Mid-August Testers

[NotNic]

What amazing photos Hands. I love his dungarees! Finlay is jealous. He loves a pair of dungarees. The sleep regression is a nightmare. Ours is still dragging on a bit but started improving after 5 weeks. I think we are unlucky though. From what I hear most babies get through it in 3 weeks. The only things I can recommend are sticking with your routine as best you can. Once he is coping well with solids you might want to give him a small amount of food late in the day. Something plain and easy to digest. Also try wearing him out in the afternoon - lots if fresh air and playtime. The one benefit to sleep regression for us is Finlay has learnt to nap. We now have one nap mid morning and another after lunch. For the first time in weeks I had a nap too yesterday!! Could anyone come and watch Dexter while you nap Hands?

Snow - when's your next appointment? Who will you tell first?

 

[InHisHands]

Nic, normally yes... but for the next several weeks im at this alone. My step mother was helping out but she she's gone to Texas for the winter... and my mother was helping out but she had surgery and isnt able to lift or hold anything until further notice.

But thankfully the last two nights he slept through... he's still fussy during the day... but maybe the sleep regression only lasted a week??? .... im hoping... and i'll deal with the fussiness during the day. He fights going to sleep during the day and will be drifting off... the little eyes rolling up in his head and then he'll start to kick and cry and spit out his pacifier to wake up. UGH i get so frustrated with him. Is it wrong to want to scream GO TO SLEEP? lol

How is Finlay doing besides struggling with his sleep? Has he made any new mile stones? How is teething going? What do you plan on doing with him for the holidays? Any special traditions or plans?

 

[Srbjbex]

Snow - so thrilled that you are 9 weeks already! For me it has absolutely flown by but I know that this time for you takes so long. Do you have a date for a scan booked in?

Lisette - gorgeous pictures, I completely agree that she looks just like her Daddy!

Hands - sounds like another tough time aheaqd for you with little dexters sleeping. wish I could offer some advice but all i can say is hang on in there! The pictues are great - you look like such a happy mummy and son

We have now registered Elliots's birth so he is now 'official'! and i am just trying to get sleep whenever I can! He tends to do a big long sleep in the afternoon and, very awakey in the monrings and evenings, and the nights is anyone's guess, sometimes good, sometimes bad!

 

[InHisHands]

Bex, does hubby try to help put him down at all? Im so jealous that you can sleep during the day... i really could never train my body to do so. Its so hard to believe that he's almost 2 weeks old already!

I know for me, my pregnancy dragged... though i enjoyed every minute of it... but now that he's here... time sure is flying by. He's 4 months tomorrow!

 

[NotNic]

The last few days he's been a dream. He didn't sttn last night but the two before he did. Yay Finlay!!! We've had massive improvements since weaning. My mum did say I'd get my contented baby back once he started solids and she's right. His teeth are still giving him gip, but he's handling it much better than he was. In terms of milestones his sitting is improving though he'd rather you stand him up! He is much more chatty too and he is getting good at passing things between his hands. It's the little changes that you really notice. My MIL doesn't believe he does half the things he can do so I've stopped telling her.

In terms of Christmas traditions I really want him to have what i had. Finlay will have a stocking and an advent calendar. (I bought the stocking last year. It was the only pre 20 week baby thing I allowed myself to buy!) Everyone from my parents to my cats get stockings. He will have Christmas pjs and he will be stirring our Christmas pudding mixture on stir up Sunday and making a wish. I also want to introduce some new ones. I'd really like to take him to the church where we got married for the nativity play. The children all get to dress up as angels or shepherds and are asked to join in. I can't wait to take him to see Father Christmas and I want to take him to pick out a special tree bauble. Then each year we can build on his collection.

Bex - so great to hear he is all official and keeping you on your toes. Take lots and lots of pictures. You won't believe how much they grow!

Snow - I forgot to tell you I had a Snow Dinner on Sunday..... Meatloaf! It was yummy.

 

[NewbieLisette]

Thanks for all the Melina love ladies she's definately a daddy's girl through & through! I video'ed her reaction when he came home from work yesterday! I swear she bats her eyelashes & cooes & giggles special for him next project it to figure out how to upload & share!

Snow happy 9weeks sweetie! Enjoy the feeling great u deserve every minute

Bex sleep any & all the time u can! Lol - do u have good help for housework & meals? How's H been? Are u bf? Word to the wise if u are & he's latching good u might wanna give the pumped milk & a bottle a try sooner than later cuz my fussy Melina is fully refusing a bottle now so guess who doesn't get much sleep?!

Hands thos pictures are just scrumptious So natural & happy! I love that u did them outdoors...I'm gonna try to get a few with the fall leaves here soon too! Happy 4months to Dex today! How's the sleep been?

Nic have things improved on ur end? Hope fin is letting momma sleep a little more!
Edit: just saw ur post above! Yay Fin Love all your christmas traditions, Melina will definately have a stocking & special ornament but would also like to start some new family traditions...gonna be so awesome this year

I'm dreading that period of sleep regression coming up...she's just finally starting to get into a good pattern of one nice chunk of 4+ hrs per night so I feel human most days! Now my dilema is when to move her into her room & not coincide with sleep regression too! Advise ladies?

 

[InHisHands]

Dex's month check up turned out to be okay. he's not as big as i thought he might be. 16lbs and 9oz and 25 inches long. They wont do anything for his foot until he starts walking. Sometimes it fixes itself and sometimes it doesnt.

Dexter did start STTN again ... first night 11 hours, second 10, third 9 hours ...... I DONT like where this pattern is going haha! We will see what he sleeps tonight.

Lisette - i only had dexter sleep with me 3 nights in a row out of desperation. The rest of the time i put him in his room so i wouldnt have to have that transition. I would have to say that its probably best to do it sooner rather than later. Perhaps rock her to sleep while in her room and turn up the baby monitor for your own peace and mind!

 

[InHisHands]

Ugh he slept 8 hours last night.... am I doomed for only 7 tonight? Why oh why can't their sleep patterns be a little more regular!! I was not cut out for this.

I'm just a grumpy stressed out momma. I never signed up to be a single momma and honestly I'm not that good at it. I'm always on the brink of losing it and either crying or lashing out at someone. Too much going on. I dont know how you girls do it so graciously.

 

[snowflakes120]

Ladies! I LOVE you!! Just popping in! xoxo

 

[NotNic]

We love you too Snow!!!

Hands - I'm not gracious or dignified. I'm snappy, grumpy and stubborn with hubby! My priorities are Finlay, housework and sleep. Everything else doesn't even register! Sleeping is still hit and miss but we both slept in until 9am yesterday (after being up through the night) and I felt like a new woman!

Lisette - We moved Finlay into his own room at 8+3 within a few days he sttn. I think we were keeping him awake!

Bex - I agree with Lisette on the bottle thing. Finlay had a bottle from the first week and a dummy. The biggest complaint my NCT girls have at the moment is getting their EBF babies to take a bottle and a dummy. They just won't have it and the girls find it frustrating and impossible to leave their babies for more than a few hours.

 

[Srbjbex]

Yes snow, we love you too and your little prune!!!!

 

[InHisHands]

Dexter learned how to roll over from his tummy to his back last nght. He kept rolling in his sleep and startling himself all EARLY EARLY morning long lol

Yay Dexter!

 

[snowflakes120]

Hands - Yeah for Dex. You got a rolly polly little man now! Happy to hear Dex's apt went great - and great stats! How was trunk or treat?

Lisette - How's the sleep going for Melina?

Nic - I had meatloaf the other day too! So glad y'all love as much as we do! Wow, I can't believe the developments that Finlay can do! That is really awesome. And yeah for Christmas traditions. I can't wait to have a baby next year for Christmas!

Bex - Yeah for Elliot getting registered and being official! Hope things are still going great!!

Bea - Are you in Austrailia yet having loads of fun. And being warm with it being spring now there??!!

Hi ladies. I am officially "the rock" aka a prune! And into double digits. And a milestone for me! I can't believe how fast it is going already. I have the NT bloods and ultrasound on 11/16. I can't wait to see baby again. I hope baby is developing properly. I still don't have many symptoms - I got through the early weeks without a single bit of nausea and def no MS at all. I bought a doppler for me to use at the house and have heard the heartbeat at home a bunch of times now. Hubby was excited to hear it at home too! It def puts my nervousness and anxieties away. I had my last acupuncture appt yesterday. I am still quite thin - def not showing at all. I thought I would show quite fast bc I am so short and petite but oh well I guess. I can still fit into all my pants and stuff perfectly fine and bump doesn't seem to be growing. I don't know what to think of all that.
Work is super hectic right now - my boss is on maternity leave for 6 weeks - the temp we got is not working out great and since I am in charge, I feel the stress is more on me. I am finding it hard to find time to come on here during the day now and then at night I am exhausted and hit the sack super early.
Hubby's is now in his last yr of college and things are super busy, he has a ton of stuff to do. He just did a big state exam last week and studied for months for it. He has lots of projects due all the time. I can't wait for him to be done.
Demi is doing good. She just had her annual visit yesterday. I always feel so bad giving her shots and stuff. We were told she needs a dental so she will be having that done in about a month. I hate putting her under anesthesia but she does need it.

 

[InHisHands]

Yay for prunes!!! This is the week that i went ahead and told people about my pregnancy. What an exciting time. I think those machines are great snow. Wish i had one while i was in 1st Tri... i think it would have helped me out a lot. Do you have any itchings if this baby is a boy or a girl?

Trunk or Treat was okay. I passed out candy for 45 minutes while dexter slept... then he was a cranky butt when he woke up and so we went home and watched its a great pumpkin charlie brown instead lol

Here's a picture of us

Nic, Bex, Lisette, Bea .. i need baby updates. How is everyones little one doing?

 

[MrsBea23]

Hi Everyone,

Snow - Not in Aus yet still have 3 weeks until we leave so it will be officially summer by the time we get there woop woop.
I thought because I am a shorty I would show quickly as well but I didn't, I didn't tell work until 20 weeks and I was still in normal clothes then I didn't start maternity clothes until about week 23/24 and she came out just fine although on the small side at 6lbs 7oz. I think she will be a shorty like me though since her feet are teeny tiny.

Hands - Aw he looks so cute in his little costume. How are you feeling now, is this week a bit easier than last week?

How is everyone else? I wonder how CH is getting on.

I am in the middle of converting the garage into a lounge so busy picking furniture and carpets and things at the moment, it is nice to have a little project.

My christmas shopping is almost all done just have to pick up a couple more things and I am all finished I will miss the cold Christmas and the German market this year but I am sure I will get over it when just hanging out in the pool lol.

I am going to try and upload a pic of Ariana in her cat fairy costume, hope it works.

 

[MrsBea23]

I hope this works. I threw in one of her in the supermarket trolley from last week as well lol.

 

[InHisHands]

You know, i really love Dexter and don't regret having him, but i find myself on edge most of the time. If something goes wrong at a store or resturant, i just go off kilter. I just dont seem to be handling the stress very well and it feels more like WORK than something i enjoy.

I think a lot of it has to do with the fact that i want to DO things with Dex that i just can't do. I want to go mountian climbing, white water rafting, water parks, swim lessons, i want to make little pizzas with him, and build train tracks, and color books. I want to take him to the movies, and go to Disney world with him.

I want to not feel guilty when he does things i dont like and causes me to be angry. I think i'll enjoy it more when he's at an age where i can discipline him and give him consequences for not going to bed on time! lol

Perhaps for me, it is just that the baby-toddler stages that wont be my favorite age frame and once he gets older to where we can do more things, i will feel more in my element and things will go smoother.

Each stage has its own difficulties... but i think i would do better when he comes around to NEEDING me less and thus i can have some alone time and we can then do things TOGETHER instead of me always doing things FOR.

 

[InHisHands]

aaaaaaaaaawwww Bea... she's gorgeous! I believe this is our first look at this little one. She's gotten so big!!!

Did you guys go out for halloween?

Are you nervous about taking her to Aus? I would be a wreck trying to plan things. What type of items are you going to buy her for Christmas?

 

[MrsBea23]

Hands - it must be so difficult not having DH there to give you a break. I love being with A more than anything but some days I do just need DH to take her for an hour while I chill out. I imagine when you know you don't have that option it makes it that much harder and makes you want a break all the more. Hopefully DH will be home sooner rather than later to help you out

As for doing all the other stuff you can still take dex on walks and swimming, have you got a carrier? I have the manduca and couldn't live without it I just pop her in and off we trot to do our thing and I am still hands free. You could go on big hikes with him in a carrier, with mine she can even go on my back which is fun for her looking around.

 

[MrsBea23]

Sorry didn't answer your q's. we aren't really getting her much for Christmas she will be spoilt by my family anyway and we will have to lug it all back again so I have just got her a fisher price camera and a frog that jumps and giggles he he.

Not to stressed about taking her to Aus the flight will be hard going with just me and her for 30 hours with no sleep and no place to go but hey ho I will get through it.

Has anyone else got any trips planned?