March to May 2010 Mommies

Beansmom, nice to know there's somebody in exactly the same position, housewise. on the one hand I can't wait to move, but on the other hand I'm so torn! Oh well, we'll see what happens. If we get really crappy offers maybe we'll have to rethink things.

Desiree, I am still traumatised. But I think a lot of it had to do with the post-natal depression (Pinky you can see you're not alone! I think there are a few of us who understand exactly what you're going through).

Des, you are so lucky to not have had to make a decision as to whether or not you want another child. Part of me desperately wants a second chance - to be able to do all the things I couldn't get right with Emily; to feel that amazing rush of love you're supposed to feel when you see your little one for the first time; to post "I'm so happy" and "It's great being a mom" Facebook statuses. Part of me is so scared I'll land up screwing up another child. And part of me is scared that maybe i'm not cut out for this mothering thing. At least you're in the position where you don't have to overthink things - it's just happened so naturally and so easily you just know it's the way things are supposed to be. It's a chance to start over, to do things the way you would have done them if you could have Connor all over again. It's so exciting.

Pinky, if you want to get together over a bottle of vino before you take that big second step and contemplate our PND woes just let me know. I'm definitely keen for the orphanage and a playdate. Let me just make some headway on this research and we can set a date. The house is only going on the market next week or so, and we might not get any offers, who knows - could still be around for a while. And we haven't found another place to stay yet either.

Your change in direction is so cool. I've always thought of you as a teacher for some reason. You and Bronz are kind of in the same place. What ages are you looking at teaching?

I'm also keen for a get together. Maybe we can start throwing out some dates?

@Pinky - I do Maternity UIF claims, as well as baby goods (the sweet dreamz button on the home page of moomie is me:) )

@ Desiree - The Daycare is fabulous! It was suggested to me by Julz and even though they charge an arm and a leg, and then some... it is my little pride and joy... so we closed our eyes and coughed up. They are very organised there and she seems to enjoy it. They even managed to get her to the sleep there... so I'm super impressed. It breaks my heart when she doesn't want to let go of me some mornings and cries her heart out... but Verna has assured me that the crying only lasts until she sees her breakfast on the counter... LOL!!!!
Discovery does sound brilliant - the only reason we didn't go there now is because they only take from 18 months... and Tayla was only 13 months at the time. So Paddingtons is perfect for now - we'll rethink things in the new year.

@Scribblingal... How Bizarre... We are currently tidying up and chucking out to put our house on the market! We've had the evaluations and all done already - now just to get it Sale House friendly. And I share the very same sentiments as you... as soon as I begin to think about moving I get all emotional. It was our first house too... and we moved in here and trashed the place and basically put our stamp on it... and did most of the hard labour ourselves... we even lived like bergies for a month with the only running water in the house being the toilet and the ourside tap... The more I look around - the more memories I see and find it very hard to "let go"! But we are in the same predicament as you - we need more space... we are bursting at the seems here and we've been told we are bordering on over capatilising already... So I just need to deal with the fact that we will make more memories in the new house!!!

Anyhoo - let me get going... got deliveries to go and do and orders to get onto...

Have an awesome winter solstice everyone... and speak soon!

oh bloody hell!!!! I was in the middle of a LONG LONG LONG LONG post and it disappeared on me........grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr....and I had replied to everyone personally too!!!

time to start over.....*sigh*

@Babyshoes - your little man is very cute - the pics are full of such personality, keep them coming!!

@Beansmom - how is the new daycare? glad that Tayla is back into her sleeping patterns again!! I've been looking for new Daycare for Connor for Jan 2012.....I've been to Discovery, and liked what I saw...so, will probs be sending him there next year.

@Adri - 12 Teeth? CONGRATS....and holy cow!!!!!! the teething must be a nightmare ??? her smile must be looking cute though.... Connor has about 8 or 9 teeth now....4 of them being molars.....blegh!!!!!

@Scribbling - I had a good giggle now when I read that you and Mark were still too "traumatised" to try again...he e he he....you do realise that I am still trauamatised now too........eeeeeeeeek...what a bloody position I find myself in hey??????

@Pinky - *HUGS* well done for tackling the PND head on and getting on the meds, very glad you're feeling better!! I had PND after Connor, so I can relate to how you were feeling!! its good that you share this as well, it helps to take the load of yourself!!!! well done mommy!!!! I hope that your little munchkin will be feeling herself soon again too....its not nice with the kiddies are sick!!!

Ok ladies...here is my preggy AND Connor update:

I am now 29 weeks along, and the 3rd trimester has brought along with it the aches/pains....the tiredness....the feeling like an elephantness...he he he....its all hapenning now! My c-sec will be scheduled for 5 September. I've seen a breastfeeding specialist, who is sure that this time we will get things right.....so, I'm hoping for the best there. I have about 10 weeks or so to go before the new baby comes along...we have decided to call him "Cullen Reece de Goede".....gosh, how surreal that I am talking baby names with you all!! you do realise that I am going to be right back at the start again...and you will have to listen to my moans and groans...lol - be prepared for all the ADVICE REQUESTS!! lol

Ladies...glad to see so many posts here....I missed this thread, we've been through ALOT!!

Take care...
Des

Hi everyone!!!

Sorry for being so incredibly quiet!! Our household is HECTIC!!!

First of all Karla is teething... or it seems that way... then to top it off... last week she had bronchitis and this week it is tonsillitis... NOT FUN AT ALL!!! She has been miserable for the past few weeks and even when she had bronchitis didn't even show an signs of fever, but on Sunday afternoon... oh boy... the fever struck, badly!! Took her to the dr this morning (for the 2nd time this week)... and it is tonsillitis!!!! Our poor child... she is struggling so much and now have to take so much antibiotics etc....

This was just the past 2 weeks... I have been going through a very rough patch... developed VERY LATE post-natal depression... also not fun at all... the therapist said I most probably already had it about last year, but was just ignoring it and went on and on and until my body and everything couldn't handle it anymore... luckily I realised it otherwise I would've had a breakdown or something... Had a long thought about telling you guys, but decided you are also my friends and we've all been through so much together that I might as well... (Sorry to be so negative with my first post in a LOOOOOONG time!!)

Enough with the moaning...
Now I am all better... the meds is working well, so all happy again...

Beansmom... great on the business that is going so well... if you don't mind me asking... maybe I forgot or never really read that post, but what type of business is it? ( sorry...)

Adri, I think you must go for it... if it is possible though... I am also deciding on something at the moment, I need a change. I am done with my 3rd year Social Work, but to do my 4th year will still take 2 full years of practicals without a salary of any kind, and Karla will have to go to daycare, and we have no money for that at the moment... So I decided to do my PGCE (Post graduate certificate in education) next year, all I need is 2 afrikaans subjects and 1 english... I will do foundation phase and try to get into a school while I am finishing next year... so hopefully that will work out for me. I am very excited about this new change and to become a teacher in the next year and a half!!!

We actually thought of starting with the 2nd babes when Karla is 18 months, but still don't really know... this means in less than 4 months we should start!!! EEEEEEKKKKKKK!!!! Getting scared...

ScribblingAl - you're so close to us now... we will have to do a playdate before you move or sell the house or whatever... and go to the orphanage... I saw the lady from the orphanage today!!!

Karla started her morning bottle on Nido when she was 12 months and evening still on Nan 3, now she has both on Nido... she eats very badly, so I decided not to give her cow's milk but rather something that still gives her some extra nutrition... Sometimes when she doesn't eat in the afternoon I will give her an extra bottle...

Well ladies, I am going to lie in my prepared bubble bath and just relax!!!

Have a good evening!

P.S. We MUST organise a get together again... even if the men comes with!!!

Adri, I think from one year they can have cow's milk. I give Emily soya milk in her porridge and tea (but for the last two days I've been putting in that 1 - 3 year formula so she gets used to it - sneaky sneaky), but that's only because I don't drink cow's milk and so soya's usually what we have in the house. If she's fine on it then she's obviously lactose tolerant, and that's usually the reason why they shouldn't have it before.

Baby no. 2 = things getting easier? I have no comment on this. Our factory is shut. We are still too traumatised to even go there.

We're looking at moving because our life is basically in Joburg - our social life is there, and so is my mother-in-law, and my offices are in Auckland Park (not that it makes too much difference as I only go in once a week) - but the big reason is because we have no space! I work in a part of the lounge, and I'd like my own office so I can close the door if I need to, and we need a guest room as at the moment my parents have to camp out in the lounge if they stay over. Very classy. And we'd over-capitalise if we extended our house any more, so we just figured it would be better to move. Going to be very sad to leave our little home as there are so many memories here - it was our first house, we have trees that friends gave us that are getting so nice and big, Mark proposed here, my waters broke here... ag now Im getting all emotional.

Yup, I've been giving her more milk. Thanks, it's actually nice to hear that if they don't eat one day they'll make it up the next. But it still feels a bit like failing when your child is not eating...

If I do my masters it will be part time. I work full time, as in I won't be able to work any other ours except 8-5 if I stay at my current job (which is not too bad and pays reasonably well). I don't know, maybe it's not a good idea at the moment. Maybe I need to wait to after baby nr 2. Then things get easier don't they?

Why are you selling, are you planning to move away?

Good luck with the formula, will be holding thumbs! I don't know if I'm doing the right thing, but Kara get a cow's milk bottle now everyday instead of one of her formula bottles. She doesn't mind, I just hope she gets everything she needs.

@Beansmom - Yay, good to know that your business is picking up! One day when I'm big I also want to start my own thing.

Beansmom, sounds like business is booming!! Next thing you know you'll be hiring people to make the orders - and opening a branch in Jozi. Then you can hire me and I can quit my cr@ppy job ;) Emily finally slept through last night. Yeehah. Couldn't quite believe it when we heard her and realised it was already 7am.

Adri, Em's also teething. Seems to be an ongoing thing now. Hopefully they'll be out sooner rather than later. If she doesn't eat, can you up her milk intake? As long as she's getting enough food on other days - I read somewhere that you should tally up their weekly intake, not their daily intake because some days they don't eat anything and some days they feast. It's supposed to be perfectly normal.

If you do sign up for masters will you do it part time? If so, here's my advice: Don't sign up for more work - try cut down, if possible, maybe even try work fewer days because one full day equals a lot of research time; don't think you're going to hit the deadline first time; don't underestimate the amount of work; and most importantly, don't have a baby!!!! Ha ha.

I managed to get nothing done all week - we're putting our house on the market and the agents came to take photos this morning, so we had to get rid of a lot of clutter, especially baby paraphernalia that we don't use any more. Mission impossible, but it's done as well as it's going to be done.

Trying to change Emily onto the formula for 1 - 3 years. It's not going very well. She's onto us, and refuses anything other than Nan Ha - still the 6 - 12 months stuff. But today the nanny got her to drink a diluted bottle of the 1 - 3 years stuff, so I'm holding thumbs (and my wallet) that we've conned her into drinking it.