March to May 2010 Mommies

Elams mom, I've heard some bad things about walking rings. Someone gave us one for Emily. She was getting really frustrated at being immobile before she started crawling (she was one of the last babies in the entire group to start crawling) and one day I popped her in the walking ring out of pure desperation and she loved it! Scooted up and down with this manic look on her face. So we did use it but only for a few minutes at a time and not every day.

I'm still not convinced that those were true first steps though. Isn't the average for walking something like 14 or 15 months? Climbing is, in my opinion, far more advanced than walking They use lots of coordination and muscles to do that!! She's probably just a little nervous (maybe feeling insecure also has something to do with the sleeping - just thought about that now). Emily still won't let go of the couch, table, wall, whatever, and still won't walk just holding onto one hand.

I hear you on it sucking being a working mom. But unfortunately such is the nature of our society. At least you can afford to feed her, clothe her, and educate her, and you have provided her with care while you are at work. "It takes a village to raise a child" - remember that. Times have changed - we no longer live in extended-family set-ups; many of our parents live far away. It's sad but there are also advantages. This way you are stimulated and happy too, and a happy mom = a happy baby.

Hi ladies

I'm so jealous of all the walking!!! Elam doesn't walk at all!!! She still loves her crawling(she crawls so fast, I'm sure she'd win the F1 of crawling ) And walking along whilst holding onto tables, sofa etc. What she does LOOOVE to do tho is to climb onto and off the sofa!!! That's her favourite activity! She climbs on and as soon as she's on, climbs back down again and then on again and then off again... Don't get what she finds so ammusing???

DH thinks we slowed down her progression to walking by buying her a walking ring...anyone else use a walking ring???

After we decided to stop using the walking ring and train her to walk by holding her hand and letting her walk by herself, initially she could barely stand on her own. it was like her legs were jelly!!!then she did this very awkward sideways walk but over time, she's got much better. still very unsteady though, but better. I am not hopeful on the walking anytime soon...

@Scribblingal, when they 1st start walking, it usually is like a funny half-walk,half-run as they fall into your arms...my aunt's baby did exactly what u described, & she did it on her tippy-toes for some odd reason

Some ppl have suggested that interaction with other kids also helps speed up a baby's progress, so signed Elam up for Moms&Tots from 1st Thursday in May...looking fwd to it. will see how it goes. I'm gonna go to the 1st one to see what it's like & if I like it, then she'll have to go with her nanny afterwards cos it's at 2:30pm & I'm at work at that time! Sometimes being a working mom really sucks!

Elams mom, Emily's also gone through a bit of a rough patch, where she just wants Mommy to pick her up all the time (only when we're alone though!!) and waking up at 4am. I was thinking that maybe it's a growth spurt, or teeth, or maybe at this age they go through a bit of an insecure phase...???

We did sleep training a few months ago during the day as we started rocking her again when she was niggly (not at night though - she went down like a shot), and things went ok, but then she started performing and putting on a real show when it was nap time, so I thought she needed to be cut down to two naps a day - and the change in routine threw he (or so I thought), so we started rocking her again, and a week or two ago I decided enough's enough - I just don't have the strength to lug around 10kg of Madam till she decided to sleep, so we stopped rocking her and it's been a bit difficult but we're getting there slowly.

Beansmom, Tayla and Emily seem to be doing the same sort of things developmentally. Emily also seems to think she's some sort of So You Think You Can Dance contestant. She's started doing this breakdance thing, where she sits on her bum and turns with her feet in the air and goes round in circles. Thinks she's hilarious.

Jacadebra, good news about the schools. It's a big adjustment for the whole family, and it may take a few weeks to settle in. But once you're all into it you're going to wonder how it ever was anything else. Can't believe you have to pay R30 a day for parking. If you'd known that, you could have negotiated it into your contract - something to remember when they make you permanent, which they will!

You ladies are all so organised for the parties. We didn't have a party, but we did celebrate. I made little party hats, and we made a special lunch (on Sunday) - Madam had her first chicken drumstick - and I made a cake! I attempted to make a healthy pumpkin, apple and banana thing. Needless to say that without a proper recipe and without eggs the thing flopped. It just wouldn't cook - was in the oven for about two or three hours. In the end the outside was starting to burn and the inside was still raw! So I made my failsafe chocolate cake. It's a vegan recipe and works like a charm - not even I can make this cake flop. I put less sugar in and "iced" it with cream. I tried to make it look like the bunny in Emily's favourite book. It wasn't quite the dream cake I had in mind, but hell, at least she had a flipping cake. There was a point where I started to get quite panicky - because I really wanted a photo of her with a damn cake!

The other news I have is that Madam took three steps yesterday. I'm not sure if they really were her first steps, as I suspect it may have been fluke - the nanny was holding her hands and I went down on my haunches and called her and she "ran" into my arms. We tried to do it again 5 minutes later when Mark came home and she was doing it - but it was more like lurching herself into our arms, not exactly a graceful stroll.

Anyway, I'd better get back to work. Hope everyone's little ones are champion sleepers for the rest of the week. If anyone gets it right, you'd better share your secret!!

Hi ladies

Just wanted to ask if any of you've notived your LO's change a bit in the past few months? My LG used to NEVER cry unless absolutely necessary. she used to be a happy, smily baby who just went about her own business happily.NOW!!! She's a completely changed baby! She cries A LOT. She's always niggly and like on the brink of tears. She also used to hate being picked up and always wanted to be on her own on the floor doing her won thing. Now, she won't let you put her down!!! She lifts her legs so you can't put her in a standing position and she cries!!! She's also become very clingy. If u are carrying her, she'll rest her head on your shoulder and hold on yo tightly! I've found myself having to rock her like a tiny newborn baby lately which hasn't happened since she was about 5 months old!

On Saturday night, for the 1st time also since she was about 5 months old, she woke up at about 2 am balling her eyes out!!! Like REALLY crying hard and loud??? I had to cradle her and rock her back to sleep!!! This is a baby who's been sleeping thru since about 5 months old! (well, she does wake up ocasionally but reaches for her own bottle in her cot and falls back to sleep on her own so we don't actually have to get up)

I just don't get it!!!

Anyone had a similar experience?

Hi ladies,

Pinky love the invite... I just sent out sms's soooo lazy, and it was only close friends and family. We are doing a teletubbie theme though. Her fav program we let her watch. well done on the walking!

Scribblingal She is one years next month the 5th, and its more of a "nah" with finger pointing and head shaking. We must really limit our no's lol

Babyshoes sorry man, i let Clair fall asleep next to me in our bed, she hates the cot then sneak her in. It only takes her a few mins of settling and she is out. (we also had to break the habit of rocking) but staying asleep is another story! even when we co sleep, and thats 99% of the time she will wake up numerous times! Hope it gets better, Its just so hard to hear them cry, guess thats why ive never pushed the issue with the cot, but will one day have to as im being pushed out of bed at night while she takes up my side.

Well we have a molar tooth that popped out! she has been teething on and off for a few months again, but never seen anything but there it was! sure soon to follow as she has been off food this week!

Anywhoo take care ladies and have a good evening!

Hi ladies

Super busy at the moment so just popped in to catch up.

Pinky, great invite. Did u make it y'self?

We were going to have E's party on 23rd April but so many ppl away for Easter break and all so now postponed to end May...but it's gonna be so cold then! Not sure what to do...

No walking yet, 4 toothies and suddenly a lot of tears? Is it just a phase she's going thru? I hope so!!!

Ok, chat later.

Good morning mommies

I have been having problems with Luke getting to sleep at night for a while now (he wants to be rocked to sleep - this pattern was broken but about 2 months ago it started again (thanks to my Ouma who started it again just before moving back to JHB))...

This weekend I decided enough was enough and when it is time for bed, I take him to the room, put him in his cot, he will drink his bottle... but lo and behold... when that bottle is finished he starts screaming blue murder - I refuse to rock him to sleep.

My mom and my cousin said to me it will take a week of throwing tantrums like this and he will realise it will not get him anywhere...

I leave him to scream and eventually after an hour or so he will give up and go sleep! Is this wrong of me? Am I being unfair? Taking into consideration that he is almost a year old.

Pinky - I love the invite it is soooo cute!

Let me get back to work!

x