*** November 2014 Mum's ***

[mellie_88]

Babies suddenly surprise you with a laugh, at least that's what it was like with Jake. I still haven't made him laugh, only OH but that doesn't surprise me.

Jakes nearly rolling, but I think their first few rolls tend to be accidental anyway.

I've still never put a bib on him. He dribbles so much but I always have a muslin cloth nearby so just wipe it away with that.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Frankie laughs a fair bit, but I've caught her laughing at thin air so I'm not taking any credit for it, haha! She is giggly and smiley in the mornings, which tends to melt the irritation I feel at being woken yet again.

I don't think jars are awful but they're like frozen meals - fine occasionally but not best eaten at every meal.

As for not clearing the plate, we took a mixed approach to it. If it's something they're really struggling to eat or hate, or there's some reason why they're less hungry than usual we'd let them off. If they were trying it on, or filled up on the nice bits but were 'full' when there was only veg left we'd insist they ate more. And they had to remain at the table until everyone was finished, to avoid them rushing to get back to toys.

We have no bedtime routine. She snoozes downstairs in the evening then I feed her sometime between 9 and 11 upstairs, depending on when she wakes or I force a dream feed around then, in bed then I put her in her cot. I should start a routine but I haven't worked out how to leave her up in her cit safely because it's only 3 sided.

She joined the library today! We got three books out to read.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Stitchers out there, what should i do with the hems if I chop the feet off some baby grows? I've got a few I'm not keen on (gifts) but they'll do for night times so I'm not bothered about them looking great. They're bog standard supermarket baby grows. Could I just chop the feet off then wonderweb them?

 

[Applecrumble]

Quickest and easiest would be pinking shears. 2 nd If i had more time would be to cut and then turn them in creating a hem. bonderweb seems to be more fiddle. Could give them just a good press.

Imogen has a cold...how can i find so much snot and dribble so cute?

 

[nicejuicypear]

You don't know my sewing skills, wonderweb is much better than my hemming! But I will see if the stepdaughter has any pinking shears. I don't mind unhemmed if they're not going to fray.

Hope the cold doesn't get too bad, poor Imogen. It is weird how your own child's snot is so much less repulsive than anyone else's!

 

[mellie_88]

A quick hem or wonderweb should the trick I'd hope.

Jake joined the library on Monday, they have a rhyme time group there. Didn't get any books out though.

Valuation for what is hopefully going to be my house is booked in for Thursday, it's so exciting! Showed my Grandparents and Mom round it yday. They all really liked it which is good

 

[Kaa286]

My phone been playing up not letting me reply so been reading everything and getting frustrated I couldn't join in haha!!

No weaning here til at least 6 months especially since she was a month early. I don't want to rush into the extra mess and worry that comes alongside "introducing solid food" (no longer called weaning apparently makes us giggle)
I will be doing blw as she can share things from my plate at first so hopefully feel more comfortable trying things she can see me trying. She often stares at me eating things haha.

How's everyone found the group's?? I love mine. Going to the zoo with the girls and babies from my bf support group next week and they are coming to faiths christening too.

Aw Frankie has come on so much she's such a sweetie. Know what u mean about cuddles I constantly sacrifice myself just so Faith can rest peacefully.

Been advised against use of jumperoo/walker for same reason njp mentioned. So not sure whether to get one but I'd like an activity centre for her at least.

Had a spa day with my mum yesterday was a Xmas present off my dad was nervous about leaving Faith but it was amazing!!!! Had to get Nige drive up with her so I could feed though so didn't feel I was away from her too long! Massage was amazing!!

Got faiths christening tomorrow so today will be spent running around like a crazy person sorting last min things!!

 

[Applecrumble]

Mellie, i am so pleased for you, such exciting times! Also slightly envious at the speed you are progressing at...can you recall the time it took to get our mortgate? Which bank are you going with if you dont mind me asking? We still havent completed on our property. (Not related to mortgage yet, just delays to completing the new build), meant to happen in March, although originally meant for completeion nov 2014 and we purchased property in nov 2013 so its been a long time coming!

I may have actively go and find colds for imogen to catch if this is how she behaves, last night she feeding and sleeping on me till 11pm (our decision as we were binge watching homeland) and then was in her basket asleep by 11:30pm and i just dream feeding her now at 6:30am (because boobs about to explode)... 7hrs great sleep with no formula top up! Weirdly we both thought she would make a racket sleeping because of the snot, but actually she has been more quiet than usual.

Anyone watch great british sewing bee? While we are talking sewing

 

[Applecrumble]

Kaa spa day?!? No wonder you couldnt post, too busy being pampered :-0 good for you, sounds heaven! Hope christening prep goes well!

Sorry i missed jumperoo worries NJP, Kaa, please fill me in on why its possibly not good! Like to hear all sides and then go ahead and ignore haha..

Re making friends...
Nct a couple of lovely girls but feel like im actually being bullied by one of the girls, she is so mean to me and I feel crap whenever i am in her company.
Otherwise i have met some lovely people from Waterbabies and Baby Sensory. It all seems quite a small network here, which is nice as alot of the girls i will see at a couple of things a week.
Very happy with the way it seems to be working out!

 

[Staceylou27]

Kaa that's so nice you're all going to the zoo together. I havnt met consistent people yet, there are a few who go to the stAy and play who go every week but there not the sort I would mix with outside the session, there a bit odd. There's a dee nice people at baby sensory I who go each week who I will have a good catch up with when there and the massage and rhythm time have only just started the course.

Good luck with planning for the christening!

I'm busy planning for Ruby's first overnight away from us next weekend! Eek I've started writing lists of what I need to take with her. She's staying at my parents so we can go to an evening wedding reception. I'm looking forward to not but I'm not looking forward to leaving her!

Mellie things are moving really quick let's hope it keeps going that way.

Are the jumperoos etc not advised because they will be on their tip toes? When we were little we all were in things like that with no problems I suppose you just have to make sure there not in it for long periods of time.

Ruby won't stop blowing raspberries, she gets herself wet through along with teething!
One of the babies at baby massage started teething at 4 days old! He had 2 teeth coming through he's 8 weeks old now and has two teeth at the bottom bless him.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Yeah the jumperoo issue is because of tiptoes. I don't know how much of a concern it is for most children, it's just advised against for kids with abnormal foot development. Aside from that, she couldn't get in it with a bar across her feet anyway. I have no idea what kind of thing I should get her instead though. She's still just got moses basket, cot and playmat. If she's not in one of them, she's on someone or propped up next to me on the the couch.

I still haven't gone to any baby groups. I suppose I should but I'm not very sociable.

I went to a dental surgeon yesterday, I now have an appt to have one of my molars surgically removed. Ugh. I know how the teething babies feel!

Ah, Ruby is going on her first holiday! It will be tough for you stacey, hope you manage to enjoy the evening though.

I saw the great British sewing bee this week because the stepdaughter watched it downstairs. It's not my first choice of programme! I didn't like the turquoise kilt. And that woman faffing about not doing her pleats is annoying. Amanda, was it?

The only thing I watch regularly is Eastenders, I have turned into my mother! My dad despaired when I turned up at theirs on the big day of who killed Lucy, he went out for the evening to avoid all the EE!

 

[mellie_88]

We're fortunate in that there's no chain, so at least we wont have to wait for them to move out. Plus obviously were fortunate in that we found a nice house quickly. I've been watching the estate agents and in 2 weeks this is the only house that's come on the market that would be suitable.

We're going through a mortgage broker. Wasn't planning on originally but so glad we have now as he's really good and explaining everything to us and written a little timeline of whats going to happen next. Our actual mortgage is with Halifax. It's going to end up costing us half of what our current rent is a month!!

I've not really made any baby friends. There's a couple of ok people at my one baby group but no one really seems tp socialise outside of the class which is a little annoying. Starting swimming on Tuesday so we'll see how that goes, although I'm cheating and having my mom come with me so she can dress Jake while I get changed afterwards!

Jake had a vile night last night. Think I slept for about 5 hours in total and I went to bed at 9! He was up and down most of the night. Screaming and screaming. Hopefully its just a one off and not the 4 month sleep regression but I doubt it

 

[Staceylou27]

Hmm I'm not sure what else you could get, lots of toys on her play mat will keep her stimulated. She would be able to sit in a bumbo seat as you take the tray off to sit them in it. You can get little play trays to put onto them.

As for the hem you could just hand stitch the hem up, may take a while but it's easy enough to do. Wonder Web type thing would also would but could be fiddly cos the hem will be so small.

I know it's going to be hard but I'll feel better knowing it's my mum. I don't think she knows what she's letting herself in for with the night wake ups hehe.

I hate the dentist I feel for you on that one!

I love the baby groups, you could try a course like baby massage that lasts for 6 weeks and is a small group (ours has about 9 babies in total) and you will see the same people each week. After the massage part we had a drink and a chat, it was really nice I think we do this every week.

 

[Staceylou27]

Aw poor jake let's hope it was a one off. Ruby slept a little better waking every 4 hours but because she's settling well on a night she's up early in the morning around 7ish sometimes earlier. She's napping now tho been alder for an hour! The monkey.

Yea I'm not sure how keen the people I've met are to socialise outside of the baby groups but I don't actually know when I would be able to socialise with them anyway we go to that many groups, we do something every day except wed when I meet my mum.

I'm debating swimming. I don't really enjoy it but I know ruby will love it. I think I'll go with my oh first so we can experience it together and see how it goes. I worry about the dressig part after! How do I get myself dressed when I have a baby to watch?
A few of the childrens centres offer free swimming sessions at local pools so once I figure it out I might take advantage of them.

I've got to go for a blood test today. I was put on iron tablets a while ago but dr never mentioned about going back to check if they were helping. I don't think there helping very much so I asked for a blood test. I hate having my blood taken though I hate veins!

 

[mellie_88]

Apparently they have bumbos and changing mats etc to put baby on at the swimming group I'm going to. But as my mom lives up the road its easier for me to bring her with me. Plus she's said she'll pay for them too which is nice.

I think the main worry with jumperoos etc is if people leave babies in them for ages at a time. Jake only goes in his for about 15 minutes once a day. Probably be more often when he's a bit bigger.

Still got no idea if and when we're going to start baby massage. The children's centre are no help which is really annoying.

 

[Staceylou27]

That would be good mellie if they have somewhere to out baby while you get changed. That's really nice of your mum. I think the free sessions closest to me are a Wednesday which is my mums day off so I could ask her to come too.

That's not good about the massage. It gets harder the older they get cos they won't stay still so you can learn the techniques lol. There's a church centre near me that does sessions 50p each week. I was going to go there if I couldn't get in at the centre. Might there be somewhere like this near you?

 

[nicejuicypear]

There's a bumbo seat on eBay, with an activity tray and it's cheap, local pick up only in my town. But my wife hates second hand stuff. Would it be unethical to get it & pretend a friend gave me it...?

Swimming would be nice but what do you do about nappies?

Did you not get used to them taking blood during pregnancy, Stacey? I just look away when they put the needle in now.

 

[Goat]

NJP one thing with Bumbos is if you have a large baby the leg holes are quite small. My eldest never fitted into it properly as she was a right little chunk. Now she can which is funny.
Have you seen the Fisherpixe Sit Me Ups? They're a bit like simple version of a jumperoo but it's a seat. A friend gave us hers and my lo loves it. Also when they start being able to hold things and grab stuff etc they can entertain themselves for so much longer. My daughters favourite thing for ages was a plastic bottle with uncooked pasta and rice inside and the lid sealed with tape. She had it for months! So don't worry too much.

I love baby groups too but mainly go to toddler groups. Though I've made a few new friends as the nct near us has started a new group for mums who had babies in winter 2014/2015 and also had toddlers. So we've met a few times at each other's houses and local parks etc

I bet the swimming lessons are great! We'd love to take them both.
Xx

 

[mellie_88]

Yea bumbos don't have much room, Jake only just squeezes into them. I got a second hand mamas and papas snug which is much bigger. Only cost me £8. I definitely wouldn't buy one new, they're so expensive. I'd pretend someone else gave it to me. Especially as some babies don't even like them so it would be a massive waste buying one brand new.

Nappies, they supply them, but you can get swimming nappies, I do have a pack of them already but I think I'll be making the most of the free ones for now! haha

I had a little look for places nearby that have baby massage but they're all really expensive like £6+ a class which I really can't afford.

 

[nicejuicypear]

Thanks for the info on the bumbo. She's got chunky thighs and also the foot bar will have her legs pulled apart, feet shoulder width so if they're snug she probably won't fit in. I'll look at the Mamas and papas one and the Fisher price one. Thanks for the ideas.

I can't wait until she can hold toys properly. She's at a stage of enjoying looking at things but can't hold them for herself so I just try to hang them on the arches of her playmat. Love the fact that your daughter liked the pasta & rice bottle, Goat!

Definitely take advantage of the free nappies, Mellie. I'd love to take Frankie swimming, would have to coincide it with when I could be bothered to shave my legs though! Haha!