DECEMBER!

[cythe]

Its December and I can officially put up my tree, decorate and play Christmas carols!

[cythe]

Does anyone let their kiddo fall asleep with a teething ring/chewer thing? I know it's a choke hazard but I feel like at over a year old that's less of a risk. Anyway, E was a hot mess yesterday fighting each of her naps. Finally I noticed she was constantly chewing on her toothbrush during bath so I put her down with her foot shaped teether (it's about 5 inches long with no small parts) aaaaand not a peep. She fell asleep with it in her hand so I know she was using it.

Bad? Okay? Indifferent?

[danvers]

H and I had a good date night last night. I really enjoyed Crimes of Grindelwald despite its negative reviews but I also love all things Harry Potter.

Just a boring Sunday here. The girls are over their colds, just gross congestion but otherwise eating and playing normally. I think we may just let the Xmas movies play in the background and putz around the house playing and cleaning.

[danvers]

cythe no idea about teether. DD2 has a pacifier teether thing I’ve considered leaving in there to help her out herself back to sleep while this molars works through. I haven’t yet but only because she has also been sick so I’ve been going in when she wakes up to make sure she’s not been so congested she’s having trouble breathing.

[curmudgeon]

cythe I would think that’s fine. I’m picturing the silicone foot that is one solid piece? I don’t see any potential issues with that one. If it helps her I’d probably let her keep it.

[cythe]

Dec 2, 2018 15:42:22 GMT -6 curmudgeon said:

cythe I would think that’s fine. I’m picturing the silicone foot that is one solid piece? I don’t see any potential issues with that one. If it helps her I’d probably let her keep it.

That's the one. It's a 2 pc and came with a matching hand

[CoachTsWife]

Guys, I'm really sad. I feel like LO might be trying to wean. I'm def not ready. He's been spending less time nursing, which seems normal to an extent, but he barely nursed this evening. He'd latch then cry, almost like he was mad there was no milk. But he didn't even spend long enough on the boob to get a let down. I know I have supply still, I can feel when I get more full and I pump 4oz after lunch on work days.

Idk maybe it is a fluke but he definitely threw me for a loop tonight. ;(

[thechickencoop]

Dec 2, 2018 16:44:03 GMT -6 cythe said:

Dec 2, 2018 15:42:22 GMT -6 curmudgeon said:

cythe I would think that’s fine. I’m picturing the silicone foot that is one solid piece? I don’t see any potential issues with that one. If it helps her I’d probably let her keep it.

That's the one. It's a 2 pc and came with a matching hand

Um. That's creepy 😬

But yea, I wouldn't think twice about keeping that in her crib. I mean....DS2 currently has like 6 pacifiers, a sock monkey, a small stuffed owl, his vibrating music dog, and two teethers in his crib soooo.....

[thechickencoop]

We got our tree today. On our way out H went in the shed to get out the stand and discovered that he probably tossed it after our tree-tipping episodes last year. So we had to get a new stand too.

But our tree is purrrrrty and smells awesome. Only thing that sucked was ALL FOUR STRANDS of our normal small tree lights were burnt out. We switched the fuses and everything and nada. Luckily I had two strands of those big colorful C9 sized bulbs so we used them but it's no where near as bright as usual.

[August Blooms]

Here I am all sleep deprived thinking I would start the Randoms for the first time in a long time... currently on my days off, turned down an OT shift for today... I was so tired yesterday and not paying attention to who was having a conversation and 5 minutes later was telling the person in the conversation about it. Probably the best that I don’t go in.

Kids are at daycare, I tried to sleep in but it didn’t happen. I’ve got some errands to run then I think I’ll nap. There are not enough hours on the days I work. It gets better right?

[Taitai]

CoachTsWife Big hugs about the weaning thing. In case it makes you feel better, I thought LO was trying to wean himself a few months ago, because he stopped wanting to nurse and would bite me on purpose and then look at me and cry. I was like - wtf? Then, it just stopped one day 🤷‍♀️. Now, he’s back to his normal self - nurses while falling asleep. He’s still to busy to nurse much while awake - but I feel like he’s been that way for awhile now.

Hopefully this is just a fluke - but if it isn’t and you aren’t ready -I’m sorry. LO is our last baby, and I think weaning is going to be really hard on me. I have a business trip to the states in Jan, and I am DREADING it, for fear that I’ll loose my supply and LO won’t want to breastfeed anymore when I get back. 😢

[Taitai]

DH’s parents get here in just over 24 hours! We’re very excited to see them, and for them to get to spend some time with the kids! It’s their first visit over here, so I hope the travel goes well. 🤞🤞 They will only be here for 6 full days, so we want to make the most of our time with them.

I’ve been super busy trying to get all my work done before they are here, so I can be a good hostess. Tomorrow will be a busy day as I frantically try to finish up several projects. Year-end is always so busy for me.

Also - I found one last sheet mask hiding in my vanity drawer. And snail one to boot! Wohoo! Currently enjoying it - 💕 🐌❤️🐌

[cythe]

Travelers season 3 - December 14 🤩

That is all.

[cythe]

Actually that's not all, I have acquired myself a UTI and E woke up an hour earlier than usual. So, lots of fun in my day.

[CoachTsWife]

Taitai that's exactly what he's doing, biting me then looks at me and cries. Or he latches, then looks at me and cries. It is so confusing and sad. He did it again this morning. I'm sitting in my car at work, sobbing with full boobs.

It was so organic and natural with DS1. Going from nursing 3-4 times a day to not at all is just...confusing. I sent expressed milk to daycare like usual, so I'm interested to hear if he takes it.

I feel like I need to pump but idk what to do. I usually pump once at work. Ugh.

ETA what did you do to get through that phase? Keep offering? Pump when he refused? I don't want to dry up if this is a phase. Idk how I should go about this.

[cythe]

Dec 2, 2018 21:39:14 GMT -6 thechickencoop said:

Dec 2, 2018 16:44:03 GMT -6 cythe said:

That's the one. It's a 2 pc and came with a matching hand

Um. That's creepy 😬

If it's any better they come in bright green and blue 😂😂

[doodlemommy]

Christmas baking day with my mom and sister today (and DD once she’s done preschool). We got 30 cm of snow this weekend and the roads are a total disaster so we were late for preschool this morning. Thankfully my mom’s back yard literally opens onto the Preschool’s yard (it’s in the basement of the church) so I can just walk through the backyard to grab her later

[danvers]

doodlemommy like was for an XMas baking day - not 30cm of snow! What kinds of baking did you all do?

[danvers]

CoachTsWife I almost posted the exact same stuff about weaning last week but didn’t want to see like a negative Nancy with all the sick kids posts too. DD2 showed zero interest in nursing... maybe popped on for 2 seconds in the AM and was done. I don’t pump during the day so I was pretty certain I was going to dry up quickly. She seems to be over it and has been back to nursing 2x a day and a middle of the night session too.

I just kept offering. I also offered at all night wake ups. Which is now a new problem I guess I’ll have to fix but she was only up once last night so I don’t thing any permanent damage was done.

It lasted about a 1.5 weeks... maybe 2? She *seems* over it. If you are done, I’m sorry. Weaning, especially suddenly and unexpectedly, is hard. I’d keep offering for awhile (like maybe a week) and see what happens.

[curmudgeon]

I made some mint chocolate chip cookies someone posted about on GD and I can’t stop eating them. They are so so so good.

Trying to think of things for H’s stocking but placing Loft orders for myself instead. 😬🤷🏻‍♀️

[doodlemommy]

Dec 3, 2018 17:21:29 GMT -6 danvers said:

doodlemommy like was for an XMas baking day - not 30cm of snow! What kinds of baking did you all do?

We made a ton! Peanut butter marshmallow squares, no bake oatmeal/coconut/cocoa things, little cut out butter/sugar cookies and a bunch of traditional German stuff with recipes passed down from my grandma: nuss-ecken (almond/apricot triangle things dipped in chocolate), almond crescents, and stollen (German Christmas cake, with marzipan and kinda like fruitcake)! Yum

[CoachTsWife]

Thanks danvers. He wouldn't nurse at bedtime again so I pumped. I just offered MOTN and he wouldn't even latch, just screamed and arched his back the second he realized what I was doing. He didn't even get close to my boob. Ugh. That super duper sucked. He got so upset, so fast, that DH had to come get him and settle him down.

Earlier today I posted about it in a mom group I'm in on Facebook and they all think it is teething related. I sure hope they're right. His gums are swollen where his molars are. I wouldn't have thought that would affect nursing, but that's what I'm holding onto right now.

[Taitai]

CoachTsWife Oh man, that sounds so hard. When LO went through the same thing - he would also arch his back away from me and cry. I think it was teething related maybe - like, the sucking hurt his teeth or gums?

I ended up pumping more, and I did give him breast milk in his ikea sippy cup instead of the normal water. He was better about doing sleepy nursing, but it sounds like your guy is having none of that.

I think I just kind of kept offering occasionally, but didn’t push it if he reacted negatively. By 2 weeks, he started to come around again and was much more interested.

It’s so hard - big hugs.

[cythe]

CoachTsWife do you feed him in the same place each time? For some reason E loses her mind when I try to nurse her in her bedroom rocking chair. I only nurse her there before bed and I think shes associated bedtime with being nursed there.

Anyway, she will lose it if I try but if i pack her up and nurse her on the sofa everything is A-okay.

Babies, man.

[CoachTsWife]

cythe, yes I do. I have fed him in the chair in his room since January, I think. I always fed DS1 on the couch, and I started there with LO but with big brother around, we have to go to the nursery with the sound machine on. Too many distractions.

Yesterday, I took him to our bedroom and sat on the bed and that did not work at all. I also tried a different position in case his ears were hurting or something, and that didn't work either. I've done a lot of reading (and crying) the past 24 hours and I'm feeling (a little) better about the situation. It seems that nursing strikes at this age can be common, strangely enough. Can be due to illness, teething, or be developmental. This morning, I was very breezy about it. I offered, he resisted, so we were done. We did a little skin-to-skin which he was very receptive to, and at one point it looked like he wanted to nurse, but he didn't. I'm not sure what's going on but I'm hopeful that we can work through this. 🙏

I do think it is a good idea to try a different place though. Maybe we'll start his bedtime routine in our bedroom tonight. Thank you.

[Taitai]

CoachTsWife I think it’s a good idea to mix it up with where you are offering, like what cythe suggested. I also found that not pressing the issue and seeming kind of lighthearted about it (even though I was sad and worried on the inside) may have helped. I would offer in the most random places - like on the floor while he was playing with his trucks, or while he was crawling around on his brother’s bed...and if he didn’t want to, I’d just say in a chipper voice, “okay! You don’t have to!” And then he just kind of went back to it eventually. It was so weird. I hope it’s just a phase for you and that he comes around soon. I know how stressful nursing strikes can be!

[CoachTsWife]

Taitai that is the approach I used this morning and it went way better for both of us. This morning, two times I felt like he wanted to (we were in our bedroom so not our normal spot), but didn't. Really bizarre in a way, but we just sat together and cuddled a bit, and then he got down.

Thank you for your responses. ❤

[doodlemommy]

I got all my Christmas cards stuffed and addressed last night, just need to pop them in the mail!
Today we are going to get DS’s second dose of the flu shot and to the book fair at my work. Other than that it’s a laundry and cleaning day

[doodlemommy]

CoachTsWife I have no further suggestions but I hope you guys can get through the nursing strike and soon! Good luck!!

[CoachTsWife]

Taitai I need a face mask recommendation to add to my Christmas list. Available on Amazon, preferably.

I have oily, blemish-prone skin. Hit me with your fave(s).