[goob07]

I just spoke to Mirka and she wanted me to tell everyone hello for her.

She told me that he DH is home but he's in a lot of pain and is understandably very upset. They removed both his tonsils and said that they were unable to get the entire tumor. I think she said that it has started to spread to the lymph nodes and that doctor felt that it had spread quite a bit since he last saw him about 3 weeks ago. Once Mirka's DH has recovered from yesterday's surgery, they'll arrange for chemo and radiation. Hopefully as early as next week.

She did say that her parents have been very helpful and she knows we're all thinking of her and sending our prayers.

Keep sending all the positive energy and powerful praryers you can her way. She and her family really need it right now.

[MaggieMay75]

Mirka -- I am so sorry to hear about DH's surgery and the challenging upcoming weeks ahead. Know that we are all with you and are hoping that your birthday wish comes true too. Just like we've all been together for our happiest times like seeing the + sign on the HPT and sharing the arrival of our sweet babies, we are all together with you during this difficult time. Life is just unfair sometimes and I am so sorry that it is being unfair to you, our sweet, funny Mirka.

I'm happy that your parents are there to help you and that Gregor is being a good boy for his mama.

Love you lots!

MM

[gmk]

Thanks for the advice Maggie, Peach, and Catherine. We had a follow up appt this morning and she isn't gaining weight as she should. So I have to give her breastmilk from a bottle after trying to nurse her. It's so hard!!! Please tell me things get easier! I am just trying to keep my head above water right now!

Thinking of you Mirka and your dh!

[AviatrixRN]

Mirka..I am so sorry you and dh are going through this..You are in my prayers!

[maybebaby]

Mirka- I am so sorry to hear about Dh You will both be in my thought and prayers I hope he will be better soon

Thanks for the update Ronni

Maggie-I’m glad the formula worked on josh’s cradle cap. 7 hours! Wow!! I will definitely look forward to week 6

Boston- Wow! I’m glad you’re ok after your hospital episode-sounds like you had a good day out and it seems like Julia is doing better! I have the Breat friend too! I’m going to look at the label to see if its misspelled LOL

Peachy- good luck with the house!! I hope it sells!!

MM- I feel the same way, like I need to entertain Lauren more… I read her book and play with the squeaky toys but it never seems adequate *sigh* I don’t have the boppy lounger only the regular boppy use it for breastfeeding as well as for allowing her to sit up, seeing as she likes to look around lately. It looks comfy though! Funny, we had the cleaners over yesterday as well, but we stayed in the family room while they did their thing!

Bri- I have the same issue as you..Lauren still has day and night confused….

Question- How is “tummy time” going? Lauren hates it

[Boston77]

Maybebaby - Not only do they spell it Brest, they also spelled "waist" wrong on the instructions...they describe the features and how it straps around your waist...but they spelled it "waste" on my instructions...that made me laugh a lot!

I also feel like I don't entertain Julia enough when she is alert. I feel like I kind of always try to put her to sleep after she eats so I can put her down and get some things done. Isn't that terrible? I don't know what to do to entertain her at this point...she still can't really see anything...can't grasp anything, etc. What are you guys doing to entertain your little ones? Julia seems to stay awake NO MORE than 20 or 30 minutes after her daytime feedings.

[Bri01]

Maybebaby- Jayden hates tummy time to the point where he rolls over while pitching an all out fit. He is extremely difficult to wake up or to keep awake.

Boston- At least your is awake for 20- 30 min. Mine if awake when starting his feeding falls asleep prior to the end.

[JustPeachy]

Hmmm... I've got the opposite problem. Mine is awake all of the time! He's hard to put down for a nap. While he's awake, I have him do tummy time, he'll usually do the swing for about 10 minutes (before screaming), I sing songs or clap his hands or things like that, we take walks in the stroller (still wide awake), he sits in the boppy or the bumpo. He's not that into the rattles or toys yet. This is all to keep him from crying while awake since I still can't get him that interested in the paci. There is a baby spa class here that you can do at 2 months that teaches you all sorts of hands on massage techniques to relax the baby. Sounds hooky I know but at least it's something for us to do together.

Aiden loves tummy time for some weird reason. He can lift his head and will move it from side to side. His favorite way to sleep is actually on my chest with me upright and him on his tummy. Basically, the burping position. Unusual I know....

[MaggieMay75]

Boston and Maybe - I'm thinking about setting up the activity mat and also getting one of those things that you set "over" them while they lay on a blanket below - it's kinda like a bridge that has all kinds of lights and things they can kick and bat around - know what I'm talking about? Reid is only three weeks, but he's alert enough that I swear he needs some stimulation beyond me talking or reading to him. Btw, Reid seems to respond more to Dr. Seuss and Shel Silverstein than any other books! I think it's the cadence of the rhymes. Try it out and see what your little ones think!!!

Maggie - I hope I didn't miss it - how did Josh's appt go? I hope he doesn't have to be in the brace!

Cat - Is it really going to be in the 60s where you are? I'm amazed!!! It hasn't broken the low 40s here in a long time.

Peachy - WOW. You have to stand on your head for your little guy! You are amazing. I was telling Nat today how amazed I am that you have this schedule figured out for Aiden. I am nowhere near that. I'm very jealous that you get to go on walks in the stroller - it's been too cold and rainy here. Reid has yet to go on his first walk. I can't wait for the first sunny, warm day so I can do that! Btw, Reid HATES tummy time. He much prefers being cuddled right up against my chest!

Ronni - Thank you for the update on Mirka, please send her our love!

I talked to Nat today. She was going to get online and post pics of little Sean and catch up, but her basement flooded (they got nine inches of snow!) so she might be a little delayed! She's doing great and understandably, totally in love with Sean!

Hi Bri!

MM

[Bri01]

Peachy- Yours must sleep at night then...which is where our problem is.

MM- Hi, and FYI...I know what you are talking about as far as the mat with the toys above hanging down. I have Jayden doing that 2-3 times a day and that is about 15 -20 minutes at a time until he starts screaming. I usually get thos ein after diaper changes, the only time besides bath time that he is fully awake.

Glad to hear about Nat( not her basement though). Thanks for the update.

Maggie- Where are you with an update on Josh?

Mirka- again you and your dh along with Gregor are in our thoughts and in our prayers. Please know that we are here for you. We all love you.

[cat915]

Boston- 20 to 30 minutes awake sounds perfect. My fav sleep book says no more than an hour awake at a time at this stage.

As for nights, I think i might have to have a cup of coffee and stay up to get him on a good schedule. He wakes, wants to nurse on one side, won't burp and passes back out. All well & good until he's up again in an hour either because he's hungry again or because the burp that didn't come out is bothering him and then come 4 am, all the burps congeal into some horrendous gas that makes him very uncomfortable. But I'm just too tired during the night to spend 30+ minutes burping. For some reason, the only thing that gets him burping at night is to bounce up & down the stairs. And I'm so not coherent enough to do that at night. He doesn't want to be awake, he just eats and tries to go back to sleep but invariably i also have to change a diaper (or three) every other hour and drink my water and use the bathroom so i'm getting very LITTLE sleep.

MM-- 68 today!! I also have the activity mat out and he likes that. I have the mobile in his crib and i have dd to entertain him.

As for tummy time-- his tummy on yours counts! that's all I got dd to ever do. This one does like tummy time, but he'll move his head from side to side, look at me and then put his head down and go to sleep.

From an infant class i took, supposedly if you have them propped up on your knees (sit on couch, w/ feet up on ottoman and have baby facing you on your legs), and then take baby's arms and have them "punch" across their body (right arm punch across to left side and vice versa), it helps brain development.

[Boston77]

Bri01 - Julia falls asleep during feedings too...but, I keep waking her up to finish and after I burp her and change her diaper, she's usually awake for a little while after the feeding unless I soothe her to sleep right away. So, don't feel bad...it's not like she's awake and having fun all the time.

MM - I do have an activity mat/gym for Julia but, I think she's too young for it yet...she can't even really see so, it's kind of wasted on her at this point. But, if Reid enjoys it, let me know and I'll give it another try with Julia. I'll have to ask my pediatrician for tips on things to stimulate her...I'm at such a loss. Thanks for the Nat update...I hope nothing got ruined in their basement!!

Cat - thanks for the info on the baby's sleep. I'm glad to hear Julia is staying awake for the right amount of time. I'm sorry to hear that your nights are so exhausting. I hear you about the burping...I am too tired at night to sit there and burp Julia properly too...and then she spits up everywhere if I don't. She's also had a lot more gas coming out the back door recently too...poor thing. Would putting him to sleep on an incline help the gas? Maybe it would help bring the bubbles up and keep the food down?

Julia doesn't mind tummy time...though we just started doing it. I think she likes the pressure on her tummy...like when she's being burped. She can pick her head up enough to move it from side to side and to munch on her hand. I am just bad about setting aside time to do it.

[JustPeachy]

I'm typing with Aiden in the bjorn over here. We'll see how it goes. I had to stick the paci in him b/c he kept head bobbing and trying to get to the boobs! Pure male! We've got the gas problem and that waking him up too. I have an appt. at the peditrician today and it's on my question list. I spend a while burping but he doesn't give many burps - I'm lucky if I can get two out of him. Then later you hear all these noises and thinks there is a dirty diaper but nothing. Just gas. I've finally got him sleeping 3-4 hours at night but only if I'm holding him in an upright position. Which means Aiden getting tons of sleep, and me very little sleep on the sofa. So, acid reflux is a big question too.

Nat - I hope the basement is repairable. I know you guys just did lots of work down there. We're supposed to get tornadoes today...

Mirka - I've been thinking of you nonstop. You're in our prayers.

MM - Time on your tummy does count! What if you lay down flat and put him on top of you? Does he try to push up then? Or even if you're just reclined? Aiden will push up to be able to see me and look around. I've got to set up our activity mat today and see what he does.

Cat - I broke my coffee resolve and had my first cup about two days ago. I hear ya! I'm literally counting down weeks till the 3 month marker and praying things get better. Oh, and I'm treacherous on the stairs at night too! I've been holding the baby in one arm and the handrail in the other. Is dd loving having a playmate?

Boston - You sound calmer today. Are things improving with using the pump too?

Maggie - Did everything go ok with Josh yesterday?

I'll let ya'll know if I learn anything exciting at the Pediatrician today....

[Boston77]

Peachy - things are pretty much the same as far as breastfeeding goes. Pumping provides me a little bit of a break but, I think my milk production is down because I lost so much blood on Sunday. I probably sound calmer just because I am feeling pretty tired and weak while my body tries to recover. hahaha Julia has been at the nips every 1 1/2 hrs or so today! That is SO unlike her...but, if my milk production has been decreased then I guess it makes sense. I can't really pump right now because then I'd just have to feed it to her at the next feeding anyway because I'm not replenishing my supply as fast. So, I haven't been able to stock pile any milk yet...but if I need a break from having her at the breast, I'll pump and have DH or MIL give her a bottle so I can rest. Hopefully she's eating enough...she's got enough dirty diapers so, I think she's OK...I'll find out at her Dr's appt on Friday when they weigh her, I guess. I hope it goes well at the pediatrician and that they have a solution for Aiden's gas so you can get some sleep at night! Julia has been passing a lot of gas too...sometimes a little poop comes out with it but, usually it's just gas and it sounds like she's filling her diaper. I don't know why she's started doing that all of a sudden!

[Rob&Irina]

just wanted to pop up and say hi... DP took a few days off and we are working on our old house, so we can put it back on the market... WE ARE MOVING!!! we are so excited... we decided to stage the old house and move the week after next i am staring to pack our stuff while DP is paining...
sorry i wasn't able to catch up, i will once i have some free time...
Alex is doing great... we love him SOOOO much, it's crfazy!