October 2009 Mums and TODDLERS! - Page 6

[southernmommie]

Thanks everone!

And congrats on the BFP's!

I must say, nak'ing the 4 wk old now and can totally understand the hardships of having a 1 yr old and a newborn. I'd be pulling my hair out or having some crying babies if DH wasn't on leave right now. I have 2 1/2 weeks to try to figure out how to take care of my 2 1/2 yr old, 13 mo old, and the 4 week old! I'm hoping the baby will start to level out and sleep without being snuggled to the boob more. He went twice this evening and I got to take an uninterrupted bath!!!! Woohoo!!!! Lol. And my darling 13 mo old, Leah, is STILL teething. That 4th upper front tooth just does not want to push through even though we can see the tip clearly through the gums! Poor thing. She's been waking up more often throughout the night and she's always been my sleeper at night sine birth.

[star*mora]

hey mamas

hehe never did that update over

so still trying to figure out the work/life balance...haven't got it at all and now our dayhome provider (callum goes part-time and everett was sched to start with her in the new year) has told us she is opting for another kiddo who will take a full time spot - sigh - finding part time care is hard

my out-of-home job has been good to me and extended the one year leave until january 5 - yay i don't have to work over christmas as i thought i'd have to (unpaid but i maintain my seniority) so i have a bit more time to scramble but i am trying not to freak out as i will be back to working 35-40hrs a week (currently work about 20) and was counting on having 15hrs of care for both boys - i do work mostly evenings and weekends but i am feeling really scr#wed right now.

i did find a spot in a great co-op nursery school for callum for 10hrs a week but nothing for everett...man i am so scr#wed

on the up side i just did a wonderful weekend course to upgrade my thai yoga massage skills - it was adapting it to the table (which is awesome because it means i don't have to do additional setup, i can just use my massage table as is. i did a reiki course earlier in the month so i am only a few hours away from having my continuing ed. requirements done (we have to submit them in 3yr cycles) such a positive experience and am excited to offer new options to my clients.

everett is still nursing a tonne - he is definitely a boob-aholic. he is playing really well with callum for the most part so that has been fun to watch.

other than that, the house is a disaster and i need to figure out how to be better organized. so good and not so good.

[Serenyd]

*double posted*

[Serenyd]

Originally Posted by Nature 

I can't find the confession thread right now, so I thought I'd post it here. ... Persephone hasn't had her birthday party yet. I had the intention of doing a Halloween type party, but as her birthday approached I got more and more depressed about the lack of support we have. When I realized that most of the people coming to said party would by my oldest dd's friends.. for some reason it was like a knife to my chest. Another birthday for another one of my kiddos gone by unnoticed by people. The only ones to acknowledge PJ was my inlaws who live in another state. We have family in the town, family close by.. but they're the type of family that don't contact you except one a year, and thats just a few. The rest don't care to contact us at all.

Celebrations without others to celebrate with is hard. You know what I mean?

I don't mean to whine. I just needed some other mommys to listen. I feel like such a heel for not doing anything yet. I mean I took pictures of her on her birthday, but we didn't have a cake or presents or celebrate really. My other kids are wondering why and I don't even have a reason. Its hard for me to celebrate when no one is going to come. Its the same way I felt about all my baby showers. Just disappointed that I got excited about it at all.

Happy Birthday to all the babes that have celebrated already, and to those that are yet to. I think the bittersweetness of the 1st birthday combined with no support network and no family... just leads to depression.

I'm sorry to hear that. I'm feeling bad because I haven't had 1 year pictures made yet. Even if it's just you and your kids, you can celebrate her birthday. I know what what you mean about it being bittersweet. I just read about a blogger whose 1 yr old son died when a large TV and dresser tipped over on top of him, hearing about something like that, just makes me so grateful to have my baby still with me. Sorry you have a lack of support, I have family nearby to help me, but sometimes they don't want to because they are wrapped up in their own lives.

[Serenyd]

Kara's b-day pics:

http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=247818&id=542194960&l=de4e48bb6c

[boobs4milk]

i know we're all busy for the holidays...so happy holidays everyone!  miss amelia is really loving all of the lights and attention.  she left the tree alone until we put candy canes on it, and then she tried to climb the thing for the candy!!!  it was hilarious!  i let her help put it up and let her handle everything when we were decorating it, and it really helped her not be so curious.  also, it's in the den, so it's not right there waiting for her to prod and explore.  it's really amazing because she's into everything else and i constantly find her on top of the counters, tables, chairs, beds, desks, etc.  she is so inquisitive and smart!  we can give her simple things to do like 'go get your shoes' or 'shut the door' and she does them.  she still only has a very few words, though, which is odd for me because my other kids were talkers.  she goes to the ent on the 22 (finally) and we are considering tubes.  she had her 7th ear infection (4th treated w/abo) over thanksgiving.  she's growing like a weed, too.  i can't get a good height measurement on her, but she's at least 32" and is 23lbs. 

[star*mora]

i don't know if this is still the thread we are using but just wishing all you mamas a happy and blessed 2011. we spent the day going for a long walk which included a visit to the children's museum at the museum of civilization - the boys lasted for 3hrs at the museum! we have had really unseasonably mild weather - today it was 11 - that's in the low 50s in farhenheit - so it was super crazy foggy and misty...felt very coastal. so the walk home...instead of being 30min was more like an hour as the 3.5yr old insisted on walking the entire way so we could splash in all the puddles from the now non-existent snow.

a seriously great day puddles and play and butternut squash soup after getting home and peeling off the splashed on clothes

a pic of bub from today (my best friend here knit the hat)

[boobs4milk]

great pic, arlene!

happy new year, all!  i just read in PAL that sept04mama had her baby boy on 12/22!!!  she was in our birth club and lost her precious baby, so it was great reading about her new baby and i'm hopeful for healing for her!

we are up for surgery friday.  millie will get tubes in her ears and natalie will get her tonsils/adenoids out.  we are nervous be hopeful for a relief from the sickies. 

i hope you are all well and that the toddlers had a wonderful holiday.  millie's new thing:  dancing on her tip toes in circles!  it's so cute.  oh, and her new fav word is cheesy :P

[Pookietooth]

I seem to be having troubles posting here so I will be brief. Jen, I've heard from several mama who were able to avoid surgery for their kids with throat issues by cutting out allergens, especially egg, dairy, and gluten although everyone is different. You probably have heard that here before though. I know we really are having a tough time with ds's eczema as well as multiple diagnoses and I'm pretty sure dietary interventions could help but I'm so not up for it right now. Thanks for the update about sept04mama.

DD is growing and changing all the time. She still doesn't really talk, which is a bit odd, but she does say mama and dada as well as "ah" which means either "what's that" or "can I have that" and she can sign eat, more, and again among others. Oh, and dog, her favorite sign (and animal), as well as bird and cat.

[boobs4milk]

we had the surgeries, and i do believe with all my heart that they were needed.  natalie had SEVERE halitosis and now, she's got the sweetest breath!  she was having issues sleeping and was also having issues breathing when reclined at all, and those are resolved as well.  millie had a tummy bug and we made it through with NO ear infection!  we really trusted our dr. (he's a DO) and we researched other options and came to the conclusion that surgery was best for both of them.

i just saw that krystal (kawa kamuri) is due in june!!!!  i wonder if aubrey is pg yet???  :D 

[Pookietooth]

I am glad the surgeries went well and things got better for both your kids. I have heard about speech delays being resolved and sleep issues so I totally understand why you did it. You are a great mom -- as is everyone on this thread!

[AuntieLiz]

Hi Mamas! Just checking in while DS goes down for a nap. He still nurses around the clock, and requires to be in arms and latched on for naptimes. (At night he'll sleep in his sidecar for 1-2 hours at a time, but still nurses A LOT -- I'm so glad we co-sleep.) He's high-need and it's the only downtime I get, but I know he'll outgrow this eventually.

My boy is such a little man! Even though he is a handful, he is charning and sociable, very talkative, and knows the alphabet! I'm so impressed with how he's growing, and he enchants (and challenges) us every day. He loves to be around other children; one problem, though, is that he's so big (33.5" and 28lb) that other kids (and their parents) tend to think he's older than 15 months, so he gets pushed around by older kids and I get disapproving looks from adults for "hovering" over him. He may be as big as a 2yo, but he's really just a baby. He only strarted walking at 13mo and is still learning how to climb down from things, so... excuse me for being a little protective!  I wish I could find a playgroup for him. He's an only child and I'm a SAHM, so it's just the 2 of us most of the time, plus DH when he's home from school/work. I know how important socialization is for DS, but I have major anxiety issues and it's really hard for me to get out, be around other people, expose my child to illness or bad behavior...  I know, i know, I need to get over it but it's easier said than done.

I'm so amazed and proud of you mamas with new LO's! I don't know how you do it, but you're doing it! Bravo!!!!

[TIFF4NY]

Hello everyone! I miss coming here so I'm going to make an effort to do it more. Hope you are all well.

[boobs4milk]

liz, i get that with millie not because she's huge (24lbs, 31.5") but because she seems so grown up.  she's extremely physically adept and can follow complex commands, so she seems older than 16 months.  she's been walking for nearly 6 months, so she gives off the air of a seasoned toddler, but she's still so much baby!  i think people just like to force their kids to grow up too soon. 

we are just getting over influenza...yuck!  i pulled natalie out f school, i hope that helps! 

one of the other mommies reminded me that it's been nearly 2 yrs since we got our bfp...the time is just flying by!

[star*mora]

yeah, i have been a bit slow on the reply front - the usual life clutter

we just got back from 2 and a bit wks away (puerto vallarta) and am finding it really sad to be back in the snow

it snowed a lot while we were away...a huge amount

right now we are mulling over several job options - 2 of which would involve relocation - 1 would be this year, the other a year from now. my work is really flexible so it is feasible. long pro/con lists going on.

everett is still not much of a great sleeper - oh well - it will improve at some point. he is really trying to say a lot of words with varying degrees of success but he loves to point and say that - that's when he either wants something or wants you to tell him the word.

i should head to bed, just wanted to check in and see how everyone is.

[boobs4milk]

so, arlene...have you decided what to do about jobs/moving?

i wanted to bump this up and say happy march everyone!  millie and natalie had their post-op surgery check and are doing great.  millie didn't pass one part of the hearing exam (no surprise) and we have to go back in 3 months.  i know she can hear better, because she's talking up a storm now and repeating us (some not so great words, too!).  hope all the toddlers are well and happy!

[MsVyky]

I've been missing you ladies! I took a hiatus from MDC after the format changed. It confused me, and I didn't know how to navigate. hahaha.

Just a little update on us: 

Lyra is 17 months, JUST started walking, She's 33-34" and 25 pounds. She's got 16 teeth (Everything except the 2nd molars), says quite a few words: mama, dada, no, dog, kitty, ham (we're vegetarians?! LOL), Fish (we just got a tank), banana, hi, why, bye. She is signing up a storm and is starting to combine two or three signs. This morning she toddle over to the bookshelf, pointed at her books and signed "more book please". I melted. So sweet. 

And I just found out- I'm officially joining a new DDC. I got a BFP on Thursday- Having Baby #2 in November :) Hoping for a HBAC!

[star*mora]

Originally Posted by boobs4milk 

so, arlene...have you decided what to do about jobs/moving?

i wanted to bump this up and say happy march everyone!  millie and natalie had their post-op surgery check and are doing great.  millie didn't pass one part of the hearing exam (no surprise) and we have to go back in 3 months.  i know she can hear better, because she's talking up a storm now and repeating us (some not so great words, too!).  hope all the toddlers are well and happy!

we decided against the move - i can't do my work at the same level (registered massage therapists fall under the same type of regulation as chiropractors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists, etc.) so don't think i could maintain the same kind of work - and most people here are insured for massage. then there was the other pieces - they JUST offered the job, so we'd have to find housing, schooling (the only french school is the lycee rochembeau which is ridiculously expensive when it is covered by our taxes, and because we don't vaccinate (our charter of rights guarantees our right to opt out of vaccinations for any reason we choose) i would somehow have to figure out how to get a religious or medical exemption...all by june!

in any case, part of it is that dh will likely have an opportunity for an assignment in london in about two years - that would be a good fit. i have dual citizenship cdn/irish so can work in the eu, have lots of friends and relatives there, would have similar schooling options. my number one reason for washington dc was the climate - less harsh winter. that really isn't enough, kwim.

thx for asking - we did up pro/con lists and the cons were much more numerous than expected.
 

[star*mora]

• congrats!!!!

Originally Posted by MsVyky 

I've been missing you ladies! I took a hiatus from MDC after the format changed. It confused me, and I didn't know how to navigate. hahaha.

Just a little update on us: 

Lyra is 17 months, JUST started walking, She's 33-34" and 25 pounds. She's got 16 teeth (Everything except the 2nd molars), says quite a few words: mama, dada, no, dog, kitty, ham (we're vegetarians?! LOL), Fish (we just got a tank), banana, hi, why, bye. She is signing up a storm and is starting to combine two or three signs. This morning she toddle over to the bookshelf, pointed at her books and signed "more book please". I melted. So sweet. 

And I just found out- I'm officially joining a new DDC. I got a BFP on Thursday- Having Baby #2 in November :) Hoping for a HBAC!