PS Mommy Thread-Newborn to 12 months!

[Pandora II]

Hi All - and hope Chocolate Fest was a good one for everyone!

DH managed to pick up a virus and so spent Friday and Saturday in bed feeling terrible, fortunately neither Daisy nor I picked it up so yesterday wasn''t bad. My BIL also came over on Friday morning and took Daisy off for 4 hours to give me a chance to do some homework for my course. I''m going to be very sad when he gets a new girlfriend and has better things to do than play with his niece on his days off!

There is way too much chocolate in this house, so Daisy didn''t get any from us - I found a lovely children''s book called ''The Golden Egg'' with lift-and-see flaps and sparkly eggs in it, DH gave her a leather hand-grenade ''egg''

that opens up and he hid a jellycat babbler chick in it. Even so, D ate more than enough chocolate - she''s a big fan!

Yesterday Daisy took her first steps - four of them - and not in pursuit of chocolate either. Since then she''s getting better at it although the bumps and bruises count is definitely up!


I''m starting to put together a list of possible birthday presents for May, and we were looking at these Wheelybugs yesterday. Does anyone have one or have any views on these kind of toys?

 

[gailrmv]

hey all! I''m still around once in a while, although not posting very often anymore. Hope all is well!


Pandora Congrats on first steps!!! Aaron took his first steps on his first birthday and is walking all over now! They are growing so fast. We have a wheelybug and he just loves it. We got the size small, but I wonder if we should have gotten size large so he would not outgrow it as fast. It''s one of my favorite of his toys, and one of his favorite too.

PG Congrats on your decision re: work!!

Mara YAY for better sleeping!!

Can anyone recommend a folding highchair or compact booster seat for travel? TIA!!

 

[fieryred33143]

Tao-Work sucks!

Mandy-Yay on CIO!

Burk-Congrats on selling the house! I may have missed that.

Puffy-Have fun in Vegas! I didn''t like it too much because I was pregnant and hot lol. I need to go again and decide how I feel

Viz-How''s it going??

Mara-Sophia fights sleep like you wouldn''t believe so I feel your pain lol.

Pandora-Yay for Daisy''s first steps

***

We got back from Orlando yesterday evening. Sophia did really well on the car ride. She slept until I stopped at a service plaza about 45 miles from my home to wake her up.

She''s becoming a lot more talkative. She was having all kinds of conversations this weekend

Here are some of her "Easter" pics. We ended up going to church because my mom really wanted to go. We got there late and had to sit outside in the grass with a bunch of other people. It was so hot and Sophia got a little rash on her face. I think she can''t be out in the sun too much (she had that heat rash before, remember?). Anyway, I didn''t get any good pics in her dress and her hair was a mess because it was windy lol. We were there for 5 minutes before she was over her shoes and took them off!

The first is to show her dress.

 

[fieryred33143]

And with her Easter basket. I got her two stuffed animals, some pjs, and puffs. She threw her bunny on the floor and went straight for the puffs. Girl knows what she likes

 

[Mara]

pandora the wheelybugs are SO CUTE. when our friends had their baby 2 years ago i wanted to get one for them since we saw it in the boutique window and my hub pointed out 'umm their newborn has a ways to go before he can sit on that'...so we never did but now i am thinking we can get one for J. let us know if you get it and if D loves it or what.

so i'm still trying to figure out our stroller thing and saw BRU is having 20% off most of their baby stuff for JUST today (check it out if you haven't already)...the baby trend velocity jogger stroller is $135 and we have gift cards. i'm so tempted to get it... going to see if i can get J into the store today to try it. it's real wheels, seems smaller than bob, easy fold and cheap, and 12 reviews has 5 star rating. negatives seem to be the seat doesnt come straight up sitting and you have to double check all the bolts/lug nuts etc which greg would do anyway as he is crazy about that. we have a snap and go so far so anything is an improve and i was thinking i was sold on the ugly BOB but this seems like so similar for way cheaper. if we just use it on walks and sometimes in the car (BOB wont fit in our trunk) then it seems worth it for $135. i know BT is kind of a cheapo brand but anyone have their joggers and like them? the plan is to get a walker/jogger with real tires for our bumpy roads and any offroading we want to do and then an umbrella like mac laren or whatever when J is able to fit. we are not into anything big or deluxe or with a huge basket or anything like that. i want compact and easy to use and cheap ideally but am keen on the real tires.

fiery sophia is so cute.
TDM yay for steps too!!
pandora yay for first steps!

 

[Pandora II]

TDM it''s incredible how fast they grow! Seems like yesterday that Daisy was unaware of anything outside her own immediate needs, and now I have a little girl who points things out to me, talks away ALL THE TIME - and gets p''d off with me for not understanding a word!

Good to know about the wheely-bug. Is Aaron tall? Daisy is ridiculously short - 2nd centile - so she might be too little for the big one? They look amazing - does he fall off much? We''ve got wooden floors so she''ll be able to get some speed up I imagine!

High-chairs - I have the Minui Handysitt which is great. Friends of ours have it as their permanent highchair for their 2 and 5 year-olds. It''s great in restaurants, and at relatives'' houses, plus it folds flat and fits into a carrycase. Daisy is a PITA with highchairs and won''t go in ones that don''t pull up to the table so this is a godsend. It''s not cheap, but it does what it says on the tin, and with the extra legs you can turn it into a chair for the floor as well.

Fiery - Wow, Sophia is a beauty! I love the dress she has on, so cute. Hope your mother gets better soon.

 

[anchor31]

Hi ladies! I hope you had a good Easter weekend. Mine was difficult, but I think I made some progress on understanding why the last two weeks (since Jacob has been out of the hospital) have been so difficult. He is going down earlier now after much effort (up from 10:30PM to 9PM), but it''s still traumatic.

1. He has nightmares. I watched him nap a couple of times and you can clearly see that he''s dreaming (eyes moving under his eyelids, etc.) and he suddenly wakes up screaming. It usually doesn''t take long to soothe him, he occasionally even soothes himself back to sleep before I get to him. My theory is that he''s shellshocked from his week at the hospital, where he was woken at every kind of hour of the night and day for painful procedures and tests.

2. His medication is giving him tummy aches. He hadn''t had more than half a dozen nights of gas/cramps before, but now it''s Every. Single. Night. And he doesn''t pass much gas, but he screams bloody murder for hours and is obviously in pain, so it''s much more than just fighting sleep (like I thought it was at first). It seems to be getting worse every day... I don''t know how long we can go on like this. I have to keep giving him the medication until the results on the test come in, but they still haven''t called to schedule the test. I just feel so terrible, like I''m giving him poison every time I give him his dose, and he gulps it down like it''s candy... He''s so trusting and I feel so GUILTY, because then at night he''s in pain and it''s my fault. Since yesterday I''ve been giving him his dose in the morning instead of the evening so we''ll see if it helps. I bought some anti-colic drops today, but it''s for gas so I don''t know if it''ll be of any use... I''m pretty desperate so I''ll try is anyway.

I''ve also taken another decision today; it may seem insignificant to some, or maybe rude or lazy to others, but here it goes. My mother and my grandmother both threw me shower when I was pregnant. They were small-ish low-key (and that''s the way I like it) and I got some really nice gift from many of the guests. The thing is, thank you cards is not something most people around here do on a regular basis, so it slipped my mind. Now that Jacob is here, my mother has asked me twice about thank you cards, the second time she told me people are expecting them (I''m guessing someone asked about it?). I''m not an ingrate and I did thank everyone profusely at both showers... and if things weren''t so difficult right now I would probably do it. If I''d thought about it before Jacob''s birth I would have done it. But right now I am so exhausted dealing with my screaming baby I just don''t have the energy. When I have a bit of time between caring for him and the household chores (and preparing for the big move on May 1st), I just want to take a shower or sleep. The very idea of going to have photos printed out, writing 50+ thank you notes and adressing as many envelopes makes me want to cry. So there you have it. I''m not doing them. And I''m sorry, but if someone complains, they can come and try to put my screaming baby to sleep anytime they want.

Also, we''re having J baptised on May 16th. I wanted to have a tiny informal thing, but people who have no business making decisions in this matter (read: the ILs) are making it very difficult and DH was going to turn this into a mini-wedding complete with paper invites to the whole family. I put my foot down and told DH that his brother could wear the tie he bought for his sister''s wedding (the next weekend) if he wanted, but since I was the one who would have to organise the whole thing, I wasn''t inviting everyone and I wasn''t sending out paper invites. I don''t have the time and we wouldn''t get the resposes in time. I''m going to confirm everything to our immediate families by phone and that will be it. There is no way in hell I''m letting my ILs decide how I''m baptising my son the way they decided how I was going to get married.

Gotta run, someone is screaming again.

 

[fieryred33143]

Anchor-I was thinking about you today and wondering if you had any news on whether he has reflux or not. What medication is he on? I''m assuming it''s the same as what Sophia was on before her test. It doesn''t give her a tummy ache but it does make her throw up every once in a while.

We have a Drs appt on the 14th with a urologist to get more details. I had been giving her the medication every other day because I hate the idea of giving her antibiotics every day. Today I noticed that her urine smells strong again which means that I shouldn''t skip any treatments

. I feel bad and am hoping she''s not in pain over it

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 4/5/2010 2:34:52 PM
Author: Mara
pandora the wheelybugs are SO CUTE. when our friends had their baby 2 years ago i wanted to get one for them since we saw it in the boutique window and my hub pointed out ''umm their newborn has a ways to go before he can sit on that''...so we never did but now i am thinking we can get one for J. let us know if you get it and if D loves it or what.

so i''m still trying to figure out our stroller thing and saw BRU is having 20% off most of their baby stuff for JUST today (check it out if you haven''t already)...the baby trend velocity jogger stroller is $135 and we have gift cards. i''m so tempted to get it... going to see if i can get J into the store today to try it. it''s real wheels, seems smaller than bob, easy fold and cheap, and 12 reviews has 5 star rating. negatives seem to be the seat doesnt come straight up sitting and you have to double check all the bolts/lug nuts etc which greg would do anyway as he is crazy about that. we have a snap and go so far so anything is an improve and i was thinking i was sold on the ugly BOB but this seems like so similar for way cheaper. if we just use it on walks and sometimes in the car (BOB wont fit in our trunk) then it seems worth it for $135. i know BT is kind of a cheapo brand but anyone have their joggers and like them? the plan is to get a walker/jogger with real tires for our bumpy roads and any offroading we want to do and then an umbrella like mac laren or whatever when J is able to fit. we are not into anything big or deluxe or with a huge basket or anything like that. i want compact and easy to use and cheap ideally but am keen on the real tires.

fiery sophia is so cute.
TDM yay for steps too!!
pandora yay for first steps!

Mara, trust me, it''s not. Someone had a different version of this stroller (I could have sworn it was on PS, but maybe I am mistaken. I think Diver might have had a schwinn before the BOB, so maybe that is what I am thinking of), and it''s very poorly made. Like wheels falling off kind of bad. And while it may seems similar, it won''t have the shocks and ride the BOB has. Plus there is a good chance the tires will go flat a lot. Here''s a similar stroller sold on Amazon and the reviews are not great.

AND you''re kid may fit in it now and be fine, but if you plan to use it for awhile, it may not be as nice to push later.

I pushed the jeep jogger at BRU and I think it''s even more expensive than the one you are looking at. It felt flimsy and unstable, so I can''t imagine what the baby trend feels like. Yes, I know I''m comparing to BOB and it''s not the be all end all, but I think I know you fairly well (at least that you like to be active) and I am pretty sure you won''t regret the BOB.

Are you sure BOB won''t fit in your trunk? That front wheel is super easy to take off.

But if you haven''t pushed BOB, you might not know what you are missing and like the Baby Trend. But using your often used idea of the theory of amortization, I think BOB won''t cost much at all as you can use it for a long time. Amelia''s BOB will be used longer than her crib.

 

[vizsla]

anchor - real quick ((hugs))
been there, am still there.. never left??
anyhoo, i LOATHE giving charlie so many meds too - and am convinced that the current antibiotic he is on is causing some major tummy troubles. we''ve been splitting his dose throughout the day - and always make sure we give it to him with a bottle.
it''s awful, i agree... and it''s so stinking hard to function on zero sleep.
antibiotics do have an effect on the lining of the stomach and if your LO is at all sensitive to any type of reflux etc this can FOR SURE exacerbate the situation.

and i''m right there with you on the ty cards... i got all of my shower ty sent out, but since he''s been born i just don''t have the time or energy. (i say this and yet i took friday off to hang out and NOT do chores anyhoo, i feel ya.

i think it is normal for babies to cry a bit in their sleep - charlie does this but never opens his eyes - but to scream suddenly.. yeah, that is heartbreaking. maybe some extra cuddle time as he''s sleeping will help?

hello everyone else

will catch up properly but i just have this little nugget to share.

charlie is tanking himself up!!!!!

AT NIGHT

he ate almost 20oz last night... and before you say anything

we ALWAYS offer 6 oz at every feeding...and try our darnedest to feed him in a quite room - but the dude does not want to eat during the day... but night? SURE thing.... WTH?? (that last h is for heck

)

 

[ChinaCat]

Real quick-

Mara- I LOVE my BOB. I want to ride around in one. Definitely check it out before you decide. And that''s funny that you think they are ugly, I love the look of mine. O looks so cool chilling in his! I''ll try to post a pic I have later.

Anchor- I gave up on thank you notes after O was born. Yes it''s rude but I don''t care. I''m with you on that one. I now tell people that I give baby gifts to that part of their gift is that they DON''T have to write me a thank you note.

Phx- I think Summer Phoenix sounds much more fun than She Who Shall Not Be Crossed!

Though I still think I need some tips from She Who Shall Not Be Crossed!

Fiery- Sophia makes me want a girl.

Pandora- I want Daisy to be my friend.

And I want a wheelybug for myself! How cool. Definitely getting O one of those in a few months.

Ok, back to everything that is causing me stress and leaving me time for nothing! Will try and post more later.

 

[Mandarine]

Just also super quick just to say that Mara, I agree.....not all jogging strollers are made equal and I think the few extra $$ make a HUGE difference!!!!!. I have pushed double jogging strollers and I have pushed my BOB duallie. Believe me, it''s NOT the same by any means!!! I would say the best thing would be to just try it out at the store...

 

[Mara]

lol China and TG...I KNOW...why am I fighting the BOB so hard? Why why why??? China..I''m a wacko but I totally think the BOB is one of the ugliest strollers out there hands down. Hopefully no offense to those who love it but I think it looks cheap. I admit I think the Quinny and Uppa and all those strollers are so chic and cute, those are what I''d LIKE. But unfortunately I''m more a rugged kinda girl so I may be fighting the BOB for nothing. hahaa. And TG I know you are so right re: the amortization and I am big on that. I keep trying to find other things but I don''t know why haha.

The irony is that since I don''t like the SNG, I don''t take it anywhere with us so basically we carry the carseat and/or put the kid in the Bjorn if we leave the house. So we''re at 9 weeks and we haven''t even used a stroller outside other than the walks haha. I haven''t had a chance to go to BRU and I don''t know if I will today, I already ran some errands with J and have a workout class tonite.

Cara said there was a 20% REI thing going on too, so I might just take advantage of it and get the BOB. We can always return it right. Oh and TG I havent tried to put the BOB in the trunk but the dimensions make it seem like NOT fitting. I might task Greg with figuring that part out.

HIP ALERT...I am so happy that they seem to be retracting slightly! I bought some cheapo jeans at AE last week (call me crazy but I love their Artist fit) and they were really not that great at closing without squeezing and huffing and puffing. But I knew that I would keep at it... so anyway I tried them on today and they close! Without a hassle. YAY. They are still 2 sizes bigger than my original size but still. Progress! Gotta keep up with the cardio.

Viz... DID YOU SAY HE ATE 20oz LAST NITE? As in... a few hours? That is crazy town!! But I hope it is working! Last nite we managed to feed J 7oz which was a lot but given he is eating less during the day I was so happy he took it. And it seemed like a ton.

re: thank you cards...i did my best to get them all out before we had the baby because now i can''t even remember who gave us what. the crazy thing is we got SO many gifts since J was born, like easily another 20 people gave us things. so i feel really bad but i try to say a verbal thanks or a quick email at least--because mailing stuff is sooo not my forte.

Anchor, so sorry the baby is having a hard time!! How much longer does he have to be on the antibiotics? It definitely will mess with the best of stomachs, think about how it cleans out all of our own piping when we take it, I am sure it''s even harder for the kiddos. I hope he feels better soon.

for those of you who swaddled to sleep, when did you start leaving the arms out? i keep trying it with J but he just will not sleep with his arms out. he is always flailing them and moving them around. he is starting to self soothe with hand sucking so when he does get them out by the morning he sucks on them for a while then starts to fuss BUT putting him down to sleep with arms out just is not happening yet. any tips for those who tried?

 

[taovandel]

mara: We unswaddled at around 4 months...we cold turkey''d it and he was fine

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Date: 4/5/2010 2:15:53 PM
Author: TanDogMom

Can anyone recommend a folding highchair or compact booster seat for travel? TIA!!

We used this and loved it. It was great to use in restaurants too.

 

[Mandarine]

Mara, I started de swaddle rehab program at 4.5 months or so. I actually wish I had done it sooner, just knowing what I know now of how long it would take my guys to get used to it! (I was swaddling for night and for naps). If I had to do it all over again I would either not swaddle at all, or I would start not using the swaddle for naps earlier than I did. There are two ways to quit the swaddle: cold turkey or gradual. I gradually took it off for naps (one arm out for like a week, two arms out another week, no arms just bottom, etc)....once they could sleep a somewhat decent (30 min) nap without the swaddle...then I did the same process for nighttime...

I think *most* people just quit cold turkey and most babies are ok. If you are just wanting J to be able to self soothe but still want to use the swaddle, I would try one arm out only.

My hips also decided to extend...A LOT (as in maybe a whole mile...hehe). Anyway, they have slowly gone back....not there yet, but it seems like they''re going back on their own...

Fiery Adorable!!!! She''s so cute!

***

I made out like a bandit at BCBG today!. Got a pair of super cute sandals for the baptism this weekend and a super cute dress for a wedding in a couple of weeks!. Both things over 50% off!...Gotta love a sale!

 

[Mara]

thanks ladies ... his morror reflex seems to be getting better for him but he''s such a chronic ''arm waver'' that i think he doesn''t let himself settle down with arms out. and if one arm is out he seems to get the other out. he''s houdini. anyway we''ll keep trying. i am ok with the swaddle for now though and it seems to keep him calmer.

mandarine, my hips went crazy, i think after birth really because i don''t remember them being so wide before...!! i am just happy there seems to be progress.

 

[Pandora II]

China - Lol! Daisy seemed to be very keen to be O''s friend when I was looking at the new pics of him on FB. He got a big "Geeesh" from her which seems to be used to express interest and approval!

Daisy''s loot for her birthday is likely to be a wheelybug - we''re torn between the mouse and the ladybird... I''m thinking ladybird - and a baby laptop as she''s obsessed with ours. I''m putting the doll on hold till Christmas.

PG - sounds like a great idea re. work. I thought I''d hate being a SAHM, but I really enjoy it and the older she gets the more fun it is. Financially I do need to ultimately go back to work, but I''m hoping to find something that I can perhaps do from home part-time. Eugh to the daycare woman - I do hate emotional blackmailers.

Anchor - I really feel for you. Daisy has been up nearly every night for the last 3 weeks screaming with what I think is gas. Last night I was up till 4am with her. I even got in the bath which normally helps and she was still screaming and wouldn''t let me touch her tummy. The only thing that stops her crying is feeding her and so she wants to eat ALL night long.

I spoke to my Dad who said that she probably felt better putting something in her tummy and that was why she wanted to feed and to try a warm hot-water-bottle as I''ve had no luck with Infacol or Gripe Water.

I''m seeing her doctor on Wednesday so I''m hoping he''ll have some ideas as I hate seeing her this way - and I''m getting very tired! During the day she''s totally fine, it''s just in the evenings and early part of the night.

I hope Jacob feels better soon.

Here''s a pic of Daisy at Easter...

Also, could do with some advice - sorry, is long and complicated:

When I was 17 I started dating this guy who I had a very volatile and pretty toxic relationship with. We dated for 7 years, most of which we lived together on and off, including me living with his parents for nearly 2 years. I left him when I was 24 and moved to Italy. A few months later he committed suicide at the age of 27. His parents kept me on a pedestal as this perfect girlfriend (he''d met someone else after we split up who they semi-blamed - unfairly) and used to contact me a lot which I found quite hard as I was pretty screwed up over what had happened.

Meeting DH was the best thing ever for me and I finally started to feel like I''d totally moved on. Last year I decided to go back to Belfast (where he was from) for the first time in nearly 15 years to finally lay some ghosts to rest. I fixed to see his mother and was going to visit the grave. In the end I didn''t go to the grave - I just felt I didn''t need to anymore. His mother knew I was married, but I turned up with Daisy as a suprise.

I felt that now I was married to someone else and had a baby they would see that I had moved on and perhaps they could do the same. My ex would have been 40 this year and has been dead for nearly 13 years. Weirdly, Daisy was born on his due date - he was one of twins who were born 2 months premature and his twin died at birth, so it''s all a horribly tragic story - and his mother I think sees some kind of connection because of it.

His mother is crazy about Daisy now and sent her a Christmas present and a very generous amount of £ as a gift. Then this box arrived in the post for Easter with an outfit for D, chocolates, toys and a load of other things. Part of me feels very uncomfortable about this - especially as she spoils D far more than her own grandparents do and also because I know that she doesn''t have a lot of money. Then I think that she is in her 80''s, her son''s and grandchildren are in the USA and so she rarely sees them, she always saw me as the daughter she never had and she obviously gets a lot of pleasure out of doing this. Also I couldn''t say anything to her without upsetting or offending her. Eugh, I just feel like it''s not quite right...

I''ve taken a load of pics of D in the outfit and unwrapping the box which I''ll get printed and send her as a thank you. What would you guys do in my position?

 

[Pandora II]

We went to the park in the afternoon as there was actually some sun for once!

She''ll wallk pretty well holding my hand now, but it kills my back after a while bending over so far...

 

[Blenheim]

Mara - just get the dang BOB already.

On a more serious note, I can be a serious cheapskate and the BOB is one of the few things that I very much find to be worth the price tag (good childcare is also on the short list, and my mei tai). I know it''s not the cutest thing out there, but what matters day in and day out to me is performance and it does that quite well.

Pandora - oh she is adorable. Neatfreak has one of those wheelies for her boys and said that they love it, and I think another one of the todder mommies either has it or was going to buy it as well. You may want to duck in over there. I want one. For myself, of course. Screw George.

I''m really not sure what I would do in that situation.

Fiery - Sophia is always so beautiful. love the Easter dress.

Anchor- I know it''s not the proper thing to do, but I just let the formal thank yous slide for the past year. I just hoped that people understood and weren''t offended. I need to get off my butt and actually get them out for his birthday presents.


At this time last year I was in labor.

And it was snowing. Today it hit 80 or so.

 

[gailrmv]

Pandora Thanks for the Handysitt recommendation! It looks awesome. It is pricey, though! I will definitely think about it though. I love the design and it looks like it will be easy to clean and versatile too. If I didn't already have a high chair that I love for home, I'd think about using that instead of a regular high chair.

About the Wheelybug, Aaron is 70th %tile, so quite tall. I actually have not seen him ride on the wheelybug yet on his own. I put him on there and push him, but he is not really that interested. Instead, he loves to walk around pushing it while holding onto the handle. He has to stoop a little bit, which is one reason I thought maybe I should have gotten the large. He also loves to crawl behind or beside the bug and push it along, making vroom type sound effects (so cute). I need to get some of these things on video.

I wasn't able to see the different sizes in person, so I actually don't know about the difference in size between the large one vs the small. The large might be way too big! So never mind

Daisy is just precious. I am so sorry to hear of her tummy troubles! You both must be exhausted.


Tacori THank you for the Fisher Price booster seat link! I like that a lot and it is budget friendly too.

Mara If you want a jogger, I second Blen- get the BOB already. You've spent more on purses! You won't regret it, it will last, and you can sell it when you are done. I don't think it's ugly at all, but to each their own. If you want a cuter stroller, why not get the quinny or one of the others that you like? Especially one with real tires that blow up. My friend has the Micralite Toro and we walk all the time together. I'm sure it would be fine for walks, just not jogs or hikes.

TGal Wasn't it Lisa (her screen name was Lisa with some letters and numbers after it, I think) - she had a Jeep jogging stroller that fell apart on her at the zoo. I think a wheel fell off and she had to tape it or something to get through the rest of the day. That is, if I remember right! I think it was around then that I made a mental note, hey, if I have a kid, get a BOB!



Fiery hi! Sophia is beautiful. Great pics!

 

[Mara]

LOL TDM on the wheel falling off!! Wow that would suck. hahaha.

So I was looking at REI today...diff between AW 12 and regular Revo seems to just be the tires in the back. If I am just going to be walking and not really offroading with the thing, will the AW be fine? It is a wee bit smaller but not sure if that really matters...it's like 2" diff.

Also, a lot of the reviews on the jogger site said that their kids end up slouching in the seat...I have seen this in some of the BOBs I've seen on the street. Did anyone who has a BOB rig something for the kid? I imagine you could.

TDM I will have to look at the Toro. Prob is there are so many friggin strollers out there and it seems like every one has some downer about it, its so friggin hard to make the decision. I don't even know which ones have real tires. And I thought the Baby Trend would be fine but now it sounds kind of cheaply made.

And yup, I know I have spent more than that on purses...I've come close on jeans too. I just don't know WHY I have such a mental block. I def have a short list of what is important to not cheap out on but I guess because there are so many stroller options I am like REALLY do I *need* to spend $300?? And I was all torn again after someone on the BOB review said they had the city mini and they loved it for regular walks and they didn't know why people bought the BOB just for walking. Boo on me and my indecisive self. Just ignore me.

Burk and Steph I don't know if either of you started a post baby WWT but I am going to head over and look and if not I will start one. Lets get in gear, ladies. hehee.

So tonite J put up a hard fight again on going down to sleep. He has been doing this every time for the last 3 days. Naps, and bedtimes. He's so tired but he just fights it. And he might go down for 10 min then wakes himself up and gets pissed off. So it's like a multiple put down thing. I am hoping it's just a stage, I think he is due for a GS this week so we'll see...but it makes naps even shorter now, like 20-30 min and he takes almost a good hour to go down at night now. I am thinking to just move his bedtime up to accommodate the fighting

Tonite I went to UJam (the next generation of Zumba basically, more hip hop and some Latin) which was great and Greg did the bedtime routine. I also am trying to get out of the house myself with J at least once every other day to just keep getting used to it for me and for him.

Pandora...not sure what I'd do in that situation but I would definitely feel awkward. Are you close enough to say anything to her about it? Or could say your husband doesnt feel comfortable? On the flip side, the woman is probably ecstatic to have a child to send gifts to since it sounds like she has had a tragic life. So if you feel odd about it, donate the gifts to a shelter or something?

Dreamer...if you are reading this, did you say something about your scar tissue hurting as it healed? I don't know if you saw my posts but I guess I had a 'flower' of ST and my Dr removed it last visit. I went back to check up on Fri and she said that there were two small pieces left but her colleague said to leave them and they should heal or 'slough off' (gross!) at some point (prob during DTD). No one I know has any experience with having ST... if you did have it, how long did it take to heal or slough off and did you have any complications? My Dr said it was not uncommon but I don't know anyone who had it (or maybe just didn't know).

 

[Dreamer_D]

Mara I had a small slice on the back wall of my vagina from Hunter's fingernail (his hand was beside his head when he was born

) and so I had about 2-4 stitches there. I definitely had scar tissue form (is this what you mean ST?), it basically felt like a too tight spot in the perineum/vaginal wall, and the skin was very tight. Yup, sex hurt like an mf for a while. Some positions worse than others becuase it caused more stretching in that area of skin. Basically I was afraid to explore the area too much with my hands for about 6 weeks, nothing felt right, and there was a very painful and tight area where the stitches were. I have no idea when they dissolved. When we got back into wanting to DTD more often after about 3 months, it only took about 2 or 3 times before the scar tissue was basically gone and I was pain free. But remember, I did not actually have any pereneal tearing (yah for midwives and paraneal massage), it was rather a slice on the inside, so your experience may be different if you had actual exteriour tearing. ETA To be totally honest I still feel a little hesitant about too much stretching in that area and it still feels tighter and just not the same. I would not call it a complication per se because we can still do all the same things, but we are a little more carefull. Sort of like an old football injury I guess, it just needs more warming up

Sorry if that is TMI

 

[Pandora II]

Just wanted to chime in on this last issue.

I have a fair amount of scar tissue from a medio lateral episiotomy and it''s still very painful now - to be totally frank, DH and I have DTD once since D was born and it wasn''t a great experience...

Poor guy, with me being totally uninterested when I was pg, I think we

more times in the month she was conceived than since!

Anyway, it does seem to take a long time to break scar tissue down.


Thanks Mara for the comments on my ''problem'' - it''s more a case of whether I should just let it go mentally and treat it as a kind of third grandparent thing, or if it''s really a bit creepy....

 

[Pandora II]

OMG... look what happened while I was distracted by PS.... the result of your child finding the tub of diaper cream and getting the lid off....

Thank goodness she wasn''t dressed!

 

[steph72276]

Good morning, mamas! I am going to attempt to catch up as much as possible. Hope everyone that celebrates had a great Easter weekend. We had a wonderful time. Andrew had a birthday party to go to on Saturday that was fun, then he and I made some Easter cupcakes and I cooked for our meal on Sunday. Then Sunday, we went to church and then had a yummy meal with our aunt and uncle and cousins that live near us. Andrew and Evan loved their Easter baskets from the Easter bunny, but I think E wanted some of A's chocolate. He kept turning his head and smelling the Reece's egg, too funny! Hope everyone is having a great week! Here is a pic of my boys before church:
ETA: I think E is going through a growth spurt. He slept 10 hours last night (yea!) and is back in his crib again after eating even though I had all the lights on, the tv going, and put him under his playmat to play.

 

[steph72276]

Mara, super cute announcements. I hope you printed out and framed that pic of all three of you, it is gorgeous! Oh and thanks for starting the workout thread...heading over there in a minute b/c boy do I need the motivation!

Sha, ahhh D is so beautiful! Love that pic on the beach!

Fiery, that little S is adorable in her Easter dress. I love little girls dresses so much...almost makes me want to try for a girl

So Excited, thanks for the coupon link

Tao, glad your meal turned out well!

Mandi, oh no that pic is priceless. He''s like, "Mommy what just happened???" Yea for sleep success!

Cello, good to see you here. Sorry you are having sleep issues.

Puffy, wow you are brave...hope you guys have fun in Vegas!

Pandora, haha that pic is hilarious with the diaper cream! And she is so cute walking! Sorry about your bad situation with the ex''s mother. Not really sure what to do b/c you don''t want to hurt her feelings. What does your DH say about the gifts?

PG, yea for summer all year! I like that!

Burk, hope to see you on the workout thread when you''re a little less overwhelmed with the moving...I know how stressful that is, but so glad you guys sold your home, that is great!

Hi, TDM!

Anchor, sorry about the nightmares and the tummy troubles for J. Hopefully they will get better soon. Take care!

TGal, I think if your career you have now doesn''t work out, you should go to work for REI selling BOBs! I haven''t even been in a store to check them out, but I want one b/c of you and Tacori

Viz, hope you and C are doing well. Did you ever find out if he still has an ear infection going on. I was thinking about that the other day and I do remember Andrew not wanting me to put him down when he had one. Does C sleep upright in a swing? It may just be hurting his ears to lay down? Anyway, thinking of you!

China, thanks for another BOB endorsement!

Hi, Tacori...thanks for the booster seat recommendation. I always hated using the resturant ones because of all the germs

Blen, yea for warm weather!

 

[Mandarine]

Mara I had a block too against the BOB...and I also don''t think it''s pretty. At the end though, I knew I wanted a true jogger because sometimes jogging with the boys is the only way I can get a workout in!....so I went with what I knew would work...rather than what I thought was cute. Now, if I wasn''t JOGGING with them, I probably would have gotten a Bumbleride or an Easy Walker Duo....both have real tires and both are way cuter!!!. I know Neatfreak has the Bumbleride for her boys and she loves it!. I tested one single one at the store and it was pretty smooth!. Not that you needed something else to confuse you...but there may be a compromise between looks and purpose, if you are not looking for a jogger.

Pandora Can Daisy be any cuter!!!!???? She''s just too cute!

Steph wowww! 10 hours!!! that''s awesome!!! and what a great picture!!!

***

My boys did "ok" last night...off an on crying since like 4:30am....more "on" crying like at 5:45am, I gave in at 6:10!. Still not bad though!

 

[rockpaperscissors67]

TDM, we have a booster that''s very similar to what Tacori posted. Will still uses it (without the tray) to sit at his little table to draw or have a snack.

Anchor, I hope Jacob feels better soon! I feel for you with the screaming at night.

Pandora, love the pics of Daisy -- she''s way too cute! I think your ex''s mom is probably latching on to her because she''s older and doesn''t have her grandkids nearby. I know it''s kind of weird, but it''s sweet, too. IMHO the more people that love a kid, the better. Love the pic of her wearing diaper cream!


====================

I need some advice here! Next week, I''ll be out of town for 2 nights and I need to figure out what to do with Ben. We co-sleep now and I''m ok with that because I''m there to guard him from SO, but I don''t think having SO co-sleep alone is the safest thing. SO works long hours so when he goes to bed, he crashes and I don''t think he''s as aware of Ben as I am. To be on the safe side, I''m thinking of either getting a bassinet so Ben can be beside the bed or one of those sleeper things that go on the bed (not the Arm''s Reach one). Thoughts?

And while we''re at it, what do you do with a guy who lately has been too busy to REALLY listen? I swear, I''m going to bop SO upside the head. The other day, I reminded him that I have an appointment today to get highlights in my hair. It will take about 90 minutes so I don''t want to take Ben along. So what did SO do? He switched his lunch meeting from yesterday to today because he thought I said "tomorrow" (this was on Sunday) when I said "Tuesday." Tomorrow does not sound like Tuesday unless you JUST AREN''T LISTENING. I already changed my appointment from last week to this because of a meeting SO had so I''m not switching again. My older daughter is going to come along and babysit, but it ticks me off. This has been an ongoing issue for the past couple of months since SO got really busy. I told him that I''m simply going to quit talking to him since he can''t give me the courtesy of really listening instead of pretending to do so.

I''m really freaked about my trip next week, although I know everything will probably be fine. Between SO being responsible for the boys for the first time to Ben starting on Monday with the new sitter, well, there''s just a lot to worry about. Plus, Queen Dumbass here stopped pumping so much the other week when we started with the house hunt and I need like 12-15 more oz. in the freezer so I''m frantically trying to catch up. I''m also concerned whether I''ll be able to pump enough on this trip to make up what Ben takes while I''m gone since I''ll also be gone the following week. The last thing I want to do when I get back from the first trip is have to pump around the clock to make up the rest of the stash for the following trip. I should have stipulated to the project managers that they cannot schedule 2 trips back to back for me.

That''s me these days.

 

[vizsla]

re: folding highchair... we have the phil and teds me too chair and LOVE IT.. c is still a liiiitttlllee small for it, but i can already tell we are going to use it more than his actual highchair. i'll attach a picture. it folds flat flat flat and is super small.. had a 5 point harness too!

mara- we have the phil and teds sport stroller and LOVE IT (the picture attached is with the double kit - obviously we don't use the jump seat right now.) it fits in our fairly small wagon trunk (a volvo v50 - did you end up getting the A3?) it has real wheels, can expand for a second baby, folds flat for naps, and you can jog with it. all and all i think it's pretty wonderful. and, dare i say, slightly more stylish than the BOB

steph- thanks for thinking of me

he is still on a course of antibiotics, which are causing another host of problems so i really don't know if he is truly healed. they finish up tomorrow and i'm making an apt on friday to have his ears checked again. fingers crossed this antibiotic does the trick. when he gets super inconsolable at night he has been sleeping with us, but we'd like to keep him in his PNP next to our bed for as much of the night as he can handle. it's gradually gotten longer since friday.... one day at a time

cuuuuuuttttteeee pic, gah! evan is getting sooo big - 10hrs?!?!? lucky ducky!

pandora - while i don't have direct experience with what you are going thru, i do know of a similar situation. a friend of my IL's lost their daughter tragically when she was in her 20s - she had dated a boy before she died and, like you, they treat this boy like he is their son. now that he is married and has a child - they also treat the child like it is their granddaughter. when DH and i were married in FLA they actually stayed with the ex-bf and his wife. i think the whole thing is a bit weird. and i'm sure has to be terribly uncomfortable for the wife. a lot has to do with the couple and how they have dealt with their daughter's death (not well) - and, like your ex-bf, she has been gone for 10+ years. i can't even begin to imagine how i would deal with the death of a child, but i *hope* i would be able to live on past the tragedy and not be stuck in the time when he/she died. i don't have any advice, but whatever you decide will be the right thing for your family. i understand how hard it must be to relive that portion of your life each time you are contacted by your ex-bf's mother .. it borders on the sweet but still encompasses "uncomfortable". the silver lining is that she lives far away and, most likely, will not show up for weekly or monthly visits.

blen - i can't believe you are going to be leaving us. i remember reading your birth story so intently and you were my main motivation to go thru labor med free (or, as much of it as i could handle and then they didn't work anyway ;P) happy first bday george!!

WTG mandy!! i think you are seeing the STTN light! congrats!!! you worked so hard to get there you deserve it!

re: swaddling... we are almost out of the swaddle - at 5 months. we did a vveeerrrryyyy gradual de-swaddle - maybe 4 weeks??? and when c's extra fussy we revert back to a full swaddle, but last night he slept unswaddled all night and 1/2 of it was in his PNP - so that is a small success on our part

.

hello everyone else

c went back to eating only every 3 hours last night

. he still was up about every 2 hours or so, but hopefully once he is fully healed we will see some longer stretches out of him. he is still so wishy washy with his eating... the amount of $$ we throw down the drain makes me want to

. but inevitably when we only offer 4oz he will cry to eat 6. can't win. i still don't know of another baby who, literally, has to be forced to eat. WTH?



ETA: RPS - yucko! ((hugs)) totally stinky to leave ben

anchor - i was thinking of you last night... have you tried to take a walk with j in the stroller or baby carrier when he is really fussy?? c totally ZONES out when we take him on a walk, even if he is being crazy fussy ... i wish i could walk him in the middle of the night