Try remembering to sign when you have been getting up to a baby all night!

The one sign I have been fairly consistent with is milk. It is made with both hands and looks like you are trying to milk  a cow.

On Saturday Natalya did a one handed version of it that Haydon and I both agree was an attempt at the sign. It can be hard to tell what is an attempt at the sign and what is just Natalya waving her arm about. When she gets in her bouncy she likes to wave her right hand (we are pretty sure she is right handed as it is definetly dominant) to make it rock. It is leading to some confusion. Poor child just has to wave her arm and mum whips out the boob! But Saturday morning we are pretty sure we got it right.

My husband Haydon is a registered nurse. In fact he has spent the last few days manning the Accident and Emergency department for the morning shift. When he heard her cough last night he became concerned by the pitch that it may be whooping cough.

So off to the emergency department we went. Just as we were waiting to be let in throught the late night entrance Natalya coughed up and spat out a large amount of phlegm. After that she stopped coughing and was quite happy. Her temperature was low - possibly because of the trip in the cold to get there.

They offered to call the oncall doctor in but she was much better so we declined.

So no it doesn’t appear to be whooping cough, just croop. Still better to over react than under react in a situation like this. We then went home and she slept from about 11:30 to 6ish. Largest chunk of sleep she has had for ages.

Today she has had a bit of a cough but not too bad. We will cancel our trip to Perth this weekend though. My family doesn’t need to catch our bugs and even if we are getting over it by then I think it will be better to stay home and rest.

Had a post card from my friend Mika who is in Japan visiting her family. Her daughter Yurina was born 9 hours before Natalya in the hospital next to the one we were in. We even had the same obstetrician! She is having a great time visiting her family and friends but is missing her husband. She will be home soon. It will be great to see how much Yurina has grown. She was rolling before they left, I wonder what new tricks she is up to now.

The washing never ends, neither does the housework. Must admit I am not getting as much done as I would like because I am usually holding ‘She who will not be put down’. Will post photos again soon.

Well actually it started at the end of April just before I had to go to Perth to help my brother look after his kids while his wife went away.

The washing machine stopped pumping the water out so Haydon and I lifted it onto the back of the old ute and I took it to Bunbury to be repaired. I went to Perth the following day - with all my dirty washing.

Had a hectic time in Perth helping Ritichie look after the kids while his wife Amy went to Malaysia to see her parents. Her Dad is very unwell. Mum came over every day and helped too. Between the three of us we managed Natalya and both of Ritchie’s kids.

Each morning I dumped Natalya on Ritchies bed (his kids climb into bed with him in the morning to say hello) to say good morning to everyone while I had my shower. Then Joanna (my neice) played and talked with Natalya while I made breakfast and packed the kids lunches/morning tea for school.

Between dropping kids off, picking kids up, getting a bit of washing and cooking done and looking after Natalya I didn’t get a chance to catch up with many people at all. Not even my Dad!

I drove home on the Friday so I could spend some time with Haydon. We took the old ute down to Bunbury for Natalya’s Montessori session and then went to pick up the washing machine. It was 11:17 and they closed at 11 oclock. Boy was I fuming!

Back down the hill on the monday to pick it up. Apparently a jewelery chain had become caught and killed the water pump. Note to self - check pockets!. Then it started making funny sounds after only five washes so on Friday Haydon had to lift it back onto the ute at 6am before he left for work and I took it down the hill again.

They couldn’t find anything jammed - assume the blockage must have moved on but they did show me how to remove the water pump and check it myself next time.

Then a few days later I realised that it was using hot water on the cold wash. No we don’t have the water hoses around the wrong way. I actually tried putting them around the wrong way to fix the problem but the machine wouldn’t let me

It is a fisher pakel now known in my house as an F-ng P.

Again Haydon lifted the machine onto the ute at 6 am before work and I drove it down the hill. The guy said it would cost $290 to replace the electronic board so we decided to just leave it the way it is and turn the hot water system off at the meter box while I am doing the washing. Let’s hope I remember to turn it back on again!

Natalya has earned herself a new nick name recently Crankenstein! She has not been sleeping well during the day and has also been teething.

On the bright side - she did actually let me massage her for part of the time at our infant massage class today. Sometimes I try to massage her and I end up with a screamming surf board - make the relaxing massage rather counter productive!

Better go and spend some rare time with my hubby. Just had to blog first, nearly a month since my last blog.

I walked down  the hill to town today for the first time since before Natalya was born. By the time I got there the shop I wanted was closed (closed at 12:30). I treated myself to a milkshake at the coffee shop and bumped into Amanda and Jaxon with Amanda’s mother in law. Jaxon is only 4 days older than Natalya but is very advanced for his age. He is already on solids and has two teeth.

Natalya did a bit of screaming while we were down there but very kindly sat in her pram for the trip down and back. Just as well because I don’t think I could have carried her all that way. I think her teeth might be hurting her because her cheeks were all red and she was chewing on everthing she could- hands, clothes, me etc.

Having the car broken into two days after getting back put a bit of a damper on the homecoming. It also meant I had to stay in Perth for a few days longer to get the car window fixed before I could drive home. Which reminds me I still need to take the car to the local panelbeater to arrange the rest of the repairs. Another thing on the list.

Poor Natalya has been going though a real screaming stage for the last three weeks or so. From what I have described both the Child Health Nurse and the Pharmacist think it sounds like colic. Some days my ears just ring from the screaming. Luckily things are getting a bit better now.

I arranged for the mothers from the 6 week parenting group I attended to keep meeting at the local family centre. We have met three times since I got back. The first week there was about 6 of us and we brought a plate to share. Last week there was 10 of us and we watched a video on babies and sleep. I think  a few of us picked up a few pointers. This week we all brought our cameras and any props we thought would look good for baby photos. I have posted some on my Minti blog (mumkim).

Next week is Anzac day so we won’t meet and the following week they will be ‘dancing with their babies’ but I will be up in Perth helping my brother look after his kids while his wife goes to Malaysia to see her ill father. My brother is a very hands on dad but he needs some help during the day so he can still get some work done. My mum will be helping out too so between the three of us we should manage to look after his two kids and Natalya.

My wonderful hubby Haydon has just had his 2 days off (6 on 2 off). During which time he changed over the toilet cistern, changed the washers, installed a new rotary clothes line (yay - I am really excited about this, trying to get cloth nappies and clothes dry on a stationary line in autumn has not been good) and started lining the room in the new shed. Boy am I jealous - all I ever seem to do is wash clothes, dry clothes, fold clothes, cook meals etc etc. The kind of stuff that never ends and I am really missing a sense of achievement. Next time he can hold the baby so maybe I can get something done.

That’s it for now. I must go and hang out another load of nappies.

Today she has been feeding so much I feel as if my nipples are about to fall off. She has taken to shaking her head or pulling it backwards with my nipple in her mouth–ouch! Any ideas on how to stop a nine week old from shaking her head with my nipple in her mouth?

Haydon was on night shift. When he got home this morning I had a quick coffee and a cuddle with him before I had to get up and get ready for fitball. While I was cuddling with him he said “It’s ok darling you don’t need to pat me”. I wasn’t even aware of doing it but apparently when the baby made a noise I started to pat his back just like I do to settle Natalya.

She has been rather unsettled tonight too but at least she is not crying as much. As long as she is being held and patted or fed she is happy. So much for me getting any housework or blogging done tonight either. It is now quarter past midnight. I have a load of washing going through the machine that I am waiting to hang out and this is my first chance to blog all day. I took some photos of Natalya yesterday to put on my page but have not had a chance to put them up either and please don’t ask about the baskets of clean washing waiting to be put away.

Natalya and I had a busy day today. I got up early and got a load of washing on the line, a load of nappies in the machine and  I put the dishwasher on before Haydon got home from his night shift. I managed to run myself late for fitball. Straight after that was parenting group and then 4 of us (plus babies) went for lunch at the coffee shop followed by a shopping trip on which I resisted the temptation to buy anymore baby clothes or toys.  Tomorrow we have craft, followed by a 60km trip down the hill to ‘baby beats’ and then coffee with a friend. I have to go back down the hill again on Friday after fitball. With Haydon working night shift I figure it is better that I take Natalya out during the day to give him a chance to sleep.

I hope that washing maching finishes soon. I am nearly asleep here.