PP chat for Thur 5/21 - Sat 5/23

[fairymom]

Five pages in 3 days- holey cow!

I too am obessed with cleaning right now but am trying harder to do more w/ds4- espically getting him outside to run. feels like there's too much to do in a day.

Swings- have one and use one- don't feel guilty at all. sometimes I just have to get things done that require both hands and during the day it's just me and ds4- he wants to help too much already.

Ds4 has almost given both dh and I heart attacks this week. picked up Caleb and tired to bring him to us twice! carring a baby is not ok for a 4 year old! so have to get him to understand it's dangerous. ahhhh.

[Murph12334]

oh geez! I'm thankful my 3 year old hasn't tried to pick babe up, i'd have a heart attack as well!

[Peony]

That would scare me as well! DD1 is 6 and holds DS all the time, she is my official baby holder, but she has only tried to carry him once.

[ms.shell]

hi, mamas!
i am going to jump back in the ddc here now- i had to give up the internet about midway thru my pg and havent been posting- tho i have checked in on this ddc many times at the library. We got back online this week and here was the first place I came. So saddened to hear of the losses suffered in this ddc and happy to read all the happy birth stories, too. i will post our belated birth story soon. (Terran Lucas Harlan April 1, 9lbs 2oz, 21 in.)
I am glad to come back here and hope you ladies dont mind me popping back in to chat with you all.
I am wondering whether any or most of your babies that are a month or older already are holding on to toys? The ped asst asked me that at Terran's 1 mo appt and here he is 6 weeks or more now and he is not at all interested in toys or holding them. he does use his hands purposefully i think to grab onto our hair or hands and trying to swipe at big brother's nose (like their little game)- but flat out ignores any toys we try to interest him in. He much prefers to look at things farther away- like a toy on the shelf above his changing table- he will be staring at it intently but if i get it down and bring it closer to him he ignores it. He seems nowhere near wanting to hold on to toys but she asked me routinely, like that was expected at 1 month. Are ya'lls babies holding rattles and stuff or not so much yet?
I hope everyone has a lovely day today!

[Murph12334]

nope my LO doesn't hold on to stuff yet - well just others fingers.

[ShineliketheSon]

Feeling guilty as most mornings DD1 watches 2 hours of PBS in bed with LO and I while we rest till 10 am before we get up....I know this won't last as LO will start to be awake more and I won't be as tired later but still feeling guilty about it, yet not enough to stop!

NAK
It's beautiful today, i love having windows open! ...going to get DD1 out to the park as dh treated our lawn last night. I wish I were healed enough to go to the zoo-but just starting to be able to walk long peroids without starting the bleeding again.

my shoulder is killing me today, may have to go back to chiro, baby wearing will be hard today.

my emotions were all over last night too...hoping today is better.

[bodhitree]

Welcome back, ms.shell! Nope, my babe (will be 6 wks old on Friday) is showing no interest in holding onto things yet. Yesterday she just started batting at the toys that hang above her bouncy seat, but she doesn't do that consistently yet either.

To weigh in on the discussion we were having re:swings, River doesn't have a swing but she will sometimes sit in her bouncy seat for a while. Sometimes I feel a little bad about it, but I don't think it's realistic to expect that I will be able to hold her or carry her all the time. If she's comfortable being put down for a while and if I pick her up when she gets upset, then I'm okay with it. Also, I will be a better mom for her if I occasionally get a break. I adore her, and I love holding her, and I'm happy to have her snuggled up against me the vast majority of the time, but I seriously need a little bit of time where she's not on me, you know?

I would like to start a little survey: what are your favorite nicknames for your baby? I like to call River the following:

1) Rivbot
2) Snuggletron
3) Sweety McSweeterson

[AFWife]

pak

Originally Posted by fairymom

Swings- have one and use one- don't feel guilty at all. sometimes I just have to get things done that require both hands and during the day it's just me and ds4- he wants to help too much already.

same here. i wouldn't eat if it weren't for the swing!

hmm...nick names? Munchie (like short for munchkin)

[BennyPai]

We don't have a swing. I do keep a bassinet in my kitchen, though, so I can get things done while she's sleeping and not worry about 3 & 5yo trying to pick her up. Extreme humidity has already crept in here (with the exception of the two rainy & "cold" (60's) days this week. Not always comfy for babe or me to wear Moby when it's sticky & hot. She spends more time in my arms than the wrap when she's awake. I look funny trying to prepare meals, do laundry, etc. while I tote her around.
I am glad we have the Moby, though. It'll be wonderful when we move to Maine next month - the coast can get nippy, even in the summer evenings and occasionally during the day.

Babe is 3 weeks old and not grabbing toys, just my neckhole while I carry her and fingers.

Right now our favorite baby nicknames are Flopsy (ref. milk-drunk) & Chubba-lub.

ETA: Melissa, I just read your "peanuts" post. ROFLMAO!

When Zeta was 2 I explained to her about girls having a vulva and boys having a penis. As soon as her father walked through the door that evening, she informed him that she had a Volvo and he had a peanut. She kept those words for the longest time. I guess I talked more about my Volvo station wagon fascination than I thought ... So much for me trying to use correct terminology, LOL.

[emmaegbert]

Originally Posted by fairymom

Five pages in 3 days- holey cow!
Ds4 has almost given both dh and I heart attacks this week. picked up Caleb and tired to bring him to us twice! carring a baby is not ok for a 4 year old! so have to get him to understand it's dangerous. ahhhh.

My 4 1/2 yo son is dying to pick up the baby. Yikes. He will grab her and roll her towards him in a big huge hug, and he def has tried to pick her up but been thwarted on a few occasions. Freaky. I am trying to set up times when he can hold her but be really well monitored. Of course, its hard to find time for anything like even going to the bathroom, so good intentions are what they are, yk?

I am trying to remember to do things with DS and that is going fairly well, though he is more needy, less cooperative, and definitely fighting going to sleep in a way that is no good for him. Right now I can usually read with him before nap and before bed while Phoebe nurses, so we all lie together on his twin futon and she nurses while I twist my neck into an insane and uncomfortable position (which is getting to me- I have a serious crick on the right side). In three weeks we have finished Peter Pan which we had started while I was still preg, and we've read James and the Giant Peach, and a "magic staircase" (?) book and we're halfway through Half Magic. I am going to the library to stock up today because apparently we are finding more time to read chapter books than ever before and flying through them. Phoebe will be quite the little literary baby, I guess. She seems to enjoy the time as well for now, so I am taking advantage.

I know what you all mean about not wanting to share the baby! My MIL is here for 10 days and I have to force myself to let her hold the baby. Its terrible! I am just loving this time to bond with my little girl and trying to just enjoy her newborn-ness, it goes so fast.

I don't have a swing or seat and never did, though I might consider it if I was offered one as a hand-me-down. Baby spends time on the floor and in a little basket. My son was just on the floor a lot while I did stuff and was always happy there. Now that this is #2 the main problem with the floor is that it doesn't give her any protection from a rambunctious brother! A good friend of mine who is a pediatric PT an a feldenkrais (SP?) practitioner gave me a whole pep talk about how good the floor is for babies that they should be either held or on the floor all the time, so I felt completely guiltless about letting DS hang out on the floor all the time.

This same friend loaned me a video from Magda Gerber's RIE institute that showed babies playing all on the floor and was actually really inspirational for me. If you've not seen anything about Gerber's work, its worth checking out. http://www.rie.org/ if I lived up in the LA area I would probably take a class just to see it all in person.

Not that I think there is anything wrong with swings or seats if they work for you- thats not what I am trying to say here. We didn't have many things because of space and financial constraints, and I discovered that babies seem to do fine without all the baby gear. Now our little home is cluttered and crammed full of 4-year-old stuff, so there is STILL no room for baby stuff. (or, for that matter, my stuff... I need a momma bookshelf for my academic books, so they stop getting mixed in with picture books and parenting books and little toys and stuff).

[ms.shell]

I like to call Terran Terranosaurus (which I started before he was born; I knew he was big and strong).
In the hospital DP first called him "T," which sounded so cute...I often call him my "sweet T(ea)" and ds calls him T Rex and I have even heard dp call him "T money" lol. I also call him Darlin (my darlin Terran Harlan) and dumplin a lot too.

[Lindsay1234]

I remember seeing friends kids pick up babies and I KNOW when we get Sophia home Im going to have to watch Isa like a hawk. At the hospital, Isa manhandles the baby when changing diapers or giving her a sponge bath. Sophia doesn't seem to mind but it drives me crazy!

Sophias doing really well but they are still moving her surgery to next week. They just want her to have a week of perfect stability before doing this surgery, which is fine by me! I had to sign the consent form this morning for surgery and the thing that made me burst into tears was hearing that it was actually going to be going through her chest, not her femoral artery! Yikes! BUT on the positive side, this surgery has not only a 99% survival rate, but also a 99% success rate. There are THREE other babies in the NICU with the same thing and the doc does at least 5 of these surgeries a week! Good odds!!!

I call S "Sweet Pea". If you saw her IRL youd agree, she LOOKS like a Sweet Pea!!

[Lindsay1234]

Originally Posted by emmaegbert

I know what you all mean about not wanting to share the baby! My MIL is here for 10 days and I have to force myself to let her hold the baby. Its terrible! I am just loving this time to bond with my little girl and trying to just enjoy her newborn-ness, it goes so fast.

: Im horrible but I actually told the NICU nurses that no one but me and DH can hold the baby. My parents have special access to her (we let them be on the 'guest list') but hey have to call before they go AND they arent allowed to hear any medical news. I think I would FREAK out if I walked in and saw my mom holding the baby. I love, love my mom but thinking of other people holding her drives me nuts!!!

[nancy11]

Originally Posted by bodhitree

I would like to start a little survey: what are your favorite nicknames for your baby? I like to call River the following:

1) Rivbot
2) Snuggletron
3) Sweety McSweeterson

• boo-boo
• sweet pea
• baby
• wacky Zack
• boogie head

[Sasharna]

peanuts - My son made this mistake, too... but the other way around, which I think might be worse. He went around proudly announcing that he fed the squirrels something awfully inappropriate.

nicknames - This LO is "Sugar Plum". I don't know why. DS1 had a hundred nicknames and I'm trying not to reuse any.

Mamas of 2+ kids - Do you have special songs dedicated to each child, that you sing just for them? DS1's songs are "I've Been Workin' on the Railroad" and the Red Dwarf theme song. I haven't decided on DS2's yet.

Shine - I think you asked about sling color in the last chat. I haven't tried out different colors though. I just remember being at the park w/ my orange one on a hot day and thinking "Boy, I'm glad this isn't black."

Shell - Love your baby's name!!!

[racie0417]

We went through 3 outfits yesterday and on our our 2nd outfit of the day.

My LO isn't grabbing anything yet. I don't think ODS started grabbing stuff until between 2 and 3 months. My LO just started giving some social smiles, which has been saving my sanity. :

Nicknames: BenBen and stinkpot

I think it is normal to not want others to hold the baby. I am like that and am worried about a friend with an 8 day old who left her alone with her BIL for an hour or two. It just seems unnatural to me. DH keep reminding me that it is natural for me to be so focused on the new baby to the exclusion of our toddler.

This morning was rough. The toddler's been sleeping only about 9 hours a night and was running around with my eyeliner this morning. I don't know how he even found it. I have seen it since 2007 but I didn't feel like weatheirng the temper tantrum that would come from taking it away.

[wobblykate]

Originally Posted by ms.shell

I am wondering whether any or most of your babies that are a month or older already are holding on to toys? The ped asst asked me that at Terran's 1 mo appt and here he is 6 weeks or more now and he is not at all interested in toys or holding them. he does use his hands purposefully i think to grab onto our hair or hands and trying to swipe at big brother's nose (like their little game)- but flat out ignores any toys we try to interest him in. He much prefers to look at things farther away- like a toy on the shelf above his changing table- he will be staring at it intently but if i get it down and bring it closer to him he ignores it. He seems nowhere near wanting to hold on to toys but she asked me routinely, like that was expected at 1 month. Are ya'lls babies holding rattles and stuff or not so much yet?
I hope everyone has a lovely day today!

welcome back! i have to admit i haven't even really offered many toys...i think she doesn't have the control yet. she just started this last week to be interested in mobiles for a long period of time. i'm going to attach the toys to her bouncy today and get out the play gym for some tummy time. she loves mirrors and anything reflective. she loves to hang onto mt bra while nursing

Originally Posted by bodhitree

I would like to start a little survey: what are your favorite nicknames for your baby? I like to call River the following:

1) Rivbot
2) Snuggletron
3) Sweety McSweeterson

pumpkin
peanut
sweet potato
mommy's girl
swwetie
love

any other ridiculous thing that comes out of mt mouth

dh calls her snuggles

[Peony]

Shine- My girls are watching way too much TV right now as well. This will pass!!



Nicknames- Stinkbutt, Little Man (this is the name of my sister's cat and DD1 started calling DS it), SweetPea, and LittleBoo (DD2 was and is still called Boo) my mom has called all my kids BoogerButt so he gets called that as well.


I had my first weird moment while bfing yesterday with him. I nurse everywhere and anywhere, always have, it is so second nature to me now that I never think about it. All my friends have bf and all their children have been around nursing so much that I have never had a child ask me about it. We were at the children's museum yesterday, it is tiny, and there was only one other family there. I see them around town often but don't know the mom or them. Anyway, the 6y boy was very curious about Julian and wanted to hold him, I was fine with that I told him he could when Julian was happy, he was having a grumpy moment. And then Julian wanted to nurse, so I nursed him. And this was the boy's reaction. It totally caught me off guard because out of all the 6-9+ year old boys I knew, none of them ever batted an eye at a baby nursing because they have been exposed to it. He obviously wasn't despite having a younger brother, and then the 20 questions started. "What is he doing? I thought he was going to eat, how can he eat that? Where is a bottle at?" on and on. Not knowing this family and how they parent, I didn't want to go into too much detail. I started off by explaining that some babies drink their milk from a bottle and others drink from another place. For the first time in my life I was unsure about saying the word "breast"! I think he caught me so off guard and he was so clueless and that I was at a loss for words because I didn't know what to say that wouldn't offend his mom if they turned out to be a family that didn't discuss these things. His mom overheard the conservation then and joined in and explained a little, and then my 6y educated him as well.

[nancy11]

so funny... I don't call him Peanut!

[wobblykate]

Originally Posted by Peony

I had my first weird moment while bfing yesterday with him. I nurse everywhere and anywhere, always have, it is so second nature to me now that I never think about it. All my friends have bf and all their children have been around nursing so much that I have never had a child ask me about it. We were at the children's museum yesterday, it is tiny, and there was only one other family there. I see them around town often but don't know the mom or them. Anyway, the 6y boy was very curious about Julian and wanted to hold him, I was fine with that I told him he could when Julian was happy, he was having a grumpy moment. And then Julian wanted to nurse, so I nursed him. And this was the boy's reaction. It totally caught me off guard because out of all the 6-9+ year old boys I knew, none of them ever batted an eye at a baby nursing because they have been exposed to it. He obviously wasn't despite having a younger brother, and then the 20 questions started. "What is he doing? I thought he was going to eat, how can he eat that? Where is a bottle at?" on and on. Not knowing this family and how they parent, I didn't want to go into too much detail. I started off by explaining that some babies drink their milk from a bottle and others drink from another place. For the first time in my life I was unsure about saying the word "breast"! I think he caught me so off guard and he was so clueless and that I was at a loss for words because I didn't know what to say that wouldn't offend his mom if they turned out to be a family that didn't discuss these things. His mom overheard the conservation then and joined in and explained a little, and then my 6y educated him as well.

my nephew asked why the baby was "kissing my tummy." Both he and his brother were bottle fed and I had to explain to him that some mommies make milk for their babies and some babies drink from a bottle. His response was "not MY mommy." and he walked away. Pretty funny. He just turned 4. I was surprised that he'd never been exposed to bfing by his mom's girlfriends, whom I'm pretty sure bf their kids. They're all way more modest than me, tho, so they may have bf in private when other adults were around like my SIL? My brother and I were bf, but I was the youngest and I don't ever remember seeing anyone bf growing up.

Originally Posted by nancy11

so funny... I don't call him Peanut!

I was thinking that when I read your list! I suppose he doesn't look as much like a peanut as he did in u/s