July 2006 Mamas & Babes - Oct thread

[Quagmire]

Hope no one minds if I start this! The Sept thread kinda died off and I was getting lonely

Question for today: since our babes are getting more interactive now, what are they all doing?

DD is standing *constantly* Like, even in the maya wrap : She loves the vantage point that standing offers I guess. Her big sister did this too.

She is also enjoying her tummy time more now that she can push up. Her head control is really good... I can walk around with her upright and not have to hold her upper back. She sorta holds on to me.

No grabbing yet, but I've spent a good deal of time each day playing with her - showing her different objects, colors, etc. She stares and follows the objects when I move them around. She looks pretty interested in everything so I guess I just need to find something that she really wants and she'll grab it!

Sleep is still going well, though we started a growth spurt again so DD is usually up at 3 to nurse again instead of stretching out until 5 or 6. Sometimes she nurses again before DH and I go to bed depdending on how much noise we make brushing teeth, etc.

How is everyone else?

[Quagmire]

I've been meaning to ask... where are everyone's birth stories on MDC?

[PancakeGoddess]

thanks for starting the new thread!

K is talking and cooing a lot, laughing, and blowing bubbles. This is one drooly kid! I'm knitting bibs like mad. Anyone have extras for sale or handmedown? I just don't like the velcro closure because I always think it's going to scratch his neck and it bugs me to keep checking.

Nights are good - he slept 12 hours last night and woke to nurse about 3 times. For me, that is a happy night! In particular, I love that he was asleep by 8pm - woo!

R (2.5) is loving the baby and almost always gentle and sweet. I can actually walk a few feet away from them and feel pretty safe doing it. He does want to pick him up, though, which is totally not possible, so that's what I'm watching these days.

It's been fun getting out the cozy warm baby stuff to put on K, now that the weather is changing - he's yummy in a blanket sleeper.

Let's hear some more updates!

[MsGrizzle]

Sleep? What is sleep? My 6 hour stretch has disappeared into a 45-90 inute stretch. I am convinced it is teething - he gnawing on anything and everything. He pops off the boob screaming. Aye-yi-yi!! I miss sleep. :

DD is standing *constantly* Like, even in the maya wrap She loves the vantage point that standing offers I guess. Her big sister did this too.

Isn't that developmentally-inappropriate? Nathan doesn't like tummy time much at all, but he does like standing and sitting in my lap or even occassionally in the DREADED bumbo or the bouncer if I need to keep him somewhere safe. He loves watching us play board games for some reason! He sometimes grabs toys but sometimes not. He is giggling now which I just LOVE. He has amazing neck control also and needs almost zero neck support now.

Sleep is still going well, though we started a growth spurt again so DD is usually up at 3 to nurse again instead of stretching out until 5 or 6. Sometimes she nurses again before DH and I go to bed depdending on how much noise we make brushing teeth, etc

Does this mean you can put her down? Oh I am so jealous! Ds must sleep in the crook of my arm or we don't get any sleep at all. He is a complete repeat of my first ds.

[elsanne]

Amara added another night waking as well...bummer. She loves to interact with people and yesterday she LAUGHED! Like, an actual laugh! her sister didn't laugh until about 5 months old. The astrologer said she is very social and I have seen her social skills be miles ahead of her sister at this age, whose social skills were not behind in any way.

Quag my birth story isn't on mdc but it's among the first posts of my blog, which I started in late pregnancy.

I am moving in the next two weeks, I found a house that I think is great!

Now, more coffee.

[writermommy]

I can't believe it's October already! Logan is getting so big. He has discovered his thumb in the past week. I think we are going to have another thumbsucker. He likes to stand too and he's really strong.

He still doesn't really like tummy time, so we don't do it as much as we probably should. But I won't make him do something he doesn't like either. He likes to lie under the baby gym with his sisters. He has been really noticing the toys and has been hitting/grabbing for them lately. It's really cute to watch him. He really likes his sisters. They make him laugh and smile all the time. When he's had enough of them, he fusses a little and I rescue him.

Sleeping is still hit or miss. Some nights he gets up only twice and others it's more often. I don't really keep track. He starts out in the cradle next to the bed and just ends up sleeping with me after he wakes the first time. I don't look at the clock, so I don't know how long he is sleeping. I'm too tired to look at the time.

Logan's birth story is on the July 06 DDC board.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by soapdiva

Isn't that developmentally-inappropriate? Nathan doesn't like tummy time much at all, but he does like standing and sitting in my lap or even occassionally in the DREADED bumbo or the bouncer if I need to keep him somewhere safe. He loves watching us play board games for some reason! He sometimes grabs toys but sometimes not. He is giggling now which I just LOVE. He has amazing neck control also and needs almost zero neck support now.

I see what you mean... staying out of that one!

Originally Posted by soapdiva

Does this mean you can put her down? Oh I am so jealous! Ds must sleep in the crook of my arm or we don't get any sleep at all. He is a complete repeat of my first ds.

Hmm, well I don'y exactly put her down. Transfer doesn't work for my DD at all.

Here is what we do (this is partially ripped off from the No-Cry Sleep Solution) I lay down with DD in our bed around 6:30/7 dependiing on how tired she is. My arm is above her, rather than underneath, she is on her side, swaddled and facing me. After nursing both sides she drifts off. I start counting sucks. If she goes 4-5 breaths (hers) without sucking it usually means she's out. So I detach myself and lie there with her for 5-10 minutes. If she wakes up again it usually happens within that amount of time, and I just offer the boob again. If she doesn't wake up I tiptoe out. The whole ritual usually takes an hour for DD2. I did the same thing with DD1 and she was more like 30-45 minutes. The baby monitor is on so if I hear her rustling around I just go back up and nurse again.

This has worked really well for us for the past 7 weeks. DD is tired and overstimulated by the end of the day so she needs a dark quiet room. DH and I get some alone time to hang out, eat and finish cleaning up from dinner, and watch tv. We usually go up around 10 so she's not alone very long.

[MsGrizzle]

I've been meaning to ask... where are everyone's birth stories on MDC?

I have a link to mine in my sig

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by elsanne

Now, more coffee.

Mmm, coffee....

Elsanne, I've been meaning to ask you for ages... what is MMF?

[MsGrizzle]

Here is what we do (this is partially ripped off from the No-Cry Sleep Solution) I lay down with DD in our bed around 6:30/7 dependiing on how tired she is. My arm is above her, rather than underneath, she is on her side, swaddled and facing me. After nursing both sides she drifts off. I start counting sucks. If she goes 4-5 breaths (hers) without sucking it usually means she's out. So I detach myself and lie there with her for 5-10 minutes. If she wakes up again it usually happens within that amount of time, and I just offer the boob again. If she doesn't wake up I tiptoe out. The whole ritual usually takes an hour for DD2. I did the same thing with DD1 and she was more like 30-45 minutes. The baby monitor is on so if I hear her rustling around I just go back up and nurse again.

Interesting! I can do the arm around the head thing as well, but as soon as I leave, if he has any movement at all in his sleep, he will wake up and can't soothe himself back to sleep at all. This is usually within 10 minutes of him being completely out. He also will not be swaddled, ever. He also doesn't usually go down for the night until between 8-9. I get my longest stretch from that point. If I put him down at 6:30, I'd compeltely miss any sleep for me during his longest stretch. I should probably get that book though. It might be the only one I don't have! I'm dreading returning to work with all of these wakings!

[Miss Juice]

Originally Posted by PancakeGoddess

K is talking and cooing a lot, laughing, and blowing bubbles. This is one drooly kid! I'm knitting bibs like mad. Anyone have extras for sale or handmedown?

I have a million. I don't have drooly babies, and we just aren't bib people, but everyone gives them to me. I was just looking at a PILE of them yesterday, wondering what to do with all of them. PM me your address and I'll toss some your way

Originally Posted by soapdiva

Sleep? What is sleep? My 6 hour stretch has disappeared into a 45-90 inute stretch. I am convinced it is teething - he gnawing on anything and everything. He pops off the boob screaming. Aye-yi-yi!! I miss sleep. :

Sleep is for the weak.

Isn't that developmentally-inappropriate?

: It's been rather rough around here lately, hasn't it?

So much to say, so little time. I'm stuck in the land of lurkdom because I can never manage to type. I hate NAK, but I lurk CONSTANTLY. I'm just invisible
So today I'm not working until 2:00, which means I should be able to get lots done with the girlies in preschool, right? HA! Add in a fevery 4 year old and a feeling-fine-but-won't-go-to-school-without-her-sister 2 year old...

Oh, and I do believe I have just been pooped on.

[jessekc]

Hi ladies, hoping I can join in, I just found this site last month. Would have loved to have found it while expecting. My daughter will be three months tomorrow, can't believe how time goes by so fast!!

She's sleeping a good 6 hours a time during the night, until last night as she has a fever. I thought brestfed babies were not suppose to get sick!! She is not pulling at her ears and not really acting cranky, just a fever of 100.1. She was up every 2 hours last night to nurse and I was a bit glad, that way I know she won't become dehydrated. I hate to call the doctor, but I always thought that if you had a fever you have some type of infection... Any thoughts?

[elsanne]

Hi Jesse, Welcome! She could be battling some small cold virus or something, I wouldn't worry about it unless she starts to act really fussy or presents some other symptoms.

Amy, I have a drooly one too! Not crazy-drooly yet but lots of bubbles.

miss juice, pooped on! Happens to me pretty frequently too. Especially since occasionally I keep her diaperless.

Quag, MMF is (this is so cheesy) May Mamas Forever! With dd1 we formed a chat thread, like this one, and our kids are now 2 y 5 m and we're still going strong. We are seriously bonded, it's crazy! I am hoping that with time this group will become another "homeroom" for us here at MDC. It already is, but with time some jump in, jump out, and the hardy hang on, yknow? Also, I think it takes a willingness to support the others in the group even when you don't agree with them.

[Quagmire]

Originally Posted by Miss Juice

Sleep is for the weak.

Originally Posted by jessekc

Hi ladies, hoping I can join in, I just found this site last month.

Welcome Jesse! I wouldn't worry about the fever either, as long as she's nursing plenty and peeing/pooping normally. I wouldn't treat the fever either... her body is fighting a little something which probably just needs to run its course


Elsanne, that's cute, not cheesy at all It's nice to have a group of like-minded ladies with similar aged kids. Wish I could find that in real life. *sigh*

Originally Posted by soapdiva

I should probably get that book though. It might be the only one I don't have!

GREAT book. I read it when we transitioned DD1 into her own bed and it was taking 3+ hours to get her down every night. With everyone crying Ferber it was a refreshing thing to hear that I could solve the problem without resorting to CIO.

Originally Posted by soapdiva

'm dreading returning to work with all of these wakings!

When are you going back? 28 days and counting for me

[Max'sMama]

Well, I was on the July EC all the time, but am just now making it over to Life With A Babe!

Interactivity: Love this. DD absolutely adores watching 'the boys' aka daddy and brother. She is starting to laugh and play with the toys on her bouncer.

I totally and completely agree on the standing in and out of the Maya. Ds was the *same* way. Kinda creepy, so much alike.

We are actually getting sleep with this baby. DS was awake round the clock every two hours to eat for 18 months and this one, DD, has been pretty consistently sleeping 5 hour stretches from midnight to 5 from about 5 weeks, not all the time, and IF I wake up, I do offer and she will eat. I figure that i just added an hour or so onto the 5 am wake up when I do that.

Other than that, kind of sucks at our house for the kids this week, I got into poison ivy something fierce. So I am covered in itchy awful rash now. Arms waist (from jacking up my pants), face, neck and, OF COURSE, boobs: : : I nursed dd outside after chopping down a bush, that had the ivy in it that I didn't realize was there. Luckily, both kids are rash free. But the itchiness is terrible. I actually had to get on meds, it's so bad (and I hate meds).

DS is loving his sister. Actually calls her nicknames and sings to her all the time. Tells people that she is too little to play, when they ask if she plays with him. It's too cute, cause he says it with the undertone of, "Are you an idiot? She's a baby, they *DON'T* play!"

The 'person' having the hardest time adjusting is the dog. But he will eventually recover from his broken heart. Someday.

My question for people is: When are people finding time to get out and walk and such. For some reason I can't find the time! But I want to get out and do stuff!

[Miss Juice]

Originally Posted by jessekc

Hi ladies, hoping I can join in, I just found this site last month. Would have loved to have found it while expecting. My daughter will be three months tomorrow, can't believe how time goes by so fast!!

She's sleeping a good 6 hours a time during the night, until last night as she has a fever. I thought brestfed babies were not suppose to get sick!! She is not pulling at her ears and not really acting cranky, just a fever of 100.1. She was up every 2 hours last night to nurse and I was a bit glad, that way I know she won't become dehydrated. I hate to call the doctor, but I always thought that if you had a fever you have some type of infection... Any thoughts?

Hi! Welcome! Time does fly.
I wouldn't worry about the fever. Breastfed babies need their bodies to respond to invaders just like anybody else, they just have an easer time doing it. Her body is probably fighting a little something, but as long as she's acting normal (not lethargic), eating, peeing, pooping, etc. it shouldn't be a big deal. If the fever goes way up, that would be different, but 100.1 is not too much for a 3 month old.

Originally Posted by elsanne

I am hoping that with time this group will become another "homeroom" for us here at MDC. It already is, but with time some jump in, jump out, and the hardy hang on, yknow? Also, I think it takes a willingness to support the others in the group even when you don't agree with them.

I'm addicted to our DDC. And one of the things I have loved from the beginning is that we do support each other, even in our differences. I remember early on there was a thread about working vs. staying home and I thought "this could get ugly" but everyone was sooo respectful, and appreciating each others' situations instead of throwing rocks at each other like I've seen in other DDCs (or forums, for that matter).

I love you ladies! I wish we could meet for coffee somewhere. But it's going to be a while before I make it to Mexico

[sewaneecook]

Originally Posted by Miss Juice

I'm addicted to our DDC. And one of the things I have loved from the beginning is that we do support each other, even in our differences. I remember early on there was a thread about working vs. staying home and I thought "this could get ugly" but everyone was sooo respectful, and appreciating each others' situations instead of throwing rocks at each other like I've seen in other DDCs (or forums, for that matter).

I love you ladies! I wish we could meet for coffee somewhere. But it's going to be a while before I make it to Mexico

The support has been GREAT! We can talk/discuss/debate without feeling put down or ridiculed. I wish some of my friends IRL were more like that.

We're doing well here. DS picked up his burp rag yesterday. I don't think he meant to, but he had more control than I'd ever seen! He's not sleeping quite as well, but still better than average. He nurses about 3x per night, but I can usually get back to sleep fairly easily.

Off topic: My baby brother left for Iraq last night (he may be 22, but he'll always be my baby bro). He's such a sensative kid, I worry about how he'll adapt to being in war. I'm not worried so much about his physical well-being as his mental state of mind. I know some of you mamas are military family ... what have you done to help ease the transition of your family member being sent overseas? I know I want to keep in touch with him regularly, but what kinds of things make life more comfortable (food, cards, pics from home?). I need ideas. Our family is big (6 siblings), so he has lots of people wanting to send things over and I want to make sure he's getting things that are useful and wanted.

[MsGrizzle]

Sleep is for the weak.

When are you going back? 28 days and counting for me

Nov 1st so just a couple more days than you.

Quag, MMF is (this is so cheesy) May Mamas Forever! With dd1 we formed a chat thread, like this one, and our kids are now 2 y 5 m and we're still going strong. We are seriously bonded, it's crazy! I am hoping that with time this group will become another "homeroom" for us here at MDC. It already is, but with time some jump in, jump out, and the hardy hang on, yknow? Also, I think it takes a willingness to support the others in the group even when you don't agree with them.

Not cheesy at all. Back in 2000, I was reading babycenter (i know, i know) and about 20 of us got fed up and started a yahoo group (not all AP, per se, but very into our kids and positive discipline, etc). We are still together almost 7 years later. We've all met many times. They are some of my closest friends. I keep pushing the July mdc yahoogroup for the same reason!

[deditus]

Hiya! I mostly lurked in our DDC.

DD was 3 months on Saturday. I am glad I have spent 20+ hours a day with her in my arms (as frustrating as that can be)....I am already saying "when she was a baby" because she seems like such a big girl now (11" thighs!).
She has done the standing thing for two months. At first I tried to discourage it, but I gave up when it was clear that she wasn't going to give up. Kinda made the pouch sling useless so I'm glad I finally figured out how to use my wrap.
She has slept 6 or more hours at night for a month and a half. Usually we are in bed for 10-12 hours with two wakings just to nurse. Woohoo! I love to sleep.
She likes her toys, especially ones with faces, but just as often talks to anything patterned, like the couch. She is still quite frustrated with grabbing things as she gets really mad if she can't get them in her mouth right away. Tummy time is one of the only times I can put her down. She will be fine for 5-10 minutes until her neck gets tired.
Dad can put her in the bouncer and dance silly dances and she will laugh out loud and flap her wings. She likes to go flying, too. A mini thrill seeker in the making, at least she'll like rollercoasters!

[~pi]

Originally Posted by soapdiva

Isn't that developmentally-inappropriate?

and

Originally Posted by Miss Juice

Sleep is for the weak.

:

Originally Posted by sewaneecook

Off topic: My baby brother left for Iraq last night (he may be 22, but he'll always be my baby bro). He's such a sensative kid, I worry about how he'll adapt to being in war.

Laura.

Originally Posted by Max'sMama

My question for people is: When are people finding time to get out and walk and such. For some reason I can't find the time! But I want to get out and do stuff!

I have to force myself to do it (I am terrible with transitions) so I usually call someone and tell them I'll be dropping by in the afternoon. Then I *have* to get my butt out the door. I do it instead of laundry, MDC, cleaning, etc. It helps that I have my DH's support. I know that he would rather I go and do something to keep me sane and leave the other stuff.

Originally Posted by Quagmire

I've been meaning to ask... where are everyone's birth stories on MDC?

I'm still writing mine. I keep crying and giving up. I am pressing on, but slowly.

Anyway, like others, we have a drool factory here! At first I was scared it was early teething, but I think it's just drool.

DS is growing well. We had a 3 month ped appt this morning; he's at 14.5 lbs and 25 inches. He isn't pushing up as well as he should be, probably because we've been neglecting tummy time. He really hates it, so I hate to do it. We're going to get back on the wagon, though.

He standing, though! (Not on his own, obviously.) I swear he spends half his day pushing with his legs. He loves when we support him gently and let him stand on our laps.

I am really enjoying the smiles and "talking"! He makes such cute sounds and I love the conversations.

We've been signing with him from the beginning (just a few signs - milk, change, maman, daddy, book) and the other day, DH and I both thought he signed milk. It could totally have been a fluke, but just in case, I latched him on in nanoseconds!