Hi acmum!!

Great to hear from you!! Go on have a 4th! Come and join me

DH still is out of work, there's been a flurry of activity so we're hoping that something will come up soon, fingers crossed

x

Halloooo there ! Just had to say "wow" to Heinz and Congratulations on number 4 ! You are v brave ! My DH keeps going on about how lovely it would be to have a 4th (think he secretly hopes for a boy to play football with ) but I can't even think about it !! Hope your Dh gets a new job sorted out soon - its awful at the moment isn't it ? Everyone we know is worried about their financial situation.

Hi CCPink - sorry to hear about your Mum .
I haven't worked out Facebook either - need to get on pc when Eloise is asleep as she is determined to punch keys whenever i am typing

Plp - how are you ? You sound like you've got alot on your plate m'dear! Glad to hear that Cerys is doing so well and sounds really chatty ! Eloise is still saying "no" to everything and squealing til she gets what she wants.

MLCF - glad to hear you and your girls are getting settled in your new house. Your outfit sounds amazing ! Hope you have a fantastic time !

Hello to everyone else ! xx

hiya CC, great to hear that your Mum's lump isn't too sinister. What a relief.

Search for me on facebook under nicky holmes

My pic is a silly one of me with Chubacka from Star Wars!!

Definitely need a new title Heinz.
How weird about your mum. My mum had a masectomy too but has had it back once since then?!? The current lump seems at the mo a bit less worrying now. The initial tests were clear but gets scan results and next biopsy results next Monday.
We are signing too though I don't recognise much except milk on a night!
So sorry to hear about your husband - it's really scarey how bad things are at the moment. Hope he finds something soon.
I'm not sure how to CAT you or what it is but I'm about to try as guess I can figure it!
hope we can get some others back on here!
cc

Hi all, WOW!!!!

Damn, I should have come back and checked sooner for messages.

ccpink, I'm truly sorry to hear that your Mum has found another lump. Has she adh the results back from her biopsy yet. I do hope it's benign. My Mum had breast cancer when she was only 37, she had a mastectomy, she's been clear since. Can you CAT me? I;ll give the facebook details. Dal's on there, PLP, MLCF, Edie and a few others, it's great for keeping up to date.,

PLP, I saw Cerys' signing video - fantastic!!! Niamh is learning signing too, it's so amazing how much they're able to do and I'm convinced it's brought on her speech development. I too am hypermobile so know full well the problems it brings, poor little thing, she really has gone through it hasn't she.

MLCF sounds like you're doing really well, good for you, have fun at your ball, take lots of pics

I've had a stressful few days, I won't go into full details but briefly despite my best efforts not to, I've been caught up in the fall out between two friends and one of these friends has been pretty horrid to me these past two wks, I'm just having to ignore all contact from her now. Also DH is now into his 5th week of redundancy, we're not panicking yet, but it's not good out there

Oh I do hope we can get this thread going again, we'll need to come up with a new title!!

Hey we have people!!! waves a lot!!
plp - that's so great about Cerys, you really sound like you have sorted things well. I actually think that crawling is faster than walking, at first anyway so I can imagine you have the same chaos we do!
I have got fb but don't know any real names so how do I find you all?!? Are you a group? Am I just being dim??
I've been rubbish with the signing thing, been to quite a lot of classes but not done it at home. Em gabbles in swahili but not really that much in English?!? Animal noises are good
Em is also quite sickly but I think that's because of me as whenever I'm ill I tend to puke - lovely!!
choochy - we really need to see those pic's. Sound fab!
I'm having a bad week. Went home to parents for my uncle's funeral and my mum announced she has another lump - [breast cancer twice already for anyone with memory as bad as mine] Waiting for results of biopsy... Trying not to think about it at the mo!!!
Anyway I've finished work for the week now and can't wait to just do nothing but play with my pumpkin tomorrow.
Hugs to all - someone let me know if I'm able to find you on fb!
ttfn
cc

Yay! I made it!!!!!
This could be the last message I send until I get my own net connection, so pay attention ladies! lol

Dx and I are on more solid ground now that I've got my own place, I'm settled and things with him are much more amicable. He's agreed that he needs to start taking the girls for regular weekends (probably every other weekend to start with and see how it goes from there). He's moving back into his parent's house this weekend coming, so is obviously feeling very low about that, but it means that he may finally be able to steady the debts that are racking up over his head since I left, (only earning £1K and his rent alone is £620!), I'm hoping that he'll finally chill out and start thinking about the bigger picture before jumping into things with both feet!

The girls and I are all good, the house is nearly complete (a tiny bit more carpet on the stairs and the bedroom ceilings to be painted once the council have sorted out the leaky roof, which it looks like they've started on today, and fixed the tiny bit of water damage inside the built in wardrobes), and that's it!! It's amazing how much one woman can get done, it took Dx ages to do a bit of painting for me lol

I'm just about getting my head around the financial side of living on my own, it's been well over 7 years since I lived on my own and even then I didn't have to worry about council tax, water rates or even electricity to a certain extent! It's all coming together nicely though, or am I now inviting my bad luck to jump me one last time?!

Lolly's doing really well, a few signs here and there (I'm not really that well educated but I know the basic ones which is better than nothing), she's still allergic to milk but I'm finding that's not too bad (well, it wasn't too bad until I realised that we didn't have a cooker and most microwave meals *YUK!* have got milk in!), she loves finger foods, things that she can feed herself, she thinks she's a big girl but still hasn't totally got to grips with the idea of how a spoon works!!
She's a biscuit baby if ever I saw one, which makes life easy, and both girls practically live on fruit bars! At least they're eating healthy foods!

I've done away with their afternoon naps and they're now both fed n bed by 6pm (unless they have a bath n then it's half 6) . . . it's bliss! I've not got much of a social life yet but I'm going to the masquerade ball again this year . . . it's on the 6th, less than 2 weeks away now! I'm going as little (or big, if you've seen a pic of me you'll know what I mean! lol) red riding goth! I've been wearing contact lenses for two weeks now so that on the night I can wear some gorgeously freaky red cat's eyes! (Was going to wear black ones but a friend of mine has, co-incidently, got a pair too and is wearing her's , so I've changed mine without telling her ).
I'm wearing a heart shaped black dress with lace cap sleeves, black lace train (short one so it doesn't get ruined), and a corset which is the exact opposite of the cape that I made! (The cape is black satin with red lace and the corset is red satin with black lace!) will definately post pics once I've got over the hangover that I shall, no doubt, endure!

Anyway, must be orf, making the most of the net whilst it's still in my hands!!
xXx

Helloooooo!!!!

Great to hear choochy is getting there bless her!

Hiya ccpink, totally remember you and welcome back - have you got fb? I find it handy for sharing pics and videos etc and love keeping in touch on it when I've got the time lol!

I second the chaos thing too - Cerys might not be walking but she crawls at the speed of light and is cruising around the furniture. She's been diagnosed with hypermobility and her left leg bends right back which is what is delaying her walking. The paediatrician is sure she will be walking by about 20mths so not long now! Her talking is coming on in leaps and bounds, its like having a parrot as she repeats everything and talks in context too. She's teething again and always seems to vomit for some reason - she must have been sick in her sleep last night as she was covered this morning and she stank! She signed to us that she was stinky and wanted a bath - the signs are coming on well too (did put a video on fb but it wasn't her best by a long shot).

She's been discharged from cardiology which is great and is currently having tests done on her blood by genetics to establish if she has a 'syndrome' or not (we're not too bothered either way, we'll just treat her as 'normal' whatever the outcome). She still gets consipation regularly but we've learnt to manage it on a daily basis and what foods she can and can't eat...

I'm now on anti-depressants and DH is attending a clinic for drug dependency (the green stuff). Things have been a bit up and down but seem to be levelling out a bit now thankfully! Sorry haven't been on here for so long, didn't realise how long it had been!

Have said it on fb but a big congrats to you hopey, so pleased for you. How are you feeling now?

((((((big hugs to all)))))))xxxx

Hello everybody, CONGRATULATIONS HS even though I have already said it on FB. Must try to come on here more but this new layout is offputting!! xxxxxxxxxxxxx

I'd definitely second the causing chaos. I'd also add climbing to that list too!
Hopefully she Mylilchoochyface will be back with us two loners soon

Hi ccpink, yes title is VERY out of date , there's a few of us on fb, I agree it is such a shame, I do miss our thread. This pregnancy was a bit of a surprise to say the least!! DS1 is 12, DS2 is nearly 10 and of course you know how old DD is How exciting you're planning your next one!!

MyLilChoochyface sent me a text today asking me to post this:
Lolly is walking, talking, singing and causing chaos! The new house is great, after only a month of hell in a shared house. Sorry for not updating sooner, no net connection yet. Love to all, miss you loads! Mylilchoochyface x x

Hi HEINZ - WOW 4, YOU ARE SO MUCH BRAVER THAN ME.Or should that be crazier?!? What are your gaps? We're thinking of trying about April.
Has everyone moved to Facebook?!? Is there a facebook group? Seems a shame that some of the other older groups are going strong and ours has lost its mojo - our title is a tad outdated now!!!
Take care
cc

hi ccpink, great to hear from you, our little thread here is v quiet isn't it. I'm not sure you'll check in again for a while. Regarding cooking their second, I'm currently cooking my 4th!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Happy New Year to all!!! I have been awol for so long I bet people have forgotten about me. I'm still here... just... knackered etc. etc. but lots of stuff so familiar when reading the thread that just had to wave hello. Our babies are like real little people now, not babies. Has anyone starting cooking their second or is everyone still like me struggling to drum up enough energy to practise!!!!
Hope someone else comes on soon!

amyclaramum, great to hear from you, how're you doing? Merry Christmas to you too, lots of love x x x

MLCF glad things are looking up for you, have a good Christmas x

Hellloooooooo Mummies and babies !

Just wanted to pop in and say "merry christmas" and Happy 2009 to you all !

Sorry I haven't posted much - Eloise is keeping me on my toes as she is into everything ! I can't leave her for a minute and if I start on the PC she starts banging the keys too !

Hope everyone has a lovely Christmas love to you all xxxx

((waves to Kinki!!!!))

Ok, yet another dash in to update you all! I know, cheeky aren't I?!
I've been allocated a 2 bed maisonette in a nice part of town, have signed the acceptance forms (haven't seen it inside but am desperate to get the girls and I out of the shared house) and, all going accordingly, we should be moving in some time this week!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!
I'm hoping I can just chuck all our stuff in, shut the door and forget about it until after xmas (the girls and I are staying at Dx'x parent's, two weeks of letting Granddad spoil the girls whilst I sit in the corner with Grandma getting merry! )
Dx is probably going to be staying over for that period too but he's working the whole time except for xmas day and boxing day, so we wont actually see that much of him (and, yes, he will be sleeping in the other spare room lol).

Admittedly, Dx and I have been getting along much better since he came to terms with the whole situation and the fact that this was all brought about by himself. He's determined that, at some point in the future we'll be a proper family again, I obviously can't see that happening at all, let alone a way down the line, but I can't rule it out completely, you never know what the future holds! (Unfortunately. . . which reminds me, must dig out the crystal ball! )

Righty, I'm off again, I promise, once xmas and the move is done with, I'll have a good go through the latest posts and give proper hugs to you all!
xXx

Welcome back Kinki!!!!!!!!!

Hi all...just a quick one before bed.

PLP-Hope you are feeling a little better, must reply to your recent message on FB. How are things with DH? I sympathise with the teething-tis a nightmare!!

Feel guilty as I bought 2 pairs of boots on credit card today-have been good for soooo long but just had to go a bit mad today!!

xxxxxxxxxxxxxx

love you ladies too x x x x x x x x x x x x x x

kinki yay kinki yay KINKI YAY KINKI YAY WOOHOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

happy happy happy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks ladies, just chatting with you this evening has cheered me up!

Kinkiiiiiiiiii!!!!!!! So so glad you've posted, we've missed you too, genuinely!

I'm sure he'll come back at a reasonable time as he can't cope with being out in the dark (I know that sounds silly but he's really like that due to the agoraphobic tendencies). Either that or I'll get a phonecall asking me to pick him up,

I really do love you ladies! ((((hugs)))) xx

blimey new names. Hope hienz yes????

Thanks lovely straight back at ya!!!! That's great re friend requests.

Bloody hell, hope DH comes home at a decent hour, such a worry for you

((((((hugs)))))))

Ohhhhh, I made it, I'm here.
Sooooo sorry its been so long. Bit complex why I absconded - kind of a confidence thing.
Missed you all. No really I mean it, I have seriously missed you all.
Anyone mind if I just leap in as if I've not been away? Cheeky cow aren't I?! I'll land running but will look back when I have a little time. Gonna do a namechange soon. Start afresh and all that.
I've just read plp's post. Poor you. Doesn't it feel an uphill battle all the time? Rebook your night out and make sure you get out the door first. As I said on fb, wish I could just come round and take you out.
Tis good to be back girls. xx

Thanks hopey, you're so lovely! Have suggested you and a few others as friends to you edie (hope that's OK) xxx

Enjoy your collapsing lol! I'm going to sit and wait to see if/when DH comes home...

Helloo!

hugarooneys to you PLP, sounds like you're going through a bit of a shitty time

I do hope your DH gets sorted soon with his ADs, so horrid , poor little Cerys too.

But aren't our bubs growing up SOooooooooooooooo fast!!!!!!

I did get the Superman bits thank you x x x x x x x x x x x x

Edie, where are you on FB? My initials are NH on PLPs profile. Pic is of me and DH dressed in bow tie.

Am logging off now to collapse in a tired heap on the sofa.

(just didn't want to put all this on fb as sooooo many of my rl friends are on there, including family etc)

Hello ladies,
As mentioned on fb, have had a rubbish, shitty day . DH has been up and down lately (as usual!) and wouldn't get up this morning which wouldn't normally be a problem but my dad asked me to help with some typing today and DH was meant to look after Cerys for me (at my parents). I thought sod it and went anyway without him - he doesn't realise how difficult he makes life for me sometimes! He then rode over but fell asleep for the afternoon . He didn't want dinner there but I was behind with the typing so we didn't get home till late. I was meant to be going to my friends to chill as I haven't seen her for ages but he arranged to go to his friends (knowing my plans!!). He wasn't meant to be smoking but he is which has made me really angry, I have no idea if he'll even come home tonight, let alone how late. We're so close normally but he's really wearing me down at the moment . Have just made dinner for DC's and I think DS has finally tidied his room... (yesterday I was determined to hoover their rooms so I dumped all their mess on their beds so they'd have to put it away to go to sleep - DD1 did hers but DS slept on the settee!!!!).

I'm just sooooo fed up!!!! I haven't been sleeping or eating properly for the past couple of weeks and I'm so tired all the time. I have no idea how we're going to afford Christmas even though I know it'll all come together in the end. And on top of all that, Cerys is teething with a passion, full blown snotty nose and constantly crying at the drop of a hat. Saying that, she is coming out with new words every day which is most entertaining bless her. I'm not saying they're not worth it but I'm just not being a good mum at the moment and I want to snap out of it

Oh my goodness, I've done a 'me' post again, I'm so sorry. I feel a bit better for getting it off my chest now at least...

choochy, hope things are OK and I meant what I said in my text that I'm here if you need to offload. Here's me moaning when you're going through so much worse bless you xxxx

ediemcredie, I took a peek at your pics and Millie's just scrummy!

hopey, did you get the Superman things I sent you on fb? Was so pleased to find that one lol!

Well, I might just have a hot bath in a bit but for now I'm going to surf on fb for a while (totally addicted!). Well done if you're still reading this and thank you for listening xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hi everyone-guess everyone is busy with LO's as I have been...haven't posted for agggeeesss

PLP-Saw some photos of Cerys on FB-she is very gorgeous!! What lovely hair-if you look on mine you will see Millie has hardly any still!!

MLCF-Good luck with the new house! Sorry to hear about the PND-I had a touch of it and im a mental health nurse so know a bit from both sides IYKWIM!!

Love to all-will check on here a bit more often I think xx

I can't believe no-one's posted since my last! Well, just to update you all the girls and I moved out last Tuesday, we're in a shared house in an undisclosed location. This means, with only internet access at the local library until I get a place of my own, I wont be able to pop on here as often, but will try and keep up as best I can!
Hope you guys have a lovely christmas/yule/hannukah!
xXx

I haven't made the appointment yet DD1's on half term so I don't know how next week's going to go, and there are road works so I'm not exactly up for taking more trips than necessary on a bus that has no access for a pushchair (having to put the pushchair down whilst holding Lolly . . . I've been through this one every year since we moved here, first having this trouble with DD1, then whilst heavily pregnant, and now with Lolly . . . anyone would think that road needed continuous maintenance, it's really not bad, I'm convinced the council really are just wasting money).

I took the girls out trick/treating tonight before dinner, they loved it . . . well, DD1 loved it, Lolly was unusually quiet the whole time, but then, it was a bit cold

So, I only really came on to post the following:
Have a good one!
xXx

Hi all, been a while since anyone's posted. I don't seem to get on here that often, like PLP says, mobile bubs!

PLP, sorry to hear about your concerns about Cerys' not walking yet. It is a bit rubbish the specialists saying the odd thing but not doing further investigations sooner. What did you decide to do in the end?

Have heard from kinki again WOOOOOOOOOOOHOOOOOOOOOOO, she's on Facebook

MLCF did you get an appointment with the psych unit. That's REALLY awful if you've been suffering with PND all this time

Well we're enjoying the half term hols, Niamh thinks it's fab fab fab spending time with her big brothers. Her face is a picture, and it's hilarious when she tries to copy them. I'm just glad my boys aren't the sort of kids who swear!

Niamh has learnt to say Bye Bye, tis uber cute, she's definitely trying to say lots of other words.

Oh yes, she says 'shoe', much to the concern of my DH. He's worried what the future may hold with a DD who loves shoes!!

Went to see doc today (finally caved lol) and I have to phone the local psychiatric unit to get an appointment and see what they can do for me with regards to my PND. . . that started when I gave birth to DD1 3 years ago, that I refused treatment for, thought I'd struggle through it! Yeah right!

Obviously a lot has happened recently to have tipped me over the edge slightly but the doc's worried about the fact that nothing was done in the first place as it seems it was kind of beyond my control and I shouldn't have been given the choice to turn down treatment! Makes me sound like a raving loony!!

Anywho, am kind of feeling down about it, having got home and had to fight DD1 to get her to nap (Lolly went down like a dream!) and Dx is home, in bed, with a stinky headache (he got back into bed once our fight with DD1 finished). So am sat here by myself pondering on just how quickly I should move to make the appointment with the local psych unit. . . or if I should tell him about it first?! Not that that would make any difference as it's something that needs to be done.
It's nearly half 5 now so might leave it til tomorrow afternoon when I've got more time on my hands. . .
xXx (Dragging everyone down again, aren't I? Sorry guys )

Lolly's latest update: She has added two real words to her vocab:
Ninja - Thanks to Dx
and
Book - Thanks to IL's

Ahem as for what exactly happened the other night I'm not entirely clear on it but basically I drank a whole bottle of wine (after we had a big chat on feelings/the future etc) and woke up in his bed.
I'll leave it at that for now, things are still a bit shaky, for me anyway, so, until things are a bit clearer it's probably safest to leave out details etc lol
xXx

Hi there

This thread has gone soooo quiet

Choochy - I really hope you can sort things out soon, what a rollercoaster you have been on

PLP - good to see you pop in, I hope cerys foot is no problem I think she has been through enough

Well Ben has been one for 13 days now and in that space of time he has gone from taking his first steps to walking everywhere under his own steam, its so cute to see how much he improves day by day. He is also becoming very independent, wanting to feed himself all the time which whilst good for development purposes is very messy and time consuming

He also now has 6 teeth

Awww hun, what happened? Hope everything is OK? xx

Thanks, you're so right - I know she's fine really but after everything that has happened I can't seem to let myself think everythings ok, just incase something goes wrong like before. Saying that, we got through it then so even if it did turn out something was wrong, we'd get through it I guess.

Gotta dash, pizza's arriving any minute (soooo can't afford it but kids are at their dads and I'm starving hungry and we haven't had takeaway for months!).

((hugs))xxx

Thanks PLP, I've been thinking of you too hun, when I see you pop up on FB I give a little smile (it's usually cos there's a pic of Cerys and she's lookin' cheeky!)
I wouldn't be worried too much about not walking properly yet, if she's cruising the furniture that's a good sign that being up and on her feet isn't causing her any bother, just keep an eye on her and see if you notice anything that you might actually be worried about (if anything is hindering her then maybe get it checked) but it sounds like she's getting to the right stages, she's not behind on anything! DD1 started cruising at 14 months, fair enough she got walking very soon after that, but Lolly's been cruising for a good few months now and hasn't really made any proper attempts at walking on her own (it's only super babes like Arben that do that eh Elefantshoes?! )

As for all that pain you're going through right now, I really do feel for you hun, (((hugs))) I hope it starts to get better soon (the physical and the mental pains!).

Righty, I'm off again (avoiding the subject of what happened with the rest of my night )
xXx

Awww Choochy, you're really going through it hun, wish I could wave a magic wand and make everything OK for you . Have been thinking of you, even if I haven't been posting... ((hugs))

OK, so good news... ummm... nothing really here, sorry! Have been really struggling with my hips and the pain of the bursitis has spread into my pelvis so have been very uncomfortable. Cerys has had a stinking cold which she passed to DH who has spent the last week dying of man flu grrrr. He also hit the six week mark of his ad's and has been a nightmare to live with - picking arguments, locking himself in the bedroom etc. He's been much better today but I've been a bitch and have told him that even with the illness it takes me time to get over his behaviour and forgive him. At the same time I'm getting sexually frustated as we're usually quite, how do I say it, 'active'; and its been longer than usual. Hopefully I can relax a bit this weekend but we'll see...

Cerys is saying loads of words all of a sudden - she says Daddy as clear as a bell and was saying Mummy but hasn't said it for a while now. She says 'baby' and 'beep beep' (while pressing your nose) and has her own version of Joshua (big bro), 'daisy' and loads of other stuff. We saw the consultant on Monday and she has to have lots more lactulose and more regular suppositories but apart from that he's pleased with her. She wanted to do 'beep beep' on everybodies noses in the room which went down well lol! She is into everything, and I mean EVERYTHING, just like DS when he was little. She's still not walking but incorporates proper crawling with the bum-shuffling depending on what type of floor she's on and she walks around the furniture - she's soooo fast all of a sudden!!!!

hopey, love your new name Well done you for going to the gym, I'm hoping to get back into my line-dancing soon if my hips will let me! How is poor little Niamh doing with her bumps bless her? I meant to say on fb, so glad you've heard from kinki, which leads me to say:

COME BACK KINKIIIIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!! Please, please, please post,we'd love to hear how you're doing hun!!!! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

elefantshoes - so pleased you've finally had a full nights sleep bless you! Well done Beni on walking and standing etc!

I have to admit I'm slightly worried about Cerys not walking yet - the paeditrician commented on her being double jointed when we last saw him and the other day, the consultant also said she was very 'loose'. She definitely has the strength etc but DH noticed last week that she rarely puts her left foot flat like the right one - do you think I should get an earlier appointment with her paediatrician? If she has something wrong with her foot, she'll struggle to ever walk bless her (not that its stopping her getting around at the moment!). If it wasn't for DH noticing that, I'd not be worried at all but he's got me thinking now. I've never been one to compare children and what they're doing when etc - if she doesn't walk for a few more months it really won't be the end of the world imo. However if there's something wrong and I've missed it, I'll feel awful

Helloooo to all our other lovely ladies, I'm off to bed early, will keep popping in to read up. I think it really is true that once our lo's have got mobile, we really don't have a moment to ourselves, I know that is the case for me anyways. What I'm trying to say is that my lack of posting bears no reflection on this thread - I still think you're a lovely group of ladies and I feel privileged to be a part of the group and if I had a dilemma, I know you'd all be here and vice versa. Right, enough of me getting all sentimental, sweet dreams all!

((((((hugs)))))) xxxxxx

Ooh look, today I managed to cry a bit and he's straight back into "let's be a family" I don't know if I can take any more of this little rollercoatser, might just take me a little trip up north and see how he likes being a single parent!
I'm so fed up with being messed around just cos he can't hack it!
ARRRRRRRGH!

Anyone got any GOOD news?!!!
xXx

Well, I'm sure he'' soon turn back into the man I married, but it'll be too late and he would've wasted 7 years of his life just to go and fall into his father's footstep's (they do say the apple doesn't fall far form the tree, and he's made it three out of the three sons to have done it, so it just shows, you can marry the "nicest guy on the planet" and he'd still manage to f*ck it all up!).

I'm having a bad day today, had a driving lesosn this afternoon, it wasn't too bad but it's now got to the stage where I can't progress much with the lessons being once every two weeks and I can't afford to have them every week, so am now trying to find a way of getting some practice in between lessons so I don't have to get into the car and refresh every time. . . but, of course, that's not possible as I only have one really reliable friend with a car and owuld need another friend to sit the girls whilst she takes me out in her car, (and then she'd have to sort out some kind of insurance against me crashing her car, which neither of us can afford right now), and I just don't have anyone else.
My instructor says that, obviously, my personal life isn't helping matters but I'm doing quite well and he'd like to see me out on the road sooner as I've picked it all up so quickly and he doesn't want to see it all dwindle for nothing!
I feel so useless as I'd be relying on so many other people (to sit girls, take me driving etc) just to get these lessons over with, and it's always hard to ask people to make a regular slot for me just to try and keep it all going so I can get on and pass my test.
I've thought about asking Dx's parent's to have the girls every other weekend, but then he'd have to drive them over there in the first place (which, if I put it right to him, he might agree to ), but then I personally don't want to burden them with the girls on a regular basis as his mum does all the dirty work, (his dad's never changed a dirty nappy, ever, aparently), and she's recovering from an operation muck up on her wrist, and it's all just too much really.
I'll have to talk to him later about this whole thing, cos my instructer is very keen on me passing and it'd be nice to get it all over and done with (and it'd help him out if I could pass my test too, as I could share the driving over to his parent's for the next 6 months then! lol), I'm just not up for talking serious topics with him any more, he's just so frikkin' unreasonable and I can just see him saying no just for funsies! Ho-hum, will just have to swallow it down and talk to the guy (BARF emoticon, which reminds me, the jerk had the nerve to open my door last night and ask if I fancied having sex with him. . . "Erm, no thanks!"!! How does it enter his head that he can say things are totally over between us and still think I'd want sex with him? No going back now so why would I bother? I know we've had sex since it all happened but there was always the chance that we'd get back together, but now there's no chance and he still thinks I'm happy to please him. . . please myself, maybe, but not allow him any pleasure form this hot body of mine ).
xXx

Poor you, what a tw*t he is

HEVILS: Ah it was all a bit of a non argument as far as I'm concerned, lots of stuff we never really got round to venting and all a bit tiny compared to the major problem (Umm being that he shagged another woman etc etc), I'm brushing it off as an excuse, and he's now got what he wants so fine. . . we'll see eh?!
xXx

Hi MLCF, sounds like you had an eventful weekend. What happened? Am glad you mostly enjoyed your camping trip. I sure your girls will grow up to be fine young ladies, they've got a strong Mummy.

LLL how are you doing? How's the diet going? I am REALLY struggling with it all, am going to join the gym after the half term hols are over, they've got a creche there, so will have to get back into the habit!

Poor Niamh bumped her head on the radiator and five minutes later slipped and bumped her mouth, poor little lamb, her mouth was bleeding, as was my heart

Hope everyone else is well. x x x

HaHaHa you guys didn't do a lot whilst I was away did you? Cos blimey this place would be dead without me jabbering away!!

Anywho, had a lovely time camping in Devon, in a caravan, thank goodness, was rather chilly at night, but the weather was gorgeous!! Took the girlies out and about, Dx was so good considering I was plagued with the crimson wave rather suddenly, and came over all hormonal! but then redeemed his selfish nasty behaviour the moment we were back in this county again (near enough).
He's now decided he doesn't want me to think about us once I move out, he's not giving me any option, it's over and that's that! Fine, no more chances, shot himself in the foot, I'm going to screw him royally!

I'm now feeling all powerful and determined to be a complete and utter Goddess in everything I do (and that includes screwing him over, we must keep the Goddess balanced now ) and our girls will grow up to be fine young ladies, I'll make sure of it....... MWAHAHAHAHA POWERRRRRRR!
Anywho, new thread?
xXx

Looks like everyone is busy busy busy these days!

Yeah! Come back kinki, come back kinki we miss you!!

Come back Kinky

Just dropping in the say hi.

GREAT NEWS ...... I heard from Kinki at the weekend, she's doing really well. Am working on pursuading her to post, she said she feels embarrassed to have been absent so long!

Come back kinki and come back all!! Miss you all!

MMooMar: It's official, you're banned, you're the first to mention the dreaded "special holiday"
So sorry to hear about everything that's happened with your mum and everything, that sucks. Glad you guys had a good birthday celebration for Lukas though!

Not a lot going on this end I'm afraid, going camping on Monday for a few days, last chance at "family holiday" I suppose, with us moving in about 6 months (if all goes well ). Not too sure how I'm feeling about it but I'm going to be in a separate bedroom from DX so no problems there really, I guess I'm more worried about the weather leaving us cooped up in a caravan for four days if it rains the whole time (as is the way). Anyway, will let you all know how it goes (OMG four whole days with out internet access, how am I going to cope?!!!).
xXx

Hello everyone
Big big happy birthday wishes to all the buffday bubbas xx
We are getting on not too badly. I am back at work 3 days a week and DH also works 3 days so we have one day together!! Beni loves spending time with his daddy and has adapted really well to the recent changes.
Beni has been walking for a couple of weeks now and is very proud of himself today as he stood up without any help
He is not a terribly big eater but when he finds someting he likeshe eats lots, he is however a real milky milk boy. His sleeping is slowly getting better, some nights are better than others, we had our first 8hr night last week!!!!!!(only took us a year).
I am sorry for not catching up individually, I read the thread as much as possible but it is incrtedibly difficult to get anything done on the computer since Beni has figured out how to switch it off
I think of you all often and am always pleased to hear how well we are all doing with our gorgeous LO's
Take care
Ele and Beni x

Sorry, touch pad is so sensitive on this laptop always worry I will lose a load of typing as it jumps back so decided to post what I had done as I am not the quickest on the keys.....

Not really been a good summer as regards to my family.Not me and DP,I dont mean that,Dont kow if anyone remembers That my Mom had cancer and was waiting for an operation to remove her kidney and a growth from an artery.She had the op and all went well,They said that they had got everything and all was good .She then came home but things started going downhill .She began to leak lymphatic fluid from the wound,went back in got that sorted ,came back out ,continued to go down hill so ended up back in.They have now found cancers in her head and back ,dont really know how,why or if they were missed or if lympatic system has spread anything about but the prognosis is just crap I dont even want to think about it.They have now sent her back home with a load of hospital furniture and carers are going in everyday.But its really awful,she cant get out of bed on her own,she can hardly walk or sit as she has pressure sores from when she was in hospital.My eldest sister has been living there for ages now,good job too.
Dad was also in hospital when she went in for the op.He had been suffering from bad circulation in his foot(found out later he had a blocked vein)and he couldnt walk properly,ended up having a fall when he was on his own and banged his head off the fire so he ended up in another hospital while mom was in another one.....great eh!

Oh,look at me not been here for months and come on here with a black cloud...I just have to say ....thank god for the kids because thay make you carry on and be as normal as you can be and you have to be because of them.....sounds bad but they make you push it to the back of your mind....( MMoomar gives kids virtual hugs and kisses as they are in bed!)Anyway life goes on....

Looking forward to DS1`s birthday on 14th of this month driving me mad for a Ultimate Bumblebee ....tranformer mad! Flippin 80 quid on a robot/car but I know he will end up with one ,DP will make sure he does....I wonder why .So Transformers are added to the list along with Wall-e,Spongebob,Disney Cars,Spiderman,Go Dieago to ame a few,good job works picked up now(DP is a plumbing and heating engineer)costs me a fortune trying to keep up !

Lukas had a lovely birthday( well I enjoyed it anyway.He had loads of toys ,all noisy of course,the house looked like the local ELC store ,nothing new there though lol!DS1 has also enjoyed playing with his stuff(why do they do that????)and defo enjoyed his cake.Brought a nice big box as I did with DS1 and put all his cards,banners ,balloons and decorations in it to keep for him.

Looking forward to to Christmas with them despite everything going on and I hope to post a bit regular too as I need to really get into doing other stuff again as Hospital visits etc seem to have taken over just lately so sorry for rattling on ...and on ,i will love and leave you.
Love to all xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

HELLLOOOOOO LADIES AND ALL THE BIRTHDAY BUBS!!

Happy birthday to all the little guys who are due to have their first birthday and happy belated first birthday wishes to those that have already celebrated theirs.

Don`t know if many remember me ,haven`t posted in such a long time think it was around May the last time I did.Have popped back a couple of times to have a quick read but never had time to post.

Hope everyone is doing ok,I know some of you are having problems at with work issues (yes we too have had a crap time with that through the summer as DP is self employed)and others with family life but I hope all gets sorted soon.

Cant believe where the time has gone....one year ,gone just like that! awful!.
I really dont want Lukas to grow anymore I would love him to stay just as he is but he is growing so fast as I imagine all the other bubs are.He has been walking for around three weeks now and it just seems really strange,I can be standing there doing something and out the corner of my eye I see him whizzing past ,usually after the dog or DS1.I have even caught him trying to run but you all know how that ended up.I am still feeding him ,little devil hates bottles,sippies,cups, anything but boob!Still waking in the night too so that will be good when DS1 starts nursery next week and I will be having to get up at 6 to get out the house for 8:15....something as you can tell I am no longer used to.

Never mind he is such a great little kid,he has a fantastic smile and a cheeky glint in his eye just like DS1! ooooh, love em to bits.Gonna miss DS1 when he starts next week,he cant wait to go but I can.

....Hang on a mo....

Hey Floss, SO lovely to hear from you. Niamh not quite walking but nearly there. Agree that we probably need a new thread name. Our bubs are very much beyond the learning to sit stage!

I've been crap at posting on these threads but now we're in October just wanted to say a belated happy birthday to all our lovely babies!!

DD is walking (zombie walks) and generally very happy with life (if not her older brother!)

What with all these walking babies a new thread title must be in order soon!

Hope everyone is well.

Flossish/Flossam/Flossalump!

Where is everyone

Well done to Ben too!! Niamh is still trying to get the hang of the whole walking thing, some days she's better at it than others. She often forgets to move her feet and just leans forward falling into my arms!

HAPPY BIRTHDAY To all those that have had first birthdays

Ben is doing really well, his birthday is a week on sunday, he is doing 5 steps on his own now but I still have to be there to catch him

Have read posts, thank you guys,. Will reply 'properly' soon. Off out in a bit.

Happy Birthday Sadie, and WELL DONE for walking across the room!!! How's her arm doing TC?

PLP: You trooper hunni! Well done you on coping with everything that's been going on in your life, and with your other LO's to think of too, I'd never be able to juggle that!
I'm fine really, had a bad day today, spent most of the time arguing on the phone with people who just want loads of money out of me/dx (meaning it wont be going towards the girls), luckily I've fought my way through and managed to get the nursery to acknowledge the fact that they'd got it wrong and misinformed me so they've swung it so my bills isn't quite so big, but I'm now having to take DD 1 out for lunch on the 2 days that she is meant to be there all day cos I can't afford the one poxy hour each day (£11 something, for one hour!! cos it's included in a scheme of some sort!), any who, it kind of mucks up my day tomorrow as I've finally got my driving lessons back and so booked both the girls into the creche (a good trek across town) and so DD 1 will be in nursery for the session in the morning, trek across town for creche, lunch in creche whilst I'm driving, then trek back to nursery for one poxy hour, at which point I will be eating my lunch, then, finally at half 3, pick her up again, get the 4:20 bus home, at which point both girls are going to be exhausted cos they'll have been out for the whole day (Lolly's not good at sleeping in the pushchair, even with "Bear Bear").

I don't mind, it'll only be for tomorrow and then I can figure out a better way of doing things, but it's just come at a really pants point as I'm feeling a bit crappy (I've put 3 lb back on, I know weight fluctuates and all that but doesn't make me feel any better).

Any who, it's not all that bad, not really.

PLP: Glad to hear your DH is doing well on his ad's, big relief! Dx has just come back from the doc, they handed over a 'scrip for his old ad's no probs, apparently, and couldn't understand why he had been taken off them and had them changed in the first place ((rolls eyes))..... could be the start of "back to normal" for him... it's about time, blardy 3 years it's taken!

My little bro chipped his tooth when he was a teen and had it built up with compound, it looks gawd awful now, it's obvious the bottom corner is fake as it yellows really easily and you can see the join but it's worth having it done (he's now saving for a proper job to be done on it, in between scurrying around getting experience for uni etc).

HS: Sorry to hear about the car seat! Must be something in the air with car seats our's just gave up on us, the clasp wouldn't open, poor Lolly had to be wiggled out of it for us to have a look at it and there was no way we could get it open (Dx eventually snapped the red "push" button with a screwdriver), but we've got another one to pick up from a Freecycler on Thursday so it's all good! (we've never had a new car seat, too much money!).
xXx

Hi girls.

Sadie Re turned 1 today. She also walked across the room, 4 times, almost an hour to the day she was born!

Love to all, TC x

Hiya Hopey! Yes, the GP did say it could be from having the SPD, I've heard it can take up to 5 years to get back to normal after having it - my hips have been clicking all the time and apparently its the joint getting inflamed that causes the nerves to get caught and its absolute agony!!!!

They've said that he can have his tooth built up again using a compound which will be next week, poor you having to go through all of that! (and your DS too)

What a dilemma with the car seat - hope you find a way around it as it will be very expensive otherwise .

xxx

PLP, sorry meant to say poor you and your hip. I wonder if it's something that started when you were pregnant, I remember we were 'hip pain buddies' at the time. Tell you waht mate, we're getting old !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! My body is falling to bits too!!!!!!!! Also about your DSs tooth, so annoying. I broke my two front teeth when I was seven and went through years and years of trips to the dentist, have two crowns now. My Mum used to say to me ALL the time, 'don't run you'll fall and break your teeth', bit daft really for a kid though, kids run! Anyway, I did run and I did break my teeth.

My DS1 ALSO broke his two front teeth about 4 years ago, I was GUTTED, I ended up phoning my Dad crying my eyes out . He seemed to understand a bit more than DH why I was so upset. I guess given what I'd been through dentist wise, I kind of knew waht may be instore for DS1. Hay ho!

Hi all. PLP lovely to hear from you. I'm so sorry you had that horrible scare with Cerys. poor you, must have felt a bit like a 'here we go again' situation. Am glad it wasn't anything serious. I've got Niamh's superbaby gro pinned on her wall in her room, it looks fabby up there, I will put her in it to take a pic and maybe as a treat I'll even let her sleep in it, but it'll be going back up on her wall. I've already told her about Superman and want her to set her standards very high when it comes to men when she's older, obviously I don't expect him to be able to fly etc..

Happy birthday to Lolly for yesterday !!! Sorry to hear of your ongoing housing probs MLCF, you sound like you're coping well with it all.

I'm having an UBER stressy time at the moment deciding what to do about Niamh's car seat. I bought the Maxi Cosi Priorifix four/five months ago and only last weekend discovered that is isn't actually compatible with my car (Renault Scenic), have a look at this thread and it'll explain all. Really don't know what to do..... HELP!!

Look what I found!!! Couldn't resist looking over our old threads to get some names/dates as we were so good at listing them! What a walk down memory lane to read what we were going through back then - have cried a little but its a good thing! I've only copied over the ARRIVALS as I can't find the details of the other ones (didn't we have a stats thread at one point?).

Big love to all the names that I recognise but haven't seen for a while and HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all the lo's xxxhugsxxxx

lou031205, - JASMINE ZOE, 5lb 6oz born 01.00am on Saturday 12th August, at 35+3/36+1 weeks
amyclaramum, Eloise Sarah - 8lbs 5oz, Thursday 23rd August, was due 1st Sept
Filbrit - Natalia Zoe, born elective c-section on 25 August - 7lb 9oz, was due 8th Sept
Kinki - Liam Joseph, born 27th Aug at 22:19, by cs 4wks early, weighing 5lb 7oz.
Sparks02 - iris arrived at 4.52pm on Wednesday 29th August weighing 3.1kg, was due Sept 1st
ECALTM - babyenormous, 8lb 11oz was born 1858 Thurs 30th Aug, was due 2nd Sept
LoopyLou - Katie born via cs at 13.02 Friday 31st Aug 6lbs 14oz, was due 10th Sept
Kerri28 - Niamh was born Sat 1st Sept 8.19pm by emergency cs, was due 3rd Sept
PLP - Cerys was born at 5.34am Sun 2nd Sept, 8lbs, was due 22nd Sept
trinity1 - Oriana Liberty, 8:49am Mon 3rd Sept, 7lbs 12oz
bendybus - Emily???, 3rd Sept at 5.35am
Spangly - Luke Thomas, 3rd Sept at 17.50, weighing 8lb 15oz via emergency cs was due 10th Sept
pinkhearts - baby Katie, 3rd Sept, 8lb 5 by elective cs
rach35 - Verity Sarah Caitlin, born 5th Sept at 2.12pm, weighing 7lbs 7oz
FioFio - little boy on the 5th, Finlay Thomas 7lb 8oz.
NorfolkBumpkin - Kate Thea arrived Thur 6th weighing 5.6 lbs by emergency c-sec due to breech, was due 4th Sept
Pennypops - Frederick James, 11.57am Thurs 6th Sept, 8lb 2oz, was due 5th Sept
Kelmcd - Baby Arben, Thursday 7th Sept @ 05:02 by Ventouse Weight 3.336kg/7lbs 5oz was due 4th Sept
dal21 - baby Ryan, 5lb 1oz, born 8:55am Friday 7th Sept by elective CS, was due 28th
Mmoomar - baby boy, 8.45 Sat 8th Sept by emergency cs, 7.5 lbs was due 14th Sept
spraklynewthing - baby Georgina, 8lbs 2, born Sun 9th Sept by emergency cs, was due 3rd Sept
Emlout - Baby Timothy, 6lb 10, born Tues 11th Sept, was due 14th sept
Hayley2u - Lucy Erin, born 12th Sept at 3.43pm by cs, weighing 7lb 13oz
Hannahsaunt - Jacob Alexander, born 12th Sept, weighing 8lb 5oz
Tinkjon - Baby boy, born Thurs 13th Sept by elective cs
Twitmonster - Baby Ryan, 6lb 13, born Thurs 13th Sept with 3 pushes!! was due 15th Sept
MrsMar - Luca was born Thurs 13th at 11.30, weighing 7lb8oz by elective c-section
JemimaPuddleduck07 - Tallulah Lauren, born 13th Sept
helenelisabeth - Maya, born 13 Sept, weighing 8lb 8oz
Emalushka - Beth, born 14th Sept at 4.16,
EdieMcredie - Millie, born 14th Sept at 7.38am
Rosie2404 - Ryan Desmond, born 14th Sept at 16.43, weighing 7lb 7.5oz
TOD - Niamh, born 14th Sept, weighing 9lb 6oz
Sophus - Linus Fraser, born 15th Sept at 23.43, weighing 10lbs 10oz
Chattyhan - Alexander Joshua, born 16th Sept at 3.55am, weighing 7lb 14oz
Toadstool - Josephine Flora, born 17th Sept at 4.45am, weighing 6lb 10oz
Hopeitwontbebig - Niamh Nicole, born on 17th Sept at 11.54 by cs, weighing 7Lb 8oz
HammerHeadShark - Millie Francesca, born 17th Sept, by cs, weighing 7lb 1oz.
Gils - Katie, born 18th Sept, weighing 8lb 7oz, 11 days late
Nettee - Amy, born 18th Sept at 6.26pm, by cs
Canadianmum - Anna Elizabeth, born 19th Sept at 10.29am, weighing 6lb 13oz
Potoroo - baby girl (?Amelia?), born 19th Sept
TinaLC - Isabelle Alice, born 19th Sept, weighing 6lbs 10oz
Holly29 - George Maxwell, born 20th Sept, weighing 7lb 4oz
clainne - Joseph, born 20th Sept, weighing 8lb 10oz
Rin23 - Bethia Maeve, born 21st Sept at 3pm, weighing 8lb 8oz
lisad123 - Jasmine, born 21st Sept, weighing 5lb 3oz. Welcome to September lisa!
minimenace - Dylan Arthur, born 23rd Sept at 08:04, weighing 7lb 5oz
MrsBumblebee - Paul Alexander Owen, born 23rd Sept at 18.35, weighing 7lb 7oz
kyala - Lucy May, born 23rd Sept at 20.04, weighing 8lb 12oz
thomcat - baby girl, born 24th Sept at 4.40pm, weighing 7lb 1.5oz
FlossALump - Isabelle, born 24th Sept at 21.19, weighing 10lbs 7oz
Sparklygothkat - Callum, born 25th Sept at 7:35pm, weighing 4lb 8oz, 6.5 weeks early. Welcome to September sgk!
Laksa - Bella, born 28th Sept at 10.25am
ccpink - Emilia, 29th Sept at 00:28am, weighing 7lb 6oz
Willjo - Evie Martha, born 3oth Sept, weighing 7lb 4oz
MrsFish - Ben, born 5th Oct at 1.47am, by em cs, weighing 8lb 11oz

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST
Eloise (amyclaramum) 23 August
Cerys (PurpleLostPrincess) 2nd September
Ryan (Dal21) 7th September
Linus (Sophus) 15 September
Alex (Chattyhan) 16 September
Niamh (HeinzSight) 17 September
Sadie (Thomcat) 24 September
Lucy (ChoochyFace) 23 September
Fay (Mica23) 27 September

Found it!!! Surely there are more to add though? Realised its Lolly's today, yay! Happy Birthday to Sadie for tomorrow xxxxxxxxx

Hellloooo!!!!

MLCF, happy belated birthday to Lolly, hope she had a fab fab day! Sorry to hear you're still in a predicament re the housing etc. I really hope you manage to work out what you want but in your own time - don't let him pressure you, there's no rush!

Hopey - you're so funny! Hope things are good with you? Well done on the ebay stuff! Btw, Cerys has been wearing her 'SuperBaby' babygrow at night lately what with the evenings getting colder. She seems to be really warm in it and I always think of you when I put it on her lol!

Hiya acm and Edie and everybody else!

Had a bit of a scare with Cerys last week - there was blood in her nappy and quite a bit of it too and I freaked out. It brought back quite a few memories and threw me but all is well now. We're managing her constipation more closely now (she's been off her food for a while) with lactulose again but are avoiding suppositories as she has a little tear. The Gp gave her a steroid cream today to help her heal. She has been fine in herself apart from refusing most foods - is it normal for nearly every piece of food to be launched off the highchair, despite her being hungry!? She now has 8 teeth and I think the teething is contributing to her lack of appetite. She can bum-shuffle across the lounge floor in a matter of seconds now and is truly turning into a little tike in every sense!!! I feel like my feet don't touch the floor from morning to night and also found out from the doctor today that I have bursitis in my hip. I started having strange shooting pains in it last week, every now and then but by yesterday it was constant. Thought it may have been sciatica (sp?) but having compared notes with DH who had it severely for a year; wasn't sure. Either way its painful and GP gave me voltarol today to reduce the inflamation and has told me to rest - yay! (not sure if that'll be such an enthusiastic yay once I've watched the house go downhill lol!). For now, I'm on the settee trying to take it easy and DH has been a star, especially as af is here and I'm in even more pain now . His ad's seem to be going well despite a few very bad days and a severe lack of sleep on both parts. He now has sleeping tablets from the doctor, I'm still struggling but hey ho!

Oh, and DS broke his front tooth off last week at my sil's boy's christening trying to do a backflip off a chair. I had gone home early with Cerys and left them in the care of their dad (xh) who didn't manage to stop him from showing off and then proceeded to come round here mouthing off - I put him straight and it felt really good . I became a Godmother that day and I wasn't going to have him ruin it!! In the meantime, getting a 14 year old (with a bruised pride) to get up and out of the door in time for school has been very hard work and mostly unsuccessful. We have a deal that if he doesn't leave at 8.10am, he is banned from the trampoline that night - hope it works tomorrow as he has lots of pent up bouncing now!!!!

Love to all, just took some painkillers so gonna get to bed xxxxxxx

p.s. any chance we could have any other birthdays listed, surely there are more? xx

Hellooooooooooooooooo back!
I'm in the same situation still, not a lot is progressing here. The girls and I are going to have to live here for the next 6-8 months until the council sort us out with a place to live.
We could take up vital space in a shared house but we can live here so I'm happy with that, although I'm now in a whole new predicament with the housing benefit side of things ((rolls eyes)), just when things were starting to look a bit brighter!

To claim housing benefit DX and I need to be joint tenants, as they wont let you rent from someone you previously were in a relationship with, so I phoned the Landlord today and they're not prepared to list me as a joint tenant for the next 6-8 months. . . no real reason, they just wont do it! ("cos it's such a strange situation. . ." )
So, I've now got to go begging to the woman at the homelessness office to see if she can convince the housing benefit lot that DX and I are NOT a couple and that I need to pay the rent to him (otherwise it doesn't get paid at all and the lot of us are out on the streets, or shoved in a grimey shared house YAK! ), only she doesn't work a full week so I now have to wait until Wednesday to be able to get any where with that one!
Still, much fun breaking the news to DX when he gets home tonight eh?!

Things between he and I aren't too bad, although he is being slightly pushy trying to get me to play happy families again. . . Been a long time since that happened, even before this whole crappy situation cropped up! I don't think he's willing to wait til I'm out and settled, which is what I want to do as then I know I'll be making the decision on my terms, no other influence, but I think he's feeling a lack of security knowing that I still could turn round and say "stuff you, I can't trust you, you destroyed us!" and I am tempted to do that right now but having to live with him for the next 6-8 months would be hell. . . and I need a regular seeing to!
In all fairness he is trying to be who he really is, and I know the whole "slag" event was down to his insecurity, (to which I am partly to blame, but he's a grown man and kknew what the consequences were!), and not having taken his meds, and being on meds that weren't working for him in the first place, us having changed so much since having DD1. . . but it's not excuseable by any means, I know that, and so does he, but it's obvious that he can't apologise enough for it and is drowning trying to think of how to make it up to me. . . I just don't have a clue as to what I want to do so I'm playing it safe and just leaving things until the girls and I are out of here. . . it'd just be too easy to slip back into the whole "family" scenario without actually knowing whether or not that's what I want, and would I then end up spending the rest of my life with a man that I don't trust, or wanting to have my revenge on him by doing to him what he's done to me?

Even I don't know which route I'd take with that one!

And, yet again, I'm back to mammoth posting about not a lot in particular!

Blardy good pirate party on Saturday though, got happily tipsy on rum, ate pizza, talked endlessly with friends, and had Johnny Depp and many other pirate folk playing in the background (including some music by a pirate metal band. . . mightily entertaining Me'hearties!)

xXx

Am glad for the positive feedback re Ebay-thanks for reassuring me that it will be ok!! Have sold some items and have messaged the buyers to say I hope they don't mind me sending recorded delivery-despite me not specifying this originally-will not charge them the extra. I have heard some stuff about people paying, then taking money back and saying they have not received the goods and don't want this to happen to me!!

Hope everyone is good-glad to be back on here!!

LOL Heinzsight - it is all gone quiet hasn't it ? I don't seem to get much time to post and don't really have anything exciting to say - just a bit bogged down in school /house/ etc etc ! Can't believe how boring my life actually is sometimes !

Anyway hallooooo to everyone else and hope you are all having an exciting life and just too busy to post eh?!

Have to just say hope you are ok MLCF and things getting better at home for you ?

love to everyone x

<pokes head in door, shouts HELLLLLLOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO, notices echo, closes door>

I've found ebay to be fab. Have sold loads of things on it. Best one was a couple of years ago when I decided to stop teaching First Aid at Work, I put my resusc manikins on, they had cost me £550 new, for six, 4 adults, 1 child and a baby. I put them on ebay and I sold them for £600!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

About 6 years ago I had a clear out and put on a cuddly toy from the movie Gremlins. I started it at 50p and someone contacted me and said they had been searching everywhere for one and would I accept £25!!!!!!!

Also recommend it for buying DVDs or CDs.

Sorry to hear about your recent blip Eddie, are you feeling better now? That's pretty scary after a yr feelign like you were touched with PND.

Edie: My advice would be to have a gander at similar items on Ebay and use the layouts as a guideline, that way you can jot down anything that you wouldn't necessarily have thought of and include those details in your own listings (i.e: comes from pet/smoke free house etc).
Try and make it clear which method of payment you accept.
xXx

Edie - I have been using ebay to buy and sell stuff over the past 4 months and I have had no hassle whatsoever, I too kept putting it off due to horror stories but I have now sold quite a bit of stuff

Hi Edie, we've had a generally good experence on ebay. Our feedback is about 180ish (100%) but thats mostly from buying rather than selling. We've had one or two not-so-good experiences but nothing catastrophic and nothing that effected feedback. I find that communication is the key - most people are genuine and just want to sell their goods like you and I, whilst keeping 100% feedback. I buy tonnes of stuff for Cerys - mostly heffalump stuff as she loves her big heffalump and some of it is hard to get hold of. Also, its brill for babygrows/vests etc. We've found selling a bit of a nightmare but only in terms of it not selling, otherwise its great! <<PLP jumps off her soapbox!>> HTH xx

Hopey - hope you had a fab day with Niamh, was thinking of you xxxxxxxxx

meant

not (smile)

Thanks MLCF and PLP-Hi girls!

DP has work for the next couple of weeks-phew!! (smile)

Yes im still breastfeeding! Millie now has about 3 bottles of cows milk during day (each with about 6oz) and had a breastfeed before bed. I stopped breastfeeding during the day when I became low. It was contributing to my feelings of low mood I think because after her bugs she became so demanding with the bfeeding.

So glad she likes cows milk now as she used to refuse it.

Would like to carry on breastfeeding before bed until she is about 2-3 but we will see.

Changing the subject, just become a member at Ebay to get rid of some stuff but went on the threads on here about it and it's nothing but horror stories-Im a bit nervous now and don't know whether to take my stuff off-or if that's possible??!!

Any advice??

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Welcome back Edie, sounds like you've had a rough time but glad you're on the other side now, poor Millie, glad she's better.
Well done you, still breastfeeding? Lolly stopped at about 5 months old, much to my annoyance as I could've happily carried on until at least a year old, but hey-ho!

xXx

Happy birthday to Niamh, happy birthday to Niamh, happy birthday dear Niamh, happy birthday to Niamh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Will catch up soon properly. hugs to all x x x

Hiya Edie, of course we remember you! You're one of the 'originals' lol! Happy Birthday to Millie, glad to hear she's doing so well . Sorry to hear you were so low but fantastic that you're feeling better now and you're working through it - its not easy is it!?! Hope things pick up for DH; things are hard enough financially these day without having to worry about where the work is coming from too - big hugs xxxxxxxxxxxx

I sent a text to chatty today to wish Alex a Happy Birthday - haven't heard back just yet but she was probably really busy bless her. I'm sure she'll text soon...

Night night all xxxxxxxxx

Hi everyone

Not sure if anyone remembers me as have been off here for so long. Down to many reasons but have been popping in and reading everyone's posts and trying to keep up with you all.

I had a bit of a wobble a month ago and had the HV round as they thought I had PND. However am feeling MUCH better now and managed to avoid anti-depressants. Was just feeling a bit low and Millie had two horrible tummy bugs which meant upset Millie+lots of washing+extra breastfeeds=tired and low mum!! However she is back to normal now and I am feeling good again (apart from being very tired, I had ME as a teen and they wondered if that was back but im not so sure.)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to all who have had theirs already. Millie's was on Sunday and we had a great weekend. Went to Colchester zoo Saturday (weather was gorgeous) and had a really good day. Was surprised at how cheap it was and how many animals there are! Then on her birthday had some family round and generally had a lovely relaxed day with lots of presents and cake and food.

Millie is fine, has moved up a class at nursery and is trying to walk. She can also say lots of words, her newest being ''balloon''

Bad news is that my partner has been out of work on and off for a while, he is a plasterer and work is slow. But we are getting there and I know it's tough for many just now...

Glad to be back on here and 'speaking' to you all...

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Hello ladies!

Sorry I've not been here much, I started up a support thread for partners of those suffering with mental health illnesses as life has been quite difficult around here lately and I realised that there are other people out there who are going through it too so why not help each other!?! DH is on new ad's and this time he's staying on them for good

Hopey - Happy Belated Anniversary! So glad you had such a fab time, I should think so too - DH and I drooled over the pics of that hotel lol! I can't believe those other kids being horribe to DS1, hope he's settled in OK? Are you ready for Wednesday? Hope its a lovely day for all of you, I bet Niamh will love all her pressies and all the attention as Cerys did!

Choochy - I really wanted some orange soda when I read your post lol!! Can't wait to see the pics of the beads! You sound like you're doing fab, especially with all the dramas you've had lately. Well done on sending that email, must have been very satisfying to do that, especially with her family apologising for her too!!

acm - Hope Eloise had a lovely birthday!? Cerys's was very relaxed and by the evening she started to figure out that there was something underneath all the wrapping paper! (made the mistake of buying Night Garden paper so she was more interested in the pictures on it, typical lol!). She got loads of brilliant pressies, yay!

sophus - yay on Linus walking and Happy belated Birthday to him!! And also to Ryan, hope it was wonderful for all!! I must remember to send a text to chatty tomorrow for Alex! Happy Birthday to all the others xxxxxx

Well, Cerys is pulling herself up on the furniture and cruising around but only when holding on. She's still bum-shuffling and is getting fast now! Her 7th tooth is just coming through the skin today and she's suffering with it too. Also, she's been getting constipation so I've had to start giving her an occasional suppository and some lactlose bless her . DS tried to do a back-flip at my nephews christening yesterday (I became a GodMother!), I had left early and got a phonecall to say he had broke his front tooth off, great! Spent today filling him with painkillers but his pride is the most injured. The dentist has patched him up for now and it'll be worked on over the next few weeks. What a year its been!

Love to all, best get to bed now xxxxx

Birthday?!!
((fingers in ears)) LALALALALALALALALA
I refuse to let my lil baba grow up, I do, I do, I doooooooooo!

Well done to Linus for his treat in time for his birthday. Lolly's been cruising for a couple of weeks now but not really very good at walking whilst holding onto hands so not expecting her to start walking yet, thank goodness!

I've just realised it's only 8 days til Lolly's birthday. . . DX has just been handed a load of cash, from his bank (being tabbed onto his already exising loan), so we might be able to go on holiday at soem point in the next couple of months, which will be nice.
Things aren't too bad in our house, he's come to terms with the fact that I'm not ready to think about being with him for a long time, and I'm happy to let us play happy families. . . keeps the girls form suffering that way.

Although. . . I did throw a bit of a spanner in the works and emailed the slag's boyfriend and let him know what she was up to and things kind of kicked off yesterday, I got phone calls form her and then she got her brother involved (but by the end of that conversation he was the one apologising for all of this! ), I went to bed last night with the worst headache ever, but I'm feeling a bit better today, having spoken to her father(!), who seemed very accomodating about the whole thing and he too apologised for all this.
I think the end is in sight for all the drama and I can start letting myself feel a bit more secure. I'm in control of my life, the girls and my finances, I've got a support network of professionals who know what I need to know (about housing and that sort of thing) but all I'm really doing now is waiting for the council to do their part and that'll be it.

Emotionally, I'm a bit stressed but I know that I'm holding all the cards and everything is up to me with DX, and he's learning to cope with that (by buying me pretty things and taking me out to dinner , don't worry he also knows I can't be bought, but, aparently, making me smile is worth spending the money, even if he gets nothing else out of it! awww YAK! )
That'll do for an update, I've got to get ready for dinner. . . shame they don't serve lobster where we're going!
xXx

Yay for Linus, clever boy x x

flying visit to say Linus walked for first time on Friday - just in time for his 1st birthday. Doesn't seem too bothered at repeating the feat.
xx

Hi ACMUM, should we start a new thread, a *BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBirthday* thread?????

!!



!!

Back to school, my goodness, hardly feels like we've had the Summer break! DS1 settling well into secondary school, few teething problems with boys on his table being a bit mean, he wears glasses, therefore all the usual boring insults.

Sorry, I know we're all/have been in the same boat BUT I CANNOT BELIEVE OUR LOS ARE ONE THIS MONTH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Helloooo everyone - hope you are all ok ?

Thank you for the birthday messages for Eloise and Happy Birthday to Ryan and Arben and anyone else who's birthday I have missed !

Heinz - your weekend sounds amazing - soooo jealous ! Hope all the "back to school " is going well ?

PLP - have to go and buy that magazine to read all about you !

MLCF - hope you are ok ?

love to all x

Happy Birthday to Ryan and Arben!!!!!!!!!!!!! It really doesn't feel like a year has pasted does it!

DH and I had a FANTASTIC weekend. The hotel was VERY VERY posh. We came back on Friday night to rose petals scattered everywhere and lit candles on every surface.

J SHeekey was great. They were very accommodating and did the fruit de mer for just me, although, it was MASSIVE !! I ate lobster, oysters, cockles, winkles, whelks (yuk), shrimp, langoustine and crab! The LOOKS I was given by other diners was hilarious, I got congratulated by several people on adjacent tables for my efforts in the amount i ate!

Avenue Q on Friday night was ok, funny in parts. We booked last minute to see WICKED on Saturday night, it was really fab. Would def recommend it, worked out great because our hotel was just round the corner.

Spent an absolute fortune, but the memories will be priceless!

Niamh didn't seem to miss us too much so that's good. She had a lovely time with her Nanny.

Hope everyone is well.

Sorry MLCF to hear your housing crisis is still ongoing

PLP, I bought the mag you were featured in. You're FAAAAAAAAAAAAMOUS

Well, happy birthday to Ryan and Arben, for recently.

My week has been rather amusing to say the least. DX has been dumped by the slag, turns out she really is a slag and was just after a bit of sex, even wants to see if they can catch up in the future. . . needless to say he declined!
He's distraught about what's happened, very aware of what he's lost, but I've told him not to regret what's happened as we're getting along much better this way and, if a lot changes, there could still be a future for us, but that's wayyyyyyyyyy off and I'm still moving out with the girls either way!

I'm not ready to be thinking about things with him, it's obviously too soon, and I'm enjoying the single life. Had yet another weekend out about town, with new friends, out until half 4 on Saturday night/sunday morning. The girls went to his parent's for the weekend so I was ok with being out so late. I was expecting some ranting from DX but got breakfast in bed instead

I'm hoping to have a break next weekend, with just a tea party to go to on sunday afternoon, although that's looking like it'll be going on all night aswell! My body's going to cave in on me soon lol

Anywho, I'm now counting down the day's til Lolly's birthday I'm going to have to do a practise run of her cake (all soya) unless she's given the all clear at her skin prick testing tomorrow!
I'm kind of hoping that she doesn't pass and she's still allergic, otherwise she is going to become a very expensive baby, she's still muchly fond of her milk, but still doesn't seem to have grown all that much (to the point that some of her 6-9 month clothing still fits her!), but maybe I just have small children?! They'll make up for it when they're older, trust me!!

I hope everyone's having a good time of late, what with new term (PPL I'm sure you're having a nice quiet time now eh?!)
DD1 has just started nursery properly now, 2 1/2 days to myself every week, lovely but I found myself lost on friday, luckily I couldn't find any jewellery for saturday night so went to the local bead shop and made some. . . full set for less than £10!!
It might just become a weekly occurrance too, with a friend interested in joining me in the afternoon and happily twisting metal and threading beads. . . ooh fun!
I'll take a picture of the bits I made on Friday and let you all be the judge as to whether I'm any good (I'm not convinced!).

Anywho, I digress! Much love!
xXx

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RYAN

Ben was 11 months old on Friday I have already planned the cake and will be doing a family tea for him in a months time

Happy Birthday to Ryan! Happy Birthday to Ryan!

A year old! Cannot believe it! We have a few friends with bubs a similar age coming round this afternoon, so hopefully, will have a nice little party.

Made two cakes, one baby friendly one (which tastes amazing! If anyone wants link let me know). And another not very baby friendly one for all the adults..yum!

Hopey - hope you had a lovely time in London. How was JSheekey?

<<Hugs>> to everyone else. Hope everyone is having a fab weekend.

Hello everyone, hope you are all well

LLL: No worries, I'm a pretty light-hearted person, I see it as exactly that though, there is an upside to everything (losing weight and the fact that I've probably gained one of the best friends I could have, he and I have been so much more at ease in this situation, once the initial shock wore off that is!)

Dal: He's the listed tenant and the owners are in very short supply of housing for their workers so the moment he's out they need the house, and have always said that from the start. I did phone and enquire about me taking over the tenancy but, because I'm nothing to do with the Estate, they have no real reason to house me, especially if their workers are in need and I can be housed by the council.

I think the majority of the weight loss was in the first two weeks and I'm now keeping an eye on what I'm eating and when, so it's a bit more healthy now, but I do have my low days and I just have coffe all day and maybe dinner, but they're getting rarer.

I'm feeling particularly good today, DD1 had a lovely time at nursery and on Thursday and Friday she's there all day! 9-3, so if anyone wants me I'll be at a loose end!! I'm going to spend Friday with a friend but Thursday's going to be weird, I might take Lolly swimming or something, she'd definitely sleep all afternoon after that and that'd be nice too. I don't live close to town, and with the bus fares having just gone up again (third time in under a year now), I can't afford to just go home again and then have to go back in to pick her up, then home again once that's done, so I have to stick around town with not a lot of money, but I'm sure the local coffee bar will be happy to have me! (I'm a fan of the local Mortimer's, their hot drinks are only 79p!!!).
Anywho, will keep updating! Thanks for all the words of support, it's getting easier but I've just got to keep thinking ahead, it's what I do best, make lots of plans for every possible scenario!

xXx

MLCF - i am so sorry to hear about the housing situation. It is very difficult to know what to do. Can I ask a question? And once again sorry if this has already been explained, but why are you moving out and not your XH? Let us know how the phone call tomorrow goes. Am so sorry for you.

Chin up, stay strong. Good on you re. the weight loss front, must be a real boost to your self confidence, but also - do make sure you are looking after yourself.

Make sure you come back on and let us know how you are getting on.

Ooops, I'm sorry if that sounds too flippant

I really hope you get your housing situation sorted soon xx

You see there is always an upside to upset... losing weight

Dal He commented on one of her photos on facebook so I had a little rifle through that album (he's in my friends list so any activity he does pops up, and the photo appeared too so I clicked on it and you can then view the whole album that contains that picture! He's blatantly not played enough with Facebook!), so, yes, I do know what she looks like, she's not bad looking but nothing special IMO.

The housing situation looks bleak, at best. The girls and I will be stuck in a shared house and she says that there is absolutely no telling how long we'll be there for given that the council's situation is so dire at the moment, could be in a shared house for anything up to a year!!!!

XH has said that he doesn't want to see his kids stuffed in a crummy shared house and that we can stay here for as long as it takes and, if the council were to agree, could use this place as a shared house (as that's practically the situation any way), but a friend of mine informed me today that if you stay with a friend or family memeber they no longer class you as desperate for a house and wont consider you until you're in emergency/temp accomodation (shared house/temporary house), but I'm going to phone the woman when she's in on Wednesday morning and ask her about it (as the shared houses here are so disgusting it's unreal!).

So, there's the general overlook, on more specific news, I was taken out on Saturday night, by a friend I haven't seen for about 6 years, we had dinner and went out dancing with some of his mates and I had a wicked time (the night ended in a very bizarre situation but I'm willing to overlook that as the rest of the night was just so much fun), and to top things off I could have had my way with all four of the guys that I was out with! How much of an ego trip do you think I'm on right now?!! (I didn't, just in case you're wondering, that would just through s**t in the mix and, like you guys said, I'm staying whiter than white in every sense of the matter until the girls and I have left!).
It was wonderful to be having so much fun and to feel so attractive, that hasn't happened for a very long time! I've always had a low opinion of my body, whcih has obviously gotten a lot worse since having DD1, and so Saturday night was much needed.
In the same line of thinking, I realised today that I've lost a total of 20 lb since I started trying to lose weight (most of it has been over the past three weeks but, hey, whatever works!) it's mostly down to portion controlling (not that my protions have ever been big, and the food I eat is quite healthy too), I'm eating about the same size meals as DD1 (who is 3yo) and it's not too bad (obviously not eating for a week once XH and I broke up helped to shrink my stomach enough so it didn't bother me too much lol)

Anywho, I'm gabbling about piffle. I have been keeping up I promise, every time I'm online it seems there's something to be done though (like right now, got to start the dinner) but you do seem to all be generally keeping well and the babes are all growing up so quickly (speaking of which Lolly's happily cruising now, it'll only be a couple of weeks and she'll be dashing around the room!), it'll be congratulations on birthdays, coming thick and fast!
xXx

Hi All!!

Heinzsight - had another thought. If the weather is nice and you fancy doing someting different on the saturday - I highly recommend the open air theatre in regents park on saturday afternoon. I used to go and it is great

open air theatre

Sophus - I know, I miss being able to go to those restaurants too! Having said that, having Ryan makes up for it

MLCF - Hope the housing situation works out for you. Can I ask, have you actually seen/ met this other woman?

PLP - hello! Our stairgates went up last weekend. Was waiting to see if Ryan had a healthy fear of stairs...and the answer was no. Got them at the tops at the moment, waiting to see if we need them at the bottom too.

Question - birthday cakes. Do you guys buy/ bake your own? If bake - do you have any recipes that you are winning ones? I have found ones that are baby friendly (i.e. sugar free)...wondering if there were any tried and tested ones...

HopeyHeinz - i love Sheekeys - it is definitely one of my faves, you will have a fab time there.
Dal - we have exactly same taste in restaurants - that's one thing i miss - weekends in London and lovely restaurants. Do you know L'etranger on Gloucester Road - sublime.
We're just back from 4 days in Norfolk staying with a friend who has 3 boys. Linus just loved playing with big boys, exhausted when he came home as was just running on adrenaline the whole time he was there.
Have sorted the cow's milk thing and have started weaning him so i shall have mu body back, and he seems fine, not at all fussy.
Haven't done a bedtime yet without BF though but want to get him fully weaned before i go back to work.
gotta run, hi to everyone.
xx

Wow choochy, you're sounding really well! Hope it all goes well at the coucil meeting!

Hopey, that hotel looks absolutely out of this world, I'm sure you'll have a fantastic time, you and your dh deserve some quality time together!

I totally empathise with you LLL - Cerys is now pulling herself up on the furniture and is officially mobile - she bumshuffles!!! teehee It was DD1's 10th birthday today and Cerys had a bit of cake, then proceeded to bumshuffle her way over the crumbs, sweeping them up in the process. Needless to say I'm using all sorts of stain removers on her trousers now. So far, she hasn't got as far as the stairs but we desperately need to pop out and get stair gates ready for the moment she does. I still can't imagine her walking, and can't believe she'll be one on Tuesday!!

Well, I've popped on here to say that WE'RE IN THE MAGAZINE!!!!!! We've always said that we would get our story in a magazine one day and although its not quite what we had in mind, its still our story. There are a few inaccuracies but on the whole we're pleased with it and there are a couple of pictures too - see page 13 of THATS LIFE. I've been out and bought lots of copies and ended up crying in the newsagents when I read it (thankfully I know the lady who runs it who was stood next to me reading it too lol!).

I'm absolutely knackered after having had an 'open house' all day with friends and relatives visiting for DD1's birthday. It wouldn't bother me if I never saw a piece of cake again..., so I'm off to bed

Big hugs xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Update: DD1 started settling in session at nursery today, loved it! I was there the whole time, tomorrow I'm going to leave for part of the session and then a couple more next week and she'll be well away! 2 and a half days a week, all to myself, whatever will I do with it. . . plan my moving house maybe?!

Speaking of which I have a meeting with the lady from the council tomorrow to discuss housing. She's not going to be happy, before she went on holiday 2 weeks ago I was all set for moving into a place, then the guarator checks failed and all hell broke loose, typical!
And now, my eviction notice is due very soon so she's not oging to have very long at all to sort something out for us! More than likely they'll try and stick the girls and I into a shared house, but I'm having none of it, not with my mental state the way it is right now, I'd end up killing every skank in the place!!

Besides, XH has agreed that if the only option is a shared house then he's happy for us to be staying here for as long as it takes (it wont take long with me going into the housing offices every day and demanding to know my status!
Anywho, that's about it really, the girls are doing well, Lolly's got a bit of a cold which I think is down to teething, but that's trailing off now, and DD1 is calming, I think. The general atmosphere here isn't too bad, XH and I are both getting out and doing our own thing, every day doesn't seem as much of a chore as I'm not slogging my guts out for him to come home and slob out and make me feel insignificant! I just don't care what he thinks of the state of the house now that we're not "together" any more (and I honeslty don't think he's noticed that I've only done the hoovering once this week! ).

Anywho, hope you're all doing well too, sorry I haven't actually read through posts this week, skimmed through something about seafood. . .
xXx

LLL: I know how you feel, Lolly's started crawling properly and already gets herself up to standing and has even started to figure out that, if she doesn't spread her legs too wide, she can walk! She's been watching her big sis and is obviously wanting to get going after her, it's so cute yet so scary as DD1 didn't start walking til well after her first birthday, and here I have a psychio baby who wants to take over the world who's well on her way to running before her 1st!

xXx

Hello everyone

Just got back last night from 10 days in Spain and am knackered. Ben decided to crawl a week before we went and whilst we were away has figured out how to pull himself up to standing, walk round and between bits of furniture, keeps letting go of hands and attempting to walk off into the middle of nowhere even though he has only just started to stand without support this boy definitely wants to run before he can walk. I wouldn't have minded too much but the apartment we were in had marble floors and I was terrified he was going to really hurt himself if he fell so I have barely been from his side and all he wants to do is walk everwhere and keeps heading for steps as he loves walking up them . My poor back! Yesterday he started clapping his hands for the first time too, so he keeps doing it now and looks so very proud of himself

Oops that's a quick update and I need to shoot again, he has just woken up. Will try and pop back later.

Oh and Ben's birthday is 5th October so must be the youngest on this thread as he was due on 30th September

drooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooool

I do tend to agree with him. Indulge yourself!

Think they are all in the restaurants eating all the delish food we have been talking about!

Did think that, I tried to explain in my message to them that I was trying to convert him to all things fishy and given that he was a vegetarian for 18 years he is doing well so far having eaten cod, tuna and salmon. Hope they understand! Spoke to G earlier today and explained that they may not do the platter for 2 for 1 and he said, have the platter for 2, even if it costs £80!!!!!!!! He must really bloody love me mustn't he

PSST where is everyone??

Superb choice! You will have a wonderful supper. You have to call them I am afraid. They may not prepare that dish for one, however with advance warning they should be more than happy to whip up something more suitable for G.

Can really depend on who you get on the end of the phone, some of the staff are really helpful - some may take the view of why is a non fish lover coming to the restaurant. Silly but true.

Call. Then nearer the time (maybe even on the day, call them again). To be honest, the concierge of the hotel can give them a call on the day to make sure all is good.

Made a decision, have booked J Sheekey for Saturday night, and have booked tickets to see Avenue Q on Friday - looks v funny and naughty. Am SO excited.

Quick question dal, do you think J Sheekey will agree to do the Fuit de Mer banquet just for one? I have sent them an email. Will maybe give them a ring. G only gave up being a vegetarian after the accident, having been meat and fish free for 18 years! Shellfish a bit too much for him just yet!

Dal, thanks so much for taking the time to post all that, you're lovely.

Will let you know what DH and I decide.

Am so glad you're enjoying work. x x

Oh and to answer your other question. Work is great. So great. Really loving it. Touchwood it continues.

Try these

daphnes Been a few years since I have been there, but food used to be amazing.

blakes. Very expensive, very low key - you may be rubbing elbows with a list celebs...not great on the atmosphere front

Buddha bar has also just opened in London. Havent been to this one yet, but if it's anything like the one in Paris - it is a great night out!

cocoon again more hip and buzzing like asia de cuba in st martins lane hotel. As opposed to old school dining

cinnamon club if you like Indian, then this restaurant is amazing

st albans again, more modern but fun

If you fancy views of London, then these 3 restaurants have the most amazing views

galvin Didnt get great reviews when it opened, but the views are second to none. Hear it has improved, havent actually been

skylon want to go, hear good stuff about it

oxo tower. Great food, amazing views, good atmosphere

Enough to keep you going?

There are obviously heaps of others, Bibendum is another restaurant people rave about, as is Claridges. Didnt like the food in either, but maybe I had an off evening.

May be a bit too fishy for G, will get him to have a look.

Boisdale looks great too.

Thanks for this Dal, do you have any others?

Am offline for a bit, G's got yet another hospital app, had physio at lunchtime, off to see orthopaedic surgeon now for check up. It's all go go go here!

How's work?

a mix of fresh seasonal fish even...got so excited, couldn't type any longer

still drooling

Oh and the mixed grilled fish platter takes some beating too....they seerve fresh, seasonal mix fo fish...

<<dal starts to drool>>

Then defo do jsheekey...you honestly wont be disappointed. Book a show (do you know what you are going to see?) then when you call the restaurant they will know what time to reserve a table for....

It is the most central of them all...you can have a lovely wander through central london after....

J Sheekey looks fabby, have already picked what I am potentially having from their menu....

Plateau de Fruits de Mer with Lobster

(for two)

ALL for me....greedy greedy guzzle guts.

Knew I couldn't rely on you Dal, you're a star. Will have a nosey at those links x x

I love the witchery..went there myself a few years back. Based on what you have said, then I would recommend the below.

Based on seafood, I think J Sheekey is fantastic...one of the best fish restuarants in london jsheekey
Is in heart of theatreland too so can do show then they will seat you post show. Can get filled with business diners weeknights but on weekends is more non business crowd and very romantic

If you want a place that does amazing seafood, but amazing steak also...Bluebird is one of my faves. Only problem is the location...a bit out of the way in chelsea.
bluebird

But one of my most fave restaurants in London is a little out of the way place, amazing food and service with live jazz. Out of this world. Boisdale in Belgravia.
boisdale The atmosphere is lovely too-it isn't very well known.

If you want somewhere near that is good for brunch etc, I think you are fairly close to Green Park, then the Wolseley does amazing brunches wolseley

If non of those float your boat, let me know and will go onto next batch

There are always the restaurants in the Morgan hotels - Sanderson, St Martins Lane...they are both more hip/ noisy..but great for people watching. Sanderson is only worth it if you get a table in the garden... but both have great bars too...

Ohhhh, am all excited for you!!

Phew, looks like she'll be ok. Apparently you can't catch it from other people, it's something that lays dormant in everyone that has had chicken pox in the past.

budget pretty good, given what we're spending on the hotel
I love seafood, G not keen, he hasn't really got any faves, I'm the food lover of the house!

On my 30th he took me to The Witchery by Edinburgh Castle, was GORGEOUS, had a banquet of seafood including lobster. But Edinburgh's pretty far to travel from London

Really trying not to panic, but my stepmum has sent me an email saying she's just been in contact with someone who has chicken pox (at the contagious stage), she's had shingles before and is worried she may catch it again...... oh bugger, have posted on Health forum.

make that four questions even...sigh...

Thanks hopey - that does look great. will start giving it to ryan in a few weeks!

thanks hopey. i am currently giving ryan live bacteria evry morning as that is known to help immune systems. but will take a look at what you have recommended.

re. restaurants...three questions
1) i assume romantic is what you are looking for?
2) what budget per head are you looking at? Or does that not matter so much?
3) what are yours and g's fave foods?
4) is there any aspect about the restaurant that would make it uber special...views? music? etc....

try again!!

Boots link for baby abidec and [[http://www.boots.com/shop/product_details.jsp?productid=1077390&classificationid=1030279 1 year plus]

Have managed to upload some more video to YouTube, search under GNCJN if you want a peek

some info here about it. Can buy in Boots.

Our anniversary is on the 5th, am uber excited. 10 years, can't quite believe it. My stepmum is taking a train from London to here on the Tuesday so Niamh gets used to her putting her to bed etc, then DH is taking Friday (5th) off as holiday then we're off. We're having a 'complimentary' meal at the hotel, but the other evening we're undecided as to where to eat, so any suggestions....? Also thinking of doing comedy club on the Friday then seeing a show on the Saturday.

Dal, poor little chap. Have you considered putting some vitamin drops in his milk or drinks, I used to give them to my boys and was giving them to Niamh, must start that again actually, think they're called Abidec. hold on, will Google, back in asec

Morning Heinzsight (I do like what you have done there )

When are you and DH staying at the fabulous looking hotel? Anytime soon?

Hmmm, re. the jabs - will see nearer the time, Ryan needs a three month gap between this and any others, so will see. Between all the illnesses he has had though, he has dropped so much weight. He is now back on the 25th centile. Am not worried about him since he is a happy boy, just feel terrible is all.

I will talk to the GP and decide the best way forward.

xx

Morning, hi dal, sorry to hear poor little Ryan has been suffering after his Measles jab. Bit worrying that, given that the MMR is so full on. Maybe single vaccines would be the way to go for him. I was fortunate that the MMR didn't seem to cause any side effects for DS1 or 2. And you can always call me Hopey, I couldn't name change to Hopey, because someone already has it, although I don't think they post anymore, I just felt that my girl wasn't big was a bit out of date now and I also believe that hindsight is a wonderful thing , also quite like beans

Morning!!

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST
Eloise (amyclaramum) 23 August
Cerys (PurpleLostPrincess) 2nd September
Ryan (Dal21) 7th September
Linus (Sophus) 15 September
Alex (Chattyhan) 16 September
Niamh (HeinzSight) 17 September
Sadie (Thomcat) 24 September
Lucy (ChoochyFace) 23 September
Fay (Mica23) 27 September

I know - this time last year, we were putting down EDD, and whether we had elec cs booked...how time flies. Ryan has virtually overnight started crawling/ pulling himself up - the works. So stairgates have gone up! Make life so easy as he can crawl to his hearts content and I can let him be!

ACMum - I had the measles jab because Ryan is already at nursery and there is a measles breakout in NW3. They wouldn't give MMR before a year, so I had to get him the measles jab privately. Only yesterday was he himself again - so took two weeks to wear off. Now have to decide whether to have the MMR given in a few months time or just carry on with the single vaccinations.
I am inclined to think that the MMR is too nasty - dread to think what all three strains of viruses will do to him if the measles jab left him poorly. Maybe I am suffering from PFB syndrome.

Hopey - nice name change, but will take a while to stop calling you hopey . Have a fab anniversary.

Sophus - hope you are feeling ok. <Hugs>

Hi to everyone else - gotta run.

MCLF - hope you are doing ok.

Hello everyone hope you're having a good bank holiday. I'm fed up of this miserable weather. The report said it was going to be nice today but it's grey and miserable!

Alex is ok - had a virus all last week as was very poorly poor thing but on the mend now and so nearly there with his walking. He takes a few steps, falls down, stands up and takes a few more - he's very determined bless him!

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST
Eloise (amyclaramum) 23 August
Cerys (PurpleLostPrincess) 2nd September
Linus (Sophus) 15 September
Alex (Chattyhan) 16 September
Niamh (HeinzSight) 17 September
Sadie (Thomcat) 24 September
Lucy (ChoochyFace) 23 September
Fay (Mica23) 27 September

Hello ladies, just popped in to add Cerys to the list - can't believe she'll be 1 next week! This last year has been such a roller coaster what with everything that has happened and I'm feeling a little strange about it all. I guess the important thing is that Cerys is well and healty now so I shouldn't let myself wallow in it all - give me a kick up the backside ladies!!!

sophus, thinking of you hun, here's me feeling sorry for myself when you've got such a difficult day going on, I can't imagine how you're feeling. So pleased Linus is being such a good boy ((((hugs))))

Hiya mica, hopey, acm, thomcat, dal, LLL <<waves>> How are you doing choochy? Thinking of you... xx

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST
Eloise (amyclaramum) 23 August
Cerys (PurpleLostPrincess) 2nd September
Linus (Sophus) 15 September
Niamh (HeinzSight) 17 September
Sadie (Thomcat) 24 September
Lucy (ChoochyFace) 23 September
Fay (Mica23) 27 September

Hi everyone!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELOISE!!
sorry havent been posting but been busy + the trip away turned out to be a nightmare so had a wind knocked out of me..
Fay is doing great, clapping hands, shape sorting and walking really confidently.Actually she just sort of walks of these days without a glance backward or a second thought if Im following or not!!I guess no one told her about separation anxiety!!She still wakes up for 1 or 2 feeds at night but Im not bothered about it; if she needs it Im more than happy to oblige.Only thing is that ever since we got back Im having a bit trouble settling her in but am hoping that that will pass..
Sophus; really feel for you as now that I got baby of my own I miss my mum more than ever and she will never meet Fay..Big hug..x
Choochy-r u OK luv??

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST
Eloise (amyclaramum) 23 August
Linus (Sophus) 15 September
Niamh (HeinzSight) 17 September
Sadie (Thomcat) 24 September
Lucy (ChoochyFace) 23 September
Fay (Mica23) 27 September

Love and hugs to all xxx

Great idea ThomCat. Poor Sadie, all you need given your recent op though , hope she's better tomorrow and you get a good night sleep tonight. Are you in much pain?

Sorry you've had a sad day today Sophus, but completely understandable, hugs to you. x

How are you Choochy?

1ST BIRTHDAY LIST!!
Eloise (amyclaramum) - 23 August
Linus (Sophus) - 15 Sept
Niamh (Hopey'HeinzSight) - 17 Sept
Sadie (Thomcat) - 24 Sept
Lucy (MylilChoochyFace) - 23 Sept

Goodness, this brings back some memories doesn't it, starting a list with our names and dates!

Niamh has got the 'walking' bug today, she's worked out how to walk with her push along trolley, she just kept on and on and on!

Hope everyone else is enjoying their bank holiday x x

Eloise (amyclaramum) - 23 August
Linus (Sophus) - 15 Sept
Sadie (Thomcat) - 24 Sept
Lucy (MylilChoochyFace) - 23 Sept

Sorry you've had such an off day Sophus.
I've not had a great day myself and unlike Linus, Sadie has not been herself today and has been hard work, not sure what's up with her.

Eloise (amyclaramum) - 23 August
Linus (Sophus) - 15 Sept
Sadie (Thomcat) - 24 Sept

Have added to list.
Funny old weekend here, DP away for work and it would have been Mum's birthday today so in a funny place but Linus is such a sweetheart and keeps me going.

Thanks for info re milk - really helpful.

Eloise (amyclaramum) - 23 August
Linus - 15 Sept
Sadie (Thomcat) - 24 Sept

Oh and btw Heninz - that hotel look amazing

The Aug / Sept 2007 Babies turn ONE YEAR OLD!!!

Happy Birthday to:

Eloise (amyclaramum) - 23 August

Sadie (Thomcat) - 24 Sept

Wow, Happy Birthday Eloise. Hope you all have a really special day.

Ohhh feel quite emotional that all these babies are starting to turn one.

Shall we have a list of the 1st birthdays coming up to remind ourselves who turns one and when?

And Heinz - hope the anniversary treat is wonderful, like you say it's much deserved

sophus, I'm giving Niamh her milk on average 3 times a day, sometimes more, depending on what we're doing.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO ELOISE Where has this year gone! I really do hope she's has the most fabby birthday, post some pics if you can ACMum. x x

GREAT to hear from you too PLP, sorry your anniversary didn't go as well as you'd wanted. Am hoping that me and DH's anniversary is going to go well, we've booked into a very scarily expensive hotel (at Dh's insistance), am REALLY looking forward to it, I guess we do deserve it, given all we've been through. Will keep you posted how it goes, am uber excited!

Yay TC, so glad you posted. I must catch up too, Niamh growing up so fast, she keeps on attempting to let go and balances there for a while standing alone, her face is such a picture, she looks so proud of herself.

Like your two older ones, my two boys absolutely adore their little sister, be interesting when she can properly grab their Wii controllers out of their hands, as she's been trying today.

Keep in touch ThomCat, great to hear from you.

Hi all. Not sure where to statrt to catch up. Heniz just alerted me to the fact there was a thread, i had no idea. I barely stray out of active convos these days.

So our little ones are all fast approaching their first birthdays <gulp>.

Sadie will be 1 on the 24th Sept.
She's not walking yet but loves to hold onto our hands and give it a go. She has also just learnt to climb the stairs so we got the stair gate out for the bottom step today.
She's still being breastfed and also loves her food, she'll eat anything and eats as much as her 2 yr old sister, but not quite as much as her 6 yr old sister. Both of whom adore DD3 still. Every morning they greet her it's like day one of DD3's life all over again. The novelty still hasn't worn off! Sure once she starts walking and nicking their toys things will change.
What else??? She can swim underwater! She loves to be hung upside down and her favourite thing to do is pull things out of the washing machine or climb onto the dishwasher door as soon as I open it!

Will attempt some kind of catch up with you lot now!

Hello ladies! Wow, so much has happened since I last posted, not sure where to start! We went to Wales for almost a week and the build up to that was rather hectic so it feels like I've not been on here for a good few weeks...

First of all, so so sorry to hear about all thats been going on with you choochy. I went through a similar thing with my xh only he got violent when it all came to an end. He was a pure bastard the whole time we were together and when I plucked up the courage to split, I found out he'd been sleeping around and already had a gf, that was the last thing I expected. I came to the conclusion that the bad treatment was due to his guilty conscience. I agree that keeping yourself whiter than white is the best way to go as he'll only throw it back at you and use it against you. The main thing is you're an amazing mummy and you're better off without him. Sorry the housing thing has not gone to plan but hope that something even better is round the corner for you on that.

Hopey - love the new name but do you mind if I still call you hopey? Very inventive and I love the play on words! How are you doing hun? xx

Cerys has a few ounces of milk after her b'fast, then 6 or 7 ounces mid-afternoon then another big bottle at bedtime (6-7pm). She's been on cow's milk for a while now, I was worried the transition might be a little difficult but she's fine on it. When I saw the paediatrician a few months ago, she was just over 10 months and he said: "well, she's nearly a year old so she can have cows milk now, especially if she's been having it in her b'fast". Those were his exact words so I changed her over a few weeks ago and she's been fine - so much cheaper than formula too!

We had a fab time in Wales and I loved seeing the family. DH had a bit of a wobbler though so our wedding anniversary didn't go too well but ho hum! Cerys did lots of milestones while we were there - pulling herself up to standing from sitting; drinking from a beaker; first big belly laugh; playing peekaboo on her own with her hands; lots of new words and so so many more. She ate tonnes of food and had her first full roast dinner. She's getting mobile but we still can't figure out how - she's not really bumshuffling but if you leave the room and come back again, she's got halfway across the floor!!??!!

Better dash - my eldest have been away with their dad and they're back today so I'm going to get the house ready for them. Have really missed them but enjoyed the break. I know they have really missed Cerys too so they'll love all the new things she can do!

Sorry I've missed a few of you out - I'll pop back on later my dearies.

((((((((((((hugs)))))))))))) PLP xxx

just popping on quickly to announce my new name

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Hopeysgirlwasntbig is now.....
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.what'dya think?

Hello everyone just popping in to say hi before we go off on holiday for a week to the coast ! (praying that weather improves or I will be tearing my hair out thinking of fun and spontaneous activities to do in the rain !)

Eloise is 1 tomorrow - I can't believe it !!
We are having a little party for her while we are away as we are actually driving tomorrow - don't think she will know its her big day !

MLCF - take care and hope you get some good advice . I agree with what the others said - just take the moral high ground - don't lower yourself !! Thinking of you x

Sophus - Eloise has morning and bedtime BF and 7oz morning bottle and 4 oz afternoon beaker. We will drop the morning BF soon as she is sleeping in longer and can go straight to bfast.

Dal - sorry Ryan is suffering from measles jab ! Do you mind me asking if you chose to do that one first as there are scares about the possibility of measles outbreak? I think the MMR jab is at 13 months here so am waiting to be called for that.

love to everyone else xx

Sophus - Ryan has around 8oz in morning (around 6.30) and then again in the evening about 6.45. His 2pm milk is dependant on how much lunch he has had, but mainly now takes at most 2oz. But this is also the feed that I give him in a beaker. Expect the other feeds to drop back in a few weeks when I do cold turkey on bottles and every feed is with the beaker.

Oh, and I have been giving ryan cows milk in his doidy cup for the last 4 months. Not much goes in but I wanted him to be used to the taste of cows milk from early, so I wouldnt worry about the fact that you have given Linus some.

I would think that transition to cows milk from formula is most likely easier than transition from mummy milk!!

Have fab weekends all. Catch up next week. Am off to start my bank holiday weekend early. Yippee!

Thanks guys, I'm feeling pretty good about the whole situation and he and I are actually really good friends below it all (but it does comfort me that I do have ammo if he turns out to be this aweful person below it all).

Lolly's still on 4 bottles of 6 ounces, one after each meal and one first thing in the morning (we are late risers in this house so it keeps her going til DD1 and I get up a couple of hours later).

xXx

quick question all - how many times are you giving milk now? Linus is down to morning and evening only now (still BF and probably will be when he goes to college) as i needed to cut out afternoon BF before returning to work. i've tried him on tiny bits of cow's milk and he thinks it's gross (even though he has it on his cereal etc) (and yes i know he's not sposed to have it until 12 months but i just wanted to see if he would take to it).

all well here. he's trying to walk and is becoming a really opinionated toddler already (suddenly won't eat anything orange???!!).

Hi guys,

MLCF agree with dal entirely I'm afraid, it will be used against you. Don't give any ammo! Keep posting, we're thinking of you.

Dal sorry to hear Ryan is suffering because of his measles jab, poor little lamb

Morning all

MLCF - Good to know that you are up to speed on the legal advice. I know it isn't a lot of consolation at the moment, but it is good to have some guidance through the legalities of the situation.

So sorry to hear about your house also. . But you have the right attitude, am sure something else is round the corner.

Re. all the other stuff - contacting this new person etc. The only advice I can give is when I look back on one particularly painful period in my life. In my experience, reacting to anything that person does or says only serves to satisfy some f**ked up part in them. And longer term only leaves you feeling emptier and angrier. As much as you are more than justified doing/ saying whatever you feel like - he (and most likely her) will find some way to turn it against you. Sad but true.

You have been so strong so far, stay strong and rise above it. All the stuff he is saying (about state of house) is him trying desperately to get a reaction out of you. The best revenge is to stay as cool as a cucumber. Even as he says these ridiculous things, he will know how stupid he sounds. Smirking at him and walking away dismissively will get to him a lot more.

Having said all of that - easy for me to say when I am not emotionally involved in the situation.

HTH. <<Hugs>> to you

Hope everyone else ok. My little man is manky, now suffering side effects of measles jab - am hoping he gets over it in time for the weekend.

Yup, he's obviously never done this before has he? lol
No worries about the legal front, I'm already in receipt of constant advice form someone very much in the know. I have also managed to find out an aweful lot about this woman! She's not 29, as he told me she is, she's 24 at the most. I know the names of her three children, her fiance (not boyfriend as he had told me, not sure if he knows they're engaged, not that it would matter to him now anyway).
I'm tempted to make contact wiht her other half and give him some vital morsels of info about the man that his fiancee is seeing (i.e: that he is meant to be on meds and has not been taking them for a good few months and has lately become quite an aggrssive person) considering that he has fathered the youngest of her three children.

Oh what path to take now?! I think I'll just wait and see how XH behaves over the next week (she's off camping so it'll be interesting to see how he behaves knowing that he's not able to go and get some every night! ) I'm even tempted to get mine whilst she's away too, and why the heck not?! Use him how he's been using me for the past two months (or so, this is a guess at how long it's been going on based on how long he's been going to the "pub" almost every night).
I shall be considering much over the next few days, any little tricks that anyone has would be lovely (my mum's already suggested that I put copious amounts of laxative products in his food not that I should even bother cooking his food but would be prime opportunity to have some fun am I that cruel? Wel'' soon see!).

Oh and just for the fun of it, he's now trying to palm the blame on me not keeping the house up to scratch. . . yes that's right folks, cos we do live in a shit pit! I'm not obsessively clean, it's only the toys that are annoying him, he's just trying to find an excuse for getting out, and that's just fine. End it now and stop looking to blame me!

Oh and for your interest my house fell through, still, onwards!
xXx

Hi,
Choochy-is he really trying to get you to believe that he knows this wooman just for a week, that they havent slept together and two of them are planing to live together with her 3 kids!All of that after only a week and you havet moved out yet??Either he is laying or something is fishy!!You better see someone about your legal rights (just to be on the safe side) and be carefull!!
Take care..x

My mum has come to the conclusion that he's having a midlife crisis, new girlfriend, new sproty car, getting into shape (lol that's a joke, watching that jelly belly jogging up the path, I was in fits! Had to compose myself rather quick smart before he re-entered the house! ). It's probably just a phase and, seeing as he's now talking of moving in with her in a few weeks when she's back from Italy, he'll be losing everything, including his posessions, for a fling that will blatantly go wrong.
I just hope for everyone's sake that it'll last, I don't want him to have ruined a whole bunch of people's lives for a bit of fun (btw she's got three kids, so his bit of fun will soon become a burden!).

Ho-hum, off to discuss housing blardy malarky!
xXx

just dashing on for an uber fast post, I just wanted to add to the sentiments already posted, am SO sorry for you MLCF, what a crap time. You do sound remarkably strong. I hope you manage to get some good advice re legal aspects. Would the CAB be able to help? Worth a try? Hugs to you x x

MLCF - I am afraid that I have no legal insight into your rights. There must be threads on here somewhere that can help you?

Sorry cannot be more help<hugs>

Have had discussions this eve with my mum and we're pretty much convinced that he's probably been playing away for a while (which would explain just why he's been going to the pub almost every night of the week when we were so desperately struggling as it was!).

He's just this guy that I don't know so it's really quite easy to let him go and be free and live his life however he likes and if it all falls apart then fine, and if it doesn't then fine, it no longer affects me and as long as I don't fall into having to rely on him for anything then I'll be fine too.

I'm happily taking any advice that anyone can give me in the way opf legal rights etc, I'm taking all I can get as far as info is concerned and it'd be good to be clued up before he suspects that he may not get his own way, or that I may disagree with any terms he comes up with IYSWIM
xXx

I'm so sorry and shocked to hear this MLCF but you sound very strong at the moment (good on you), my thoughts are with you and the girls xx

Tell me about it! I honestly thought he was not the type, and from what he's said today he didn't think he was the type either .

I'm putting it down to all sorts of things, his dad cheated on his mum when he was younger (fathered another child then ended up back with his mum to go on and father his two brothers), his brothers have both recently been adultorous too so I had already had this enter my mind. Ho-hum!
xXx

Hi!

Lush day - been out wandering and enjoying the sun. Little man is now in his cot battling sleep..so thought I would pop back on quickly whilst waiting for him to settle.

Hopey - yes, we have always been open to renting. But feeling so much more positive today. Our house is on with another agent and saw it on in their window today...if the house falls through then so be it. Our house is lovely and in a great location, so we really are very lucky, however things turn out.

MLCF - feel free to have posts about you and where you are! Think you have more than earned the right. Will you be offended if I honestly say that I am shocked and hurt for you?? Has he told you all of this? I really am so sorry for you. All my love and thoughts are with you - and please post away on here (i promise to pop on much more). I dont really know what else to say. Am really quite shocked...

Well, you'll love this, he's got a girlfriend!
He met her last Saturday and it's all spiralled form that! None of it is my fault and that is making it so much easier to keep my head.
Things are Ok, I'm packing boxes and focussing on moving out (still no date form the letting agents though).
He insists that they haven't "done" anything yet, but I'm not bothered, the way I see it is that this man is not the man I married and has not been for about 2 years so I haven't lost anything really (I've already lost him and just been living with someone else in his body).

This is setting me free in so many ways. I'm going to start a whole new life with my girls, I get to discover who I really am (I was a 19 year old depressed binge-drinking slut when we first met!) and I've got all the time in the world to do it!
No more being confused about thoughts in my head (have recently come to terms with my attractions towards women as well as men, sorry if that offends but hey you can't help how you feel), I've got time on my side now and I'm going to be more relaxed about being a SAHM as I wont be stuck out in the middle of nowhere with no-one to talk to.
Sure it wont be wonderful but it'll be different and I think that's quite nice, a change to keep my mind from struggling too much.

I'm not sleeping very well and have lost 5lb since Monday through not being able to eat properly (I honeslty just feel sick and am going to the docs next week to see if the IBS is back, more than likely due to stress ) but other than that I'm doing quite well.
I think he's trying to get a rise out of me at night, when I'm most likely to fly as I'm tired and hurt, but nothing he can say or do now will reduce me to becoming a bitch, as that would then give him a reason to feel better about leaving me like this. At the moment he's done this evil evil thing to someone who's actually turned out to be calm, reasonabvle and grounded, which will make oh so much worse, but that's fine as it doesn't affect me either way, I just know how I feel and I'm not going to start flying off on one just to help him feel better.

We're still friends (deep deep down) and I do worry about this whole thing going wrong for him cos he'd then be left with nothing, but he's now talking about moving in with her, or her moving in here, which is good, it'll mean some sort of stability, but I'm also worried that it's moving very fast for them and it might just burn out quickly (and, yes, I do mean "worried" not "hoping"), I don't want this whole thing to have happened just for some crappy little fling as that would belittle our marriage even more than he already has!

Anywho, I'm off again, just thought I'd let y'all know how things are going. Sorry I havent been reading posts much, have been scanning, but I'm in a very selfish place right now and trying to gather my thoguhts and plan for the future.

xXx

Hi dal, lovely to hear from you. Am SO glad you're happy back at work and Ryan has settled well. Phew, you must be so relieved!

Keeping everything crossed for you that you sell your house and get a decent offer. So heartbreaking when you find a house you love and it falls through.

If the worst should happen, given the current climate, if you sell yours and can't find anything straight away- would you consider renting for a bit? That would put you in a very strong position when you come to make an offer.

Tell me to shut up if I'm talking rubbish!

Yes, it's v v quiet here, can't wait for boys to come back. Am off out to shops with Niamh later on, I need to find something to wear for a wedding (evening) we've been invited to tomorrow, DH only told me about it last night !!!!!! Do you remember the Boxer dog saga, well it's said dogs owners wedding. They STILL haven't reimbursed us for the vets bill , think we'll have to write that one off as it's been over a yr.

Well I hope everyone else is well and reason for thread going quiet is because everyone's so busy busy busy and enjoying this gorgeous weather !

Hugs to all x x x x

Hi everyone

Sorry have been AWOL awhile. Seems as though everyone is not getting on here much nowadays!

MLCF - Am so so very sorry to hear about you and your DP. Is he really definite about it? <Hugs to you> You sound as though you are doing a fantastic job with your girls and they will love you for it!

Hopey - must have a very quiet house without your boys! Bet you have lots more time on your hands!

MakkaPakka - welcome back! I dont remember you, but then I joined the thread much later than everyone else.

Chatty - Hello to you also! Life is manic for all of us, so do pop in and post when you can. Is so interesting to compare notes when we get a chance.

ACmum - how exciting! Another baby in the family. I saw a 6 week old the other day and although mighty cute, didnt pull at the heartstrings as much as I feared it might! Think the first 12 weeks are still fresh enough in my memory!

Hello to PLP, Elefantshoes and LLL! <waves>

My news? Work is going great - really enjoying being back. Ryan is settling into nursery really well too. Although there has been a measles outbreak near us so had to give him the measles jab last week. Poor lamb then has to get the MMR anyway in a few months time.

Re. the house move. The market is dire - no 2 ways about it, but we have some parties interested in the house (but they are biding their time) and viewers are still coming through the door, so we simply have to wait and see what happens. We have found a place we love and have offered on that. But if we arent in a position to exchange in the next month or so, there is a real possibility that it will go back on market and we'll lose it to someone else.

Am trying not to dwell on it too much - situation is really out of our control and if we have to stay put, then thats what we'll do.

Will update Ryans stats tomorrow. Have good evenings all!

Oh no, poor you mlcf, what a rollercoaster you must be on just now. Don't quite know what to say really. You sound remarkably strong at the moment. Do you really think something may be going on with someone else? Have you asked him? Your girls have a great Mum, for the record and the world will be their oyster.

MakkaPakka, I remember you well, so lovely to see you posting again. Our lovely thread here does get very quiet from time to time, but we;re all just SO busy with RL, especially now our LOs are mobile!

Chatty, good to see you again too, don;t ever think you wouldn't be welcome back after an absence! How are things with you and your DP?

ACmum, great news that theirs another baby on the way in the family! Is it your brother's first?

Not too much excitement this end, am missing my boys like mad, they;re down in Somerset staying with their grandparents this week, so it's 'just' Niamh and me. Have been going a bit stir crazy so spent all day out today. Took Niamh to an indoor play centre designed for babies and toddlers, twas FANTASTIC, massive soft play area with lots of sensory things like lights and music, Niamh loved it.

Poor DH had a day trip to France today with work and has been stuck on a ferry just outside Dover for 5 hours because of a force 10 storm. He should have landed at 2:30 but only landed about 15 mins ago. Am SO glad I wasn;t with him, I don't do choppy seas, and would have been a very very sick bunny!

Hope everyone else is well. Still no news from kinki, will try and text her again.

acmum: I honestly don't know, it could go either way I guess (and there's the sneaking suspision that there could be interest he's getting from someone else, I've spotted that he's changed his password on FB and he's never done that before unless he's got something to hide ).
I'm hoping he'll change his mind in the next couple of weeks or so, otherwise I'm not so sure I'll be able to go back to normal, once I get over it I'll be back to stubborn strong me again, I just know it, and I'm not one for taking steps backward (despite the possibility of being a "family" again, the girls and I wont be living here so it wont matter to me so much as if we were living here IYSWIM?!

At the moment I'm just trying to go with the flow and let him make some decisions, he's never been good at that and he'll just have to learn to make them otherwise he's going to have troubles seeing his children isn't he? Not that I'd make it hard for him, it's just that it's bound to go that he'll make a last minute decision and I would've already made plans so the word "tough" might just enter into a lot of our conversations! lol
I don't quite get his reasoning behind it all, we're going to end up fighting more than ever over money/access/visits etc, but he's obviously not thought that far ahead yet, he's definately a present/past minded person whereas I'm a future thinker, always planning for the future, may have been half the trouble, but having kids made me realise that we have to think of the future or the girls will end up with nothing (like I have, for which I totally resent my mum BTW).

xXx

Helloooo everyone ! I have been away at my Mum's with the DD's and just got back ! We are all fine and had a nice little break . Met up with my brother and SIL who announced they are epecting a baby in Feb - of course I recommended Mumsnet to her for making friends and getting top tips and advice !

MLCF - so sorry to hear about you and DH - is it really over do you think or will he change his mind ?Please take care of you and your lovely girls and pop back on when you feel like it for support - sending you hugs

Chatty - lovely to hear your news - Alex sounds like he's doing really well!

Makkapakka - or LLL - helloo to you too

PLP - can't wait to read all about you in the magazine - let us know when it comes out !

Hello to everyone else - hope you're enjoying the lovely weather

Update on Eloise

AGE : I can't believe she will be 1 on 23/8!
WEIGHT: not sure - 20lbs last time she was weighed. She is quite long for her age though and in 12-18 trousers and sleepsuits already!
FOOD: loves her food !(like Mummy)and enjoys waving breadsticks around and picking up peas and sweetcorn and bits of finger food
FAVE TOYS: shape sorter, musical drum , my phone, my handbag, the remote control, emptying the kitchen cupboards !
ACTIVITY: crawling , cruising and climbing up the stairs
FAVE WORDS: mama, dada, and lots of gurgles and giggles
TEETH - just one at the moment but looks like another cutting through at the moment

Hello everyone old and new!

I know i've been crap at logging on so a big apology for not posting since May haven't had time to catch up with posts yet but hope everyone and their lo's are doing well. We're fine just plodding along with RL. Here's an update for anyone who's interested. I don't blame you if you shun me from the thread

AGE Alex is going to be 11 months on saturday. Birthday is 16th Sept.
TEETH 2 bottom and 6 top
WEIGHT don't have a clue! He's not huge but certainly not tiny. In most 9-12m clothes but still 6-9m trousers as the bigger ones are too long and he trips over them
ACTIVITY he took his first steps last friday. And today 5 in a row. It won't be long before he really is walking! Started crawling about 6 wks ago (i think from memory) uses it as his main method for moving and can climb up the stairs
FOOD not a good eater at all. Only took lumpy food about a week ago. won't eat any home made puree and doesn't like jars with pasta in. Likes finger hood although not much fruit or veg. Loves raisins and blueberries, yoghurt, porridge, white choc, icecream, cake (had a couple of birthdays recently) Hates cucumber, banana, carrots, broccoli, apple, pear, nectarine, strawberry (unless it's a fruit pot)
SLEEP OK generally goes from 7 - 7 but has had a night bottle 2 out of last 4 nights at about midnight.
LOVES Peekaboo, his brother, walking (he's so proud) playing with all DS1's toys, bath time
WORDS AND NOISES Mama, Dada, NaaNaa, Hiya

Hello ladies, just to let you know I may not be back on for a while, DH and I have split up ( as of tonight, for real, not just the girls and I moving out).
I knew things were bad but thought the whole point in us moving out was to help the situation. . . but he's not got the energy for it any more apparently so there you go!

Anywho, as you can probably guess, I'm not really in the mood for socialising.
I'm sure I'll be back on just before the girls and I move out (not sure when though, still waiting for the letting agents to get back to me, hopefully they'll phone tomorrow and I will have an excuse to avoid DH for this week (which he had booked off work, it's going to be a very strange week!), and have the girls party to sort for Saturday too so hopefully will be able to make it through the week, not sure if he will though .
xXx

Oops!! Sorry, just realised there's another LLL now. i was L o o p y l o o l e e s a (spelt differently so it doesn't come up on searches) I had to namechange as having some problems with dp and he's been snooping. soz again for the confusion x

hiya, i've been away for a while from mn. i cant believe i didn't see this thread before. it's like finding old friends again. i was LLL x

Quick update form us: Well i have gone back to work now. I am doing three shifts a week whilst DH looks after Beni. We have managed to work seperate days so we can look after him ourselves, so far it seems to be working.
Not alot else has really happened, we have been leading pretty in eventful lives at the moment, which is not a bad thing. Just plodding along really!!
I am enjoying being back at work tho find the early wakings a bit knackering. Beni loves spending time with his daddy. They are often at the park or doing soemthing exciting when i call.
We are still struggling with sleep or lack of. Am not sure where to go at the moment, it is just not happening Beni has been quite unwell for about a month, with ear infections and a virus so we seem to be bac to square one again.
I really cant believe we will be celebrating 1st birthdays soon, where has the tme gone??!! It is very exciting tho.
Beni is such a delight and has a gorgeous personallity, very cheeky but it is such a lovely time in their lives isn't it?
Anyway must dash
Love to all x

AGE 11 mths, 1yr on 7th Sept
TEETH 4 on the top 4 on the bottom
WEIGHT 24lbs 2ozs when he was 10mths.
ACTIVITY Only stops when he is asleep He whizzes around the flat either crawling or cruising the furniture and walls. Loves walking with something or someone and is starting to stand by himself before he plonks his bum down. Loves playing football with his dad and is pretty damn good at kicking and throwing the ball! His fav thing at the mo is to throw anything within his reach and chase it.
FOOD loves anything we are eating. Hates 'baby' food. Not yet using a spoon but does feed himself with his fingers. loves his fruit, not banana hto, and veggies, esp courgette
SLEEP eh whats thatI must have the worst sleeper in the group. Stillw aking 2-3 times a night, nuff said really.
LOVES being with people, playing with his ball, albaian music, showers, baths and getting up to mischief
WORDS AND NOISES nothing specific yet but dada, daddy, nanana,zzzzz, sssssss. He has wonderful conversations with someone when using the remote controll as a telephone!!

UPDATE FROM US

AGE Ben was 10 months, will be 1 on 5th October.
TEETH 2 bottom and 2 Top
WEIGHT as of 3 weeks ago he was 23lb 5oz and on the 91st Centile.
ACTIVITY So wants to walk, he is a whizz in his walker and loves it, he cries when he is sitting He can stand on his own for 13 seconds and can push his baby walker and walk on his own. He lets go of you when he is almost at the table/sofa. He can assume the proper crawling position from sitting but at the moment he can only go backwards. As of yet he can't pull himself to standing or back to a sitting position from his front.
FOOD loves breadsticks/toast, fromage frais and his dinners - doesn't like finger food much, prefers to be fed from a spoon, lazy git.
Really doesn't like strawberries, custard, banana or scrambled egg.
SLEEP Still brilliant, rarely hear from him once he has gone down at 7pm
LOVES Being tickled on his tummy, row your boat, walking, his walker, his brother, being thrown around, Peek a boo.
WORDS AND NOISES Mama, Dada, Ga-goo, Go Go Go (copied me today)

PLP, Niamh always smiles after she sneezes too- how funny!! Poor Cerys' fingers.

Oooh, I remembered another trick of Cerys's - she loves sneezing and it really seems to tickle her (she smiles at everything but has a special smile for her sneezes). When she sneezes, she always says 'oh dear dear' afterwards - cute!

Thanks Hopey, my toe is much better now - the nurse said I should try having no dressing on it but I don't know if I've got the bottle, and what with the dog and all I'm worried it'll get dirty but I guess I should at least try... Its still sore but bearable at least and I'm back to running around the house like a lunatic! This shed that DH is putting up has turned into such a nightmare and DD1's party is meant to be next Weds - eeek!!! I'm sooo not famous lol! My mums the one who works on tv and meets all the famous people - Brian Conley even recognised her the other week from when they worked together a few years ago, I'm so proud of her!

Hope you have a lovely time mica - I've already started writing out my holiday list as we're visiting DH's sister in Wales next weekend, I love writing lists!!! .

dal, how is work going, hope its all going well!?

Hopey - we have a wii too but also DS loves playing guitar hero on the PS2 (when he's at home that is!). It's so hard to entertain the kids in this awful weather isn't it!!!

We had our first household accident today - I had just come in from the shops and DH was cooking dinner in the kitchen while Cerys was running around in her walker. She loves playing with the magnets on the fridge/dishwasher etc. He got distracted and was reading a leaflet when she shrieked - she had touched the oven door bless her! I ran her fingers under cold water but they're a little red. DH didn't even see what happened, tut!!! I guess I should be happy he was cooking dinner though...

xxx

Lolly's birthday is also the 23rd (I remember feeling like I was the last to pop at the time! )
xXx

Hi all,
We off to Throwbridge tomorrow and I cant wait!I just want to pack my suitcase and sit by the door like a little kid!But thats not going to happen as still got 1001 things to do (including last check in the sops for something respectable to wear.Clothes shopping used to be such fun but now its just depressing; all the nice things I cant fit into..)
And yes,our babies 1 year old!!Gulp!!I meet this mum the other day and she was telling me that they had 3 cakes and 2 parties; 1 with 50 and 1 with 80 people!!When she asked me what we are doing I could just say; panicking!
Its good to hear you are all doing so well and that your babies are thriving!Fays latest thing is putting toys into spaces like boxes, bath(empty) and so on.She will see her gran tomorrow and she looks like she went few rounds with Mike Tyson!Even thou she is walking quite confidently she gets excited tries to run and down we go!
Chocky-well done with the house, once the move is over and DD1 is in nursery youll be home free.:D (excuse the pun)
PLP-Cerys sounds just adorable!!Cant waut to see that magasine!
Amy-23rd is my birthday too, Fay is on 27th.You probably know this: 23rd is a firs day of autumn and Jewish New Year.
Lots of love and you with older kiddies keep your sanity throu the hols!
Big cuddles to all your lovely babies..xxx

Hi all,

PLP Cerys is SUCH an amazing baby, despite everything she's been through. She is a real poppet. How are you? Toe any better, I remember you mentioning you were in agony. Well what can I say, my claim to fame it seems is knowing you! Will have to keep an eye out for that mag and you on the telly at Christmas time!

Isn't it strange talking about birthdays already! I can't actually believe that our bubs are going to be 1 NEXT MONTH!!!

Dal, am so glad that you're enjoying work, bet you're relieved aren't you? Any news on the house front, or given the current housing climate is that a subject best left alone at the moment?!

We're doing well. Enjoying the hols despite this awful weather. Just pottering around really, trying not to spend a fortune, which in this country is so hard! My boys would be quite happy just spending all day every day on the Wii, but I'm a bit tough on them when it comes to that!

Hope everyone else is well. x x x x

Oooo, forgot to say! I'm going to be in the audience of 'Who Dares, Sings'!!!!!! Tickets are free online and its being filmed this Sunday for the Christmas special, yay!!! I'm going with a friend and I'm really looking forward to it. Only thing is I'm not very confident about my appearance atthe moment but there's nothing I can do about it I guess

Oooo, ooooh, oooh, ALSO!!!! We've sold our story to a magazine !!!! Its called Thats Life and its going to be in the issue coming out at the end of August - I'll let you know more nearer the time so you can rush out and buy lots of copies lol!

xxxx

Hey all!

choochy - glad to hear things are all coming together with moving out etc. Hope it all goes smoothly! Hope your headache has eased off? I've suffered from migraines all my life so I truly empathise!
acm - hiya!

As promised, I thought I'd do my list and I've included Cerys's birthday as per your suggestion acm (genuis!).

Age: 11 months - 1 year old on Sept 2nd.
Weight: A couple of weeks ago she was 17lbs 11ozs and on the 9th centile.
Teeth: 3 (2 bottom and 1 top) and one on the top soooo close to coming through.
Crawling: Not quite but pulling herself up on things including the side of the cotbed. When you put her on the floor she does what I call scissor legs and goes around in circles - I reckon she'll bum-shuffle and bypass crawling!
Tricks: If you say 'cheesy grin' she does this hilarious cheesy grin! She says (and plays) "ta" most of the time. Singing in the car (most entertaining!), thumbs up, waving,
Words: Dadada, She can actually say 'Daddy', Bababa, Mamamama, Papapa, SSSssssss and Zzzzzzz, TA, Nananana and lots more babbling. I swear she said 'Yes' this morning!
Loves: Bath-time, Night garden, Singing all sorts of songs, clapping, Heffalump. She can't sleep without having a muslin to rub on her face. Having her big sister walk her around the house.
Food likes: Strawberries, pumpkin, cucumber, cheese, cups of tea. Dislikes: Fromage frais.
Dislikes: Seeing her bottle and not being given it straight away and being tired. Can't think of anything else really, she's a really happy contented baby and there's not much that seems to annoy her - YET! lol

We've had lots of fun today (not!) - DH has taken down the shed and the contents of it are currently in the gazebo on the decking and we've got to get the base for the new shed done ASAP so its ready for the new one being delivered. Long story but basically my parents have bought it for us and I'm going to do some bits of work for them to pay it off. That way, the computer can go out there and it'll be a little office as well as a shed. DD1's birthday is actually on 28th August so very close to Cerys's but she's having her party on 13th, partly because they go away on holiday with their dad shortly after that; partly because her best friend is on holiday for her birthday (which happens every year!); but mostly because it puts a bit of time between their birthdays. I'm very conscious that DD1 has been a bit left out lately so I want to make a big fuss of her that isn't overshadowed by Cerys's first birthday if I can help it. She's such a good girl and doesn't say anything bless her!

Anyway, best go as DH is looming over my shoulder as he wants to look up prices for the stuff to level off the shed base - oh the joys!

(((((((((hugs)))))))))xxxxx

Hi ACMum How's little Eloise? Growing as fast as the rest seem to be?

I've handed in my application for the house I viewed a couple of weeks back, paid the holding deposit and got things sorted with the council so just have to wait for them to get off their bums and give me the all clear to go ahead and tell the letting agents when I can give them the deposit and fees etc. It looks like it'll all be clear by this Friday, I'll then write the agents a cheque, so should be clear by the end of next week and can probably move in next weekend (the girl's party is on the Saturday thought so shan't be doing anything that day, and Dh has booked most of next week off to prep the party so I'm hoping the cheque will clear nice and early and we can get in before then, not very likely knowing my bank though! You never know I might get lucky and they might even hand over the keys when I hand in the cheque, rather than once the cheque clears, if so it'll all be done by the end of next week, we'll just have to wait and see!).

In any case, it's more than likely I shall eventually get myself sorted internet-wise but for a couple of months I'll only be able to catch up at the weekends if/when I bring the girls over to visit DH (you never know he may find the energy to take us out sometimes!!) so you ladies will have to keep the thread going with very little input from me! I know, I know, I'm the heart and soul and all that

Lolly's doing amazingly well these past couple of days, she's now sitting up really well, comando crawling EVERYWHERE and now wakes up every morning and pulls herself up in her cot, (so I'm usually greeted with the sight of her little legs dangling between the bars and her face pressed against them smiling away). Occasionally there's the odd banging of head if she's sitting at the longest side of the cot, so she falls back and her head just about hits the bars on the other side, but not too often now, I think she's learning very quickly what hurts and what doesn't!

Right, I'm now in the foulest of moods, DD's just come back from the neighbour's house and decided she's going to be a right little madame! I stood there waiting to close the door, as her friend left, and she flumped down, sat on the floor, and wouldn't let me close it, so when I walked off she started screaming at me and now Lolly's upstairs awake, moaning cos she's been woken up! Just bloody wonderful! And it's not like it's been the nicest of days either, it's grotty outside so no sunshine to lift my spirits, and I've got a headache coming on (think that's got something to do with the weather though).
BLARDY KIDS!

Ho-hum, only a few more weeks and DD1 will start nursery and I'll have some time to myself. Lately all I seem to be doing is counting down the days. . . moving out. . . DD in nursery. . . there might come a day when I'll be enjoying myself then and there!

xXx

Hello all ! Sorry not so much time to post now that its the Summer Holidays !

PLP - Hope the form filling is going ok ?!Happy Birthday to DD1 - she has her birthday quite close to Cerys then ? In fact isn't it Kinki's Liam's First Birthday soon ? Anyone remember the stats ?Eloise is the 23rd - maybe we should remind esch other of our LO'S birthdays ? I can't believe its nearly a year !

Choochy - like the new name btw - hope you and girls doing ok - any news on a new place to live ?

Dal - how is work going ? sounds like Ryan has settled in ok ! Poor love - hope the ab's are working !

Hopey - how are the holidays going so far ?

love to everyone else ! xx

PLP: Yup yup Choochy is cool!
I had a day of being just me today (girls went to DH's parent's) and loved every minute of my time, shame it'll be the last for a very long time once we move, but still good random day!
Met random folk and even ended up at a wedding reception, I only knew the person I went with, didn't know the bride or groom, but it was lovely (free cheesecake is always good, especially when you know you've got to walk 25 minutes when you go home anyway! )

I'm hoping that, once DD1 is established in nursery, I'll be able to leave Lolly there on random occasions if I fancy a day to myself (10% discount on 2nd child, but then again it's 10% extra for under 1's, so I'll actually be gettinga 1% discount on the regular price, either way every little helps !)

Anywho, I'm a very tired bunny and shall be swanning off to have some much earned sleep!
Will catch up again soon!
xXx

Hello ladies! Just thought I'd pop in and say hi - did anybody see that tumbleweed roll by lol?!

I'm driving now and pretty much back to being fully mobile and determined to lost lots of weight - I've always been a big girl but being off my feet has meant I've put on even more weight on and I feel like I'm a beached whale ! We had a singstar night last week with some friends and it was a brilliant night - DH took some video (as you do!) and we looked through them the other night - I'm mahousive and highly embarassed so time to do something about it!

You'll have to excuse me, I've had a couple of drinks this evening so I'm rambling a bit...

dal - so glad to hear work is going well, how is Ryan now? xx

loopy - nits!!! Oh my, I'd forgotten about them, poor DD1 has really thick hair so we had fun with them, Cerys's hair doesn't seem so thick so hopefully it won't be too bad this time around lol! (shall we call you choochy from now on then!? love the new name!). Lollys doing great! I must put together one of those lists... So glad you're getting somewhere with the housing etc,

sophus - you poor thing! Hope you're feeling a little better? (I have to ask if the bruises have gone purple yet?). Don't worry, DD1 hasn't got a chance of ever getting a horse unless we win the lottery or something lol! Thankfully she's calmed down a little now but I'm sure she'll enjoy what lessons she is able to go to (mums friend is a riding teacher so she has a chance of more in the future!).

twit - hiya! My list is downstairs at the moment but promise I'll post it in the next few days... xx

mica - hope Fay is doing a bit better? Funny how kids always seem to get better when they get anywhere near the surgery isn't it! I too realised that Cerys is 11 months today - wow its gone sooo fast and yet sooo slow! This time last year I really was turning into a beached whale lol!

I'm still filling out forms etc so we can get all the benefits sorted out from DH not working anymore. He's not been well and the dr prescribed him with antidepressants again . I've seen him worse but look forward to him getting better again. It seems so unfair that working has proven to make him really ill - 3 years he's tried it and each time he gives it a good go but he always ends up having a breakdown of some sort. The paperwork involved in him starting/stopping work is phenomenal but I'm getting there. I'm hoping he'll be well enough to finish the garden in time for DD1's birthday party middle of next week - I've introduced a family 'structure' to the day (being dressed by 10am; housework times etc). Before, the kids were at school and he was at work but now there's nothing to structure the day around and we'll just end up festering for 6 weeks if we're not careful and we'll all just get miserable. We've done it for a few days and so far its kind of working - I'll let you know next week!!!

Right, I'm ready to drop so sorry for rambling then disappearing lol! Love you all loads and loads, you're a great bunch of lovely, kind, supportive and friendly ladies and I truly treasure you all and I mean ALL - right from when we first started posting when we were pregnant to today! ! ! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

dal-just poped in to see how the first day at work went..glad it went well.Love to Rayan.Take care

Dal: So glad you're having such a good time back at work. Sorry to hear Ryan's got the lurgy, it was bound to happen though, I can't wait for DD1 to get home from nursery with nits :-P
xXx

Hello all

Jumping on mega quickly to say you are all correct!

1) I am loving being back at work! Love, love, loving it!
2) Ryan has already caught the leurghy from nursery...ear infection and antibiotics required

Posting and running, promise to catch up on everyones news soon
xx

PLP: Well, you've had a rather fun time lately and it sounds like Cerys is having fun playing "let's fret mummy" I'm not with you lot on the front facing car seats I'm afraid, I'm keeping Lolly in her's until she's 18 month's old (it says they can be in it until 13 months, but unless she has a MASSIVE growth spurt she'll last until 18 months easily!).

Lolly's coming on really well now, so. . . Update:
Age: 10 months.
Weight: haven't been in a while but she was on the 9th centile last time.
Teeth: 6 (2 bottom, 4 top).
Crawling: Nearly, she's sort of doing it but flat on the floor, looks something like a water boatman! She's goes faster than a speeding bullet though!!
Tricks: Baby signing (completely un taught, never been to classes etc, I've just managed to pick up her little signs). Throwing her toys/dummy over the top of the cot (she can't even pull herself up so she's doing this being led down!). Leaning forward in her rocking chair so she can turn the vibration on . Feeding her hand under the hood and over DD1's seat back, in the pushchair, so she can pull hair! Peek-a-boo, everywhere and anywhere! Stealing (clear shoe polish).
Words: Dada, mumma (food/num num), boo, mum (only ever said when crying, funnily enough), bear bear (bedtime cuddle bear) she also has a rather sarcastic laugh "a ha a ha a ha".
Loves: Swimming, hair pulling, rolling round, attempting to eat electrical wires, eating like there's no tomorrow, sitting up and watching the world go by, her "bear bear", her big sister, strawberries.
Dislikes: People picking her bogies, being tired, having things taken away or being told "NO!", Mummy (this is true, ask anyone I know, she is the epitomy of Stewie, from Family guy, in the flesh!).

News:
I've handed in my application for the "maisonette" and have already had good feedback from the letting agent, just got to wait for the references to be checked out and then get onto the council for the deposit! I can't believe it'll probably be about two weeks and we'll be in our new home! Typical that we've started organising the girls birthday party for two weeks time (to coincide with my mum coming over!)

Righty, must be orf! Hope everyone's enjoy the glorious weather (it has just started raining, but had a lovely day in the park of the Cathedral), sorry I'm being a bit rubbish at specific hello's, my brain is just so muddled with the heat and everything that's going on, I promise I've read most of the posts though!
xXx

PLP - Repeat after me - Do not let your daughter near horses. They are worse than heroin. Much more expensive and more addictive. When i think of the pension i would have, the cars i could have driven, the clothes i would be wearing if i didn't have horses.....

Did i tell you all i got kicked last week? My right leg has a wound in it suspiciously hoof shaped and i have a bruise which goes from about half way down my calf all the way round my leg and all the way down to my ankle on both sides, basically i look as if my leg has the plague.

So that's what horses do to you PLP - they eat all your savings then wallop you!!

a list would be most helpful.
Dd is ill today, temperature etc, great with the weather being so warm.
Ah well.
the bigtwits are on holiday with the ils [yikes] so all's peaceful around here for a while.
babytwit is carrying on as normal. Stood on his own for about 30 seconds before realising and fell over.

Hi again, Fay is 10 months today!!Yeee!It means she is going to be 1 in just 2 short months!!!Wow, I dont know about you ladies but it has sort of gone fast..We are thinking about having a naming ceremony for her about same time instead of christening.Hmm.I would like her to have godparents but am not religious.DH still wants christening..
PLP glad that Cerys is OK now (and she is making words!!)Fay has a poopy bum now for a week (with pukes but pukes are now better) I keep thinking that the next day its going to stop but she stll had them today.Othervise she is fine so I havent taken her to the doctor.If its same tomorrow Ill take her.Usually wharever is wrong with her as soon as we near the surgery it rights itself!!Go figure!

Ooooh, meant to say hi to LLL too and mica, we're in B'stoke, have no idea where Trawbridge is but if its near you're welcome to pop in!

Right, I did end up ringing the doctor and took Cerys in to see her - he took a poo sample and she had lost about a pound in weight. He had a few ideas of what it could be and I was getting rather desperate as she had had the runs for a month by this point with vomitting inbetween. By the time we went back to see him (just under a week later) for the results, she had a miraculous recovery and put the pound back on again, yay! We also saw her paeditrician last week who is really pleased with her progress and she had put a whole pound on again within a week, yay!

In the meantime, her top tooth came through on Monday and the one next to it is just about to pierce the skin - I sincerely hope we don't have all this every time there's a tooth coming as its exhausting for all of us including Cerys! She has started saying 'what's that' (but in baby language so its 'wasssaattt') and 'oh dear' and lots of other things. She has figured out how to move round in a circle whilst sitting so I'm suspecting she'll be bum-shuffling soon. She whizzes around in her walker and had the kitchen bin over the other day - I'd told her no a few times before so when it happened I raised my voice, you should have seen the performance she gave - full bottom lip quivering, the lot!!! She's going to have to learn the meaning of the word 'NO' sooner or later lol!

Oh, and I'm pretty much crippled at the moment so its kind of a good thing that DH isn't working (apart from having to sort out all the benefits etc when I still hadn't really finished sorting them from when he started working but thats another story!!). Anyway, I had my big toenail removed last Wednesday and I'm in agony!!! I had the left one done about 5 years ago (constant ingrown toenails) under local anaesthetic and it was the closest pain to childbirth I've ever experienced so I didn't make the decision lightly. I asked my GP about having the other one done as I just couldn't cope with the constant pain - got a letter to see the consultant a few weeks later. Saw the consultant who said an appointment would come through within about six weeks - this was on Monday 14th July. Anyway, got the letter by the Friday telling me I needed to attend the pre-op on Tuesday 22nd for the operation on 23rd - yikes!!!!!! Also, this was a general anaesthetic, so much more kafuffle than last time but nice to have a really deep sleep lol! Shame I didn't get to watch it being done this time but hey ho! I've got stitches this time so its even more painful - ouch, ouch, ouch!!! But, I know I will never have an ingrown toenail again, yay!!!! Hoping to be able to drive by this Wednesday.

Sorry I don't get to check in as much - the laptop is upstairs now and we've got a new bed so its not very comfortable to sit at it these days, especially with this bloomin toe thing! But still, means I spend less time and money on online bingo lol!

Went out to a local farm thingy today and DD1 and Cerys loved it! (DS informed me today that he has a social life and didn't want to come so I've informed him that he still has a family and next time I will give him notice and he WILL be coming!!!). I really wasn't ready to spend so much time on my feet and so I'm relaxing with my foot up. It was a lovely day though and Cerys loved the goats and DD1 got to milk a cow lol!

Better go, toe is hurting, need to dose up on painkillers again!!!

Love to all (((((((((hugs))))))))))xxxxxxx

Hellooooooo ladies!!!! Sorry I've not been on for such a long time, I've really missed you all and will do my update shortly. For now, have read through...

sophus: You've got me in stitches about the chilli, sorry! Where did he manage to grab that from then lol? Sorry you had such hard work while you were away but glad you got to see your dad and had some nice times with Linus. DD1 has been taking horse riding lessons lately (present from my sil for her last birthday) and she's really into her horses now...

lolly: So glad you can now see a way out with the housing situation, have you managed to catch up on your sleep yet? Well done on finding a nursery, sorry to hear about the stuff with your bil but like you say, maybe he's relieved?

dal: You'll be great at work, I'm sure of it. Hope it all goes well, let us know how you get on? I was thinking of going back in September as DH couldn't handle working any more but I'm so so not ready for it yet. I have a friend who lives literally about 200 yards away and is an excellent cm but DH is really against the idea and thinks he would be better suited to having Cerys. He's fabulous with her but wouldn't be able to fulfill her social development needs in any way so I'm in two minds about it all...

twit: I've got a list of all the name changes if it helps lol!? Lovely to see you!

mica: Awww on fay eating the bread for the ducks, I reckon Cerys would do the same lol! How sweet of her to join you and help you with the weeding!

hopey: Have sent you a text my dear - still a bit weepy after reading your text - DD1 had her prizegiving evening and she got a brilliant prize, so proud of her - she got the 'Headmasters Commendation for Accademic Achievement' and I cried my eyes out! They have a different system and she is graduating from year 5 to year 6 which is middle school (I think upper school starts at year 9). She goes where I went so many of us parents reminisce (sp?) about when we were there (church school so we all see each other regularly). I'm so emotional at every event - I end up taking tissues every time lol!! How are you other than that then?

acm: I'm so with you on the car seat thing - our front facing one said they have to be 9 months old or 20lbs so when Cerys was 10 months old but only 17lbs we put her in it. She's still only 17.11lbs but she loves it!

Hello to Headfairy, MrsBB, funbun and everybody else, hope you're all well and enjoying this gorgeous weather!? ((hugs))

OK, for my catchup I'll do another post or it'll be far too mahousive as usual!

xx

Hi, just quickly poping in.Fay had a stomack bug all last week but getting better now.
Going for a week to Trawbridge on 7th.Is anyone from close to there?Could meet..Love all, have to dash!!

hey all, been in france for a week, jolly hard work looking after dad, who does nothing for himself if someone else is around to do it. Lots of lovely times with Linus though so glad i went, but am shattered.

Oh and Linus ate a chilli today - thought he was going to explode, he didn't know what to do with himself, he was shaking his arms and head - i forced a pot of natural yogurt down him and that seemed to do the trick but poor little chap was beside himself. It was funny after the even but not at the time.

loving this weather, just hanging out in the garden or down with the horses.

Dal - i got my first proper paycheck yesterday - suddenly all my concerns melted away!

xxx

Hi everyone!

Dashing on quickly. Hope everyone is well.
I head back to work from monday 3 days a week. Had a meeting yesterday with my boss and such great projects in the pipeline so am really very excited! Ryan has had 4 settling in sessions in nursery and he has been fine! So that is a HUGE relief.

I also have mum with me over the next month - so she is on hand to build him up to the three days a week gradually. And also on hand if there are any hiccups initially. Dont really want to be dashing out of work in my first month back if I can avoid it.

If my initially feelings are anything to go by - I am going to miss Ryan a huge amount, but am going to love being back at work and hopefully will make me appreciate the days I have with Ryan even more! Fingers and toes.

Hope everyone has a fab fab weekend! Gotta run. DH home in time for bath and bed, need to give my baby boy cuddles before he goes down for the night!

I hope you find somewhere nice for you and the girls

I name change every so often, it seems that if I start a thread on the "other subject" board I start a right royal row! They're very touchy over there, it's obviously quite cliquey.
I've also decided that I'm only coming on this thread now, I just don't understand the need for bombarding people with abuse when they're looking for advice or a genuine opinion. . . fair enough we're all different and have our opinions but do they really need to lay into others like that? (I'm not just talking about the way I've been treated lately, reading some of the responses to just about any old thread, it's just silly now, I just want to scream "Grow up!" ), I thought about joining the flouncer's corner but you can't get a decent selfless word out of them

I've got two viewings to do tomorrow (one's a house in town and the other's a flat on the outskirts).

Anywho, I'm quite tired, it's been so hot today and I just don't know what I'm typing any more!
I hope everyone's enjoying the gorgeous weather (TBH I'm hoping for a nice quick thunder storm to clear the air, it's just so thick!).
xXx

no offence, but it's better than eastenders and [as I've only come in half way through the story] just as confusing.
I hope everything works out for you.

Has everyone been name changing since I was last here? I am getting very confused.

Am very hot and bored of the house work.

Oops! BTW I've name changed! I was Lolly's mummy

Mica: I dropped him in it, and they're already having problems so they'll probably be splitting up (I didn't mean that I physically signed the papers lol, I just meant that I've gone and contributed to their problems and it'll probably be the end of it all for them (DH says that this could've just been the excuse that BIL needed to get out, which might explain the fact that he hasn't phoned me to have a real go for dumping him in the poop, he might just be relieved!).

Good news, I've had some luck money-wise and will be able to afford a deposit so the girls and I shall be moving out as soon as we can find somewhere (I viewed a house today but something just didn't click, that and the fact that I wouldn't have been able to afford it really, would've been a real stretch, but it was fully furnished so it was nice to have a look )
I'm looking through the local agent's websites now and it's not too bleak, I could be out in the next few weeks (better than the 8 months that the council had quoted me if I have no luck finding a private rental! (considering that they've just handed a friend of mine a MASSIVE flat, and she's got a husband supporting her , but very for her).

Wish me luck, I'm going to be on the hpone all morning arranging viewings, I figured I'd just look at every possibility and that way I'm bound to have luck with one!
Hope everyone's enjoying the weather, it was just too close for me today and I was so busy I didn't get a chance to enjoy it, so my friend and I are taking the girls to the park tomorrow, with picnic goodies, so it'll be lovely to actually relax a little!

xXx

Hope everyone is having a lovely day-weather has been gorgeous here so we went to the coast.

Millie has had some loose nappies and was a bit sick today but is fine other than that-hope you are all well xxxxxxxxx

Hi, you poor thing Lolly!Its awful when they wont/cant sleep..Fay went throu a faze (short one thankfully) when she was difficult to settle.She was a bit sicky this morning and wouldnt have her breakfast but seems better now and is having her nap.
I had her in the garden with me as she loves it there sooo much.So, she was toddling about with her bucket and I was pulling some weeds while keeping an eye on her (trying to stop her eating dirt, squeezing snails...) and next thing she is next to me pulling at the weeds too!!Mothers little helper!!
Of course even after 2 hours she didnt want to go inside so she had a little tantrum which was sorted once we dragged the cat in to distract her.(the cat is ours, I didnt go and steal neighbors cat!)
Lolly-by the way how in Gods name do you accidentally sign somebodies divorce papers?!Whatever problems you and dh have I bet boredom is not one of them!
xox

Just had to come on and rant. . .
DD1 was up unitl gone 2 last night, no real reason just continuously getting out of bed and crying etc, so her bars have gone back on her cotbed and are going to stay there until she learns to go to sleep in her bed!
I'm thinking I might have to drop her afternoon nap aswell. She slept so well the night before because we were out all day and so didn't have her nap, but she was such an argumentative little madame in the evening, I honeslty don't know what's worse, stroppy in the evening or up and down all night. . . think I'll stick with stroppy evenings, that way, (if he bothers to come straight home, he's been going to the pub most night's for the past two weeks!), I'll have DH's support whilst I'm cooking the dinner.

Hope everyone else is having a better start to their weekend!
xXx

Morning all, sorry for absence (again) Just so so busy with RL stuff.

DH and I were at DS1's year 6 leavers assembly this morning, OMG how the entire hall weren't crying is beyond me! Was a real tearjerker. The headteacher started me off when he had to stop speaking because he broke down. He's actually leaving the school too, due to ill health, poor man. His daughter is also in year 6 and she was just crying her eyes out. Oh I'm almost crying again just thinking about it. DS1 funny though, just sat looking around him looking slightly bemused at people crying all around him!

I have read posts, but please forgive me for not replying individually! Even when I don't get a chance to post, I check in most days.

Right.. off to tackle the dust.. it's all exciting stuff here!

Hello all.

Sorry not got time to catch up with everyone just now but I hope you are all doing well.

Ben is 9 months and 12 days old, he has his bottom two teeth that came thru on the 4th and 14th July. Got him weighed today and he is 23lb 5oz He loves his baby walker and hates sitting still. He wants to walk everywhere but is nowhere near crawling. He refuses his dummy in the day now, so only has it at bedtime. He will drink milk out of a beaker but only a small amount so for the meantime I think it is better that he has his milk, if it is out of a bottle so be it. I'll give it a couple of months and then try again. He is a very happy smiley child and I am incredibly lucky

Mica: I'll be asking my council woman tomorrow about housing associations and see if she's got any contact details (I'm pretty sure DH looked into it and our local one but can't remember why we gave up )
xXx

Dal; with regards to how much milk he's taking in, if he has plenty of fluids, he's fine on that front, and yoghurt, cereal with milk etc all adds up calcium etc wise.

Hi to everyone else babytwit passed his hv checks with flying colours, so I must be doing something right [not sure what though]He weighs 18 lb something.

blummin washing machine has broken down [surprisingly]. It's ds'2s birthday on the last day of term and we're taking him to the cinema and McDonalds.
Just don't tell anyone.

Hi Ladies1We had great day yesreday too1Went to do some boring stuff at West End that you have to wait around for 2 hours for but it was just around the corner from St Jamses park and Palace so we kept poping into the park.I tryed teaching Fay to feed the ducks but she kept eating the bread herself!!We saw some <
Masai woriors from Kenia in a full dress, had a chat with a police lady on horse (Fay freaked when the horse moved ) and saw a change of guard!Not bad for what we expected to be hellish day pushing paper..
You all probably know all this stuff but Jon Lewis does pdyshoe style shoes for £9, £4.50 as they are on sale now and I find that GAP socks are the only ones that dont slip off and they are doing sale now too.(it was a tip from sil, it would never occur to me to go sock shopping to GAP)
Lolly have you tryed hausing assotiations?

Hello there everyone -sorry I haven't been on for ages - nothing exciting just busy with the DD's end of term stuff ! Sooooo looking forward to holidays !!

Hope you are better now Headfairy ?

How is Cerys doing PLP ?

Dal - I've forgotten when you go back to work ? Is it soon ? I'm sure Ryan will be very happy at Nursery and you will be fine too !

Lolly - hope you get somewhere sorted soon for you and the girls !

Hopey - hellooooo, waves ! Any news from Kinki ? Hope she is ok ?

Eloise is doing well - had her weighed yesterday and she is nearly 20lbs - the HV said "oh she can nearly go in front facing carseat now !" I was rather as she has been in one since she was 9 months as I thought she was big enough !! Oh dear she is definitely a 3rd child isn't she !?

She is cruising around the furniture , hates bed time but is gorgeous and we all love her!

Take care all lol xx

Yippeeeeeeeeeeeee! It's looking good for DD1's starting with a proper pre-school/nursery in September. I'm so happy she's not having to go to that skanky pre-school and have to sit in her poo if she forgets to let them know she needs changing

I'll only be paying for two hours per week and it's right in town so, even when I move, it'll be so easy to get to/from.
It's such a relief to know that she'll actually have some sort of social interaction, and I'll have some decent time with Lolly (or me time, if I plonk her in the local creche!) I'm sooooooooo happy right now, it's been such a long time since I've felt Ok like this, one problem down, now to tackle the rest of the world! Bring it ooooooon!

Update: I emailed a couple of estate agents appealing for them to reconsider their decision not to accept the council's "deposit guarantee" scheme and they replied giving me the reasons that they're not happy with it, looking at their reply I honestly don't blame them and shall be having some serious words with my council lady tomorrow!

Still, can't get me down off this high!

xXx

Lolly-Oh dear, sorry to hear abut the BIL stuff!! How awful for you! Although on the up side it sounds as though your weekend was lovely and Hooray for DH buying your car first

Mica-Nice to see you posting plenty!

Sophus-You are a brave lady re travelling with Linus-good luck. Whereabouts in SoF are you going? We have an apartement in Roquebrune.
Have a lovely time...

Dal-You will love being back at work...even I do and I really worked myself up about it before hand.

Things are good here as mum is on her summer hols (works in a college) so is over everyday bringing food and wanting to babysit absolutely loads!! GREAT!

Millie eats mainly finger food but does love to hold a spoon and have a go. Re: bottles. Millie was late taking a bottle so now drinks aout of pretty much anything which is handy. We never had to give her a dummy so don't have to worry about that, (actually we did try it one night in the early days but she didn't like it)

Hope everyone is having a great day!!!!!!!

oh and Dal - work will be the making of you, i am loving being back, and I miss Linus but he has an absolute ball at the CM. It is great to be an adult again.

hi all
been meaning to post, all well here. Linus is just coming out the other side of a cold, and his top teeth came through so he's been feeling a bit sorry for himself and not sleeping too well.
He's walking pushing his little wooden trolley around now.
Today he has spent a lot of time putting a sweet potato in the washing machine and taking it out again, putting it in, taking it out.....
I am adjusting to having horses back in my life, i take Linus to see them every day and he likes sitting in his buggy looking at them whilst i do my chores. It's added another element to my already complicated life, but it's great to have them back.
Me and Linus are off to South of France this weekend to see my Dad, DP is staying at home, so i am going by train. Have got to get across Paris by myself with Linus and luggage.
Hope you are all enjoying the sunshine.
s
x

Mica: Where the heck do you go shopping?!!! Are you totally sure it wasn't a misprint or something? Were you in Harrods?!!

Twit: Well done you, dashing in like that, anyone would think you've got no time to breathe, you'd think you've got a baby to deal with

Dal: DH and I are ok, so far, think things might go a bit hateful when I move out but he'll get used to it once he gets his friend moved in.
It's looking like the council will be taking 2 month's at least to house me so I've emailed a few estate agents in desperation, I really don't want to be stuck in some grotty flat on one of the local estates (they're really not nice, dealers in every other flat as far as I'm aware, not good for bringing up LO's ), but if I can't get an estate agent to take me on then I'll be putting my demands with my council lady, there aint no way you're getting me in a stinking council flat next door to no stinking druggy!!!

I'm up at stupid O'clock (as you can see). We had a gorgeous weekend, it was DD1's birthday on Saturday, we went to the local annual fete (we've never been as it's always held on the Saturday around DD1's birthday, which is usually when we do her party, but we're combining the girl's birthday's this year and doing the party in August, between the two birthdays, if that makes sense? ). It was a lovely day and the weather stayed really nice, same yesterday, we went over to DH's parent's and they did a barbeque for us, lots of meat and chocolate-y things for after's.
Then today happened! I went and put my foot in it with BIL's wife (who I've known for years and years) about their relationship. . . long story short, he's in doo-doo and I've possibly signed his divorce papers for him! He didn't do anything wrong but. . . ah it's too long and far too boring, absolutely not worth getting excited about but, basically, I landed him in it, and she was really upset (I honestly thought she already knew this vital piece of information!).
So, I'm up now, feeling very bad and like I've wrecked someone else's marriage (like I was doing such a good job with my own, thought I'd drag someone else down with me?! It's just my luck, I swear I'm cursed or something!).

DH did cheer me up a little earlier though, looking at nice cars on auto trader, he says he's going to buy mine first (with his insurance money) and then his (with compensation money, if/when he gets any ).
He can bribe me all he likes, I'm still moving out lol
xXx

Hi Mica - You didnt kill the thread..it does go mega quiet sometimes. Re. the magic mat, I use this. We have the tripp trapp high chair and a nice table, so wanted something to protect the surface. It works a treat and Ryan happily eats finger foods off it. I have not progressed to letting him spoon feed himself yet tho.
Thanks also for your kind words re. work, I get that feeling too - and think once the transition is done, Ryan and I will both be fine.

Lolly - how are things with you and your DH?

Headfairy - thanks also for your kind words. How is the household now? Feeling better?

Twit - Great to hear from you. Thanks re. the feedback on the bottles. Ryan is really starting to play up at his morning beaker feed, only takes about 2oz. DH and I were discussing this morning whether giving him his night feed via beaker would be better aswell. My only issue is that Ryan takes 8oz from the bottle at night without issue and he needs to take this amount considering how little he takes during the day from the beakers. I may well get him to 12 months when his min requirement for milk drops from 18oz to 12oz and then give it a go. He is sleeping so well, I dont want him to start waking because he hasn't had enough milk at bedtime.

All is good on our front. Ryan had his first settling in session at nursery, and it went really well. Have another two sessions this week when I will actually leave him there - so that will be the real test. But I actually think we will be fine.

Hope everyone else is ok and busy, hence the reason for no posts. <Hugs> to all.

ok.
How are you all doing?

Feeding. If you can be bothered with all the mess let them try. Personally I can't be.
cups. dd was having her milk in a bottle until i got pregnant with babytwit [I think] and I just made her go cold turkey, mean but it worked.
Hello to the new people, it's good to meet you. I probably won't be back for another few weeks but still.

Dal-strange as it sounds work becomes time for yourself, kind of.I adore Fay, night before last I got her out of cot and into bed with us becouse I dont know..I missed her (cot is in the bedroom with us and she was with me all day!!) but still its nice to have couple hours away so you can rush back..
Hope it works for you.
Lolly-thanks, I was hoping you were going to say; couple of months and you are home dry! :O She is so fast, it seems I blink and there is something in her mouth and then its dealing with clamped jaws and little teeth..O well, I will just have to faster than her.wink

I was shopping for her the other day and saw a baby BLANKET for £135!!!shockIt was a darn baby blanket!£135!!

It looks like it was me..

Morning! Not me!

((Tumble weeds blowing in the wind))
Quiet lately, who killed the thread this time?!
xXx

Hi everyone. Sorry to hear about various woes. I can't add much fun to the mix, I've been ill for over a week, I had a temperature of over 100 deg for nearly a week. I'm getting better, and the plus side is I've lost nearly a stone, but it was rubbish for a while. No idea what it was, a virus of some kind. We've been the house of many germs since the walking petri dish Luca started nursery!

Talking of which, Dal, sorry to hear you're dreading starting work. It's understandable, it's the hardest thing I did, but your hours sound brilliant. I think it's a case of gritting your teeth until the time comes and trust me you will find it much easier than you thought and you'll probably love being back at work. Just stock up on echinacea for all the germs Ryan will bring home!

Luca's still on 4 milk feeds a day, but the last one is a dream feed and it's mostly for me to keep my milk supply up now I'm back at work.

I'd better dash because Luca's just managed to bump his head for the gazillionth time today, hope everyone else is well. take care xx

Mica My DD1 is 3 on Saturday and she's still putting random things in her mouth (not usually toys but will pick up bits of food and go for it! YUK!) it's just their way of testing things out, you're just going to have to keep an eye on her, that's all (Lolly's already made a grab for the laptop cable twice and it's tucked out of the way so she's actually intended to get it out and have a chew on it!).

Dal I think you're right, things are very emotional right now and even my brain's completely mashed. We're both trying to make allowances for it, and it's working a bit better today.

xXx

Apologies about all the mistakes in the last message..Fay is really squirmy baby..
Had a bit of crap news today.We had a second hand baby shop locally and after 20 years us closing down!!The place was fantastic as you could get absolutely anything to do with babies in it and godsend for toys.It was really handy for getting rid of stuff..
Does any of you know when do babies stop putting everything into their mouths??It seems I spend half a day stopping her from doing it and another half taking away from her stuff I failed to see her taking!She knows now to put her hand behind her back in a bit at keeping her treasure..

Hi everyone, sorry I haven't been on for a while. It's been siege mentality around here for the last few days. Paul's had a really stinking cold (his first proper cold, so I don't think he knows what's hit him!), and the poor love has been quite upset about his cough and his bunged up nose. Also, he's suddenly hit the separation anxiety stage with a vengeance. Bed times and nap times have become a real battle - he screams unless I sit in the room with him until he falls asleep. I think the cold has been a contributing factor as well, to be honest; the poor mite's just feeling really sorry for himself and wants his mummy 100% of the time. On the up side, he started clapping yesterday, so I'm feeling very proud of him!

Lolly and Dal, sorry you've had some bad days recently. Lolly, it sounds like your DH is being a bit of an arse. I think Dal's theory might be spot on! Dal, I've just bought Paul his first plate, but so far I'm holding it for him while he eats off it. I'm avoiding the magic mat on the basis that I'm generally trying to avoid buying things that aren't 'real', IYKWIM - he's going to have to learn eventually not to throw a plate on the floor, so he might as well start now. But I suspect I might be eating my words very soon!!

Hi to everyone else!

Morning Lolly - So sorry to hear about DH. It sounds as though he is being a tad difficult because deep down he is trying to adjust to the thought of you guys not being there. I am not defending him by any means - as his actions sound quite hurtful. <Hugs> to you, hope your week gets better

Hi Dal I read earlier but didn't have much time to post.
Have had a horrible day here too (weather-wise and general man-crapness )

DH decided we were going to have a clear out (mostly my stuff) of the end room (as he took on some conservatory furniture from a Freecycler. Anywho, he's got into a shit with me several times today, including when I slipped off the front step putting out some rubbish (I wasn't even up and he was in my face asking "assessing" questions, I just wanted to have a minute to shake it off a bit first, before thinking about any potential trips to hospital, blardy first aid training gives him the right to hassle me with questions before I've even caught my breath?!).

Anywho, it's all done now, his precious room is clear of my junk and he now gets to fill it with whatever the f**k he likes (not that he wouldn't be able to do that when I move out anyway!!! ).
I'm getting more and more aware that he's still treating me like the naieve 19 yo that he met all those years ago, just cos he's 10 bloody years older than me he thinks that I don't have a brain (haha check our latest IQ test you moron! ), I just can't wait to get out of this house and he can, either, see just how much I do, or leave me the heck alone and we can live happily separted!

Got some paper work to drop off to the council tomorrow and, hopefully, the wheels will, finally, be in motion. Can't wait!!
Off again, baby to get to bed!
xXx

I killed the thread!!!

Where is everyone?

Hopey - thanks for your text, I dropped you a message back.

Sorry about the rant, headed out for lunch (in the pouring rain...grr) with a friend and had a lovely time.

Am starting to get into work mode, already organising my meetings for my first week back. Yikes!

Hope everyone had a good day.

ps dal-im too interested in magic mat but dont know anybody who has tryed it, got a feeling that babies see it more as a challenge than a deterrent!

hi, (cant be bothered with capital letters as i got fay in my lap)
firs i hope cerise is better!!!!poor little munching and poor you..its awfull when little ones are not well, but i guess you know that really well!!
as for the gap; it would be nice to wait till she is 3 or 4 but ladies, im not a spring chicken so the option of waiting for the "right" time is no out of the window.hopefully we are going to move to ireland where dh has lots of relatives...
as for milk feeds; fay has gone weirdand wont have any milk during the day!!i still manage to get recomended pint into her but had to add a extra night feed to do it!
oops!someone had a poo..have to dash!love to all!!xx for poorly cerise..

Morning - ever started the day off on the wrong foot and wanted to start it all over??

1) First my milk exploded in the microwave. No idea how that happened.
2) It is still raining and apparently will continue to do so for the next century <ok, tad exaggerated>
3) I am planning to go on a media blackout because everytime I read the paper/ watch the news, I am surprised we havent all just given up considering all the perpertual gloom they keep harping on about
4) I am still hating the thought of leaving Ryan in nursery, but know the lead up to the actual going to work is probably much worse than reality <keep telling myself that>
5) Ryan has grizzled for the last 2 hours non stop. Either my bad mood has rubbed off on him, or he is a tad upset that he now gets a beaker at breakfast time too. <Sigh> I say damn the experts who say bottles should be gone by 12 months.

Grrrr

<Rant over, I think>

Reading through PLP's post, I did consider DD1 when we were trying to conceieve Lolly (in fact the timing was all for her!) and that's why I regret it the way I do. In my daily life I'm finding it hard to juggle the 2 kids being at home, whereas if DD1 had started school (well, pre-school at least) then I'd have my day time with Lolly and be able to appreciate my time with DD1 more too when she'd get out of school. . . and, hopefully, would enjoy her time with me more than she does now (at the moment she's just being told off all the time and it's getting everyone down, still she's having pre-school in September so finger's crossed it'll get better then!). I'm just referring to my life, everyone's different, aren't they?!

I guess I'm just feeling stressed out with everything right now and applying it to all sorts of crap, ignore anything I have to say on just about any matter, I'm talking balls all over the place right now!

Along the same thread here: Dh got the hire car, has had dealing with the other party's solicitor, dealings with a solicitor through his own insurance dealers, and is so stressed out it's unbelieveable, we just want it all over and done with now now now!

Oh, did I even mention Dh had a car accident on Saturday? That's how hectic things have been in this house the past few days now.
On the good side, DH was the victim and the guy got straight out of the car and took full responsibility and apologised etc (although he said his foot slipped off the break, there's no way you can write off the car in front with just rolling forward?!!! Moron!)

Oh, I give up, my brain's frazzled, you've just got loads of rubbish to read from me there, in random order to make it much more fun eh?!
And now Lolly's having a fit at me cos she wants her chocolate buttons. . . I'm going for a nap when DH gets back!!!!! RARRRR!
xXx

Hi all!!

PLP - How is Cerys? Was she ok during the night?

Hopey - poor robins.

Funbun/ PLP - I think it depends from school to school. One I called said their cut off was the 5th also.

Hope everyone is ok.

Purplelostprincess - School dates cut off is 31st Aug-1st Sept. So kids born after and including 1st Sept would be in separate year to those before August 31st.

I'm actually secondary school teacher so not sure about Primary school but guess the same applies.

Friend who is a reception class teacher says it does make quite a difference in the early years, as in the older children are more able than than the June, July August birthdays. Must say makes little difference once they are older.

Oh dear PLP poor Cerys, I hope the doctor is able to offer some advise.

Re age gaps, my personal experience is similar to PLP's in that I have two older DC, the gap between them is 2yrs 5 months, in my case, my boys (in particular DS1) are uber competitive and this has caused MANY frictions between them over the yrs. Yet with Niamh, there is no such problem as the age gap is so big. However, that's down to my boys' personalities. I do know lots of people who have kids close together and they get on really well, cuddle up etc etc. What Lolly said did strike a chord though because when DS2 was a baby I had a DS1 at home who was a handful, so a lot of my time was spent running around after him and DS2 didn't get much of a look in! In contrast this time round, I have all day with just Niamh which is just lovely.

Sorry to hear about all the bumps and bruises. Horrid isn't it. Niamh has started showing interest in pulling herself up into a standing position.

I started another thread about this, but was traumatised this morning by watching one of 'my' baby robins being taken away (alive and kicking) in the mouth of a neighbours cat. My cat got one yesterday. So HORRID. The robins had built a nest down the side of our house and I was able to have a sneaky peak at them every day to see how they were growing, Mum and Dad robin were quite happy for me to do this!! I also bought special food with mealworms in for them. They flew the nest yesterday morning, as yet, that's two out of the five that have been eaten . Horrid neighbour's cat came back for another one but I chased it off.

OK,so I spoke too soon - about 45 mins after posting, Cery woke up screaming. I went down to her but nothing would settle her except a little drink. I came upstairs and watched her on the monitor, she started gurgling (not in a good way!); I rushed down - she'd been sick EVERYWHERE!!!! You know how much hair she's got, so she had a late night bath and has only just settled back down again, her teeth seem to be really hurting her. She NEVER normally poos in the night but she had a full nappy so I might just call the doctor tomorrow...

Oh well, hopefully she'll feel better tomorrow!! xxx

Helloooo!!

Welcome to funbun too, how lovely to have some new members! Wow, 16 days late I remember getting anxious with DS and DD1 but I only went over by 8 days with each of them - well done you!

Cerys also had a bump yesterday - DD1 has discovered that if you hold her up in the cotbed, she'll stand up by herself holding on to the side of the cotbed but then DD1 walked away and inevitably Cerys let go and shot back hitting her head on the other side bless her! I've apologised for shouting at DD1 by the way

Yes, Cerys has 6ozs offered to her with breakfast, mid afternoon then at bedtime - reassuring to find out thats reasonably standard !!! She's still teething really badly, its those darn top front teeth and I can't wait for them to finally pierce the skin Do your lo's suffer from runny nappies when they're teething? I know its a standard 'symptom' that goes with it but what with all her problems I'm more paranoid and wanted to find out what your experiences were. I guess having a baby means that poo has to be discussed every now and then but in our case, we're obsessed with it!!!! Her nappy rash is coming and going but when she has it, its awful and her cheeks are rosie red often throughout the day. This has been going on for almost a month now!!!! At least she's not off her food any more and she hasn't been sick for a couple of days either - phew!!

As far as age gaps go, my experience is a little different. As I said, I went over 8 days with my older two but it worked out that I had DD1 a week before DS started school (he was 4yrs 5mths). Unfortunately it just turned out to be the worst time ever because he felt pushed out in a kind of "we've got a new baby now so you can sod off to school" sort of way bless him and his resentment for her started there lol! I'm an only child so I don't get the whole sibling rivalry thing but they are always bickering and arguing even though I know they love each other deep down. The bonus of having older children is that they can help when you've got a new baby. DS at 4.5 was a massive help, running to get things for mummy but I worry when I look back that I relied too much on him and that might be another reason he resents DD1. Oh well, as long as they're civil to each other now, thats all that counts lol! The age gap between them and Cerys has been brilliant on the whole. So, really I haven't offered any advice either way, just another perspective I suppose lol!

I'll stop waffling now, sorry ladies!!

LLL - yay on toofie pegs coming through - I'm feeling your joy with you!!!

Loopy - hope things are better today?

dal - I wouldn't know as I've always stitched name tags on myself, sorry . I'm thinking I might let Cerys feed herself soon too but so far we've not tried

Oh, funbun - do you mind if I ask if you know about the cut-off for school dates? Is it definitely 1st Sept as I heard it could be 5th Sept?

sophus - sorry to hear about your Dad, hope he's doing OK? xxx

Hello to everybody else!!! ((((((hugs))))))xxx

Edie: I like the idea of going on "dates", one of my very good friends has said something along the same lines, you know, just to make him see how much he needs me!

xXx

Lolly-Sorry about your awful day and DH being an arse. By the sounds of it, things can only get better when you move out, I think it is a good idea. You should start going on ''dates'' and things, sounds like he takes you for granted.

Welcome Funbun and Mica!!!!

How is everybody...had a quick catch up off posts.

We are all fine here, Millie banged her head today but apart from that nothing eventful has happened, love to all xxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mica My strongest suggestion ever coming up for you: Please consider, (IMO) for you own sanity. leaving your next babe until Fay is about 3. . . you will wish you had waited until she was in school, I guarantee it (I certainly do, I honestly don't think I spend half as much time with Lolly that I spent with DD1 simply because I'm busy chasing/arguing with DD1 and I only get to give Lolly a proper cuddle, just me and her, about once a week, if that!).
All of my friends have put off having their second because they are watching me struggling emotionally because of this (and I am a very strong person who "handles" things better than most!). Don't make life difficult for yourself, whatever you do!

The reason I chose to have my two with a 2 year gap is because my brothers and I are each 2 years apart and we get on so well, but I should've been thinking more about the fact that I'm living my life not their's and should've thought more about the amount of hassle I was going to be causing myself!

Not to try and make your decisions for you or anything but, unless you have a lot of help (and I mean real physical help, not the odd friend saying "You can always rely on me" every once in a blue moon and when you do need them they're galavanting round the blardy countryside!), just think very carefully about how you'll be spending your time with two little one's (as opposed to one older one who could be in school some of the time and you'll be able to get your much needed mummy/baby time or even time to yourself. . . . what's that?!)

Dal: I've never tried name tags but I used to work in a haberdashery shop and we never had any complaints. . .
I don't remember when I started letting DD1 feed herself but am planning, when I get the time, to put mats down soon and let Lolly go some on a yoghurt!

Funbun: My Lolly is still having 4 x 6 ounce feeds a day and she's quite a small baby still. Personally I think they are the best at telling how much is enough for them, if they want more give it to them, can't do any harm!

Golly, ranting now!
Off to have a drink and get back to trying to make the most of having both the girl's having a nap. . . quick make some dinner whilst they're out of the way!!!!
xXx

Dal - hurrah on dummy, well done you. i think you just know when time is right. But it has made world of difference for L.
re spoon feeding - Linus does his breakfast all by himself with a spoon - but that is a relatively new thing. It means i can read the paper and drink a HOT cup of tea, and he is such a piglet he doesn't make a mess, every last scrap goes in his mouth!
For his lunch he sometimes feeds himself but he's usually so hungry that i shovel it in myself. His supper is nearly all finger foods and he gets a bit stroppy if i try and feed him myself. But it tends to depend on what he is having really and whether i ahve enough energy to clear up afterwards.
Welcome funbun - Linus still has 3 milk feeds a day (BF) and i don't intend to change that until he is 1. He has three big meals a day as well - but he doesn't really have snacks unless we are out.

god this rain is grim

s
x

Hi funbun - welcome! Sounds about right on the feeds. Ryan still has 3 milk feeds, 3 main meals and a few snacks depending on how long his naps are/ how much he ate in his main meals.

Hiya, back at work so able to post. Was meant to be an August 07 mum but DS was 16 days late so now a Sept 07 mum( maybe he knows I am a teacher and wanted to be one of the oldest in the year rather than one of the young ones.)

Great to read all your posts.

Question about milk feeds, DS still has 3 a day:7am, 3pm and before bed - is this about right? He is also having food and snacks throughout the day.

Ohhh, two questions...

Do iron on name tags work just as well as sew on?

How many are you/ when do you plan to start letting our LO's spoon feed themselves? Ryan holds a spoon while i feed him but have not put any food in front of him to spoon feed himself. we still do a combo of finger and spoon feeding. And are those bowl and spoon things with suction cups any good?

I sit back and wait for your collective wisdom to pour forth!

Morning All!!

Hope you all had lovely weekends, ours was very relaxing!

Sophus - Huge thanks to you re. the dummy thing. On Friday, I made the decision to do cold turkey on the dummy - Ryan cried for 20 mins before each nap that day and at his sleep time. Since then <touchwood>, he hasnt woken once since going down at 7.15 until 6.30am! By Sat, he was also pretty much going down for his naps with minimum fuss! Fingers crossed it lasts, but dong it now was such a good idea! So thank you! Hope the trip to France goes ok.

PLP - Totally agree with you and Hopey about so much being dependant on the nature of the DC. I will definitely see how Ryan is getting on and then make a call on it. Hope the puke clearing has gotten better!

Hopey - thanks also for your reassuring words. If I really wanted to stay at home, then we could afford it, luxuries would have to go, but DH and I are pretty sure we could manage. But various things (long career with my existing company, existing economic uncertainty etc. etc) make me think that keeping my foot in on the career path would be a wise thing to do. If things dont go well, then will have to reconsider options. Fingers crossed it doesnt come to that! Well done on the attempting to give blood! Hope you friends DD is ok and the fish tank cleaning went ok. <Yuk>

Headfairy - Hello! I will be lucky when going back to work, DH has to do morning drop off, I dont envy him one iota. I go back 3 days a week 8 til 4, so really fab actually. Am hoping it gives me a good home/ work balance.

Hello ACMUM and Edie. Edie, will go take a look on the nurseries board. Didnt know there was one.

LisaLL - well done on first tooth! We are the same, Ryans first one appeared on Sat. Hope your shoulder gets better soon.

Kink - Hope you are reading this thread even if you arent posting. Am thinking of you and hoping that all is ok.

Lolly - sorry about your DH. Snap what Hopey said!

And last but not least, Mica - Welcome to you and baby Fay! Ryan is my first DC, 10 months old today (elefantshoes - happy 10 months to your LO too). Live in London, about to head back to work parttime.

Have fab days all. Are we interested in arranging a meet up? Am happy to coordinate...

Hi, wow!You are actualy all really lovely and the babyes are just georgus!!!Havent done my profile yet but will do...Time has become such a comodity these days.I had to stop texting people as it seems I never got a hands free and then I forget and next thing its 2 days later!
But in short Fay is my first baby and Im negotiating a second one with DH who is not keen on idea as he has kids from previous relationship(tough, i want one more).We live in London and i work couple of hours a day and fay comes with me to work .DH works as a ganger on a building site, like a gazillion hours a day plus Saturdays so we hardly get to see him and are really unhappy about it (to say the least!!)
Have to dash now but THANK YOU guys for a lovely welcome and Lollypopzmummy; you should of worn the gown, you look great in it...

hi all
bonkers weekend here - carnival yesterday, Linus wasn't too impressed but we had fun. Then had to go and pick up horses today - i seem to have ended up with two of them as agreed to take Moscow's (my horse) field mate as well.
Me and Linus are off to France to see my Dad - he had a stroke about a month ago and his wife is in the states for a month so we are all doing shifts keeping him company. We're going down on the Eurostar but DP isn't coming so it will be my first long trip by myself with a toddler - hurrah?!
Welcome Mica - i have Linus aged 9 1/2 months. He's an absolute terror but great fun and a real pal.
have a good week all.
s
x

It's easier just to go and read my profile Mica
xXx

Hi mica, nice to see you. I am a bit of an interloper on here as Ben was due on the 30th Sept, but arrived 5th october via c-section due to a very late discovered breech position. I divided my time between here and the Oct thread and feel extremely welcome in both

I have two boys, one who is just three and Ben who was 9 months old yesterday. He got his first tooth on friday, without too much trouble fortunately He wants to walk or stand up all the time but can't do it on his own. I know baby walkers are frowned upon but he loves his, he will be crying and all upset whilst sitting on the floor but as soon as you put him in the walker his face lights up with the hugest grin. Who am I to stop him. I was talking to my physio about it the other day and he doesn't see any problem with walkers, so that's good enough for me

I have many pics in my profile if you are interested

Oh Lolly, just wanted to give you a big hug and say I hope the reception goes well and that you have a better day tomorrow ((((((((hugs))))))))xxxxx

A big big welcome mica and so pleased that you posted!!! Your little Fay sounds lovely and I'm sure we'll all enjoy getting to know you more. I'll introduce myself and hope that the others will come along and do the same (if they haven't already as I started typing this earlier):

Nickname: PLP
Kids: DS (14), DD1 (9) and Cerys who is now 10 months.
I'm married and my DH suffers from a medley of mental illnesses due to events from his past but he's my childhood sweetheart and we're still madly in love after 6 years of marriage. My older two are from my previous marriage but I'm still best friends with xh's sister and family etc.
Ummm, Cerys had a few problems at the start of life but is all fixed now (she same three weeks early, had an 'imperforate anus' at birth and had to have a colostomy at 3 days old, then heart surgery at 9 weeks old, then her reconstruction at 14 weeks and finally her colostomy reversal at nearly six months). She's a really happy baby and is doing really well now apart from having the bug that we've all suffered from this week and she's off her food due to teething.

I don't know about the others but I'm split between being a bit chuffed that you see us as really tight as I really do consider these ladies as my friends; or being slightly embarassed/ashamed that we might come across to be too tight for anybody else to join us. I'm so pleased that you ended up posting as it hopefully means that we're not clicky and that we truly welcome new posters. I for one (and I'm sure I'm not alone here) love to see new posters and welcome you with a big big hug! I'd hate to think anybody thought otherwise. Sorry, I've gone all mushy now, I'll shut up lol! Oh, as you may have noticed, I have sudden gushes of waffling ...

Anyways, I'd best be getting to bed.

Night all! xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Snap what Hopey said.

Men can be so annoying sometimes

There are real men out there that don't want to change their woman. Poor you though, he sounds like he's being a git. Big hugs to you, hope you have a better day tomorrow. x x

LLL: That took a while, now you get to expierience the joys the rest of us are going through to hear you're shoulder's not in good shape, hope it gets better soon.

Mica23 Welcome!

Hopey Ooh 21 day matured steak. . . that sounds lovely, hope you enjoy it!
Which reminds me, I recently had another go at eating beef and regretted it immensely. . . (for those not in the know, I was diagnosed with Bovine Intolerance when I was 19, making it quite hard to find foods that aren't vegetarian that I can eat, it's amazing what they add to chicken and pork sausages, so took up being veggie for a good few years until pregnant with Lolly, darn cravings!). . . . I'm now thinking of going back to being vegetarian again, it's so much easier for me to avoid that sneaky beef!

I've had an absolutely crap day today Woke up at 7:30am, gave Lolly her milk and decided not to go back to bed, unfortunately DD1 heard me get up and I managed to convince her to go and bug DH to get up (thinking he'd do what he usually does and convince her to jump into bed with him, to stop her pestering) to my astonishment he got up!! . That's when it all stated. . . we were meant to be going to the wedding reception of one of my oldest friends (and he knows her very well too) and she had mentioned that she'd really like me to wear my ball outfit. . . Dh had convinced me that I was being mean and blatantly trying to out-do the bride ( Ok so it wasn't her idea then?! blardy men don't listen do they?!) so I decided on a long dark orange dress, he then started throwing other "ideas" at me, I took this as he didn't want me to wear the dress and that he was trying to change my mind, so ended up feeling really crappy about it all and let him decide what I should wear (brown skirt, that's still a bit too small for me and rides up a bit, and a black top with a lace top over).

He then had to pop out to get the vouchers for bride and groom's present, and popped into NEXT (ok for a little hint go take a look at my profile pics, I have never even walked into Next and would never buy anything from there as it's just not my type of clothing, not to mention our dire monetary problems at the moment, he had only last night been having a pop at me cos he's having to pay for my loan etc) and he comes home with a top and pair of trousers that cost £57 in total (the top was £22, it was a little camisole with a tie top over it, made from flimsy jersey fabric that probably cost about £1 to make, and £35 trousers which were really nice but they were too smart to be something that I'd ever wear again!).
I said thank you etc and tried them on (in the hope of keeping the label on and he would then be able to take them back after today, I know but he was so proud that he'd found these "nice" clothes for me. . . ) needless to say the trousers were too tight so he knew he'd have to take them back and see if they had the next size up (Umm do Next go up to a size 20?) I gave it a minute or two and started the convo. . . "I think you should take them back and leave it, I'll wear what you picked out for me earlier." he blew up and had a right go at me "I'm just trying to treat you" blah blah blah, I didn't get to say what I wanted to say, as usual, and he storms out, taking the clothes back.

He came back about half an hour later, someone had gone into the back of his car!! So, he'd had time to calm down from our little spat but now this!!! (Lucky he took those clothes back really otherwise he would be in even more money troubles now!)

Needless to say, after being made to feel like the clothes I wear aren't good enough for him and I'm obviously an embarrassment to him I couldn't even try and put my side of things across to him because he'd been in a car accident and now had all this hassle of having to sort out the car.
I had a nap this afternoon but I've still got a stinking headache from all the crying and am still feeling inadeqaute in the clothing department (I did however manage to get across that I'm not particularly fond of the clothes that he wears but I've never tried to change him and the clothes he wears have I?!).

I've tried to brush the whole thing off, and managed to convince him that it wasn't the clothes that I disliked it was more the fact that he'd had a go at me last night about my need for him to pay off my loan etc and then he goes out (after choosing an outfit out of the wardrobe for me) and spends nearly £60 on a top and a pair of trousers. . . I could make about 10 dresses for that price!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
What makes it worse is that he hates Next, for a different reason. His most dispised ex girlfriend used to spend all of his money in there (and I mean all of it!!!) and every time "she" pops up in conversation, or the word "Next", in ref to the shop, he physically hisses!!! And yet he walks in there and spends £57 on an outfit that I'm only going to wear once. . . where's his reasoning?!

I give up, every time something like this happens I just think "It's ok, I'm moving out soon" but I'm still going to be married to him aren't I?
Ok I've moaned enough now, I'm meant to be doing the Tesco shopping, just thought I'd rant at you lot instead, let's face it, if he see's that I'm not on the Tesco website it's not like he could make me feel any worse!!

Someone tell me there are real men out there that don't want to change their woman? I need to believe it's true!
xXx

LLL old tatters are self inflicted, DH in lounge, and I'm in (kitchen)diner, so no excuse, got oven just behind me! Right, PROMISE promise promise am off now to cook steak!!

says to self////..... don't click active convos, don't click . . .

Get yourself in the kitchen woman and kick hubby off the wii you don't want to eat much later, it's nearly bedtime

LLL sorry to hear that. DH was prescribed a drug called DICLOFENEC a while back. It's basically an uber strong anti inflammatory, keeps working for 8 hours, might be worth seeing if your doc will prescribe it. It's good stuff and doesn't make you drowsy.

Hvaen't had my steak yet, roast potatoes are getting 'old' in the oven because I'm too distracted by MN. Kids all in bed, DH playing WII, I'm sat at dining table on puter!

Hopey - I went for a bike ride last sunday (first time on a bike in 20 years) I must have pulled it. Physio said it was an inflamed tendon that was getting caught in between the bones in front of shoulder, it was getting better but I foolishly overdid it yesterday and have now made it worse than it initially was. I have had my arm in a sling all day to try and rest it, and dh went and got me some strong painkillers that have helped and means i can now type, i can't pick Ben up though and it hurts to reach to the front and upwards but I can reach to side and backwards Anyhow hopefully another rest day tomorrow will ease it otherwise dh is going to have to cancel his meetings on monday and stay at home.

Hope you get yourself sorted and that you enjoyed your dinner

Meant to say, a friend's daughter aged 11 suffered a stroke on Wednesday. Felt very shaken up over the whole thing, SO scary. She's in DS1's year at school. Something you don't really associated with children is it. She looked amazing when I saw her earlier today, up and about chatting, also the drooping in her face has gone.

Hi mica23 and WELCOME ABOARD!! Don't be silly now, we always welcome all! Lovely to have you and Fay, please keep posting.

What's going on though with our lovely thread??! Things are a bit too quiet round these ere parts. Hope you're all ok and enjoying your weekends.

I've just splashed out on one of those 21 day matured sirloin steaks from Sainsburys, will report back with my food review , hope it's worth it!

Hi, I have been meaning to do this for a while but you seemed like such a tight bunch so I felt nervuous of butting in.But here it goes; Im a mum of lovely (of course, which baby is'nt!!) DD ( months and a week old and named Fay.She is doing really well (except for refusing milk during the day!) and is cheeky monkey.She is really active, but I mean REALLY active and is running me ruged but Im enjoying it.She is actually started walking and is radiant with glee at all the mischief she will be able to wreck!As she is really smiley baby she gets away with it..I havent got much time (unfortunately) to spend on the net but will pop up here as often as I can..Hope all your babies are thriving..x

LLL congrats on Ben's first tooth!!! Niamh was a bit 'late' with her teeth, she decided to cut 4 whilst we were on holiday, fortunately it didn;t seem to bother her all that much.

What have you done to your shoulder? My right shoulder is rubbish, and my neck, and the left side of my pelvis. Am going to docs next week, am worried that this'll get worse the older I get, am sure it's aggravated by having to take on DH's share of lifting stuff etc. Tis a worry. Have you been playing tennis or something???

Ben has got his first tooth... yay

can't type much more i'm afraid, done my right shoulder in and can't move it. left hand typing is too time consuming and makes left hand ache

Quiet in 'ere!
xXx

Still no news from kinki, I sent her a text yesterday, but as yet she hasn't replied. I'll let you know if I hear from her.

Hello there hope everyone is having a good week ?

We are all fine but Eloise has another cold and is quite grumpy with it ! Like you Edie I do get quite worried that she seems to get one cold after another but I think its because she has her 2 big sisters bringing home all sorts of bugs and germs and then when we go to pick up from school about 10 little darlings start poking her and breathing all over her !!! At least by the time they start school our babies will be immune to everything ! I even found a head louse on Eloise the other day - generously donated by her big sister - UGH !

Dal - although I don't have any experience to share I do agree with what the others have said - I'm sure Ryan will be fine at Nursery ! Its all part of being a Mum to worry about everything isn't it ? ! I cried my eyes out when I dropped DD1 at school for the first time !

re dummies - Eloise still has one at night time and nap time . I have no plans to wean her off it yet - my DD1 sucked her fingers and still does sometimes at night - age 9 when she thinks I'm not looking ! I think a dummy is much easier to get rid of than fingers !

Hello to PLP, Lisa, Lolly , Elefantshoes, Headfairy , Hopey and (shouts) Kinki !!

oops, I was halfway through writing that when I posted... dur!

Hopey - well done on giving blood, I'm very impressed. I've always been a bit rubbish about it. Mind you, since having a baby esp by cs I'm kind of immune to needles now so perhaps I should go too. I'm boring old O+ but I'm sure they're always grateful for what ever they can get!

Well I'm off to bed now, another 5am start for me. I don't mind them so much, I usually get home by 6pm so i can give Luca his bath and feed him and then have a nice evening with dh. Plus it's my last shift of the week tomorrow so it's kinda like Friday.

Have a good one everyone xx

Hi everyone
Luca still has a dummy at night, I'm a bit reluctant to take it away from him as now I'm back at work getting him to sleep is such a priority. He's pretty good really, it drops out of his mouth as soon as he's asleep and I tend to pick it up and pop it on the shelf above his cot, and if he does wake up in the night I can just pop it back in and he goes to sleep straight away. My weekends are so precious I can't face doing cc, the thought of no sleep and then getting up at 5am for work on Monday morning. I'm just lazy I guess, I'm hoping when he's older he'll grow out of it.

Edie, sorry to hear Millie isn't well. I hope she gets better soon. Luca is the exact same. dh was complaining at the weekend that we haven't had a single weekend for almost two months when one of us hasn't been ill. All passed on from Luca, he's a walking petri dish! I guess it's all good for later life, they're being bombarded with germs which they're gradually building up some immunity to, I'm sure Millie will eventually start to get some resistance to the bugs and things will be back to normal.

Dal - I hope the return to work goes ok, I know I've missed things a bit, are you going back full time? I've been back about 8 weeks now and it is hard leaving Luca with the cm, despite the fact that she's fantastic and he loves it there. Edie is right, it's so good for them, Luca has come on so much since he's been going there, and he's got a little friend he's always with. It's so sweet, they hold hands and are inseperable. I must admit sometimes he gives a little whimper when I leave and it kills me, so I tend to not do the drop off on my own, either dh does it or we do it together. I'm probably a bit pathetic, but I did it the other day and I nearly burst in to tears when I left him. The good news is that I'm loving being back at work and being away from Luca all day just makes me appreciate being with him so much more on my days off.

Hopey-Not a nice chore!! Well done on going to give blood-even though you didn't get the chance this time. I used to go before having Millie-have given about 6 pints I think. I don't like it much but feel good about it IYSWIM.

PLP-You didn't come across as bossy at all you silly thing! IIRC You can still give blood as a smoker??

Good luch Dal with whatever you decide. I have found the 'Nurseries' section on here quite helpful...

Thanks for that re colds and coughs PLP. Feeling a bit better about it now-feel like I was winging about nothing. Sometimes her cough sounds bad but thiunk it is generally on the way out...

One tank down, one to go.....<gag>

Oh absolutely hopey - DS was a totally different kind of child and I don't think he would have responded anywhere near the same way as DD1 did - they're all sooo different! Dal, give it a go and see how he responds, you'll soon get that gut feeling that will tell you one way or the other...

Well done for at least turning up to give blood hopey, I don't reckon they'd want mine 'cos I smoke (obviously not in the house!!!) but then I've been tempted to go before because I'm rhesus negative...

<<<<PLP runs away when she gets a whiff of hopey, sooooo fishy!!!!!!! (teehee)

OH PLP you're just so horrid and bossy

Sorry to hear you've been surrounded by puke, NOT nice, had it a few weeks back, spread so quickly -scary.

dal, sorry to hear you're having a bit of a wobble about going back to work. Please do whatever your heart (and finances!) tell you. I absolutely loved working when DS1 and DS2 were a bit younger, although my work was rather sporadic because I was freelance, I enjoyed being 'me', but equally I LOVED being at home. It's weird, comparing to when DS1 and 2 were babies, I kind of feel like Niamh is my career, whereas with them, I couldn't wait for the next stage and the next.... but I've realised in hindsight that time goes by SOOOOOOOO fast. PLP I'm sure you can relate to this can't you having older ones! Regarding nurseries, I do think some babies settle better than others, it's really down to the type of baby you have and how good the nursery is. I have to say I didn't have a very good experience when DS1 was a baby and I think his early behavioural problems stemmed from separation anxiety. Whereas I think DS2 would have been absolutely fine being left at nursery. I unfortunately didn't have any choice when DS1 was little because we couldn't afford at the time to give up my wage.

Did any of that make sense? Was waffling me thinks.

I have been using the Nuby cup for Niamh, after trying several others, and she has been getting on pretty well with it. The other bottles seem to require biting and sucking to get anything out of them, whereas the Nuby you can just suck on it.

I plucked up the courage last night to give blood, but when I got there they were too busy (which is great really) so am, going to have to make an appointment for another time. Been meaning to do it for yrs, feel obliged to because I'm A- which I gather is one of the 'rarer' blood types. Am hoping I don't end up fainting and wetting myself or something equally embarrassing.

Right am off to clean two VERY stinky goldfish tanks, bless her, the girl who was looking after the pets whilst we were away was seriously over feeding them! Oh the smell surrounding me now is horrendous!

Not saying that children shouldn't go before 2, thats just what I'm planning on doing with Cerys - I read that back and it looked a bit like I was being bossy and I really wasn't . I'm sure he'll be great dal (((hugs)))

My DD1 went to nursery and absolutely loved it - it really gave her a headstart, especially considering she's the youngest in her year (28th Aug) and dare I say it myself, she's a little genius even in comparison to all the older ones <<proud mummy icon>>!! I still think it did her the world ofgood and I'll be taking Cerys when she gets a little older (around 2ish).

As for dummies, I think any age below 3 is good but thats just my opinion. If you can manage to wean them off easily before that then its a bonus (well done Sophus!). As mentioned before, Cerys just rejected it herself when her teeth came through so I've managed to get away with it this time lol!

DD1 had a constant cold/cough etc when she was little to the point that she was regularly sick from coughing so much. After lots of visits to the doctors and tests etc they reckoned she had whooping cough, despite having had the immunisation (don't worry, I'm still convinced that she didn't and it was just a label to get me to stop hassling!). She still continued to be ill on and off up until she started school and we even had her blood tested as I was also concerned about her immunities but they all came back clear. I think all children are different and some often get ill, some don't. DD1 has been pretty healthy since she started school apart from the usual bugs that go around. Speaking of which, she had it on Saturday night, I got it yesterday (along with this severe af!); DS started throwing up last night and DH started at 5am this morning. Also, Cerys was sick in her cotbed his morning but she's OK so I don't think its the bug. So, I've been clearing up sick for the last few days - oh the joys of motherhood!!!!!!

Morning. Thanks so much Lisa also. What would I do without you lovely ladies? Have great days all!

Sam loves nursery, I put him in two afternoons a week since he was 6 mths, he now does 2 mornings and all day thursday, I have to drag him away now As soon as Sam gets his funded sessions I am going to put Ben in nursery too, will start him at two mornings. I find it is much easier to leave him with babysitters etc when I go out because he is used to being with different people, it also means he is really good playing with other children now

Thanks Edie. Very kind words and very gladly received I can tell you!

Dal-Just seen what you put about nursery-I think it will be fantastic for him. Nursery is soooo good for kids-teaches them lots and lots about socialisation that even a mother with a busy life and network could never do. I honestly have seen a change just in the short time Millie has been going-she is sooo happy when DP goes to collect her!

It gives them confidence, independence, socialisation, and promotes learning, development, sharing, patience, lots of things!!

He will love it

Thanks guys for your comments-MrsBB-yes she does go to nursery but has only just started.

Dal-She seems fine in herself...

Lolly-Interestingly I had asthma as a child but grew out of it!

I feel reassured now!

Sophus: Good luck, hope you find somewhere for your horse!

Edie: Is there a family history of asthma? My girls' cough's will always last longer because of my past asthma even if they never develop asthma themselves Poor babes, Lolly's got a croupy cough at the moment too, trust the kids eh to go and get a cough in such gorgeous weather!

Dal: Lolly's pretty good with her dummy, I do try and only give it to her if she's hungry and I need a minute or two to prep her meal, or for sleeping (tho it usually comes out during her venture around her cot) other than that I'm trying to be good at leaving it on the table/in the change bag if she doesn't need it. Am definitely going to take it off her altogether once she's a year old though, and see how it goes from there, if she resorts to using her fingers/thumb it may have to go back in and be weaned off (I don't want to have to fight her the way I'm fighting with DD1 at the moment ).

Had an Ok driving lesson today, am still struggling to get to grips with judging turning circle and distance and speed etc (going too slow and end up stopping or going too fast and not being able to control the car ), but my DI seems very up-beat about my driving I'm not sure it's going to be such a quick learning process but I'm ok with it taking a while as long as I manage to pass my test first time (not sure I can afford to take it more than once!).
xXx

Hoorah - nearly 4oz from beaker just now!!

Am starting to get very nervous about nursery/ work combo. I keep getting to the stage where I think I simply wont go back, but then think 'be sensible, give it a go'.

Hate, hate, hate the thought of leaving my little boy in nursery. what to do?

Edie - how does Millie seem in herself? Does she seem ok otherwise? Think our LO's need to build their immune systems. Ryan has a cold, streaming nose - but is playing and happy as normal. I usually look at his overall behaviour to see if there is anything to be worried about.

MrsB - thanks for your advice on dummy. There is a part of me that wants him to have it for now, especially with nursery starting soon and weaning off the bottle. Feel too cruel taking everything away. I only ever use dummy at naptimes and nighttime, never during any other time.

Edie, sorry to hear you're worried about Millie. I can't remember, sorry, does she go to nursery/CM? Some of my friends' LOs have had constant colds since they started, and it just seems to be the system building up its immunity to all the bugs. Might be worth getting a second opinion from another GP, though??

Dal, we still use a dummy, but only when we put Paul down to sleep. We always take it out once he's asleep (well, almost always, except if he's got his arm completely over his face and we can't remove it without waking him up). He never wakes in the night, which is fantastic, but he's still a bit unpredictable during the day - he has a habit of waking up fully when he comes into his light sleep, and then not being able to get back to sleep again (even if we give the dummy back). Since he's been more physically active, though, he's gradually been getting better at sleeping for longer in the day. I did have one go at taking the dummy away and doing CC, but I only lasted about 3 days. It got to the stage where he became hysterical if I even took him into the nursery. In the end, I decided I'd rather he still had a dummy at 25 than go through that again!! Seriously, though, I will try again to take it away at some point in the future, but it's not on my agenda at all at the moment.

Oops, he's waking up, better go!

Lolly-well if you can do it from Salisbury then I have no excuse!!! But will really not know where I am going...

Am feeling a bit <paranoid> today. Basically Millie woke up early again with her cough, the one she has had for about 2 months now, it's just getting me down that she is nearly 10 months and I don't ever remember her being without a cold/cough/eye infection. Been to the doc about this current one, ''nothing serious/it will go away/tis all normal''. Love my doc to bits and trust his judgement but surely it can't be a sign of a good immune system? Just as she gets rid of one cold, along comes another...it's so depressing!

Sorry for my moan, I know there are plenty of children with serious health issues and I need to put things in perpective, I guess I worry sometimes that there may be something more serious underlying...

I don't know...

Anyway, it's a lovely day and off out soon for some lunch and then to garden centre so all is well!!

MOrning all!

Yesterday beaker not as good as before. But we'll get there.

Sophus - you have started me thinking about the dummy too. We have to go to Ryan usually once a night to give him his dummy. Not sure whether we should try taking it away and doing the CC for a night. What is everyone else doing regarding dummies?

Had a lovely evening last night - best friend came over to supper and crashed over. She is still asleep. Aaah, those
days...sleeping in. I have so far made DH and my breakfast, got ryan up milk, dressed, out for walk. Made his breakfast, made his lunch, cleaned kitchen, emptied dishwasher and done a load of washing. Oh and two nappy changes. Such different worlds, but wouldnt have it any other way!

Have fab days all.

hi all, work was fine, was actually sad i wasn't going in tomorrow as i wanted to get stuck into a few things. Linus was fine at CM, but very happy to see me.
CC and taking his dummy away took one night, and since then he has been sleeping through and napping really well, so am just sooo pleased i did it.
i've got to man a stand demoing cloth nappies tomorrow - just what i need. Then at the weekend i have to go and pick up my old horse who is coming home as the girl who has been looking after him since he retired is moving to New Zealand. And i have nowhere to keep him and no idea how i am going to look after a horse, a child, a job....

Hopey: Glad to hear your trip was nice
It was amazing, I loved every minute but am that it's all over. I am a bit about not having a single pic up but I think the photographer was definitely aiming for photos for his own personal profile rather than one's in keeping with the theme etc.

I'm determined to make the next meet up with you lot, even if it means dragging both girl's along with me and taking over!

Elefantshoes: I love "Beni Spaghetti", it's just soooo cute!

Edie: Yup, I live in Salisbury but fancy a nice little trip on the train, I think DD1 will enjoy it and Lolly would probably sleep the whole way anywho. . . am more worried about arriving and not knowing where I'd be going so. . . . Anyone up for being my chaeffeur? from the train station?

Headfairy: Ooh Rich tea!!! I love them! I'm off up that hill again tomorrow morning to get into town to then walk for another 20 minutes to drop the girls off at the creche and then sit on my bum for 2 hours attempting to drive (but I suppose in that instance the nervous energy will take over and burn off more calories for me ).

LLL: poor you, hope it gets better soon.

Update: Lolly was weight baring today, bouncing up and down as I held her, she was in fits, giggling away like it was the funniest thing she'd ever done!

Got a little meet-up with my friend on Wednesday (after meeting with the council), the one who hosted the ball, so will be good to get a good chat on the next event. . . she's looking for suggestions for a theme but I'm wracking my brain for something but nothing's popping up .

Anywho, I'm off again, DH was meant to be going out for a quick drink after work (he's feeling crappy apparently, he was putting on his worst ever "I'm going to kill myself" voice when he phoned), he finished work by 6 it's now 8:40. . . he must've only had one drink though cos he's driving , will be having words!
Night all!
xXx

Just a quickie to keep the topic in my list.

Hopey - Good to see you back, glad you had a good holiday.

Elefantshoes - great vid

Will catch up soon, I've really hurt my right shoulder and its painful to type, so will do a longer post soon xx

Hiya everyone, I hope everyone is well and enjoying this lovely weather we're having. I must admit I'm very happy to be working outside all this summer, I've had so much daylight my eyeballs are popping out! (normally I work in a dark windowless room hence my delirium at so much daylight)

Dal - well done on the beaker thing. I really must start doing something similar, it's hard when I'm not with him all the time, I'm going to ask our cm to start giving his 3.30 milk in a beaker I think so together we can get him used to it. The next one to try is breakfast I reckon, well for Luca it would be as he always falls asleep during his bedtime milk and having a cup for that could get very messy! I hope Ryan keeps at it!

Hopey - hello there, glad you had a good holiday. Did you go anywhere nice? Sorry I missed all this, I'm sure you told everyone before. Hope the mountain of post holiday washing disappears fast.

Lolly - I held my friends newborn the other day and it is crazy how light they are compared to our bouncing bonnie babies isn't it? And my friend's baby was already nearly 10lbs at 10 days, so not particularly small. Oh I could do so much with a 10lb baby perched on my shoulder... no chance now with a 25lb or so wriggling squirming 9.5 month old! Well done you on losing so much weight, I hope you enjoyed the strawberries and cream! I've managed to lose half a stone despite eating like a pig because my new job is so active so maybe in a few more weeks I'll be able to have some nice treats too (says the girl who's sneaked a few rich tea with her cuppa )

PLP I hope your dd is better now and you've managed to catch up on your sleep. I had my first af the other day and it's not so great seeing it back. I was hoping I could be one of those lucky ones who have nothing until they completely stop bfing and then get pg immediately. After 18 months I can't be bothered to keep remembering to take tampons with me when I go out and so on... how lazy am I??? It wasn't even that bad, no aching and only a couple of days long so I can't really complain... oh well I can actually

I've just had a scan down to find out why Kinki was missing, I saw your post from back in May, I hope you're ok and things are not too awful for you.

Take care everyone else, enjoy the sunshine, remember the sunblock !

Dal-fingers crossed. Have to confess:I love moving

Hello everyone, am also missing Kinki here...

Lolly-What a fab dress-glad you had a wicked time!

Well I started back at work last weekend-did a 14hr shift on the Fri and earlies Sat and Sun-that's 7am til 2.30pm. I was absolutely bloody knackered by the end-not least because Millie was also waking in the night and although DP went to sort her-I still wake when I hear her. Millie now goes to nursery on a Friday and LOVES it!! They are surprised but how much she eats!! but always comment on how happy and confident she is

Also, sooo glad we chose the busy bees vouchers-her fees came out of my pay and I really didn't notice...

I would love to come on the meet up but I live in Norwich

Hello to everybody!!!!!!!!

Hello evryone, hope you are all enjoying the beautiful sunshine
Thought i would "share this www.youtube.com/watch?v=Uht0VSGA-1k" with you all!
It certainly brightens up my day but then he is my son but hope you like it!!
x
x

Hopey - lovely to hear from you! Glad you had such lovely hols. I think I am weird. I am always happy to home after holidays - always have been.

Have you texted Kinki to see how she is? Am really worried.

We are pretty sure we have it narrowed down to one area. Will decide over the next few weeks. And let you all know when we decide. Am very excited though and now just want out of London. Having to be patient though and wait for a half decent offer on the house. Keep your fingers and toes crossed for us.

<Hugs> to all. Hope everyone is ok.
xx

one more quick one]

KINKI COME BACK
KINKI COME BACK
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KINKI COME BACK

PLEASE

I'm baaack!!! Our trip to France was FAB, the weather was great and our villa was gorgeous! Having our own pool proved to be very advantageous as DH felt confident to experiment with learning to swim one handed. I'm pleased to say he actually listened to my advise, I was a bit of a swimmer in my youth! We're all nice and brown, but am pleased to say that Niamh is almost as white as she was when we left, would def recommend a shade-a-babe buggy sun shade. Just 'coming to terms' with being home again, that's always the worst bit isn;t it, coming home after your hols!

Happy belated 40th birthday to you acmum!! Hope you had a good one! Lovely to hear from you again

the lady formally known as MrsMar, lovely to hear from you too!

elefantshoes, good to hear from you. I'm amazed at how many stair gates are going up, where is the time going????? Niamh is a more laid back than the boys were, who at this stage were cruising around.

Lolly, what an amazing ball! Sounds like you had a really good time.

MrsBumblebee, maybe we should have done a mass order of stair gates then arranged a meet up!!!! We could have got a discount!

Dal, sorry to hear about your holiday. WOW, you're on the move, how exciting. Have to confess, I couldn't ever imagine living in London again , sorry fellow Londoners! I was brought up in W London, not a very nice area. Where I live now is SUCH a contrast. REALLY really lovely people. Where are you thinking of moving to? I can recommend where I live!! Only an hour from London!! Only 7 miles from the M40. AND.................... there's a Waitrose opening in a couple of weeks!!!!

lolly great link, what amazing photos, the costumes look FANTASTIC. Caught a glimpse of you in one of the pics. Pics on your proifel are fab.

Sophus, How;s it going today, are you back at work? Glad you had a good hol. Good luck with the CC.

PLP sorry to hear your DD1 is poorly. Poor you too

Twit, where've you been , you've been missed! Great to hear from you !

meet up
def agree with PLP, need to arrange one before the schools break up!!!


Niamh's stats
AGE: 9 months and i week
WEIGHT :9kg
LENGTH:?
SITTING:Yes, pretty confident. Although she does enjoy throwing herself back- although she always has a sneaky peak to check I'm there to catch her, v funny
ROLLING: she doesn't bother anymore
CRAWLING: Yes, just like my boys did, 'commando style'
STANDING: Only when held, although she is now showing interest in pulling herself up
SLEEPING: 8 till 8. 2/3 sleeps a day
TEETH: 3
EATING: she doesn't tollerate lumpy food, so she still has puree but she also eats finger foods.
SPEAKING: Dada, Mama, yeah yeah, hi(!), gaga

I think that's me all caught up, have skim read, so I apologise if I've missed anything.

Got a mega day of post holiday washing etc. Better get on with it hadn't I

PLP Sorry to hear you had such horrors with your DD1, poor thing

Dal Fingers crossed for the beaker, I'm sure he'll do well with it now you've got it done once and the whole timing thing has obviously made a difference

Had a lovely day today, finally, got to meet our little neice (she was 4 weeks prem about 4 weeks ago and we haven't had a chance to get over to see them, mostly cos we wanted to go over when there was no-one else scheduled to go as we're 4 people and it'd just be too much for them otherwise). She's just so tiny and has the funniest little croaky cry on her. I felt really weird holding her just before we left, she's so small, it's like holding a doll! She's only just over 6lb now, I did say I'd've killed to have given birth to a baby 6lb let alone 4lb 5oz as it sounded so frikkin easy compared to Lolly's birth ).

Am now sat eating fresh strawberries, cornish ice cream and organic honey , a little treat for the 15 lb that I've lost over the past 8/9 weeks!
xXx

Afternoon All!!

Well we seem to have made some progress with the beaker. <fingers crossed>

Have left brekkie milk alone and am introducing beaker at 2pm milk feed. Yesterday wasnt a huge success, but then realised I had given it around the same time I would give a bottle (which is normally downed within 5-10 mins). 15 mins and 2ozs down, Ryan was too tired to take anymore. So this afternoon started the milk 15 mins early and although it took 35 mins, Ryan took 4 oz from the b