April/May 2008 MOMS (all others are welcomed too)

[rebeccaj]

Just a quickie as nap time is almost over....WC, Mothercare is good, Mama's and Papa's is a nice store too and for clothes you can't beat Next. all have on line sites as well as stores.

Will try and find to write soon, x

[Mandy J]

Hi WC,

Here we do have a couple of stores, 'Mothercare' and 'Early Learning Centre'

Also some of the other big name stores have some wonderful baby clothes i.e.'Next' or 'Marks & Spencer's' also there is a store called 'Toys R Us' which also have another store which I think is called 'Babys R Us'.

I don't really know London that well, but I am sure they will have these stores within the vicinity.

Mandy
x

[Cocoa]

Hi Girls...

Sorry to be away so long... I am really feeling the pressures of the holidays. It is so important to me to be sure we celebrate the birth of Jesus that I get frustrated with all the nonsense but worst of all is my DH - he just does NOT get it and it hurts. My oldest has been so hurt by him for so many years and today I just couldn't hold it in any longer - for no reason in particular - and I cried buckets (still fell like doing more crying...). DH doesn't really go out of his way to se the babies OR our oldest and its because he's a coward - no other way to put it. If he had balls he woudl make sure his situation was settled and also NOT blame me for his not pushing the issue - he says I'm not nice to him!!! Darn right!!! I am really darn mad!!!! Enough...

I hope to decorate our beautiful live tree that has been up for two and a half weeks sometime this week... The babies are doing really well - the colds are gone and they are so heavy... They are starting to sleep right through to 4 or 5 in the morning so that helps a little. I still cannot believe they are mine to love and hold...

Anyway, I have read posts and Mandy - it sucks but accidents happen to the best of us and you need to let it go and keep forging forward. Our little ones will one day come to the conclusion that there is NO love like a mother's love...

I have been reading the old posts when were pregnant and so many of us are missing - CroElla for one... its weird reading those posts esp since Lisa and Michelle (sciteacher) were posting before their losses... BUT They are both preganant and doing well - they both had transabdominal cerclages - its a new technique. So maybe we will hear from them here some time - I am hoping...

Love to you all and I will post sooner than later... (oh, glad to hear from you carolina1girl1 - you Miley is a real cutie pie!!!)

xxxCocoa

[Vlada]

Hey girls,
It is soooo nice to hear from everybody. Cocoa, I am sorry you are feeling sad, it will pass, trust me. Life is so unpredictable and you have to believe that it will get better because it will. You will meet a wondeful man one day and it will all make sense, think of it that right now you are paying forward. I am not sure if it will help, but i just wanted to encourage you...
I am feeling a little bit down as well, i know that i shouldn't be complaining because half of you guys here have twins and i just have one baby, but for some reason i just feel anxious, bored, really wanting a change in my life... I am sure that it is partially my hormones and partially the fact that i am almost 24/7 with Tesa with no help. However, my Dad was just here and we all went to Hawaii and i just came back from Vegas where i celebrated my Bday with my friend, but i don't know how to explain it, it just that i am a very active person and the routine is killing me. It is not depression, i know that , more like unsatisfaction...
Anyone else feeling that way sometimes?
I am very thankful to have my baby, so i should probably stop complaining anyway.
Vlada

[woodcliff]

Vlada...I understand! I just told my sister that I'm...well, bored. It's not the babies...it's the routine, as you stated...I need to start doing something additional to raising them!

I hate, hate, hate the word bored. I'd get grounded when I was a kid if I told my mom I was bored (showed a lack of imagination)...but I think, at 8.5 months, it's time to move forward...

I do have help...I can't imagine not having help with the babies..I have no idea how the rest of you without help do it...I did it on my own for around 8 weeks and it drove me bonkers...but was fun, regardless (twisted)

Cocoa...tis a tough time of year, regardless of a person's personal situation...your hubby missed the boat long ago...don't start wishing for him to be someone he's not...you deserve better than that...just think, in a few months you'll be celebrating your lovies' 1st b-day!

BEST to you all

[Cocoa]

Hi Girls...

Well we draw ever closer to "C" day... I must say that time goes more and more quickly each passing year and I am at an age that I had thought to be "over the hill" when I was a youngster I don't feel old but sometimes I wonder when my knees started to ache or my hands got so... well, filled with character? lines...

Babies are GREAT and are crawling everywhere. Lillte boy has learned that if he drives ANYONE nuts enough with his screaming he may actually get his way.... I thought I had somewhat broken him of that but I don't know what goes on during his day with his caretaker...hmmm...

So do you girls read the other 2WWaiters? I do... I find myself routing for the ladies and when someone gets a BFN or experiences a loss I take it quite personally. It is so very sad I follow certain people of look up people I followed for a time to see how they are progressing. I love my babies and do NOT want more children but it is sad to know I will never again think "am I pregnant?" or decide "do I want another baby?" The most sad part though I think is that never in this lifetime will I experience the excitement about being pregnant with anyone. It did not happen with my older son because my DH was just not excited for us and it did not happen with this pregnancy because my DH didn't really want more kids and my family was just stunned. No real excitement... Its funny too because all I ever really wanted was a family. I didn't want to have this great paying professional job - I wanted a job of course but maybe part-time, and I wanted to be able to be here for my children when I chose. If I don't work I would lose everything... no one to count on really but me and God... God is sufficient but sometimes I get tired. I wonder what it would be like to share my difficulties and my struggles with someone who cared and had time for me... Anyway, just a tiny vent - all true really... I think a lot about being able to dedicate my life to being there for others and having that be a role model for my children. They will be soldiers for God no doubt - that is their purpose...my faith is that strong.

It was so cold today (and still is) that I needed several layers - that is a little unusual for this area. I bundled the babies in THREE layers... We are supposed to have rain Christmas Eve - wish it were snow...I love snow. I could live in Maine all year and LOVE IT!

So ladies - so this is Christmas and what have we done? Another year over and a new one begun... and so happy Christmas for old and for young... family is coming so a prayer has been answered - I hope its a nice one...

Love to you and a VERY bright and Merry Christmas!

xxxCocoa

[woodcliff]

Aw, Cocoa! I hear you...it's odd that we have images of how our lives will be, ie: "family oriented and loving partner" and then it turns out "career success, family oriented, estranged partner" .. it is life. Nothing is predictable, but at our age it seems that there is no 'fooling' ourselves and I think it makes things a bit tougher...meaning, the reality of it all.

I think you're amazing...and I think your excitement alone on your pregnancies is enough! People are so screwy sometimes...can't depend on them for happiness...

My son is the same lately, I think it's the crawling and new 'skills'...makes him a bit insecure and a bit more howling! He had calmed from that before...

Have adorable photos from the santa visits, cute Christmas outfits, etc.

No family coming here...I am not into Christmas this year other than our lovely outdoor trees (we got 3, 1 HUGE one and 2 little ones, decorated in white lights)...I did not shop. ANd will send New Year cards...only kids in my family got gifts...sure the inlaws will ***** about it. sigh.

love and happy holidays to all..xxoo
PS: happy no snow in the SE...hate the cold...it's why I no longer live in the North!

[carolina1girl1]

We made it through christmas!! Miley learned on christmas day to go from a crawling to sitting position. She does it all the time now. She sits up very well on her own, she is up on all fours but still going backwards. She still has no teeth. Somedays she is very fussy and i just know they are coming in but they never break through, can see the whites of both bottom teeth. Still spitting up like a fountain, doc says as long as she is gaining weight which she is. She is 25 inches long and 15.4 pounds. She might be short and chubby... humm. Say she will grow out of it, ( the spitting up) i hope soon!! I need to just get sheets and put them all over. She has been rolling over in her crib at night to her belly, only problem she likes to be face down that scares me. Any ideas? I guess I can't stop her from rolling over. I wake up all the time checking on her. She does not like walkers or jumper. She is a "on the go" girl. She has been laughing more and more at things around her like the dog barking and her big brother. He loves to make her laugh. Let me know about her sleeping, if she can't breathe that way she should know to move right? Boy that really makes me nervous though....

[Cocoa]

Hey Girls... How ya'll doin'? We had a wonderful Christmas. Family came Christmas eve and more family came Christmas day! It was a lot of fun and I had a lot of help with the two little ones. My dad is absolutely sure I favor baby boy but I don't think that's true. I absolutely the love the one I am holding but I love all THREE of my children just the same... how could you choose a favorite at 8 1/2 months anyway...

WC - yeah, I know... "life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans..." I could really use the help though so I am still hoping, wishing and praying... I wouldn't have it any other way than to have these two precious ones. They are so wonderful for my older son's self esteem - he's such a great and devoted big brother! The babies adore him too... Really though - my son is a natural and shows off his little siblings to his friends. The friends are impressed and its good for my son... I am so thankful to God to opening the right doors that these little ones could be here. God is truly the author and creator of life and if He feels it's time, then it's time. Of course we need our self will in the process too...

Carolina girl... it sounds as if Miley is really coming into her own! I am so very happy to hear of all her progress. She is quite the cutie pie too As for her being on her stomach while sleeping... I couldn't get either of my two to EVER sleep on their backs. They have slept on their bellys since day one. They are upstairs in their cribs, as I write this, on their bellys (is it bellies?). I have never fought their natural tendency to do so and I totally don't believe that any baby has EVER died because s/he slept on his/her belly. I am absolutely sure there were other factors involved. Well, be that as it may - if you are uncomfortable I would just point out that now, at the point now where Miley can roll over and sit up on her own, I would NOT worry about how she sleeps. She can certainly roll herself around if need be. I do know what you mean about not sleeping and checking in constantly though because I did that from the very beginning several times a night. NOW - I still wake up if THEY don't wake me up by 3am and I go in and check on them even though I can usually hear baby girl snoring through the monitor You have to do what makes you feel comfortable with her and NO ONE would ever think you were strange for doing so... if they did then they can go eat worms!

So, what are all you ladies up to for New Year's Eve? I usually stay home - don't like drunk drivers... My DH has a special duty that night so again we won't see him (he was here for Christmas and it was kinds nice actually). We will all be getting together New Year's Day though - with DH's siblings and nieces/nephew... That should be ok - if it happens - we are all still sorting out logistics...

So Kipatte and Vlada - you girls have traveled long distances with your babies huh? I don't think I could do that with twins. I have a hard time getting to church and sitting through the Mass for an hour. If I didn't have my son I doubt I would get there more than once a month Any of you girls with TWINS doing any long time/distance travel?

Babies are crawling, smiling with little two bottom teeth showing and I am feeding table food to little girl (real soft stuff) as she has learned the chewing action. She can eat bread and stick pretzels. They both ate the whipped sweet potatoes I made for Christmas dinner. Still have not given them oatmeal. I won't do that until they are a year old or more - just being cautious with grains. I know bread and pretzels are made from flour but its teeny tiny amounts as compared to the amount of cereal they eat.

ABOUT THE MMR vaccination - I found out that the manufactorers are not separating these vaccines anymore and that you can only get them in combo... well, I am NOT doing the combo - not at 15 months anyway... I am VERY upset and truly thinking about doing an exemption. I have not and will not do the flu vaccine. As the doctor said (and I already knew) the vaccine is from LAST YEAR'S flu and the flu mutates several times during one seasonal outbreak anyway and this vaccine does NOT guarantee any type of immunity - I will NOT introduce something foreign into my babies bodies that won't do them any good. And if anyone actually believes that it would keep the flu from "being as bad as it might have been..." if one gets it after being vaccinated - that's not true either. Doctors KNOW this but they won't tell you unless you ask and I DID... Just thought you might like to know...

Well, gotta get some sleep since the babies are asleep already for over an hour (plus)... They will probably wake up between 3 and 4 for a bottle...

Love you all...

xxxCocoa

[woodcliff]

Cocoa...sounds busy...but great! I don't know about you, but I doubt you 'favor' your son...my son is just more in need of comfort than my daughter, who is just so lucky to be so self sufficient!

Perhaps that's what your father is witnessing?

Quickie on the vaccines: The pharm cos are slow on separating the vaccines so you can do them one, or 2, at a time...I'm going to go ahead and give the final vaccines once my babies turn one year. I don't believe there is any scientific evidence against this...just anecdotal. Good enough for me.

I also got my babies the flu shots (2 shots, one month apart)..they are not worse for the wear.
Just be careful reading about vaccines, it's mostly hysterical women writing about shit that doesn't have any scientific evidence to back it up...it's better to vaccinate than not to. I am a firm believer.

good luck

[Vlada]

HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
LOVE TO ALL,
VLADA

[Cocoa]

yes ladies...HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

WELL...we were all pregnant in 2007 and 2008 and now each year has come to an end... NOW... we are looking at FIRST birthday parties!!! Don't know what we'll do here or how but been thinking about it... its coming soon!

Love to you all and Carolina1girl1 - forgot to say... the reflux does get better but it takes MONTHS! My little girl started at 3 months and now at just about 9 months throws up from time to time still... and it can be really yucky... I have used zantac for months but not on top of it as much now so I get the pukey smell at times... whew... can't wait until its completely over...

Love you all!

xxxCocoa and family!

[Mandy J]

Happy New Year to you all, of course all our American neighbours aren't there yet so hope you will have a good time too.

We had a great time, went to a neighbours and set fireworks off, which woke Ellie up crying but she was fascinated by them too.

Anyway, I'm just having a 10 minute quiet period before I go back to the party.

Happy 2009!!!!!

Mandy
x

[Cocoa]

Hi Ladies!!!

Hope you all had a happy and healthy new year as did Mandy... Hey Mandy! Thanks for thinking of us during your 10 minute respite I am sure I was quite in the middle of watching very active twins at the time you were celebrating and writing to us...

My new year was uneventful AGAIN! It was the 5th new year I spent without my DH but I doubt he cares about us over here. I have been getting quite cynical as of late and I am really pissed about all the crap. My resolution is to - NOT HELP EVERYONE WHO ASKS! I help people who act like they are my friend but in the end I get treated like crap. Its my own fault so I am giving it (being there for others) up this year to take care of me and my family. I refuse to be angry with people who don't matter to me anymore. This will be a year of new beginnings...

So Michelle is 28+ weeks pregnant which measn that Lisa is 24+ weeks pregnant. I am so excited for each of them. Michelle is having a boy (she lost a girl last year remember?) but I do not know what Lisa is having. I hope we hear from them soon...

Anyway, I look forward to hearing from each of you soon...

xxxCocoa

[Mandy J]

Hi Girls,

My laptop totally crashed on me...OMG! Did I backup....no of course not!!!! My only relief was that a few days before Christmas I had copied all of Ellies photos onto a CD so that I could get them processed as gifts for family.....anything else would be a pain in the neck to redo but was not the end of the world, but I would have been totally p*$£*d to have lost those photos.

So I lost my accounts, all the wage details for my staff, all our advertising material...brochures/leaflets/web site design etc which all had taken a long time to set up.

Anyway, relief relief....I took it into a shop who have managed to restore all of my data...that was a stressful few days. SO now I have a nice new laptop and have to gradually transfer all the data and programs onto this one.....PLease girls...learn from my mistake....BACKUP!!!!!!!

Mandy
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