December Chit Chat - Page 4 « Back to Group Discussions

[dashley111]

Originally Posted by seraf 

The one thin I never liked about the Santa myth is the idea that he is always watching you. I had a babysitter who used to always yell at us that Santa was watching us and it never sat right. I remember asking why they never mentioned that in the summer.

Same reason I don't like elf on the shelf.  I want my kids to want to make good choices because I have taught them well, not because they should be fearful that they aren't getting presents.

There is a fun website where Santa makes a video for your child.  Super magical.  My 6 year old was beyond excited.  I put her older brother on the naughty list and we all had a good laugh.  Like, it wasn't personal and it was obviously a joke. 

[KayPea]

This year Solstice will be our big celebration, though we will do stockings on Christmas, but no meal or anything. This is the first year that DD has been aware of Santa, and we're currently talking about Santa like he's a story, a magic pretend. She still loves it. She saw a Santa a couple weeks ago, the first she ever saw, and exclaimed "Look! A man dressed like Santa!" Can't fool her.

We also did St Nicholas Day last week, and that was great fun, and we'll have solstice, and we're doing an activity-based advent calendar, and I'm of Finnish descent, so Christmas eve is the main event, so all in all, Santa is a small part of our larger December celebrations.

[CDsMom1031]

I still don't understand the whole Elf On The Shelf thing. Apparently it's a huge thing (At least around here)... And I'm completely out of the loop.

[LunaLady]

I need help... R keeps biting me. We nurse quiet a bit still and for the most part during the night and during the day R doesn't bite. But when we are going down for a nap or it's bedtime, he'll bite. This has been going on about a month. It was only every so often a month ago, but as of this last week it's been almost every nursing session (except for during the night). My nipples are so so sore and I'm really sick of it. I've tried smashing his face in my boob, pulling away, yelping, saying that hurts mama, or just doing nothing and none of it is working. Often he thinks it's funny. Last night it was so bad that we were up until after midnight because every time we tried to lay down and nurse to sleep he'd bite me again. We tried five times!

The only other ways he falls asleep are in the car (but I can't drive around for two naps and bedtime every day! I'd have an outrageous gas bill!) and *sometimes* in the Ergo on DH's back. I can't Ergo nap him anymore because he'll bite. And I can't get away because he's strapped to me! ha.

Any ideas? I'm trying to keep him well fed and hydrated with solids/water, so I don't think that's the issue. He has been teething, but even if that is the problem I'm not sure what the solution is.

[Jaimee]

Originally Posted by CDsMom1031 

I still don't understand the whole Elf On The Shelf thing. Apparently it's a huge thing (At least around here)... And I'm completely out of the loop.

I don't really get it either.  I only learned about it last year and felt silly since it appears as though it's been around forever.  I think some people do it for the whole "the elf is watching you so behave" thing and others do it just for the silliness and creativity involved with coming up with new elf pranks.  I can see that part as being a fun family tradition, I guess. 

Originally Posted by LunaLady 

I need help... R keeps biting me.

So you've tried all the normal techniques, but if he's laughing then they won't work.  You'll need to find something that causes him a little bit of distress.  I find the sudden removal from the breast and putting down on the floor to be sufficient to upset Avery (and all my kids for that matter).  I only set him down for a few seconds and then I pick him back up and try again.  I also usually exclaim when the biting occurs and explain that we do not bite.  All put together I can tell it scares Avery.  I just repeat until he stops biting.  Usually I only have to do this song and dance once or twice for him to stop.  He might start again a few weeks later if he's teething again, but if I repeat the process he stops.  So if the exclamations are funny to R what about stern faces, putting him down on the floor, etc.?  He really needs to get the point that it's not funny and that he will not get to nurse until he stops.

I would imagine that he is teething or at least, was teething at the time the biting started.  Alternatively, since it's mostly at sleep times now, it might be laziness with his latch, causing the nipple to slip out a little and when he tries to relatch, he ends up biting.  That happens with Avery every now and then. 

[CDsMom1031]

Conner laughs at the normal things, too. Like he LOVES feeding the dogs... He'll grab his food by the handfuls and throw it on the floor. The only thing we've found that works is taking him out of his high chair, putting him on the floor for a minute or so, then trying again. If he grabs for an outlet or something, if I yell, "Ouch!", he laughs. The only thing that stops him is covering them. Merp. Good luck. =/

[Becky Wheeler]

I agree with Jaimee, Christina. If he wants a nurse, he's not going to like being put down after biting. Levi was biting a couple weeks ago and I did that 3 times and he stopped completely. He was teething at the time.

[Becky Wheeler]

We have a walker! Levi took 5 steps to me! 

[Autumnshades]

Eli is full on walking now ... he keeps walking throughout the entire apartment, in circles ... it is hilarious - he has this huge smile plastered on his face, with a look that says: "Look at me Mamma!"  He is no longer holding onto to things ... amazing to watch :)

[Becky Wheeler]

Yay, Eli!!!! I thought it'd be another 2 weeks for us, but he proved me wrong. He really wanted to nurse and he stood up and whined and walked 5 steps to me. 

[LunaLady]

I will try that, thank you girls. I used to do that and I can't remember if it worked or if the phase just ended, but I will try it again. It's usually that we're in bed so there's nowhere for me to 'set him'. We're already laying down! I do roll away, though, and he cries. So I think that's maybe the same sort of idea? Last night I'd roll away, then come back and he'd nurse for about five seconds and bite again. With the second bite, I'd get us both out of bed and do something else for five or ten minutes (play in the darkened room or sit on the couch in the darkened living room) and then come back. We did that routine five times last night and nothing worked. At about ten thirty DH and I said screw it and we started watching some shows on TV. I gave R a snack (turkey and scrambled eggs) and he was up dancing and playing until just after midnight. Then he hit a wall and started scream crying and so we went to bed. He didn't bite me then.

Today he bit me when we went down for a nap and so I got up from the bed and took him out to the living room and set him down and then wrote my earlier post. He scream cried the whole time. Once I was done I changed his diaper, pottied him (he didn't go, he was too upset) and then we went back to the bed and he didn't bite. But he was really tired after that crying.

I just am not sure what to do. Does he have to be so dead tired that he's asleep within minutes to not bite? It seems like if we try to go to bed at our 'normal time' (bath, brush teeth, bed at 8pm) then he bites. If he stays up ridiculously late and is scream crying he doesn't.

[LunaLady]

And like I said earlier, he won't fall asleep anywhere else but his car seat in a moving car or nursing. There's no way I'd be able to tuck him into bed, kiss his head and bid him goodnight. He'd be screaming. So I'm at a loss.
Edited by LunaLady - 12/10/12 at 5:21pm

[dashley111]

Go Levi!!!

I think I am getting questionable advice from our ped.  Today she told me I should not be nursing more than 3 times a day because babies who nurse past a year wont gain weight properly if they are nursed more than 3 times a day.  She also told me a few months ago that B was probably not allergic to peanuts and we should try peanut butter again in a month .

[Mal85]

I think totally removing him is gonna be the key. Be firm with it. When DD1 when through the biting thing, it didn't work unless she got upset in some way. She also laughed when I just tried to talk with a stern tone. If I abruptly pulled her off, set her down on the floor, gave her a stern "No, no. You do not bite Mommy." That was usually enough to upset her. Sometimes, I had to walk away as well. I didn't like upsetting her like that, but I also didn't like her biting me. She stopped biting. Of course, she also went through a biting other people (her friends, my daycare kids at the time) for a long while. That was brutal and so hard to get her to stop.

Elf on the Shelf... I heard of it last year, but didn't really look into until this year. Most people I know don't use the whole "the elf is watching you" aspect. The people I've talked to just do it for the fun of the pranks. I've also heard of other people basing their pranks on the the kids' behavior. If the kids had a good day, then the elf will do something silly or surprise them with something. If they had a not so great day, then the elf will do something "naughty" while they kids are sleeping. I kind of like that. My neighbor posts her pranks everyday on Facebook and when the elf was "naughty" her son said "I guess we didn't teach him to make good choices yesterday..." I don't think that's such a bad lesson. We don't do it though, mostly because I'm unmotivated and the girls are still a little young to get into it. We do Santa though and DD1 is SO in love with Santa this year. It's the first year she has been so excited about the whole lead-up to Christmas and it is SO much fun! We decorated the tree last night and she just kept dancing around singing "I looooove Christmas! I looooove my family! I loooooove Santa!" I love it!

Greta is still truckin' along. She also loves to just walk in circles around the house. She has moved past hobbling around and is trying to go as fast as she can. One of her gifts this year is a little dancing alligator pull toy. I think she'll love pulling that thing around while she walks in circles. She is also quite the monkey! She learned quickly from her sister how to push the step stool (or anything that can be used as a step stool) around to climb onto anything she wants. I keep finding her in the bathroom on the step stool emptying out the drawers. I am quickly seeing babyhood come to a close as she enters toddlerhood and I'm feeling bittersweet about it....

[Becky Wheeler]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Go Levi!!!

I think I am getting questionable advice from our ped.  Today she told me I should not be nursing more than 3 times a day because babies who nurse past a year wont gain weight properly if they are nursed more than 3 times a day.  She also told me a few months ago that B was probably not allergic to peanuts and we should try peanut butter again in a month .

There are lots of babies that exclusively breastfeed up to 18 months and gain just fine. Not sure about what she says about the peanut allergy. But I'd stay away from it for another 3-5 months, just to be safe.

[dashley111]

Originally Posted by Becky Wheeler 

There are lots of babies that exclusively breastfeed up to 18 months and gain just fine. Not sure about what she says about the peanut allergy. But I'd stay away from it for another 3-5 months, just to be safe.

Oh I would never listen to her about the peanut allergy!  We see an allergist for it, and we will have absolutely NO contact with peanuts or peanut products for YEARS.  And they will only be introduced after blood tests.

[Becky Wheeler]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Oh I would never listen to her about the peanut allergy!  We see an allergist for it, and we will have absolutely NO contact with peanuts or peanut products for YEARS.  And they will only be introduced after blood tests.

Oh good! Phew! I thought you were analyzing her "advice" and wondering if she may be right. LOL Which is scary because so many parents blindly listen to doctors.

[MrsKatie]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Go Levi!!!

I think I am getting questionable advice from our ped.  Today she told me I should not be nursing more than 3 times a day because babies who nurse past a year wont gain weight properly if they are nursed more than 3 times a day.  She also told me a few months ago that B was probably not allergic to peanuts and we should try peanut butter again in a month .

That makes no sense.  Also KJ nurses like 10 times a day still..

[LunaLady]

Up again with a cranky tired biter. 

[TalkToMeNow]

Originally Posted by dashley111 

Go Levi!!!

I think I am getting questionable advice from our ped.  Today she told me I should not be nursing more than 3 times a day because babies who nurse past a year wont gain weight properly if they are nursed more than 3 times a day.  She also told me a few months ago that B was probably not allergic to peanuts and we should try peanut butter again in a month .

Can you find a new ped?? Or are you cool with ignoring half of what she says? I'm pretty sure breastmilk has more calories and fat than most of what Jasper eats...

We do the elf. I don't know of anyone who does it in the creepy, elf is watching you way. I'm sure some people do, though. We don't do Santa like that, either. In my circle, the elf is just a magical little friend who comes to your house for December to do silly things. He hides, pulls pranks, leaves tiny gifts (rarely). My main complaint with him is that it's a lot of work, and I have to do it late after everyone is asleep. So around 10:30-11 each night, I'm hating that elf. He's been doing some pretty boring stuff this year. Last night, all he did was hide in a plant with a camo cape on and camo paint under his eyes. Took me 20 seconds.