***December Snowflakes 2012 Parenting***

[Honey.Bee]

Chloe - fortunately it's a bit more comfortable after the drum has perforated because the pressure has been released but we can't go swimming until it has healed and she LOVES her swimming. It must have been unbearably sore in the build up to the perforation Ava loves hummus too! I am just about to make a batch because its great for dipping veggie sticks and these little baby rice cakes we have. We use a free flow sippy cup and I have it on her table as she eats. To introduce it, I'd just leave it within reach and let her play. I still have to help Ava tip it up a bit sometimes but she knows how to hold it and get it to her mouth. She also now reaches for it when she wants a drink. Love the photo - Gabby looks very like you.

Sigh - yeah, she's saying bring back Mama - she's better at this feeding thing! No, Ava hates the antibiotics. I think it's more the lack of control with the feeding because she is the same with calpol and her vitamins.

IST - enjoy your swimming tomorrow!

I'm busy baby proofing the house today. Ava has suddenly got very mobile. She's not crawling properly - more a combination of creeping and commando rolls but its still very effective and I don't think it will be too long before she is properly off. Unfortunately, she's now taken to doing this in her crib.....it's too exciting to just lie there!

 

[kellycontrary]

thanks for all your suggestions - he was having strawberry and banana porridge so I cut out that first as the banana is binding. that worked for a little while until I introduced the 3rd meal! He has had a normal poo this morning (nice and runny...cant believe how pleased I was to see it haha!) but im still going to the doctors tomorrow to check. Also he keeps scratching behind his ear, there is a scab and it also bled so going to check on that too.

Ill look out for the prune one as we do use ellas! They are great. Connor loves the strawberry and apples one!

Teething - The usual upset at night, we used calpol and ashton and parsons powder. that, a dummy and lots and lots of cuddles!!! Still using the powder and calpol as I think hes getting a third! Its been going on a good 4-5 weeks now though and no sign yet. the first two came within days of eachother at 4 months so I think this one is at the back as he keeps putting his toys towards the back of his gums!

We just started brushing them (shouldve started earlier really!) which is not as awkward as I thought it would be as I think he loes the sensation on his gums!

 

[toothfairy29]

Honey bee thanks for the link. We have something similar to that but its all so heavy!! Especially with a 21lb+ baby in it!!

So sorry Ava is poorly. She must have been miserable poor little thing. Hope she's on the mend already.

As for vitamins. I think my HV said you could either give to baby or if breastfeeding continue to take your pre natals and that should supply baby? I take pregnacare breastfeeding multi vits with omega 3. They're bit pricy but I started in them when my hair was falling out badly. It's started to grow back by the way and I have mousy tufts in my bald temples! I have blonde highlights so not such a good luck! I also have about 1cm long hairs growing all over my head so wherever I part it you can see a row of new mousy hair growth!! Attractive!!

 

[toothfairy29]

By the way uk mums, mothercare have 30% off grobags at the moment. We went up to 6-18 months a few wks ago as Joseph is very tall but needed another. Got one today was pleasantly surprised to save quite a bit of money!

 

[Honey.Bee]

By the way uk mums, mothercare have 30% off grobags at the moment. We went up to 6-18 months a few wks ago as Joseph is very tall but needed another. Got one today was pleasantly surprised to save quite a bit of money!

Ooh thanks! Was thinking of getting a 1.0 tog one for summer/naps.

 

[Kelly M]

Chloe, we have a sippy cup that is a transition cup with a soft spout where he can control the flow. I give him water in it and he mostly spits it all down his shirt but he loves chomping on the spout.

Honey, hope Ava gets well soon! Poor girl!

Ist, hope you have fun swimming with Cait. Carter LOVES the pool but has only been twice as his eczema can be exacerbated by the chlorine.

Carter finally cut his first tooth! He's been teething for what feels like ages but probably around 3 to 4 weeks. We went camping last night, he slept so well in between us in the tent. He only woke once for a minute or so and I patted him back to sleep. That is a MIRACLE for us. When he woke I noticed his tooth had poked through the gums! Wondering how he'll sleep tonight. He's currently crying in his crib for me to come play with him because he's all hyper right now but it's bed time and I know he's tired as he had short naps today since we were out n about in the woods. He did so well camping, was an angel and got to try watermelon for the first time. He chewed on the rind and mashed the fruit like crazy. I got a cute pic of it I'll share later.

 

[bbygurl719]

How is everyone. I got a video of angel clapping but don't know how to post it on here. N I had to say I'm so proud of myself with the breastfeeding. I only breastfed dd1 for 3 weeks n today I can say I've been verdigrising for six months one day.

 

[scoobydrlp]

IST - Hope Cait had a great time swimming!!

As far as sippy cups go, we're using a no leak soft spout one. She loves to chomp on the spout, I'm not sure how much she actually gets out and swallows though. I fill it all the way to the top but I don't think she holds it up high enough to get much out.

Whoever asked about multivitamins, we haven't given any supplements since Camden was about 3 months old. I think we ran out and just didn't buy more.

I gave Camden some pieces of banana yesterday and she loved it. It's the first real food that she actually bit, chewed (or mashed) and swallowed. I also gave her a few of those little Gerber veggie puffs that sort of dissolve in their mouths, which she seemed to enjoy. But now she hasn't pooped in more than 48 hours. I guess I'll have to try some of the ideas that were posted earlier for that.

 

[cococobain]

Hey everyone - just wanted to drop in and give a quick update. We've been having a lot of fun introducing solids, but having MIL here does make it a little more difficult to do things "my way" and I'm having to learn to let things slide a lot (I'll admit I can be a little controlling when it comes to my baby). We've been doing a mixture of purees and finger foods. Since day one Mia has spoon fed herself (so messy but she loves it) but MIL doesn't want to let her hold the spoon and is more interested in having her "finish it all" whereas I'm more interested in letting her explore/learn to do things herself and am not fussed how much actually goes in her mouth .

I'm a little pissed as MIL informed me she has hired a cleaning lady to come here sometime this week. I didn't realize my house was in such bad shape that my house guests have to hire professionals.

Her night sleeps have improved and she's back to waking once to nurse and even STTN the other day! She still has no teeth though so I'm just waiting for teething to come along and screw everything up again. Still not sitting up and when I place her on her tummy she quickly rolls to her back so no mobility either.

I'll try and get on later and read through everyone's posts when I have the time! Hope everyone and their babies are well xx

PS - "solids" poos are things that nightmares are made of!

 

[ttc_lolly]

Hi ladies sorry I've not been on in weeks, we've been very busy here and I'm finding less and less time to come online. I will have a proper catch up this afternoon once DD1 is at preschool, but I hope you and all your gorgeous LO's are well everything is fine here. In the last month or 2 that I haven't really been on, Millie has her two front bottom teeth and is mobile by rolling and bum shuffling. She's pretty fast at it too! No crawling, but she tolerates being on her tummy a lot more now than she did before and she's starting to push her legs into a kneeling position, so I suspect it won't be too long until she's got her arms up and then masters moving forward and backwards with it where have all our little babies gone!?

Still breast feeding and loving it, we are giving her a bottle a day (sometimes BM, sometimes formula) too now just so OH can help out a little more and getting her used to being away from me for longer periods. I think that's about all of an update I can give for now. Happy Monday all! x

 

[ImSoTired]

Thanks everybody! Cait had a blast swimming at our pond. At first I put her in and she cried for a few minutes but I think it was just because of the cool water. She quickly got used to it and floated around, kicking her feet and trying to drink the dirty water She also had some watermelon which she insisted on eating herself. She gagged on a few pieces but never enough to make me too nervous. She's getting so big. She's trying to perfect her crawling which occasionally frustrates her as she has the idea but can't quite get her body to cooperate all of the time. I'm still going to try and upload a video if I can get a minute and figure it out.

Scooby I gave Cait some of those baby puffs too and she had trouble pooping. I think that and having the rice cereal didn't help. And of course the banana...I think I need to use those foods moderately until her digestive system matures a bit more. We'll be keeping prunes in the house until then!

Coco MIL hired a cleaner for your house? Hang in there.

Honey I'm glad Ava is on the mend. I'm concentrating on baby proofing as well! It's overwhelming for me for some reason?!

Lolly so glad you are doing well!

Cait has been sleeping OK, not great. She fusses in her sleep a few times a night and wakes once or twice for a bottle. If she wakes once she will wake up early about 6 or 630. Her overnight diaper has been leaking every morning for the past 3 days! She must be peeing a gallon! I suppose I will have to change her in the night if she wakes but I'm a little disappointed as they're supposed to be good for 12 hrs! I think that may be why she is waking so early. She's not sleeping as long as I'd like but it's been worse so I'm not really complaining. Just hoping it continues to get better.

Cait is whining right now, so I'll try to post pics later.
Hope everyone had a good weekend!

 

[toothfairy29]

IST am so glad she had a good time swimming!!

Coco..... I wish someone would pay for my house cleaning!! But seriously.... You did well to bite your tongue!!!

Lolly.... Welcome back! Was wondering where you got to!

 

[ImSoTired]

I'm working on figuring out how to post a video but I'm not all that great with computers really... Will keep trying but here are some pics

 

[ImSoTired]

https://s1288.photobucket.com/user/imso0tired/media/MVI_1163_zps742bcf51.mp4.html

hopefully this works? password: otired

Edit...Maybe not... I don't know sorry

 

[Chloe597]

IST, the video works, and is super cute!

Hi Lolly, glad everything is well!

Coco, wow, that is some nerve!

And solids poos are horrid! I was gagging so bad last time she did it, and then this morning when she woke up to eat she was also poopy. I don't know how I am going to get through years of this!??! tips from any moms who have gone through this before, please!

 

[daydream]

I could see it! Look at her go! She has those arms all figured out. That is what H has a hard time with. He gets up there, moves his legs but then doesn't know what to do with his arms lol

 

[ImSoTired]

Chloe I think you'll likely get used to changing the dirty diapers. I worked at a daycare for years and changed children that weren't mine. That was more disgusting than changing Cait any day and I got used to that. I think you'll be just fine. I'm sure many moms are a bit squeamish but they all get through it.

I didn't think that video worked! oh well!

 

[sigh]

Coco - ugh MILs... on the bright side, atleast you get a free cleaning lady .

IST - SO SO cute! She is so beautiful and has such bright eyes She also has awesome leg strength! She'll be standing before you know it! My sister's son did that leg thing while he was learning to crawl and he ended up pulling himself up and cruising a week after he figured out crawling... time to bolt everything down!

So I officially felt like a mom today... caught myself singing songs from one of her toys in the shower. LOL.

 

[Beanonorder]

IST that video is so cute! I love the little froggy legs!

Amber and I missioned off to Shanghai to fetch my mother in law and her sister. It ended up taking us 9 and a half hours to get there and back! Amber was such a champ through it all but she was exhausted when we got back. She barely made it through her bottle and when I put her down she was out in less than 5 minutes! Its so great to see them and we've all been so spoilt with things from South Africa and New Zealand! One slight downer was they gave Amber a finger biscuit (a cookie thing) while I was in the queue buying tickets. They claimed she was getting niggly and needed something. I know they meant well but she's not even six months and this thing is covered in sugar! Anyway, I didn't make a scene and yesterday dh said to them we're not giving her stuff like that so please don't do it again.

For those using formula - have you or will you be changing to stage 2 formula? I was under the impression that once they hit six months you changed. But now I've been doing some research and I seem to find lots of info that its not needed and its just a marketing con. I was looking forward to changing because formula is ridiculously expensive here and stage 2 is at least a bit cheaper. But I don't want to change if its not a good idea. I wish I could have just been breastfeeding.

 

[Baby Bell]

Omg IST she is sooo cute and very clever!
Lewis has learnt how to commando crawl, doesn't seem to want to learn how to lift his body up haha! Il post it up once I manage to get on video ( my blackberry just died......nobody ever get a blackberry, their awful this is my second they start off great then freeze and turn the selfs off and on! My old one would just randomly phone my OH, we be sitting with our phones on the table and it would just start ringing him...spooky at the time lol)