~~~October Chat~~~ Here we grow!! « Back to Group Discussions

[BubbleMa]

I took the liberty to start an October chat thread since Onemore is taking a break for Sukkot.  :)

Layla will be 5 months old in a few days!  I can't believe how fast time is going by!  I've made a point to take lots of pictures and videos.  I didn't do videos with DD1, and I regret it.  She was such a funny baby.  I also need to *print* photos instead of just storing them on the computer or online.  I want something tangible to look at when she's all grown up.  Who knows what technology will be like then, but photographs will never be out of date.

[rozziemama]

well, October has started with a sleep strike. Yeah, my previously awesome sleeper is up multiple times a night. I am a zombie. My brain only has capacity to read up on how you all are doing... hope you're better rested than I am.

How is everyone feeling these days? babies are so adorable - I am wondering how we are all doing as mamas now that we are 4+ mos pp.

[Rowdie]

We haven't got a strike, but she's starting to get up at 7:30--the time I was getting up in order to have an hour to myself, have tea, get the apt. in order, do some writing, pump, etc. Oh, well.

She just started sitting up and squirming out of her bouncy chair. Another set of infant clothes grown out of (sniff).

The pics&vids on the other thread are so inspiring--look at all those emerging individuals! Such adorable characters.

[BubbleMa]

Layla is working on sitting up and rolling from back to tummy.  LOTS of chatter and laughing.  Today we were walking into Target, I was wearing her in the mei tai and DD1 was walking next to me.  Layla was looking at her and cracking up for no reason.  It was so funny! 

I've also nick named her the "boob shark" because when she sees the boob she opens her mouth and eyes wide and thrashes around.  It's hilarious.  One of these times I'll get a video of it.

I'm thinking of starting Jazzercise.  I have a couple friends who do it and they have a blast.  I need to do something for myself that doesn't involve parenting.  The other day SO said, "You never buy yourself anything".  He's right, I don't!  So, today at Target I bought myself some new shoes and some really nice lotion and soap.  Oh, and nice razors.  We haven't had nice razors in forever.  It's the little things, ya know?  :)

I still don't have AF back.  I thought for sure it would come back when Layla started STTN, but it's been two weeks and nothing.  She might be close though, because food has been tasting weird yesterday and today.  Either that or...  :|  Eeek!

Oh, I've also decided I'm going to become a post-partum doula!  :D  I'm pretty stoked about it. 

[Astraia]

Well, since I'm bloody awake at 4 in the morning i thought I'd try to do some catch up- and post! Wow! Crazy!

Rozzie- f(#*%& sleep strikes. I've been up since 2:30 and we've been going on this for over a week now. I think I'm averaging 4 hours of sleep a night, and he is CONSTANTLY nursing at night. The longest stretch I get ever is 1.5 hours, and to me now that's considered a long stretch. He's usually up every 45 minutes and will not settle without nursing.

Supply seems fine- the constant night wakings mean my morning supply is low, but by afternoon/evening there is still a ton there. At night he isn't hungry, he pulls off and fusses if he gets a letdown. He just expects me to be his constant human pacifier. I find the fluttery, non-nutritive suckling to be the MOST ANNOYING feeling in the world, and can't sleep through it. So mostly I'm awake. All night long. I go to bed at 8 pm now so I have absolutely zero "me" time, naps are totally out the window these days, and I'm pretty sure I'm going to lose it. I have turned into monster mom during the days and find myself yelling a lot and I hate that :(

But apart from not sleeping, at all, EVER, Everett seems to be pretty happy. Smiley, jolly kid. Working really hard on sitting up unasissted- it's all he ever wants to do!- and Monday he picked up rolling belly to back and now log-rolls across the room.

Growing really well (16 lbs, in 6-9 month clothes because everything else is too short). I have just grown out of the only pair of jeans I fit into- pants are too small :( Sort of aggravating that constant nursing makes my weight go UP?

We went in for testing for Muscular Dystrophy last month. So far I've only told my mother in law, I know my family would stop talking to me from stress until results came in. Supposed to hear back between 4-8 weeks and yesterday was the 4 week mark.

Bubble- go for it! I think it sounds like fun, and getting out regularly can make a HUGE difference to your outlook. I really wanted to start attending a hoop dance class here in town this month, but my husband is starting back to part-time school in January and will be gone every evening so I'd only be able to do it for October-November, which isn't worth it for the cost of the class.

 

[KM84]

Originally Posted by BubbleMa 

I've also nick named her the "boob shark" because when she sees the boob she opens her mouth and eyes wide and thrashes around.  It's hilarious.  One of these times I'll get a video of it.

"Boob shark" - I love it. Mine does the exact same thing. 

I think you will find that Jazzersize makes you feel a ton better. I've been taking a trapeze class since DD was about 4 weeks old, and it's wonderful. Getting out of the house for something not parenting/household related is GREAT for your mental state, an getting some exercise will do wonders to clear your head. Even on the days when I'm exhausted from no sleep, class makes me feel so much better. 

Sorry to hear about your sleep strike Rozzie :( We've finally settled into a manageable sleep pattern. She sleeps from about 10pm to 5am, eats, and then sleeps until 8am. God I hope this keeps up, the up-every-two-hours thing was killing me. I had to limit errands to things I could get to by bus, because I was waaaay to tired to drive.

[BubbleMa]

Oooh, a trapeze class would be sooo fun!  I'm going to a trial Jazzercise class with a friend Saturday.  I'm getting kind of nervous.  I forgot how introverted I am when I said yes.  lol  This is completely outside my comfort zone.  :\  It'll be a good thing though.

I feel for you all with sleeping issues.  :(  Here's hoping it passes quickly!

[Natalya]

Whoa, I haven't posted in so long.  Our life has been so so crazy, but things are settling down a little bit now.  O got sick and he and I were in the hospital for three weeks, then we moved, and now we are sort of starting to settle.  I am realizing that I need time to myself, I almost never am alone.  I tried to start running but my knees hurt so bad after, I quit.  I feel like such a old lady saying that! Odin is huge, smiling and laughing a TON.  He is my most smiley baby ever, as  soon as he wakes up he starts smiling, he even smiles in his sleep.  I love it.  I am jealous of you all taking a class, that can be my goal this month, to get away for one night a week at least.

[BubbleMa]

Layla is suddenly having a really hard time going to sleep.  For the last several weeks she had been going to sleep on her own, with no help and no fussing.  Now suddenly she's screaming herself to sleep.  :(  I pat her, that doesn't work.  I pick her up and hold her, that doesn't work.  Bounce?  Nope.  Rock?  Nope.  Nurse?  Nope.  Snuggle in our bed?  Nope.  Nothing works!  It's terrible.  I hate hearing her cry, and this is even worse.  This is all out screaming.  You know those fire alarms in public buildings, they're so loud they're almost blinding?  Yeah, that's what she sounds like.  It's heartbreaking, and nerve wracking.  :(  I think it might be teeth.  I hope it's teeth, because that means it temporary.

Thanks for listening to my whining!  :)

[BubbleMa]

Aaaand AF is back.  Oh well, it was a great 13 months!

[Natalya]

Yeah, me too!  I got an IUD which is so awesome, I am really happy about it, but it is making me super crazy crampy and have heavy flow.  Yuck. 

[Kamiro]

Hey Ladies,

I'm back. 10 days of tent camping with a (now) 5 month old was a fun challenge that I am happy to recuperate from. haha..D girl has grown a bunch the last couple weeks, shes getting chunky! Feeding her purees every day or two..no issues there. still bf'ing well, moore often without the shield than with. Which is great.Sleeping through the night well, wakes up to eat and diaper change about 4 hours in. love this baby girl so much.                                                    Still no laughing from here. She makes eye contact and coos and talks, but no laughing. DD2 (with autism) said to me yesterday "I think D. has autism" kind of blew me away..Why would she say that?    As DH said if she does not like it really means much to us, we're seasoned at this. Still....I hope not. Even DD2 was laughing as a baby                                 She is scooting around. Its super cute. Love this baby tons! Ok write more later

[BubbleMa]

Originally Posted by Onemoreontheway 

Hey Ladies,

I'm back. 10 days of tent camping with a (now) 5 month old was a fun challenge that I am happy to recuperate from. haha..D girl has grown a bunch the last couple weeks, shes getting chunky! Feeding her purees every day or two..no issues there. still bf'ing well, moore often without the shield than with. Which is great.Sleeping through the night well, wakes up to eat and diaper change about 4 hours in. love this baby girl so much.                                                    Still no laughing from here. She makes eye contact and coos and talks, but no laughing. DD2 (with autism) said to me yesterday "I think D. has autism" kind of blew me away..Why would she say that?    As DH said if she does not like it really means much to us, we're seasoned at this. Still....I hope not. Even DD2 was laughing as a baby                                 She is scooting around. Its super cute. Love this baby tons! Ok write more later

Welcome back!

DD1 does the same thing.  She says Layla looks like her, even though they look nothing alike.  It's their way of relating to the baby, I guess.  I wouldn't worry too much at this point.

[Kamiro]

I definitely need to take more pics of Dodi-girl. The rain has hit here with a vengeance so I suppose I will not get the beach photos taken that I wanted to. oops.

Yesterday the girls and I did a 2 mile walk (Leslie Sansone) and today the girls and I did a basic bellydance dvd. Really fun to have some exercise buddies.

I really should have exercised more during pregnancy because let me tell you - I probably would have felt even better if I had and I am a bit out of shape. (ok. lots. I'm the largest I've ever been and I've always been a chunkamuffin).

Took a pregnancy test last night because it was been since Sept. since I took one (I am trying to take one on the first of every month) and you guessed it.....

Yeah, no baby in June for me. lol Ofcourse, I would have been all *panic*panic*panic* if it had been positive, but there is something about being an older mom and new babies that just makes me so sad that I may have held my last newborn. I am enjoying this baby unlike my others.

It isnt that she is so easy -car rides are a constant scream along with me gripping the steering wheel in frustration for the whole duration, not to mention that during her waking hours its 'hold me, hold me.nurse, nurse..scoot around on the rug, cry,  nurse me - repeat - no thanks to a jumperoo, or swing or anything like that) and she is not a nappy baby (today she has napped which is why we went with the bellydance dvd and why I am here!)

just that I realize how sweet this stage is, how fast it does pass, and how hard they get as they age. LOL

 I stressed so much when they were all little about mistakes I was making that I didn't really enjoy babyhood. Ofcourse, probably the same thing can be said when the older kids get even older. Home schooling is a lot of stress (am I doing this right? oh no, so-so isn't on grade level etc) and mommy guilt is soooo intense sometimes.

Products of our environments I suppose.

Anyways, all this to say -- all is well. I love my girl...and I have dishes to conquer and lessons to teach and *sniff* maybe a shower would do me some good.

Love to you all - hope every one is good.

haha, I just heard her making her *scoffing* noises. like "I'm awake - where are my servants???"

lol

[Kamiro]

Can I just whine and say I miss our group? Seriously best online DDC I ever had. Sad that it is so inactive any more...maybe we should make a group discussion in Life with a Babe so more will post?

[Rowdie]

Well, we had a tense evening yesterday. I had to work, so K got about 5 hours solo with DH. Near the end she started a melt-down and kept it up for a good 20 minutes until I got home and put a boob in her mouth. DH had tried everything. "She just hates me," he said.

 

Ironically, two days ago, I had done a search on "my baby doesn't like me anymore" to assuage my insecure feelings that she preferred DH's company since I was the ho-hum regular caregiver and he was the special goofy guy that comes in at the end of the day and is so much fun. Dr. Google confirmed what I knew intellectually: baby's moods shift and it's nothing personal. I tried to convey that to DH (it could be separation anxiety, it could be she's cuing into your frustration), but he was pretty resistant to explanations.  Compounding it all is that he has a chronic ankle injury so when he tries to comfort her by walking around, he's in constant pain. 

 

While I might be able to bounce back from such moments of insecurity, they put him in a mental space where he never really wanted children in the first place and his mood gets pretty grim--and me trying to draw him out seems to make it worse.

 

Just keep loving both of them as fiercely as I can. I hope it's enough.

Originally Posted by Onemoreontheway 

Can I just whine and say I miss our group? Seriously best online DDC I ever had. Sad that it is so inactive any more...maybe we should make a group discussion in Life with a Babe so more will post?

I feel the same way--and I've never been very active.  It was always a comfort to come here to mingle with fabulous mamas at more or less the same stage. Then, there's the sharing fears concerns and joys and milestones.

And btw, Onemore, did you cloth diaper on your extended camping trip? I'm trying to work out the logistics of that and all I could come up with was maybe flats?

[MLog]

Originally Posted by Rowdie 

And btw, Onemore, did you cloth diaper on your extended camping trip? I'm trying to work out the logistics of that and all I could come up with was maybe flats?

That's what I've heard is the best for trips in general.  Though we went on a beach weekend last week and I chickened out and just used sposies (DH and I were laughing everytime we changed a diaper because we had trouble figuring out how to put the sposies on - how different from all our peers!)  Which I will justify by saying that we have been fighting diaper rash and I wanted to see if it would clear up with disposables.  (It did.)  I stripped all the dipes and switched detergents.  It's still off and on.  I think the PUL may be causing ammonia burns since we had been using exclusively pre-folds and PUL covers.  I'm now turning into a wool convert.  Got my first disana soaker, DS wore it all night (10 hours or so) and had no rash in the morning.  I am now addicted to diaperswappers and wool swap on FB and am slowly building my wool stash.  What an expensive habit!  But so easy to justify - it's better for DS!

Anyway, we just got back from our 4 month check-up.  We're a little behind on the check-ups due to back up at the pediatrician, but DS is overall very healthy and strong and I'm not really big on doctors anyway.  Not wanting to start a vac debate here at all, but just commenting that I hate having him get the vacs.  It's so traumatizing for us both.

My parents have been in town for the last 10 days and it has been wonderful!  They are so excited to spend time with DS and watched him while I was at work (the in laws went on vacation).  My mom cooked and cleaned and my dad fixed things around the house.  They are such a blessing!  They leave tomorrow so it will be back to regular life for us.  Neither DH nor I are extremely happy with his parents watching DS.  It's free, he's not being harmed, but it's just not our first choice.  MIL is high maintenance, their house is always freezing, and she doesn't want to put the effort required into getting DS to nap.  So DS hardly sleeps while he's there and it's not good.  I have trouble telling her how I want things done.  I probably just need to grow a pair but that's much easier said than done.

I agree that I miss our awesome DDC!  Things are so busy with me back at work.  I was thinking the other day about how for our weekly chat there was that list of things we filled out about our pregnancies.  I thought it might be fun to have something similar for our babes.  It might be a good jumping off point for discussion and people might participate more?  Just a thought.

I hope everyone is doing well.

[forestmushroom]

Originally Posted by Onemoreontheway 

Hey Ladies,

I'm back. 10 days of tent camping with a (now) 5 month old was a fun challenge that I am happy to recuperate from. haha..D girl has grown a bunch the last couple weeks, shes getting chunky! Feeding her purees every day or two..no issues there. still bf'ing well, moore often without the shield than with. Which is great.Sleeping through the night well, wakes up to eat and diaper change about 4 hours in. love this baby girl so much.                                                    Still no laughing from here. She makes eye contact and coos and talks, but no laughing. DD2 (with autism) said to me yesterday "I think D. has autism" kind of blew me away..Why would she say that?    As DH said if she does not like it really means much to us, we're seasoned at this. Still....I hope not. Even DD2 was laughing as a baby                                 She is scooting around. Its super cute. Love this baby tons! Ok write more later

I just have to share that my niece (2 months older then our guys) smiles, coos, etc. But doesn't laugh. Some babies don't laugh. I think the bit about the baby having autism is a + thing in that it says more about DD2 relating to baby not laughing then whether or not baby has Autism for sure or not.... does thank make sense?

[KM84]

Quiet around here these days... I hope everyone on the east coast weathered the storm OK.

I think our daughter is teething. She acts like her gums are bothering her, and tonight has been really rough. She'll wake up and cry every 15 minutes or so. I did give her baby tylenol, but I hate giving her stuff (homeopathic or otherwise). I can nurse her back to sleep but then she's up again shortly thereafter. This is by far the worst night yet... hopefully it passes quickly.

How are all your babies? Anyone crawling yet? Ours gets up on all fours but hasn't got the coordination to move forward.

[Rowdie]

Before the October thread gets closed, here's a Halloween shot: