Babies Born~May 16th-31st 2009 #4

[*TripleJ*]

yeah but i tested early who knows i still gotta wait till at least 2moro maybe longer i was a bit silly

[MummyNaomi]

J - its so hard not to test isn't it? Oh well, I could tell you to show some restraint but I never could LMAO

Amy - My Gran has always been on great terms with my Mum, she even came to Mums and Dads wedding (I was 8), they lived together in sin for quite some time LMAO, Dad said he was doing the whole 'try before you buy' thing. But he proposed to Mum and kinda 'proposed' to us in regard to whether we wanted him to adopt us, from memory we were already calling him Dad from day dot anyhoo so it was merely a legality at that point really. Funnily enough we were talking about it many years later and my younger brother Simon (who was maybe 10-12 at the time) piped up and said "What's this about Dad not being our Dad?" - he was so young at the time that had just forgotten all about it, he was a bit devo for a while, but when we explained that Dad 'chose' him rather than just choosing to have a random baby he was pretty happy - I hope that makes sense? Paeds sure are expensive, I think we paid $260 for our appt but luckily we have hit the medicare safety net so got most of it back - whew!!

BG - hope you are making peace with the family stuff and its not causing you too much pain, you are such a strong woman and from the very little I know of you, you are a tough nut (but complete and utter mush underneath) so I hope you have the strength to work through it all. From the many posts and convo's back and forth I think you are a wonderful Mum, and fiercely protective of E, ensuring that she has a happy, healthy and wonderful life - no doubt she will grow up to realise how lucky she is to have you as her Mummy. Thanks for the 26 week wonder week info via facebook before, very interesting indeed!! I must invest in that book, I might have a look on ebay, otherwise I will just pester you for more info

Bella - has your sis popped yet? Must be any moment now - GL with attending the birth, no doubt it will be simply amazing. Also, sorry to hear about the relationship you had with your Mum, from what I have observed from your posts and FB though, you are a very different mother to J and obviously very determined not to let that relationship negatively impact you as a Mum. You are such a nuturing and kind person and Mummy and have obviously turned those experiences into positives by becoming such a wonderful role model as a Mum x

Vic - have been following your pics on FB in the UK, looks like you guys are having a great time!

Nicky - hope Allira's sleep has improved for you now, hows it all going?

Kat - Ahhh, such a double edged sword all the developments are they, Ivy learns to roll but then gets frustrated cos she cant crawl. Bugger re the sleep, hope it all changes for you guys quickly and you get some well deserved rest.

Hi to everyone else!!

Its really been a sick bay here this week, I am still struggling to get over my tonsilitis, have a very annoying cough that just wont go away and feel crap intermittently. Bailey seems to be coming good, the purchase of the vaporiser was the best $50 odd dollars I have spent in a long time. Hopefully by the end of the week we are both back to normal. Poor little guy smacked his head on the side of the craddle last night, he has been in the craddle in our room while he's been sick and is probably too big for it and rolled into the side - ouch. I think being sick I have been much less tolerant of DH, sometimes I just get sick of asking for help or things to be done and have snapped a few times this week. I think he really has it easy with me at home, I do 90% of the housework, washing, dinners etc lately as well as looking after the little guy and I feel like he is starting to take advantage (probably without realising it). Now that Bailey is on the bottle I told Sean that he has to do one of the weekend nights and give me a full nights sleep which he is happy to do (yaaaaah). I dont mind getting up during the week as I can nap when Bailey does, but I deserve a weekend too - I think they forget that. Dont get me wrong he, he does heaps more than most of the hubbies I know but sometimes I just wish he'd notice stuff so I dont feel like I am being a nag. Or when he does do something - eg take turns to bath Bailey, get all the stuff ready so you dont have to call me for something from the bathroom every single frigin time, otherwise I might as well do it myself as I dont get to relax while playing fetch. This morning as he was leaving the bedroom, Bailey awoke, Sean still had 30 mins until he had to leave for work and was just going out to the lounge to watch tv, I suggested he play with Bailey and he said "Oh, he'll go back to sleep" (yeah right, that would be the first time), of course he was wide awake so I had to get up at 550am. I was seething and seriously wanted to smash him - cant see why he couldn't play with him for that half and hour while I got some more sleep... Grrrrrrr. OK, vent over, I needed to get that off my chest. I love him to bits but sometimes I just want to smack him upside the head (in a non spousal abuse kinda way LOL) I'm going to talk to him in the morning when I am not all pent up. He is seriously going to get a rude shock when I go back to work and he is a full time Dad. I am determined that I am going to come home and let him do it all and make him nag me LMAO

Anyway, I might head off to bed, DH has a gig tonight so wont be home until late, so might as well go and sprawl out in the king size bed while I can hehehehe

[*TripleJ*]

oh well not this month but i kinda figured seeings i was at mums it was a slim chance theres always next month lol note to self dont go to mums when i O

[MummyNaomi]

LOL J - I think you need to be with Vlad, not your Mum **nudge nudge wink wink**

[Bella29]

Hi Girls!

Amy- Sorry you feel that you wasted your money They are expensive huh! I didn't want to say for sure that it was normal cos my training always always reiterated that if you can't see it you can't assess it. We were NEVER allowed to give advice over the phone to people calling the emergency department. No matter how simple it sounded. Just in case IYKWIM. Anyway It sounds like you need a more competant GP. Or just stick to your normal one!

Naomi- Thanks for the support hon! I think I probably try harder than I would of if it all hadn't happened IYKWIM? Despite everything, it was knowing she didn't love me that was hardest. But really I did my grieving many yrs ago, it has just played on my mind a bit with new motherhood. It all probably means I will over compensate and drown Jemima in love. But I figure that is the silver lining, I hope I don't smother her and she grows into a wonderful girl with the confidence of my love behind her.

I hear you about your hubby and the frustration stuff. My DH like yours, is very supportive but just a bit dense sometimes. He says stupid stuff that makes you just think that he thinks I don't work very hard with this motherhood gig! I feel defensive at times. Last night he got home, and was like "I'm tired cos we started at 0745 on the course" and of course I said "yeah well I started at 4am and then out of bed at 6". He said "Were not starting this again?". Anyway not meaning to be a he said she said, but it annoyed me, I think, cos sometimes they just don't get that it is bloody hard work getting up at all hours. I haven't slept thru the night since well b4 J's birth and it all adds up. The constancy of looking after a small barnacle all the time is tough and it would be nice if they got it. My DH is encouraging and says nice stuff but he is just as likely to sigh and act like it is a big deal to change J on his way to work so I don't have to get out of bed too. What do you do other than whinge occassionally to your fellow sisters in arms who get it!

Jacinta- sorry honey... better luck next time. your DH prob is happy Mine was always bum'd cos we got preg first try. He didn't get to practice as much as he would have liked. Mind you we were on hooneymoon so he was getting monkey sex 3 times a day anyway LOL!

Kat- Hope you are well honey! I keep thinking of you, hope things are getting easier or that you are getting enough sleep to cope! Your doing really well! Good on you Mum!

BG- I feel the same. I came to peace with many of my mother issues yrs ago, but I have been feeling emotion surrounding them again. So I pulled them out of their box and looked them over and found a few loose threads so to speak. Working out what the emotions were, identifying them made it better. I needed to know what I was feeling and have never found bottling things up did any good. That doesn't mean I turned into a mess, I just turned introspective for a time. I feel better now for having put in that time for myself. I realised I was grieving for new things as I realised new things that had been lost to me, as my eyes have been opened to the full scope of how much love is there to be given a small child. I expect it will happen at different times in my life when I regret that I don't have those things from my mum. I am content to let it happen as it wills and just move thru it as a way of being especially blessed with an active awareness of how precious life, love and family is. I hope you find your happy space. Bella

AFM- Well Jemima is teething! She has two white lines on her lower gum and has her fingers on it all the time! Miserable little girl wants to be with me and be entertained all the time too.... *sigh* Oh well. Pip hasn't had her baby yet. Although she did just come over and borrow some herbs that got my labour going

Must go have a grissily little girl

Love Bella

[MummyNaomi]

My DH is encouraging and says nice stuff but he is just as likely to sigh and act like it is a big deal to change J on his way to work so I don't have to get out of bed too.

The sigh must be a universal thing - sure its great when they do stuff but it ****es me off when its begrudgingly. If I sighed every time it would become my new language LOL

I dont think you can spoil a kid with love - I think it will be harder when they are older to sit back and let them make their own decisions/choices when we want to give them the benefit of our experience/mistakes but can we really ever love our kids too much? Dont be afraid to love J with everything you have in your heart, you're a smart enough chick to know when you need to pull back if you are bordering on smother-town LOL. I really want to be careful not to spoil Bailey with stuff - I'd rather spoil him with my time. One thing I learnt from my Bro and SIL on the weekend is how much there girls simply LOVE doing stuff with Mum and Dad - they have Friday Family Fun Night (FFFN) every week, they either do crafty stuff, play games, watch movies - anything really but they must all do it together. It was so refreshing and parentally inspirational to me to hear the girls excitedly tell me about all the things they have done on FFFN and show me all the stuff they have made - Sean and I plan to steal the idea for our kid(s)

Naomi
x

[Snacks]

BG: Have you been getting some more sleep? Had to LOL @ E getting the whole bed to herself the other morning Did you find a high chair?
Kat: All I got for you, mate. Hope this learning curve settles down for her soon and in turn she goes back to wanting some sleep. Do you have other relos/friends nearby who can look after her so you can have a nap?
Jacinta: Sorry that it wasn't this cycle. Will cross fingers for the next one.
Naomi: Is devo some kind of SA lingo? LOL! Short for devastated?
Yep, it all makes perfect sense. I think it's great that your Gran still wanted to be part of your life and was still able to keep a positive relationship with your mum. Super.
Oh mate, I hear you on the DH thing. Mine is SOOOOO much better this time round, but last time I could've torn my hair out. Even now, he sometimes says stuff that makes me realise how very much we value paid employment over 'home duties' and child-rearing. Sad really. The thing that made it better for us was when I went back to work and DH had a go at looking after her each Wednesday. He got more of an appreciation for what it was like then... well sort of, as he only looked after her, he didn't do any housework. I think you're well within your rights to reverse the roles once you go back to work, but I suspect it won't work out that way - I reckon when you get home from work you'll be desperate to do things with Bailey and you'll just do it, so your DH will have it much easier than you, LOL.
Bella: Ah, s'ok - it was just a shock as it's been years since I saw a specialist. But I don't regret taking her. If there had have been some sort of neurological problem I never would've forgiven myself if I didn't take her when given the opportunity. And he was great - gave her a thorough checking over, talked me through everything. I wouldn't have expected you to diagnose her over the net But I did want to thank you anyway for your advice/reassurance. It sure is handy having a nurse in our group, LOL!
Ditto to you what I said to Naomi - if your DH could look after J for a while (obviously when she's not BF all the time) then I reckon he'd get a new appreciation for how tough it can be. I still find my DH sometimes fails to make things easier for me when he could, but he is better than he was.
Yay for teeth! Sorry she is miserable - hopefully now they've broken through the worst is over.

We have had a good few days here. The girls have both had a bit of a developmental shift over the last couple of weeks, I'm coming to realise. Phoebe is rocking herself in the rocker and she's 'communicating' more enthusiastically. She's still not grasping everything, but anything she does grab goes straight in her mouth. She's not rolling either, but she's getting stronger - I can see it in the way she arches her back during tummy time. She's waking an extra time most nights and fortunately the last couple of days she hasn't been as difficult to settle for sleeps, so hopefully that little phase is behind us until the next round, LOL. Natalie is just getting so much more grown up. She is thrilled to go to childcare all of a sudden - can't wait to leave in the mornings. She's being SO GOOD with Phoebe - sometimes when P grizzles, N will go and entertain her (I can't leave them alone of course, but I can just sit back and watch - I don't need to physically restrain her anymore). She's speaking a lot more clearly and now I can understand most of what she says, which is a big improvement from even just a month ago. And she's getting so much better at concentrating on one game for a longer period of time.
Kids just amaze me. I will be sad not to have any more, but I'm also looking forward to watching these two grow, seeing their relationship develop, facing the next lot of hurdles, challenges and excitement.
Have been looking through catalogues today trying to get my head around Christmas. It's not far away and I'm going to have to get organised early in order to manage the expense. Natty's and DH's birthday is two days after Christmas too, so I've got that in the back of my mind. Does anyone here use Big W's photo website? I joined up today - I thought I might get photo gifts for the grandparents and great grandfolk too... Not sure what the quality would be like. DH can do them through work but I think it'd be more expensive where he gets stuff done.

[MummyNaomi]

Naomi: Is devo some kind of SA lingo? LOL! Short for devastated?

LOL - I thought it was universal, so devo that you guys hadn't heard it before

And Yep, its short for devastated

[wysiwyg]

Heard of devo here and devo'd, DH often uses it, I think sometimes we use more Aussie lingo than Aussies just because is different. The different way words are shortened over here (meaning in Oz not here in UK) is fascinating.

Off to visit my sister today - so need to get ready - is weird coming on during day here as after about 10:00am there are no posts - will get round to an update today.

[briggsy's girl]

hi ladies - will be brief cos i'm exhausted. went to a birthday party with mum and miss E today - 410k round trip! buggered!

found E a high chair last night - wasn't the one i was looking at in a catalogue - but was less then $5 more and is still really good - just not as padded as the one we were initially looking at (was worth more but on special for less..) - she seems happy in it - sat in it last night while we cut up stuff for dinner

ummmm, sleep - yeah, i think i've worked out part of the issue. another daddy who doesn't quite get it. E NEEDS to be wrapped tight - she doesn't sleep well without being wrapped properly. DH has been getting slack in wrapping her and she doesn't stay asleep as long cos she gets her hands out, and then pokes herself in the face and wakes up. night before last, i wrapped her and put her in bed awake - 10 hours later she woke, awake half hour, and back asleep for 3. last night, DH put her into bed again. she went to sleep. she'd had a sleep in the evening for a couple of hours, so it was almost midnight - she woke at five, was still awake at 7! he kept getting up to her (which i love him for) but wasn't fixing the problem (hands out) wsa just putting dummy back in. i cracked the poos big time, fed her again, made sure she was wrapped up properly - and she was still asleep at 10 (we were supposed to leave at 9.30!). hmmm, me thinks mummy needs to teach daddy (again!) how to wrap her!

party was good but a very long trip for the poppet. she slept probably half the way there - cried HEAPS cos she wanted out - sigh - can't do much on the freeways! we did stop and feed and play half way - but she wasn't happy with that. i was dreading the trip home - but she had an awesome sleep - woke only when we stopped to get petrol about a km from mum's - and then whinged on the way home (another 20kms) - had a feed when we got here, and has been on the floor talking to daddy ever since.

must run and see if i can get some dinner - so hungry and so tired!

[Snacks]

LOL, Naomi. Well, I am obviously the knob for not having heard it before
Have fun at your sister's Vic. Loving seeing the photos of your time over there!
Wow, BG. What a day! Great that you've worked out what's waking E overnight. Hope you get a good sleep tonight.

[Bella29]

BG- Good on E for being such a fab little traveller!! Must have a good mummy

[wysiwyg]

Hello from the UK

BG - Great E is such a good car traveller. So far so good for us with CJ - done a few longish journeys in car so far and have more to come. My mum has a Nissan Micra which we are borrowing and is only a two door, so have found the best way to get CJ in and out of the rearward facing seat is through the boot!! I am reasonably tall so isn't too bad through the boot but a two door car and rearward facing seat must be a nightmare. I am planning on getting CJ a high chair when get back (one from IKEA) to get her used to sitting up with us for meals too.

Amy - No rolling from CJ yet either (unless you count the time I accidentally rolled her over when moving her playmat - she was so shocked!) - was hoping after two weeks without brace she might be. But she can now weight bear a bit on her legs when you hold her as if standing, and is lifting her bum off the ground and sort of shuffling backwards - plus has developed an obsession with her knees which she can now touch and play with (this means my dad is constantly saying KNEES KNEES to her so wouldn't be surprised if that was her first word!)

Naomi - The FFFN is a great idea, DH works funny shifts so we couldn't always do same night of the week but will probably also steal that idea and work some sort of variation. We always do something altogether whenever DH has a day off - normally quite touristy type things, visiting places etc - once a tourist in a city always a tourist I reckon. Coming back to where I grew up is odd as now I see as a quaint English village whereas when I was a kid and till quite recently always thought was a dump. Hope your pancakes and syrup were good.

Bella - Hope J's teething doesn't cause her too much trouble (or you too many dramas) - I am hoping for a good few more months before teething. CJ does have her hands and everything in her mouth all the time at the moment, I haven't actually looked for teeth but she was gumming my hand fairly hard today and didn't feel any (a baby gumming any part of you apart from nipple is such a strange sensation).

Jacinta - Hope your next round of TTC proves more successful - loving your pics of Jamie on FB he is very photogenic (I voted for him on the Bonds thing).

Kat - Hope Ivy gets over it soon - looks like been some nice weather in Melbourne from your pics of you and Ivy in the park.

Hi to everyone else.

AFU - We are having a nice time, after day 2 CJ settled back into a more normal feeding pattern and is sleeping 12 hours again (I am still getting up hungry in the night so have also been expressing a bit so can leave her occasionally) - my mum says "You don't know your born" because CJ is so good. Her day sleeps still aren't particularly long (3 x 1 hour but sometimes one is only 20 mins) but she is just so happy and smiley. My brother adored her (he is 27 and single so wasn't sure how interested was in babies) and found out on FB that all babies love him apparently. My sister also loved playing with her although says she won't be having kids. Mum and Dad have had some time off, but on the days they have to go to work find it hard to drag themselves away from CJ smiling up from kitchen floor. Met up with best friend from home today, and we are going out shopping on Monday as I need her help because I am really a bit of a slob (and now I use the baby as an excuse!) and she is very stylish.

Oh a question - I bought some new teats for my Tommee Tippee Back to Nature bottles because my other ones had gone a funny colour in parents dishwasher - they are Variflow says 0 months onwards - I hadn't seen in Oz, CJ seems to finish the bottle much quicker on these - so anyone used these any opinions on what works best for combining breast and bottle - I thought I had read maybe is better to keep on slow flow?
Also on packet says change teats every 2 months - does everyone else do this -I had just been using the same ones but I only use one bottle a day at max.

[MummyNaomi]

Oh a question - I bought some new teats for my Tommee Tippee Back to Nature bottles because my other ones had gone a funny colour in parents dishwasher - they are Variflow says 0 months onwards - I hadn't seen in Oz, CJ seems to finish the bottle much quicker on these - so anyone used these any opinions on what works best for combining breast and bottle - I thought I had read maybe is better to keep on slow flow?
Also on packet says change teats every 2 months - does everyone else do this -I had just been using the same ones but I only use one bottle a day at max.

Vic - I use these TT bottles (and always have when combining BF and bottle) and are currently using the number 2 teat (for 3-6 month), will prob go up to the number 3 soonish seeing Bailey is on the bottle full time, but as you know he prefers the bottle now so it may not be a bad idea to have a slower flow for CJ so she sticks with the boob and doesn't develop a bottle preference. Also, if you are using them infrequently like once a day I cant see the need to replace them every 2 month - they are not getting the wear and tear of a bottle fed baby

HTH

[*TripleJ*]

Jamie walked around his activity table today almost the whole way
stop growing little boy and he ate 4 teaspoons of pear lol
lol and i just realised i can stick it up snobby MIL if we have a girl next lol if she doesnt like the name jamie imagine wat she'll say to the name summer

thanx vic dunno if he'll win but it would be pretty fun

[MummyNaomi]

J - Summer is a lovely name We are keeping our girls name that we had picked had Bailz been 'pink' should we have a girl (Zara)

Vic - cant get over how similar that video of you is to CJ - WOW

Well just wanted to update that the FF is going extremely well, I'm actually really glad we changed now (although forever making up bottles is a serious PITA, whipping out the boob is definately easier), but in regard to it suiting Bailey - he is much more settled again, feeding time is again a pleasure and a lovely bonding experience (rather than him crying/screaming at my boobs), and he has many more wet nappies - all indicators to me I have made the right decision. I do miss the boob skin on skin experience, but I find my little man snuggles in and strokes my hand (instead of the boob) and gazes into my eyes, and he is again going into the 'milk coma' which just shows he is getting the volume he needs - Yaaaaaaaah. Expressing however isn't happening - what IS it with me and expressing? I swear my boobs have a pact not to produce milk unless an actual baby sucks them -they have a serious case of 'pump refusal' LMAO. I have made peace with it and learnt some valuable lessons if we are lucky enough to have another baby and I can BF again. I'll be more proactive to ensure I have a great supply (eg express regularly from day dot) and not be so bloody hard on myself! So I almost hit the 6 month mark - I'll mark that down as a victory and I think I have given Bailz the best start possible. The benefits we saw from starting solids have returned now and feeding (both milk and solids) is all working - Whew, Yaaaaaahhhhh and thank bloody god!! I really feel like a weight has lifted off my shoulders and I have realised that I was putting alot of pressure on myself to plug away hoping that BF would improve, and while it may have, or it may not have, we are in the right place now.

Naomi
x

Oh PS - So Amy, I am not devo re the BF now

[Bella29]

Hi girls, quick update. I'm at my sisters place, waiting for my sisters baby to be born. Very exciting! Will let you all know.

Bella

[MummyNaomi]

Bella - How exciting!!!