NEW! May/June '05 Parenting Thread - OPEN FOR POSTING!

[MayJune05Moms]

Welcome to the May/June 2005 Parenting thread!

To join, please submit a post to this thread with the following information:

Me: AGE (including real 1st name is optional)
DH: AGE ( " " " " " )
Married: Date
DD/DS: Birthdate (can include multiple stats here if you have more than one child - if you prefer)
Baby's Stats: Weight & Height (at Birth)
any other information provided is also optional. :)

stats *may* be formatted to fit the general style of the member roster.

Please post any requests for a change in roster info in RED. Thanks!

YOUR THREAD MODERATORS ARE BridalLace and Carissa and DisneyGirl.

Thread Histories: these links are now working! yeah! :D

May 2005 Thread Archives
Vol VI - 45 Peas in a Pod!! (Vol VI) (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=489050&tstart=50)

Vol V - 45 Peas in a Pod! (Vol V) (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=484869&tstart=50)

Vol IV - 45 Peas in a Pod! (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=479932&tstart=75)

Vol III - 42 Peas in a Pod, Due 5/05! (Vol III) (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=477234&tstart=75)

Vol II - 42 Peas in a Pod, Due 5/05! (Vol II) (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=473349&tstart=75)

Vol I - PG & Due in May 05! (Vol I) (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=469446&tstart=75)

June 2005 Thread Archives
3rd trimester - Junebugs 2005: Welcome Sierra, Matthew, Liam, Parker, Sarah, Dean, & Kevin! (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=486105&tstart=0)

2nd trimester - Junebugs: The Next Generation! The Second Tri... 12 Boys, 13 Girls and 8 Surprises (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=477403&tstart=120)

1st trimester - Junebugs: The Next Generation! *32* due in June 2005 (http://boards.weddingchannel.com/thread.jspa?threadID=471862&tstart=165)

----------------------------------------------------------

49 members so far!!! :D

ahavnes
Me: Alicia (29)
DH: Scott (30)
Married: 2/21/04
DD: Gabrielle Kathleen (Abbey)
Born: 5/29/05 (7lbs 9oz, 20.5 inches, 5:11pm)

alienhost
Me: 36
DH: 42
Married: 8/02
DD: Katherine 4/27/05

allyray231
Me: Allyson, 30
DH: Brad, 29
Married: 11/23/02
DS: Aiden Harrison, June 10, 2005

Aunt Liv
Me: Olivia, 28
DH: Adam, 31
Married: September 2, 2000
DD: Maia Sophie, 5/14/05

BAM 9-21-02
Me - 26
DH - 25
Married 9-21-02
DD - Emma Mary
Born 6-12-05
Weight 7lbs 6oz
Height 20 3/4 inches

bamboo
Me: Bre (27)
DH: 30
Married: 7-10-04
DD: Julia- 5-1-05, 6lb 12oz, 19 inches

BridalLace
Me: Heather, 33
DH: Cristian, 32
Married: 7/6/02
DD: Elodie Cristine, born May 7, 2005
8 lbs 2 oz; 19.5"

BTB
ME: 26
DH: 28
Married: June 29, 2002
DD: Evelyn Christine, born April 13, 2005

Carissa
Me: Carissa, 26
DH: Eric, 25
Married: August 17th, 2002
DD: Grace Elizabeth May 15th, 2005

chrisandjensluv
Me: Jen 25 will be 26 in august
DH: Chris 25
Wed: August 9 2003
DD: Juliana Eva, Born June 23rd 2005
7lb 4oz at 1:25am

christy1010
Me: Christy, 35
DH: Curt, 33
Married: 10/10/98
DD: Sarah Elizabeth 5/21/05 5:39pm
7lbs 10oz 20inches

Chylynn
Me: Chylynn (27)
DH: Dave (30)
Married: September 22, 2001
DD: Rebecca Ainsley, Born April 2nd, 2005

cynder
ME: 29
DH: 29
Married: May 25 2002
DS: Samuel Basil May 19, 2005

Dally
ME: 36
DH: 39
Married: August 18, 2002
DD: Annalie, May 12, 2005

December27JJB
Me: Jessica
DH: Joshua
Married: December 27, 2003
DD: Parker Alexandria 6/13/05

diedra1027
Me: Diedra, 31
DH: Blake, 34
Married: August 24, 2001
DD: Avery Jene born May 5, 2005

DisneyGirl
ME: Jenn, 29
DH: Eric, 29
Married: June 15,2002
DS: Brandon Micheal, Born September 30,2003
DD: Nicole Elizabeth, Born May 10,2005

Dreshny
Me: Roseanne, 31
DH: Daniel, 31
Married: 9/30/01
DS: Asher Isaiah 5/31/05

Ferris
Me: 28
DH: 29
Married: 7/13/02
DS DOUGLAS 5/21/05

golfer_girl
Me: 36
DH: 36
Married: 3/05
DS: Ethan 6/9/05

happy1nuv
Me: 30
DH: 31
Married: 8/21/02
DS: Nic - 5/18/05

hub1176
Me: Kate 28
DH: Bruce 33
Married 7/20/02
DD: Rhiley Beatrice, June 1, 2005

jbird
me:31
dh:33
married: june 30, 2000
DD: Lola Raquel, born May 15, 2005
(8 weeks and 3 days early)

Jenyfer9
me: Jen (30!)
DH: Tom (31)
Married: 10/26/02
DS#1: TJ 10/23/03
DS#2: Will 05/03/05

jmvan74
ME: 31
DH: 28
Married: July 24th, 2004
DS: born June 13th, 2005

jrdhbunny
Me: 33
DH: 35
Married: 7/26/03
DS: James Edward, 4/26/05

kelseyledare
Me: 27
DH: 36
DD: Ava Victoria
6/10/2005 10:59 AM
6 lb 6 oz, 20 in

KGif
Me - Kelly 31
DH - Mike 35
Married May 3, 2003
DS, Jack, born May 16, 2003; 7 lbs 13 oz; 21 inches

kimthebride
Me: Kim, 29
DH: Tom, 29
Married: 10/18/03
DS: Thomas Ryan, June 3, 2005

ladybug0525
ME: Judie
DH: Jason
DS: Jack Campbell born 5/16/05
Married: 05/25/02

LIZNKEITH
Me: Liz, 26
DH: Keith, 35
Married: July 28, 2001
DD: Caroline Elizabeth, June 15th

mama915
Me: Cyndi, 27
DH: Shawn, 33
DS: Chase Alexander, 3 (12-11-01)
DD: Sierra Nicole, born 6-15-05

Megande
Me: Megan, 25
DH: Derek, 25
Married: June 15, 2002
DS: June 27, 2005

Misty911
Me: Misty, 28
DH: Patrick, 30
SD: Trisha, 9
DS: Caleb, 21 months Born Dec. 23, 2003 8lb 9oz 22" Long
DD: Emily, 5 Months Born May 9, 2005 6lb 13oz 19" Long
Expecting Again, April 9, 2006


Mrs.Chappy
Me:29
DH:29
DS: Benjamin born 6-8-05
7.15 oz 20.5 inches.

Natrat80
me-Natalie 25
DH-Keri 26
Married 05.25.02
DD: Addison Grace, born 06.14.05
6 lbs 6 oz 18 1/2 inches

njnewyearsbride
Me: 30
DH: 31
Married: 12/31/03
DD: Hazel - 5/26/05
7lbs 4.8oz 21.5"

Pam27
me: Pam 28
DH: Ryan 27
Married: July 27, 2001
DD: Taylor Louise January 10, 2002
DS: Colin George May 4, 2005

portlandbride
Me: Brandi, 31
DH: Preston, 30
Married: September 16, 2001
DD: Brynn Pamela, May 12, 2005

rancherswife
Me: Kim 24
Dh: Brett 26
Ds: Landon Joseph 6/4/05 7lbs. 4 oz. 21 1/4 inches

sabrinag
Me: Sabrina, 27
DH: Jody, 32
Married: 7-7-02
DS and DD: TWINS born on 6-10-05: Madison Hannah and Logan Mackenzie

Sasha
Me: Sasha, 29
DH: Greg, 34
Married: Nov. 3, 2001
DD: Sarah Elise, born May 16, 2005

September2002
Me: Carolyne, 34
DH: 32
Married: September 7, 2002
DD: Samantha, born December 19, 2003
DD: Grace, born June 2, 2005

Sherah
Me: 25
DH: 26
Married: 12/5/03
DS: Arik, 5-11-05

tgray99
Me: 28
DH: 28
Married: 11/15/03
DD: Aidan Christine - 5/09/05
8lbs 3oz 20"

traciann
Me: Traci (30)
DH: Timothy (35)
Married: 11.23.02
DD: Mary Kate 4.26.05

usafwife
Me: 27
DH: 38
DD: S
born 6/05
8 lbs, 7 oz.

wendstress
Me: Wendy, 29
DH: Jon, 34
Married: 4/28/01
DS: James Jack, born May 10, 2005

WinterBride1253
Me: 31
DH: 31
Married: 12/6/03
DS: Cole Robert, June 15, 2005

yooper
me: 30
DH: 31
Married: 10/5/02
Peter James "PJ" born 6/1/05
8lbs 3oz 21.5"

[MayJune05Moms]

Birthdays listed by date, and their Mommies... :)


4/2/05
Rebecca Ainsley...Chylynn

4/13/05
Evelyn Christine...BTB

4/26/05
Mary Kate...traciann
James Edward...jrdhbunny

4/27/05
Katherine...alienhost

----------------------------------------------------------

5/1/05
Julia...bamboo

5/3/05
Will...Jenyfer9

5/4/05
Colin George...Pam27

5/5/05
Avery Jene...diedra1027

5/7/05
Elodie Cristine...BridalLace

5/9/05
Aidan Christine...tgray99

5/10/05
Nicole Elizabeth...DisneyGirl
James Jack...wendstress

5/11/05
Arik...Sherah

5/12/05
Annalie...Dally
Brynn Pamela...portlandbride

5/14/05
Maia Sophie...Aunt Liv

5/15/05
Grace Elizabeth...Carissa
Lola Raquel...jbird

5/16/05
Sarah Elise...Sasha
Jack Campbell...ladybug0525
Jack...KGif

5/18/05
Dominic Jeffrey (Nic)...happy1nuv

5/19/05
Samuel Basil...cynder

5/21/05
Douglas...Ferris
Sarah Elizabeth...christy1010

5/26/05
Hazel...njnewyearsbride

5/29/05
Gabrielle Kathleen (Abbey)...ahavnes

5/31/05
Asher Isaiah...Dreshny


---------------------------------------------------------------

6/1/05
Rhiley Beatrice...hub1176
Peter James...yooper

6/2/05
Grace...September2002

6/3/05
Thomas Ryan...kimthebride

6/4/05
Landon Joseph...rancherswife

6/8/05
Benjamin...Mrs.Chappy

6/9/05
Ethan...golfer_girl

6/10/05
Aiden Harrison...allray231
Ava Victoria...kelseyledare
Madison Hannah and Logan Mackenzie...sabrinag

6/12/05
Emma Mary...BAM 9-21-02

6/13/05
Parker Alexandria...December27JJB
Collin Todd...jmvan74

6/14/05
Addison Grace...Natrat80

6/15/05
Caroline Elizabeth...LIZNKEITH
Cole Robert...WinterBride1253
Sierra Nicole...mama915

6/23/05
Juliana Eva...chrisandjensluv

6/27/05
Dean Andrew...Megande

6/28/05
S...usafwife

[MayJune05Moms]

For New Mothers:
The Happiest Baby on the Block :
The New Way to Calm Crying and Help Your
Newborn Baby Sleep Longer
by Dr. Harvey Karp
http://a1055.g.akamai.net/f/1055/1401/5h/images.barnesandnoble.com/images/5920000/5926051.gif


Baby's First Year Journal : A Day-To-Day Guide to Your Baby's Development During the First Twelve Months
by A. Christine Harris PhD

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0002RTV4C.01._PIdp-schmooS,TopRight,7,-26_SCMZZZZZZZ_.gif


The No-Cry Sleep Solution: Gentle Ways to Help Your Baby Sleep Through the Night
by Elizabeth Pantley, William Sears

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0071381392.01._PIdp-schmooS,TopRight,7,-26_PE32_SCMZZZZZZZ_.jpg


*space reserved for books on parenting*

[MayJune05Moms]

*reserved for babies' pics* (#1)

[MayJune05Moms]

reserved for more pics (#2)

[MayJune05Moms]

reserved for even MORE baby pics (#3)...

[MayJune05Moms]

ok folks i guess that does it! now just to close the other thread...we're open for business!

[kelseyledare]

Heather, thanks for the new thread.
Can you change my age to 27

[njnewyearsbride]

thanks for the new thread :

stats should be
njnewyearsbride
Me: 30
DH: 31
Married: 12/31/03
DD: Hazel - 5/26/05
7lbs 4.8oz 21.5"

[kimthebride]

Can't Live Without
- FP Aquarium Swing:gets me a 15-20 minute shower every day
- FP Aquarium Bouncer
- Baby Einstein play gym and various rattling/jingling toys to hang from it
- Using a LC who got me to use Medela Nipple Shields: BFing successfully now because of these
- Boppy
- Koala Baby Recieving Blankets: big enough to swaddle even now
- "The Happiest Baby On The Block" book: the 5 S's give me sanity
- Board books: DS loves reading time, will cry when I close a book
- Peg Perego P3 Stroller & Primo Viaggio Carseat
- Symphony in Motion Mobile

Useless To Us
- Snugli: DS hated it
- Those soft toys you hang in the crib with a pull handle to play music
- Plastic plates, cups and utensils I got as gifts: plan on BFing for 6 months, so useless for quite some time
- Nojo Sling: DS hated it
- Mobile/toys for car: DS looks everywhere but at that
- Footie pjs that don't zip/snap down both legs
- Fancy "outfits", like overalls and pant sets with coordinating hats
- The 1,000 hats I got as gifts for a *summer baby* :confused: ;)


Baby #2
DH & I talked, and we're going to try right around DS's 1st bday. That would be perfect for me to get preggo in the June-Oct timeframe!


(PS: Just curious, but why was the thread moved?)

[Sherah]

So Helpful :

1. Mei Tai Carrier
2. Snap'n Go Stroller
3. Baby Einstein sounds book (Arik loves books that make noise. I must go get more from the library!)
4. Kissaluvs Cloth diapers and Bummis covers
5. Every toy that makes noise (He's just starting to get really into toys.)
6. Little blankie he loves to chew
7. Bouncy seat
8. Swim diaper and sun protective clothing
9. Online Mommies Groups!!!!!
10. Nipple conditioner

Not Especially Helpful :

1. Baby shoes and socks!
2. Handsome collared shirts and jean overalls
3. The Ultimate Sheet
4. All-in-one bath sponge gizmo
4. Hothothot PJs
5. All the free formula that showed up in my mailbox

[Dreshny]

Indispensible:
Ring sling and pouch sling
Glider
Boppy
Cloth diaper burp rags
Side-snap undershirts for DS to sleep in--it's OK if he spits up and stains them

Not-so-Helpful:
Bjorn (we haven't figured out how to use it yet)
Expensive Bugaboo stroller in bassinet mode that DS refuses to ride in (my three brothers pooled their money for this--luckily it's convertible and useful until age 4)
Sweaters, jackets, nightgowns and footed pajamas in size 0-3 mos

Sherah: What I meant before was how does going out affect the EAS routine? But I answered my own question when DS ate, interacted, and slept at the baby shower yesterday.

Apparently, I don't have any problem with NIP, as evidenced by the fact that yesterday I did something I swore I never would do: nursed DS on a crowded subway. :eek: Well, at least my nursing tanks are pretty discreet. Now changing his diaper while I'm out is an entirely different story...I hate doing it, for some reason.

[tgray99]

Stat Change
stats should be
tgray99
Me: 28
DH: 28
Married: 11/15/03
DD: Aidan Christine - 5/09/05
8lbs 3oz 20"

[BAM 9-21-02]

Stat change for me.. I am now 26

[MayJune05Moms]

hey folks - thread was moved b/c it was getting large - there are less posts per page here, and so it gets larger, faster - and also so Carissa can help me moderate it. i have very little time at work, and at home too, to moderate. maybe things will get better for me. does anyone else want to help, too? any June 05 Moms want to moderate? DisneyGirl? don't feel bad about saying no if you're too busy, but maybe one more mod or two wouldn't be a bad idea.

will get to the stat changes later today! thanks for all your patience!

Heather

[jrdhbunny]

Could you change my age to 33? Thanks!

[alienhost]

Heather thanks for the new thread!

useful, can't live without - no particular order
1) FP bouncy chair
2) Dutailer glider
3) snap-n-go
4) Safety 1st 4 in one tub
5) FP Aquarium for crib
6) burp cloths

useless, can live without - no particular order
1) fancy dresses - just aren't practical and now that DD grabs she pulls it to her mouth and exposes herself!
2) socks - DD prefers to be barefoot
3) fancy blankets (especially white ones), I'm afraid they will get dirty or ruined.
4) gowns - I prefer to put her in a onesie and a swaddle - the onesie holds the diaper in place and with the gown she squirms around and the diaper sometimes leaked.

QOTD - hair loss?
Is anyone else losing a lot of hair? My hair dresser warned me that it would happen but I'm finding hair everywhere and a lot falls out when I brush it and shower. I guess I'm making up for all the hair that I didn't lose while PG!

[Sherah]

alienhost : I'm losing TONS of hair, but I thought it was just because I needed a haircut. I figured the hairloss effect would happen right after giving birth. I'm constantly picking hair off of DS. Yuck.

[Dreshny]

QOTD: Not yet, anyway...

Just had to share a picture of Asher taken today at DH's birthday party in Central Park:

http://roseanne.org/photos/asher/Asher_8-21-05.jpg

And he laughed today for the first time! My friend was making faces at him, and he let out a belly laugh.

[tgray99]

I pull out handful upon handful. My vacuum is absolutely full!

Car Seat - I ordered Aidan a car seat yesterday. I wanted to get her a Britax Marathon but couldn't pay $250. Luckily I found one on www.albeebaby.com in a closeout fabric (Shadow) for $214, no tax and no shipping. It's a really nice carseat for a great deal. Just wanted to pass that along.

http://store1.yimg.com/I/albee-baby_1858_57749415

[DisneyGirl]

just checking in to the new thread.

If you need a mod i'll be happy to..

[BAM 9-21-02]

QOTD Yes.... My hair is falling out everywhere, and it has been for a good 4 weeks now!

Most Useful Items
FP Aquarium Swing - always works to settle DD when nothing else will
Einstein Play mat - her favorite toy by far, she loves to play and giggle on it
FP Aquarium Bouncy - lets me put her in the bathroom with me and buys me a 15 min shower
FP Aquarium Pack-n-play - great for traveling, which we have done alot of, as well as we are still using it in our room every night. I just cant seem to put her in her own room yet.
Changing Table & Changing Table Organizer - I originally thought I would never need this, and would be changing DD anywhere. No way! I couldnt live without this!

Least Useful
Baby Bjorn - So far it has been so easy to use the travel system when going out, that I havent attemped using this outside the house
Stuffed Animals - They are everywhere, and I feel like they make her room look so cluttered!
Piggy Banks - DD got 3
Bottle Warmer - We use the microwave... who can wait 3 minutes when you have a screaming baby


Question for those of you using formula - DD will be in daycare in 2 weeks :( Our very expensive daycare center only provides Parents Choice w/ iron formula (this is the walmart brand). Do any of you have your DC on this formula, or know anyone that does? We currently have DD on Enfimil LIPIL w/ iron. Our Ped said that Parents Choice w/ Iron is A-ok, but I would just like some feed back from those using it. Also, to Mom's that have switched DC's formula how did it go? Was DC fussy, or ever refuse the new formula?

[njnewyearsbride]

QOTD -- yup falling out here -- its pretty gross...

and AF finally reared her ugly head...

[cynder]

Most Useful Items
1) Miracle Blanket - worth every red cent for us, DS sleeping well since week 4
2) "Happiest Baby on the Block" book read before DS's arrival - Another reason why I think DS is not too fussy
3) Einstein Play mat - There are times where I think he likes it more than me
4) Baby Bjorn - life saver at dinner when DH wears him
5) Soothie pacifier - DS loved it better than Nuks but starting to lose interest
6) Snap N'Go - my instinct on getting this over the travel system has been right...so far
7) Boppy - Hated it in the beginning now love it and love using it for tummy time.

Least Useful
1) Bottle gift packs - I bought a pack of Dr. Browns's, Playtex, and Avent. I started DS on Avent which he loves and I had to get more for day care. I still have 5 each of the other brands wasting away. Next time, single bottle for trial and error.
2) Manual breast pump - enough said.
3) Nose bulb - I know I will eat my words but so far we have not had to use this at all and I thought we would
4) Onesies - We did not reveal the gender, so we got 5 million onesies and not a lot of outfits. Next time I am saying what gender the baby is.
5) Carseat toys - DS loves look out the window and could not be bothered with toys

formula question Here is a thread (http://constantchatter.com/showthread.php?t=2685) that talks about switching formula is the same and here is a site (http://www.storebrandformula.com/) that you gives you a comparison of the different brands. I get Enfimil LIPIL w/ iron free from a ped friend, otherwise I would have DS on generic. Like medication, the generic brands are the same except you are not paying for all the marketing and advertising. DS only has 1-2 bottles of formual a day and I have not swtiched brands so I cannot help you there. I am surprised your daycare provides formula -all the ones I interviewed required prepared bottles. All the best when you return to work.

[jrdhbunny]

Most Useful Things
1. Boppy- I'm not sure I would have been able to BF without it.
2. Pack and Play- This is where DS sleeps- a full sized crib never would have fit in our living room.
3. Einstein Gym- DS loves it!
4. Tigger Activity Mat- See #3 above.
5. Medela Pump in Style Advanced
6. 512-mb memory card for our digital camera- We take a ridiculous number of pictures.
7. Saline drops for stuffy nose.


Least Useful Things
1. Sleepers/Gowns- Our apartment is way too warm for these, even on chilly nights.
2. Fancy blankets- See #1 above. We do use the cheap flannel receiving blankets.
3. Burp cloths- Could never access one when I needed it.
4. Monitor- We can hear DS just fine in our small apartment!

Dreshny- What an adorable picture! I love taking photos in Central Park- it's like having the world's biggest backyard.

QOTD- My hair just started falling out again recently.

[Sasha]

Hair Loss - Yup, I have to constantly pull it out of the drain in the shower. That may be one of the things I miss about being pregnant, no hair loss.

Most Useful Items
~Dutalier Glider - read to her in it, feed her in it, and it may be one of the most comfortable pieces of furniture I own, lol.
~FP Papsan Swing - for awhile, it was the only place she would nap!
~FP Kick n Play Bouncey Seat - How I can take a shower and how DH and I can dinner, it entertains her for awhile
~Onsies - Wears them all the time
~Flutterbye playmat - she loves it and loves watching the bird fly over her head

Least Useful
~The one million fancy dresses - I know they are adorable but so unpractical. How many occassions really do I have that I am going to need to dress her up?
~0-3 sweaters - umm, I live in Florida and had a baby in May...'nuf said ;).
~Nightgowns - they would be bunched about around her waist by the middle of the night
~Swaddle Me Blankets - DD hated being swaddled.

[allyray231]

HI there-hope to have time to catch up soon!

[Jenyfer9]

subscribing...

Also, I swear I'm going to be bald soon. My hair has been falling out in clumps (it's quite nasty) since the beginning of July. UGH! Also, I'm so sick of HAVING to wear my hair in a ponytail (or else I find I'm super shedding all over... the ponytail at least saves the shedding for the shower).

Most useful:
the used fp aquarium cradle swing- ds#2 didn't love the same swing that ds#1 couldn't live without. :rolleyes:
double stroller- I can't go anywhere without this... moreso for #1 than #2

Least useful:
hard to say... I had a bunch of stuff that wasn't useful with ds#1, so I didn't even bother getting it out this time, even though since #1 and #2 are so different it might not be a bad idea.

[Chylynn]

Hey girls...is it possible for me to join in your thread? I am an April 05 Mommy, but the only people who post in our thread are March Mommy's and their babies seem so much more advanced than my baby girl who was born 3 weeks early.

[happy1nuv]

I so agree with everyone losing their hair...its quite gross. And one of the reasons tat I cant WAIT to get my hair cut in a two weeks. Not that I think it will stop falling out, but it will be shorter, so less mess.. and, right now its so in the way with the baby...

I think nic has a bit of either a rash or baby acne on his face ... if its baby acne, its lots of zits, all pink, in one spot on his face. He's totally breastfed ... the only things i ate yesterday that i havent had often since he was born ~ polenta (althoug i eat corn on the cob like its going out of style), roast beef (cheese burgers are another staple), and wax beans. Could it be a food thing??

[ahavnes]

Good heavens I am behind!!! Now that I am back at work part time, I should have more time to post, haha. ;) Today is my first day back part time and Abbey's first day at day care. Sad. She is right down the hall though, so I plan to peek in at her often. ;)

And speaking of...Abbey slept for 10 hours last night! No 3 am feeding! I think it was a fluke, but am crossing my fingers. :)

Weight Loss- I am a few pounds under my pp weight, but still kinda flabby. I am really ready to get back to the gym.

Bjorn Haters- Abbey hates it too, which stinks b/c I would love to use it. Hopefully soon.

Nursing Hunger- I'm not that hungry all the time, but when I am, it's a serious emergency...like when I was preggo.

Socks- Never fit Abbey either. I thought it was just her big feet, but I guess I'm not alone. ;) And why do all the socks have skid-proofing on the bottom??? It's not like she's going to slip while running??? :confused:

Things I Couldn't Live Without-
NUMBER ONE is the bouncy with the attachment. Abbey loves the lights and music. It's how I shower and get ready and eat, etc.
Swing is right up there too. It's really hard to get her to go to sleep.
Glider. So good for calming her when she's fussy.

[rancherswife]

Heather: Thanks for the new digs!

Kim: Talk to me about these blankets you're still able to swaddle Thomas in...please. Landon LOVED being swaddled, but he's too long for all of our receiving blankets now.

Most useful:
-CO-SLEEPER (MY FAV. ITEM)
-Boppy: wouldn't have been able to nurse in the beginning w/ out it. Still use it at night!
-Linkadoos swing: Landon LOVES it, great for letting me take showers, and he'll nap in it as well.
-Bjorn: Though we haven't used it a whole lot yet, he does well in it when we do.
-Receiving Blankets: Can't have enough of them. I am constantly washing those!
-Symphony in Motion Mobile: THE BEST!
-Peg Stroller: LOVE IT!
-Gowns: Landon still sleeps in them.
-Onsies: He lives in them
-digi camera
-Glider
-Petunia Picklebottom diaper bag....just cause it's sooo cute~ :rolleyes:

Useless Itmes: (for us)
-Flutterbye bouncer
-Papasan vibrating chair
-jean overalls (waaay to bulky)
-shoes/socks
-hats
I'm sure there's more, that's all I can think of right now though....

Ok...Landon and I are off to Target...bbl

[LIZNKEITH]

Thanks for putting together the new thread, ladies! It's mah-velous!

I'll vouch for Chylynn She's good people! :D Come on in, Chy!!

Things I can't Live Without:
1. Medela PIS
2. Baby Papasan Swing
3. FP Kick & Play Bouncer
4. Baby Einstein Play Mat
5. Nuk Pacifiers
6. Nipple Shield
7. Bebe Sounds Angelcare Monitors
8. Miracle Blanket and/or large receiving blankets for swaddling
9. Gowns
10. Bottle Warmer ( for all that EBM I'm pumping!)

Things I Could Do Without:
1. All the fancy outfits
2. Hats
3. Fancy blankets
4. All the 4x6 pic frames (vertical). Despite all the pictures I have, none fit in all these frames I was given.
5. PB Butterfly mobile (awaiting my Symphony Mobile in mail! Even more excited after reading these reviews!)
6. Ring sling (DD hates them!)

[Carissa]

Can't live without
Bouncer
Swing
Boppy pillow
Classical Cd's she loves
blankets
Moses Basket
bottle warmer

Can live without
Pacifiers-she hates them
headbands
shoes

[njnewyearsbride]

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?

[wendstress]

Can't live without
Bouncer (he doesn't like the attachment, though...just tries to look around it)
Baby Bjorn
Medela PIS
Baby Monitors
Pack N Play for travelling
Nose Bulb - he's stuffed all the time - inheirited Dad's bad sinuses we suspect
Baby Washcloths - great "pee rags" for the boy - saved me a time or two!
Lap Pads for the changing table
The "SSHHHH" Channel on TV or the radio
My Camera

Can live without
Stroller - he hates it - realize it'll be useful some day, though
Ring Sling - never got the feel for it
All the oodles of baby oil/baby powder/baby lotion we got..... I use these more for myself!
Baby Shampoo - he's BALD!!!!!!!!
Burp Cloths - DH had to have these....I haven't used them once!
Shoes.....????WTF is all I have to say to these......

[LIZNKEITH]

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?
I didn't have it as one of my answers, but I'll bite. :) I'm not BFing too much anymore, so I've begun to use it for other things. Namely, to prop her up for tummy time and to sit her inside it. She LOVES to sit inside her Boppy. It's like a little baby lazyboy.

[LIZNKEITH]

Yeah! My Symphony in Motion mobile just arrived in the mail! I can't wait to hook it up. DD is napping right now. Is it wrong that I'm actually thinking of waking her up so we can play with it? LOL!

[njnewyearsbride]

I didn't have it as one of my answers, but I'll bite. :) I'm not BFing too much anymore, so I've begun to use it for other things. Namely, to prop her up for tummy time and to sit her inside it. She LOVES to sit inside her Boppy. It's like a little baby lazyboy.

thats all we use it for too :) just wondering if i was missing some neat way to use it :D

[jrdhbunny]

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?
Other than BF'ing, I used it for tummy time and I would prop DS in there. It was very useful for reading to him. Of course, these days he won't stay for two seconds!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v284/heatherroal/james_daddy_hat.jpg

[Jenyfer9]

Boppy's have been totally useless for us. Both of my kiddos could care less about them. :rolleyes:

[MayJune05Moms]

Hey girls...is it possible for me to join in your thread? I am an April 05 Mommy, but the only people who post in our thread are March Mommy's and their babies seem so much more advanced than my baby girl who was born 3 weeks early.

you're certainly welcome to join! stats, please! ;)

DisneyGirl I am going to PM you with the password for the joint acct. thanks for helping us out!

Heather

[kimthebride]

Kim: Talk to me about these blankets you're still able to swaddle Thomas in...please. Landon LOVED being swaddled, but he's too long for all of our receiving blankets now.

Koala Baby 4 Pack Receiving Blankets $12.99 at BRU
They are slightly rectangular and bigger than any other receiving blanket I have seen so far. They are soft, wash well, and aren't too heavy for summer swaddling. I have about 16 of them, since I use them ALL the time.

- I lay one on my Boppy for the last BF of the night, and wrap it around Thomas once he falls asleep to make it easier for DH to pick hom up and carry him down to the cradle.
- I swaddle him when cranky
- I drape this over the top of the stroller when it's sunny, bridging the gap between the carseat shade and the stroller shade. This way he is shaded, but can still get the cross-breeze.
- I'll use this for tummy time if we are playing at someone else's house and the carpet isn't vacuumed

I love these! Koala Baby makes so many great products.

[BridalLace]

hey all,

QOTD: hair falling out. not yet, as far as i can tell. i got my hair cut really short this past weekend, though, so that might lead to me not noticing if it does start falling out. i am surprised that i haven't had this problem yet, because when i went off the Pill in 1995, i lost an alarming amount.

QOTD2: baby #2? we are planning to start trying for #2 in July or August 2006. That would lead to a birth around when Elodie turns 2. sadly, DH only wants two kids...i would like three...but we'll see i guess.

i don't really have the time to put together an actual list of useful/useless stuff...i guess most of the bottles i've bought - Avent and VentAires - have been useless so far. the only bottles Elodie really seems to like are the Playtex nursers. the crib & bassinet we got were very useful for Elodie to play in - she loves mobiles - but she hates sleeping in them alone, so we co-sleep. i never got a boppy b/c we just used the pillows around here...i second what someone said about dresses. Elodie never dresses up, we just never have an occasion to use her really nice clothes. she wears her onesies like there's no tomorrow. oh and pacifiers - Elodie loves her MAM binkies.

stats are all done...

Heather

[tgray99]

Formula Question - I've used 3 or 4 different types of formula, Parents Choice being one of them and the only one I had trouble with was Nestle Good Start. It made her poop green and extremely sticky. I'm assuming it's because it's got more iron. All the other formulas were just fine. Aidan never noticed a difference.

[DisneyGirl]

HAir falling out: I have lost so much hair over the past few weeks it crazy.

Baby #3..well i would love to ahve 3 kids but my DH says NOWAY! He says he can not afford 3 kids..HE said we can have 3 kids if I get a job..LOL

[Traciann]

Must have for us
Cradle Swing
Bouncer
Gymini
Mobil-I wasn't going to buy one...but she loves it.
Eurotub-I heart this tub. best thing ever.
Boppy-Didn't use it at first..use it for every feeding now. we received a second one as a gift my DH claimed for himself.
Little Tyke waffle weave blankets-they sound similar to the Koala ones...they are bigger and stretchier as we still swaddle her at night(i think they are from walmart)
Ameda Purely Yours Breast Pump-love this..and bonus my insurance reimbursed me for the cost!
and poopy sacks for home and in the diaper bag.
Stroller-Zooper Z-Street & a Jeep Cherokee Urban Limited for walking around the neighborhood

Not useful for us

Sleepers and Gowns-I live in Houston...its way too hot for them.
Bassinett-she wouldn't sleep in it, so I gave it back
Bjorn-A friend gave us one to use...we used it a couple of times, now she is just too heavy so I am glad we didn't spend the money on one.
Pacifiers-she won't take them.
Avent ISIS Breast Pump-I didn't really like using it at all.


In the last week Mary Kate has really started to do alot more stuff. Especially playing with toys/ bringing them to her mouth, and holding her toes. I cannot believe she will be 4 months on friday. We are going the dr that day and she will be getting more shots.

[BTB]

Welcome chylynn!! :D

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?

Whoever said baby lazyboy --- yeah, that. :) Baby prop, especially for pictures, and a cushion during early tummy times when there was lots of face planting going on. Don't use it for bfing, DD kept rolling right off. She's heavier now but I haven't bothered, a tube neck pillow does the trick for us (I always feed her in football hold).

the only one I had trouble with was Nestle Good Start. It made her poop green and extremely sticky. I'm assuming it's because it's got more iron.

Nestle Good Start actually has slightly less iron than Similac, Enfamil, and store brands made by Wyeth - 1.5 mg to their 1.8 mg. You can compare nutritional labels at www.storebrandformulas.com. An aside, generic formula is a great thing. Same nutritional quality, but you're not stuck paying for everyone else's "free" diaper bags, "free" samples, checks, coupons, etc. Good Start can give green poops because it uses whey protein, partially hydrolyzed, with no casein in the mix (other formulas use various ratios of casein:whey).

DC #2: I would love to start TTC #2 next fall (2006) but we'll be waiting a year more because of work.

[cynder]

Boppy use We use it for BFing (I tried w/out it this morning and it was such a mess), baby lazy boy, naps, pictures, and tummytime.

Welcome Chylynn We have babies of many age ranges so I think you will be fine here.

DC #2 I would like to have one before DS is 3 but DH would only like to TTC by 3 years. Either DS needs to be talking, walking, and pooping on his own or we have to move closer to family before trying for the next baby. Knowing us, we will be moving home, DH will be starting a new job, and I will be due with DC 2 the same week!

Sam really laughed yesterday. I was even able to record some of it on my iPod. It was so awesome. Totally healed my tired, cranky heart.

[yooper]

i guess i should officially join :)

yooper
me: 30
DH: 31
Married: 10/5/02
Peter James "PJ" born 6/1/05
8lbs 3oz 21.5"

[Chylynn]

Thanks for the warm welcome!!! I have always lurked in this thread but have always felt like I was intruding if I posted in it. You girls are sweet!

Here are my stats:

Chylynn
Me: Chylynn (27)
DH: Dave (30)
Married: September 22, 2001
DD: Rebecca Ainsley, Born April 2nd, 2005

Things I can't Live Without:

(1) FP Papason Swing
(2) FP Papason Chair -my MIL uses it all the time when she watches Rebecca
(3) PNP with built in bassinet -used it the first 3 1/2 months
(4) Eurobath tub- LOVE IT and Rebecca enjoys her bathtime in it
(5) Dr. Smith's Diaper Rash Cream- redness dissapears within a day
(6) Pacifiers, teething rings, teething gel
(7) Mei Tai
(8) Highchair- been using it since Rebecca was 3 months old and I can now eat without holding her! :D
(9) Avent bottles & Steralizer
(10) Peg stroller & Primo Viaggio car seat

Things I could have done without

(1) Gowns- she hated them!!
(2) Avent manual pump
(3) Brest Friend pillow
(4) PIS- I could never get enough Milk out to feed Rebecca-$300 down the drain, but I am keeping it for the next child!
(5) Mobile that goes with our set- not stimulating enough!
(6) Snugli
(7) Fancy dresses, hats & socks
(8) Baby powder
(9) Wipe warmer- I use it, but it is not a necessity
(10) Gym- she hardly used it!

qotd -I just started shedding a week ago. It is gross! I am always vaccuming now to pick it up, but the hair always seems to win!

Second baby -Not anytime soon!! Maybe 2-3 yrs down the road....

[LIZNKEITH]

Baby Powder! I forgot to put that on my list. Totally usless!

QOTD: Siblings
We always said around Caroline's 2nd or 3rd birthday. I'm leaning more towards her 3rd. So, June 2008?

[Mrs.Chappy]

hi all..still here..we went to a wedding in michigan (from NY) with the baby..he did great on the plane considering he is 10 weeks. Now i have to get him back on schedule! just dropping in to say hi.

[Mrs.Chappy]

OHmy stats
Me:29
DH:29
DS: Benjamin born 6-8-05
7.15 oz 20.5 inches.

[KGif]

Subscribing!

Me - Kelly 31
DH - Mike 35
Married May 3, 2003
DS, Jack, born May 16, 2003; 7 lbs 13 oz; 21 inches

[Carissa]

Chylynn Welcome!

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?

We use it for her tummy time, practice sitting Dh and I also love to use it for writing or reading works as a nice little soft desk when we need it!


hair loss Mine actually isn't that bad. It was before I got pregnant but then I switched shampoos so I think that maybe why.

[rancherswife]

those who can't live w/out the boppy -- what are you using it for? besides bf'ing?

-all things listed by others ....AND....when Landon was itty bitty, Brett and my dad found it more comfy to hold him w/ the boppy and Landon seemed more comfortable that way w/ them, as well. We figured Men just arent' as cushiony as us women :rolleyes:

Kim: Thanks for the info on the blankets. I'll be making a trip to BRU this afternoon to purchase them. We too use the heck out of the receiving blankets, but he's just outgrown the ones we have to be swaddled in them!

Hair Loss: None yet, my hair lady said it could take up to a year for it to start falling out...interesting!

[BTB]

Can I post a random question for you all? I feel weird posting about this kind of stuff in Emotional Support or wherever, I don't mind anybody reading this (or I wouldn't post it on the internet) I just feel more like I "know" you guys. :)

It's an IL problem. I know these are classic. What is it about marrying into a family that can be so hard? The problem is DH's sister. We've never gotten along. She's sarcastic, aloof, and has a cruel sense of humor. I know she'd have a few choice words to say about me, too. ;) Our relationship has long been strained because of career issues - she was pre-med but dropped out, went a different way, then rethought applying to medical school but decided she was too old to start that long a path and instead went to school to become a physician assistant. Tells me all the time that this is the same as being a physician. She's just competitive, and big into comparisons. Told DH and I the whole time we were pregnant that it's harder to raise a puppy than a baby (since she had just gotten a new puppy).

When DH and I were planning our wedding, I included her as a bridesmaid and was sincerely hopeful that it would manage to bring us closer - I know we'll never be "friends", and that's cool. It would just be nice if it would be basically pleasant to spend time together, that's all. She was such a pill about the wedding though - refused to try on her BM dress until the day of the wedding, then MIL spent a frantic hour that morning letting out the seams. She also did a bunch of other, immature stuff that doesn't matter now - the point is just that I'm not even sure I really want to reach out to her and put any more work into the relationship, because I've tried before and it's gotten me nowhere but frustrated.

So, the point is, she announced her first pregnancy this past weekend. Well, not really, she told her mom, and had her mom tell us. So now I'm not sure what to do. She was angry when we announced our pg'cy, because as the oldest sibling she wanted to have the first grandchild on that side. (this kind of stuff isn't something I can hope she'll grow out of, either, she's 31). I want to be the bigger person, and send flowers or something, but she was so bitter and mean during my pg'cy, and I'm kind of tired of playing into her game. OTOH, I'm excited about the niece or nephew to come, and at the prospect of another cousin for Evie. But I'm also apprehensive at the two babies being so close in age - she's due in March, so less than a year apart - and can foresee years ahead of hearing her compare our two children in terms of cuteness, athleticism, who sleeps better, who's smarter, on and on ad nauseum - always with her DC coming out ahead, of course. I mean it's really, really bad - I feel sick to my stomach before any family gathering that includes her. And ordinarily I have a thick skin!

So anyway - I'd really like to be on a better footing with each other. It's even more complicated now with her baby on the way (more for her to compare) but even more important to me as well (want to have a decent relationship for our kids' sakes). Part of me wants to really try, kill her with kindness, so if it fails I'll know I did all I could, the other part says feh, I tried for almost 11 years already (DH and I started dating October 1994).

Sorry for the rant. I feel a little better already. :) Any thoughts?

[LIZNKEITH]

BTB,
I have a very similar situation with my brother's wife. She's just a cruel, cruel person. You are on the right track though. You can't let your relationship with her get in theay of your relationship with your new niece/nephew. Kill her with kindness. Do the things you would have wanted her to do for you.

Or you can get a puppy. :p

[BTB]

Ugh, Liz, I know you're right, I just don't think I'm a big enough person to keep trying to be the bigger person anymore. Being nice to her when she's such a witch just seems to reinforce her superiority complex, like, "well, of course, why wouldn't everyone fall all over moi?" She's already (so we hear) declaring that she's better at being pregnant than I am, since by 10 weeks I was having complications, had been on bedrest a month already, and apparently she's just breezing through. I suppose I should be flattered I'm her yardstick for comparison, but it's old and annoying. Thanks for the encouragement - guess it's time to dog-shop. :)

[Jenyfer9]

BTB: yeah, kill her with kindness. That way, when she's being a witch, you look like the good guy, not a scapegoat.

I also like the dog idea. :)

[cynder]

Or you can get a puppy.
That's priceless. You could pray and hope that having a child will make her grow up but I think that's asking too much. I say go with the golden rule - Do unto others as you would have them do unto you - and hope for the best. How does your DH weigh in on all this.

[BTB]

I know (separate from sister issues) DH would love to have a dog, but we've never been in an apartment that allowed them. But hey, we are househunting come January. :)

DH is a shy, non-confrontational kind of person. He knows his sister is the spoiled princess of their family, but that's just kind of how it is, and how it's always been, so he just sort of accepts it. He's not fond of her either but figures hey, we can't make her change, so just suck it up. And it's the suck it up part that's starting to get to me, after 11 stinkin' years. I'm tired of swallowing down the anger at all the passive aggressive jabs she takes, and will have an even harder time doing so if she aims any at Evie (oh, my kid's walking at just seven weeks, isn't it a shame your Evie's not as good as my pookums? My DC's diapers even smell like roses!) Blech.

(I'm sorry to hijack the thread today into BTB's own personal therapy couch). :o

[rancherswife]

BTB: I agree, kill her w/ kindness. As hard as it may seem, in the end, you'll come out on top! SIL's are no fun, I have one that sounds quite similar to yours, and I know, sometimes it seems like you just CAN'T bring yourself to faking it any longer, but for nobody else, do it for the little ones. Hugs to you, I totally know where you're coming from here, girl.


Hang in there.....

[Aunt Liv]

I'm way too far behind...again!! :rolleyes:

Welcome to our 2 new members!

Things we can't live without
- Sleep Sacs - DD sleeps really well in those, and I don't have to worry that she is uncovered at night.
- receiving blankets - I put one or two over her when she sleeps.
- onesies - DD lives in these...that's the only thing she's worn so far.
- swing - just took it out of the box a couple of days ago and put batteries in it yesterday...wow! Why didn't anyone tell me?! ;) She loves loves loves her swing.
- bouncy chair - aka the butt massager when you turn the vibrate motion on...she loves this too.
- cloth diapers - as burp cloths.

Things we really didn't need
- all those beautiful little dresses that are too cute, but look ridiculous on DD. I tried to humor my MIL by dressing Maia in one of the many many dresses that she's bought for her, and Maia screamed bloody murder until I took it off her and put her back in her onesie. :rolleyes:
- sweaters in 0-3 mo sizes (hello? We live in GA! And DD was born in May)???
- stuffed animals

shoot, I'm getting kicked off by DH. I hope to BBL and catch up on the rest of everyone's posts.

[rancherswife]

How's this for a SIL story (since we're on the topic!):
The day (actually, no even 12 hours) after Landon was born, SIL came into my room to see the baby, right at the same time my dr. came in to check on me. He lifted my top up and did some pushing on my tummy, SIL was sitting at the end of the bed and says "huh....looks like you're ready to go try on bikini's!" Yeah, my dr. (whom I've gone to for 10+ years, knows me quite well and the look on his face was priceless) I'm sure he thought I was going to come right back at her, but...being the weepy post-partum mama that I was, I just cried after she left to dh, who of COURSE was out of the room. (He went to the cafeteria when she got there, cause he didn't want to be around her!) Nice eh?

[Jenyfer9]

Rancherswife: I would have told SIL that she could come with :p I'm so passive agressive it's terrible.

[kimthebride]

BTB
If she is a true bitch, there's not much you can do but ignore her. People aren't stupid: I'm sure everyone knows by this point that she has an inferiority complex and obviously needs to throw herself and her wonderful-ness in everyone's face to feel better about herself. It's hard to ignore these people, but it's likely the only thing you can do. Just vent here every so often and I hope it'll make you at least feel heard. :)

rancherswife
If she was standing near my legs and said that to me I would have kicked her. How rude!
Let me know if the blankets work out for you! I just picked up some more for myself today.

Laughing Out Loud
I got about 10+ minutes straight on video today of DS belly-laughing out loud. All I was doing to prompt him was tickling his feet and giggling at him. It is so cute, I was crying while he was doing it. I can't believe how much hearing him laugh so heartily affected me. Anyone else crying over this?

[rancherswife]

I was crying while he was doing it. I can't believe how much hearing him laugh so heartily affected me. Anyone else crying over this?

-oh, girl...daily! Each time he gives me a good belly laugh, I melt. It's the best. What did we do with out these precious little people in our lives?

As for the SIL yeah, on a normal day I would've rared back and kicked her, or said something totally bitchy, HOWEVER being just shy of 12 hours pp I was a sapp instead :rolleyes: . Thankfully, I've only seen her about 4 times since (and she lives on the same ranch we do, about 1/4 of a mile down the road!), each time I see her OR MIL they give me the once over to check how the weight is coming off. Dh can't stand is family, needless to say! ;)

[happy1nuv]

Nic hasn't laughed yet... I can't wait to hear him do it, but I hope Dh's around too... :) Hopefully soon... he's good at singing though :)

BTB ~ That sucks that you've been dealing with such a rotten sil so long.. I agree with everyone that says just suck it up and deal, but ... I would probably do my best to avoid her when the kids are in tow. I wouldn't want your child to hear any of her petty comments - ESP when your daughter starts really understanding what she's saying...

[alienhost]

BTB I don't have a lot of advice, ILs can be tough. Why don't people understand that life in general is not one big competition? It is so hard to be the bigger person but you definitely are so try not to let her bother you too much. And if you can't "be the bigger person" around her - just ignore her :D

Why are ILs so difficult? Here's a SIL story for you - my SIL decided that it was OK at Thanksgiving to bring her sick fever-ridden child (with strep throat and pneumonia (sp?)) to dinner at my ILs. I was PG at the time and obviously was trying to avoid any contagious illnesses when possible. Yet she didn't think twice about exposing the rest of us (including our parents who are over 70 years old). Great, bring a child who is too sick to even be somewhere else but home because you can't miss out on anything and have to be the center of attention. Thankfully no one got sick but let's have some common sense! OK, feeling much better about venting - even if it was 9 months ago! :D

[BTB]

Thanks, y'all. :D

Alien - I think I remember that, was it posted in the may mommies thread? I was livid for you!

Of course I will be civil to SIL, the question is more whether and if so, how I should go about trying to repair the rift. She's not the "let's-sit-down-and-talk-things-through" type. I was thinking of sending a housewarming gift (they're moving into a home they just bought this weekend), would've volunteered to help move except we have friends in town (and only heard this is moving weekend from MIL so it's not like we could've planned ahead) or making a concerted effort to see them every couple weeks or so. Or am I just making myself more of a doormat?

[kimthebride]

A housewarming gift would be nice. Maybe you can offer to help her put some stuff away since you couldn't help with the moving??

You never know...sometimes motherhood chills people out. Fingers crossed that it does for your SIL! ;)

[BridalLace]

BTB, honestly, i don't think there is anything you can do with this person...these types are often too within themselves to see themselves objectively, and clearly, its her insecurities that is causing the problem, and nobody can do anything about her insecurities but herself...i would just be civil to her whenever you see her but avoid making more than small talk. as much as possible i would try to change the subject from the comparison stuff.

honestly after a while i would have a hard time not marveling out loud at this habit of hers...after the umpteenth time i would probably blurt out something like 'wow you sure do like to make comparisons' or 'you're so competitive! my goodness' or something like that...i just would not be able to help myself. maybe just the flat out truth would startle her into better behavior. of course, i don't recommend my approach, in any case...

hope things get better, if not - avoiding such a pill at family gatherings, as much as you can, is probably best. maybe try to make sure other people are around a lot so you don't have to talk to her too much one-on-one.

Heather

[happy1nuv]

Are any of you garage sale junkies? Nic is on the border of 0/3 and 3/6 mos clothing ... so i'm starting to pack it away. Lots of it was either never worn or worn once ... I'm wondering if its worth it to start garage sale shopping for bigger sized stuff ... I've looked on ebay and the costs arent bad until you add the shipping...

[Sherah]

BTB : If having peace in the family is more important to you than having your SIL know that you are right, keep being a doormat. It doesn't sound to me like that really describes your behavior anyway. I would think that your SIL probably knows that she takes her comparisons too far already, but has a hard time censoring herself. You've known her since she was 20 years old, right? Hasn't she shown any growth in that period of time? If she has, I think you should continue to reach out to your family member and be positive with her so that she feels comfortable enough around you to stop competing. She's definitely intimidated by you. If you treat her like she is already the person you'd love her to be, she might just become that person sometime in the future. It just might take a while, maybe another 11 years? :D Oh, P.S., no taking any sh*t when it comes to the kiddies, though I know you wouldn't anyway!

Anyone else noticing they need to go buy more toys for their DC? Arik needs more and more stimulation every day!

happy1 : I plan to buy used clothes for Arik at some point, but he is set right now (MIL and FIL are baby clothes shopaholics). I haven't looked around yet to see if the used stuff around here is worth it, but I'll check out the Goodwills next to the wealthy parts of South FL when we start to run low on clothing, especially for cold weather stuff.

[Ferris]

Bedtime Routine Since about 3 weeks old, we have had the same bedtime routine. Bath, message, feed, swaddle then my DS falls asleep. However, the last couple days DS has been freaking out when we start the message. DH thought that it was the lotion we were using, but last night I didn't use any lotion and he started crying (with tears) when I put his butt paste on him! I am thinking that he is getting used to the routine and he knows that he should be getting tired, because he only really cries when he's sleepy. So do you all think he's just crying because he getting used to the routine?

Babysitting UGH! Have any of you watched your DC and someone elses child? I am watching my sister's 18 month old (who's already in his terrible 2's) from 7:30-2 today! I have watched him a few times but not for this long with both of them!! It's SO tiring!! I think doing this makes me want to wait till DS is at least 2 before having another one.

Laughing No real laughs yet, but he does have a lot of little noises that sound like the beginning of laughing.

Kimthebride I know what you mean about crying (my DS doesn't laugh yet) but I have cried a few times when he's talking to me and I just got all teary eyed when DS stretched this morning! I think it's because I am so amazed by him! I can't believe that I created something so wonderful!!

[kimthebride]

garage sales
Having grown up in MA, I LOVE flea markets & garage sales but alas I never see anything like it around here. Oh well. Then again, if I wanted used boy's clothes I could just ask every single other relative out here - everyone has boys! :) Not as fun as shopping tho...

Clothes On Sale
BUT Carter's has been having a sale of 75% off some great rompers and stuff. Got a bunch of 6M rompers for him that should last him til it gets cooler out.
And BRU has some summer items on clearance and a handful of racks around the store as 2-for prices.

Bedtime Routine
Mine seems to be getting earlier. He was getting a bath at pm and falling asleep by 9:30. Now I need to bathe him around 7:30pm and he falls asleep not to long after 8pm.

[Sasha]

Laughing - Sarah is starting to give us some laughs :). We get our best ones when DH plays peek-a-boo with her or if we tickle her sides.

BTB - Sorry your SIL is such a PITA and you have to deal with this! Sucks we can't pick our ILs ;). I agree with the others, just suck it up for now and be the bigger person. A housewarming gift would be nice. Hopefully this baby will help her grow up a little. My SIL can be difficult too - she acts very superior to everyone else and like her way is always right. I just know she is mentally criticizing the way DH and I are raising our daughter, lol.

Kim - Thanks for the heads up on Carters and BRU sales! Since it's warm here for quite some time still, I am going to stock up on 6-9 mos clothing.

Riding in the car - When you, DH and DC are in the car together, do you ride in the backseat with the baby? If so, for how long do you plan on riding back there? My aforementioned, superior SIL ;) did until my niece was 3, which IMO, seems a little much. LOL, then the next one came along, so my BIL seriously looked like "Driving Miss Daisies" for the next year, lol. Anyway, DD is 3 mos and I still am, but I am starting to miss the front seat!

[KGif]

BTB - UGH! Sorry your going thru this. Your sil sounds like a real piece of work. I agree with "kill her with kindness" thoery - but not *too* much kindness. She's pregnant - congratulate her with a nice card. Same goes for the new house. But if I were you I would NOT go out of my way offering to help her move .. nor would I spend my $$ sending her flowers. Honestly she just doesn't deserve to get any of that from you. Be sweet as pie at family gatherings and try to let the stupid "harder-to-raise-a-puppy-then-a-baby" comments slide off your back.

PS: If I were you, the next time she called me by name I'd insist she address me as "Dr." ;)

[jrdhbunny]

BTB- sorry about your SIL! I don't really have any advice unfortuntely, but I too hope that she mellows with motherhood.

Garage sales- There are some every once in a while here in NYC, but I usually just troll for sales at Macy's and places like that. I have to admit that I am ridiculous when it comes to buying clothes for DS; my MIL commented once that we must have a million onesies for him and I'm not sure she's far off. ;) I have bought clothes on eBay, but only high-end stuff that I couldn't afford otherwise.

Bedtime routine- we just added story time to our routine. I've always read to him, but now he's actually showing interest in the pictures and can turn the pages of a board book (after a little effort). So it's bath at 9 p.m., then story time, then food, then, hopefully bed. Last night we got him down by 10:45 p.m., which for us is great! :D

Laughing- DS is starting to laugh when he's tickled too. He also likes "airplane" and when DH says certain words to him. This morning "percolate" got him going!

Riding in the car- I think I'm going to sit in the back with him until he faces forward, unless we get one of those mirror things that you can angle to look at his face. We rarely drive though, so it's no big deal, but I miss the front too!

[cynder]

Laughing Yeah so maybe it was a one day thing with us. I was crying when he did it and told DH that it seriously made me want to quit my job.

Clothes On Sale This is hard because I know I should be buying clearance summer clothers for next summer but I have no idea how big he is going to be. And the weather is so hot here who knows when we are going to start needing heavier clothes. DS fits in 3 mo clothes but is skinny so things are not fitting 100 %.

Riding in Car I stopped riding in the back about a month ago. Since I drive DS to daycare, I am used to him being alone in the back. DS luckily likes riding in the car and if he fusses it's because he is hungry or has a dirty diaper which there is not much I can do about while riding in the back. He LOVES to look out the window and so I don't feel bad about him being alone there. It's just too cramped in our Jetta. Plus we have a car mirror to keep an eye on him which is great.

[rancherswife]

riding in car: yeah, we're still riding in the back w/ Landon as well. He does better when dh is back there w/ him, than w/ me back there w/ him, I think maybe he can smell the milk or something??? Who knows...but I'm sure we'll be riding back there w/ him for some time, I feel so bad for him during the day when we're running our errands and he's back there by himself!lol I have one of those mirrors that hooks to the back of the seat, but it won't work in my car (Tahoe) at least in the middle seat, which is where he is, I don't want him over by the door. If I could see him w/ one of those mirrors it would be better, but that was a waste, dh and I have tried everything to get that stupid thing to hook on and it WON'T.

Anyone else have a Tahoe and able to use the mirror? Just curios....

[njnewyearsbride]

laughing -- almost but not quite there.. any day now!

clothes on sale - would love to buy for next year.. but have no idea what size to get?????? how do people do this??

riding in back -- i still do this -- just feel better that way! we have an xterra and cant get a mirror clipped to the middle either.. :(

in the past week hazel's been trying to pull her head forward almost like she wants to sit up.. anyone else?

[cynder]

We have this one http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B00069CWB0.16._AA260_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg and our car has a middleback seat headrest that I loop it through. It has several different ways to attach that I don't recall right now. It's available at Target, if that helps.

[Dreshny]

Riding in car: I ride in the back with him, even though we have a mirror. DS screams anyway. :( But we only drive every other week or so.

Sherah: Can you recommend any toys? Asher is so alert it's scary and he constantly needs stimulation. The bouncy seat bores him now, and if I put him in the Gymini, I have to read and sing to him, too. It's hard because we don't have a lot of space for toys. I take him outside a lot, and he loves looking around, but I'm worried about what we'll do in January.

[ladybug0525]

rancherswife - We have a Tahoe and can not get one attached. So what I do is keep a mirror up front with me that I can check on him at stop lights, etc. I never ride in the back because when DH is driving I just always check with the mirror.

[rancherswife]

ladybug: Well, i'm glad we're not just ignorant and couldn't figure it out!Lol Dh broke a sweat in our garage one day "wrestling" with this stupid mirror! I'll have to try your idea out and see how it works for us. Thanks for the tip!

[happy1nuv]

i miss the front seat too.. but nic screams bloody murder when left alone in te back. he getting better, but were gonna let him decide when i can go back to the front. argh. We also have that fish mirror thing and nic loves it. hasnt figured out he needs to kick it really hard yrt, but he's working on it.

[mama915]

Wow! My modem was down all weekend so I'm quite a bit behind! I'll do my best on catch up but if I miss anyone I'm sorry!!

Heather~Thanks for the new place :)

Dreshny~Adorable pic of Asher!!

Chylyn~Welcome!

jrdhbunny~Cute pic of DS!!

BTB~Sorry to hear your SIL is a PITA but I'm going with the group, just ignore her/kill her with kindness. That's what I do with DH's best friend's fiance. And I always end up looking like the "good guy" ;)

Most Useful Things ~
Bouncy Seat
Infantino front carrier
SIM Mobile
Oxyclean for Baby
Onesies
Boppy
Receiving Blankets

Useless Items ~
Pouch sling-although I'm hoping she'll like it when she's bigger
Baby tub- I just wash her in my bathroom sink

Laughing ~ Not yet....but hopefully soon!

Hair Loss ~ Not too much...maybe because I'm still taking pre-natal vitamins?? I don't know...

Siblings ~ Since she is #2, I don't think we'll have anymore but I wouldn't mind another ;)

Riding in the car ~ She flies solo when her brother's not back there, she mostly falls asleep when in the car anyway.

[Jenyfer9]

Babysitting UGH! Have any of you watched your DC and someone elses child? I am watching my sister's 18 month old (who's already in his terrible 2's) from 7:30-2 today! I have watched him a few times but not for this long with both of them!! It's SO tiring!! I think doing this makes me want to wait till DS is at least 2 before having another one.
This is the story of my life. Except it's not just 7:30-2. Not that I'm trying to say that us RO's have it so much tougher... you definitely learn to adjust faster... and that craziness becomes normalcy. :rolleyes:

[alienhost]

laughing DD let out her biggest one yet, she was totally cracking herself up. I think it is because she was wearing her new halloween costume which is this chick (but not her in the pic)

http://a940.g.akamai.net/7/940/449/0001/www.estyle.com/images/product/17962_MID_r.jpg

riding in the back seat I stopped after about a week. DH got tired of being a chauffer. :D DD rides back there alone when just the two of us are doing errands so she does fine without someone there.

BTB yup that was me, venting over at the WC May mommies thread last year. :D

Well today is our wedding anniversary. My parents are coming and we are going out for a nice dinner. I can't wait!

[tgray99]

Aidan sits by herself in the backseat unless I need to feed her. She usually goes right to sleep.

[usafwife]

I don't check in for a few days and we have a new thread. And a bunch of catching up to do.

Heather ~ Thanks for the new thread.

Baby Pictures ~ Cute pictures everyone!

Can't Live Without
~Dreft spray for stains
~Pack n Play with basinet and changing table (it's great for travel and it's the only bed that DC has slept in since we came home)
~baby swing (it's a lifesaver some days)
~box of Sassy baby toys (I got this at the shower from my cousin. They are wonderful and she loves to play with them.)
~mobile
~onesies
~receiving blankets
~VentAire bottles
~digital camera, dock, memory sticks
~flim for SLR cameras

Definitely Can Live Without
~nursing pads (bought a whole box and never opened them up as I just needed to use the free samples I had gotten)

Changing Formula ~ We used the Parent's Choice (one concentrated can and one can of powder) but we won't be using it again. We also tried Similac but had very BAD results with it. So we will be staying with the Enfamil LIPIL w/iron from now on.

Mods ~ I have the links to all the previous threads that work. Do you want me to post them or send them in an email/PM?

Question ~ Does anyone else's DC always have to have their hands moving?[/b] DD always seems to be moving hers. She wants them up near her face. And she has very long fingers. Everyone says that she will play the piano when she gets older. Guess that's only fitting as DH and I both played piano. He even played the guitar.

Shoes ~ DD has a few pairs of shoes. But they never seem like they fit her feet. They are size 1s. She looks so cute in the sandles but she always finds a way to get them off. Anyone else have this problem?

Clothes on Sale ~ I'd like to buy clothes for next year when they go on sale but not sure what size to get. We have gotten a few things that are 12 months. DH has also found some bigger outfits that we have bought (2) for down the road. My mom even mentioned buying clothes now for next year but wasn't sure about size either.

[kimthebride]

BTB - ...
PS: If I were you, the next time she called me by name I'd insist she address me as "Dr." ;)
LOL! I love this idea!

Riding in the Backseat
Ummm...no. Only did once, when we had to go somewhere and I thought he'd need to eat from the bottle. Why are you all riding back there? I have a mirror to see him, and all he does is nap, play or look out the window.

Hands
This kid can't decide which fist to suck, so he's back and forth and back again.

Toys
Loves pulling and grabbing and putting them in his mouth. I a buying new little things all the time to keep him stimulated in his carseat/stroller and the gym. Love stuff by Infantino, and the things that clip on wherever you want them to.
for tummy time
http://infantino.com/Images/ToysActivity/150-3034.jpg
http://infantino.com/Images/ToysSoft/150-532.jpg
entertainment while in the cradle (and I am not awake yet)
http://infantino.com/Images/ToysSoft/150-803.jpg
on the play gym (he LOVES this: jingly feet, crinkly ears)
http://infantino.com/Images/ToysSoft/150-802ATh.jpg

rancherswife & ladybug
I'm about to move you two into the front seat. :)
I have the Denali and was po'd that at first I couldn't install a mirror. BUT...they have a velcro strap on them that does cling well to the backside of the back seat. Velcro the band there and then close the bottom band of the mirror into the console that's built into the center of the backseat. When the carseat is in place it keeps the console tightly closed and the mirror from moving in case of an accident. Ta da!

[njnewyearsbride]

kim -- wanna figure out how to install one of those into an xterra?? :D

[kimthebride]

Bring it on, baby!
When I get my mind set on something...look out! ;)

[kelseyledare]

Auto-Mirror: Almost daily, I fight with mine. It doesn't stay velcro-ed in place properly, the seats are leather, and there's no back headrest to attach it to. DH never has any trouble with his in his minivan, but there's a headrest.

Alienhost: Where did you get that chicken costume for your DD, if I may ask?? I think my DH would love that.

I'm back to work full time, and it's miserable. Trying to hang in there, but can barely check the thread every couple days. Sending support vibes out to the other working mommas!!!!

[usafwife]

Riding in the backseat ~ I've only done it a couple of times. And that's when DD has been fussy and wouldn't stop crying until she had a bottle. If we are just running errands around town, then one of us doesn't get in the back. If we go on a long trip, she will usually just fall asleep during the trip. Sometimes my parents go with us (or someone else) and they are in the backseat with DD. Heck, sometimes she'll go to sleep just going around town. DD likes gravel or rough roads the best. Seems to quiet her the best. Anyone else find that true?

I need to get some pictures transferred and posted of DD. I think the only ones I've posted have been early pictures.

Smiles ~ We are getting more and more smiles each day. They just make my heart melt when I see them. I can be having a bad day and when I see them, it just makes me forget about everything.

Laughing ~ We are starting to get a chuckle here and there. Not all out laughter just yet. But it's close.

Talking ~ We get more and more of this each day. It's so cute. The other night we had a conversation. She actually answered us when we would ask her questions. It almost sounded like she was saying yes or yeah.

Question regarding shots ~ DD goes in early September for her 2-month-old shots. The doctor told me to give her some Tylenol an hour prior to her appointment but I forgot to ask how much to give her. What would be the right amount? I know I could call and ask to talk to the nurse (which I will probably do anyway as I need to confirm the day/time.....can't seem to find the appointment card. Must still not have my mind back from being pregnant just yet. It does come back right? I won't always be this absent-minded or is just part of being a mommy. ;) )

[allyray231]

Back seatstill do it only becuase he is not in the car that much and when he is alone he screams. I have done it twice though. He only screams when we drive in the city-it is a lot of stop and go

Tylenol 0.4 every 4 hrs

Fav Stuff[B]
Swing
Symphony in Motion Mobile
Dr Brown Bottles
our bassinet (which he outgrew)
PNP
Our snap and go-best invention ever

Not so great stuff
Still can't get him to use the Bjorn
Gowns-he hated them-his legs always got stuck
Hat-never used them-maybe in the winter?

Hands[B]-the kid has found his tumb a few times but it is a CONSTANT battle for him to find his hands. That is what wakes him up at night-he fusses and fusses till he can get his hand in his mouth-still having issues-should I be worried he can't do it yet?

Well we hired a nanny-I really don't know how we are gonna swing the money but we will find a way. It is just so much better-I commute 45 minutes to the city everyday and there was no place around were I live that took infants. The 2 places I looked at I had to drive to and they were just OK. This nanny has been working in the area for 15 years and she is amazing

[alienhost]

kelseyledare I bought it at the babystyle store, but you can also get it on-line at babystyle.com

[kimthebride]

Riding in the backseat ~ DD likes gravel or rough roads the best. Seems to quiet her the best. Anyone else find that true?

I drive around NJ and NYC which is all bumps, potholes, etc and it seems to soothe DS to sleep. The bumpier the better!

[BridalLace]

Mods ~ I have the links to all the previous threads that work. Do you want me to post them or send them in an email/PM?


i definitely would appreciate being able to fix the links. if you could PM me this info it would be great.

i haven't gotten to stat changes yet, after all...will try to get to them in the next 2-3 days!

[December27JJB]

BTB I am sorry about your SIL :( I am unlucky in the MIL department myself.

Auto Mirror I hate it! It doesnt work in my car! What a waste for us.

Smiles She is definitely smiling a lot more now!! I love it when she smiles!

Riding in the Backseat I still do it. Mostly to keep the sun out of her face.

NEWS: AF decided to show her ugly face this morning! It was soo weird, I had cramping and then I felt something 'wet' and went to the bathroom and wiped myself. There she was. Luckily I felt it before she dripped on my husband's favorite boxers that I was wearing. ;)

[diedra1027]

Time to catch up!!

bedtime routine - I would LIKE our routine to be bath, massage, book, nursing. We start at 7:30. I think I need to move the time up a bit since she starts wailing right after bath so we end up skipping right to nursing. She's not napping well yet, so that might be part of our problem too since she just seems so overtired in the evening.

Auto Mirror - Wanted to get one, but read about the projectile possibility so I passed for now.

riding in back - Only if she's already crying when we get in. She's getting better about the car seat too. She'll start to cry after 10-15 minutes on the road (if it's stop and go) instead of crying as soon as we strap her in. Whoever mentioned their baby liking rougher roads we find that to be true as well. Same goes for when she rides in the stoller. We sometime go to a park with a walking path flanked by gravel on each side. She'll fall asleep in milliseconds if we push the stroller in the gravel instead of on the paved path! I think it's the increased vibrations and white noise.

Smiles - Smiles a lot (especially for me), but is very stingy with the laughs. She laughed for the first time about 3 weeks ago, but I was only able to get her to laugh again last weekend. Thankfully, DH was home that time to finally hear it for himself (and he later got her to laugh by himself!). We took her for 3 month portraits earlier this week and she wouldn't smile for anything...

[ahavnes]

Ugh, this has been the worst week. Abbey started day care part time yesterday while I work in the afternoons. She is right down the hall from me, which is a blessing and a curse....b/c I can hear her crying! :mad: The teachers there are all wonderful, but I think she's just having a hard time adjusting. Yesterday I could hear her for 20 minutes, so I finally went down there and gave her some Mylicon. Every time I held her she stopped crying, but when I passed her back she started screaming. It was awful! I have so much work to do to catch up though, so I finally had to just pass her back with a bottle and run for the door. :rolleyes: I'm hoping it will get better soon. I really do love my job and actually am enjoying being at work, but I can't stand it that my little girl is so upset!

Bedtime Routine- I really need to move this up. Abbey doesn't go to sleep until about 9:30 and she is so overtired. The lavender body wash and lotion really help though.

Auto Mirror- Just got one and Abbey loves it! I just got a new car and Abbey hated it. Once I put the mirror back there though, she is much better. I think she likes playing with the "other baby" back there. ;)

Smiles- Oh yes! They light up her face and DH and I just love it. She especially smiles and giggles when I'm eating for some reason. :)

[Carissa]

BTB (((HUGS)))

If I don't post for a while it's because I am sick. I am headed to the Dr this afternoon don't know what it is but it's not fun.

[Sasha]

Carissa - Hope you feel better soon.

Alicia - Sorry you're having a rough first week. I'm sure Abbey will get adjusted quickly.

Chylynn - And so our hurricane season kicks into gear :rolleyes:. Luckily this one doesn't seem like it will be too bad. LOL, I had the TV on and I think Sarah was fascinated by the bright colors of the hurricane radar. Stay dry and safe!

Auto Mirrors - We have one in my car but not DH's. She loves it...in fact, she loves just about all mirrors, especially when I am holding her. She thinks it's funny to see "another baby" with mommy.

Here's to hoping we don't lose our power over the next day or so!

[jrdhbunny]

Carissa- I hope you feel better soon!!!

ahavnes- It's great that you're liking being back to work, but I'm sorry that your DD is having a hard time! Hopefully she'll adjust soon. Sometimes when I call home, I can hear DS fussing in the background and it makes me sad. :(

Chylynn- I hope all goes well at the eye doctor's!

alienhost- Love that picture!

allyray231- I hear you on the nanny thing. DH and I knew that was the only option for us because it's next to impossible to get into a daycare center here. We ended up with DH as a SAHD because we just couldn't afford it- it would have been his salary, plus some of mine!

kimthebride- We drive through NYC too and the bumps put him to sleep, but then we'll hit a big one and it'll startle him awake. :rolleyes:

usafwife- In my experience, the "baby brain" just turns into "mommy brain"- but I was kind of scatter-brained to begin with so it may just be me!

njnewyearsbride- DS has been trying to sit up for a couple of weeks; the only problem is that once he started, he wouldn't stop! Now he won't sit back against me any more. :( Also, I've been dying to ask you- where did you get the shirt that your DD has on in your avatar? I love it!

mama915- Thanks! DH took some more cute ones yesterday so I may have to change my avatar again!

Dreshny- We're in the same boat; DS needs lots of stimulation, but we have very little space too. We had to retire the travel swing because it just doesn't do it for him anymore. All of our toys are pretty small. DS loves puppets- we have all of the Baby Einstein singing animals (cow, monkey, dragon, and kangaroo).

Question- Does anyone have a baby that isn't interested in looking in the mirror? DS could care less about seeing himself- I can hold him directly in front of one and all he does is look at me or look away. I've tried putting him in front of his mirror on his playgym, but he just glances at it then rolls away towards his toys. He's very interactive with me and DH; he's absolutely fascinated with our faces, just not his own. I guess I'll add it to the list of questions we'll have for our ped at his 4 month old visit on Monday...

[njnewyearsbride]

njnewyearsbride- DS has been trying to sit up for a couple of weeks; the only problem is that once he started, he wouldn't stop! Now he won't sit back against me any more. :( Also, I've been dying to ask you- where did you get the shirt that your DD has on in your avatar? I love it!


thanks -- i actually got it at bellie & katrina in hoboken -- i couldnt pass it up -- also got her a long sleeve black t-shirt w/the same thing on it for later in a bigger size! i used a picture of hazel in that onesie for her birth announcement and everyone got a kick out of it...
http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b5d932b3127cce92b03ca8175200000025118AbsWzho2atE

[jrdhbunny]

OMG- how adorable!!!! I've looked for one (or something similar) that says "made in NYC", but have yet to find anything that I like.

[njnewyearsbride]

OMG- how adorable!!!! I've looked for one (or something similar) that says "made in NYC", but have yet to find anything that I like.

have you tried cafepress.com?

[jrdhbunny]

Yeah- that was one of the first places I looked. I was sure that I would find something there, but no such luck. It may be that it's there somewhere and I'm just not entering the right search words.

[LIZNKEITH]

Back Seat
I only ride back there if she is fussy.

AF
Reared her ugly head yesterday. :(

DD had her 2 month appointment yesterday. Of course, we BOTH cried when she got her shots. :( Other than that though, the Dr. says she's doing really well. Here's her stats:

Weight: 10 lb., 13 oz 50th%
Length: 22.25 inches 50th%
HC: 38.75 cm 50th%

I cannot believe she's 10 weeks old already!

[BTB]

Tylenol is dosed by weight:

http://www.askdrsears.com/html/8/T089101.asp#T089104

Making sure link works, then coming back...

[BTB]

Saturday my mom's coming to visit, and she and I are going to a museum and out to lunch while DH stays home with Evie. I'm glad they're get some good time together! And I'm very excited to get out of the house. :)

I'm way behind on the thread but will catch up soon! Alienhost I love your DD's Halloween costume! :)

[Jenyfer9]

Oh, I'm SOOOO excited! I'm getting a 60 minute massage tonight! Ahhhhhh....

I also received my Kangaroo Korner sling today. I'm hoping that it will feel better (for me) after my back is fixed up. DS seemed to like it though... fell asleep in it within 10 minutes (something he NEVER did in the Snugli!).

[alienhost]

thanks for the compliments on DD's costume!

Well we had a busy day...

We saw a specialist about DD's flat head or "positional plagiocephaly". DD was diagnosed with torticollis or basically a stiff or tight neck muscle that causes her to favor one side of her head (she sleeps with her head facing the right) which has caused a flat spot on her right side. The specialist said her case was "moderate" and really on the borderline. The range of motion of her neck muscles is much better now and she does look both ways but still favors the right. He discussed options with us, basically doing nothing or fitting her for a helmet. Doing nothing would be OK since it really is cosmetic but the best time to try and "fix" it is really now since she is growing so much. We decided to go with the helmet. She had a scan done to fit her for one and we go back in 2 weeks to get it along with instructions etc. She is supposed to wear it for at least 20 hrs per day and they think it can round out her head in 6-8 wks. Since it really is a harmless "fix" we thought we should go with it rather than wait and possibly miss the window of opportunity.

It is just so hard for me, somehow I feel like I have failed her. I know that she will do fine but I also worry about people just asking a lot of questions and I know I'll get frustrated trying to explain it etc. to strangers. I hope we are doing the right thing.

4 month appointment We also had her 4 month check up today. DD is at 11lbs, 14 ozs and is 23.75 inches long (both 25 %ile). Ped is pleased with her weight gain etc. (up from 9lbs 6ozs at the two month).

She had her shots, poor thing. She really screamed. She came home, ate and had a nap. She woke up very upset. She ate again and had some tylenol and has been sleeping soundly since.

Oh and she also has ezcema. She has had this rash on her arms for several weeks. The ped asked us to use over the counter strength hydrocortisone cream to clear it up. She doesn't want to start eliminating things from my diet just yet.

BTB any concerns medically with hydrocortisone cream in infants? My ped said it is fine but I just wonder if it is OK. I read mixed views on the internet.

Well I guess that is it, it just has been a frustrating day of motherhood for me - why is their so much guilt with motherhood??? I'm thankful that she doesn't have any serious medical issues but it just is hard sometimes, even the little things.

[ahavnes]

Thanks for the support about Abbey's day care experience. I think today was a little better. She was smiling when I left and was ok when I came back 2 hours later to check on her. They said she got really upset again later, but I think it's getting better. (Fingers crossed) BUT, she has slept 10 hours straight every night since Sunday!!!! :)

Alienhost- Abbey had the same rash and we used hydrocortisone without any problems. And cute costume!

Sasha- Abbey loves looking in the mirror when I am holding her too. She cracks up! By the way, we got our tickets for Thanksgiving and will be in Miami the 18th to the 25th. Will you be there? We should do lunch. :)

Jenyfer9- A massage...nice!

BTB- Enjoy your visit with your mom. Mine is coming this week as well. Yay!

[Natrat80]

Subscribing to the new thread. Addie and I took a trip to see my parents Sunday-Wednesday. We had a great time although we missed DH! He's working so much lately that we barely see him at all! (He's a football coach)

backseat I'll admit I used to be a backseat rider. I was just so nervous in the beginning! Once we got a mirror back there I am great in the front. Plus I'm less paranoid now than I was when she was a newborn.

AF Not yet, thank God. Sunday and Monday nights I had a migrane. I hadn't had a migrane since before I was pregnant and I really think they are related to PMS. So I was thinking that the migranes were predicting AF and I was so bummed. Then I realized that Sunday and Monday I wore my glasses and I haven't worn them in a few months because I lost a screw to one side. My mom told me not to wear them on Tuesday and see what happened---no migrane! So I don't know if my eyes just weren't used to my glasses anymore or what, I'm just thankful for no AF!

custom made clothes Has anyone had any custom made kids clothes? I love the onesie njnewyearsbride ! I really want to have one made that looks like the "I heart NY" shirts but have it say "I heart Coach T" and have DD wear it to one of DH's football games. I think he would love it. I found this:
http://www.customizedkids.com/images/I_Heart_Red.gif
at www.customizedkids.com but I haven't ordered it yet. Anyone else have a good website to recommend?

[Traciann]

Natalie My DH is a band director at a high school...and works crazy long hours.(probably the same hours your does!) The first football game was tonight.... and its almost midnight and he is not home yet! The other band director's wife had a baby almost 4 weeks ago so we hung out tonight while the husbands were working!

[Sherah]

Chylynn and Sasha : How'd you girls do last night? I'm in Palm Beach County, north of Boca. We never lost power and have very little yard damage. Phew! Now, what's going on with this next storm that's brewing!

Dreshny : I'm going to look for toys at BRU today. Thanks to the ladies who posted such great toy suggestions!

Riding in the Backseat : Only once. The first time we took our dog to the dog park after Arik was born, we knew he'd be really excited. I sat in back to make sure he didn't accidentally jump on our babe.

Chylynn : Good luck with the new doc!

Bedtime : Arik is now able to sleep 8 hours between feedings!!! I put him to bed every night at 7p and usually give him a dream feed between 10 and 11p. Then I don't have to get up again until 7ish am!

Carissa: Feel better soon! I hope you don't have anything serious.

Girls with Absent Hubbies : My DH is a cop. I only count him as being around on his off days when he has no extra duties. On days when he works, we only get a couple of hours with him. I'm a mess by the time he has days off. It does feel like being a single parent on his shift days, but it makes our time we do have together SO much more special!!! Cute idea about the football coach tee, Nat ! Us cop wives band together too, Traciann !

[alienhost]

ahavnes thanks for the reassurance. How many applications did it take to help the rash? When you stopped using it did it come back? Just curious.

custom made clothing If you want something "custom" you can do it yourself. I bought some Avery t-shirt transfer paper and printed on my computer some "sayings" to iron-on a onesie. You can also download clip art and include that as well. It does OK in the wash (inside out) and I don't put it in the dryer. It lasts fairly well, and since the babies go through clothing sizes so quickly I think it isn't a bad option.

[cynder]

DS slept unswaddled for 2 hours in the crib last night! Woo hoo! Big progress for us. He then woke up hysterical at 1:00 when he realized he was not swaddled and conked out within 30 seconds of being swaddled. Last 2 nights we have gone out wi/ DS for social events and he handled himself really well. I was afraid that his schedule would get out whack but so far so good.

So I have a dilemma. Bosses would like me to go to a conference in New Haven from Oct 5-7 that sounds really exciting to me. DH has a conference he would like to go to Oct 6-9...in San Francisco. I have been racking my brain to figure out a way to swing this but it looks like it's going to be one or the other. In the grand schema of things, this is minor but it's things like this that make me question my career. Sorry for the rambling.

DH is working this weekend so DS and are going to get protraits taken and make a BRU run. Ours is so far away that it's like an expedition for me.

custom made clothing - cafepress.com is not bad if you have some Photoshop skills. I have a couple of sites bookmarked that I can post later today.

[Aunt Liv]

BTB - your sil is a pita!! family is supposed to support and love each-other, not compete over things like this. She's obviously p.o'd that she's not you. ;)

i can't remember what else is going on...you all are busy, usy bees! :p

ok, i'll try to bbl! sorry for the typos...typing 1-handed.

[LIZNKEITH]

Alienhost,
((HUGS)) You know deep in your heart that this is not something you could have prevented. The helmet is just a temporary thing and you'll both get through it in no time.

[alienhost]

LIZNKEITH thank you for the kind words, I appreciate the support.

New QOTD - Solids now that some babies here are approaching 4 months, what is everyone planning on doing with regards to solids? DD's ped said we could start rice cereal in a few weeks (she likes them to be 12 lbs first) and then orange/yellow veggies (sweet potato, carrots, squash), green veggies next and then fruit - each group two weeks apart with each item for 3-4 days before moving on to the next. From what I've read it sounds like a lot of people recommend six months rather than four. I'm not quite sure how to handle it yet. I might start at 4 1/2 to 5 months with some cereal for "practice" and see if she is even interested. Just curious what others are planning.

Have a nice weekend everyone!

[LIZNKEITH]

Solids
I've read the same as you. I've also read that you shouldn't start them until they are able to sit up on their own and have lost the tongue-thrust reflex (or the food will come right back out). I go back and forth about when to start. Ideally, if I can get my milk supply back on track, I'd like to wait until she's 6 months. If not, then I'll probably start somewhere around 4 or 5 months.

[KGif]

Solids -
No idea! I think I recall my doc saying something about waiting until 6 months but I'm not certain. I guess we will discuss at our 4 month appt next month.
STUPID question I'm sure -- but is rice cereal somethin you add to their bottle or do you actually feed it to them with a spoon?

[rancherswife]

solids: I haven't even talked to my ped. about this yet, but I do know he recommends 6 mos. to start solids. We've still got a ways to go!


kim: LOVING the koala baby receiving blankets...perfect size for my long boy! Landon thanks you, he's happily being swaddled again! ;)

ahavnes: keeping my fingers crossed for you that Abbey continues to do better each day at day care. that's gotta be tough when you are right down the hall and can hear her crying :o . I'm sure it'll get better w/ time!

[ahavnes]

Alienhost- We only had to apply it like twice and it went away. It was like a miracle drug. :) It came back about 2 weeks later, but not nearly as bad. We used the hydro once and it went away. I was amazed!

rancherswife- Thanks so much for the encouragement! I think Abbey just needs time to adjust and she'll be fine. :)

My mom is coming this weekend! Yay! She hasn't seem Abs since she was 2 weeks old. She is going to go crazy over her!

[ahavnes]

Oh yeah, and another thing! Does anyone else have a kid whose name is constantly misspelled? Abbey's name has an "e" in it and EVERYONE, including my cousin, who is her Godmother, misspells it!! I'm really trying not to get annoyed b/c we did this to ourselves, but I am tired of seeing "Abby." (Not that there's anything wrong with that name! ;))

[LIZNKEITH]

KGif,
You can do both...either add it to their BM/formula or feed it from a bowl. I think some Dr.'s are beginning to recommend NOT to give it to them in their bottle though as it can sometimes pose a choking hazard.

ahavnes
Not so much misspelled as mispronounced. Our DD's name is Caroline and we're forever getting Carolyn. :rolleyes:

Receiveing blankets
I need to check these suckers out! I have two that we found at my IL's house after they passed away that they were saving. They're 40x40 and awesome. I wish I had more. I think the 30x40's would work for us though. At least for backup. Thanks for the recommendation!

[alienhost]

ahavnes thanks! I hope we have the same result!

Cereal my ped said to serve it with a spoon but to make it pretty thin at first by adding EBM or formula.

Question on Tylenol Dropper DD had a low fever after her shots and I gave her tylenol, I just realized that I put the dropper back in the bottle without washing it. Should I have washed it first? I didn't want the bottle to spill and I was trying to juggle DD and the dropper...what do you do with the dropper after giving it?

[MayJune05Moms]

stats are updated. please check your own stats in case you want them updated (also it would help if i messed up somewhere and didn't realize - you can help me clear up mistakes, age changes, etc.)

i added a new stat for baby's height & weight (at the time of birth), since so many were reporting that anyway. if you want that added then post those stats in RED, please.

would someone also please count how many members we have, several people might count our roster so we can get an accurate number. would appreciate it.

thanks,

Heather

[usafwife]

usafwife- In my experience, the "baby brain" just turns into "mommy brain"- but I was kind of scatter-brained to begin with so it may just be me! I figured that the "baby or pregnancy brain" turned into the "mommy brain." So I was expecting it. :D

BridalLace ~ I'll be happy to send the links to you in a PM. I'll so just as soon as I post this.

kim[b] ~ We have quite a few potholes around here as well. We always joke that we could be blind and know where we were when we got into town because of all the rough roads.

[b]Carissa ~ Hope you are feeling better soon. {{HUGS}}

Southern Florida Gals ~ Hope you made it through the storm okay. Hope you didn't get flooded and have no damage.

Liz ~ Sorry about AF. I had her visit earlier this month and I think she's getting ready to visit again. Yuck! I was so hoping to avoid her for a while longer.

BTB ~ Thanks for the information and link. Hope you have fun with your mom this weekend.

Jenyfer9 ~ A 60 minute massage sounds so wonderful! Enjoy it.

ahavnes ~ Hope you enjoy your visit with your mom as well.

Nat ~ Sorry about the migraine. I had one not long after we came home from the hospital. Mine lasted nearly a week. I hadn't had one since last June. I was really hoping that mine were gone for good. I notice that if I wear my glasses I can get a headache (not what I'd describe as my usual migraine type but they can be bad) as I'm not used to wearing them (I wear my contacts unless there's a problem).

Absent DHs ~ I'm in that club. DH works a lot of hours (including a TON of overtime). Then he goes to night classes three nights a week, has one online course and one that doesn't start for two months. Then there is the homework time factored in. And chores that need to get done around here. So he really doesn't get to have much free time. And then we are gone one weekend a month (military). I often wish that he had more time to spend at home with us.

cynder ~ Good luck deciding which conference to go to. I know what you mean about BRU expendition trips. The only one near us is a 2+ hour drive...needless to say we don't make that trip very often and when we do we stock up on things.

Name constantly misspelled ~ Yes, to a degree. People can't ever seem to remember that there is an 'H' on the end of DD's name. I get so mad telling them over and over. I know it shouldn't bother me but I know how I got upset when I was growing up when people couldn't spell my name correctly. Granted my name was not as common as other names but they would constantly get the e and i mixed up. Even when I (or my mom) would spell it for them. My niece's name is spelled the same way as your DD's ahavnes.

[usafwife]

BridalLace ~ You have a PM.

[Sherah]

Went to BRU yesterday and bought what should have been on my registry:

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B000067QZI.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

Sassy Toys, Baby's First Toys Gift Set.

So excited! Our toy selection is slightly different than that shown, but still... Also, BRU coupons went out in August. Did you all know that? I haven't been getting any since I moved, so I'