Just chatting!

Mocha so sorry about your father:(

I go back to work on Monday:( I only had 3 1/2 months off this time. I am a teacher and we are starting the new year this week so it is hard to take more time off. I would love to stay home but we can't afford it. My husband is also self employed so we have healthcare through me. I am a little worried about how Lily will be Monday. She is so attached to me and cries when most people hold her. And now she is refusing a bottle after taking a little each morning for 3 weeks straight. I skipped one morning and now she won't take it. So I am worried that not only will she be crying all day because I am not there, but she won't be eating.

My heart goes out to you Lobella. I think working moms are the most amazing individuals. It's tough and you are so strong. I stay home with my children and my husband works two jobs. It's hard no matter what road you go down. Is the person watching your child a relative, or someone you hired? I'm sure everything will go smoothly. I will be thinking of you. I was a nanny for years and I never knew how hard it was to leave your child and go to work until I had my own.

And btw I think teachers are angels on earth. My son is in 1st grade and I have so much respect and love for men and women who choose to educate. Such a priceless gift. Thank you.

Awww thanks ThreeMenAndALAdy. I taught first grade for 6 years and loved it. I now teach 2nd. I found an in home daycare. She will just have 5 kids and the other kids are all older. My mom will be here for the first few days so at least she can pick Lily up early for her first few days at daycare. I have had to go back to work after each child. I think this time is the hardest because the daycare provider that I had with the other two and loved has retired:( I really like the new one I found, but I don't know her as well. I am sure everthing will be fine, but it will be a long and difficult first week for all of us.

I hope today went well, Lobella, hope you have the energy to update us on how Lily did, and you did :hugs:

Even though my DH is a stay at home Dad I know I will be sad when I return to my job after having Lillian...moms just want to be there :)

Thanks for thinking of me today aurora:) Lily did better than expected. I did also. My daycare provider texted and took pics of her throughout the day and it made it easier knowing she was happy. She only ate about 3 ounces all day, but she still wakes up at night and she nursed 3 times before bed so I am not at all worried. She will get the hang of it. The daycare provider said she was very content, until she would offer her a bottle:) She didn't really cry at all. It makes it a whole lot easier to go back to work. I still wish I could be home with her, but at least I know she is okay.

yay lobella--glad it went well:) now that this is my 3rd week back--it feels as though I never left:)

glad to hear it, lobella!

Lobella, glad it went well. Was thinking of you too. It's hard going back. I went back after ds1 at 3 and a half mths, he was my first baby and thankfully that's when my nightduty started but I only got 2-3hrs sleep in between my shifts. But I've aged years after 9yrs of nightduty!! When I moved back home I had a childminder for ds1 who was amazing, when she retired (when ds1 went to nursery school, aged 3) so I decided when ds2 was born to drop my hours from 3 nights per week to 2 nights and save on childminder fees.

Mocha, so sad about your dad, you have been on my mind recently and hoping you and your family are ok? I remember long before the twins came you said he was ill and I'm so sorry to hear that he passed away.

Auroara, how are you keeping? u can now say she'll be here next month!

I started weight watchers last week and lost 4lbs today!! Lots to go to squeeze back into my nurses uniform by the end of the year!!! The girls are 4mths old on friday, can't believe it!! they are still restless and I think it seems worse than it maybe is sometimes as there are two of them. REALLY need a better routine, but so hard with boys off school. Wish they would feed 4hrly instead of 3hrly and sleep at night without crying every hour, it's only for a minute or so, but that's me up again and again till they waken to be fed anytime from 3-6am, so variable...any suggestions???

Have workmates coming for a coffee tom at 11am, so need to tidy up tonight, iron everyones clothes etc... and it's almost 11pm...oops! sat here and on fb too long!!

Thanks, Inglewood. It was a long battle for my Dad. He only retired a year ago (he was 70 when he died), but his dementia and physical deterioration has been evident for years. In November he had a heart episode - one of many he had last year - that landed him in the emergency room. While he was there they discovered abdominal pain he'd been hiding which turned out to be a perforated bowel - and a cancerous growth. He never recovered from that surgery - he wasn't particularly mobile before, but he was still walking, making his own meals when my Mom wasn't home, climbing stairs, etc. But he just never got out of bed after surgery. The dementia accelerated rapidly, his body grew weaker, and when they discovered the cancer had spread they decided he was too frail for chemo or other treatment. The cancer eventually spread to his lungs and he died when the chest tube they'd put in stopped draining the fluid in his lungs.

The family's all doing as well as we can be. One of my brothers and I are having a tough time because we both had planned to see him the weekend before he died but ended up delaying our trips. We also weren't there with him when he died, though my oldest two brothers and Mom were.

I'm hoping to feel some closure after the funeral on Tuesday.

That's great about the weight loss Inglewood:) I have heard from many friends how great weight watchers is. I can't believe your girls are already almost 4 months. That means Lily's 4 months is just around the corner. It's so sad how fast they grow.

Well today was day 3 back at work. Lily is still doing well and happy, but she hates to take the bottle. It is breastmilk. I am pumping. She only took 2 ounces Monday, 4 on Tuesday, and only 2 again today. She is happy until they try to give her the bottle. She is still nursing 2 times at night and about 3 times before she goes to bed. I hope she is getting enough.

hey just found this thread...:)
things are good here.
Sasha is 8 weeks already, where the hell did that time go?

Mocha, your dad must of been a brave man to go through all of that illness over the time he did and still fight it as long as he did. He went through alot and no doubt you and your family did too. Don't beat yourself up about not seeing him when you were supposed to. These things happen and we can't see into the future to know that he would pass away when he did. I'm sure your dad knew that you loved him very much and enjoyed all your visits. I have no personal experience of your loss, but I've worked in Palliative care now for 9yrs and to be honest many people aren't there when a loved one passes. Some can't as they live miles away, or the other side of the world and other's want to remember that person as they were. Maybe it would of been tough for you and your brother to be there at the end? With you being pg esp, maybe your dad didn't want you to have that distress. He knew you loved him and you can say goodbye on tuesday knowing he's no longer in pain or suffering and is at peace. You are in my thoughts, your fb post was an amazing article :) take care and I hope tuesday goes well.

Dannikins, what a cutie!! xx I know what u mean about time! The girls are 4mths tom.

Lobella, sure she's getting enough, do you get her weighed regularly, I get the girls weighed 4wkly. Glad she's settling in well. How is it back at work?

Thanks again, Inglewood. None of us kids live in our hometown anymore, so we're lucky any of us could be there at the end. When his final health crisis happened it was already suppertime, and since I live 5 hours away, it really wasn't feasible for me to get there. He died at 7:30 the next morning, just as I was packing up to catch the train to travel there.

I can't believe how quickly all your babies are growing up! I keep getting impatient for my little girl to arrive then remind myself that this is the last time I'll ever be pregnant and I try to relax and savour it.

I am getting impatient and tired of being pregnant, Inglewood, hehe. I have to keep reminding myself this *may* be my last preg, and I want to enjoy it, but it's so tough chasing around a crazy 15 month old all evening long, and my DH (who is a stay at home dad) has this thing that when I come home from work, it's my "shift" so he's actually really unhelpful, except for making dinner, which that is nice. I guess it depends...he can be better, but this week he's got a sinus infection so he's def. been no help at all! I'm more frazzled than usual!

I just am so excited to meet her and see who she looks like, what she acts like. She moves all the time, but it's not painful, the boys were very boisterous in there, and maybe it's sexist to say, but her movements have been more gentle, but still def. there...she likes to put her foot under my ribs, and that drives me crazy, but I'd rather have that than what DS2 did--he always kicked my bladder and made some pee drip out! that was so embarrassing.

Inglewood I go every two months now to the doctor and they weigh her. She is due to go in a few weeks. I have tried to weigh her at home and its pretty accurate, but I haven't done it this week because I have been too busy to even think about it. Work is going well. Since I am a teacher I am so busy that my days go by pretty fast. I miss her a lot but it helps to be busy. I am having a hard time keeping up with the work load though because I am pumping at lunch and I have to leave right away after school to feed her. I try to get there early to get my work done before the kids come. I am adjusting though. My own kids go back next week so then things will really get busy:)

Mocha and aurora you are both getting so close. I can't wait to see your little girls! I tried to enjoy my last pregnancy too knowing it would be my last. It was so hard because I just wanted her to be born.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by auroara78

I just am so excited to meet her and see who she looks like, what she acts like. She moves all the time, but it's not painful, the boys were very boisterous in there, and maybe it's sexist to say, but her movements have been more gentle, but still def. there...she likes to put her foot under my ribs, and that drives me crazy, but I'd rather have that than what DS2 did--he always kicked my bladder and made some pee drip out! that was so embarrassing.

---

It's the opposite with me - this little girl kicks HARD and sometimes it really hurts. None of my boys were like that. And yes, I get the lovely bladder kicks all the time :oops:

I know, you are both getting so close.....exciting 'next' month for u both!
Mocha, I think ur pg has flown by, or is it just me??

Lobella, I don't envy teachers at all, my cousin is a head teacher and our kids go back on 20th aug, she goes back on mon. Must feel like you have stuff to do all the time? In nursing I can't always 'switch off', esp after a tough shift, but I usually do manage to, hope you get plenty time to forget all about work when ur not there and your not busy preparing for classes! What age do u teach?

Auroara, the twins moved and kicked alot, esp dd1. Can't compare the twin pg with the boys to see who was more active as with the twins there was always someone moving!! lol Hope ur DH realises your tired and becoming more heavily pg. Did u tell him what u think? My Dh is great, but does need a bit of a 'jump start' some nights to help...lol

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Inglewood

I know, you are both getting so close.....exciting 'next' month for u both!
Mocha, I think ur pg has flown by, or is it just me??

---

No - it feels like I've been pregnant FOREVER! Since I got that first BFP in September, then got pregnant again so quickly after my m/c, when the baby's finally born I will feel like I've been pregnant a whole year!

Inglewood I teach 2nd grade so they are between 6-8. I can usually forget a lot about work once I get home, but I run around like mad at work trying to get everything done before I leave:) I usually don't take work home with me, but since I am breastfeeding I have to rush home to feed her so I may start bringing a little home:( I can't imagine your job either. It must be so stressful. My best friend is a neonatologist. She loves it, but has a hard time with the emotional side of it since having a baby.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by Mochagirl

No - it feels like I've been pregnant FOREVER! Since I got that first BFP in September, then got pregnant again so quickly after my m/c, when the baby's finally born I will feel like I've been pregnant a whole year!

---

Suppose it always seems to go fast for people watching us pg! Thankfully were not all pg as long as elephants!! lol But alll worth the wait.. x

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by lobella2

Inglewood I teach 2nd grade so they are between 6-8. I can usually forget a lot about work once I get home, but I run around like mad at work trying to get everything done before I leave:) I usually don't take work home with me, but since I am breastfeeding I have to rush home to feed her so I may start bringing a little home:( I can't imagine your job either. It must be so stressful. My best friend is a neonatologist. She loves it, but has a hard time with the emotional side of it since having a baby.

---

That will be me soon, trying to feed, bath and bed the twins before leaving for my nightshift at 7pm-ish. Or I might have to leave Dh 4 kids to settle and run out the door till I get home at 0830am! I did plan to be a neonatal nurse/midwife, but was too young when I finished high school at 17 (u had had to be 18 to get into midwifery back then), so did my Adult nursing degree and planned to eventually be a midwife, but I became a mum earlier than I expected!! At least most of my patients are older, poorly babies would be mega tough to deal with. x

Wow I have missed a bunch! Sorry for being MIA for a while. I have been checking in as much as I remembered!:think: Things here are just as crazy as ever! Little Benjamin is 3months old now...and I really want him to stop growing up!! :sad: He is my last one and I want to keep him little forever!!
Other than that I have 2 weeks left before Ds1 starts High School and Ds2 starts Kindergarten....I AM NOT READY FOR THIS! I was thinking to myself the other day I better not imbarrass myself and cry the day Ds1 goes to high school! I already know I am doomed to at ds2 kindergarten day....and since they both fall on the same day....someone should just put me down! :bigsmile: My boys are growing up...I am not ready for all this. I will have ds3 and ds5 at home with me but still half my boys are just getting to big!

ah princesssarah, your DS1 is so big!! I understand that feeling....I cannot believe DS2 (who is only 15 months) is trying so hard to talk! What happened to my cuddly little baby who just stared at me with big blue eyes?

Princess, Hope the boys get on well with their new schools? are they excited?? My eldest has only 2years left at primary school (he is 10 in Nov) and then goes to high school, that will be a weird day! Ds2 is still kinna little and is only 5, so is going into primary 2, so still has 6 yrs including this one before he goes to high school. That will be an even weirder day, as that would mean ds1 was almost 16! The girls are 4mths and time is passing so quickly :( I can't believe almost 10yrs ago, I had my lovely baby boy, my first-born.

It is just plain crazy how fast our kids grow! I am just so sad about my kids growing up it is awful! I keep thinking what is wrong with me? Oh well....maybe I am still coming down off of those crazy pregnancy hormones!!

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by princesssarah34

It is just plain crazy how fast our kids grow! I am just so sad about my kids growing up it is awful! I keep thinking what is wrong with me? Oh well....maybe I am still coming down off of those crazy pregnancy hormones!!

---

ha princess--I feel the same way and i only have ONE kid. I am crazy but whenever a friend has a newborn, I miss that stage even though I am LOVING the stage he is in now. I don't even think I can blame it on hormones because he's 5.5 months old. LOL.

So we are starting solids this week---semi nervous! Here's to hoping it goes well!

Hope everyone else is doing well:)

Good luck alreadyneedivf! I must admit, I like how simple it is when they only need milk and am not looking forward to that - although perhaps Eliza can convince my boys to eat more vegetables!!

Tomorrow I go to the doctor for me and Eliza. I'm concerned about the shape of her skull. It kind of dents where the soft spot on the back of her head is and then there's a bulge underneath it and she also has a ridge sticking up from ear to ear. There's a condition babies can get where the bones fuse too early so I want to get her checked out but I really hope it's just a variation of normal!

I'm also going to speak to the doctor about my anxiety. I'm still feeling unbalanced/dizzy most days but I'm also still getting the odd rush of adrenalin to my head which I believe is anxiety related as it started in pregnancy after my DVT scare. I notice every single feeling in my body and get very irrational and convinced that they're symptoms of some terrible disease which will kill me and leave my children motherless. I know it sounds silly and I can talk myself down from it but that doesn't stop my sub concious having those thoughts and the anxiety is still there. I'm never sure whether the physical symptoms I get are caused by anxiety or something else - and then I worry that if I dismiss them as anxiety related I may miss a warning sign that I should have gone to the doctor for. So I suspect I'll be getting a referral to the men in white coats *sigh*. It's a big deal for me to admit this kind of thing to my doctor because I'm a 'coper' iykwim.

Wish us both luck!

Oh, Z - I didn't realise you were having such a rough time! I hope your anxiety goes away soon or the doctors can suggest something to help you. I'm sure Eliza's head is fine, though you're wise to get it checked out just in case :HH:.

Z--how many months is Eliza? About two or three months after having my son, I had SEVERE anxiety. So did most of my new mom friends. It was so bad, my best friend gave me Xanax to try. It worked like a charm, and then I got more from a doctor. I am glad you are going to a doctor, but def don't be scared to go to a therapist if they suggest one. I am all for seeing therapists and getting whatever help you can. good luck with that and her head--I am sure all is fine:)

She's 2 months old but this started during pregnancy. I've always been a worrier but the more children I've had the worse I've got and the DVT scare sent me overboard I think! Google has a lot to answer for because I can't help but look up every ache or pain I have and that usually gives me something to worry about that I wasn't worrying about before! Thanks for the well wishes.

Thanks too Mocha. Overall I'm ok and day to day I'm pretty happy. The boys send me batty some days but that's the nature of the job and I'm really, really enjoying Eliza who is a complete dream baby! I don't believe I'm depressed but the anxiety is often just under the surface.

Yikes, it's 20 to 12. Why am I still up?! I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Atomic's baby on FB. Her mum just posted a photo of her DH but no baby!!

Z good luck at your appointment. I will be thinking about you tomorrow. I hope everything goes well. Keep us posted.

We just got back from a dr appt for my son. He has an intestinal disease and he is very small for his age. His gastrointerologist was worried last visit about his growth. We have been stuffing him with food lately and he has gained 3 pounds. She was very happy. Now we don't have to worry about a feeding tube or growth hormone shots for right now. I just hope he continues to gain weight. It is tough because he doesn't like to eat, he is allergic to milk and eggs, he is a slow eater, and he is very picky. I get so tired of constantly telling him to eat. At least neither of my daughters have this condition. It is a struggle enough with one.

aw lobella--sorry to hear about your son but happy to hear he grew!

Hi all, Lobella, glad his appt went well?

Z, you sound like me so so so much right now!! DH keeps telling me to go to dr, but I'm scared to go then she'll remember me as the crazy woman with 4 kids!! Due back at work end next mth and no way can I go, so anxious and stressed and the thought of taking time off with SMP freaks me out, but not as much as my job right now! Still dizzy and act like a crazy person, snapping at my mum and dh sometimes when I shouldn't. Hasn't helped the twins being so restless, but they have slept all night the past few nights, so maybe more sleep will help??? Don't think I'm depressed, just super stressed!

I see that all the Mommies have been MIA! I don't feel so bad anymore!:bigsmile:
Well things in my house have been crazy times 10!! Aug. 22nd both DS1 and DS2 started school. DS1 High school freshman :nails: and DS2 Kindergarten. DS1 hates me every morning (totally normal for him) because well he has to be at the bus stop at 7am. And DS2 loves loves loves school so much that he cried this last wed. because he was sick and couldn't go! :sad:
DS3 had a very rough day when DS2 went to his first day of kindergarten. He was very lost without his big brother. DS5 is doing very well except he wants to be held all the time or at least someone talking to him 99% of the time! And I can't believe he will be 4 months in just a week or so...he needs to stop right where he is and never grow up!
And then I have been dealing with a child who is 14 DS1 and refusing to speak or see his real father who after 12yrs wants to be in his life (more than 1-2 times a year)all of a sudden! UGH....this is not turning out pretty at all so far....but oh well sometimes you have to fight for your kids voice to be heard! (especially when they have issues like ODD and Bipolar) SIGH
I will try to update my blog a lot more in the coming weeks....life just gets away from us all sometimes! Hope all you ladies are well and your little ones are too. :hugs:

just checking in to see how everyone is doing!

Princess--how are your children all doing? What happened with Ds1's father?

Inglewood--how are you doing with the twins? I hope you are feeling better with it all!!

Z--hope you are feeling better!!

What is everyone else up to? Hope everyone is well! We are getting ready for halloween here--well not really but I am planning it. We are hosting two parties so should be crazy. However, I LOVE LOVE LOVE halloween so I am very excited to finally have a kid that I can dress up:)

Hi! Sorry I've not been on for a while. I'm feeling much better. I went to the doctor and she felt that my anxiety would get better, that I was obviously quite grounded and that I was probably just reacting how Mother Nature intended for a pregnant lady/new mum and, sure enough, I feel much better already. I had some blood tests for my dizzyness but I realised a couple of days ago that that's much better too - and they never rang with the results of the blood tests anyhow. I should chase that up!

We're doing really well. The boys are back at school and we're getting in to a routine. I set the alarm at 6.30am an bring Eliza in to bed for a feed - neither of us wake up properly! I set a second alarm for 7am and get up but Eliza is often still sleeping, she really doesn't like early mornings bless her :D My DS2 made Eliza giggle yesterday for the first time, it was so sweet and I actually got it on film! She's turned really dribbly and sicks up a little throughout the day and she also sucks her fingers almost all the time. I wonder when she'll get her first tooth - DS1 was a year old but the others were around 5 or 6 months I think.

I haven't been on for awhile either. We have been really busy. We have all been back at school for about 6 weeks now. Soccer season has started. DS and DD1 are both playing so we have 2 practices a week and 2 games every Saturday. Lily is getting close to 5 months:( Just one more week away. She is doing well. Last week she decided she no longer wants anything to do with the pacifier so getting her to fall asleep for naps has been challenging. Of course nursing her works:), but I really don't want to have her stuck in that habit, especially since she is at daycare during the day. I am wondering if she will get a tooth soon. She has been sucking her hands for months and is ver drooly all the time. DS got his at 10 months and DD1 at 7 months, but we shall see.

For those of you moms that co-sleep for how long did you do this and how did you get them into their own room? With DS he was in a bassinett next to our bed for 3 months and then I moved him to his own room and bed. He cried a little each night for a couple of days and then was fine. With DD1 I slept in her room. We co-slept for a month and then I slept in a bed next to her crib until she was about 3 months. With Lily I am still co-sleeping with her. I have no desire yet to try to get her in her room, but I am worried that the longer I wait the harder it will be. She will be sharing a room with DD1.