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Whoo Hoo! First time Ever in the parents Thread!!!

Mel - Alex sleeps through the night and has done from about 3 weeks. He goes down at 7pm now and will sleep till 6.30 or 7am.

He had his first overnight stay at his grandparents (my parents) last night and they kept getting up to check on him. They didn't beleive that he sleeps through the night even though they tell me that I did from 4 weeks.

We went to dinner at a little mexican place (sooooo good) and then to the movies with expired movie vouchers but the girl let us use them because they had only just expired at the end of march. We saw SuperHero which had it's moments but enjoyed more just being with hubby and having time out.

Joeleen- I think you need time out together it may make you feel better.

Sonia

silver AGAIN!!!

BRONZE~

Back from shopping, my sister brought Cohen 4 outfits. They are so cute. She spoils him the naughty girl

Not much happening in here. Hopefully to be back online on mon sometime. Off to Ryder's cousins for dinner.

Have a great wkend everyone

Sandra

Grr Grr Grr

Important Dates

January
2nd- Chloe (06), Oliver (08)
4th- William (08)
7th- Kaden (08)
9th- Archer (08), Cameron (08)
10th- Elliot (08)
11th- Cohen (08)
12th- Matilda (08)
16th- Taylin (08)
17th- Grace Angelina (08)
18th- Flynn (08)
20th- Luke David (08)
22nd- Abraham (08),
24th- Alicia (08)
25th- Toby (08), Ryan (08)
27th- Kaiden (08)
28th- Cooper (08)
31th- Lily (08), Paige (08), Mahli (08)
February
3rd- Teagan (08), Alexander (08)
4th- Baker (08)
12th- Carolyn (78)
March
8th- Tracy (81)
13th- Henry (06)
15th- Tracy gets married (09)
27th- Mels Twins (05)
31st- Lia (72)
April
1st- Baylie (06)
3rd- Sandra (82)
6th- Tom (06)
15th- Alannah (03)
20th- Ellise (06)
May
2nd- Amelia (05)
23rd- Aidan (04), Zach (06)
24th- Joeleen's Wedding
27th- Jodie (83)
29th- Vee (79)
28th- Mia (77)
31st- Sam
June
5th- Sarah (84)
8th- Anna (78)
25th- Claire (03)
July
15th- Mandy (78)
19th- Sams DH
August
September
8th- Mel (80)
10th- Sara (84)
16th- Donna’s wedding anniversary (06)
19th- Mitchell (03)
30th- Caden(06)
October
10th- Alyssa (05), Benjamin (03)
11th- Tash (79)
14th- Lydia (04)
18th- Jackson (07)
29th - Joeleen (78)
November
1st- Mandy’s wedding anniversary
7th- Indiana (02)
10th- Amanda (73)
12th- Thomas (02), Oliver Lloyd (07)
15th- Kadelle (07)
23rd- Jayden (96)
28th- James (05), Kristy (76)
30th- Donna (86)
December
6th- Ayla (86)
7th- Brett (93)
18th- Kathryn (74)
21st- Max (07)
26th- Tyler (04), Oliver (07),
27th- Lachlan (07), Donnas DH (83)
30th- Lana (05)
31st - Joeleen's DF (74)




Slow day on here.

Sandra - I think DF has figured out what's wrong with my car, so hopefully it will be fixed by tomorrow If it's what we think it is, it's nothing too major.

Didn't get up to much today. Watched some Supernanny, did a bit of food shopping....

What's up Tash?

toby is asleep! the routine from that site is working i hope it continues for the rest of the night...

i love tuna bake! especially when i dont have to cook it!

Just popping in to say hello

Ryan sleeps through most nights. Some nights he wakes at 4am or 5am but it depends what time he goes down.


We've been at footy all avo, got there at 11.30am home at 5.30pm. Ryan's first game watching Daddy . Boys did their jobs and got paid. Dh has gone back down for presentations. I wanted to come home and bath little kids and top Ryan up with bottle, didn't have much milk for him late this avo so he got a bit stroppy.

Fast asleep now.

Another 3 hrs of footy tomorrow.
Thomas's first ever game, going to be so cute

HI girls

Just popping in to say

HELLO- I'M STILL ALIVE!!

Well tomorrow is Bay's 2nd birthday party- we have close to 70 attending hence why I have been MIA and then WE MOVE HOUSE MONDAY!!!!AGAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH

Yes I'm crazy!!!!So I dont know when I'll be back-hope to get the internet on quickly tho.

Missing you all!!

Kadelle had her 4month needles and the doc said she "isn't behaving like a premmie" which is fabulous news!!And she is rolling too!!

OH and Tracy and Oliver are coming 2morow too!!!So Kadelle and Oli can see each other for the 1st time outof SCN.-They must be soulmates..hehe.

OK
more party stuff to organise
I cooked from 8am to 5pm today!YUK!

Take care

Love M

I have been pushing for the mediation between DH and his ex for ages to get some resolution on the custody and the arrangements for school and all the other matters since they last went Sept/Oct last year so that any changes could be in place before the end of this year so DSD could adjust and not have to deal with it in the same year as big school. NOW because of stalling, funding cuts and the area mediation services cancelled it will be ANOTHER 4 MONTHS!!

I am so angry. Stall tactics because she doesn't want to face change or do anything in DSD's best interests. As for DH - I told him this would happen last year.

I am not sure how much more of the BS I can take... its ridiculous.

Hey Miranda - Happy Birthday to Bay Well Done Kadelle

Taken in car today of him sleeping on the front seat (taken with mobile phone)





These 2 also in car today (taken with mobile)




This one shows how he is sucking in his bottom lip



And his lovely blue eyes
[img]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v628/Thombretjay/P1190321.jpg[/img]

Miranda Happy Birthday to Bay. Hope tomorrow is a great day for him and all the best for the move

Tash Sorry to hear it has been postponed so long

Sleeping through - Ellie sleeps from after her 10pm feed/nappy change until 6am. But I have been told, by a mothercraft nurse, that 'sleeping through' can be something like five hours straight without a feed. So it's not necessarily a full night's sleep as we would know it - although some lucky ducks like Sonia get 12 hours! So hang in there.

As you may guess, I am pretty happy with sleep patterns - what I can't get my head around is finding enough time for:
cleaning the house,
cooking nice food, cakes and slices etc
personal hygiene (sorry, that sounds gross. what I mean is struggling to have a shower, wash hair, put on make-up, etc - usually get 2 out of 3...!),
getting out of the house to shop or visit

How do you guys do it?!?

Mamasmithy Well done to Kadelle on her fantastic progress - and the rolling! Happy birthday to Baylie for tomorrow.

SimplySweet, Ryan is completely adorable

misstash - so sorry to hear about the mediation probs. Hope your DSD doesn't have too much trouble adjusting when it does get sorted (exes suck, not to mention funding cuts).

Take care.

Jo

tash what a pain in the bottom

kristy that is a nice blankie in the first 2 photos you must have rewceived it from a champ

joeleen hope your feeling better soon

sleeping through, kaiden usually has his last feed aroun 9 give or take half hour then sleep through till 5-6 so not too bad. sometimes he may wake at 4 for a feed but then goes staight back to sleep so not to bad.


my poor little chicken is sooooooooooooooo sick. he has teh worst cold, it is so horrible to hear and see him have a coughing fit, he gets tears in his eyes his face goes red,
i took him to the doc and he said its not an infection so we just have to wait it out the poor little mite.

ok he is going off now so better go save him

Tash, im so sorry hun... DSD doesnt deserve this crap and neither do you guys... I hope that when the mediation DOES eventually happen that it all works out and you can start getting on with a good routine.

i currently have a roast cooking - havent had one for ages. Well, i have a chicken cooking for the meaties and a "not-turkey" roll for me and the other vegie... A trailer load of potatos, kumera and carrots and will steam up some brocolli and peas and corn when its serving time.

will also have onion gravy too -mmmmmmmmm fooooooodddd.

[all the smilies were at Indi's request btw]

see y'all later

Hello all, busy day organising for Alannah's birthday party tomorrow. Dh set up her sand pit we got hyer and she played in it heaps. We have a few other presents which she'll get on Tueasday. Made her cake which is a beach cake with her two dolls under little umbrella's on the sand and Jelly for the water. I'll take a picture when it's all done, can't put the jelly in until tomorrow.

Teagan slept from last night from 9pm-4am then back to bed til 6:30am, had a feed and play and then had another 3 hr sleep which was good, but has been up all afternoon and just crashed in DH's arms when I am due to feed her and put her to bed! I'm too scared to put her down for the night too early as she'll have her big sleep (which is usually 5 hrs on average) and then be up more in the night!?

Miranda - Hvae a good day tomorrow, I'll be thinking of you guys when we are having our party. Good on kadelle! what a champ.

Simplysweet - Ryan is adorable, what a cutie sleeping in the car.

Jodie - Hope Kaiden gets better soon, nothing worse than them being sick and you can't do anything but let them get over it.

Oh well, hopefully we'll have a good night so I'm not too tired for tomorrow. See ya.

tash how frustrating!

kristy- ryan is adorable!

miranda- good to hear from you! good onya for the cooking efforts today hope tomorrow goes smoothly and bay has a great day! woo hoo for kadelle!

vee- a roast- im so jealous! that is one of my fav meals enjoy!

jodie- hope kaiden gets better asap!

poss- i hear ya on the struggling to find time thing- its tiring being a mum! (but i wouldnt go back)

toby is still asleep!!! i will go chaeck on him in a tick. this is insane! the new routine is working!!!!

oooh 2 birthday parties tomorrow! sam post a pic of the cake- sounds gorgeous! hope alannah has a fantastic day!

i asked in the birth- 6 month forums but ill ask here too- how do you get a baby to take a bottle? i tried today with EBM but it didnt work. i need him to be able to take my milk from a bottle for when i start tupperware and go back to uni

HI
Been MIA for a few days now - just finding it so hard to get on here ATM.

DH is feeling better Sandra thanks for the well wishes! I didn't win scrabble this time - got my but kicked but I don't care - I just love to play!
Oh and still haven't recieved the baby bonus yet.... I'm going to call them on monday to see what progress has been made. still pretty peeved off about all that.
Sirry your internet is still playing up POO

How's your head cold going Lia? hopefully it's passing and you begin to feel like your self again.

It sounds like all the babies are putting on some rgeat weight, and once again Tash YAY to Lachlan!

love the hickey story Maddy!

Same here Vee - we love our mittens, plus poor Gracie scratches the buggery out of her face without them. No matter what I do - her nails are still long and sharp enough to scratch her (I even file them back)...what is everyone else doing besides mittens?
PS Vee Elliot looks heaps like Indianna in that picture of her with the pink outfit on.

Welcome back Jo and congrats on the birth of Eleanor, beautiful name BTW!

YAY to Kadelle's achievements Miranda you must be sooo proud of your strong little girl!!!!

LOVE the pics Kristy Ryan is a handsome little man!!!!

Jodie I really hope Kaiden feels better soon, poor little chicken it's the worst when they have a cold

Good luck with Toby Taking a bottle, if you get any tips Donna can you tell me too?......I'm desperate for Grace to take them again...DH is hanging out to do a feed a day again and I'd love to go out by myself for an afternoon and get my hair done!

Gracie is amazing us every day...she copies us so much - she now holds her hands up above her head and sqeals in delight when she does something exciting or gets excited!!! I can't believe it...she's seen us do this and now she's doing it it's so awesome!!!!

I've been giving Grace a dream feed at around 11pm every night for the last week, I'm not sure if it's doing much as she still wakes up anywhere from 3am - 4am for a feed. I'll keep persisting though cause it's just too hard for me to go to bed at 8 when she usually has her first night deep sleep.

EB I stumbled on to EB when we were first thinking of TTC. I registered then and there under the name of Abby girl because I just LOVE the name Abby.

Anyhoo - gotta scram footy is on and I'm missing it. Pt Adelaide are playing pretty well tonight (so far)

Sleep vibes to all babies and mummies

Marika
xxx

Thanks for the hugs girls... God knows what now...

we have thunder and drizzle!!

hopefully it'll clear by 10am, I don't want 16 kids and their parents inside, Typical my luck!! doesn't rain for weeks, why now!?

morning

went to Thomas the tank yesterday, lets just say i wont be taking dh to anything kiddy again.
to start he stopped at the wrong station, even tho i kept telling him i though it was wrong. so we got out, took ages for me to load the pram ect, walked all the way to the station just to see a sign telling us it was at emerald station not puffing billy. grrrrr a big told you so. by now its 10 past 1, we need to be there at 1.30. race back to the car which i might add was all up hill. went back to get mum and chloe with the car. by this time its 1.15 and we have 11km to drive.
Just make it to the train, chloe had the smelliest nappy ever, glad we were in an open carriage.
we get back change her and by the time we did that we missed the thomas show. i was so annoyed at dh, because we were late we missed chloe getting her photo taken with thomas, then i upset about missing the show. the train ride and show is what you pay your money for anyway we go to the souvenier (sp) shop, i said lets get the pram out so oliver can sleep, dh says dont worry coz we are going after the shop...WHAT! we just drove 3 hours here and you want to leave after a ten minute train ride.
we ended up staying as chloe wanted a ride on the bus they had, much to dh's disgust at having to wait, he goes off to the car and mum and i stay for the bus, animal nursery and jumping castle. i was so diisappointed with the day as all the things i wanted her to experience were taken away because of dh and his not listening and not caring about the schedule. what a waste of money, cost $60 for us to go and we didnt get to enjoy it. and to make it worse he doest see why im so upset about it

so from now on i will go by myself, should have known better but i thought a nice family day out would be good.

off to catch up on what i have missed


just saw your question- no the boys didnt come, something about getting weekends mixed up because of easter, whatever you say Ex W.

Donna- if you want Toby to take a bottle, get someone else to do it and leave the room. also a smaller teat might work. By the time that you do uni Toby might be able to take a cup? also is there child care on campus? you might be able to pop in to feed? what routine are you doing?

Tash- ex- partners all seem to gain this horid thing called selfish- regardless of who they are most of them are selfish... im so sorry you are going thru this. hows your DS?

Morning,

Happy birthday to bay and alann hope you have good you both a a great day today and I hope you mums get thru too.

Jodie- SOrry Kaiden is unwell hope he gets better soon and thanks for the hugs.

Tash- I would be p*ssed too I hope the ex pulls her finger out of her ass and get an idea that it isnt about her its obout DSD and what her needs are I know its not just women that are like this but god it must just drive you both crazy do you think it could be a little bit of jealousy on her part as well.

Rinnie- Sorry you didnt get to do all you wanted to and Poo about DH being such a sour puss I hope the kids had fun all the same and I wouldnt be letting DH go with you guys again either lol but hey maybe he needs to experience these things more often and tell him to watch DD and her reactions to things and to see her enjoyment and it is about her having fun not him and to get over it and grow some jax crackers and stop whinging sorry if I have said to much.

Donna- I got Cooper to take the bottle by letting him get so hungry he would have to have it and also I expressed before hand so the milk smell wasnt so strong and I also found that he didnt like the teat I tried the first time he likes the orthodontic teats not the normal round teats and he hates the avent teats so maybe try a few things it may be something simple.

Well dinner was great last night we went to nice little cafe style restaurant and just sat and talked I had a couple of drinks and felt so relaxed for the first time in ages DS was great for MIL he fed and had a bath alittle bit of a play with nanna and granddad and then he went to sleep we took him home he slept in the car I gave him a dream feed he woke at 2am back to sleep up at 6am fed back to sleep at 7 and still asleep now and I have managed to do a load of washing help DF peg the load he put on out on th line fold the washing that came off the line yesterday and now Im about to go and strip the bed remake and have a nap I so need one still feeling really tired I think I mght need some sort of vitamin boost feeling alittle run down.

Well I better be off and get this nap in before the day runs away from me have a good one ladies.

Joeleen.

who are the girls here who are using woolies as covers... i have something to ask you... i think Anna your one and who was the other?

i forgot to tell you all, Lily has ditched her dummy for the alst 2 days and wants to suck her thumb at least she can do that herself! now listen to me whinge when she is 5 and still doing it.

Hi All,

Rinnie - i am sorry your thomas day didnt go as planned. I have a feeling that your DH may have gone into it "put out" tho about the circumstances re: his sons. and We all know that if u go into something expecting it to be awful you are setting yourself up for it to be AWFUL.... I think that you should talk to him about how you feel about it when the kids are in bed, dont bombard him, just try to get across how his reaction spoiled what could have been a really good day and how its about the family spending time together. And if you really think that he will do the same on future adventures, then maybe it is better to plan them without him, cause you dont want the kids to remember "family outings" as stressful and with mad parents.
[i have taken the kids plenty of places by myself in the past as Matt used to react that way - he would fiddle ass around if we were on a schedule, which would stress me out and then he would threaten to turn around and go home! i HATED it... it was much easier to do it myself - Now thankfully, he has clicked in to the fact that these outings ARE fun, and that if there is a schedule to be kept, TO KEEP IT! HALLELUJAH!!! took a while though, and as our history will atest to, some rather extreme measures ]

has anyone read the thread about the husband taking off with the baby??? i should NOT have read it right now, as Elli is with her father atm, and i panic about her being returned as it is..... UGH! I cant begin to imagine what that poor woman is going through right now. From her posts she did something stupid, but his reaction seems to be a bit extreme, i think that maybe he is using it as an excuse to get out and take the baby........ jmo....

i better get stuck into the dishes.... the only regret from last nights dinner.... YUK! chicken fat ***SHUDDERS***

Vee- where is it? id like to read it.
I dont think the day had anything to do with the boys, it was his ex that decided it wasnt dh's weekend after all and he seemed fine with it. At the end of the day we hadnt planned to take them and he knew that and was fine with it at the time. Just aswell tho as we would have wasted even more money as he would have been the same with or without them there.Has happened before and that was with the boys there.

http://members.essentialbaby.com.au/index....howtopic=524288 thats the link to the thread, but the OP seems to have deleted her posts now... i think she has realised that if her husband logged on he could use some of the stuff against her....
[not that i thought there was much in this thread that he could have used, but there were hints from others that he could go through her post history and use past comments she made]

there are some amazing ppl in this site..... some attacking her, some coddling her, and only a very few with any really constructive advice.... i just feel bad for her, i cant imagine not being able to see my child.

eta - Rinnie - im sorry that your DH does this regardless of the circumstances, i would just plan things without him if thats the case. At least that way you get to spend some fun times with them and create some wonderful memories.... One day when you are looking back at the photoalbum he will say "why wasnt i there???"......

Elli has just come back too.... *phew*

geepers Vee- every Sunday i hold my breath for you. and im sure that you are doing more than holding your breath- take care hun!

i clock watch while she is gone... its dreadful.
But i swear L's mother had neurons mis-firing or something, cause we were organising next week [on my prompting, if i hadnt i just know she wouldnt have called me til the day.... ] and i said, "so 8-10 next sat then? and she said "L's working saturdays now, can we do it in the afternoon?" i say no as we have plans for the afternoon.... she says "sunday?" so i go look at the calendar, and say ok, sunday will be ok, then she says what about a week night? and i say, "sunday is fine", then she starts going on about what times he finishes work etc, and i say again "sunday is fine" then she says "so saturday evening then?" and i have to, for the third time, say "I just said SUNDAY is fine".... then i say 10-12 again, and she starts fiddling with times, so i say no 10-12 again...... UGH! I am seeing more and more why he is the way he is, with her being this all over the place i totally understand how he has gotten away with everything his whole life.... ****!

geepers she is 3 months old- its not like she can be away from you for more time! a week night - what the!

hugs Vee and Mandy

Sorry no energy for personals - just too p***sed off at the moment.

Carolyn... I think you are right all ex's tend to be selfish to some degree. I am just so grateful I never managed to stay pregnant with mine and that all he was selfish about was money. Joeleen Not sure about jealousy but she seems to want to not have to negotiate with anyone on anything... she broke up with her exBF because he made a suggestion she didn't like (she told us this herself )but I am getting a little concerned as at 4.5 years old she has just bought a new pram and puts DSD in it and said it was for when "their baby" comes (she's applied to foster but hasn't even been approved yet). You have to wonder what all this will do to DSD over time

carolyn- yes there is a childcare centre on campus- but the uni uses it for teaching, not for actual childcare- there is cots and everything, a sandpit mini toilets... it would make my life so much easier if they actually used it for what it was made for!

i am going to buy some different bottles this week- dh hasnt been paid for last week yet. so we are down to $10. they just caught up for a week they missed months ago. they said his pay should be paid by friday... yeah right! i also need him to take bottles for when im out at tupperware parties. poor dh will loose the plot, if T just cries all night. i think he is going to get a rude shock as it is

vee- i cant imagine how stressful it must be for you! i saw that thread- poor lady!

mandy- sorry no advice

miranda and sam- hope your girls are having a great day (regardless of the weather

tash- thinking of you

OMG! I am totally exhausted, the party was from 10-12. We had thunder and rain, then sunny and hot and 1/2hr after th party ended it was thunder and hailing! what crazy weather! but we were soo lucky! Anyway everyone had a great time. Here is Alannah's beach birthday cake, not the best photo, but it was hard to get a good angle and get it all in.


have to go, Teagan is crying AGAIN! 40 min sleeps all day, I am so sick of trying to put her down!

OH on the plus side the little toad had her first giggle today!

cool cake samthat would have taken a while to make
the weather was crazy here today aswell, cloudy and spinkles of rain, sunny and hot, sunny and raining, cloudy and raining, sunny again and rain again now just cloudy


hi everyone hope you are all having a good sunday

gladiators and so ya think you can dance on tonight yippie

Have missed heaps on the last few threads. Busy busy here. Work is getting busy and I finally have an interested buyer in the business, fingers crossed it goes through! The slab went down on Friday for our house - hooray!!! Its all happening here now!



Carolyn - yeah I am using BBH Wool Wraps and SugarPeas Wool Covers on Tilly. Whats up?

Congrats on the slab Anna

Hi girls,

nothing much to report - I write this as I've spent most of the day - feeding DD! She's been been feeding hourly - I'm hoping its just the 12 week growth spurt! Whatever it is, I'm tired and hope it passes!

Oi oi oi, holdup ladies, I'm an Ex I'd like to think I'm not selfish. I only have the girls interests at heart and have made so many compromises/sacrifices for them and their happiness now and for their future. The adults involved on both sides of separated families need to put their own crap aside focus on the kids and things start to run smoothly - if you let resentment build up it's not doing anyone any favours. It's a shame a lot of people can't seem to get over themselves for the sake of their kids and this makes for a miserable life for all involved. I don't like being tarred with the same brush as the b**chy ex's that are vindictive selfish morons - this is such a prominant stereotype. I know you didn't mean me in the statement that all Ex's are selfish, but I have encountered this attitude before and it bugs me. Some are but a lot aren't also.

Tash & Mandy - I'm sorry you both have to deal with frustrating Ex's. I often think people like those 2 are cutting their nose off to spite their face. Once the kids are older they'll know what's what and hopefully the selfish parties true colours shine through. I just find it disgraceful adults can manipulate their children and situations just to inconvenience the other parent and be a PITA.

Tash - I also know how frustrating mediation and the family law system is, having been dragged through it for a couple of years. Both parties get spat out at the end and neither is very happy with the results. Everything is so painstakingly slow too.

Great cake Sam!!! Glad to hear the weather was on your side!

Mel Didn't mean you or people like you at all by Ex's I am stating exBF's ex Husbands ex's who are dad's ex's who are mum's just ex's in general - sorry.... By the same token I hate being painted with the same brush as some step mums - I'm NOT the stereotype there... I have ALWAYS put my DSD and her dad first - moved away from all my family and friends to be here so DH and DSD got more time together, spent our house deposit in court getting permission for her to attend our wedding (that was fun) and have always barracked for DSD; even at times being more on the ball than her mum. I'm sorry but DSD's BM is selfish; she bought a dog because she wanted it and didn't look into it properly and DSD was allergic - she told DSD she wasn't allowed to come to our wedding in Fiji but was allowed to go if I and DH paid for her to go to (WTF?) - now wants to be a foster carer so that she doesn't have to return to work and wants a baby; we are so concerned about how disruptive this will be to DSD in her first year at big school having babies (BM only agrees to foster children 0-12months) come and go at a moments notice - add that to the fact that she is unwilling to consider an extra night for DSD with us so that there is only one change over a week rather than the two we have now purely because she does not want it - what about whats fair to DSD?????????

Sorry vent over.

Sorry can I add how much mediation is a freaking joke... MY DH has always been fair to his EX and helped out immensly - attending nearly all dr's appts etc more than most unseperated dad's do, provided for DSD here and at her mums - paid the maximum CS as well as private health insurance and her mortgage YET at the end of the day at mediation if he makes a valid suggestion Ex can simply say no and have the final vote - However if she makes a "suggestion" it is put in place...as she is the mum - sorry but thats BS - Grr.

Tash - I have no idea how people like her get her way. I such SUCH a hard time trying to get provisions in place just to ensure my kids were safe! My ex had a strong history of drug abuse and violence, and I had to fight every step of the way just to make sure initially my kids were safe. To me it seemed they were so strongly for the father having access regardless. Having been through what I have, it makes me so angry to hear of dead beat parents getting their own selfish way. I become so resentful hearing stories like your, people make a problem where their isn't one just because they can. I figure if the kids are safe with the other parent then there should be no bloody issue.

I know how frustrating the process is first hand being the parent involved, I can only imagine what it's like being on the sidelines as the step parent, you still have the kids in your life but no power in the decision making as far as the law is concerned.

Tash, have to agree with you on mediation too. It was useless in our case, nothing was achieved. Mediation only works if both parties are reasonable and we undertook it not long after the Ex and his mother had been verbally and physically abusive to me in front of the twins. If emotions are running high it just ends up a slinging match. I feel strongly that forced mediation isn't beneficial in situations where there has been violence and abuse as it's setting the victim up for further intimidation and much more subtle abuse.

But in some cases all it takes is a third party to become involved and make the unreasonable parent see some sense. It all depends what sort of mediator you get also - thy are supposed to be neutral but I've heard LOTS of stories from parents where clearly they are favouring one party.

Do you think mediation will achieve anything Tash, once you finally bloody get there?? You're not even allowed to attend anyway are you? That must be a kick in the guts in itself....


Took the girls to an indoor playcentre today Some kids are just mental. The older boys were running around being all rough, I hate how some parents just don't watch their kids at these places. Initially the girls were scared because of the older boys, but they warmed to the place and learned to steer clear of them. I tell you what if one of them had hurt one of the girls I would have been tracking down that parent It's best to go to these sorts of places on a weekday, less busy. But it was nice being out as a family, DF even climbed on the play equipment with them

Wow Vee that thread is out of control, the OP deleted her posts so a bit hard to follow. I thought it was an ex that took the baby but he is still living in the home, so he hasnt exaclty abducted him.... horrible situation tho.


Tash - big hugs, my dh is going to have a one on one meeting with the ex, i really would prefer a third party be there too as at the end of the day its a he said she said. Hope fully they can come to an agreement onthings and we can get them written up in orders.You have made alot of sacrifices for your DSD and DH, i just hope that he realises this, it must be hard to be away from family. I could not have done it.


im very excited as Oliver went to bed tonight without his dummy! He usually self settles during the night but for every other sleep he uses the dummy, tonight i thought nope i will leave him and see what happens, and he went to sleep! hugged his blanket, chewed on it and went to sleep.

First day at the gym tomorrow, im sooo looking forward to it, one as i will feel better for it and two im kid free for just over 30 mins ahhhhhhh

Mel Thanks for listening and I'm so sorry to hear of all you've been through - My mum had very similar experience but the violence was dished to my sister and I as well - It is a kick in the guts to be expected to provide care like any other parent to my DSD but to ultimately have no say in what happens even though it affects my family - but, that is a minor problem in comparison to the rest. This will be the third or fourth mediation session plus the court sessions DH and I paid for... I just feel so deflated.

Mandy - thanks babe - I think this is one other thing, I made a move of over an hours drive from everyone I know and could vent to. DH and I cry so much over all this, meanwhile she is adament (her words) that the best way forward is to ensure DH does not get anything he wants as she told him he got too much of what he wanted when they were together. Sorry but thats no reason to punish DSD (and myself and Lachlan).Anyway... Wooohooo for Oli! Good little man!!! And enjoy your gym session tomorrow hun...

Sam Awesome cake... and lucky about the weather... we were hammered here with four seasons in one day too!

I'm going to make more lactation cookies tonight and try and get my a*se into gear, ironing and sorting all the stuff I didn't sort before Lachlan decided to crash the party early

OMG that's pathetic And it's not what HE wants anyway it should be what the kids need. She needs to get over herself big time

Tash, at least I was eligible for legal aid so I didn't have that financial cost on top of everything else, god that would be devastating, especially if nothing significant is even achieved.

I agree Mel - As DH himself said... If he was getting what he wanted DSD would be with us all the time but all he can honestly hope for is whats fair and best for DSD and based on advise from legal reps that would be 50/50. As for cost... if we had the $60K we need we'd be in court now regardless of outcome... we did that for the wedding - $15K later and we luckily got a compromised solution (had to cut our trip short but was allowed to have her there )

Mandy - we took Ben to the Thomas day for his 2dn bday..... we went to the wrong station too and we missed the train ..... so not just you doesnt make it any better.

Went to the baby market this morning, got a few bits and pieces

We figured out what was wrong with the TV, we had to replace the plug in the wall, it had corroded inside!! We were proud that we figured it out and fixed it without having to call someone

We decided to go for a walk this evening, so we all walked to the local pizza place - about 2km away!! Ben was really good on the walk.... He had the kids meal it was ridiculously huge!

to everone having issues with ex's

another night toby has been gret! thats 2 nights in a row!!! ANd he took a bottle! (i only expressed 80 mls as i didnt want to waste too much)

carolyn im following the babybliss routine for 3-6 month olds, just roughly for now, and with an extra feed at 9. oooh it really is bliss!

i worked out what i was doing wrong- i was concentrating on having the feeds 3 hours apart regardless of his sleep. now i concentrate more on his sleep, and make sure he is getting enough.

ooh lia what did you get from the markets? how do you know when they are on? yay on fixing the tv!

anyone heard from lori recently??

have a nice night everyone!

Donna Facebook says Lori has a slurpie and a chocolate... shame she doesn't share with her virtual friends

Oh and Donna congrats with Toby hun... I too have changed the focus from feeds and timings to sleep and that in it self helped Lachlan to start his weight gain And made for a much happier baby

Donna - babykidsmarket

This site tells you where and when. i got some clothes (got a Fred Bare shirt for $3.... so cute). I saw some funky clothes by this company monsterbaby

Donna - what bottles are you using? I have a pile of the narrow neck ones (I use the pigeon wideneck ones), that I bought when I had Ben. They are just sitting in the cupboard - I dont think they were used much as Ben only liked the pigeon nipple. You are welcome to them if you want them.

Oh cool Lia... The Baby and Kids market actually comes to the Central Coast!!! but not till August... I might drag DH down to one of the other earlier days

Good morning all - Lachlan went down at around 10.30 last night and is still asleep!! Don't want to move around downstairs in case I wake him... downstairs getting DSD's preschool stuff sorted and don't really know what else to do with myself!

Anyway... BBL. Have a nice day all x