I'm actually starting to try some signing with him, I think he'll pick it up, he already seems to know the sign for milk(BM) and eat(solids) I remember the frustration of not knowing what DS1&2 wanted sometimes so hoping this may help until his speech is fully developed. It makes sense that babies/toddlers would be able to sign before they speak, after all they wave hello/goodbye and clap and point etc, I guess I never really thought about it before, anyway can't hurt to give it a go.
I'll keep you posted on the little squirt.

Hi Rose Have you had any "splash back" incidents with the little squirt, are there any tips I should know about before I give it it's first go? :p

Is anyone else seeing a bad temper or tantrums yet? Harry is a bit of a shocker, just about every nappy change is a battle he cries, goes stiff rolls and twists to try to get away, getting dressed/undressed is the same. If he wants to see what's going on in another room he'll throw himself back banging his head into your chest and trying to climb over your shoulder until you take him to look at whatever it is that takes his fancy. Even when he's finished eating, if he's being spoon fed, he won't just turn his head away, he just smacks the spoon out of your hand then bashes his hands on the tray and writhes in the seat until you get him out of his high chair:o when his first two teeth came through, being his upper lateral incisors looking like fangs, I was saying now he looked like a monster to match his temperament, he thought that was very funny! I don't remember DS1 or 2 being quite so hot headed at this age so wondering if you girls are seeing it at all, or, is it just Harry horror bum?

I'm also hoping that if he learns a few signs it may help with the frustration and hot temper if has another way to communicate.

Well I better go and try to be a little productive at least while Harry's still snoozing, sorry if I've been raving I'm feeling particularly sleep deprived today.

:hello: to all I didn't acknowledge personally hope all mums and bubs are well.

Hi Lovely Ladies!

Carmey - I've never heard of that either, poor Jack, what can they do, antibiotics or something? How did he catch it? Poor thing, it really sounds quite yukky for both of you, I REALLY hope he's better soon, I'm sending some get better soon vibes your way. How are you feeling with everything else? xx:goodluck:

Rose - Liam has come along in leaps and bounds hasn't he! Yay for his teeth, don't worry about him being one of the last, Amelia is going down that path for crawling, she's not even close I don't think lol. Mum did tell me the other day I didn't crawl until I was 9.5 months so perhaps she's taking after me hee hee - I think it's funny because MIL has always gone on about how DH was walking at 8 months.....which I really don't believe and she has no photos to back it up! Grrr That's sad about your mum and dad not being able to celebrate their anniversary, when he's better they'll have to make up for it and have a nice weekend away.

Willow - I can totally understand how you feel, I will feel the same after I have my 2nd, if I'm lucky enough to get a 2nd of course, I wonder if it's an age thing as well? It's almost like the end of an era if that makes sense. For you it's probably because when you had your first 2 boys you were in your younger years and you never think about things being over do you, you feel like you have forever in your 20's......then you get to your 30's and your mid 30's and everything starts catching up on you. Well, I feel that way anyway ha ha....the joys of getting older. You have 3 beautiful boys though......any chance of trying for a girl then? lol I know I shouldn't put the idea in your head ha ha! We won't be trying again until the end of the year or beginning of next year, I'm just getting some research into VBAC's with plenty of time to read....having another bub is a bit scary, especially close together, I always worry the next one will be hard work and I won't know what hit me lol. Plus I love Amelia so much I wonder how I'll ever have more love to give but I know I will. :p As for tantrums, HELLO yes here!!!! Thank goodness someone else is too. I was starting to think I had a Little Miss on my hands! Amelia is really showing some personality atm, if something doesn't go her way, or if you take something off her that she wants, she chucks a little tanty, throws her voice and flaps her arms.....I'm hoping it's normal and it doesn't mean she's going to be "one of those" lol. Cheeky little buggars aren't they!

Hannah - gosh you sound like you need a really good holiday with lots of sun and lots of massages gorgeous! Sounds to me like stress, you've had a lot going on lately so I'm not surprised, get some vitamins into you, try and take some "time out" - I know that's easier said then done but you need some "you" time. I have started doing Zumba on Monday nights, it's only 1 hour and it doesn't affect my time with Amelia as she's in bed but it's soooo nice just to get out of the house and be "me", it's amazing what it does for the soul, that and a nice bubble bath and a book that I do at least once a week and leave DH with Amelia. Hope you're feeling better soon. You should definitely come to Perth, our Amelia's could meet! xx

Tilda - hows things going, settling in a bit better? Look forward to you coming to Perth again.

Kanda - how are you going, anything exciting happening over your way? :p

Suz - hee hee, we chat on FB heaps don't we......our other thread girls is going like wild fire on FB, those girls can chat can't they!

BS - hey lovely, hows things over your way, settled back into reality after your exotic South of France rendezvous......soooo jealous, those photos were like something out of a movie or magazine to me lol!

Beany - hiya fellow Perthite, hows Michael going this week, cutie pie.

Things are going well here, we're in the throws of a wonder week and teething, Amelia has the red cheeks to prove it. Her day sleeps have been rather short but she's sleeping pretty well at night with the odd fuss around 3.00 am but usually it's in her sleep. She has been doing about 12 hours, some nights without a sound but the days she's not sleeping as well in the day she fusses a bit at night, darn wonder weeks, gosh they suck. Oh and girls, what is a "Little Squirt" from Bunnings? lol

I've probably missed someone so if I have I apologise but sending hugs to everyone and their beautiful bubs.

xx

Hi Alison lol a little squirt is a hose with a trigger spray nozzle that you attach to the tap in your toilet, you use it to squirt the poo off the nappies when you're using cloth straight into the toilet. Soooo much better than trying to flush and hold under the flow or scrape :sick: the more gross ones. I think it's great didn't have such things when I had my big boys, actually I think they were around but I had no idea, ahh the wonders of the internet :D

Alright I'd promised I'd be back to talk about MCNs. I'm currently reviewing what's in my stash. I have the BBH multifit pockets. I loved these nappies at first, but I find them a bit fiddly to get the right setting as Amelia grows and changes. I'm contemplating selling them actually. I wish I had just paid the money for sized nappies rather than trying to save by going OSFM. I have some medium BBH AIOs but they don't seem to fit very well either.

I actually prefer to use a fitted nappy with a cover for around home. I am very happy with the BBH bamboo fitteds. We were using them at night with a loveybums wool cover but she now wets through them (that's with both boosters plus a trifold booster inside the nappy and another outside the nappy but inside the cover). I am now trialling night nappies. I really like Motherease sandys fitteds. They seem to be much better quality and are so soft as they have outer layer of bamboo velour. I'm not sure how long they will be good at night for, but I want to get more for daytime. I have a BBH night nappy and a Twinklelily Supernight with a Twinklelily wool cover. I can't decide between these two.

As for Itti Bitti's, these are my fav for daytime out and about and for daycare. I have mostly SIOs as you can buy extra booster sets for them so if the nappy is just wet, you can just snap in another booster to the shell. Saves a lot of room in the nappy bag.

Rose - I have a couple of Green Kids Anytimes (a purple and a yellow one) if you want a couple extra. I bought one of their trial packs but have never been happy with the fit on Amelia. Let me know if your interested.

willow - Amelia has started throwing tantrums. Nothing like what you described Harry does, but when she gets upset she will thrash her arms and legs around and bang her legs on the ground. I want to teach Amelia to sign too but have been a bit slack. I use the gesture for finished at the end of a meal, but she just grins at me when I do it, so I don't know if she's getting it or not. Just gotta persevere I guess.

Alison - It's funny you say that, DH said he needs to take me away for a few days. I wonder if I can convince him to take me to Perth.

AFM - Well you girls are right. It seems to be stress related. I didn't go to work today as I still feel like crap. I went and saw my GP and just burst into tears. My AD dose has been increased again and she's going to put me in touch with something called Family Zone. I haven't heard of them before but they provide support to families. My GP really wants me to join a mother's/play group and to have someone come in to help us get Amelia into her own cot. I don't mind Amelia sleeping with us, I just worry about her rolling out of bed when she's on her own for day naps. She's getting so mobile now. She is so close to sitting up by herself from laying down.

I forgot to mention last night that my brother and I have found a lawyer to handle mum's estate for us. We finally got in touch with the lawyer who drew up her will and handled Dad's estate as well. It's such a relief to know it's all going to be handled properly.

ETA - And a few of you asked about the self-settling. It's going well. Amelia will settle herself in our bed for day sleeps on her own and with us next to her at night time. We just have to watch out for her flailing arms. If I've let her get too tired and she gets upset when I put her down and I just lie next to her and recite "Ten Little Fingers and Ten Little Toes" by Mem Fox and that calms her down. She's been having a few issues settling to sleep at daycare but I'm hoping she just needs to get to used to the new surroundings. Apart from that she seems to be loving daycare.

Hi everyone!

I am sort of behind so will try to respond to everything but excuse me if I forget stuff...I will be back to normal now :)

First of all, I have to say to Kanda, Lani and Carmey - my god, I read what happenned to the babies and got all upset :( I hope you girls are doing better now and the bubs too. For the allergies, it is just a lifestyle adjustment...I am sure once you guys get used to it it will be fine. And kanda, I went and hugged Eva as soon as I finished reading your post.

I was on vacation so could not respond because of limited internet and typing on a phone, but I tried to keep up.

We got back everything was ok - we started at the sea but it got annoying so we went to see some friends for the weekend then went to the mountains where my husband grew up - it was a great change and much more relaxing than the cote d'azur, which is overcrowded and full of traffic in the summer.

Eva was restless and waking a lot at nights with all of the constant change in location. She starting crawling full blast during this trip and is starting to pull herself up on things since our return...she does not get up onto her feet with out help but manages to get her upper body off the floor and up onto her knees. She has also started reaching up and turning on her mobile alone and using the remote to do it. she is getting so big!

Her return to daycare was bad. Beany, don't stress about michael. Eva did the same for the past few days. It was wierd - they told me her first day back was really bad and she ate nothing all day...then I stopped by a friend's house and every time her baby made noise or cried, she hid her head in my neck and started hysterically crying, like she was scared. It has gotten better each day. She was stressed to start daycare too, not sure if you remember, so don't stress. He will get used to it. It might be a good idea to do something a few days in a row per week - it will help him get used to it. I took eva to something similar here called the little gym and there were two babies who cried a lot too. Remember that everything he experiences is for the first time, so just keep at it, even if you have to stay a bit out of the circle and slowly move in - he'll get used to it. They are just at an age where they are very attached to us.

Eva won't let me out of her sight and is always picking up her arms to me so she can be with me. It will pass.

Carmey, good luck on the nanny; Suz, glad you're feeling better, Willow, yay for Harry! Hannah, glad you found a lawyer to handle all the estate stuff and I hope you feel better.

I have not finished readint he last page but I see I have carmey's post to address and a few other things to respond to, but I'll do it soon!

If I forgot anyone, sorry! Have to go get eva now - been picking her up early so she only has half days until next week when I will leave her later.

I have missed you all! I'll wirte more soon but have tons of stuff to put in order! So that was just a quick hi!

Hi everyone, just a really quick post until I can get on properly. I don't seem to have any time at the moment. But OMG Carmey, Kanda and Lani!!!!! And just wanted to say would love to catch up Carmey and Lani. Facebook me about a time that would be good. Maybe you could come over here...still don't know Sydney that well...

Tilda - Me too! I'll be using the GPS to find you girls. I left Sydney when I was 18, so it's changed a lot.

Brussels - Craig was like that too after every holiday when he went back to daycare. I started to expect it and just allow for it. Hopefully it will get easier for Eva. She sounds like she's really grown up this trip away and is doing so much now!

Hannah - :hug::hug: I wish I was closer to Adelaide. You have had so much going on lately that it's only natural that you would get run down. A play group or Mother's Group is a great idea. How about looking on BB to see if there's an Adelaide BB meetup? I went to one here in Canberra the other week and the girls here meet monthly. Thanks for all the great MCN info! It's a bit weird starting with an 8 month old rather than a newborn. Great tip about extra boosters when the shell is still dry. I just bought a couple of Daddle Doos with extra boosters, thinking the same thing. Hope your DH takes you to Perth, hun.

Willow - No real serious tantrums here yet, but nappy changes are really annoying unless I give him something to hold in his hands so he'll stay on his back. Otherwise he's twisting and flipping on to his stomach, arrrrgh!!!! IKWYM about the feeling sad about there being no more babies. I only ever wanted 2 kids, but started feeling a bit sad when I was preg with Ryan and DH talked me in to number 3! So, bit happier now but I'll have to go through it all with baby#3 :(

More MCN talk... Anyone use liners? I'm a bit worried about staining. Ryan had his first cloth experience today in his Kawazukee. He looked so happy in it I didn't want to take it off! I've got a Widdlewun and 2 Daddle Doos with extra boosters in the mail, so we'll get more to try over the next few days. I've bought Larges, based on the measurements, because I was worried Mediums might be too small.

Back later to post more...

BS - Welcome home! Sounds like Eva has grown up a lot while you were away. I'm sure she'll settle down again. It must be pretty disruptive for her...the trip to NY then to France where she got to be with you all the time, and now back to daycare again. There might even be a bit of wonder weeking going on to.

suz - Ooh exciting. I love getting fluffy mail. I tried disposable liners in the beginning, but gave up on them pretty soon. Most of the nappies I use except the fitteds have liners as part of the nappy, but their to keep Amelia dry rather than to prevent staining. How will you go about washing your nappies? I just scrape off any poo into the toilet, give the nappy a rinse in cold water and then put in a bucket until I have a load to wash. When washing, I always do a cold rinse before a warm wash. Rarely do I find nappies that are still stained after this. If they are hanging them out in the sunlight gets rid of any stains pretty quickly. (Apparently frost is also good for stains).

I've just bought some microfleece to cut up for liners to use with the fitted nappies. Apparently poo comes off microfleece really easily and its cheap so if they get manky I can just throw them out.

HI Suzi I have some liners, I've only used them if Harry has had a rash and needed cream, the liner was to protect the nappy from the cream as it can build up and reduce absorbency. Like Hannah said the sun will get most of the stains out, I had hear about frost too but forgotten, thanks for reminding me Hannah, we get plenty here in Canberra :D I have only had a few stains, so far, that were stubborn, but they came out after the second use/wash and sun. I do a cold rinse then a cold wash (long/heavy duty wash)
I would like to go to Sydney for a meet up, but Harry still hates the car I avoid going anywhere now unless I absolutely have to he just screams the whole time from the minute you put him in his seat :( it used to be only at night now it's just constant day and night. Everyone says once we turn the car seat around he should improve, I hope so!

Hannah I have some microfleece liners they are pretty good, I wish I'd thought to buy some and cut it up too, would've been much cheaper I bet:doh:

GTG I hear a hungry baby.

Hi everyone, I'm sooooooooo behind. Sorry if I don't get to everything.

Hannah - sorry you've been feeling flat lately. You're probably run down. Its a shame none of us are in Adelaide! It might be good to try and join a mother's group but they're not the be all and end all if you can't find one that suits. If you're worried about Amelia falling off the bed maybe you could put the mattress on the ground. Not far to fall that way.

Suz - are you planning on coming up to Sydney? That would be fab!!

Carmey - that must have been absolutely gut wrenching terrifying what you went through with Jack and the egg. I've been a bit "she'll be right" when it comes to introducing new foods and it's made me think twice. Would love love love to catch up. I can't believe you're so close!! Another reason not to leave Bondi. Oh dear...

BS - I've been watching all your holiday snaps pop up on facebook. Oh how I would LOVE to be in France right now. My sister is there with her French husband at the moment doing a tour around and I'm green. I hope Eva settles down for you quickly. Especially with number 2 potentially on the way ;-)

Alison - did I see something about number 2 on the way for you too??? I'm sure you'll have another easy baby. You're a relaxed easy going mum and that always rubs off on the babies. And don't worry about Amelia not crawling. They're only 8 months. And she's been doing things like clapping and making heaps of sounds for ages that other bubs (like Matilda) still aren't doing. They're all walking, talking and toilet trained by the time they go to school. And about DH, in my experience sometimes passion doesn't make for good long term relationships. It sounds like DH makes you happy nonetheless and that's the main thing.

Beany - how are Michael's teeth going. I'm so impressed at how much you've been getting out. But don't worry about Michael being a bit shy in crowds. Matilda is too. I took her to rhyme time at the library the other day and she just sat there and looked like she was thinking "WTF is this?". And then when they brought out a box of toys my friend's baby rushed off to it while Matilda just stuck close to me. Maybe the main thing is to just give them the opportunity.

Rose - how's it going?

Kanda - your hospital experience sounds AWFUL! I dread Matilda getting that ill. How is she going now? And how's it going working?

Willow - Yes, far more tanties these days!! Glad I'm not the only one. Nappy changing and getting dressed can be world war three. I virtually have to straddle her and pin her down. Luckily we don't seem to have to many problems with the high chair...yet...Its a shame the car isn't an option for you at the moment in terms of getting to Sydney. But I'm thinking of trying to come down to Canberra for a couple of days in a month or two when Matilda's sleep has settled a bit. A really old friend has just had his first baby and I'm dying to see them.
AFM - Well its been a really full on month or two really. I can't remember where I left off but basically Matilda had one cold after another for three weeks in a row and it nearly did my head in (and my back). It made her sleep even worse if that's possible. So when she recovered fully we bit the bullet and have been doing some sleep training. The days weren't too bad. She settled within a few minutes and sometimes without a grizzle but the nights were a different story. I think to begin with I was letting her fall asleep on the boob for that last feed of the day and it just got the night off to the wrong start. So last night I didn't let her fall asleep and put up with some crying when she went to bed and she slept from 7pm to 5am :o. First time ever!!!! The fact is I like letting her fall asleep on the boob, its a nice way to end the day, but I know its bad for her sleep and I've got to let it go. You know how I felt about letting her cry, but it really got to the point where my sanity was at risk and she just wasn't getting enough sleep and suffering for it. Well onto nicer topics...Matilda has been crawling full speed ahead for a week or two now. And its proving a baby proofing nightmare because neither the house nor the furniture is ours. After a bad encounter with a cabinet yesterday I used all these stick on latches to straight jacket the cabinet and now I'm terrified I won't be able to get them off. Our land lord is really finnicky and will penalise us big time if we damage anything. Matilda is also doing gorgeous things now like holding things up to show you. And she tried to clap the other day. No signs of any words though. I'm really impressed some bubs are already communicating!! We've been using skype with my parents and she actually gets that they're interacting with her and she'll react and show off. It is soooo cute and they love it of course. OK, so now for a couple of questions. I've been giving Matilda vegies and meat for lunch and dinner. Do you think this is OK? Sample plans I've seen only give meat and vegie once a day. Well, I 've just got back on the computer to finish the post after getting Matilda up and she has another cold!! ARGH!!! How does this happen? I'm pretty sure she's getting it from the same kid every time. What do I do? Do I just not go out???

Hi Tilda Only time for a very quick one. Sometimes you just have a bad run with colds, it's awful, just think each one is boosting her immune system! I know it's still doesn't help with the sick cranky baby :( Maybe after this one she'll be well for the rest of winter:crossfingers:
Hope the sleeping keeps improving! Gota run:hello:

Just popping on quickly - will be back tomorrow hopefully for some proper replies. I do keep on saying that - ugh.

Hannah - Just wanted to say quickly that I'd definitely be interested in those Green Kids nappies if you're not using them :) I'd be happy to pay, or maybe we could swap something? I have a bunch of different night nappies that aren't getting used much right now. Lob me a message on FB?

Hi Girls!

Also a quick one, we only got back from Thredbo an hour ago. Took the boys to see the snow for the first time. Can't wait to get back and get on a snowboard! Don't worry, I know I'm 36, but I swear I only feel about 15 :)

Tilda - Absolutely! I am going to come to Sydney for the day, whichever day you girls choose. Anyday suits me. And if you come to Canberra I'd love to catch up with you here too. That's great going with the sleep and I know how bad it is to feed them to sleep at night. But I also know how nice it is, so understand how hard it is to give up. Don't think there's much you can do to avoid the colds but maybe it means that she'll have a strong immune system when she starts childcare. Can't believe Matilda's crawling too! Ryan's still going backwards here. I think he's a pretty efficient roller.

Willow & Hannah - I've just bought some microfleece liners off eBay from a Canberra person. I could've gone to Spotlight to get some microfleece and cut it up, but I'll see how I go with these first before I make some. Mostly I want them because I've seen that some people have some splashback issues with the little squirt, but also because Ryan is quite rashy and I've had to use creams on him. My plan is to: take nappy off, wipe with facecloth and water, put clean nappy on, put Ryan somewhere safe so he can't dive off the change table, take liner to bathroom and flick off solids, maybe rinse liner in laundry tub if it needs it, dry pail liner, nappy and facecloth, then on washing day do cold water rinse, then wash with small amount of detergent (not sure about canestan rinse), then line dry. Thanks for the tip about frost, it might even be an idea to hang outside overnight to get frost then sun.

Cuddles to all the babies and all the Mummies :hug: Hope this Wonder Week is kind to you, I'm off to read a bit about it before falling asleep.

Oh and Hannah, thanks so much for the tip on using the ecocubs nappy library! I will be contacting them to hire a mixed pack asap! Can't believe it only costs $25 plus postage to trial every nappy they stock for 2 weeks.

Hi Tilda. Sorry to hear Matilda has another cold. Hopefully it means her immune system will be strong when she starts day care. I'm glad her sleeping has improved. I've had to let Amelia cry on occasion too. Most of the time she'll drift off while I'm laying next to her but if she's really tired she'll settle much more quickly if I'm not in the room with her. At least she's at an age that I know her well enough to know when to stay/leave. I know how reluctant you were to leave her to cry, but you needed to do what you could to preserve your sanity. And it sounds like she is thriving too. All those new skills emerging. Well done Matilda :clap: As for feeding, as long as your offering her plenty of variety so that she gets a balanced diet I don't think it matters how many times a day she gets meat and veg. Some days Amelia gets 2 meals of meat and veg and some days she might get none. It depends a lot on what I'm eating.

suz - Your welcome :) I wish I'd known about it before I started using cloth.

AFM - Saturday night we had an old friend of DH's over for dinner. They'd lost touch for a few years. We met his wife who is 37 weeks pregnant with their first. I can't remember the last time we had such a good night with another couple. We don't have many couple friends, but it's always a little awkward when we spend time with the few we do have. It was such an easy night...which is very, very rare for me to feel that way after having guests. Although, it didn't hurt that I got to show off my MCN stash :p. But we didn't just talk about babies either. Anyway, I just wanted to share something positive. I think it'll be really good for me if we can keep in touch with them.

Just to update.....

My blood test results came back today and my GP thinks I may have/had a virus afterall. I had an elevated white cell count and an abnormal liver function test. Also my thyroid function, while normal, was quite a bit higher since the last time it was checked. I'm now waiting on more test results looking for a bunch of viruses....hepatitis, CMV, Epstein-Barr, toxoplasmosis.

It's a relief to know that it's not all in my head. Although it does have a new set of worries. An abnormal liver function test led to my mum's cancer diagnosis. It's probably fine, but it's just in the back of my mind. My GP made it clear that she is not alarmed, she just wants to know what it is. At least the woman who took my blood marked my tests as urgent even though my doc didn't.

Hi Hannah, I'm sure the liver function results are just related to being run down and having had a virus. Your doctor is probably just wanting to be cautious which is good. At least you'll have your mind put at ease once all your results come back. Great that you've found a couple both you and DH get along with. Sometimes that's hard. And thanks for mentioning Amelia sometimes cries going off to sleep. Sometimes I just feel bad about it but I know I don't have much of a choice because I just can't go back to the way it was before.

Suz - Yay for coming to Sydney!! I think I'll send all the Sydney girls a FB message and see where everyone is at. It's funny how good rollers aren't that interested in crawling! Matilda's cousin is the same. She's been a master roller since she was very small and isn't showing any signs of wanting to sit up or crawl. She just rolls everywhere. Whereas Matilda didn't roll until she was about 6 and a half months!

Hi everyone else! I'm sure everyone is as busy as eachother at the moment!

AFM - Well I'm a bit shirty with DH tonight. Was just getting all cuddly on the couch thinking maybe, just maybe, we could DTD for the first time in forever and he tells me how happy he is for a receptionist at work who has won a fashion design award and is off to China for a week to organise the manufacturing of her clothes. Just what I wanted to hear when my most sparkling achievement at the moment is a popular puree. I know he doesn't mean to be insensitive but it just made me feel like crap when I'm wanting him to pay ME a bit of attention. I tried to explain it to him but at the end of the day there's isn't much to explain, its just the way I felt. I can't think of anything I'd rather do than spend my days looking after Matilda. I'm totally in love with her. i can't believe how exciting it is to see this little person learn absolutely everything from the ground up. I've never wanted to do a job so well. But sometimes I feel a bit insecure about how the rest of the world perceives me, including DH. I wonder if other people see me as a boring housewife. But on more positive subjects I got to go out for my first baby free night last night. I went out for dinner with a girlfriend while DH stayed home with M. Now that she isn't waking up every half hour or hour between 7 and 10 I can actually go out and she's none the wiser!

Hi girls,

Just a quick one to say I am reading your posts but am pushed for time to write back. All going well here, Jack is 100 per cent again and very cheeky. I have a job to write so better get it done while J's asleep.

xx

Hi girls,

sorry I haven't been on for so long...I've had some stuff going on (see below).

Just a few quick persies:

Hannah - I hope your tests come back clear, let us know how you go.

Willow- yes, I was really worried Michael was developing a bad attitude, but its a relief to hear we're all experiencing the bad tempers! He hates getting changed, and he wriggles and writhes when I change him, its a real battle.

Tilda - sorry to hear poor Matilda keeps getting colds...Michael has had a few in a row now too, it seems they're always sick. I hope she's getting better soon. Please don't feel like that...you are doing THE most important job in the whole universe, being a mum. Much more important than being a designer or anything else for that matter! Michael's teeth I hope are through the worst...all 4 top teeth are now about a 1/4 of the way down. I hope we get a break from teething for a while now!

BS - sounds like you had a great holiday! Your pictures looked gorgeous, it looks very relaxed over there!

Hello to all my other lovelies, I hope you and bubbies are all doing well.

AFM - Ugh.

So, my anxiety has been getting the better of me lately...making me irritable, cranky, angry and sad. Off I went to the GP as I felt like I needed to speak to a counsellor or something. He gave me a test and its come back that I have PND (on top of my anxiety). I am still not sure I agree with that diagnosis, I don't feel depressed, I dunno...it just doesn't sit right with me. But we'll see, I want to see what the counsellor thinks. He prescribed me anti-depressants for the anxiety, which after a great deal of thought I have decided to take. Hopefully it will only be a short-term thing.

So thats where I"m at atm. Its been pretty rough the past week or so with Michael teething and having a really bad cold...refusing bottles and solids really stressed me out. I haven't been able to see anyone either since we've both been sick.

But on the positive side (and I really hope I'm not speaking too soon - *touch wood*), Michael's sleep has been great - getting about 11 hours most nights, without a peep! Plus about 2 x 1 hour sleeps during the day. I hoep that stays!

His crawling is coming along great, and he's started going from crawling to sitting on his own. Even found him sitting in his cot when he was meant to be sleeping! :o Will have to move the bed level down I think!

Tilda - I understand how you feel about how the world perceives you. We just need to remember that we are doing the most important and amazing job in the world.

Carmey - Glad Jack is better.

beany - I'm assuming the doctor gave you the Edinburgh Postnatal Depression questionnaire (it has 10 questions). This is a screening test to indicate possible PND. At least it gives you a starting point for treatment and counseling. Depression and anxiety are so closely related, and the treatment is very similar. I hope the meds and counselor help.

AFM - I rang for my BT results today and I have glandular fever. I was intent on going to work tomorrow anyway, but don't want to over do it. I made a Shepherd's Pie for dinner the other night and felt too wiped afterwards to eat it. Now I just have to give myself permission to take more time off work (at least I have over 200 hours of sick leave accrued) and rest, rest, rest. I'm also praying that Amelia doesn't get it.

Hannah - Gosh, glandular fever...is there anything they can give you for it? Thats great you have so much sick leave! Hopefully you wont' need to use it all...I hope you get better soon. Is it contagious? Yes, it was the Edinburgh test. I'm really hoping I'll feel better after speaking with the counsellor...just feel like I need to blurt everything out to someone.

Hi Everyone!

I've been slack and not been on, finding it harder and harder to get the time (see below).

Hannah - glandular fever is not good mate! No wonder you've been feeling crap, seriously, take it easy if you can. DH had it when he was younger and it's the reason why now unless he's keeping busy he has to have "grandpa" naps...as soon as he stops he crashes, it's an after affect of that can last forever. Hopefully you won't have that and get better soon. Poor you! Is it still classified as the "kissing disease"? If so, how do you avoid passing it onto DH or Amelia, gosh that would be hard not giving her kisses, it's bad enough when you have a cold and try not to kiss them!

Beany - sorry to hear about your diagnosed PND, you can be depressed and not realise, it's good to get onto it though so if the medication helps definitely take it. It won't be forever and it's very common so don't feel bad.

Tilda - boooooo to DH, they have the worst timing sometimes don't they. Like Beany said, being a mum is far more important than any fancy designer or whatever she is, it mightn't be as glamorous most of the time but it's far more rewarding and I know which I'd rather. xx

Hi everyone else - how are we all?

AFM - it's our turn for teething again, Amelia's night sleeps have been pretty bad for her, last night wasn't too bad but the night before she was up for 2 solid hours and I couldn't settle her for ages, it was pretty tough as I had my back tooth out that day and was in a bit of pain myself so I could've done without it. In fact, it's still sore! So I relented and went and got some of that teething elixir.....which btw Beany they don't let you buy more than one at a time so I'll go back in a couple of weeks and get you some - it's because it's paracetamol and antihistamine and they don't like you to use it for more than a week at a time, I explained I was wanting it for a friend but I'm sure they get that all the time ha ha. Doesn't matter, I'll go back and get another bottle in a couple of weeks for you if you're still interested. I was hesitant to use it, felt like I was drugging Amelia but I just gave her the minimum dose last night, she did wake up once at 2am but she only took 30 mins to settle....which is good at the moment! I can't wait to go back to my 11 hour uninterrupted nights lol.....seems like you just get over one lot of teething and/or wonder week and up comes another! She too goes off and on her food, oh well, it's all the joys of being a mum huh. Otherwise she is doing great, she's happy during the day and today for example she's had 2 x 2 hour naps because it's rainy outside.....this weather is great for that! Makes a difference to last week's 45 minute naps, grrrr.

Well, best run as I'm sure she'll be waking soon and I have things to do still. I made a pumpkin/parmesan risotto for her yesterday and she absolutely devoured it, if anyone's interested in the recipe I'm happy to email/FB it to you. Willow, have you tried it yet? Definitely one the whole family can eat.

Rose/Beany - let's catch up again soon. xx

Oooh forgot to mention, Amelia has started doing the "worm" in the past week. Just when I thought she was way off crawling she's now doing the commando crawl and starting to really lift her knees, isn't it amazing how they can look like they're way off then suddenly they're doing it! So time to babyproof as she's into it all now! lol

Hi everyone, sorry I have been gone again! I'll explain later...

Tilda, I know how that feels, but DH doesn't understand - as he is not with you all day he just doesn't understand that "you" time does not exsist...It is hard sometimes...I feel the same too. I am very torn between dedicating myself to Eva all the time and working but with the relationship I have with my mother (she is a serious workaholic) I push myself to Eva as much as possible...I think stay at home moms don't get enough credit...It is more work than working and putting the baby in daycare - I feel less tired now than when I had her home all day...Just try to plan a nice night with DH...tell him you need some attention - I'm sure he'll understand.

Beany, for the tantrums - it is not a bad attitude - now that they can move, why would they want to be on their backs??? Eva has moments where she is fine letting me change and dress her but more often she is squirming all over the place trying to throw stuff off the table - She loves throwing stuff on the floor! It is totally normal - I read about this when I was still pregnant...they just don't feel like being pinned down bored :) I think depression manifests itself in different ways. Maybe a counselor or support group would also help? I get the feeling you need to chat a bit and let it all out. We're here but I guess in person is different...You have your perthies, so maybe talk about it next time you girls meet up?

Hannah, well as much as it is awful to be sick, at least you know there is something! It is worse feeling under the weather and not knowing what is going on! Don't worry too much about your liver. If your doc didn't stress I am sure it is not serious, but just monitor that, since you know it was a problem for your mother. Is that lawyer working out for you? I hope some of the stress from her passing has gone.

Suz, how did they react to the snow? Eva was born in the winter so we had plently of snow but she was too young to enjoy it so this winter should be her first real experience rolling in it!

Carmey, so glad Jack is better! As for the comments you were making about not finding love, I know it is hard to see the future when everything gets complicated but these days plently of relationships start later and many families develop through second marriages or relationships. You are a wonderful girl and Jack is gorgeous, so if things don't work out with DH then I am sure the next guy will be more emotional and invilved - being that there is a baby involved he would have to be - In a way, having Jack will ensure that the next guy is serious and really loves you and wants something long term...also seeing how he interacts with Jack will give you a huge indictaor of whether or not you want the relationship to advance or not - so look at it as a super screener...Many men want babies these days and lots of women don't, so you would be surprised how many men out there would be thrilled to starts a relationship with someone who already has a child...You are very strong for making this decision and I hope things work out with DH, but if not, son't stress so much - Love is everywhere :loveshower: - you would just need to take time to get to a good place and get your life organized and I am sure the perfect guy will just show up.

Lani, have not heard from you in a while...how is Jett doing?

Willow, you should post some pics of the house :) I saw Harry climbing everywhere, Eva does the same and falls often...lots of red bumps but she cries for a sec then goes right back to it - she has started walking if we hold up her hands...she is trying to pull up to everything!

Hi to everyone else I have not mentioned!

As for us, Eva finished her first week in daycare and we had a great weekend at home all together, DH and I got rid of tons of furniture and rearranged the apt to open up tons of space for Eva to crawl and use her walker in - The place looks 10 times bigger....We got rid of tons of stuff and furniture and I bought like 20 plastic boxes from Ikea and packed away all the old toys, swing, bath chairs, clothes, towels etc... DH is going to put up shelves in the garage this WE to organize all the stuff we put down there...It feels great to have this airy space - I am one of those people who does not thinnk well when my space is unorganized...

Monday she went into daycare and I left and they called me 30 minutes later telling me she had a 38.6 fever and that I had to come get her...I decided to wait it out a bit...we gave her some medicine for her fever and I kept her home - that night she woke up like 10 times and was really hot and that morning, 40.3! So I went straight to the doctor and turns out she got an ear infection...he gave us drops and said if the fever does not go down then we would have to starts antibiotics...As soon as I put the drops in her fever went down and did not come back! I kept her home yesterday to monitor her and she went back in today...I am going to have to start that difficult "restarting" week AGAIN! I get the feeling she never does a full week :( Thank god DH is my boss ;) lol

Yesterday I trained really hard and rode my bike to training so now I am sore everywhere, so I hope I can keep up with her this afternoon...That girl can go! She dances now every time she hears music (With her two hands in the air - I put a vid on FB), waves hi to everyone and when I say "kiss" she gives me a big drooly one on the mouth :) I started letting her watch baby einstein and she loves the first sounds series, and immitates the sounds and talks back to the little puppets...every time there is a song she starts dancing and waving her hands in the air...it is so damn cute :) - She is also very particularly starting to make the m sound so when she sees me or wants me she goes mmmmmmmaaammmm...and she is doing a definite papapapapa for DH...and a babababa for food (I think bottle?) - With the baby einstein videos she has started immitating the sounds and is now starting to use many more letters... It is really cute :)

So girls, I am off to get solme work done since I missed the whole week AGAIN!

Also, my friend who was pregnant at the same time as me last time and had her baby three weeks after me is preg again! She just told me that this week!!! I am so excited for her...Her babies will have like 1.5 years diff! I am planning on starting TTC in mid/end Sept too so we will prob have babies close together in age again!

Oh yes, and someone mentioned their baby being last to have teeth, nope! Eva is almost 9 months (next week!!!!) and not a tooth in sight! the doc said he sees them coming though - I recently found out that DH got his first tooth at 11 months!!!! That explains a lot!

xoxo