Hi all......

Heather - Alyssa is awake more through the day now too. hard to keep her occupied somedays but a walk outside usually does the trick. she just loves looking at everything happening around her. so bright and alert. my grandparents are here for chrissy and can't believe her. think they were expecting the sleepy little thing they saw when she was a week old and she does the same thing playing around when she's feeding then smiles and all the milk she's got in her mouth dribbles down mum. she also makes a fist and punches my boobs though and i can see that's going to get painful as she gets bigger!!

Tecopa - sounds ike you're doing a lot of nighttime feeds...... hopefully he'll drop one for you soon so you can have a bit of a longer sleep in the night somewhere!! Alyssa is a really loud sleeper for the second half of the night as well. usually after her night feed so from about 3 - 6. sounds like you're doing a great job!! if i was on my own i think i'd be living on toast and i hate to think what the house would look like. most days i've just got enough time to do a load of washing!! did clean my wardrobe out though. took 3 days and in the process every piece of clothing i owned was in the loungeroom!!!

GTBBIA - some days they just won't sleep will they!!! We had one sleep yesterday (it was a nice 3 hour one though so it meant mum could clean up a little bit before we have everyone here for chrissy) and then dozed on my grandmother while i was at mums for tea last night. it's amazing as they get more aware of where they are isn't it. i keep forgetting it's the first time they've seen things.. lucky you on the hair cut and facial. i'm planning a facial in january with my mum to say thankyou for how amazing she was through my labour and the first couple of weeks after the birth (and still is of course). DH can have a little bit of daddy daughter time. your iron levels might be down if you're really tired. mine still haven't come back to anywhere near the level they were while i was pregnant let alone before (that's thanks to me hemoraging after the birth thoug) and i know it's affecting my tiredness. mhy GPs just mointoring them and i'm on iron tablets and eating plenty of red meat.

AFM - we had our 6 week checks on monday. everything all good with mummy and daughter. Alyssa had her 8 week needles early (we've got a whooping cough outbreak so they're doing the needles at 6 weeks instead) and only screamed for a minute when they went in but she must have realised a couple of hours later that they were sore and then the wailing started. her poor little legs came up all red and hot. i gave her some baby panadol (which i was glad i went and got after she had her needles) and she calmed down pretty quickly and we managed to get her to bed. she was clingy all afternoon though so i held her from about 4 to 9 while she cryed. very stressful afternoon!!! she pretty much slept through last night. cause i wasn't home until nearly 10 by the time i gave her her last feed, changed her and put her down it was nearly 11 (lucky she'd been dozing on people while i ewas out) and she didn't wake up till 540 this morning which was pretty good.

Can i have some opinions - i want to know if i'm being over sensitive and should just get over it........ my inlaws are difficult about where we have christmas every year and won't budge on them doing lunch. if we can't make it (cause we want to spend some of them with my family) we get to go in the afternoon and see them but they won't even save dessert for us (offered to one year but we were 20 minutes late so they ate it and opened all the presents including the ones we'd bought them without us) which means my family who are more easy going usually get the raw end of the deal....... just a bit of background.. This year being Alyssa first we wanted to have both familys here to celebrate together. easier for us and we don't spend the day in and out of cars. they are refusing to come because there's too many people - there's 9 of my relatives and would be 6 of his making 18 with us. my mil lost her mum 3 days before alyssa was born and she says she's not ready for crowds. i'm just a little hurt that they don't want to share her first christmas and such a special time has to be all about her when to me christmas is all about being with family and especially the kids (alyssa is the only grandchild on both sides). they are going to come around but not till 4 or 5 and i don't want to feel like i should kick everyone else out just cause they show up. my grandparents have travelled down from grafton and it's a big trip for them when they're in their 80's and my uncle has come from brisbane so i don't want them to feel guilty about the inlaws not coming either...... such a mess!! but i guess christmas always is with familys (especially DH's)

anyway, must go and have a shower before she wakes up again. my best friend had a little boy yesterday so i'm going to try and get to the hospital today and visit Alyssas new boyfriend and still have to finish cleaning 9or as much as i can with a finger in a splint (not that i'm playing on it or anything ) so the house looks decent for chrissy.... thankyou for listening to my vent/whinge!!!

Enjoy your first christmas's everyone!!