September 04 Mommas -- Gobble Gobble November is here! - Page 5

[AugustineM]

Originally Posted by MommyofPunkiePie

On the weather: It has only been sunny for two days since my Grandpa died (October 8)! Every other day has been gloomy and I hate it! Having to turn on a light at two in the afternoon is just not right (no matter where I live!!!)

I hear ya on that one. The sun actually came out yesterday morning and I realized I hadn't seen true blue sky and sunshine in nearly a month. I was like an alien living on a foreign planet squinting my eyes at this odd new thing called sunshine. An yep, we always have to turn on lights at 3 pm. Although it's not nearly as bad as living in Alaska where it didn't get light until 10am and got pitch black at 3pm. Now that's torture. Seattle seems cheery compared to that (sometimes).

Becca -- mold can be a problem. Anything left outside or in our garage often gets moldy. Like, our stroller is a mold party. It's gross. I left it outside for 2 weeks (open, not closed) because I would take a walk every morning, even in the rain, and it's like covered in mold colonies. Ewww. I tried to put Anna in it the other day and DH was like, "What are you doing?? I wouldn't sit in that thing!!" Guess it's time to throw it away.

Oh, and I think I'd rather travel to exotic locales 9 months pg than with a newborn. I think you'd have more fun. It's pretty hard those first months with two little ones.

[MommyofPunkiePie]

Mother Nature must have read my post because it was bright sunshine today! Forty degrees, but bright sunshine.

Samantha

[jaidymama]

Hello Ladies! I keep hoping there will be a moment when I can sit down with a nice hot cup of tea and read through and respond to some (or all) of your posts. Anyways, more to say than I have time for... so maybe I'll get some good time for a post this week (keeping my fingers crossed).

Best Wishes! & if I don't get a chance for it... Happy Thanksgiving... I hope you're all able to enjoy friends or family.

Heidi

[Yo Becca]

Augustine - you are my wedge now in DH and I's discussion. I think he's coming around. He is planning to do some really fun travel stuff this spring and summer - backpacking and camping hopefully in Mongolia and possibly TIbet, with Robin too. Things that I would LOVE to do also, but won't be feasable with a newborn. So we'll have to work out what my role will be - although I'm also going ot be in the US for hopefully a month or so. But basically i feel like this is my last chance for a real escape before the baby is born, and I'm trying to get him over his "but I'm scared to have a baby in Thailand" thing.

Robin is getting more and more into playing pretend and role playing. A favorite is assigning roles - "I baby kangaroo, you mama kangaroo" or ""i mama, this is my baby, you daddy" then setting up some scenario, like going to the store or time to eat. It is so much fun. Although it makes me wish she had a friend just a wee bit older who would really get into it with her. SHe's made a few little friends here, but they are all her age or younger.

K - I'm procrastinating and need to be cleaning up getting ready to host Thanksgiving. Two of Robin's friends and their parents are coming, plus several of our neighbors, so I need to set up the toy area a bit better. As it is, her toys are all kinda shoved in the corner - she has no problem pulling them out, but I want to set up her doll house a bit better for more than one kid to play at it.

[MommyofPunkiePie]

Becca: That's funny that Robin is starting *role play* situations! Elizabeth was a dog off an on all day today. She crawled around and barked and asked me to pet her. It was so cute!

She also asked me if I was angry (and I was, I was trying to cook, had to use the bathroom, and she had to potty, too) and I told her yes. She said, "Abra Cadabra now you're happy!" You know what? It worked!

Samantha

[midwestmeg]

Originally Posted by Yo Becca

Meg - Carl is cute. It's such a "man" name that it's cute for little ones - like Henry is.

Good to hear 'cause Carl William was born on Sunday afternoon!!!: It took me from 8 am until about noon to really believe I could be in labor the day before my due date?!!: I totally hadn't planned for that.

The labor was great- the 'pain' was so productive feeling and I was able to talk, sing or 'whoosh' my way through each contraction. Honestly my favorite part of the labor was lying in the backseat watching the trees (and semis) go by while singing to the grateful dead. I also curled on the floor in the room between the cabinets and couch in the birthing room before moving to the tub. Pushing is a drag; I did request that we adopt our next child. So it was an 8 hour labor, start to finish- with my doula, midwife, and Greg. Carl was 7.5lbs & 21''. No stitches and Carl is nursing well; so I'm thrilled.

BUT what is the deal- why won't this baby let me put him down?!! Last night I got to see his eyes; from 10 pm until 4 am! And he woke up Cecilia who was kind of a mess after all of the excitement. I assumed he'd sleep for me today. Well, he did- in my arms only! After promising my midwife I wouldn't introduce a pacifier before 6 weeks or at least a month, I tried sticking one of Cecilia's into his mouth several times last night!: I'm assuming tonight will be easier as my milk is in.

Becca; I see what you are saying about late pregnancy travel. I think it might be a bit much to deliver in Thailand, but the child would have a heck of a birth story to tell!!

Augs; we'll take some rain- it's so dry here.

okay, trying to nak is too slow; but i wanted to let you all know! Thanks for all the love and support during pg....

[MommyofPunkiePie]

: Congratulations, Meg! Happy Babymoon!!!!

Samantha

[AugustineM]

Oh Meg, congrats!!!! I'm so jealous of your birth story -- it sounds awesome and so satisfying.

BTW -- I bet you're right... Carl's trying to get that milk in ASAP!

[zen-ozz]

: elcome Carl William!! :: :

So glad you gave your mom a break and came on time!

Meg, the pushing is such a drag! But at two weeks PP, I am feeling pretty well back to normal! Hope you feel okay soon. And hope Carl learns day from night and how to sleep soon. best to you all!

K

[JenInMpls]

yay, welcome Carl

Anyone got any suggestions about what to do with our kid who insists on waking up every night around 4 and demanding to nurse with me or cuddle with dp and then lying in bed either between us or next to dp talking and tossing and turning and whining for 2 hours? Of course the alarm goes off 1/2 hour after he falls back to sleep and we are both walking zombies for the coming day. I thought it may have been recovery from traveling to my sister's but that was 2 weeks ago. Lately we've been wanting to offer him to the paper deliverers when we see them going by at 4:15.

UGH! This is the big deterrent to having another one - we don't know how we would ever manage to night-parent TWO.

anyway, I'm off to stumble around and try to get this house presentable for my MIL who arrives today... :

[Yo Becca]

: : Congrats Meg and welcome to baby Carl!! You seem in really good spirits (sleep deprivation aside) and it sounds like a great birth! Glad all is well with you both! I hope he figures out the night/day thing too - just remember to keep it light vs. dark at the appropriate times. Hopefully your milk coming in will allow you a little breathing room. And be sure to pass him off to Greg when he just needs cuddles and holding - it's never too early to share the load!

Jen - sounds delightful. Do you think he is using nursing as a way to fight sleep? If so, I would vote for nightweaning. That was what pushed me to nightwean - that nursing at night wasn't actually leading to better sleep for me or RObin. Or, do you think its a testing/resisting thing? I would probably set a list of standards for him - we are not getting out of bed until X time. Until then, you have to stay in bed, with your head on your pillow, and be quiet. I will sing you one song (or something), but then I am going to get quiet also and close my eyes. This is time for sleeping so that we all feel better tomorrow. Then stick with those rules, and if he moves around, gently place him back (lying down, head on pillow)and remind him this is resting time. If he talks, tell him this is not time for talking. If it were Robin, she would try it a few more times and then get mad and cry at my horrendous meaness but eventually give up and go back to sleep - but if I were consistent for a few days, she'd get the "rules" down pat and stop testing them. Obviously, he needs the sleep - why do you think he's waking up (other than the obvious, to torture you and Jo and hopefully secure his status as a doted-upon only child)? Also, what should I look for on a label in German if I want DILL pickles? ALl the fancy pickles I can find are in German, and I already bought one jar of gross sweet ones. I want a nice, crisp, dill pickle... And also,what's German for self rising flour? You would think the Germans are the only people who make baked goods - they are the only ones imported to China. Frozen vegetables too. Last night we had Rahm-Spinat der mit dem Blubb. I call it blubb spinach, b/c blubb is a funny word.

Here's the new drama in my life: http://www.mothering.com/discussions...09#post6601909
It may end up in a delightful homebirth, but at the moment - I need a drink.

[JenInMpls]

Becca - I don't think it's the nursing that is keeping him awake... I think it's one of the solutions he comes to for dealing with the fact that he's awake and he doesn't want to be. I tell him that he may nurse only on one side and then when he's done he has to go back to sleep and he may nurse again when he gets up in the morning and it is light outside. He accepts that, and then he usually lies very quietly next to me for 10 minutes... and just when I start dozing off, he starts talking. I shush him, saying that it's nighttime and we don't talk now, we sleep, and that he has to lie still and be quiet. He can be quiet then... for about 5 minute stretches at a time. It's the tossing and turning that's the miserable part, combined with the fact that he does not want to lie alone in his bed (crib sidecarred to our bed). We can get him to either lie in his bed, or be quiet, but not both at the same time. Being quiet means that he has to cuddle with mommy which is fine because she can actually fall asleep cuddled up with him. If we both ignore him and doze he's fine - he does stay lying in bed - but he tosses and turns and chats on and off, and you can't pretend you are asleep and tell him to hush at the same time.

Anyway, I hear him finally getting up, so I had better finish up at the computer.

Oh - Becca - cornichons are sweet, saure Gurken are sour, dill in German is dill, and I think most Germans would scoff at you wanting self-rising flour - as far as I know, there is no such thing. If you have other questions, write down the name of it and ask me or ask dict.leo.org

[Almamiel]

YAY Meg and Carl! Whooooohooooooo!

Jen - does T maybe have to go potty and that's why he stays restless? I know if I don't drag myself out of bed (very grudgingly, I might add) and take R to the potty if she wakes up like that, I'm setting myself up for tossing and turning.

Becca - how frustrating w/ the birth plans (or lack thereof).

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

[Yo Becca]

The potty thing is a good question - Robin sometimes wets her CD (still put her down in a diaper) and it's the kiss of death for my sleep - she tosses and turns all over my head, then pees and falls asleep. I'm usually too tired to remember to check it though, and she's asleep, just not solidly. How would it work if, when T woke, you nursed him and if he still tossed,talked, etc. Jo took him to another bed to lay with him? Do you have a spare bed? We have found that if Robin is especially tossy when she comes to our bed, if one of us goes with her to hers, she has more room and falls to sleep more soundly (of course, she's less awake than T is). But then he could cuddle and be quiet, but you and Jo would both have room to sleep too. (plus, it would be a special thing for him and jo). What are your plans for moving him to his toddler bed (didn't you get one from Ikea, or am I making that up?) - do you think that would help or make things worse?

[AugustineM]

Jen -- Thor was doing that exact same thing for almost a month. Maybe more. He's done that a lot. I think we may have found a solution. Now when he comes into our room at 3 or 4 or whatever (and he used to do exactly what you said, toss and turn and talk and poke us), Tony takes him back into his room and lies with him on his bed. There is a queen on the floor in there. Sometimes he cries for a few minutes ("See MAMA!") but then he generally calms back down and falls asleep. We had to start doing that because he would wake Anna up, and then we'd all be miserable. Also, I did quit nursing him at all at night. I dont know if that helped but he doesn't ask anymore now. Also, we give him a big drink of water at that time. He's usually thirsty I think. GL!

[JenInMpls]

thanks for your thoughts, women.

We do have a toddler bed from ikea. he likes to talk about it, and sit on it and read books, but usually before he falls asleep he wants back up into the "big bed". Perhaps we will start using it for this purpose.

As for the potty, he's not doing well on using the potty for peeing, so I don't think that's what it is, although we could try doing a diaper change a couple of nights in a row and see what happens.

He has asked for water on a few occasions, but only after he's requested milk and we've turned him down. We always give him a snack right before bed, so I have a hard time believing that he is hungry, although with him, you never know...

[zen-ozz]

Finally, a few minutes to post . . . We are all adjusting well to Eli. I am totally amazed at how well Zeke is doing with him. I was worried early on in the pregnancy because he was having such problems with other children his age, biting, pinching, hitting. In June a very close friend had a baby and Zeke was great with him throughout the summer. But I never could have imagined he would do so well with a baby in our life! He climbs in my lap when I am nursing Eli and kisses and gently pats his head. If Eli is crying, Zeke looks for me immediately and signs eat for me so I will nurse him. And when he wakes in the morning, the first thing he says is, "Mama, baby, mama, baby, mama, baby," till he finds us. It has made this all so easy to handle!

We had a huge score . . . A friend from the playgroup I go to with Zeke asked if I need anything about a week before I had Eli. I said I thought I was all set. She then asked if I wanted an Amby Hammock! She had one for her son, but isn't currently using it, so she has let us borrow it! Eli loves to sleep in it during the day, and it allows us to get some stuff done. He sleeps with us at night, but we love the Amby during the day!

The bad news is that we have thrush. I noticed the first symptoms the second day my milk was in (4 day pp). I was shocked it was so quick. I have been taking acidophilus, echinechea, garlic, and vit c since a month before the baby was born. I tried the baking soda / vinegar thing that Samantha recommended. Eli was not at all happy about the baking soda in his mouth, so I tried the baking soda and vinegar on my nipples. It actually seemed to help. I then switched to grapefruit seed extract on my nipples and that seems to be helping too. I now just need to remember to do it before and after each time. Hopefully I can beat this faster than the six months it took with Zeke.

Jen ~ About T's sleeping issue, does he still nap? maybe it is time to cut back his nap time. Some kids just require less sleep and he sounds like one of them. You might have a few crappy days while he adjusts to having an abbreviated or eliminated nap, but you might see it increase his sleep. Also, a friend has a son who wakes bery early (he is three), and they got a timer with one of those blue nightlights (a mellow light that is not enough to wake him if he is in fact sleeping). They told there son that when the blue light comes on, he can come and wake them, otherwise, he is to stay in his bed. I wonder if something like that could work for you? Good luck. There is nothing worse than toddler sleeping issues.

Meg ~ hope things are going well with Carl. How is Celia adjusting? Any sleep for any of you?

Becca ~really crappy on the birth stuff! this has been such a roller coaster! I hope it all settles for you soon. It can't be doing much to inspire confidence in the whole process. I guess you just have to come up with a plan that meets their requirements. I really hope it works out for you!

[Mama Bear]

Welcome little Carl!!!
And congrats Meg and family!!!! Hooray!!!


My FIL is in town for the holiday, so hopefully I will be able to catch up and post sometime this weekend. Hugs to all and wishing you all a blessed Thanksgiving!!!

[chrissy]

Congratulations Meg and welcome baby Carl!!!!

Kristin, ick, i'm so sorry you're dealing with thrush!

Becca, i need to go get caught up on your birth plan drama.

[StacyL]

Congrats, Meg! Welcome baby Carl!

nak

Jen - my recommendation: a toddler bed. In his own room.