Mid-August Testers

[InHisHands]

She doesn't brag about, but during play dates her son will run up to Dexter's bag and points to the X in his name and says "That's an X" .... Dexter needs to catch up ... hahahaha

He knows orange, green, red, and white

He calls blue and yellow brown

He doesn't know purple, brown, or black yet

He can count to 3

He knows the shape of a circle.

 

[NotNic]

He'll get there Hands. Here in the UK all children up to the age of 5 follow something they call the Early Years Framework. If you look at this link you'll see that pretty much all the things your friend's son can do is advanced for their age https://www.gov.uk/government/uploa...ent_data/file/237249/Early_Years_Outcomes.pdf

 

[InHisHands]

Thanks Nic... that helps a lot

Looks like language and math are areas that dexter needs the most help with ... he isn't delayed... but on the 22mo to 36 month... he has half or less of the things "required" ... but he also has 6 more months to get them.


The rest of the items dexter has either mastered all the 22 to 36 month items or has gone beyond.

It just appears that math and language stuff isn't a strong suit and that his brain hasn't developed rapidly in those areas just yet... but it was nice to see all the other areas that he has excelled in.

I didn't realize for example that him explaining and talking about past events from 6mo .. to even a year ago was a higher achievement than his age range.

I can't believe we hit the road in 4 more days!

 

[snowflakes120]

Safe travels Hands. Check in when you can so we know you made it OK. Thinking about you.

Nic - That attachment was great. I bookmarked it. Glad to hear you got antibiotics for Sebby. I hope it clears everything up soon. I can honestly say that my supply has completely regulated. I am even a little bit worried tonight. She just didn't seem 100% satisfied after our last feed and even ate both sides. I don't know. So maybe yours will regulate soon. Are you doing the block feeding? I really think that helps. I need to get a move on on the bottle feeding thing. We haven't tried at all. Can you explain what you are doing? I really have no idea. As in, are you pumping and then feeding him the bottle right after. Like replacing the feed? Or are you pumping at the same time everyday and feeding a bottle at some time during the day or next day? I'm pretty confused on it and that's why I haven't done it. I'm worried if I pump then I won't have enough milk for her next feed. I don't know.

We had a super rough week. I had a very emotionally hard day on Friday - hubby came home early to help me a bit. I am going to call to see if I am on insurance tomorrow, I really need to go and talk to someone.

I never gave Kellans stats. He dropped percentiles for weight a good bit. He didn't gain weight from his 15 month appt. He's been more picky lately and hasn't eaten much - I think his teeth are bothering him and he might just be dealing with the new baby and all by not eating well. He weighed a little bit over 23pds and that was in the 15th or so percentile. His height was 33.5" and that was in the 80th, I think. I can't remember. He's a bean pole.

Kennedy is doing OK. She hates her tummy time. So she screams doing that all the time. Kellan loved it. So crazy how different they are. He was rolling over at this time. She is so not even close at all. I was up with her from 11:30 to 3 last night. I am exhausted today. The dairy free thing is going ok. It still sucks but I am totally used to it now. She's inbetween sized and its driving me nuts. Some 3mo she's swimming in and some fit. Same with the NB stuff. We finally found a paci she likes yesterday so that helps with her crying a tiny bit. She gagged on a bunch of them. So I also worried she's going to gag on a bottle when we try.

Trying to get ready for Christmas. My parents are driving down and staying at a hotel so that will nice for us have our space. Plus, I am sure they don't want to listen to Kennedy scream all night. My grandparents and uncle are coming over for dinner. We are doing a very non - tradition dinner as I don't feel like cooking. Tim is making his family's spaghetti sauce and meatball recipe.

We went to our friends for their annual ugly Christmas sweater party last night. It was fun and nice to get out. I felt guilty and selfish after though for taking the kids out late and getting them off schedule. Also, found out 2 friends are due in June.

 

[InHisHands]

if you need to talk to us snow, we are always here. The first year with Dexter was the hardest of my life. I resented him, was sleep deprived, and I don't think I started to create an actual bond with him till he was about 11mo old.

I didn't feel like I could handle/take care of him and I was all over the map. Thinking back I probably had PPD.... but it took my hubby about a year to bond with our son as well.

I kept thinking, "Whats wrong with me?" Every other mother seems to be bonding with their child but me. My child hates me and I don't know what to do with it.

 

[Srbjbex]

Aw snow. Hang on in there. I remember how physically and emotionally hard the first three months were...like you are just existing in a thick fog and one day it will lift and things will feel clearer and easier. Even though it does feel like it. Wish you didn't live so far!!

Hands - glad you found the EYFS useful. They follow it at elliot's nursery and the write in this daily diary what he has been doing each day and how that matches against the framework.Elliot is advanced in maths (we're now onto comfortably being able to do 30 piece puzzles - must be what you get with 2 accountants for parents) but I really like the way the category boundaries overlap to show that development is gradual and not necessarily linear!

I hope all the move goes swimmingly for you. Will be thinking of you and will be waiting to hear an update when you get there!

Nic - glad to hear the engorgement has calmed down. I think you are coping amazingly well! What are your plans for Christmas. Will you have lots of friends and family to help out?

AFM we are just gearing up for the next round of BDing...ugh. bless OH he is doing everything the can to try and keep his babymakers cool! We think the reason for the change in fertility is due to the fact neil now has a long commute. Since we had E, he has a new job so commutes to milton keynes so is in the car for 2.5 hrs everyday. Dr said that would be significant factor in sperm count plummeting. He is at 4 million...normal is 15million. I feel like we are fighting a losing battle.

 

[NotNic]

Snow - at the moment now my supply has settled down a bit I'm swapping out feeds and using formula, so that I'm very slowly increasing the time between each bf, mimicking what happens when they naturally begin to go longer with feeds. I have expressed, but as I'm trying to swap to combi feeding rather than just try a bottle, I'm preferring not to do that for now. With Finlay I found pumping at the same time worked well for me. I'd express both sides before bed and then use the milk the following day at the same feed (usually lunchtime) or keep it for the time he kicks off and we need food fast. However he was already used to the bottle by then as we had to express and use the milk straight away when he was a newborn. I would suggest choosing a particular feed (one when she wont be starving but will eat) and express for that one feed and give her the bottle straight away and see how she gets on. Once she's used to the bottles you can swap to picking a time to express which suits you both and usung the milk another time. Expressing for one feed a day won't damage your supply as your body will get used to requiring milk at that additional time. Choosing a time where they used to bf and have naturally dropped a feed might work for you.

Don't worry about her not liking tummy time. Finlay hated it with a passion. The pressure is too much on their windy tummies so its painful. I see so many similarities in the way Kennedy is to how Finlay was. We found his symptoms improved once he went on the bottle. We used a slow teat and could manage the speed and quantity of milk which helped the way he ate. Avent natural bottles worked for us. Some of the other anti colic bottles has teats that were too big and made him gag.

 

[InHisHands]

Dexter hated tummy time too.... but he was walking at 9 mo... so don't worry about it Snow... she will hit all her developmental milestones with or without lots of tummy time. She reminds me of Dex too.

Cheap Walmart bottles seemed to work best with Dexter. I know that seems weird that the 99cent bottle worked best.. but that is what he preferred and so that is what we used.

 

[NotNic]

Actually while Finlay wasn't an early walker, he hit all his physical milestones bang on schedule. He's also much better at things like kicking and catching than his peers.

 

[Srbjbex]

Christmas Eve ladies! Hope you are ready to go for the big day. I've a load of family stuff over the next week or so between here and York so wont have loads of time to post but will be checking in...especially to get updates from you Hands and your move x

 

[Srbjbex]

Merry Christmas! !!!

 

[NotNic]

Merry Christmas everyone! xx Hope you all had wonderful holidays. Hands have you landed yet?

We had a great but exhausting Christmas. Could sleep a week to recover and we still have presents to open! The boys have been spoilt!

Here's them on Christmas Eve! Xx

 

[NotNic]

I have NO idea why that's upside down!

 

[InHisHands]

Hey girls.... we have indeed "landed" after 29hours of drive time. Arrived today at 2pm. Sore, Tired, and STRESSED!!!!!!!! .. .but we are here safe.

Had a great time at the great wolf lodge and the Atlanta aquarium.

The week with the In laws on the other hand... well let's just say I don't care to see any of them again....

In the next 3 days we will in process hubby into his new place of work and move into our new house. So you might not hear from me again for a few more days.

Hope you all had a great Christmas!!!! Missed being on here.

 

[snowflakes120]

Merry belated Christmas!! Hope Santa brought you all everything and more!!

Hooray for getting in safely hands! Did you go to great wolf lodge here?! I would have loved to meet up!

Cute pic Nic! Handsome boys!

Kennedy is 10pds13oz today. Getting up there. We have another weight check in 2 weeks and I'm hoping that will the end of them.

We put a down deposit on our family vacation for 2015. I'm so excited. We are going to Destin, FL in September. My parents owned a condo and went every year growing up. Haven't gone in nearly 10 years. I have always dreamed of doing the same for my children. So my childhood vacation tradition will be passed onto them.

 

[Srbjbex]

Happy new year everyone!!! I wish you all a healthy and happy 2015. Today we went to the beach to blow all the cobwebs away plus had fish and chips and a go in the amusements 😊

Hands - great to hear that you survived the mega drive! I can't even comprehend a drive that big. Are you moved into your new home now?

Snow - super exciting news about your holiday. I love having something lined up to look forward too. And great that it is such a special and memorable place for you too.

Nic - glad you had a lovely Christmas. Elliot was truly spoilt too. In fact he now has so much stuff it inspired us to go to ikea and sort out some proper storage for the playroom.

Tomorrow elliot goes back to nursery but neil and I are both off so feel a bit bad sending him but we will pay regardless and will be nice to have a day together.

 

[NotNic]

Bex - we sent Finlay to nursery too on Friday! Needed the day to clear Christmas Decs! We still have our bannister garlands and lights up, but everything else has gone. Loving your storage. I swear we have spent all of December sorting stuff out. 3 bin bags of clothes for charity from me alone! Next Christmas can santa get me a new house please?!

Not much new here. I'm now combi feeding - mostly because a bottle gives he more time. I still have lots of milk. I can express 4oz from one breast in less than 10mins. Sebbie weighs 11,7. He is 26th for weight and 50th for height - where he should be based on birth figures. He is such a lovely baby. We flap a bit when he's fussy as its not like him!

At the moment I'm trying to work out whether I need to go back to work. I still need to earn, but doing what I'm not sure. Snow - will you return to working elsewhere?

 

[InHisHands]

Snow - we did go to the great wolf lodge and Dexter had a blast... but it was the one in Dallas. If we end up going to the one in NC while being stationed here, i'll let you know so we can plan something.

My SIL just rented a beach house in Destin for Christmas! Her FB page looks fun!

So ... we got the house. It wasn't cleaned beforehand... disgusting but there was no time to clean it before our stuff came. We are almost unpacked. Only a few things broken. Tomorrow I plan on cleaning! it is so gross.... lol

Dexter hates his new room. He won't go a night without crawling into bed with us. We are fighting to get him to sleep by himself again.

We had a good Christmas... but I miss Arizona.

Bex any more updates? Did you have a nice day with neil?

Nic - Did Finlay get into unwrapping gifts this year?

 

[Srbjbex]

No news here other than AF arrived a few days ago which was not a very nice start to the year. Was down for a couple of days as usual but perking back up a bit more now. Not help that a lot of my friends had their #2 babies over the last couple of months so lots of cute newborns around!

 

[InHisHands]

I enrolled Dexter into a preschool. he starts next week. I wasn't really looking for this opportunity to happen ... it sort of just fell into my lap. But there is a program here who starts preschool at 2, and by 4 the kids are reading! I didn't think Dexter would qualify.. but he did.. too excited for words.

I will let you all know how he settles.... but he visited the place Thursday and he absolutely loved it. He kept smiling.