ILX Parenting 3: Back In (Potty) Training

Look at Alice, too cute! Meg, I hope Howie's feeling better. A baby on my online birth club got bronchiolitis, scary stuff. I hadn't even heard of it before then.

Nath, hope you aren't suffering too much with your two having colds, hope they get better soon.

I'm incensed with IKEA at the minute. We got a second hand IKEA cot via Pam and i went to buy a new mattress on monday. Well apparently they've changed cot sizes, but they claim that if you take the old cot and buy a new mattress they will replace the cot. I thought I'd give it a try, but the customer service women I 'spoke' to on their chat service says that because the cot is two years old they won't replace it! I'm sorry, but how many people will be reusing the cot for child no.2 much less than two years after they bought the cot? I know I was a bit cheeky trying it on as I hadn't bought the cot in the first place, but for anyone who did actually buy a cot was was hoping to use it again it would be rather annoying.

I did think we could just shove the mattress in, as it's just a wee bit too big, and we did do just that, but it's weakened one end of the cot which collapsed this morning at 7am with Aidan in it, whoops.... He was fine, just got dropped over to one side a wee bit. guess I'd better get the wood glue out for a patch up job and go buy a new cot for long term.

I've finally decided which washable nappies I want to use, after trying out various makes, and waiting until he's not soiling every single nappy! We're going for bum genius 2.0 which should fit him for a very long time. I've got two and have been very impressed. I was using terries when I was visiting my parents, and it was easier than I expected but the bum genius are even easier and definitely less bulky. They're about the same price in dollars in the US as they are in pounds in the uk, so I'm going to buy them over there and get my sister to ship them over. Archel, are you still using washables?

My boy is starting to look very grown up, scary stuff!

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2268/1973592681_73fe884a01.jpg?v=0

that is totally annoying news about the ikea size switcharoo - a couple of days ago after some spectacular milk spillage in lulu's cot (ex-ava's) I was thinking it was time to buy a new mattress, but I guess I won't be doing that now. vicky, it's probably not worth the hassle but I wonder if you schlepped it in there in person if the people at customer services wouldn't know the diff or would take one look at handsome aidan and have mercy on a hassled mum and do the exchange anyway?

I do hope this series of alice with fruits and veg is going to continue!

Wow Vick, Aidan REALLY looks like Chris in that picture, but a lot like you as well, somehow.

We were still using washables (Little Lamb then Motherease donated in bulk by a friend) until a couple of months ago but we moved and no longer have a washing machine... I have never heard of bum genius but I didn't find using washables much hassle - until it came to going out for long periods when we always used disposables I must admit. And it is annoying the way that most baby clothes are made to be worn with disposables.

So Liesje has a cold which is no: Not only does it make breastfeeding tricky - if I don't put her up for half an hour to an hour (yes, inc nights), she sometimes vomits. Also sleeping is very difficult. As a result I am now resigned to playing scrabble for half an hour or more during the night. Today I have a rather "interesting" headache. Harumph.

Ophelia is with her grandparents. We noticed she was a bit tired again before leaving and seemed a bit lethargic. And *hurray* she had a little fever last night. If it's an ear infection again they'll have to *pop* in a tube in the hospital. Harumph times two.

Breastfeeding is much easier, but damn my breasts love to produce milk. Especially right side. I sometimes push a bit out because it's too painful. As a result I can't give Liesje more than ten minutes milk cause otherwise it's overflow.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2230/2037006569_576a3fe111.jpg

Wow, seconded on how much Aidan looks like Chris! Alice is also the spit of her dad, but I've said that before. Lulu appears to be the third member of ILX-babies-who-look-like-their-dads-that-I-know

(OK, fourth, as Megan looks totally like Onimo as well)

Lulu appears to be the third member of ILX-babies-who-look-like-their-dads-that-I-know

Really? We think it's scary how much she looks like Pam's dad and brother (and, indeed, Pam's brother's kids). Not that you'd know what they look like but I can't see much Jones in there.

No, I definitely see a resemblence, at least in the picture up there of her hanging onto a chair/sofa. As you said, not being acquainted with the wider family, I only have you and Pam to go on, but I definitely see a good bit of you in her.

It's the being-dwarfed-by-furniture thing, isn't it?

haha, no.

'Alice posing with amusingly large fruits and vegetables'

And doesn't she look like she loves her fruit and veg!?
We had a couple of HUGE parsnips in the vegi-box this week they would have been perfect for this series.

Here is The Boy posing with a musket(?) - I'm not sure what it is actually. It wasn't loaded though.
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2301/1732473031_e58f8451b3.jpg

Hahah, you know what that shot makes me think of...

http://www.bradleysalmanac.com/pictures/aug-2004/delaware.jpg

Yeah, his hair is exactly like that!
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/nedtrifle/1875074016/"; title="Who ate all the pies? by Ned Trifle, on Flickr"><img src="http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/1875074016_2a28079c59.jpg"; width="375" height="500" alt="Who ate all the pies?" /></a>

Ooops...
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/1875074016_2a28079c59.jpg

Shouldn't you be leading him by the ear to a barber's?

With a musket in his hand?

He just needs to find some late 80s shoegazing type band to join.

An actual dirty dronerock boy, who knew?

And he's getting an electric guitar for christmas! (or so he hopes - ha!)

http://www.photobox.co.uk/album/album_fullsize.html?c_photo=113336413

Still a smiler even in hospital...

Goddammit, why can't I link to images using the tags below?

http://img104.imageshack.us/img104/2883/hospitalwv5.jpg

awwwww....howie! get better!

Poor little lamb, hope he bounces back soon

Has he improved since he has been home, Meg?

He is still a big coughy snotball, and veers between being reasonably chirpy, and rather sorry for himself. He has just been put to bed early without a bath after vomming up an entire feed during a coughing fit.

I know he's not himself because for the last few days he has just sat still on my lap all day and not even attempted to wriggle off -- if I put him on the floor, sitting or on his tummy, he just coughs and wails. As I've been stuck to the sofa with him for all this time, my 'no TV until he's three' rule has gone out of the window since I discovered that In The Night Garden has a strangely calming effect on him.

Hahahaha Jean Kerr knew about this, in 1957 she said "The thing about having a baby -- and I can't be the first person to have noticed this -- is that thereafter, you have it, and it's years before you can distract it from any elemental needs by saying "Oh for heaven's sake, go look at the television."

Oliver -- this afternoon in Washington Square Park..

http://vassifer.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/18/img_6728_5.jpg

We took Liesje to the emergency after I *diagnosed* her with thrush. She's actually better now. Thrush has gone away for the most part and the cold is also almost gone. OPhelia's back from her grandparents and seems a bit *off*: she seems tired and ready to be sick AGAIN. :-( Hopefully no cold because Liesje might have it again and I really don't want that (as it doesn't help in keeping milk down). :-(

Also, that jacket is so cool, Alex!

Ain't it? Thanks. We just got it.

the boy and his Mummy:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/2050587545_a16b1964a3.jpg

Self as scourge of the strollerphobes.....with still-spoon-brandishing Oliver.

http://photos-d.ak.facebook.com/photos-ak-sf2p/v159/213/42/619069358/n619069358_451023_4568.jpg

That sure looks like a cosy stroller.

beeps becomes more and more fun everyday and she was fun to begin with! well, maybe not so much the first 3 or 4 weeks (ha).

i <3 this kid!

http://img444.imageshack.us/img444/6044/beepsatstarliteagainqx0.jpg

Aw.

Oh Sunny, she's so cute. I want to kiss her little cheeks! So sweet. Damn - it's official, I totally want a kid. Sadly, it won't happen for another three years so I'll just ooh and aah over yours until then.

I forgot to post pictures of the boys' first birthday party...

Eating their cupcakes. Note the difference in styles (Ben on right):
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2284/1958820339_c74620fa0a.jpg

Playing with their loot:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2361/1959421640_6d7bfa99eb.jpg

it won't happen for another three years

Talk about long-term planning!

(Besides, ENBB, you have to remember they eventually become snotty teenagers who trash your car and say you don't understand them, and mope in their room listening to Morrissey CDs...that they stole from you.)

And then a few from Thanksgiving, paying with their aunt:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2251/2055188115_1b7d8b4943.jpg

Peekaboo!
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2363/2055974196_5e3f045e51.jpg

Owen looks on happily:
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2263/2055969100_5904426fbe.jpg

x-post I meant at least another three years, ha - and yeah, I know it's not all cuteness and light but damn, ILXORs make some cute kids!

I don't remember any of this. (2xpost)

I don't either. My sister apparently made up for it.

Well, god damn it, now I know how Liesje got thrush: I have thrush as well. No fucking fun.

Oh man. Get well soon, all of you. What a horrible situation.

Yeah, it suxors. :-( But I'm sure we'll survive. :-) It's just minor bumps really. :-)

http://vassifer.blogs.com/photos/uncategorized/2007/11/24/oiver_2.jpeg

Ugh. The Thanksgiving holiday knocked everyone off their routines. Neither Charlotte nor Oliver were happy/comfortable sleeping at my Mom's place (waking up crying many times in the middle of the night, which means we had to take them in with us -- which means <i>no one</i> gets to sleep), and they're now frustratingly back to waking up at 6 am.

does this count as abuse?
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2098/1904750977_2729caa52b_m.jpg

sucking monkey brains
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2277/1950783762_58007ad485_m.jpg

old films be borin
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2141/1793625037_bbc6648095_m.jpg

Too much antiquated pop culture for that poor kid.