any other over 35 first time mums?

[kosh]

Indigo - in a way I am actually one of those parents too! I'd rather Gael didn't watch TV at all, but unfortunately DH didn't see my point and now we have an addicted toddler Mind you, he maybe watches only 15-20min per day and it's mainly animal videos and songs, so not too bad, but I am still surprised at how obssessed with it he is. I wonder if I should be concerned?
have you decided what to do re. your nephew's birth? when is the DD?

clio - re. toys - Gael has books, puzzles, shape sorters, blocks, instruments, stuffed animals and a few plastic toys that make awful sounds which I hate but he loves but I imagine J has all this already? If he's enjoying pretend play wouldn't he like a toy kitchen? we bought the Ikea one on offer as a xmas/birthday present. Ikea also does like a cardboard market stand which is less pricey
but your question made me think - when I buy him toys, I don't think I choose toys that teach him anything I just buy him things that I think he will enjoy somehow.
oh, except for the shape sorted and the puzzles

need to go
will try and write more later
to all

 

[SabrinaKat]

well, TV and LO....I'm one of those parents who have the TV on all the time, but it appears that only my OH is the one addicted (literally...sigh)! I have it on more for background noise and I am able to concentrate when I need to, e.g. did my PhD thesis, wrote a book, etc., with it on in the background. LO will most happily play by himself or with me, but I am careful with what's on (we have documentaries on alot of the time). In fact, we watched The Zoo about Dublin Zoo a few times before we went a few weeks ago and he was very excited to see the big cats, giraffes in real life!

As for toys, LO's new hobby is banging things against the radiator and then looking to see if we mind. I just wish it was on the party wall so it annoyed the noisy neighbours (they have been slightly better, only loud at 9.30am on Sunday rather than both days, but the landlord told me that the council received my complaint (to the tenant board, which we have instead of going to court) and informed them that they were in great danger of losing their 'subsidised' housing as it was evident that the noise and problems were not occasional and obviously on-going, etc), so whether that will ultimately make a difference, it is nice not to be woken up by loud music on weekends!)

hope all are well and hugs!

ps. Finn has discovered the joys of eating apples (which seems also to help with teething!) and he thinks anybody eating apples, bananas uncut is hilarious!

 

[Storm1jet2]

Morning ladies – oh my what a night, after 2 brilliant nights we had one of those unexplained nights where L just cried every 20 mins! I swear I didn’t get any blocks of sleep at all and she was in with me from 12.30.. I am a broken woman… and yet this am she seems perfectly fine!

Ah yes Angel L is indeed at times a limpet – she is a very very very busy girl but sometimes she just wants to hang round my neck and she is a heavy girl – and its getting harder with a bump and when she is in limpet mode she doesn’t want daddy, just mummy! It’s hard work at times… The oil still isn’t sorted, my dad is meant to be phoning his contact today to get someone out to fix it – its cold! Thankfully we have a couple of electric heaters so we have one upstairs and one in the living room or it would be absolutely freezing… When we move next week we are probably going to convert to gas but where our house (soon to be my dads) is they don’t have a gas supply so you would end up having to get an underground gas tank and that’s just way too much hassle..

As for TV, sorry ladies I don’t mind L watching tv at all  She LOVES peppa pig and Mr Tumble but when its anything else she pretty much ignores it and carrys on playing about. In our instance it certainly hasn’t delayed her speech – she never shuts up – she’s started having entire one sided conversations with the dog which is interesting – she even asks the dog if her dinner is nice – hehe  She asks so many questions – ‘whats that?’, ‘Where did daddy or whoever leaves the room go?’, ‘Is that nice?’ etc etc – honestly she talks non stop from the minute she gets up to the minute she goes to bed – man is it tiring at times…….

At the minute in the living room we have a big pile of toys, lots of books (a stupid number), a bounce and spin zebra she is still using, a little tykes car (meant to be for outside but she loves climbing in and out of it so we keep it in the living room) an activity table which she likes to drag across the room, a dancing bear tower (https://www.argos.co.uk/static/Product/partNumber/9088092.htm) which she likes to dance and sing into the microphone, her baby swing seat she likes to mess about it, a mega sketcher (https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tomy-50116...F8&qid=1383044016&sr=8-1&keywords=magnadoodle) she loves this, paper and crayons, oh and a tiny pram and dolly… All soon to be upgraded when she gets her Christmas presents which include a peppa pig castle, spacer hopper, play house, tutu and dress up shoes, pram set, baby dolls, dolly and bath, gruffalo baking set, more books, tool set, ariel doll and hetty cleaning trolley…. Its a good job we are moving to a bigger house

Ok just found out the movers we were hoping to get can’t help us next week – nothing like leaving things to the last minute to sort eh? Oh and sorting a house mover also seems to fall under the things for me to sort category… grrr… its frustrating cause we don’t have that much big stuff to move really but we need a van to get those things moved, there is a lot we aren’t loving like sofas etc.. but we do need movers for the beds and bedroom furniture… I’m not sure where we go from here! I’m half tempted to start phoning round and half tempted to get DH to pull his finger out and get it sorted but then again I’m not sure I trust him to actually sort it! Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

Clairey how is your mum getting on? Has the pain subsided any, is she still in hospital?

Sorry ladies this was a very self-indulgent post but I am just so tired and stressed!

 

[Kitty_love]

Hi ladies! Lots and lots of posts to catch up on, love it!

Storm - sorry about the movers, what a pain! Especially hard to have all this to sort out on very little sleep. Sending you hugs xxx

Clairey - been thinking of you and your mom, really hope she's feeling better. So sorry she had to be readmitted, but glad she got seen and tests run for peace of mind. You really are a wonderful daughter!

Thanks for all the well wishes on ttc, I'm probably about a week away from expecting AF, so we'll see!

I am also an only child, and enjoyed it. Many of my childhood friends fought with and disliked their siblings, so maybe I just didn't see a benefit to having one? Only thing I remember that I didn't like about it was when my parents wanted to go somewhere or do something I didn't want to do, I got dragged along regardless. I remember thinking if I had brothers and sisters, we could overrule them or something, like have more votes on decisions? Sounds so funny now, like that would've even mattered. Lol! I had lots of neighborhood friends to play with, and a couple close girl friends when little that lived nearby, so I never felt lonely or anything. Plus, I liked reading and playing by myself, so maybe it helped me be more independent?

Blake is doing great, and eating so much better now that I went to jarred baby food. He's barely puking at all He now loves the peas, and so do the cats! Samantha tries to climb into his highchair for them, until he tries to pet or grab her. It's so funny watching Sammi kitty's brain decide between getting grabbed by baby or getting closer to the peas! Seriously, though, I am soooo relieved he likes food now and can keep it down!

More Blakey news, his second bottom tooth has recently cut through, and it's really bothering him, poor baby. I feel so bad for him. He needs lots more cuddles, and has wanted to sleep on me for naps sometimes (which is very rare for him).

Also, the day after the second tooth broke through (after many night wake ups for milk and cuddles, also rare for Blake), he started pulling himself up to standing!!! It was just on Saturday, and the past few days, he's standing up all the time in his playpen/baby jail. Amazing how quickly they learn and master things, isn't it?

As for tv, I also have it on quite a bit, but no baby tv. I'm very PG, though even in movies, so no violence or anything like that. But, I am addicted to a few soap operas, so oops! My mom was too and i remember watching them with her as early as I can remember. But B isn't interested in those. He really likes game shows (I love them, always have). B loves Wheel of Fortune, so we usually watch that together in the evenings, all 3 cuddled on the couch. Dan and I like football, but B doesn't care when that's on. He's starting to enjoy Scooby Doo, and I can't wait to get the Flintstones DVDs for him maybe next year. The other show he really likes is a morning talk show here called Live with Kelly and Michael. He sometimes smiles at the tv when they come on. Can't figure out who he likes, though. Kelly is a tiny, cute little blonde woman (who used to be in soaps lol) and Michael is a huge muscular black guy (who used to play football). They have great chemistry together, and Blake loves them! They show pictures people send in of other babies watching and loving them, so I think they're just good people and maybe their voices or attitude appeal to babies and children? Funny, though.

Oh my, this has gotten long! Sending love to everyone xxx

 

[Kitty_love]

Ahhh, so glad I copied before I posted, it logged me out and I would've lost my long post

Thanks to Angel for explaining how to get it back to older view! But this new look or update or whatever logs me out all the time now...copy, copy, copy!

Oh Storm, forgot to say yes, I think L knows much more than she lets on! Smart little cookie pants! I'd definitely be tempted to start potty training after that incident!

 

[Storm1jet2]

Oh Clio I forgot to say that at my dads L has megablocks, a megablocks table, wooden building blocks, a stupid game called pop up pirate which she likes to play by herself and the sure fire winner which is a tiny plastic shopping trolley that she she likes to fill with random things Oh and at our house she has a wheelybug https://www.play.com/Toys/Toys/4-/12376501/872023575/-/ListingDetails.html?_%24ja=tsid:13315%7Ccat:12376501%7Cprd:12376501&$$ja=cgid:7025513817|tsid:48121|cid:130773777|lid:54127562937|nw:g|crid:22604477817|rnd:11162327261423076195|dvc:c|adp:1o1|mt: which she tends to use as a seat!

She has lots of outdoor toys too at our house she has 2 slides, a couple of ride ons, a plastic rocking horse thingy etc.. and my dads she has her ladybird tent and a large plastic house with a cooker, dressing table etc in it.

BTW incase anyone thinks L has a lot of toys many of them we inherited Its handy having younger children in the family who outgrow their toys!

 

[SabrinaKat]

Clio - I forgot, we have loads of pop-up toys and LO loves them, plus a musical drum and a little wooden workbench, but also loads of books and he will pile all his books up and look through them systematically (I think you mentioned J did that?), and he loves to babble to us all the time (I think I understand most of it!)....

I did another application today (along with proposed course listings) and OH was home (on holidays), but it made me realise that I will definitely need a nanny or part-time mother's help as I simply cannot concentrate if I have to look after LO and do any constructive academic work. Of course, OH got annoyed if I didn't answer him immediately (LO seems more patient!) and then got annoyed when I eventually answered, talking over the TV (growl!).....

hugs and sorry for the bad night, storm - cross fingers that we ALL have good nights.

LO hates the radiators on (he keeps touching them and saying 'ow', we've explained it's hot, but...!and hates the electric fire (it looks like a real fire) so we are COLD! any ideas? it's getting COLD here!

hugs!

 

[charlie15]

Evening ladies, nice to see a bit more action on here today

Storm, I hope you get the movers and the heating sorted ASAP! And sorry about your lack of sleep, it must be especially exhausting being pregnant

Kitty, yey for a standing Blake it's wonderful watching all this development at the end of the 1st year isn't it? We must be similar with our cycles. My AF is due this weekend. to you.

Angel, yes I am not sure that I can wait until AF day. I can't actually remember when I found out with Sophia, I think I may have had a BFN too before AF was due, I can't recall. Gong back to Gymboree has crossed my mind too. I think I may rejoin next week. It is also something that I thought OH could do with S on his day with her. I wouldn't want to put him through playgroups! Are you wearing Sebastian when you go out? Or is he happy in his buggy? The other one I am going to trial is jo jingles as she loves her musical instruments.

Clio, obviously Sophia is a fair bit younger than J, but i also thought of a toy kitchen if he likes role play. Also, paints, crayons, maybe a kind of indoor tent, playhouse, like a den would be cool?

Thanks for your tips with Sophia to encourage walking. I have a corner shelving unit where the lower shelves, a table and open box are all arranged with Sophias toys for her to choose what she wants easily. I have one shelf with her mini piano, xylophone, maracas and claky toys on, so that's her musical shelf. I found her standing there the other day, she was totally engrossed with making tunes that she didn't realise how long she was free standing fir, a few minutes for sure. I think with S's walking, she has taken 1step forward, 3 steps back. She has been standing and cruising for2 months now, but she totally stopped cruising 3 weeks ago and she has only just started doing it again. I think the last 3 weeks have been all about words instead of walking as we now have about 8 words today a friend and her 2 children were over and they were convinced that they heard Sophia say 'I want that' while pointing to a cup. I never heard it myself, even though I was sitting next to S but she does point and say that, so I will listen more carefully in future. And with Sophia's frustration, she has been her happy self again for the last few days, so who knows, just one if those things I think.

Indigo, I think Sophia is to marry J. But as any sensible girl knows, never put all your eggs in one basket! So open to other offers

With me and TV, I am a bit funny about telly tbh. I don't watch much at all as don't really like it, apart from the occasional film or documentary, so i am a very deliberate TV watcher. So while Sophia is awake it is never on. It's not really for any reason other than I hated my parents watching so much telly, they, mainly mum, watched loads of telly and she still does now and it drives me nuts! Also when Sophia was maybe about 4 months, OH had the telly on and she just totally stopped what she was playing with and gawked aimlessly at the telly. I really didn't like the way it took her away from playing. But I think as Sophia gets older, everything in moderation is really my attitude.

 

[Storm1jet2]

Ohhh Kitty and Charlie

Bedtime for me, sooo tired and dh is irritating me, please let L sleep... Please..... Oh surprise new baby is awake and kicking away now I am lying down.. I swear they are tag team torturing me already! I also swear this New little one is more active than L ever was or perhaps this one isn't back to back? Oh I don't know but she has strong legs!

 

[SabrinaKat]

storm - I was thinking of coming up Belfast before xmas -- let me know regarding your move, etc., as to when might be a good time? (also an opportunity for Finn to meet L! - hehehe!)

not much here, posted off another application this morning and cross fingers! OH is now commenting that I can go over to USA/Canada for jobs with LO and he will join us later - this is his response whenever LO is stroppy!

bye and hugs!

 

[Storm1jet2]

Lol SK, anytime after we move next week is good for me

 

[Borboleta]

Just lost a huge post !!!

Have to go but will write a response to Clio quick:

Thiago's favorite toy: iPad, iPhone, ianything, and electric Thomas.

Will try to write again tomorrow ! Had almost everyone answered but maybe angel.

 

[Leeze]

sorry -:just quick hello. no time at moment

re: toys - Kia has started getting into imaginary play a little which is very cute. "baby bang head. Kia kiss better". she loves pushing her doll around. plus jigsaw puzzles with 2 pieces in them. and sticking stickers on everything. and play-doh. All lots of fun. TV - she is obsessed.with Balamory - about people living on a small island in Scotland. she also likes Peppa Pig and Waybuloo. She hates Mr Tumble, she says "No Tumble" and sometimes starts crying if we don't turn it off fast enough

 

[AngelUK]

Leeze I can understand that! I don't like Mr Tumble either! lol But we don't have tv on any more since the boys like the nursery songs so much that we have on the HD.

Gah got to go, Dominic chucked ALL his dummies out of his cot and is demanding them back loudly! xx

 

[Storm1jet2]

Lol Leeze and Angel, L loves Mr Tumble! We don’t see much of him though, usually just on a Saturday am. My brother and his 2 youngest met him, as brother is a dr and does work at the childrens hospice here and he was over, apparently he is a really nice guy! Lydia detests Qpootle 5, which is on when I’m getting ready in the morning – I usually stick the tv on in my bedroom while I’m in the shower, so I know I have to be in and out before Postman pat ends and Qpootle 5 starts – I don’t know why she hates it.

Talking of hating things for those of you on my FB you will have seen L in her rainbow fairy outfit for nursery – oh man she hated it! I put leggings and a top on her and then the rainbow leg warmers, hairband and her boots – all good, then I went to put the dress on and she started to cry ‘I no like it, I no like it’ so I asked what she didn’t like and she said ‘mines dress, I no like mines dress’ – which I thought was pretty clever. But hey ho cruel mummy put it on anyway – we had nothing else to wear for fancy dress day. She eventually calmed down til we tried to put the wings on for a photo and that set her off again, so my little fairy is away to nursery carrying her wings… bless her.

I have a mw appointment today, can’t believe im over 25 weeks – unfortunately for my mw I have lost my sample tubes so I’m probably going to get a telling off and told to go to the loo – heheh I am so disorganised. In other news I’m off for just over a week from today to get moved house – oh my word the task is enormous. We didn’t get movers but my dad has roped our friendly joiner in to using his van and helping and DH and him will move all the big stuff and I’m sure the fact he is a joiner will be most helpful when taking my bed apart  I have a wooden kingsize bed with under bed storage (the bed lifts up) and it was all built in situ, its so solid and heavy you can’t actually move it at all so needs to come apart. Anyway hope it all goes according to the very rough plan we have..

Hope everyone is doing well, Clairey is your mum still improving slowly? Clio what about your dad?

TTC ladies – anyone near AF/BFP day?

Catch up more later!

 

[Claireyb1]

Once again, just another quick post. I'm beyond tired today. Oddly enough it's not really because of Lucy either. I had to stay at my mums last night to look after her dogs and one started barking when I was putting Lucy to bed ( woke her up!) so it took me an hour to get her down I went to bed at 10pm but couldn't sleep and eventually nodded off at midnight, to only be woken by more barking!! Had to get up and let the in The garden. Eventually back to sleep and Lucy woke a few times and then more barking at 4am!!!! Lucy up for the day at 6.20. I think I can only have had 3-4 broken hrs of sleep
Good news is my mum is coming home today!
Hugs to all.

 

[Kitty_love]

Morning! Happy Halloween ladies!

Borboleta - glad it's not just B, he is obsessed with the iPad!

Storm - ahhh, what a huge ordeal moving is! I hope those guys do all the work, you need to rest and put your feet up and direct them! You can be in charge of organizing and ordering them around. Hope your appt goes well today.

Clairey - hugs to you, so sorry you didn't get much sleep last night

B was up early today crying and crying over his teeth, poor pumpkin. He's had a couple rough days over this second tooth coming in.

 

[charlie15]

Storm, loved the fancy dress on L, mean mummy making L wear a dress good luck with the move! Yep AF is due on Sunday for me and I am trying to hold out until Sunday to test! I'm sure I will cave and do one tomorrow or Saturday though! When did you test?

Clairey, hope this discharge with your mum goes better. Sorry about your even more disrupted sleep last night dogs and babies can be very hard work together!

Kitty love, sorry about teething! I am now waiting for Sophia's 3rd tooth, no more have appeared since Australia

Good news though on the play front with Sophia, I have found a wonderful children's play centre for 6 months to 6 year olds. We have just come back home and Sophia really enjoyed it. There were a lot of older children, but a fair few that would be maybe 1 to 18 months too and the best thing is the mums were friendly and no cliquiness at all, so I was much more comfortable there Sophia has also been invited to a 1st birthday party with a baby from baby yoga days. We had all lost touch as all of the mums are back at work either 4 or 5 days a week, so will be really nice to see them and for Sophia to see her old friends again we also seem to have got some kind of rhythm to the nap craziness. Sophia seems to only need one nap for 2 days then every 3rd day, two naps makes it much easier to go out with her and know that every 3 days we have an indoor day at home.

Hello everyone else, hope all is good with you all x

 

[Storm1jet2]

Aww Kitty poor little Blake it is hard on them!

Clairey you poor woman you must be shattered! I am glad your mum is getting home though even if you are falling off your feet!

Charlie I tested early with 2 Tesco tests and I swear they looked negative, then DH got me 3 of the cassette type tests from the hospital which are meant to show early and honestly you could only see a pink line way after the time you were meant to read them, I nearly had a breakdown as I was SURE I was pregnant and I thought I was cracking up, you could only see the tiny tiny faint pink line about 15 mins after I took the test and only if you held it at a funny angle. The day AF was due I got a Tesco delivery and had ordered Clear blue digitals so the second the delivery man was gone I was up the stairs and it took ages to complete and bang pregnant 1-2, I actually cried with relief as I said to DH I knew there was something up and if I wasn't pregnant I was ill! With L I tested at least 3 days before AF was due with the first response test and got the faintest of lines! Fingers crossed for you!

 

[charlie15]

Hmmm, I have a boots one here, only the one mind. You have made me tempted to try tomorrow! With Sophia I can't remember feeling anything and i didn't get any pregnancy symptoms until 6 weeks and that was only being stupidly tired! this time i don't feel anything much, neither pregnant or PMS! Last time I used the ones from work too. I swear these companies must make a mint out of all the early testing that happens!