Hi All

How's the driving, J&G??

Evening All

Well the quiet fireworks were still rather loud for DS who clung to me and looked the other way at least half the time. But he did sort-of enjoy it as afterwards he talked loads about how much he liked the zooming rockets and the colours. Probably he liked it once he knew he'd get back inside safely (and I think there was some novelty in being out in the garden in the dark with glowsticks and gingerbread too...). OTOH DD loved it - so she's truly grown out of the toddler fear.

Sorry to hear you still have sick DCs. I think nursery has a lot to answer for too.

Talking of which, I volunteered for a nursery trip tomorrow to the woods with DS in tow. It could end badly...

Hi ladies and many thanks for the congrats. As you can imagine, I cannot stop

As good as today has been, Freya was sick last night so after I got back from the test, DH zoomed off to work leavning me with a sick Freya and a hyper Izzy (she likes to get out)

And I was almost going to drive around to my mums, but I bottled it

May go tomorrow if Freya is better, she was sick just the once. Honestly, I feel like that nursery has alot to answer for! And I know from overhearing other parents that they are sending their ill children there still it makes me really

We are going with our own fireworks display on the saturday too - and I have been letting the girls watch the others out of our (closed) window tonight, Izzy was holding my hand in a very firm grip, so have to see how she likes it. They say you can get sound-less fireworks so no bangs - may look for these instead.

night all
J&G

YAYYYYYYY J & G well done you!!

Chaotica - Our new thread could be Autumn Arguements - plenty of those in our house at the moment.

J&G - Hurray ! Well Done , thats such good news

GYA - My two slept badly last night too and we were up for about 3 hours in total as they both woke up and kept each other awake.

Isaac has started fighting his lunchtime nap - I do hope he isnt wanting to drop it already. I really dont think Im ready for that just yet.

We are also going to do fireworks in the garden on Sat so I hope they are quiet ones too or Isaac will have something else to be traumatised about.

J&G Congratulations! <<round of applause>>

I passed!

morning all.

Well it's a big fat YAAAAAAWWWWNNN from here.
Was up 8 times in the night! argh.

Mainly dd1 who wasn't feeling well then dd2 chimed in at 4am.

Am looking after my niece this morning until 130 so can't even have a sleep when my two do after lunch.

Tonight think dh and I are going off to sit at the top of a hill near us where we got engaged (sounds far less nice than it actually is!) and watch the fireworks then go for a meal.

Bought new pair of jeans yesterday- they're skinny jeans but I'm a bit on whether I can carry them off. Have lost 11kg since dd2 was born but still more of a size 13 than a 12! Will see if I get any looks and will wear them briefly today. Mum coming to pick up my niece- she's not one to mince her words so she'll tell me!

J&G- Keep us posted!!

Have a good day all. x

ps- Like the snot till March thread title. Think we should prob start a new one this one's long.

Evening All

GYA - Sorry to hear that your FiL is so unwell. I think it's is impossible to tell some people to take it easy (my FIL is the same) but difficult to watch.

Went out with DS and bought some fireworks today... Some very quiet ones. Let's hope the DCs don't get scared

I am sooooo tired - feel like I'm caught in a non-stop tantrum some days. Think we're all getting DP's bad cold - I liked what you said GYA: I think it's going to be snot until March (I considered using that as a thread title to start a new thread, then went off the idea as who would join us then?? )

J&G - OH yes really good luck - sending good weather and driving vibes x

Catch up tomorrow - feeling ill on too much msg . i have decided I really am not going to eat chinese any more as it always makes me feel ill after.

Yes - good luck J&G!

Good luck for tomorrow j and g x

Feeling much better now thankyou

I think I overdid it a bit yesterday though..
Went shopping in the morning though not for long, looked after the dds and cleaned the house then just as I was about to put them to bed and go for the bath/early night my sister rang and said she had unexpected spare ticket for a show so I went to that till 1130 and dd2 up at 530..

Only got myself to blame though??!

Getting bit worried about FIL following his recent heart attack. I knew some of his heart had stopped working but he told us the iother day he only has 25% left working!!

Anyway he's overdoing things a bit and I don't think he realises the next heart attack won't give him another chance..

Glad everyone feeling little bit better- I think the snot sets in around September and keeps on running until March!

Tracy, that is a good idea re the aprons. We are outselves being thrifty with the presents. I am trying to get the bigger things (trikes etc) off ebay, hoping that because it is so far in advance of christmas I can get some good bargains.

GYA that is shit about your kidney infection, and missing your days out planned. Still, I bet it is awdul to be in pain like that, best to get better and then you can re-schedule your plans.

LOL re the hair cut stories - I do get a bit scissor happy too with the girls curls - Freya has sported a very short ringletty fringe on more than one occasion

Izzy has a cold today, but since Freya starting at nursery the girls have had to much illness, at least with just a cold, they don't seem to be miserable like they used to be. I guess they have gptten used to it!

Sorry to hear you've been so sick, GYA. Are you feeling better now?

Hi sorry to have deserted you all but my kidney infection got much worse and I spent most of last week in bed in pain.

Missed out on taking the girls to the zoo, day to take out my friend's newborn and a day with my nephew to Chessington WofA for his birthday treat.

Always the nice things you miss isn't it??

Anyway back now in the run up to J&G's driving test. Have you been practicing??

at the hair cut problem - you should see Connor (I swoop in with scissors and he ends up looking like a 60s film star...) (...a female 60s film star with a jagged crop cut ). I never darken the doors of hairdressers (I can't imagine that he'll keep still).

Good luck with the test, J&G!

J & G - thats exciting about your Test Good Luck with that!

Our Pumpkins went off really quickly too and yes they are now all in the bin taking up loads of space - silly collection is every other week so they will be stinky by then.

Melissa pleased to be back to school this morning all though we were late so need to try and get a bit more organised and back in to the swing of things.

Thought I would get all thrifty and try to make christmas pressies for melissa's little friends to save money.

Started making little aprons last night (hope the 'I can cook' popularity lasts still christmas).

Bit of a disaster so far as havnt sewed for ages and cant get my machine to work properly - so really frustrating. Cant be bothered to sew them all by hand that would be tedious. Melissa got all excited so ended up hand sewing a bag for her to take her doll to nursery in.

Hope they dont all want one of those!

I have cut Isaacs hair and now regretting it - im going to have to keep going until I get it right or take him to the hairdressers for them to rectify - but thats just embarrasing

BTW - Connor is really sensitive to noises, Tracyface. (Rattles and bells, mainly.) We didn't have this problem with DD.

Evening, Ladies

Hope your hangover is fading, J&G. (I would be but I got to go out with some old friends from work last week, so I don't have my usual cabin fever. <<note to self: volunteer for more work-related socialising!>>

We're not doing the planned firework display thing this year - we did it when Freya was 2 and Connor a baby and Freya got really scared at the bangs (it was loud). It was really not worth it with a 2 year old. Whether it is worth it with a 3 year old depends upon the 3 year old, I suspect. (Last year we had a box of very cheap fireworks in the garden and they were perfect for the DCs.)

5 Pumpkins, Tracyface? - I bow to your halloween prowess. (I failed dismally with ours - we had some lovely pumpkins from my CM and they seem to have gone off before last night... eugh. Not pleasant (and no good to put candles in either). I should have lit them the night we got them I think.) [Bad mummy emoticon] We did have some scary ghosts come around for trick or treat though.

Back to nursery tomorrow. I'm waiting to see if Freya comes over all tired again...

Evening ladies. My hangover is only just gone and last night was just ok - every bar/club was packed, and in the end we did not go dancing

Anyway, DH has kept the girls asmused today for the most part whilst I watched hollyoaks omnibus, eating toast and groaning lots.

Was just wondering what you re all doing with regards to fireworks displays; we are definately taking Freya to one, but do you think we should take Izzy? (2 at christmas) Any helpful experiences ladies? Would not want to take her, fr Izzy to be scared, and us having to go home - followed by a very sad little Freya.

Wishing you all a good evening,
J&G

tracy that chocolate and mandarin pudding looked amazing on I Can Cook!

We saw a house last night and it was not great - was a large looking detached but the inside space and layout made it a no. We have gone back to another house we loved (the perfect one) and said we will take it but have said we will only pay a lower amount for it (this house has oil central heating and it is on sky high council tax band, so costs are high) and let's see if they go for it! [wishful thinking emoticon]

I have a driving lesson today and then - I can hardly even bear to think about it - my test on thursday [gulp]

Then night out tonight with the girls. You know, I am really looking forward to the night out, but it means that tomorrow is just a haze of hangover, and it feels so wasteful. I am considering (when it is my turn to buy drinks) asking for my 'sambuca' to be instead water, in a shot glass. Do you think that would work? Do you think the others would notice?

DH has taken Izzy shopping so freya and I can lounge around and watch some TV.

The rain has stopped! yay!

Hiya - having a better day today thank goodness.

Helps that my eleven year olds homework has been finished and that was a whole new experience of tantrums to deal with. Although very similar in length to Melissa's you would think he would have grown out of it by now.

Pumpkin crazy in our house we now have five carved in different designs and the kids are still looking to do more only Im fed up with the whole slimy pips thing that is enough!

J & G - the whole house hunting thing is so stressful . We looked for nearly two years before we found the house we are in and we still keep looking every so often and always its out of our price range but we still go and have a look just to torture ourselves!

I can cook recipies are on cbeebies website and because of the one on this morning I am now going to have to go out and buy tinned mandarins .

Isaac currently crying at Makka Pakka's trumpet noise I think we may have to watch it on mute from now on.
He is so sensitive to certain noises especially elephant type noises its very strange poor boy.

Melissa trys to make him cry by making quite a good impression of an elephant . She is rather cruel to him

Isaac is much better but not enjoying being dressed as a pumpkin bless him he looks like a cross between boris Johnson and Mr tumble but Melissa is insisting he wears it because she has her witches outfit on - all be over tomorrow and she can go back to being tinkerbell !

Tracy glad the illness is gone now and ou are all starting to get back to normal. The tantrums are awful aren't they? I mean, you want to implement dicipline when needed, but when they are ill even the slightest thing can end yo being a major crying session

When ladies the house search is not going well - we have to be out of here very soon and it looks like doing the move to yorks right now is out of the question; we do not have time to do down to look, and my parents who were supposed to look after the girls for 1 night to help, have had a case of flightyness and are not willing to help (is this just a plan to make sure we stay here with them, til there house is sold?]

So, we have seen the perfect house but as always it is too expensive. But did I mention it was perfect? Well, we shouldn't have even seen it, but we did and now it's all we think about. the girls love the fact it has a playroom too [destined to be skint emoticon]

We have a party at Freya's nursery tomorrow and my mum seems to be going through an opinionated phase (honastly, it's like the menopause all over again) and she had a go at me because the stripy halloween tights I bought for freya are massive around the ankle but Freya wants to wear them. Mum asked me how I could let her gho out looking silly! I mean, yes a 3 year old dresses as a pumpkin does not look silly at all, non? Grrrr!!

We are looking at another more reasonably priced house tomorrow. I am kinda hoping it is shit, and that is me being bloody silly

Sorry for typos am eating a magnum whilst typing

Hi Tracyface - glad to see you're still around too.

I've found Freya really needed the week off nursery (keep wondering whether it is all too much for her going every day) - she's still not quite well either although she seems a lot better while at home (or out) with me than she is with nursery or CM, even though I know she likes both.

Glad to see that 'I can cook' is working - is there anywhere you can get the recipes? (i never take note of them.) I bought some gingerbreadmen biscuit cutters (and a T-rex shaped one) at the weekend and then forgot to buy ginger... [Doh! emoticon]

How is Isaac now, Tracyface?

Chaotica - You are not alone!

Im still here , we were still recovering and Melissa has been having such awful tantrums that I havnt had time to get on here. All because she is still ill and lost her appetite so has no energy and is just plain grumpy.

Been watching I can cook which seems to be doing the trick as we have been cooking three days in a row and carrot & courgette muffins (sounds horrid but quite tasty) have worked really well and she has asked for them breakfast dinner and tea so what with tiny amounts of fruit I think we are getting there.

THank goodness its half term as I dont think she would have coped with nursery, although Im looking forward to her going back next week just for a break from putting her on the naughty step.

Doing a little halloween party for her and her friends on Saturday so that will be fun .

Yes J&G how is the house hunting going?

Yes J&G - it was never going to be easy to keep a thread going when everyone on it had more than one toddler. How did you get on on the house search, btw?

Hi chaotica, no I am here too! But we used to be a big group, and now there is just a few left!

Is there anybody there? Or am I the only one left...

Good luck with the house search, J&G

chaotica I have also culled some baby stuff. Freya has not had bottles for ages - literally years but Izzy still has just one at night. Think you are right about moving your DS into a bed - or another alternative is to take one side of the cot off, changing it into a day bed - I much easier transition we found for Izzy.

No, I didn't realise ths clocks changed and wondered why the girls were playing in their rooms at 6am - I was like 'go back to sleep!'. And then got them up at 7. They went to bed very easily, but were a little overtired I think - took them longer than usual to calm down for bedtime.

GYA she only has about 40 mins anyway (about 1330 til 1430, for which she spends time before dropping to play) She did nap today though, maybe she was having trouble dropping off for some other reason (like her final teeth coming through?) who knows! certainly not me!

Still reading twilight books and am totally in love with Edward Cullen. Honastly ladies, these books are hot stuff - very sexy. I am going out for halloween with the girls from yoga. I am going as a vampire

Hi All

Hope you early risers didn't have to get up an hour earlier this morning (that would have been 3.30am for some...).

Hi All

I second giving up the bottles, Tracyface. I actually threw ours out the other day and it's cleared loads of space. (I'm culling baby stuff for all I'm worth at the mo')

Hope you're feeling better, GYA.

I need to get a big bed for DS. He is so sick of the cot (and starting to climb out). A trip to ikea is in order, I think.

I went down a lot of slides today (went to adventure playground and DS couldn't quite get up the rope ladders to the big slides - so I went to help him and that was the easiest way down...).

I'm so glad it's half term -- DD seems worn out with nursery ('distant' and 'tired' keep being mentioned by the staff - she seems ill there, which is worrying me a bit).
J&G - How is Freya dealing with it? (Do I get worried?)

Morning all. yes have antibiotics starting to kick in now but am ratty due to no exercise since Monday.

Sorry to hear so much illness I had my niece yesterday and have both my nieces today as my sister got viral/swine flu poor thing.

Tracy- good opportunity to give up the bottles. Our dd1 only would drink out of one specific bottle and it got left at my sister's house one day and that was the end of that! Also know a friend got her dd off dummies when she was sick one day and thought it was the dummy that made her sick.

J&G- how long does she nap for? maybe let her have a 30-40 min one instead of long?

dd1 says she wants a big girl bed for xmas so we have that to deal with.. She'll be 2.4 nearly by then..

OMG tracy I bet you are sick of the sick!! I hope things ahve settled a bit now?

I received a baby jogger footmuff for my baby jogger city mini today and it does not seem a good fit. I need footmuff advice! Anyone help? I was recommended buggysnuggle from a friend, but I have had a look and there are none that match my buggy as well as I would like. But, I am not discounting alltogether. Really, any help appreciated!

We are looking at a rental house on monday, and I asked mum if she and dad could have the girls for 1 night, whilst we drove to yorkshire to view properties. Mum took evasive manouvers and changed the subject. I was a bit . Then I asked dad, and he said 'yeah fine!' So, I broached the subject with mum today again and guess what? Yep, she started to prattle on about Fern Britton. Arrrrgh!!

Izzy is not sleeping well at lunchtime and I think I am letting her sleep too late in the morning. Think I may have to start setting the alarm at 0645, for getting her up at 7. Currently, I am letting her sleep til she wonders out of her room (usually about 0730) but clearly she eneds her nap in the middle of the day, but is not tired enough. It means by the end of the day - without the nap - she has very grumpy and yawns lots. What do you think gang?

Off to read Twilight (the best book I have ever read - I recommend it)

xx J&G

Hi Gya - I hope you feel better soon - have you got antibiotics for it?

J&G - thats really sad about Izzy poor thing - hope she gets her own back. Surprisingly my two have been quite nice to each other today - I think it must be because they are both feeling so poorly.

I found them on the sofa and Isaac was stroking melissa's hair while trying to say aaahh. So sweet!

I can believe it now melissa after having upset tummy/bottom at lunchtime she then was sick again this evening. Its awful I really am going to have to starve them till at least tomorrow evening to see if I can get it out of their system. All they have eaten today is toast rich teas and water so hopefully it will have nothing left to be ill on.

Both have even stopped looking for milk and their bottles so in a way it may now be my chance to actually throw all their bottles away finally.

I Know its high time they didnt have them anymore but they both get such comfort from them at bedtime (and when they get up and also when they come out of nusery)
They drink loads of milk. which cant be bad.......

But it will make my babies seem so grown up if they dont have them anymore. I think Im hanging onto them as much as they are

We havnt booked the hotel but it was the only chance to get away for more than a weekend as the older kids were away doing their own thing - so not likely to happen unless I can cure them by Sat

just a quickie girls are having 'hair showers' in bath qith DH. And I am 'tidying' the house

Freya has been a knightmare today after returning from nursery and shouted to Izzy that she did not want Izzy to be her sister any more, that she wanted a better one. Izzy stuck her little bottom lip out and cried!!

tracy so sorry you and the sick are still an item, poor Isaac. I thought Freya was bad having it for 5 days/4 nights but even lnger is just horrendeous for you. Agree re the hotel, can you phone, explain and change for another wewend?

mu8st go, screaming children../..

Hi all- wont bore you but they are still ill .

Thought we were getting better but Isaac was sick all over his bed again this morning poor thing its been 6 days now surely they must be over it soon?

We were hoping to go away for weekend but Im not sure we will manage it if they are still poorly. Cant imagine dealing wtith puke and poo episodes in a hotel.

Catch up later - Melissa is obsessed with snow white dvd as she is stir crazy from being home all week. She is almost work perfect for Hi Ho Song!

Morning all

well I had laid out the clothes before I left so no random combos but there definitely are when he chooses!

House was a bombsite and he gave dd2 cereal for dinner..

Feel he doesn't have a handle on what she can and can't eat.. He knew the cereal was safe at least.

I left him the clothes to dress them in to meet me a kids party a few weeks ago. He muddled them up so dd1 had dd2s dress on knicker skimming Kylie effect and dd2 had dd1s skirt round her ankles.

Tracy- ankle sprain hurts more than breaking it ime so you're not a wuss.

Would recommend escape to you all btw. Afterall the men seem to do it frequently enough!

Now have a kidney infection so am feeling bit rough.

Such is life. Have a good day all.

Evening all.

You poor people with all this sickness going around. It sounds like these are really long-running sickness bugs. I hope you get over it soon (and that it doesn't come anywhere near me).

J&G - loved your description of Freya dressing herself. I suspect that might happen around here (we still have DS in Freya's skirts every now and then and he does look lovely )

Must go and sleep (had a day of kids work kids work and must add bed to that list...)

GYA - well done for escaping

Gya - well done you I wish I had the guts to sometimes run away - I could really do with it too.

Still unwell here - I thought it was too early to have milk . Melissa still got sickness and diarreah (sp?) and so I still have loads of washing to catch up on and carpets to Fabreeze!

I think Isaac is over it now but still very wobbly at meal times and is still only eating toast and bread and watered down skimmed milk!

I too have only eaten rich tea and toast for days which hould do wonders to get my diet kick started but stating to feel a bit weak now.

I even fell over last night in our garden coming out of the garage as doing more tumble drying and thought I had broken my ankle - Infact I was being a big woose and had only sprained it but I just lay their imagining the worst and crying till my oh came to look for me. After screaming for him for ages lol! I just was too scared to get up and of course was thinking now how am I going to manage to drive and do school runs etc,

Its all very pathetic - Im fine really just a little limp

GYA what a nightmare day, so pleased to hear you took a day off for yourself, you deserved it!

Tracyface, i really feel for you with all the sick, it's so horrible isn't it. DS2 had some bug a couple of months ago and I felt like I was washing sicky stuff for ages after, and it took AGES to get the smell out of the carpet.

Wow J&G, sounds pretty daunting! Hope you find somewhere to rent soon, everything feels better when you have somewhere to live

No real news here. The Ds's are ok, ds2 getting heaps of new teeth so not sleeping well, but hopefully if he gets them over and done with things will improve! Ds1 has creche 1 morning a week now and is loving it. And i am loving only having 1 toddler to manage, even for just a short time

God tracy that sounds horrendeous! /amd yes NHS direct are a bit rubbish (and my GP who seemed very unconverned that Freya had had 4 days of sickness and the runs) NHS direct lady got shirty with me because she asked me a list of questions and one of them was 'is your child having trouble breathing or is choking' so I said 'yes' because ahs was coughing that much (kind of a whooping cough sound) that to me, she was having trouble breathing. But the women shouted at me literally and asked me to answer the questions accurately and to 'sort myself out'.

Still, glad you all seem to be coming out of it now, god knows what wierd shit is going around right now.

GYA good on you girl!! Yeah see how the DHs feel being alone all day with the DCs - I usually get back to messy house and messy children wearing ridilous outfit combinations [DH says 'Freya dressed herself!' and there she is in her swimming costume, some of Izzy's leggings, a random cardigan and some wellingtons]

Well ladies I am feeling stressed. We have to find a house to rent within 5 weeks and we are relocating 100s of miles and starting a new business with next to no money. Arrrgh!! AND I have PMT!! Bought a silly scarf today (you know when you have PMT when you are making silly fashion decisions!]

Night ladies

Weeelll..

I did run away. At 9am went up to our room put the dds in got my stuff and said 'Have a lovely day with Daddy' and left.

Went for tea and sympathy at my sisters, then to the gym for a run then aqua class, lunch, shops, cinema, take away curry at my Dads house and am staying the night here. Have a lovely hot bath to get into. Have had 1 missed call from DH at 1230 (probably wondering what dd2 is/n't allowed to eat) but nothing since.

NHS Direct really not worth it IME.
God poor you sick bugs are awful aren't they?
Tracy- yes dd2 has v restricted diet have just begun re introducing wheat but only breadsticks seem to be ok.

GYA - that was awful but it does make you feel slightly better when you can share it with us and we all sympathise

My whole weekend got worse with the sick thing too as isaac got worse and ended up in hospital saturday as he just couldnt stop being sick - bit of a waste of time as once we had sat there all day he had started to get better anyway so they let us home in the afternoon. Then I came down with it Sat night and then Melissa in the middle of the night.

She was also so sick so many times I ran out of pyjamas and bedding . So much washing Im still catching up with it. I felt so awful I was crawling around on my hands and knees.

Stupid NHs Direct told me to keep giving Isaac milk even if he kept being sick as something would stay down each time.

I told them I didnt agree with that but tried it and of course it just came straight back. Of course the hospital agreed with me as dairy is the worst thing when vomiting. Stupid and very smelly . Although I think we are nearly over it Im still very reluctant to give any milk yet but melissa is begging me so I have told her she can only have it in the kitchen.

GYA - my 17 year old son's excema is really bad at the moment but we havent really tried to alter his diet but maybe it would be worth trying to cut out at least wheat to see if that helps, The consultant seems to think with him its more of an allergy to dust or something - but if you saw the state of his and his brother's room you wouldnt be surprised really

GYA That is a day from hell . I hope this one is better.

(Just had a visit from my CM to say that DD didn't seem well at nursery - I hope she's not sick again too. Are we all going to have a whole winter of this?)

tracy sounds like the same thing Freya had, though she had no rash. but there was lots of sick and I washed bedding and removeable sofa covers so many times, I thought the washer was going to break!

GYA!!! That is th DAY FROM HELL. And your DH!! I would have cut up all my DHs favourite ties after that one. Well GYA well done for surviving - I salut you

Hi all. had day from hell yesterday.

Began with dd2 waking at 540 after dd1 had been up most of night.

Had planned to go to friends house (sort of 3rd set of grandparents to the dds) and whilst I was getting ready dd1 was playing with the phone.

Few minutes later phone rings. Met Police calling to check all ok. Dd1 had called 999. Shame.
Got in the car and whilst driving around busy 1 way system dd1 gets out of her car seat and begins cavorting about on back seat.

Most of day spent with kids whinging. Dd1 tired (what a suprise so was I)

DH rings to say would I like a lie in on Monday morning. Or should he work late last nnight. I reply would like a lie in but if he wants to work then work.

Anyway return home at 330 ish with overtired dds and find DH has gone to the pub.

Do dinner/bath on own and think at least I can get them down for early night.

No the IL's come over at ten to bedtime. Hype up the dds and as I recount my awful day I say
'dd1 is always naughty when she's tired.'
MIL replies 'Children of that age are not naughty. You just need to tell her not to get out of the seat.' Cue much telling dd1 what a good girl she is etc etc.

Why didn't I think of that. Just tell her to stay in the seat. Genius.

Get dds to bed leaving lodger in charge while walk dog.

Watch xf then go to bed in nice clean bed reading book thinking thank God that days over.

NOOOO DH returns absolutely out of his head after a whole day drinking. Wakes both dds up, bumps into things, is sick and passes out across the bed where I cannot move him.

Dd2 won't go back to sleep and finally gives in at 1130.

Up again at 550.

Sorry for long boring rant but yesterday was truly an awful day.

Am waiting a while then leaving dds with their Dad and running away from home!

On the bright side, DD has developed a sense of humour (her own, as you will see) and started telling jokes... One example:

What do you call a kangaroo which is bouncing around on the television?


-- An Egg.




(DS finds these hilarious... i do not understand the toddler mind)

Hi All

GYA - sounds like she eats quite well, but it must be hard (we had the added problem that we're veggie, and I wasn't sure if DS had continued with no dairy or gluten whether we could keep that up - soya and peanuts saved us (I was glad he didn't react to either)). I found some good corn crackers which he used to like in place of breadsticks.

OMG - had one of those toddler-runs-into-road incidents yesterday with DS, in front of loads of cars as well (fortunately on a crossing, so they were kind of ready). I was right by him and he was only trying to run around a rather big person as we came out of the shop and couldn't quite keep to the path. (I, of course, couldn't push rather big person aside, although I should have done.) Was in shock once I got home (and DS keeps saying "never never never run in road" - I just hope he remembers).

Yes people do ask us fairly often what she does actually eat..

2 x bottles of hypoallergenic formula a day.

Snacks rice cakes, raisins, grapes, ultra expensive animal shaped biscuits from the free from section, blueberries, strawberries, melon - only honeydew though,breadsticks- not too many, organix cereal bars (2 out of their range)cucumber.

Her meals yesterday were rice krispie shapes, roasted sweet potato, broccoli and ham. Then free from fishfingers (new addition to our lives!), oven chips (Mcain only) and sweetcorn. Jelly for pud.

I spend a lot of time label reading!

Easier now she's older and we don't have to puree everything but harder also as she realises that she's eating differently and can crawl/cruise around to pick up other food.

At least she has not had any anaphylactic reactions that would be nightmare. Hives and face swelling has been as bad as we've had.

anyway thechild in question is trying to delete this so i'm off!

Hi All

What a pain of a diet, GYA. (I will resist asking the question of what you do feed your DD2 on, but it sounds rather limiting.) I'm so glad something has worked for her though. DS had bad eczema as a baby, but nowhere near as bad as your DD2 by the sounds of it. We had to keep him off wheat and dairy, then reintroduced them as he got older (actually, when we were in Turkey and I couldn't face translating all the labels and ingredients lists). He didn't get any worse once he was back on them (although his eczema did get better when they were cut out of his diet - so in his case I think it was just an age thing). He has a little bit now and I'm still careful about detergent and so on. It's so horrible to see them suffering, especially when they're so tiny.

[Yawn] Have been dealing with the DCs today as DP is still sick...

Hope Isaac is better, Tracyface.

Her excema has improved cos of the diet she's on.

No dairy,soya,egg,wheat (except breadsticks randomly ok) tomato,banana, plum blah blah blah the list goes on.

We also put Diprobase on her twice a day and Elocon steroid cream as and when.

Anti histamine most nights.

All sounds like a faff but that's nothing compared to what it used to be like.

She looked like she had burnt her face as a small baby it was truly horrendous.

HV said worst case she'd ever seen.

Am hoping that it won't ever go back to how it was.

Just wanted to post my photos to show others the improvement- people used to tell me their child had been bad and then improved.

I never thought she would get better

Anyway. Total sympathy about the sick. I can't stand it either!

Poor Isaac, Tracyface. (And poor you with all that sick.)

(No time to post now - more later, I hope...)

GYA - meant to say how did your daughters excema improve ? was it something you have done or has she grown out of it a bit? All of mine have had varying degrees of excema although my 17 year old was and is the worst - he still sees a dermatologist at the hospital but nothing seems to be working , he is miserable - poor thing.

Right enough posting from me, someone elses turn and I suspect after Isaacs four hour sleep he will be trouble this evening poor thing is hunting for old toast under his highchair .

But no he now has been sick three times today .

I was then in the car going to collect melissa from nursery and he did a massive puke all over my shoulder, himself and the carseat. I could have cried. I so hate sick! And its taken me all afternoon trying to get the car seat apart and clean it.

Melissa wouldnt get into the car because it was too smelly so I ended up tying her cardigan around her nose to protect her from the smell. Its surprising what you can encourage them to do sometimes - I thought we were never going to get home! My car now stinks and so do I .Should have got in the bath with isaac but too much debris floating (sorry tmi) Im making my self feel ill talking about it!

Have now given him water since he got up but not sure how long I should starve him for?

Chaotica - im useless too when it comes to anything slightly technical on the computer -I dont know how to upload pictures either.

Its that time of year again - lurgeys are lurking. Poor Freya - hope her breathing improves - you should just take her back to Docs if you are worried.

Isaac has had a slight upset tummy all week and he had a rash on monday all over his tummy and back so took him to Docs and he too was all perky when he got in there. Silly Doc told me it was his excema - but altho it was itchy I dont think it looked like excema . I was expecting him to say it was just a virus and nothing he could do. And he said 'well he seems fine in himself' , Which he did while he was in there Makes you feel silly for wasting their time but at least he said to me 'well its not meningitus and dont worry about bringing him --wasting my time--'

However he has been grouchy all week and I thought maybe teething ....hang on sick to clear up !

BTW GYA - I have no idea how to upload photos. I hope you found out some other way. [useless emoticon]

Hi All

Good to see you Kaybee and good to hear that your DH has some work. I have much reduced hours (which I'm only doing to put on my cv as they don't even pay childcare) and that's hard to take. I do have some time to do things though now I'm not working full time and looking after the DCs, so it's not all bad. (As I suspected, it's much harder looking after the kids most of the time instead of working...)

And Tracyface - you were missed... Sorry to hear your back is bad. (I had trouble for years, eventually had an operation which worked, but I'm so sympathetic. It's one of the reasons I didn't have children until I was old.) The shingles alone were bad enough... You deserve a break.

J&G -- Good luck for 5th November!

Tantrums haven't been too bad today. I thought it might be because the DCs were getting better, but Freya seems to have breathing problems again . The silly thing is I took them to the doctor yesterday and they ran and danced and chased for 20 minutes in the waiting room (all of which the doctor heard), so I really felt a bit daft asking for her to do a check-up... And now today Freya isn't well again.

J&G DH has man flu as well (although he hasn't taken time off) - I think there must be a lot of it around. He has promised to buy an Indian takeaway tonight though, so I won't complain. (I'll even make him a lemsip in return...)

Hi All,
haven't posted for ages, but have been lurking a bit keeping up to date with everyone!
Sorry to hear about your bad back tracyface, it's so hard dealing with toddlers when you can barely move. I had back trouble when pg with ds2 and ds1 was just over 1 and it was a nightmare. I had to ring my dh on several occasions in tears as I just couldn't move.

Am in total sympathy with you Chaotica re the tantrums, we are having some full on ones with ds1 at the moment that seem to last for ages. Main causes are switching off the tv (not that I have it on THAT much ), getting him to eat his dinner, and trying to get him to sit on the potty.

Ds1 finally started at creche 1 morning a week and it went really well. He barely looked up when I said goodbye and they said he was really good (well he would be for anyone but me!). I did get a big hug when I went to pick him up which was nice . It's the first time he has ever been left with non family in his almost 3 years, but he was totally ready for something!

Dh is still temping and will hopefully have work until Christmas (thank god). He is still applying for other jobs so am hoping something else comes up soon. We are re-assessing things at the end of summer (March here) and if he still doesnt have permanent work then we might move back to UK!

Remember remember the 5th of November!

Anyone give me advice on putting some photos on so I can link to a thread on excema?

Dd2 looked horrendous and is now so much better but I can't work out how to put the photos on.

Wanted to give others on there some hope..

Yes Tracy you were missed!! It is really nice to hear from you Sorry to hear you are still getting over the shingles, I have heard it does take a while to be back to full health, and the back sounds dreadful. I know what you mean re the car seat...can you get signed off work and get your DH to take a week off too? (easier said than done...?)

Izzy's beard is off (thank god) but she has a dreadful cold. The more I think about it, I think Freya did have swine flu, what with all the coughing and being sick. DH now has possibly the same thing, and Izzy has a rotten cold and cough. So far, I am ok but I know it;s just a matter of time.

I have booked my driving test girls and I am only telling you when it is - 5th November 0937. I am not telling anyelse (cept DH of course) but to everyone else, I am saying 'december' in a vague way. Then if I fail, it'll just be me, DH and you guys who knew.

Of course you were missed Tracy

Sorry to hear you've been rough. When I was pg with dd2 I hurt my rotator cuff muscle and couldn't life dd1.

The ILs were round at 6am to be ready to get her out of her cot for me! Troopers.

Had lovely lie in this morning and read my new book (next one from Time TRavelers wife writer) twas lovely.

Anyway DH at work so am wasting time on the net tidying up the house.

Im back ....Oh I wasnt missed

Been really suffering with my back since last week and have had to have lots of help with kids as I just couldnt lift them at tall. Oh had to stay home from work a few days and come home at lunchtime to put Isaac to bed. Luckily Melissa can climb in and out of her car seat to get to nursery but Isaac just lunges himself at me.As for changing his nappy we have been in tears but im struggling on.

I too have been really tired and mine havnt been waking early I just think its a bit of a virus I havnt been able to shift since having Shingles....Any way enough of feeling sorry for myself.

We have had quite a few Melissa meltdowns usually on an afternoon when she has been at nursery. Its almost as if its too hard to be good all morning and then lets go in the afternoons and takes it out on poor Isaac and me.

Isaac too had a green painting incident this morning while I was dropping her off at nursery and managed to put a lovely amount of paint in his mouth and all over his cream new jumper. Its my own fault - I know toddlers should only wear back or brown but that would spoil their fun.

Melissa on the other hand can go to nursery dressed in white and still come home looking like a persil advert! I presume she does actually play and doesnt just sit observing in a corner. Off to try and find orange things to make pumpkins as its my turn to organise and prepare craft for toddlers next week - Scary thought!

Afternoon All

GYA - you're so right about the sleep thing - you can't just go to bed when the DCs do and have no life of your own. Tis not right. Sorry to hear about the early mornings though.

On the same subject: I'm so tired these days that when DP took the DCs out I just slept... (Creative use of time ) And I don't even have to do the really early mornings.

J&G - Izzy's beard sounds cute. Connor got really involved in some paint and shaving foam at playgroup the other day... It was messy

Meanwhile, my previously lovely DD has started hitting her brother and other kids at the CM's. Don't quite know what's going on there yet - watch this space...

Think it's just the three of us now Jewels!

True this year's XF is not exciting me as much as usual but as DH works weekends I'm uncommonly excited to have something to watch at least..

Blimmin dd2 has reverted back to the ultra early mornings again. Have no idea what's different.

Have had 510,530 and 455 this week so far. Soooo tired.
DH has limited sympathy for me as I refuse to go to bed at 7pm when the girls go.

I stay up til 930/10 so hardly late.

Feel like if I'm up when I don't want to be, look after the kids all day mainly by myself then go to bed at 7pm I have no life.

What do you lot think?

How's Izzy's beard today?

GYA oh I love X factor too (usually) but this year none of the acts have excited me thus far. (whereas seeing Brian Fortuna and Ricky from hollyoaks dance around sexily seems to appeal to me more)

Chaotica big school!! And you were the only one at the open day? I would have expected every parent to be there!!

Nothing happening here, DH ill (has man flu) so he is in bed. Izzy should be napping but is playing and singing, Freya here watching BDLC. Had a lovely day painting leaves today, and then sticking them on black card. And then Izzy painted herself on a full half dark blue beard, which I have not been able to get off so far. It is fainter now, more like a 5-o-clock shadow

Where is luckymummy and grrrl these days??

Hi All

Went to an open day today at "big school" for DD - I can't believe that she'll be in reception this time next year. (Should I be worried that there was an open day and I was the only parent there??)

DS will be gutted when he finds out that his sister is going to be away all day... (But it's a long way away yet - he might have adjusted by then.)

Hope everyone is fine.

Had a good one too though I'm in the X factor camp.

Quite obviously though the dds woke at 5.10 and 6.10 instead of the 645 and 745 they treated their Grandmas to.. Grr.

Would rather like to go back to bed but DH didn't get back in from work till 330 so I'm in for a long wait.

GYA glad you had a great time. And excellent that your DH could pick you up!!

Chaotica Freya although better has been really whingy today and I was glad when she went to bed. But then my mum was here, and she always plays up in that case.

Am off to bed, had a lovely evening watching brian fortuna Strictly and am now off to read in bed.

Bonne soiree!

A+

urgh am feeling v rough today!

the dds were very well behaved and dd2 even slept till 645 am which she never does for me..

Still it paves the way for more sleepovers.

Had a great time out dancing till 2am. V lucky that dh drives a cab so we got picked up too.

Great news on house jewels.

Have a great time GYA.

And congratulations on the house, Jewels. [excited emoticon]

'No' does mean 'carry on', doesn't it? Silly me...

chaotica lol at the pink teapot incident. I am totally with you there, sometimes they really do think 'no' means 'carry on'.

GYA have a great time! Thing is, I find, that when the DDs come back (right in the middle of a hangover!)

Freya tons better today and she was really upset she could not go to nursery. and next week is half term so it will be the week after next!

Also, we accepted an offer on the house so we are now realistically plunged into moving, and starting a new business. [eek! emoticon]

My sister had the dds yesterday 10-230. Lovely. But get this.. drum roll please:

Tonight they are both staying over (1 at each grandma) and I'm going out to get drunk with friends!!

Off duty till I have my nieces 4th birthday party on sat at 12.

Hurrah

DCs with the CM until 5pm... Now that is pre-schooler paradise! (Unfortunately, it means that I have to get some work done!)

(I bet this makes no difference at all to the number of meltdowns I put up with today...)

(I did join in last night and hurl a pink plastic teapot the length of the house to stop it being used to tip water out of the bath. In my defence, I had said 'no' many times already...)

Sounds like just another day in pre schoolers paradise then chaotica!

Oh dear. DD had a meltdown lasting 20 minutes this afternoon.

(I switched beebies off - going to have to do something about beebies addiction, even though they don't watch that much... Does the Priory take 3 year olds?)

And last night I warned DS that if he did something again, I was going to put him on time out for a year

...All well here then!

Oh dear poor you.

The sickness thing is the worst.

My eldest has had it twice in her short life and has been so upset as never been a 'sicky' person.

Anyway should really be in bed by now but just checking in. More tomorrow.

Sorry to hear that Freya is ill, J&G. Hope she feels better soon. I don't even bother with the doctors/nhs direct most of the time (I'm so glad I went with our Freya last week though) - they can't do anything most of the time anyway, so it has to pretty serious for me to bother. (It was different when they were babies though - I panicked at the slightest thing.)

I think what you need to watch with S&D is if Freya is so sick that she can't keep any fluids down. If she starts getting lethargic and can't keep fluids down, go to the doctor's again (our Freya's first stay in hospital came about because of dehydration and sickness, and she was really poorly).

Meanwhile, I should have won a 'good citizen' award for going to a meeting about our playgroup/children's centre - we suggested foreign holidays, a swimming pool and a tree house

Hi girls I am feeling very tired. Freya has had a S&D since sunday and she is no better today. Took her to doctors who was inconcerned; announcing it was a 'virus'. And that it would get better on it's own (I am so glad I went) and I also phoned NHS direct after she was not getting any better only to be takled to really rather rudely by the 'call handler'. But the nurse whom I ended up talking to was nice, and told me to get fluids into her, even if she sicks them back up again. So I am very worried and very

Makes me realise how nice it is when she is well and chattering away, demanding sweets and not wanting to eat her vegetables.

Am off to sponge down some sick-ravaged soa cushions, and then to do yet another load of washing (the 4th today)

Morning, All

Tracyface - LOL at "stocky little cherubs". I always found it funny when people referred to DS as a 'robust' baby...

<<shhh>> As far as hairy truckers go (of which, of course, I'm one), there was just someone having a long-running crisis on MN who lots of people decided wasn't really having a pg-related crisis (you will have to fill in the 'who' yourself or this whole thread will probably go). And now no-one knows either way and all speculation is banned <<chaotica looks over shoulder nervously and scuttles back into shadows>>

Nothing to see here!

I must go and do some work...

OOH do tell whats with the hairy truckers - what did I miss?

Chaotica - what have you been up to?

I see other people cycling with their kids on the back no problem. I think my problem is that I am quite little (well short) and my kids are quite chunky about 2 stone each. Not overly fat just stocky little cherubs.

When I had the middle seat I guess the weight was more evenly distributed and I felt a lot safer because they were in between my arms. I would'nt mind but oh just changed it without consulting me first and although it was hard work cycling before at least I didnt feel like I was going to fall off!

He thought he was doing me a favour because I used to complain it made my back ache because I had to cycle a bit bandy legged, so not really all his fault.

Its a shame because the children love going out on the bikes , but now i'm not so sure. Maybe I will have to persevere or try and build up some muscles!

Someone update me on what I missed

yeah truly sad and awful whichever way you look at it.

Somedays I wish I was a hairy trucker rather than a Mum to two pre schoolers

GYA - I followed a bit of it (after things had kicked off and been deleted) and I really don't know what to make of it. I think I might just hide on this thread (after all, what kind of hairy truckers would we be if we were pretending to have 2 or more preschoolers - that really would be crazy!)

BTW - PMSL not PSML in the last post (I'm talking like my children now...)

Hi All

Tracyface - you are brave getting on a bike with your DD in the first place. I must admit I haven't tried it (although I used to go on my dad's as a child) and I think Freya would be far too big to be safe on the back these days.

J&G - Book the test! Book the test!
PSML at the nursery teacher - did you not put down about your superpowers on the form??

Freya went back to nursery today - I think she's better, although she sure is a bit moody. Our nursery teachers seem to know everything about everyone (I think they have might superpowers) - so I hardly needed to explain about last week's hospital visit.

DP let me have a lie in yesterday and for some reason I was grumpy all day - I think he's going to make me get up with the kids now for the foreseeable future [sulk!]

Admiration to you for even trying it tracy!
Am v wary of cycling after broke my leg falling off aged 13 or so.

Better night sleep last night 7-6 for dd2 so major improvement.

p.s- anyone else been keeping up with all the s*it that's been going down on MN over the weekend??

HI - sleeping has been a bit erratic here too up much too early at the weekend until this morning when I had to wake Isaac at 8.30 making us really late for nursery.

Melissa is not going to bed very well and wants hug after hug after hug. It drives me nuts ! SHe is now in her cot with the side off but she hasnt been getting out just screaming for me. (I know I need to be tougher but I dont want her to wake Isaac so I keep going back in!

Went cycling at weekend but found it quite stressful.

I used to have a seat in the middle for Melissa but it was uncomfortable as had to ride bow legged. So oh changed to a Bike seat behind me and found it really (back) top heavy.

If that makes sense , the whole bike just felt like it was going to tip backwards and actually did when I tried to cross the road whilst pushing it , very nearly had a nasty accident as it tipped up the kerb and I had to catch her before she hit the ground.

She was fine but I had a major tantrum at oh for making me have the new seat (his idea) My poor kids having a small weakling of a mummy!

Does anyone else have this problem with their bike or am I just being pathetic

Book the driving test ! Cars are much safer than bikes!

Oops

Duh to that teacher..
And on all the nursery forms I've seen you have to state whether the child has siblings and how old. So if you had to put that on the teacher obviously hasn't read it.

Dd2 cut her lip yesterday too.
Sitting right next to me and leant forward only to start screaming with blood pouring all over.

Ok now just a fat lip (enough for MIL to notice and ask though)

Have tried the multiple dummies thing but it seems that if she's awake enough to look she properly wakes up.

Anyway had over an hour back in bed today when the dds slept. Bliss.

Let us know if you manage the driving test booking.

Duh to that teacher..
And on all the nursery forms I've seen you have to state whether the child has siblings and how old. So if you had to put that on the teacher obviously hasn't read it.

Dd2 cut her lip yesterday too.
Sitting right next to me and leant forward only to start screaming with blood pouring all over.

Ok now just a fat lip (enough for MIL to notice and ask though)

Have tried the multiple dummies thing but it seems that if she's awake enough to look she properly wakes up.

Anyway had over an hour back in bed today when the dds slept. Bliss.

Let us know if you manage the driving test booking.

GYA yes that is better than 3am! I'm sure by the time you inch their bedtime back to 7am, they'll be up later. I always found theat sprinkling multiple dummies around DDs heads worked well - she just grabbed another one when she'd lost one and did not have to wake me to get her one! Of course, Freya has not had a dummy for about a year now (we used the father christmas trick to wean her off) and will do the same with Izzy when she is 3 - she only has dummies at naptime or bedtime.

All quiet here, though Freya slipped on a peice of paper on the floor and hurt her lip. I heard the bang and my husband treated the accident with ice cream, which made DD feel much better (infact, we all had some, it was rather nice!)

The nursery teacher asked me who Izzy was the other day. She asked if she wwas a dog, a 'special friend' or a foster child. I mean ladies, if a mum was talking about another child, would you not presume it was a sibling? I would, but not the nursery teacher! Anyway, she asked and I said 'Izzy is Freya's little sister, of course' and then the teacher was again very aolgetic and said 'of course!' She said she had wondered why I had a buggy with me and just presumed that Freya never walked anywhere and I always used the buggy . Excapt that Freya is walking right next to me, and I still have the buggy. Honastly, I am surprised this woman has the brainpower to be a teacher! Anyway, I am starting to except this presumptions and just not let them bother me (I am sure the next one is that I am a single mum/lady of the night/have super powers]

Am possibly going to book my driving test today [hopeful emoticon]

Thanks chaotica.

Another bad one night before last but last night bit better.

Both dds tired so asleep by 645pm then dd2 woke up at 4.50 gave her her dummy and she slept through till 6.10.

She is much happier having slept properly (as am I).

Am thinking how times have changed that getting up at 6.10 on a Sunday seems like a luxury!

has everyone had a good weekend?

GYA - 3am? You poor person. I hope you got more sleep last night. (I remember some unpleasant posting hours from my own past, but it doesn't seem to happen now so maybe that should give you hope...)

Afternoon All Hope everyone is fine.

oh dear chaotica your poor dd. Asthma can be awful esp for little ones.

dd2 has excema, hayfever and allergies so i won't be surprised if she develops asthma.

as you can see from my posting time it has not been a good night..

dd2 wouldn't settle last night went to bed about anhour late- dh was in charge i went out to help my sister with the girl guides group she runs.

all quiet after that but i didn't get in until late so went to bed at 11 and she woke at 250.

nothing works have given her milk and changed her but she is currently wriggling about on my lap.Taking her dummy out and saying bye bye to it.

has got blocked nose so may be an ear thing. have given medised as has anti histamine in with it and calpol makes her excema worse..

j and g- glad to see you're a home and away fan too. thought it was just sad little me!

agree v irritating the way the nursery are being but things are just getting like that nowadays..

anyway am not making sense and can't type properly so i'll leave!

Afternoon, All

Just back from an overnight stay in the local hospital with DD who was sent there by the gp yesterday with suspected pneumonia It wasn't, thank god but she was pretty poorly with a chest infection and asthma (which she hasn't had for over a year ). (Not that you'd have known she was much more than under the weather - she was still running around and playing - I just thought she was a bit ill and should take her to be on the safe side.) Now we're home (with a pile of meds) and I'm missing DS who is with our CM. Glad DD is home and I don't have to spend a week eating toast and sleeping on a fold-out chair though.

GYA - can't advise on the sleeping really. Have you taken her to the GP for an ear and chest check? (I used to leave DS for ages thinking it was 'just teeth' and then found out he had ear infections .)

J&G - I am about your nursery teacher too from what you say. I think a load of people have become a lot more vigilant about these things IYKWIM, so maybe that's why she keeps mentioning things. I'd keep a close eye on her just in case and challenge her if she keeps it up - not that that won't be taken as guilt if she's really barking.

(My friend has a ridiculous story of admitting to the midwife taking a recreational drug once before she know she was pg which escalated through social workers and so on until every chance remark she made was turned around on her. Luckily it turned out more than OK in her case, but she does think that they have the nerve to count her as a "success story" when she was never actually a failure in the first place. Looking back, it's all quite funny - they even had the nerve of putting down on the notes that her DH was "anti-education" (he has a phd).)

J&G - I think you're right about the tantrum tolerance too. 5 minutes peace used to be bliss! Now I expect more than 10 on a regular basis. (I guess they were ill too, although I didn't know that yet. [horrible mummy emoticon])

GYA sorry to hear another bad night. I bet you are wracking your brains trying to figure it out! I know I used to! A neighbour of mine looks after her grandson and he is a very bad sleeper (he is Izzy's age - 21 months) and he is up and down all night. But, then the mother does let him have a good 4/5 hour nap in the day My neighbour is left with a very grumpy little boy and knows he shouldn't be napping, but as she isn;t the mother, she just has to go with it. I must admit, when Izzy is teething sometimes we don't know she is, and when she is unsettled at night we really can't think why. Until as a last resort we try Calpol and she drifts off to sleep at last.

Well, I have just dropped Freya at nursery and I have 1 hour to tidy and clean the house [Izzy naps from 1300-1430) and then I sit and watch home and away, with some itom of a chocolaty variety.

I had a bit of a with Freya's nursery the other day. The teacher said to me abut Izzy biting Freya (she did, has only done once and it was on this day - Freya had obviously told the teacher) and told me to get a hold of the problem of Izzy biting. I was a little because I am very hot on discipline. Anyway, then she went on to say about 'And she has this massive bump on her head'. At this, I said that I knew nothing about the bump. The teacher then smugly pointed it out. I bent down to ask Freya when she had done it, and she said she had done it at Nursery, had fallen off the see-saw. Well the teacher blushed and blushed and called over the lady who was outside when it happened, who comfirmed it. I was a bit because I did not like what she was insinuating. Then, yesterday when I collected her the same teacher told me Freya had bitten her tongue. I bent down and said to her words to the effect of oooh that's awful did it hurt? And the teacher said 'actually, she said it happened this morning with you'. I asked her and Freya then said she had not bitten her tongue. The teacher then started prompting her 'you remember we were by the samdpit' and 'you told me you had had a nippy tongue' and Freya just looked clueless and said a vague 'yeah'. Freya does not use the term 'nippy tongue' so I am very now with this teacher. Am I being over-sensitive?

Thanks for the support people.

Yes it was a major acheivement for me- sprinted last bit with arms over my head acrodss finish line people must ve thought I was a nutter..

Have another 10k to do in November now too.

dd2 slept vvvv badly last night so have had about 5 hours sleep.

Think when they all start school I'll have a year off before I go back just to sleep all day..

GYA wow 15K - and great news that your MS is in remission

Thanks girls for the support and I did just log in and decide to book my test. But I need the buggering ADI number of my instructor! So could not book it anyway (and I was all grrrd uo!) So, will get the ADI number tomorrow and book it tomorrow eve

Had a rush of a day today. Honestly, I will be glad when it is half term and then we can relax into normal laid back daily life.

chaotica hope you are feeling chilled after your (DCs) tantrummy day. I think because our children are all alot older than when we first started o n this thread, it is harder to cope with one of them being awkward. I am like throwing my hands in the air over nothing (whereas in the olden days if the girls were happy for 5 mins I was like YES!)

Night ladies

Evening all

Well done, girlsyearapart! And 15k is even better. (I used to run that kind of distance a lot when I was a lot younger - but now I have back problems which mean I can't.)

J&G - Book the test ! Seriously, what could actually go wrong? You might have to take it again, but that's really all. And think of the freedom when you've passed. (I really love taking the DCs out further than I would be able to otherwise.)

DP is out for the evening (which he deserves). And the DCs were up early and very tired. I wouldn't be surprised if my neighbours have called social services - I've had an hour and half of screaming tantrums with the odd moment of sanity in between. (I nearly picked DS up and put him in his cot fully clothed - only I couldn't because he had a dirty nappy.) They are now asleep .

Thanks J and G- have giddily signed up for a 15 k one in December.

My M.S. is in remission at the mo so I'm capitalising on the healthy feeling.

Hate the early morning thing. If I leave her she wakes the whole house up. I do remember dd1 getting up at 530 for ages though then just sleeping longer one day..

Dreading the bed thing. V wierd thought that they could just wander about the house..

Book your test do it do it do it!!!

What's the worst that could happen?

If you fail all you lose is a bit of money.
Don't tell many people just go off and do it.
I only told DH that was it.
Failed my theory twice too..the shame..

GYA well done on the run! Definate high five

The early waking thing strikes us all at some point, I think you just have to leave her to settle herself, even if she cries for 5 mins or so. And then go in and tell her to go back to sleep. Izzy is back in a bed now and has decided to try and get out of her room, hears my electric toothbrush as me and DH are coming to bed, and thinks it is time to get up. So she wonders out of her room, bunny in one hand, spare dummy in the other, all smily and beautiful. It's very heard to send her back to bed, and she is very confused!

I am bottling booking my driving test - so any pushes in that direction from any of are desperately needed though on eastenders today, the phrase 'a little fear is better than alot of regret' struck a cord. (I mean, who knew eastenders was so inspirational?)

All quiet here, just off to bed soon.

Night all

thanks chaotica- well I managed it!
1hr 25 mins no stops ran whole thing and even sprinted last half k.

Very good on the cake front. I tried a yule log last xmas turned into a mushy pile of ingredients..will have to try every year till I get it right now!

dd2 up again this morning at 4.55.
She is still tired so is irrational, fidgety and crying but won't give in and go back to sleep until 7ish usually which will be just when dd1 gets up.

Any ideas anyone??

Hi All

Hope your run went well, girlsyearapart. I wouldn't fancy it after a 5am start either. My two are getting up earlier now (because of the nursery routine) and so we get no weekend lie-in. I'm exhausted...

It was DS's 2nd birthday this weekend, and I actually managed a train cake which looked like a train [proud emoticon] (Please note that this isn't idle boasting: I tried to do a train for DD's 2nd birthday and it looked like god knows what... a tractor, perhaps, if you were being charitable So I'm kind of pleased to report that my cake making is on the up (I might need it over the next few years).)

Good to hear from you J&G.
Nursery is tiring Freya out too and she's started picking up some bad habits... (hitting being one, and kicking another - it's enough to make me want to keep her at home). She does love it there though and she has to go out into the big wide world some time...

hi j and g that sounded like perfect saturday night!
except i'd swap scd for x factor..
we've been ok but dd2 has taken to waking up at 5 am ish.
makes for a veeeery long day.
very annoying as she was going til about 630. she is currently on mylap- hence rubbish typing and is exhausted.
have my 10k run at 11 and i'll have been up for 6 hours be the time it starts! argh..

Hi girls. Sorry not posted for ages just been consumed with stuff going on with the new business and the girls ever-lasting cold.

GYA really sorry to hear about your FIL, but glad he is ok.

Everyone else, just read through to lots of posts about the effects (and affects) of pre-school and I can totally relate. Freya is a knightmare when she comes home, and has a tantrum for no reason at all. but I have gotten used to it being because she is just plain tired - still tell her off, but try and just get her to calm down and relax.

Have slotted well into the routine and madness that is daily life with nursery - I am in a constant rush now and Izzy is always being chucked in the buggy. Luckily, as long as there is food on hand she is fine. But she doesn;t get the same amount of play she used to, so am trying to get a hold on that, with no really success.

Just watched Strictly and had a lovely evening of wine, SCD and chinese food

And bought a bag yesterday that is big enough to carry the essentials, plus wipes and spare nappy (isn;t it great when you just need a few bits and bin the changing bag?) Have been strutting aroind lots in my new Fly London boots (in you hang around S&B you'll be familier with them already)

Happy saturday night all, will keep up from now on a promise

J&G xx

Hi everyone.
DD2 has had me up at 5am last two days. TIRED.
Wouldn't mind so much if she'd just play or cuddle but she's obviously still tired so cries.
Leaving her in bed just makes her scream and wake up dd1. Argh.
DH has gone on all day golf fest. So am alone with my tiredness for company!
Fil out of hosp now with huge bag of medecines.
Realised yesterday that the photos of dd2s first moments/dd1s first birthday have been erased off my IL's computer as it had a virus.
Then realised dd1 had erased the photos of dd2's first birthday and their joint party. Great. Don't you love technology..
Tracyface- sounds bad my bil had shingles which lasted ages. Hope you get better soon x

Evening, All

Tracyface - poor you. I wouldn't have a clue what shingles was like so I'd probably have left it too.

GYA - glad to hear your FiL is getting out, but rather about your MIL's attitude too (but then some people leave the stroke ward to have a cigarette - it doesn't seem to warn them off).

Loopy - might try the reward chart (although I've never tried one before and I doubt DD would really have a clue). In the meantime, I decided that reminding her very firmly every morning (or when we're out) that we have to hold hands might be the way to go. She was fine this morning, so I'll see how it goes. (You're right that using a wrist strap would really dent her self-esteem at a big 3 years old... But I might use it if I have to, or at least threaten it.)

Still sick here - me and the DCs have an everlasting flu/cold. (But not shingles, thankfully!)

GYA - sorry to hear about your news -its good they are letting him out so soon and he is getting better

Had a rubbish week as been feeling rough for over two weeks and what I thought were strange insect bites on my back turns out to be shingles! Lol well thats what my hubby told me they were I did try to look in the mirror but couldnt manage to see . Anyway according to the doctor its too late to do anything now and I have nerve damage thats really tender and could last months oh joy! apparently if you take antiviral drugs in the first five days you can greatly reduce the inflammation.

So bear that in mind if anyone else ever has a strange rash on their back go to the docs straight away.

Im hoping for some rest (docs orders but not likely to happen) and sympathy. OOh and a lie in this weekend although my hubby said he could only manage one of the darling children and not both what does he think I do all day/week/year?

Anyway enough ranting off for an early night x

Evening all
Glad to hear you fil is on the mend.

Thanks everyone.
Saw Fil twice in hospital. Very breathless and pale but think DH will pick him up tomorrow.
Am a bit pissed off at mils approach to the whole thing though.
He asked her to bring him a sausage rolland some crisps to the hospital and she did!
Should you really be eating that kind of crap on a f ing cardiac ward???
And when it happened he didn't want an ambulance so she didn't call one.
For Gods sake the man was dying. Don't listen to him!!
Have had sil on the phone from Australia askling if she needs to come home. Feel awful for her so far away and so long to get home.
On the plus side potty training is improving no poo in anything except looor potty for nearly a week.
Have my 10k run on Sunday. Am bit nervous never run that far before.
Anyway hope you're all well. x

Chaotica - reward chart for holding on to pushchair/staying with Mummy? She would probably really resent going back to a wrist link at her age, but I did it to my eldest when she ran into the road. It's so frightening!

DD1 has been lovely today, she got all 15 stickers on her chart and I am such a chilled out happy mummy tonight as a result

Hi All

Sorry to hear about your FiL, Girlsyearapart.

Kaybee - good to hear that you're OK and that your DH has work. Things are a bit rocky around here in that department, but we're OK so far. (It's just a bit stressful.)

On the toilet training - We just went cold turkey with DD (at about 2.5) and told her that it was no more nappies. And it wasn't. But if that doesn't work after a few days, I think the advice is to give up for a month or two and try again. (She still isn't dry at night though and I have no idea how long that is going to take.)

Me and the DCs all have some nasty flu thing still. It's not so bad that we're stuck in bed, but bad enough that the tantrum count has rocketed.

Added to which, DD has lately started to run across roads (she thinks she's being helpful and getting out of the way of the cars - but of course she doesn't see them all). Then she gets really upset when I tell her off because she was trying to be helpful and she feels aggrieved. (Before someone jumps on my head, I do usually keep a tight hold of her hand or have her hold the buggy, but she's started trying to pull away or go across spontaneously when I'm a little way away and I've no idea she's going to cross.) Aaaargh! (Followers of earlier threads will know that she used to run away as a 1-2 year old.)

SOrry to hear about your FIL, GYA. Yuk scenario

Busy as ever here, but no real news to bore you with! DD2 managed playgroup without an accident today, and DD1 is on full days (phew) now. With DD3 in bed this morning I even had a chance to do some stuff... !

Hello everyone
sorry i haven't been on for ages.

Sorry to hear about your fil girlsyearapart.

Things are ok here, Dh still temping so that's all good. The boys are both ok. Am hoping DS1 can start at a local creche soon for 1 morning a week, about time since he is almost 3 and has never been in any childcare!
DS2 is doing well, chatting heaps now and sometimes the two of them play nicely, tho most of the time they fight over every toy we have!
Am going to start a thread somewhere else, but just wondered if anyone has any tips to toilet train very stubborn almost 3 year old???? Having real trouble with ds1............

Thanks all.
Went in to see him this avo. He's just been moved off the icu and is on a ward.
He looks ok pale and tired but talking ok.
Doctors came in when we were there and said 'a large portion of his heart is no longer working'
He'll have to be on major league medecine and won't be able to do much for at least next 6 months.
It has hit DH now. When the doctors started talking he went green and left the room.
TBH it did seem like they were stalling and had something serious to say.

Anyway amgoing for a run then a bath with glass of wine. Seeing fil again tomorrow. x

Hpe your FIL recovers soon girlsayearapart ((hugs))

Sorry to hear all that girlsyearapart
((un-MN Hug))

I hope your FIL gets better soon.

Hi to everyone else too - will check in later when I've done some work.

Hi everyone rubbish weekend with capital R.

Fil had major heart attack on Sat and I had to tell DH (who was with his brother) and get him home.

He's on the cardiac ICU and will be ok we think but it was and is very stresful.
#
Got a flat tyre collecting the dds from my sister after we'd been to the hospital then dd2 fell off the bed. She's ok though.

Anyway will just write this weekend off I think..

Be brave tracyface It is hard being he new girl at groups, but it can be really worth it!

Full days at school this week, I am psyched for a hard time...

Evening all,

Had a rather tiring but successful trip to the zoo today, but stupidly decided not to take the pushchair SO we both ended up carrying them for the last few hours - Serves us right for thinking they would enjoy the walk!

Neither of them had a sleep today so out like a light at 6.30.

WHich probably means they will be both up at 6.30 in the morning but thats ok as it means We wont be late for school. Managed to get there on time Monday but slipped a bit Wed and Fri.

Melissa really enjoying it but its wearing her out because she has gone into complete meltdown tantrums over the tiniest of things in the afternoons, poor thing .

I have been really brave and been out to four different toddler groups with Isaac while she was at nursery so need to pluck up courage to return next week. Its horrid being the new girl

Loopy thanks for the info on funding - now I have to try and work out how much to prepay for monthly childcare vouchers so we are not out of pocket. Its all a bit confusing because I think melissa will start being funded at beginning of summer term and thats when Isaac will start nursery too so hopefully it will stay the same? As both their birthdays 24 and 26 Feb. It will be very strange for them to be there together. I think she will be very bossy.

Dont think Isaac has had time to miss Melissa as we have been so busy but its nice to try new groups (can you tell I'm trying to convince myself)

Off to sort my mountain of ironing and get an early night .
Hope everone had a nice weekend

Hi All

All this ttc - I'm going to have to get a kitten... Happy birthday to your DD3, 4andnotout. Soon I won't even have one under two

We've all had a lovely weekend, although the DCs and I are all a bit sick (how sick is hard to say when the weather has been nice enough to go to the local funfair - so they may appear less sick than they are) although DS broke out in a slightly alarming rash yesterday which has not quite gone away. I googled and he has clearly got Monkeypox or similar... Now why aren't I surprised?

Back to the lonely weekdays tomorrow... I need more DCs, I really do (or a more demanding job!)

Must go - can hear a strange banging and crashing from the DCs' room.

Morning all

Well i officially no longer have 2 under 2 as dd3 is 2 today My lounge is currently strewn with play food and kitchen implements, the kids are having a lovely time all playing together though so im just going to leave it all until just before all the guests get here!!

TMI
My periods have finally returned so will be ttc with vengence now DD4 will be 1 next month so it will be a big enough gap as it is, so might as well start trying properly!

Hope everyone is having a lovely weekend!

In England, they are funded from the beginning of the term after the term in which they turn 3. So birthdays 1 Sep-31 Dec get funded from 1 Jan, birthdays 1 Jan - end Apr (not sure if they stick to 30 Apr because of Easter always moving) get funded in the Summer term, and May-Aug birthdays get funded from 1 Sep. (Does it show I am on our Playgroup committee?! )

Chaotica, I am dreading DD2 starting school (Jan 2011) because of what it is going to do to poor DD3!! It must be terrible for them, seeing their life long playmate disappear like this !

girlsyearapart - I am sure I recall Prof Robert Winston saying how important a factor that is, too !

TGI Friday - DH home in a couple of hours and I badly need a break from the kids today. DD1 has been hard this week...

Hi All

[sob story warning] <<chaotica gets out violin and plays mournfully>> ...
DS is not getting on well without his sister around. Poor little guy - he's been her sidekick for his whole life, so it's not really a surprise. Even when I took him to playgroup he was extra-high maintenance and wanted me to play with him all the time. (I'm just boring in comparison to DD as well.) He even laid a place for DD in the playhouse with a plate in her favourite colour (which normally he wants instead of her) and then pouted through the songs even though he tried to claim that 'I happy'... He did try to play with some children he knew from the baby group, but 2 year olds aren't that great at social interaction and they just looked confused when he tried to talk to them.

OTOH I think that we've adapted to the early mornings. Although DS makes it worse by making it an even earlier morning. We're lucky as we can leave about 8.45 (but it's still earlier than I'm used to).

DD is funded for a place and she was only 3 in April. Is it different in different areas?

And of course Loopy she has a fabulously brainy mother too !
Thanks for that info I thought they got the funding from their 3rd birthday..
Will probably go insane if she's at home for next 2 years.
Uncharitable of me but she is at an extremely annoying whinging/ I WANTing stage and it drives me around the bend!
Glad your life sounds like it's getting sorted. Out at 830 is early though. I'm still in my pjs and its nearly 9.

Hi all welcome back thatsnotmymonster and hello diddle!

girlsyearapart - happy birthday to them both, sorry to hear DH was so unwell though! Sounds like a stressful weekend despite the fun. Lots of places will take your DD once she is 3, but you will have to pay until she is funded (which is for her from Jan 1 after her third birthday). She will then be funded for currently 12.5 hours, though this is increasing to 15 hours from Sep 2010. But the bright side is that as one of the oldest children (and a girl!) in her school year, statistically she has the best chance of being amongst one of the highest achievers

chaotica - glad to hear it is going OK, are you getting there on time?! It's a really odd feeling being down to one, isn't it.

We are getting used to the new routines as well - we have to be out of the house at 0835 for school as opposed to 0920 (and doesn't really matter if we're late!)for playgroup, and now I have one at school and one at playgroup I even went and did a music group with just DD3 one day last week. Very bizarre... !!

Hi

Chaotica, I think it's because we live in Scotland. They are eligble to start preschool the term after they turn 3 and start school in the August of the year they turn 5 between 1st March-28th Feb.

So my ds was 3 in March and started preschool in the August, he is now 4.5 and just started his 2nd year and will start school next year when he is 5.5.

DD1 just started and she was 3 in July, she will start school just after she has turned 5. Similar for dd2 who is a May birthday.

Only time it's different is those who turn 3 between Sep-Dec they will start preschool after Christmas and have 1.5yrs there and those with birthday between Dec-Feb start after Easter and have 1.25 yrs there before school.

Hiya Chaotica.
Yes right pain as egg is in nearly flippin everything.
At least her excema has greatly improved since we restricted her diet.
Anyway the dietitian reckons she'll grow out of it by age 5 tops. So school won't be as much of a nightmare as I was thinking.

Evening, All

DS had to be carried screaming from nursery today when we dropped DD off. (Poor guy - he really didn't see why he couldn't stay and play.) Fortunately we have playgroup in the same building tomorrow to soften the blow. I took him on an adventure into town to cheer him up and he walked nearly all the way home. It's so much easier to get things done when you only have one to deal with (even a nearly 2 year old) - I feel almost child-free ).

Sorry to hear about your DD2 Girlsyearapart - DS started off with all manner of food (dairy and gluten) restrictions because of nasty eczema but we never had him officially tested. In the end, I gave up on most of them because we were abroad and I couldn't read the labels to check. (We were lucky - he's nearly fine now, although I've been told that delaying might have done the trick.)

Welcome back (?) That'snotmymonster How do you manage to get two years of preschool? (I might be able to get extra for DS if there's space because he has two years to wait and you just wouldn't know it from the way he behaved today.)

Hi everyone!

I think I was on the 3 under 3 thread a year or so ago.

I now have the luxury of having ds and dd1 out at preschool every morning. They are 4.5 and 3. DS is in his 2nd year of preschool and dd has just started. The class is both years so they are in together. It's been fab because dd1 has settled in straight away.

DD2 still naps most of the morning so I actually get some down time

4andnotout- my dd1 is absolutely tiny too, tho she does seem to have stretched a bit recently she is still small and very light! She is allergic to cow's milk and we have seen a dietician who concluded she was just very petite.

I look after my friend's children on a wed and thu afternoon so I have 5 preschoolers in the house!! Luckily, they ammuse themselves very well.

hi all.
went for the skin prick tests dd2 is def allergic to egg. Should be able to try her on dairy in about 6 months though.
dd1 is driving me up the wall with her potty training.
She started at 22mo- her instigating it not me imight add!
she did really well we went ten days with no accidents. But now major regression mainly involving poo..
joy.
Am spending a lot of time clearing it off the floor. Tried putting nappies on her again but she takes them off after 5 secs max.
She knows she wants to go. She knows where to go. She doesn't like having accidents. She won't go back into nappies.
Have tried-
sitting on floor next to her
bribery (sweet based)
dvd on at same time
book at same time
telling her off

But still she won't sit and wait for it to happen just sits for a few secs at a time then gets up repeat x 5 til it's too late. Argh what to do??

Hi All

DD loved preschool today. I was supposed to stay (which I did) but she really hardly needed me there and actually played with other children instead .

I did make the mistake of going for a coffee in the family room and discovering it full of other mums, all completely silent and ignoring each other (and it's a very small room ) I could probably have had livelier conversation in the waiting room of an STD clinic . This is weird because it's usually really friendly at this place (we go to playgroup there as well), and I met some other parents wandering around with their children who were very friendly - maybe I just hit a bad moment... Anyway - I ditched my coffee and left. (Now I know why some MNetters have moaned about playgroups/school-runs so much - I have all this to look forward to (but thankfully I'm seriously thick-skinned).)

Glad you enjoyed your honeymoon, Tracyface.

Sorry - Isaac pressed submit while i was in the loo!

Hi Diddle I have melissa 2 :7 and Isaac 1: 7 and three other boys 11, 17 and 19.

Went away at weekend for one night for our belated Honeymoon to a lovely hotel in Richmond and had such a nice time - great food, too much wine and cocktails and the inevitable!

TIme to find out if oh snip has worked - ooh what a scary thought, but his three months check is due so im sure we will be fine , sounds mad but I really wouldnt mind having another. Just think I am too old

Any way enough rambling off to start dinner before the school run.

Hi all

Chaotica - hope preschool went ok?

Melissa loved it and went to bed with her new bag for school. Even had to change her banana this morning as it was a bit squashed! She did'nt cry and practically shoed me and Isaac out the door! I think I shall have trouble explaining she cant go everday. Its quite a relief so I hope it continues.

Isaac was cross and also wanted to stay so its nice that when its turn to go he will also be pleased to stay?

It was very strange to only have isaac around the shops and whizzed around in no time so plenty of time for a quick trip to the park.

GYA - my son's birthday is 5 Sept which makes him the oldest in his year but I dont think its a bad thing as he is dyslexic so its actually an advantage to him to be almost a year behind . He is 11 though so it seems strange that he would have been starting secondary school if he was born a week earlier

Hi all. Birthday party went v well though I did everything on my own as dh was upstairs being sick and only managed to get down to watch them sing happy birthday.
We have all had this tummy bug so I was up with dd1 till 3am last night doing repeated nappy changing.
Skin Prick allergy tests with dd2 tomorrow morning. Not looking forward to that at all..
Also as dd1 will be 3 on Sep 10th she misses the start of the school year does anyone have dcs that got into nursery when they turned 3 and didn't have to wait until the next school year started?
ps- took last pill last night. Will be ttc soon. Scary stuff!

<<Chaotica sets alarm clock with worried look and hastily packs preschool bag for tomorrow>>

BTW Why isn't there a [irresponsible mummy emoticon]?

Afternoon, Ladies and welcome Diddle (although it sounds as if you should have been around a while). I have DS 23m and DD 3.4.

DD starts preschool on Monday and like you Tracyface, we will never get out of the house on time, especially since I have to drop DS off at the CM's before I spend the morning with DD for the first couple of days. I am doomed and on the point of home educating although we can't afford it. This is all the more embarrassing because preschool is just up the road.

Glad you had a good holiday, Girlsyearapart. And happy birthdays to your DDs.

I've just had a lovely two days with the DCs enjoying the good weather and the fact that all the cool places to go are free of school children and safe for toddlers once more. DD asked me if we could stay and play with her all the time... (Although I know all children probably do that.)

i can't believe i hve never found thisthread before, but ten again time for MN seems to have dwindled over the last 4 years.

I have 3 DS's, DS1 - 3.2, DS2 - almost 2 and DS3 is 5 months.
Its crazy in our house, i am soooooo relieved that pre-school has started again. I feel so much more organised, and the boys are already being slightly nicerto one another. They are all fast asleep at the moment woohoo, not sure how much longer that will last though.

Will try and catch up with the last few days posts now.

OOh all this talking of the kids going back is making me excited but quite nervous as I so want melissa to enjoy herself. SHe cant wait to go so roll on Monday!

Im on a mission to find free child activities for me and Isaac while she is there so checking out all the local sure start centres to see what is on - seem to have something lined up most days if I can be organised enough to get us there on time.

Im really worried about us actually getting out of the house on time because we do dilly dally of a morning

Not enjoying the 11 year olds homework at all - had a massive row with him over fractions because he told me I was stupid because I could'nt remember how to do them so could'nt help him. Oh what fun - I hate maths and I only retook it GCSE in 2000 (did get a B) but I am just rubbish at maths!

Off to do a food shop and get some nit shampoo - Oh the joys of the kids being back at school!

hi we're back from lovely holiday in majorca.
dd1 is 2 tomorrow dd1 is 1 on sunday.
joint party on saturday.
hectic few days i think..
how are you all?

Evening All

Loopy - good idea about gradually increasing the time DD is at preschool. I'll see how she does to start with (I have to go with her a couple of days next week) and work from there. She may love it - she knows a lot of people there because the playgroup is right next door and a lot of people work in both, so she might think it's worth getting up for after all.

LOL at you getting broody. I think I might have to get a kitten myself

Glad to hear school is going well. (Even choosing a school fills me with fear...)

My dd2 has settled into reception straight away, her teacher asked me to take her a drinks bottle in tommorow as she is so tiny she can't even reach the water fountain like the other children!

I have put dd3's name down for one morning a week at the preschool, she will be 2 at the end of the month, so will just see if she likes it, if not she can stay at home with me until she is 3 and then try again. She used to love dropping dd2 there and was a nightmare to get back in the pushchair as she wanted to stay, i bet when it is her turn to stay she won't be so keen

Chaotica - can she go just twice a week this term, then a bit more next term then the full five mornings in the summer? Gives all of you a chance to adjust gradually then if none of you are currently keen on the idea.

DD1 is loving school, but we are lucky in that in our village the have excellent links with the pre-school and are thoroughly settled before they finally start. Half days till the 21st though.

And DD2 has started at Playgroup today as well! She was at pre-school in the next village last term, but only once a week and it wasn't a massive hit with her. But playgroup in our village - WOW!! She was straight into everything and had a great morning.

So I came home with just DD3, and even found time to pop next door and help my neighbour out with her new sling for her new baby Made me very broody...

Hi All

Hope all the DCs who started school are getting on OK. The more I think about it, the less I like the idea of DD in preschool (although DP likes it even less) - the main problem is that she's mini-teenager already and hates getting up, so we're going to struggle to get her there even though it's only 5 minutes up the road. And DS will miss her (even if I try to do something fun with him every day) - he can't go for another 2 years even though he was as big as some of those in DD's class at the open day. But I guess it will all turn out OK...

I'll have to get used to it before school next year, or else I'll be stuck with home educating (and I can't see that working as this morning DD swore that 10 comes straight after 4 and would not be persuaded otherwise )

Morning all

Well i'm now down to having only 2 at home in the mornings! DD2 started school today but only half days until october half term. She looked so tiny in her uniform it was all for age 3!!

Better change the little ones nappies and then think about putting them back in the buggy for walking down to collect her again, i should be superfit at this rate backwards and forwards all day!!

J&G Mmmm - wine... What a good idea (Quite a fan of Shiraz myself, never had the sparkling variety.) Sorry to hear that the house isn't shifting, btw. We had hoped to move if I'd got the job I went for, but never mind. (I rather like it where we are, but another room would be good.) Good to hear about your car though.)

Loopy -- good luck to your dd1 tomorrow!

I am starving, and DP who is supposed to be cooking dinner is stuck upstairs with DD who is failing to stay in bed for more than 5 minutes at a time . I'd better go and open the wine sort some food out.

Hi chaotica sorry to hear about the job too. You were obv over qualified (since to me girls, looking after children as young as ours requires a multitude of skills and experience, we are way too skilled for lots of 'normal' jobs)

Hello loopy! mad things happening here. House is on the market for no interest whatsoever (worried emoticon) but I have bought a car this weekend - to be delivered next week) and s o am feeling positive about our self-employed future nethertheless. Am sat ehre drinking wine (nothing changes eh girls?) sparking jacobs creek shiraz BTW - get some it is lovely.

We went to london last weekend and spend really all our money for the whole month, so we are on beans on toast for a few weeks, so all this talk of holidays has me thinking of things I should not be thinking about I.E spending money

Freya is fine at nursery now though but it is a bitch of a rush!! Didn't realise how good we had it before (the power of hindsight strikes again) lol

Hello to everyone else, will post again when I have caught up!

Big wave and high five to you all,
Cheers!
J&G

Yikes! DD1 starts school tomorrow . How did I go from having 3 under 3 to having my first one start school?!

Sorry to hear about the job Chaotica, though I am sure everything happens for a reason. You just might not know what that is yet

Afternoon All

After reading about the soggy camping, I will stop being about holidays. (Actually we ended up being glad that we didn't go away last week as we'd planned to as we'd have been rained on wherever in the UK we chose.) Fancy a trip to France though...

Tracyface - DD starts preschool on the 14th too. I am sort of sad that she's going, but OTOH I want to see how she gets on as she doesn't really 'get' having friends yet. Maybe this will change things (or not - she might be a loner already...). Her key worker is due around this week (a lovely woman who we know already from playgroup)... [must tidy emoticon!] Like you it will give me some time with DS though which is great.

Didn't get the job although they liked me a lot (slightly wrong qualifications) so I have to make do somehow until something else comes up. I could really have used the money, but I will see more of the DCs this way. <<chaotica hopes that this is a good thing for all concerned >>

We're all a bit ill here. Hope you're all OK.

Hello again all (and if you don't know as I've had a bit of a summer off I have 3xDDs of 4.8, 3.2 and 21mo)

So much going on for everyone this summer!! Lots of TTC it sounds like (lovely we might be joining you on that). Age gaps - well, we had 3 under 3 and that first year with 3 of them was really hard. Now they are getting to be fairly reasonable to handle, and soon to be helped by one off to school on Monday. Sleep - I randomly tried putting DD3 to bed with a giant teddy a few months back. Bizarrely this has resolved most of her overnight grizzles and morning whinging. Dunno what that's all about, but suffice to say the teddy goes everywhere with us now!

JKS - hope you get some answers and decent support soon.

Chaotica hope you get the job!

J&G how is Freya doing now? And more importantly, how are you doing now?!

We have been camping too, but only in Cornwall. We were very lucky with 9 nights when, though it was rarely sunny, we had very little rain. But then last week I went away in a group of 4 mummies and 9 kids, and we had a lot of rain... When we were taking the tent down there were places around it where we had a clear two inches of water, or two inches of mud in other places. Not the very best of trips though we all enjoyed ourselves. But the clearing up after a camping trip like that takes days!!

So next week DD1 starts school and DD2 starts playgroup, though she is only going to go 3 mornings a week this term. We went in to town to do shoes today, which as you can imagine is an epic (and expensive) trip. But we took the train instead of driving in, which they loved, so all in all not a bad day!

Must go anyway, glad to hear everyone has had plenty to do all summer

Hi everyone,

well we are back from rainy camping holidays in Dorset which was rather grim so dont be Chaotica it was flippin hard work and we came back early because I had had enough of the mud and not much sleep with the kids.

Back to school for my 11 year old today and College for my 17 year old so that was exciting but Melissa is desperate to go to nursery and she does not start till Mon 14th so quite a few more sleeps till she can go.

I hope she is as excited once she actually gets there!

Isaac is an absolute joy at the moment and having a little talking spurt which is encouraging because I thought he would never say a word. He is a right little character and Im looking forward to spending some time together with him while melissa is at nursery.

That sounds mean but she gets me to herself for two hours every day while he has his nap time.

Need to catch up on cooking now as I am determined to do some batch cooking to use up all the meat I have in the freezer - sorry that sounds really boring doesnt it?

Have a nice afternoon all

Afternoon All

LooseyC - I can't quite remember how old your LOs are, but we went on a 5 hour flight when DD and DS were 2.4 and 10m and it was fine. (It might have helped that we were on a realy child-friendly airline. We took some books and some picnicky/snack food and one or two little toys, but the picnic and the view out of the window was by far the biggest hit. TBH I don't remember any problems at all (although we did have 2 buggies as the airport would have been a pain otherwise). I am btw - I'd love another holiday...

Hi 4andnotout, yes hope your dp is on the mend. You don't expect people to get these problems so young - hope he is taking things easy... though I realise that will mean things aren't so easy for you!

4andnotout - your poor dp. I hope he's feeling a bit better, although it's hard to have to take drugs all the time. It must be pretty scary for you every time he doesn't feel well. (My dp has a couple of friends with similar problems and it's really stressful for them (which doesn't help, of course).)

Hi Loosey

The HV wants to weigh her in 3 months to check that she has put on weight, she has only put on a pound in the last couple of months but she has started crawling and crusing which is making her far more active,as you say little people don't make for huge babies generally.

It was dp who had to go to a&e, he seems better now, he has a cocktail of drugs he takes everyday due to his heart disease and angina. He will be 45 on sunday and had his first heart attack when he was 37 i think when he had his first.

Hello, I think everyone had a more eventful BH than us, we went out for a picnic but it rained so we came home and ate our sandwiches out of clingfilm on the dining table...

I don't care about rain though as we are off to France next week hooray! Not that I am relishing the flight with DH and I with a baby and toddler on our knees! Any suggestions on how to keep them occupied gratefully appreciated.

4andnotout - who was it went to A&E with angina? Hope things are OK now.

Did your HV say she was concerned about your dd4 then? Sounds very sensible for her to be petite too given your physique. My ds1 is usually somewhere under the 9th centile and looks titchy compared to his peers so I'm always worrying he should be bigger. I'm over average height and so is DH but he says he was always the shortest in his class until he got to college - so I'm hoping ds1 will have a late growth spurt too! These graphs don't predict that sort of thing.

Hi Loopy - long time no 'see'

Bookmarking. Catch up tomorrow

Hi 4andnotout and anyone else... Thread's still here!

4andnotout - you sound like you had a busy bank holiday (more happening than mine). My sister just got back from holiday but I haven't seen her yet (it will just make me more ). I wish I could get my act together to travel more with the DCs... Give it time.

About your dd4 - someone has to be on the 2nd centile and if you're short then it shouldn't really matter (and she may well grow in spurts anyway). OTOH DD has just shot off the other end of the graph and is taller than the 99th, which isn't really a surprise as I'm really tall and so is DP. I guess I'd worry, but I did the same and stopped growing young as well, so everyone will probably catch up with her... Including your DD maybe...

Want to go to the zoo tomorrow, but it looks like it might be really thundery (maybe not the best time to catch an elephant at his best...)

Have i killed the thread????

Evening all

My sister and her OH have just left after i cooked them a roast for tea, she has been away for a few months travelling the length and breadth of the uk so it was lovely to catch up.

DD4 had her 9 mo check today, it's a bit late as she is actually nearly 11 mo's, apparently she has dropped down on the poxy graphs and is now on the 2nd centile, they don't seem to take into account that she is petite, she weighs 15lb 11oz but is fairly fleshy just short. Me and dp are both short arses too, im 4'11 and dp only 5'11 if that.

Been really sunny but windy here today so the nappies got lovely and dry super quick and are lovely and bright!

Evening all

Had an eventful bank holiday, travelled up to Lincoln on friday to stay with my aunt and uncle whose children are the same age as my dd1 and dd2, spent saturday in Lincoln town centrem so said his shoulder hurt, he lost feelings in his arm and ended up going into the local A&E where he was diagnosed as having had another angina attack which in turn was making his muscles cramp. He had loads of blood taken and an eecg which the results will be sent to our doctors. He flet better by sunday so went for a day in Mablethorpe and came home today.

We had a huge row today as we cant find the p&t raincover anywhere, but seem to have made up now, i think the stress of the weekend caught up with us both!

I'm looking forward to thursday as dd1 will be home from France but then we will have to go and get her school shoes and uniforms on saturday then to her brownie camp fire on saturday night!

Evening Ladies

- well I either killed the thread with my pondslime, or you're off doing something more exciting instead .

(Actually, took DCs to a little local theme park today, so things are improving )

Anyone doing anything fun for the bank holiday? (I've just splattered myself with pond slime to get into the spirit of things... )

Jewels - Have fun! I'd love to send you some calm vibes but I'm hogging the few I have for myself. Maybe I can dig some out from the back of the cupboard or the loft - I'll have a look...

JKS really feel for you with that appointment looming over you all. But, keep positive!

Chaotica yes I know what you mean re the bottled patience. We are driving 100s of miles tomorrow to London and I have had enough! I am stressed to the max

Freya had a great day at nursery today and played with the other girls and boys, and shared her toys, and got 3 smily faces to good behauviour. They got split into colour groups today and Freya is in a group with the nicest nursery teacher there, and Freya is thrilled as am I. From now on she just stays in her little group (9 children) and so often friendshps form in this group from now on.

Send me your calm vibes for tomorrow and wishing you all good BH weekends

Um yeah don't think I'll be having 5 chaoctica..
Just rang my injection delivery people to stop my injections for my M.S as need to stop 3 months bef. It's really real now..

Hi Ladies

Thanks for the interview good luck from y'all. No news yet, so I don't know whether I got the job...

But we went to a playgroup picnic today and the DD got tiger face paint on which she was so pleased with It is now all over the house, but never mind. On the whole though, both DCs have been whinging and whining so much that I can't be bothered [bad mummy emoticon]. Can I buy patience on ebay?

JKS - sorry to hear that you've continuing problems getting DS2 treated with the right thing. It must be really hard (and not much fun for DS1).

Glad to hear that you're nearly ttc girlsyearapart. I just found out that someone I know is expecting her 5th. (She's better organised than me - I'd never cope.)

Hi all - know i'm sporadic on here, finding 'normal' life isn't happening so much with ds2 & his issues. got next appt next week in london and really hoping for some answers, whilst at the same time worrying they'll tell us something awful.

ds1 being brilliant - though nursery said his behaviour was 'challenging' this week which annoyed me as it seemed to stem from the older (holiday club) kids picking on him and calling him a baby & grr

got PIL here for a few days to help out, thankfully - though can't talk too much about my concerns re ds2 with them as esp MIL, gets upset - turns out she's been seeing her doc re stress because of it + combo of BIL's emigration - they leave 21st sept to move to Oz & have just announced pg no 3 so life is all bad for her right now - i don't like to add to her misery.

anyway, ds2 woke at 4.48 this morning so i am a zombie today, not getting much done!

Thanks J&G-
Was totally not meant to sound smug with the mine has a blanket thing. Not much difference between the two as dd sucks her blanket. It was meant to illustrate that mine also has a comfort but we worked hard to restrict it to sleep time.

I met this friend at postnatal and she is really lovely but hasn't had much experience of children so asks my advice a lot. I'm no expert but have worked with kids since I was 18 and have lots of kids inmy family.

I'm happy to give her advice but she asks the same questions all the time to which I give pretty similar responses and she agrees then ignores it all! She wonders why her dd won't sit down and eat a meal. When I try to tactfully suggest that if a child is snacking all day then they won't want to eat a meal she says 'I just want to get something into her' and it's a vicious circle.
It's getting to the point where I'd rather spend time just with her rather than the dds as it does my head in that she feels that she has tojustify her parenting to me all the time which makes me feel like an awful friend but if she asks advice then I give it.

Poor Freya hopefully it's just a phase and she'll sort someone out to play with today. I guess everyone needs some time on their own?

yearapart read your AIBU thread and wow don't some just jump in with their first though, not reading the actual post!

I thought your argument was well-rounded andtotally not smug. And I agree, it annoys me when someone asks advice and then, when I administer advice, disregard it and then whinge on again about the same thing!

All good here, Izzy has a little cold and has been doing monster sneezes today, but she seems happy enough. May be teething as she has a bit of nappy rash too, and she never has nappy rash unless teething.

Freya didn't have as good a time at nursery as previously. She told me she did not share her toys today, so got a sad face, and she just played on her own all day, not wanting to make friends, so she received a sad face for that too. I felt really sorry for her. I asked her if she could make friends tomorrow, and she said she would. What to do??

Oh and hope the interview went well Chaotica

How very infertile of you to have had 4 children!
That is fab.
Both my dds were conceived the month we started trying so I'm a lucky girl.
Didn't think we could be so lucky with dd2 so we started trying and thats part of the reason for small age gap!
Wondering if it will all be so easy 3rd time around??

I think it's only a month after stopping the pill, but tbh we never use contraception as after dd2 i was supposed to be infertile, so any babies are a blessing

Yes at least with dd1s blanket there's only 1 of them. The other day dd2 found a dummy in the toybox and started laughing at me before she put it in!
Yes I'm starting to feel irrationally jealous of pg friends and disappointed each time of the month even though still on the pill so no chance of becoming pg!
How long before ttc are you meant to stop pill anyway? Was going to stop at end of this pack so another 3 weeks then ttc end Nov/beg Dec. Is that long enough? can't remember what I did before. Baby brain..

Dd2 had her dummy all the time she was a pain in the bum with it, if we took it away she would find another she had them hidden all over the house! Dd3 is no where near as bad as her.

My friend told she is expecting her 4th and there will be 11 month between her dd3 and the baby, I was actually quite jealous deep down inside!

Chaotica any news on your interview?
Thanks for posting on my AIBU 4andnotOut. Makes you realise though that some people don't read threads properly cos it has turned into people thinking I'm anti dummies which I'm not!
Haha very cute at the reindeer babies. Did your dd have it all the time when they took dummies away? Or just at night?
Will probably need similar strategy to get rid of my dds dummy at night cos she's a nightime addict.
Dd1s sleeping has improved a bit now last few nights only 5 mins crying.
Have come off my medication and we are going to ttc at the end of the year.Probably. Definitely. Probably. Definitely etc etc..

Hi 4 yes miserable here too. Spent the morning clearing out the airing cupboard life in the fast lane..
Just did my first Am I BU? post. See whether you think I am?

Good luck with the interview Chaotica

DD4 slept in her cot for most of the night, i must have been knackered as i didn't wake u until dp brought her in to our room for me to feed her!

It's miserable here today but my grandparents always come over on a wednesday so they can entertain me!

good luck with the interview chaotica let us know how you get on x

Actually, since I have no profile, I might look and sound like a zombie anyway for all you ladies know

<<chaotica shuffles back into grave hurriedly>>

Jewels - have fun in London. I have pmt too right now and a job interview tomorrow, so I'm probably going to make a complete fool of myself and look and sound like a zombie.

chaotica well done with the giant mutant spider thing! I had two wasps in the kitchen yesterday and was screaming and waving arms. Girls sat rehre eating lunch just looking at me. God, I have to get a hold of this! Hypnosis?!!

All good here, Freya still loving nursery. And bought Izzy a boden jacket with the fgantastic £10 off code, so it was just a snip at just over £20! And they look very cute.

We are away this weekend to Lodnod, so am dreading/looking forward to that (depending what mood I am, and I have PMT right now, so those moodswings are very unpredictable!)

Evening All

4andnotout - hope you don't live too near me for the sake of your washing (mine was almost dry and then we had a huge thunderstorm). It's still out there after its extra rinse...

We were just getting dressed this morning when DS said 'Spider! Look spider, Mum!' and when I went to see which bit of fluff or speck of dust he meant I saw the hugest spider I have every seen (well, in this country anyway) on their bedroom wall. It was 10cm across (had to use a mixing bowl to get it out) and even though I'm usually not scared of spiders I nearly screamed. (Tis safely outside now eating local pets probably )

Well she didn't come into my bed to be fed until 3am, as long as they go to bed in their own beds i don't mind them coming in during the night, it's mainly so that if someone looks after them (as if!) they will go to bed without any hoo har!

It's another lovely day here today, nappies are already on the line and another load of washing is in the machine. Dp is taking them to his parents for tea tonight so will have a quiet evening Will just spend today in the garden letting them play with their toys.

well done 4!
Blimmin hard work this sleeping thing.
Dd1 cried herself to sleeplast night but not for long. Dh was in charge as I went to the gym and he said he wouldn't go in. At least it was only for about ten mins.
Both mine slept through last night but our lodger woke them up at 530 dropping something down the stairs..
dd1 went back to sleep but dd2 is up.

My sister's partner sits on my nieces bed till she goes to sleep so if he's home at bedtiime there's no chance of her sleeping till he doesbut my sister doesn't do that and she sleeps without anyone there..
Anyway hope you all have a lovely day. I'm meeting up my friend who is 38 wks pg with her first we're leaving dh with the kids and sloping off to the cinema, lunch and shops to buy her hospital bag stuff. Rare treat!

Well i did it! DD4 is sound asleep in her cot, she wasn't fed to sleep and it took an hour of me listening to podcasts and sorting nappies in her room before she fell asleep but it is still an improvement on being in my bed. She made a couple of whimpers earlier but obviously settled herself back to sleep

Now just got to get dd3 to learn to go to sleep without dp sitting on her bed waiting for her to go to sleep!

You'll need a swimming pool installed soon at this rate 4! Morning btw x

Morning all

I always put the baby in with her sisters as soon as she can sit up so around 6 months, mine are always bathed together, dd1 is nearly 8 and hasn't protested yet although the more children we have the more squashed it'll be

Yes 19m v young for potty training. Dd1 started going on potty at 18m but nowhere near ready for proper potty training. She's now out of nappies in the day at 23m.

Bathed mine together from fairly early but it's a lot easier using a mat my mum bought me from mothercare called an aqua pod. It has a seat for the youngest so your hands are free to wash the other one. It's suitable from 6 months.

Get your dh to read threads on here with people who have 5 or 6 kids that'll soon make him realise 3 is quite small really!!

Wow there are some big families here - and some that will be eventually!

I thought I was mad being broody with 2dcs at 6m and 19m but it seems I am not alone! Not sure my dh will go for no. 3 though as he thinks this is a madhouse already... How shall I convince him?

Thanks for the potty training reassurance btw. Although I have bought a potty ds1 isn't keen on it and think I will leave it a few months yet when things may be easier

Practical question - how old were your dcs when you bathed them together? I tried when ds2 was very small and it was insane so I gave up then - but it would save time.

hi they both slept all night last night so I got 8hours which made me happy.
Even had the energy to take them swimming.
I did give dd1 calpol last night as she is teething some at the front and some at the back but I really don't think it's pain keeping her from going to bed as the screaming starts the minute you lift her up to put her into the cot..
The 2nd try with the rhyme cd worked and she finally fell asleep at 815.
The X factor ws very good- that guy Danyl Johnson sang at my friends wedding so hope he wins!

Hi girls hopeing all your DCS are sleeping soundly.

Mine are, but Freya may have started sleep walking. Went up one night after some banging upstairs and found her stood i the wardrobe with her sun hat on, holding her slippers

I ushedered her back to bed and that was that.

Izzy I think is coming down with a cold my mum has, and I think I may be too. But I amm too drunk to know, and have just finished off some noodles (still not drunk enough not to be able to eat noodles with chop sticks, but am well on my way)

God loved X factor, totally lapped it up. And SCD starts in a few weeks (heaven emoticon)

All good here, we are one more stage nearer to business, have appointed estate agent and house should be on market next week EEK!

Oh and off to buy a car tomorrow! Oh well try! And then can practice and stuff! Thing is, I want small car, DH wants me to have 10 tonner (freelander). He has his company but all of a sudden seems to be taking over my car purchase!

Night all J&G

Hi girlsyearapart - hope your DD1 is sleeping now. Just thought I should ask the bleeding obvious: have you given her calpol, gone to the GPs to check her ears, checked she's not teething molars? I'm sure you have, but I thought I'd ask anyway.

DS started screaming at night for a while and it turned out to be thirst - you could have sworn he was being attacked by a lion, but no - a cup of water did the trick. DD also had a screaming stage around two (sort of when she started dreaming, we thought, but she was a bit ill around that time too). Last time she really went for it, she had a major ear infection (but you'd not have known it in the day, except she was a bit more lazy than usual).

this weekend it is saturday backs (3.30pm - 11.45pm) and sunday days (7.30am - 4pm) then next weekend saturday days and sunday backs.

We are used to it now

glad i'm not the only one with a dh who works saturday nights ooogs!

I am trying to pack (dh is at work) as we are off on holiday tomorrow - 6 of us in our 5 berth caravan snug

On here and watching x factor to drown out the screaming from dd1 who asked to go to bed just before 7 yawning and rubbing her eyes and has been screaming blue murder ever since.
I bloody hope this leads to a good nursing home I may check in early!

Hi All and welcome Oooggs

I'd recommend anyone who hasn't passed their driving test to go for it. I waited 18 years between tests (and I could drive as well - I just didn't have a licence) and finally passed when DD was 1 and I was pg with DS. Life is loads easier (although I'm certainly not as fit as I was). But it's great to be able to take the DCs out while DP is at work and not have to stick to places we can walk to.

You can do an automatic only test, btw. Although I learnt in a manual and drive an automatic (so my manual driving is crap ).

The more I have, the sooner I'll need a nursing home!

Morning

I have been bedroom hopping all night - even ds1 woke up scared. Well whatever scared him wasn't as scary as mummy so he soon went back to bed (4am - middle of the night!!!)

Try to think of when they are older and the more children you have the better the nursing home

Morning.
Another bedtime scream a thon from dd1. When will she go back to her usual lovely bedtime self?Or am I in this now for the long haul?

She has the same bedtime routine and used to just say night mummy love you then either turn over and go to sleep/sing/read to herself. Now it's up to an hour of screaming each night plus night waking.
And she's asking me to go to bed as she's tired!
Argh. It's mornings like this that puts me off having a 3rd.

whoops! Can you tell it's been a long day!

4andnotout - you missed off your 7 year old!!! lovely names

Hi ooogs I have 4 girls who are,4,23mo and 10 mo.

Even if I took my test we couldn't afford two cars and dp needs one to get to work.
As soon as my parents and dd1 get back from France I won't be so lonely during the day and my mum usually takes me our in her car.
Better go and put nappy wash on as inwant to try and get them drying on the airer overnight as rain forecast for tommorow.
Oh and if any of you Facebook feel free to add me i'm Sophie Grint

good evening - thought I would pop in here for some sanity

I have ds1 (5.8) dd (2.5) ds2 (2.5) & ds3 (7mths)

I am shattered with night waking - which are mostly dts

notout wow 6? Shit! We are definately stopping at 2 (I really need to speak to DH again about getting him snip)

And just get an automatic then - there are loads! And if you drive your multipla, just think how easy a little driving lesson car would be! I stopped my lessons and rally wished I'd have just carried on. I'd have been driving for years by now, not just starting again

All fine here, Freya had another great day at nursery. Pissed off with the rain again and am off to Boden website to buy a rain hat. Sick of wearing my bloody waterproof jacket!

Goodness that will be a busy house! I think dh would love to keep going but 4 already seems like quite a large target for now!
People will already have their opinions about me having 3 with the small age gap we already have.
You can take a driving test just for manual cars?

Girlsapart-We have said we would definately love a 5th and perhaps a 6th but we don't fancy 7.

DD4 is the first of mine that i've been able to bf and she is showing no sign of weaning yet.

I would love to be able to drive, up until i was 6mo pg with dd1 i still rode my motorcycle everywhere but obviously it's not really an option now, although i could take a leaf from my parent's book and have a sidecar. I can physically drive but haven't taken my test, i'm confident driving an automatic but not so a manual, and i wouldn't fancy driving our multipla as it feels huge!

morning all.
Have pretty much decided ttc in december.
Was waiting for the comments to say no you're a lunatic but you all seem to think go for it..
Last night's full nights sleep has made me a happy bunny today!
Becky- yes like you I found being pg not much fun. I love feeling the baby move but hated not being able to exercise and move around like I'm used to. Easier when the baby arrived.
I only managed bf for a few weeks each time. I can't bf and take my medication and one of the main symptoms of M.S. is fatigue so I need all my energy just to look after the baby. DH has to do his share of night feeds!
4andnotout- if you have number 5 will you stop there or go for more?

I only passed my driving test when 7mo pg with dd1. That was my third instructor but first test. I don't like driving much but it has been a godsend with the two so close together. Means I don't have to rely on someone else everytime I want to do a shopor whatever.
Anyway sorry chaotica- you'll just have to have another!
Have a good day all.

All this talk of ttc is starting to make me feel broody!

Thanks for all the support but we wimped out a bit as by the time dp brought them home from the outlaws they were sound asleep, dd4 woke long enough to have her night time nappy on a bf then fell back to sleep,so she is still asleep in the bouncy chair [ blush] I will put her in the cot tommorow night!

Our of all my age gaps the smallest has been the easiest so far, I think as they are at similar stages is both in nappies and i haven't had a full nights kip in 4 years so getting up with a newborn was no different

Evening, Ladies

FWIW Girlsyearapart, I'd go for ttc in your situation... I'm a big fan of smallish age gaps between siblings these days, even though the pg is hard and the early days are pretty difficult too

LOL 4andnotout at your DD4 deleting the post (sorry!) - I find it's very dangerous to look as if you're typing anything at all ever. How is DD4 taking the cot?

I wimped out with DS and let him sleep in our room in a cot for months (and sometimes in our bed) whereas DD really didn't want to do that even as a quite little baby. I didn't know what would happen if I put them together either. Since the holiday they've been sharing a room and they love it (which is great).

4andnotout good look with the cot tonight. I am sure you are doing the right thing, so hang in there

yearapart I think that sounds good, the others being 2 and 3 respectively. At 2 they know whats happening and hopefully can be entertained my no3 when you are BFing/have hands full.

I just had another driving lesson and it went well again. Have booked theory for Sep and then straight after this, am going to book in for my test. grrl you mentioned you dislike driving even though you passed your test, and yet when you did you seemed so happy about it. Was it just that you have that option now, but still prefer not to use tha car? I must admit, I totally am with you in this. Freya's nursery is about 3 mins walk from my house and 2 other mums get on their bloody cars. Do not want to turn into one of them! I have urged DH to get me a little run around for practice as I don't want to le having lessons forever, that and we can;'t afford it anyway! Would seem cheaper to get little car that you get to keep at the end of it! Strange logic? Maybe....

Wishing you all a good evening,
J&G

When DC4 arrives in February DC1 will be 3.9, DC2 will be 2.5 and DC3 will be 14 months. I am finding being pg hard (as I did with DC3) but once he arrived I felt able to cope. ust stuggling being pg again now but we don't have any family help so depends on circumstance as well.

DH rang at lunchtime today to see how I was and I told him I was about half an hour away from a nervous breakdown! But still here so can't be so bad!

When dd4 arrived dd1 was 6, dd2 was 3 and dd3 was 13 months. I must admit we have been ttc since dd4 was born.

Righty ho ladies what do you reckon?

dds are going to be one and two in a couple of weeks, we would like 4 dcs or at least 3.

I amn on strong medication for Multiple Sclerosis which has to be stopped 3 months bef ttc.

I am getting MAJORLY broody and can't seem to come to a decision about when to ttc the next one..

Was thinking about xmas then the dds would be 2 and 3 when number 3 arrives if I fall pg as quickly as the first two.

Has anyone else got this age gap? Would I be a lunatic? Keep talking myself in and out of when to go for it..

Just wrote a huge post and dd4 deleted it

So again...

Hi Loosey I have the same gap between my dd3 and dd4, now dd4 is 9 months and cruising about they seem to get on really well and play together a lot, although as i just typed that dd3 poked her in the eye

I'm going to have to stop dd4 sleeping in my bed, she had started to settle brilliantly in her cot before we went on holiday but 3 weeks co-sleeping in a tent put pay to that, but last night she rolled out of bed so for her own safety tonight she is going in the cot <<gulp>> It's going to be a nightmare but cc worked for the last 3 so it will have to work again <<fingers so tightly crossed there is no blood flow>>

Morning all. Potty training continuing well only accidents she has are when the potty isn't close enough and she asks for it but she/we are too slow.
My friend who is a nanny said try for a week if it's really not working then stop for two weeks then start again if that helps anyone.
Sleep still major issue though. God knows what has happened to my perfect 7-7 sleeper..

On the plus side dd2's excema has all but cleared up the past few days and she has been able to wear some lovely summer outfits.

Holidays in a week and a half yippee!

Jewels - Aw, poor Freya. At least it sounds like she enjoyed her first day. Maybe she'll be better when she realises that she can go back to nursery every day and play on the slide. It is hard (and a pain when you end up with a meltdown - I don't mean to sound unsympathetic as get my share) and I'm going to be fretting next month when our Freya starts preschool. (Even though she goes to a cm already - this seems different).

Hi All and welcome Loosey.

I have DD 3.5 and DS 22m <<thinks fondly back to the ranting on earlier threads when we mostly had 2 under 2 like you >>

Potty training isn't as bad as you think it's going to be. DD did it in summer so we could spend a lot of time in the garden. DS is asking to sit on the toilet like a big boy (little does he know... ) but he insists on keeping clothes on so we're merely heading in the right direction...

Jewels - glad to hear your driving lesson went OK. I used to hate reversing generally - my second instructor was really good at explaining it all so that made a huge difference.

Welcome loosey

Yes, the potty training is really not that bad. And you can tell if your child is ready, so hopefully you are both working towards the same thing I.E being out of nappies!

I had my driving lesson last night and it was a bit hairy for the first five mins. Then I was ok. Did driving around, roundabouts, 3 point turns and a bay park and managed to do these fine. Next is the dreaded reverse round a corner (I am shit at it) and the reverse parking (shit at that too).

Freya's first day was a but of a knightmare! She went in easily enough. When I came to collect her she gave me a great big hug and when I said to say 'bye' to the others she said she didn't want to go! And then she literally screamed and shouted and threw THE BIGGEST tantrum she has ever had, right there infront of all the nursery teachers and all the other mums. I even tried the 'last go on slide' technique and in the end I had to chase her, and physically remove her from the room, with her screaming the whole time. On the walk home I told her how upset I was about what had happened, and if she behaves like that today when I come and collect her, she will not be going again. HELP!

Hi Loosey - i have 2 boys, 3yrs and 22 mths.

DS1 is potty trained, it really wasn't as bad as i thought it would be. He's been dry at night for a while now too.

Hi - can I join you? I have 2 boys, 6m and 19m.

It is lovely and fun most of the time but a bit mad at others you will know! I have to carry poor DS2 around with me as his (slighly) older brother just delights in hitting him on the head to annoy me. Trouble is the little one now wants to start crawling so think I'm entering a new phase of them both being mobile - help!

Looking forward to some chats and advice from others doing the same or been through it before, although the mere mention of potty training on here terrifies me!

chaotica I am sure your DS does look lovely and at least you know when it is time to comb his hair there won't be a fight!

Becky that does sound really hard on your, with the ILs down the road and not supporting you at all. Maybe you just have to get tough and tell them? Next time you see them just say how you don't appreciate their complete lack of help. Or, really your DH should have thay conversation. But let's face it, it needs saying. Even if relations are 'frosty' in the immediate after-math, if they do some around and start being helpful, the ends are worth the means or whatever they say.

Well girls my husband and I attended the pre-pre-school show-around. And it is such a lovely nursery but I was feeling waves of emotion. And was welling up through quite alot of it. God knows what I'll be like tomorrow when I take her for 1 hour, for the first time. Any tips? I do not want to cry when we are there, as this'll just freak her out! Help please!

Izzy potty training is really the same as usual. She does go on the pitty after waking, and sometimes if she wants a poo she will go and get the potty and take it to me. But today, she came downstairs, grabbed a nearby bucket, squatted, and did a massive wee! (it was only a little bucket that comes with a childrens bucket and spade) and she was veryb proud of herself. She carried the bucket - after I had washed it out - around with her well into the evening, and even wanted it in the bath with her

Night allxx

I haven't been on for a while as to be honest have been having quite a hard time.

Just really tired and being pg always seems to ignite my complete resentment towards my ILs who do absolutely nothing to help out, despite living down the road. My DH says they can't do much as they are in their 70s but they manage to play golf, keep a house, go on camping trips (with a trailer tent they errect themselves) and go on massive treks. Not asking them to have the kids just come round and play with them and read stories to take some of the pressure off me. Anyway, rant over. I know being bitter is only hurting myself and must just ignore them but it's hard when my parents (who live a 6 hour drive from here) would love to be more involved.

But coming on here has made me laugh as I too have been atempting to potty train DD this hol. She is 2 in September and DH was really keen that I try and telling me she would just do it etc. I only just got DS1 out of nappies in June (he was 3 in May) but girls are meant to be quicker! I spent 2 days scrubbing wee from the carpet. On the third day (Saturday) DH took over. She was back in nappies by lunchtime!

On the subject of sllep. My DS2 (8 months) has satrted waking up a lot in the night. From about 4 months he stopped having a night feed and only occasionally woke up but all of a sudden he has been waking and is really inconsolable. Not sure if he is teething or what but it is very tiring. Any tips/ thoughts gratefully received.

Hope everyone is surviving the hols. Only 3 weeks to go and then DS1 goes to pre-school 5 mornings a week!

I know when you have two or more of the same people keep asking/assuming you want the other. We would both be happy with only girls.
Potty training went well today but the sleeping thing is a joke now.

She woke up at 830 then I put her to bed where she screamed her head off until finally calmed her down and she slept at 130. I woke her at 230 as didn't want tonight to be awful but no she's in bed screaming and has been for nearly half an hour..

Hi All,

girlsyearapart - completely justified rant. Tell him he has to buy you more champagne.
FWIW DD had a waking up in the night phase while potty training - she asked every five minutes for the toilet and it drove me mad but I think it's quite normal as they become aware they want to go. (DS keeps asking to get on the toilet (he's 23m too) but won't sit on there without his nappy on . He even pushes his sister off there when she really needs it ( (again)). I think we have some way to go!

10km Sleepy - I'm impressed!

DD is going through an angry phase at the moment and stamps her feet and strops a lot... Is this what I have to look forward to? While DS has taken to wearing DD's clothes and getting his hair done. He looks lovely , but I try to persuade him to change before we go out.

4andnotout - 4 girls and ttc? You are braver than me! (Although I might have kept going if I'd started younger...)

Good luck with the driving, Jewels

Hi 4andnotout

Girlsayear - rant is fully justified! I'd have been furious!

Good luck with the 10km! I'm hoping that plenty of dog walking and exercise biking will help prepare me. I hope!

girls-Yes having 4 girls is lovely although everyone just assumes we must be trying for a boy, especially when we tell them that we are ttc!

My dd3 is nearly 23 months and no where near potty training yet, yesterday she took her nappy off, put it in the nappy bucket and then went and poo'ed in the garden

And as for sleeping, don't get me started! DD3 is a nightmare and dd4 will only settle if she is bfing all night in my bed I did have her sorted and sleeping in a cot but 3 weeks co-sleeping whilst we were camping in france at the beginning of the summer hols has buggered it all up I need to get her back into a routine as im sooo tired!

Morning. dd1 23mo up from 9-230 last night. We have been potty training for nearly a week all been good only about 1 accident a day yesterday none but her sleep has got awful.
She keeps asking for the potty at night (even tho in pull ups) and seemed like nothing wrong with her just wide awake.

Woke up dd2 11mo and in between all of that DH decided to bring a friend home from the pub and talk drink and watch tv extra loud which properly woke dd2 up. Not impressed as I'd already texted him to say dd1 had been up for ages and I was exhausted. And they drank my birthday pressie champagne.

Argh not impressed. Rant over!

Sleepy- have also signed up for 10k run end of Sept did the 5k in June and was inspired. Don't know if that was a good idea..

How lovely 4andnotout I'd love to have 4 girls eventually. Am halfway there at least! But not on mornings like this one...

Hi everyone can i join please?

Im mum to 4 girls of 7,4,22m and 9 months.

Thankfully dd2 starts school in september (but only half days <<wail>>) so will only have 2 at home with me!

Hi All, sorry not posted much.
Hope you're all good!

Good luck with driving Jewels! Although i dislike driving and rarely do, i'm glad i have my license for emergencies

Kids are off the the zoo with CM today, and i have a day off! They won't be back until 5pm I'm determined to not spend it doing housework...

My friend gave me an exercise bike yesterday (which is still in the hallway) so going to attempt to get it upstairs (which will be a workout in itself), maybe have a go on it, then walk the dog. I've signed up to do a 10km run the end of Sept (which is flipping madness) but the friend that gave me the bike has signed up too, and she's less fit than myself, so at least we'll have company to do it!

3 weeks until our holiday! Going to see if i can find a Spanish phrase book somewhere, so i can make a dreadful attempt at speaking the language while we're there!

Welcome back to all of you who have been away on holiday

We have a meeting at Freya's nursery tomorrow, and still need to get her a passport photo (I've no idea what for) for when she goes first time on Tuesday.

We walk past it every day on the way to the shops, and Freya always asks for a list of things she can do at nursery, to which I respond my telling her with some factual things and some not so (she has an idea that there is a climbing frame inside the nursery, as we have this sory book and their is a climbing frame in the nursery in the book) not sure how i'll get round that one

Anyway, we were doing the usual list of things to do at nursery and suddently I got really emotional, and couldn't speak and Freya was like 'what's wrong mummy?' so I had to make up this story about having some fluff in my eye. And then Freya wanted to look in my eye for the fluff, and I had to let her. She really was dissapointed not to see The Fluff. God what'll I be like Tuesday? Any hints and tips girls? I don't want to freak her out!

Tracyface - La Rochelle sounds lovely <<wistful wish-I-was-on-holiday look>> I was quite surprised that the DCs braved the waves: they didn't to start with, although they got better every day. And they were put to shame by the toddler of a French Polynesian family who we kept seeing on the beach - the dad kept taking his son right into the breakers and just lifting him up out of the way - the boy did seem to be enjoying it though (thankfully!).

Hope you start feeling better soon.

I've just been exhausted since I got back. I need another rest...

Chaotica - La Rochelle is lovely even with toddlers and teenagers in tow. Infact we stumbled upon a little show in the Harbour which was there about 4 years ago too which had dogs in little dresses dancing and birds performing tricks and the kids loved it and we managed to drink a bottle of wine and pizza while it was on - so perfect!

We too have been to Sables and St Giles Croix de Vie (sp?) has so many great beaches and little towns around that area. Although the weather has always been so unpredictable when ever we have been it always seems to rain more on us there than in England.

We have decided to go again next year though as there is always so much more we want to see and always run out of time.

My two wouldnt go in the sea as they were much to frightened of he waves so well done getting yours in !

We are still having a lazy day at home this week as they are a bit under the weather and hope to be recovered for next week as I would like to go out - getting a bit stir crazy and spending too much time on laptop is not very productive.

We weren't that far from La Rochelle either, Tracyface - about 100 miles away inland for a week (with FIL, or 'outlaw' as I never got married) and then on the coast in the Vendee just north of la rochelle. We didn't go there (didn't see the point with toddlers in tow) but we did go to Les Sables d'olonne which was lovely and had a great beach for the kids.

(Their biggest fear to start with was the waves, which was hard after swimming in a lake near FIL's house. But they got used to it once they realised that the ocean wasn't really trying to get them )

Hi Chaotica - sounds like you had a nice time in France. Where did you go? We were an hour from La Rochelle and it was lovely.

We are going to brave camping in Dorset next weekend so I really hope the weather improves.

Melissa slightly on the mend thank goodness but she is feeling very emotional and grouchy about every little thing. THinking of taking out shares in calpol and nurofen as we have been through quite a bit past few days just to keep her temperature down. Just waiting for Isaac to get it now altho I shouldnt be so pessimistic I suppose before we go away for our little holiday.

Having another lazy day at home today so as not to spread germs around

Hi All

Am back from holiday and trying to catch up. Hello to all newbies - don't like to avoid names, but there seem to be so many of you . I have 3.4 DD and 22m DS.

Had a great holiday - lots of hanging about on the beach and playing in the sea. My sandcastle skills have really improved. And it hardly rained (which was pretty good considering I only made it as far as France). Now I'm trying to readjust to the usual routine (and the terrible weather - so glad we didn't go for a British holiday like we'd nearly did).

Congratulations again, Tracyface. And J&G your plans sound really exciting.

Oh yes I agree tracy, to rent a fabulous big house is the same price as our mortage (when we move we will be renting)

Of course, for a quick sale, we may well sell for less than we bought for. But, if you're going to do it, you gotta do it! So we are just going to...well.....do it!

Hopeing Melissa feels better soon

Hi Trinity , I have a 2 and a 1/2 and a 1 and a 1/2 year old as well as a 10, 17 and 19 year old but they are all challenging in their own ways

Hiya Jewels- THats good news about the house -

We had ours valued and it has gone down unfortunately so altho we were thinking of selling and renting to save money as the rent for the same size house would be about a thousand less than we are paying . Its not worth it now unless our house goes back up in value. I like our house tho so im happy staying put anyway.

Nappy was pretty awful and down his leg (sorry tmi) so yes had to be quick to save the living room rug from any more stains.

Hope the gym wasnt too painful and yes its very exciting learning to drive - I loved it but dont think I would pass my test now if I took it

Melissa not well with a temperature tonight so I hope we all get some sleep poor thing is really not very well.

Welcome trinity and yes, I can imagine definately challenging. Although at least at 2, your younger child can do more. Izzy is 18 months and she wants to be in the slide and all the stuff Freya does, but sometimes she is just too little!

Hi
I have a 4 year old and a 2 year old
they are wonderful and unbeleivably challenging

Hi tracy I know it is just you and me! Yes, everyone else is off in a forgieng sunny country
~looks outside at clo0udy day with showers~

Yes, I am getting ready for christmas! More the planning where to have it, and the odd look at what presents the girls may want (though I am sure that will change with each week that passes!)

All quiet here, we are a step closer to our own business when our house goes on the market this week and thankfully, according to the valuation, our house has not lost any value (though not gained - just stayed the same) so that is good for us, need all our equity for the business.

Oh and I have my theory test and driving lessons booked, and DH is thinking of getting me a car for practising, so am exxited about that, and it will be very motivating too.

Other than that, just off to gym, have a good eve all and hope that nappy situation was not too bad tracy

J&G

Where is everyone - on holiday I guess?

I cant believe you are thinking about christmas already Jewels however I dint realise I was until I bought a few goodies in the ELC sale to put away for Melissa and Isaac. So I am also trying to be organised.

Having a nappy disaster about to hapen to be back soon x

Hello ladies

We here are getting ready for Freya going to pre-school a week on tuesday (we live in scotland so we start earlier) and I have bought her some plimsolls (Clarkes Doodles with free shoe bag) and also an entire weekly wardrobe from the Mumsnet favourite - Boden. And I can tell you if it was not for gift vouchers and an 11 discount offer currently on, I am not sure we'd have got it all from there, but saying that Freya's babyGap stuff is still going strong now Izzy's wearing it. So, after being quite alot of money shorter, we are alas one step closer to be 'ready' for nursery. Phew.

Hoping you are all ok and enjoying the sunnier weather (it is even sunny up here!) and that if any of you are reading this post-summer holiday, you are not feeling too depressed about being 'back to it all'. You can look forward to long summery days and then (dare I mention the C word?) Christmas! Yes, you all know what I am like, a christmas-a-holic, so I am already thinking about where the J&Gs are spending it this year (Scotland, Yorkshire or London?)

I am rambling on now, so shall say goodnight!

Just bookmarking quickly - DH home so we are quite busy for a few days actually being a family again!

Loopy - made me laugh about the no faffing comment

Well it seems to be working because I havnt had to put her in her bed just threaten it wish is great and saves my back luggingher up the stairs. They have actually played quite nicely for a few days so that is really good.

Took melissa swimming so its isaacs turn next time as I cant manage them both at the same time - im just not brave enough! She loved it and has had her cossie on every morning she gets up in anticipation poor thing.

Although the kids are free, Its so expensive though and I do begrudge spending nearly a fiver to stand up to my knees flaunting my hideous maternity costume ( still wearing it as it cost so much and hides a multitude of sins)

Off to a free geometric sweet building session at our local museam this afternoon to entertain my 10 year old which sounds like a prime opportunity to pick up swine flu but I did promise we would go and he is addicted to sweets so needs must.

Im trying not to worry about catching it

Ooh, DD2 has gorgeous curls, we shall try that!!

loopy love the sound of your parents.

I have been de-cluttering the house today in preparation for putting the house on the market, in preperation for us moving and opening out business I cannot say much for fear of jinxdom but it involves a move back to north yorks where I grew up. Hence lots of de-cluttering and scrubbing and generally hiding stuff. I know you must be thinking we are mad to sell right now, but lots of houses near where we live are selling again and a few bidding wars have even broken out so it seems official that the market is moving again. Anyway, positive thinking and all that.

The girls have been lovely lately, we have started using the no shampoo method of hairwashing as recommended by mnet. Basically, the girls have curly ringletty hair but it can get all fluffy and frizzy. After using just conditioner instead of shampoo (every other day) and really massaging it in, the girls now have very clean, very shiny, frizz-free ringletty curls that smell of strawberries. Honastly, to any of you with the curly hair gene, give it a go. We could tell on the first go how different their hair was and we thought, well, if it's not for us we will go back to the usual shampoo+conditioner method.

Other than all the moving and stuff going on, life is kinda quiet! Oh I did think I had SF but I couldn't have, was ill for 1 day, been fine since then (I thinkm I actually panicked myself into having it!)

tracey congratulations hope reality isn't biting back with too much of a bump for you&#65281;

Re DD - I use bed as well for DD1, she is a bit older than yours but we started doing it when she was not long turned 3. Naughty step had no effect, she just didn't care and would sit there happy as larry for her three minutes, singing to herself etc, then at the end leap up, contritely say sorry to DD2, then shove her over again . So we started sending her to bed because it upset her. Maybe not the best way to parent, but with three in the house I don't really do faffing !

She is back on the step now, and when she messes around or won't stay put, I restart her time every time. I think her record is about 12 minutes on the step

We had a great time at my folks, they are marvellous with the kids and allow me to switch off knowing somebody else will realise the kids need feeding/sleeping/disciplining/occupying

And DH gets home tomorrow

tracy congratulations of getting married!

Sounds like you had a lovely time, and yes there is always the return to the real world. But you can always look at the photos when they come, and enjoy the rest of the summer weather <looks outside at rain lashing the windows>

We are all fine you I have suspected SF. I say suspected because felt really bad yesterday and then today feel fine. But mu SIL says her was like that. Still, if I am still ok tomorrow then I reckon I haven't got it.

Hoping you are all having a good time on your holidays with brilliant weather and suchlike. No I am not jealous at all. Not at all I tell you! ok, I am

Hi all - looks like im back in time for you all to go off on holidays

Not been on for a while as you all know was planning my wedding which was absolutely fantastic . Im sad its not every weekend!

I havnt had much of a chance to catch up on everyones posts so let me know if I have missed anything and bring me up to speed?

WE had a great holiday in france the week before which the children loved and I managed to drink copious amounts of wine and even read a book so very relaxed.

Back to the real world now and normality of my household although not that normal with 7 of us.[hmmm]

Melissa 2:5 being quite difficult at the moment and I too have been a bit of a shouty mummy this week . She keeps hurting Isaac 1:5 and pushing him over poor thing, Naughty step does not work with her she just wont stay there which I find really frustrating so have taken to putting her in her cot - which I know is not the answer (and possibly storing up problems for bedtime)but it means she has to stay put - any suggestions anyone?

We're off tomorrow as well, early start (at least that's the plan...) then a week at my parents so kids on the beach all week and me not having to cook

Keep well, ladies

Well have survived another day AND no shouting! We even made a"rocket" with a cardboard box and went to the moon, between nappy changes etc!

loopy what an excellent list of ideas! Especially like the obscacle course (I mean, that sounds like fun whether the children are there or not)

Nothing happening here girls, Izzy has one her last teeth coming through, so she is a little bit grumpy with that, other than that, all calm.

We are painting the girls bedrooms tomorrow, so Izzy will spend the night with Freya, and then the other way round. God, they'll be up at bloody daybreak chatting and singing!

Having my hair highlighted tomorrow so DH has got the girls, who knows what they'll have been allowed to get up to whilst I am gone (prob the obstacle course loopy but of their own making!)

Have a good weekend!
xxx

Thanks for the tips Loopy!

Have a good holiday G1YA!

Hi yes they are a year and 3 days apart. Had to stop medication to get pregnant so thought may as well have two in a row..

Off to a cottage holiday today. 4 hour car journey with the two of them on my own followed by a week with my nephew 7 and nieces 3 1/2 and 18mo my sister and my mum-who still thinks you can keep your clothes clean after a day with small children.. God help me!

Congrats Becky.

HI girls, welcome your two really are close !!

kaybee i swear it's an age thing rather than a boy thing!! DD1 got on pretty well with DD2 until somewhere around 15/16mo when it went downhill bigtime, and only improved when DD2 got to about 2.6. I am also seeing the same with DDs 2&3 now DD3 is 19mo - their previously good relationship is currently under fire a lot. I think it's sort of do with the older one getting stronger ideas about games they want to play, the younger one really getting into into copying and therefore "trying" to join in but totally not getting the rules of the game...result: they can't do anything together

becky glad all seems well - just the one then?! I have some suggestions for you to at least (hopefully!) give you some ideas...
1) obstacle races. Can be done in the house or the garden, a living room example could be getting from the door to the window without treading on the carpet, or under the dining table, swim along the sofa, touch the door handle then first one sitting on the rug wins etc etc
2) Make a tent with a sheet, some chairs or the dining table. Let them have a picnic in the tent.
3) Join up with some other Mums from toddler groups to meet up every week at each others houses.
4) Invest in a season ticket for a local attraction (ours is the miniature pony centre, kids love it and if ever I am stuck for something to do I throw them in the car and off we go!)

I had my scan today. All went well due 15th Feb. MS is slowly getting better. I am so bored with the school hols though. No pre-school, no playgroups. We have playdohed, water fighted and coloured ourselves silly and we are only 1 week in. HELP- anyone got good ideas for fun, cheap things to keep them all busy!

hiya can i join..
have two dds 10 mo and 22 mo.Already going mad with all our usual activites shut down for summer!

Hi newbies - becky, i'm a shouter too, you're not alone!

Kaybee- glad things are getting a bit better. My 2 seem to mostly want to fight and shout and the moment- i assume it's a boy thing, testosterone and what-not. If they don't get enough physical exercise they go nuts!

JKS glad to hear you have an appt coming up at GOSH, I hope they can help so your little boy can get on with being a little boy!

Loopy - my ds2 has just started biting, he bit me on the tummy the other day . No idea what's going on, ds1 never really did that, not at that age anyway.

Still having trouble with the dc fighting. Ds1 always used to be so sweet and gentle (well, for a boy anyway) and now he is just constantly pushing ds2 over, snatching toys, running him over with ride on vehicles . It's like a battleground in this house. I feel like the biggest shouty mummy at the moment . Too much testosterone in my house.

Dh has 2 job interviews coming up so all fingers and toes crossed please

Thanks Becky always reassuring to hear of others going through the same!

JKS good news that you have an appt at GOSH, just bloomin' awful that you/DS have having to go through all this in the meantime I hope you start to get some answers and progress on effective treatment/management of his condition.

jewels glad to hear your SIL is recovering (how is her friend?) and that you are chilling out about it now (almost as chilled as your new purchases, eh ?!) We now have swine flu in our village...as long as we don't get it before I head off to see my folks next weekend (my Dad has a supressed immune system, so we will not be welcome with swine flu!)

Right, off to re-arrange the seats in the car. We have a 7-seater, so DD1 is getting shifted into the back row away from her sisters after today's debacle.

Loopy- a few weeks back DC2 bit DC1s hand in the carpark of his preschool. I was carrying DC3 at the time so when DC1 burst into tears and refused to move and then DC2 had a tatrum face down right in front of one of the other mother's cars I was a bit stuck.

Anyway, ended up leaving DC2 to her tantrum (whilst the mother of the car sat and waited for me to come back!) and got the other two into the car. Went back for DC2, who by this time had a mouth full of gravel and one of the mums (who hadn't seen the original incident) was trying to calm her down and get her clean. Anyway I was so angry I simply shouted at her to get in the car and muttered something about naughty steps when we got home, leaving a carpark full of mums watching (some probably in sympathy, some in disgust- the ones with only one very well behaved child). DC2 spent lunchtime at the bottom of the stairs, while I had a cup of tea and recovered!

Not sure if this will help you feel like you are in good company. AND DC2 hasn't bitten since!

Welcome becky and definate high five to you! Also wishing that your MS is on it's way out, and you can enjoy your pregnancy.

JKS I didn't realise how resricting epilepsy would be for children, must be awful for him (and for you no doubt). I hope there is some encouraging developments after your appt, and that your DS2 can get on with being a energetic little boy!

loopy indeed your DD is a clever girl! She obviously realised that there are times for playing, and times when mummy is serious. What a hero!

Nothing happening here, my SIL has recovered from the swine flu and I have chilled a bit with regards to that. Bought some boden mini stuff off ebay though, and I was seriously thinking about putting them in the fridge for 2 weeks, as that would kill off any virus in the fabric. But then I had a reality check and realised I was being over dramatic

Took some lovely pictures of the girls today, as our frame need updating (or adding to) so that was good.

Off to watch corrie

OUCH!

DD1 bit DD3s finger in the car today. Seething....

Hi Becky & {shock] for you, hope the MS passes soon.

Loopy - that sounds fab dressing up too
DS1 would prefer me to get an adults pirate outfit i think

Kay - glad some money coming in, always stressful. Hope things settle for you soon.

Am doing ok here, DS1 is fine, end of pre-sch & playgroups for the summer somewhat intimidating though isn't it?!
DS2 is struggling with his epilepsy still, we have an appt at GOSH in sept 1st so hope we can move things forward then. He just wants to sleep all day and is not developing like he should - hardly surprising when some days he's only up for 3.5hrs.....

Had PIL & my dad here for weekend for a work do with DH'd work, exhausting but fun, just trying to get the house back to normal (or even tidier than normal would be nice, lol!) now.

Aaw becky, I am having so many shouty days ATM too, and I have nothing like your excuse!! I over-compensate through guilt when I'm in a better miood, and that probably doesn't really help on balance, either.

Two "moments" to relate from today:
1) managed to lock the kids and the keys inside the car after church it was pissing down with rain and in all the rush to get them in and get the doors shut, my golden rule of ensuring I never shut all the doors unless I am holding the keys got skipped. Turned out when I had lobbed the keys onto the car floor to load a child, the fob had knocked on the floor, locking the car. SO when I shut that last door..... DD1 was brilliant followed all my instructions shouted through the window and eventually found the keys and unlocked the car Who's a clever girl then?!

2) Slightly bizarrely found myself sat watching Ice Age with the kids this afternoon...wearing a ball gown !! They were dressing up as princesses... somehow I got roped in to joining in

Hope the rest of you have had fun weekends!

I might have 3 young kids but not a supermum. I keep loosing my temper with them at the mo and generally feeling a bit crap about my parenting skills. I don't think feeling like I constantly want to vomit helps!

Sorry to be so fed up but hoping things will improve soon and maybe I can aim for supermum status!

<<Loopy steps aside for the new hardcore Mummy in da house >> Hi Becky I had 3 under 3 once upon a time, but my youngest is now 19mo and my eldest starts school in Sep, so that's all a long time ago...

Have a great trip Chaotica!!

Hi, I am new to this thread but would like to join and have some support with looking after my DCs who can drive me mad sometimes!

I have DS1 (3 years), DD (nearly 2) and DS3 (7months) and I am about 10 weeks pg with DC4 (I have been on the Due in March thread but thinking it might be Feb. No AF between DCs so waiting for scan next week).

Anyway, been a bit down with MS and although only DS1 has been going to pre-school 3 mornings a week and the rest of the time they are all at home with me, the summer hols are looming a bit ahead of me.

Need some survival tips and happy calming thoughts!

,<chaotica wipes stressed brow and wonders if one more molecule will fit in the car (and whether it's legal to strap a toddler to the roof >>

Bye all and see you when I get back. <waves>

Have a happy wedding, Tracyface!

Hello Dog (no, that really doesn't sound right...!!) I'm another here with 3 pre-schoolers, about to become just 2. Can't wait for school, frankly, as DD1 tries my much-shredded patience all day, every day. Much more hesitant about DD2 starting playgroup next term ! She'll only be doing three sessions a week but it is going to seem so weird.

jewels frightening times for all there, then. IKWYM about vaccilating between the two opinions!

Feeling like poo here today - just full of cold and could really do with a night off from the kids at bathtime/bedtime!! Ah well, only a fortnight left now

Welcome, JustcallmeDog - 3 preschoolers? You're in!

Swine flu is sort of hovering around here at the moment - some people at work have it (but work is a long way away and I don't have to go in at the moment), but some people at the nursery where the playgroup is have apparently had it too. I vary between being calm and thinking it's best for the DCs and us to get it over with, and getting really nervous because DD is prone to getting chest infections even with a normal cold. I had a bit of a paranoia attack earlier this week as the DCs had bad colds and fevers with very chesty coughs - they seem fine now though [crossed fingers emoticon]
I hope your SIL's friend gets better, Jewels.

I'm rushing around madly (or should be ) as we're going on holiday for two weeks tomorrow... I hope the weather is better than here (which it might not be, because we're not going far). Oh dear - now it's thundering... No chance of the DCs napping now

Glad you've had some work, Kaybee. I second the 'threaten the grandparents' plan

Hello,

May I join you all, I think I qualify I have 3 children DD1 is 4.5, DS is 2.7 and DD2 5 months, am quite busy with all of them and get lots of faces when out with them all but I love it. DS has speech delay which adds a bit more chaos to the mix. Am half looking forward to and half dreading DD starting school in september...

Hello everyone,

No, we have had no deaths in our area but my SIL and neices have it, and they are fine. But my SILs friend has it and she is in hospital, in the critical list

I think the annoying and scary thing is that some people shake it off and others not so. I have convinced myself if I get it, I will die!

Kaybee hope the work keeps coming in. Sounds a bugger that the grandparents over there are not so babysitting-friendly. Maybe you just have to get tough and tell them in they don't help out more, you'll seriously think about returning to UK!!

Grrl it really pains me to see you up so early - you poor thing . Mine have been waking around 6am and that just kills me. DS1 gets out of bed and shuffles into our room in his grobag and I just wake up thinking 'nooooooooooooooooo'

Welcome to the newbies

I am feeling a bit better this week. DH has had some temping work last week and this week so we have some money coming in which always helps! I had a few days work at a daycare centre too so every little helps. Still unsure of where I ultimately want to live. I always thought that here would be better to bring up the kids but the area we used to live in in London/Essex border was ok, we had a backyard, shops up the road, and friends nearby. The biggest plus was my inlaws as they were happy to have the boys to stay and babysit anytime. That's the support that we are missing here as my parents are not so good in that respect. If we move back it would be to Herts/Essex I think as not willing to start again somewhere else.....

My 2 boys are driving me a bit crazy at the moment. DS1 seems to have too much testosterone (age 2.7) - is this normal??? All they do is fight over EVERYTHING. I feel like a referee not a mummy. Does anyone have some handy hints on activites a 15mo and 2.7yr old can both enjoy without starting WW3.........

I guess I'm a bit concerned, as ATM the group worst affected is under 5's (though they are just getting it in the biggest numbers, not dying from it!). It has made me think twice about stopping BF DD3 this autumn; I may continue till spring... And I bought a bottle of maple syrup the other day to mix the paed Tamiflu with - apparently it's VILE!!!!!!!

Nope, not worried at all tbh. Have any deaths been in your area?

PMSL at the cbeebies songs

And panicking about bloody swine flu. Are any of you? Honastly, it is has really freaked me out (I am not enjoying participating in my usual style and beauty haunt)

I have had some wine.

I get told off by George if i sing along to the songs on Beebies He spoils all my fun! "Are you ready? Are you ready? Get set go..." "Maaaaammy, noooooooo!"

Weekend was great thanks, back to reality now! Didn't miss the buggers while we were gone, but on the way home i wanted to see them, and by the time we picked them up i realised how much i had missed them really!

I'm doing the Race for Life Sunday, if anyone else fancies sponsoring me?

http://www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/RunningSiany

Anyway- must get ready for work! Catch up soon xx

I'm quite a fan of Hugo Monkey myself

<chaotica congas out>>

Oh, I got all excited for a moment there, thought you were about to start off Hugo monkey's funky jungle conga ( a particular fabourite of mine and DHs

Chaotica don't worry about nursery most places they do very little that is structured group activity, instead allowing freeplay the rest of the time! I have one who is not into group compliance a lot of the time...they manage her very well. Be proud of your willful and stubborn brave and independent offspring!

We had our school home visit today, DD1 was (as ever) massively over-excited. I re-iterated to her new teacher just how much I am looking forward to Sep 7th....

<<hums...>>

Down in the jungle where nobody goes, there's a great big elephant washing his clothes...

Sorry While we're in the mood for singing I seem to have the songs from playgroup going around in my head. Fortunately the DCs were well enough to go (just) (with added calpol) although if they'd actually sat still at the song time at the end I'd have known they were sick. Actually, DD often just lies down on the floor and tries to go to sleep . I don't know what she's going to do at nursery in september. (Every now and then I worry how out of synch her behaviour is and then I just leave her to it - I presume that she's just at the awkward end of normal )

Must go and clean rather than MN while there's a little quiet around here!

You gotta love the Spring!

Liked that one lots!

Still working on the summer one...

Do you know it's springtime?
Feel it in the wind chimes!
Yes I know it's spring time
Bluebells ringing it's time......

{grin]

Hello everyone & welcome newbies

I'm sitting here laughing as ds2 (18mo) is stealing ds1's (3) juice cup and running off with it

Shouldn't be even remotely positive as woken at 5.18 (5.17 yesterday, can i see progress???? )
<yawwwwn>

You know you have pre-schoolers when you actually like the CBeebies seasonal song......

Loopy LOL at "trying again for a boy"... That way lies 9 kids (all girls) Someone I know at playgroup has 4 boys and wants a girl and we keep trying to warn her off...

We did see a lot of bears as it happens. It was a big surprise. In fact, if I'd known we could have gone in disguise... I'll stop now before this gets sillier...

Yes, even numbers far preferable for me, too If he wants to try again for a boy have a fourth then I probably won't need that much persuading.

Did you see lots of teddy bears? (down in the woods today...) Hope they are feeling better soon, and that they don't keep you up all night!

Hi All

Best of luck, Starkadder - I hope the pg all goes smoothly (and feel free to pop in to this thread and moan - it's harder (I found) to pg with a toddler than have 2).

Another one, Loopy? (My cm always swears by having an even number of children...) Oh, go on...

My two are sick today - one of those days when I can't tell who is sickest (although currently it is DD who is running a nasty temperature and has a bad cough). I did manage to take them to the woods though (despite DD's protests - she is such a lazy lump if left to it) and that reduced the tantrums somewhat.

Isn't it Tracyface's wedding soon? <<digs hat out of wardrobe >> I wonder how she is...

Thanks guys I've been using cloth nappies too and have been v happy with them, not sure how that will work out with 2....we will see! Provided, again, that all works out Had 2 MCs before DS1 - was a nervous wreck throughout being pregnant with him but slightly less insane now. Still crossing fingers though of course and touching wood :-)

I will be on here a lot no doubt

And forgot to say - brave? Or just plain stupid?!

2... then a few years recovery time... then 2 again

DH has muttered things about a possible fourth to me (though I stress I really, really don't think he will) but we would have 3 in 3 years, then a 3 year gap, then #4. Not sure about that one!

Hi Starlight and Starkadder , glad you could join us. I have a 17m age gap between my two and it's difficult at first and now feels quite easy. (I noticed the relatives I visited over the last few days looked tired just watching, but it's really down to what you're used to.)

Starkadder: as Loopy says, I doubt you'll need two cots, and you can use a sling at first until you decide whether you need a double buggy (we just had a crappy second hand one for when I wanted to walk farther than DD could manage). And two in nappies is no big deal (and it gives the older one something to help with). You'll be fine

(But, of course, Loopy has 3 and is much braver than me - sometimes I'm tempted but now I'm beginning to think that the age difference would be too great now...)

How old are your two, Starlight?

Hello starkadder you will be fine! I have an 18mo gap between DDs 1&2, and 17mo between 2&3. You will have 2 in nappies, yes definitely, but this is nowhere near as bad as some people seem to make it out to be (and I say that with cloth-bottomed kids). You definitely don't need 2 cots - they can go into a big bed from about 15mo. And as for double buggy - a matter of choice I would say! If you really want one it's a very good excuse to go shopping but you can easily manage with a sling and single. I have done it double buggy once and sling/single once. Suffice to say I still carry my 19mo DD3 everywhere so guess that worked out

Hi starlight how old are your DCs and are you dreading the summer holidays?

Well done chaotica!!!!! In-car DVDs rock, DH and I are going to push the boat out as soon as we can and get a flash properly installed one that we can control in the dashboard with screens for all the kids in the back. That's how good they are, though, isn't it?!

Hello everyone..

Just found out today that I am expecting Number Two....! V happy but slightly sh*tting myself as DS1 is currently 15 mths, so will be around 23 months (I think) when this one arrives. As long as it all works out OK, touch wood...

Are we letting ourselves in for a nightmare?? Nappies..? Two cots??? Massive double buggy???

Reassurance please.....

Hello! My I join too?

Hope you had fun, Grrrl

Hi All and welcome KRo (I second the idea of toddler groups btw)

I survived! In fact I had a good time and I think the DCs did too (although DS has screamed all day today - I don't think that he wanted to be home). With planning, I managed 400 miles and virtually no tantrums, on my own... (I recommend an in car dvd player! although the most notable tantrum was when I switched it off because DD was eating the cable ) (she's the elder responsible one, honest!). I might even try it again some time , but I might go slightly mad now I know the entire Noddy collection...

No jewels! Wait to get the leather jacket! (I get those judgment lapses too, I should never shop for clothes with pmt ). And sorry but lol at the fluff phobia (although you handled it really well) - DS is just getting scared of things that he previously loved: it's hard to handle it well.

Hi KRo, welcome to chaos Is there a toddler group where you are? Always a good starting point for meeting some other parents, and your HV may even know of some groups that run through the summer holidays.

jewels so come on then, what's the new business?! Certainly sounds like it has got you two excited! And (again accept my apologies for this but...) PMSL at the fluff phobia !!!! Very nicely handled though, I think getting her to take it from you and put it into the bin herself was an excellent strategy!

Chaotica how was your trip? Hope the DCs were reasonable for you. We are off to Wales in a couple of weeks, but at least it is to stay with my folks, so apart from the trip there I will have help!

Struggling a bit with DD1 here ATM feel quite guilty about how much I am looking forward to her starting school, as some days I really can't wait to be shot of her which is terrible! She just drains me though, virtually permanent use of whine mode and purposeful disobedience (drawing on the walls being a particular favourite right now ). Not really sure how to handle her and just marking time till school now. Hey ho!

Hi, I am new to this..hope I get it right!...
I have a 2.5yo boy and a 1yo girl..in a nutshell if someone invited me to have a nervous breakdown right now I would !!!
Last week of term at pre-school for DS next week and I am filled with dread!..especially as we relocated last year and I still have no friends with any toddlers with never ending energy!!!
Can I join????

Hi all and yes definately have fun grrl and you too chaotica with your trip.

I have PMT right now so I am pissed off at everything. That and I have become infatuated with a leather jacket; convinced that it is the answer to forever happiness. Do you ever get that when PMT is around? Like my judgement is just all out.

Izzy, following on from the bees and flies, is now scared of fluff. We have pale carpets on our stairs and landing and bits of sock fluff seam to congregate their especially. So, Izzy was on her way downstairs when she started to really scream, and point. I really had no idea what the problem was until I picked up the offending fluff (at this she cuddled into my neck and turned her head so she could not see it). This happened a further 3 times until DH ripped the fluff up, and out it in her hand, and told her to put it in the bin. She has been alot better since then but we did have a minor sock fluff incident this morning (it was ok though, phew)

Other than that I am excited/scared about Freya starting pre-pre-school on August.

Also ladies DH and I have decided that the economic downturn is a great time to start a business, so we spend alot of our evenings in talks, with Excel and Project open setting 'milestones'.

Anyway, I am blathering now, speak later babes

Oh yes, good luck indeed There will be moments of horrendousness but you will be so proud of yourself at the end!

Good luck Chaotica! Have fun.

Looking forward to Menorca in Sept, but have also been discussing the chance of DH and i going on a second honeymoon on our own in 2011. Want to go back to USA and not have a 1yr old sleep between us the whole time, or for me to be pregnant.

I've started saving already!

Have fun, Grrrl, btw.

Oooh Grrrl

LOL, Loopy.

I'm taking my two away on my own tomorrow for two nights so wish me luck!

Hot undies then comfy slouchy clothes on top

Have a fab time!

Hi All!

George loves bees too. I've told him that bees are lovely and useful, and as long as he doesn't touch one, the bees will be happy - seems to work. I'm worried about giving him a phobia about something without meaning to - so much so i picked up a spider the other day to put it outside ( a small one mind you!) and i don't like them much. DH was well impressed!

Sleep is up and down here, but Dyl's cot is now a bed. He hasn't fallen out much, and when he has, he's carried on sleeping! He's slept through twice in the last few weeks, which is quite exciting!

Can't wait for Friday / Saturday. We have 2 child free nights! Going to London first thing Saturday for a film festival, so kids staying at MILs. I can't decide what to wear - no idea how rubbish weather may be, and i want to be comfy, but also sexy-ish seeing as we're out for the night and staying in a nice hotel

Evening All

Good work with the car boot sale, Jewels. I can never be bothered so most of my stuff goes to friends or freecycle (when I know I could have made some cash). Never mind... And I got a whole heap of clothes for DS yesterday which is great (some are so big that DD is wearing them - she particularly likes a t shirt with a shark on it, so I hadn't the heart to say it was meant for DS).

(I'm waiting for DS to be stung by a bee or a wasp - he's so interested in them and not in the slightest afraid... [nervous emoticon] I'd be flapping around too )

I took them for a walk today to the local playground and DS insisted on walking home only to crash straight into a wheely bin and fall over because he wasn't looking. I don't know whether or is in order here (he's not hurt, just stunned and annoyed that I made him get back in the buggy).

Hope all is well, Kaybee. Sending job-vibes your way

Hi loopy and yes, probobley looked very funny if any of th neighbours were watching and Izzy is still obsessed with bees and chases then around buzzing. What is not to nice is she also loves flies. Especially those big meat flies that get in your face.

Nights are fine now, we just stopped rushing to her crying and after just a few nights she has back to her normal self. Who knows what it was?

Just did a car boot sale with some of the girls old stuff (inc my nursing chair etc) and got £130!! So, since I did sell two of Izzy's biggest (but hardly used toys) I am thinking of getting her either a : little tikes rocker, a slide, or a sit n ride. Freya already ahs one and Izzy uses it, but would be nice for to have one for herself.

Hoping all is ok kaybee and your silver lining is glimmering for you again.

Hi All

No time to post now, but...

Loopy I can assure you that your DD2 is a genius . Freya can just about manage to do a 12 piece jigsaw with a lot of help (and she's three too). Happy birthday to your DD2 btw (And you must be glad that your DH is back kind-of soon.)

jewels hope Izzy's pulled muscle has recovered, and that your bee paranoia is easing a little. I confess I did smile at the image of you flapping your arms wildly around your DD every time you thought a bee was near her, whilst DD stands there looking at you in a bemused fashion . They are so much tougher than we realise (the kids, that is!), aren't they! How are night times now?

kaybee you are so right, everything will look better when the sun is shining. So there you go, don't give up before the summer unless you can't feed yourselves! It does sound like you have both made an enormous emotional investment into this move for years now, which kind of makes me think staying till you're down to your last NZ$ sounds like the decision you would least regret

We've had a birthday this week, DD2 was three yesterday where does the time go?! Those of you with a 2-3yo, if they do jigsaws, how many pieces can they manage? And with how much help? She got quite a few yesterday (on request), and has slightly surprised me at what she is managing with fairly minimal assistance, but as DD1 is crap at has never really done jigsaws, I have nothing to compare her with!

Only 4 more weeks till DH comes home now.

kaybee yes sorry to hear you are experiencing a shit time. I agree with Loopy though, about the 5 year thing. And agree with chaotica that London is not a good place to be when poor, and not good place to bring up children (my neices are all lovely girls, but they have grown up a tough kind of life in London) which is why we decided to move out.

What about another option entirely and coming back to UK, but a less populated part - and no I don't mean the home counties. How about Derbyshire? Cornwall? Warwickshire? Yorkshire? There are some lovely places that are much cheaper than London and great places for little ones. Personally, having made the move to Stirling from London I find myself daydreaming about living htere again [glass is always greener emoticon]

Well loopy and all of you who gave advise, we did biuld Izzy's bed back into a cot and she seems a little happier. Still not back to her usual self and I think it may be just plain her last 2 teeth are coming and she feels the pain most in the morning and last thing at night (as loads of books also say) so we will leave it as is for now anyway, maybe when she is coming up to 2, and it is christmas we will make a big deal of the bed and santa leaving a stockinh etc and see how that goes.

Nothing happening here at all other than that, but I did injure Izzy the other day. She likes me to life her up by pulling her hands up above her head and I did this in little jumps up the stairs. One minute she was giggling the next crying and she continued to be upset all afternoon I must have pulled a muscle and she kept pointing to her shoulder and crying. I felt really really bad. Oh and she also got stung the other day! She loves bumble bees (goes up to them and buzzes at them, then waves) and she accidentally put her hand on one, and it stung her. She had a little fat hand for about a day and now is fine. But now I have a thing about bumble bees and have started acting irrationally that they will sting her again [silly mummy emoticon]

God what a long post! Sorry girls!

xx

Hi All

Kaybee - good advice from Loopy: where do you want to be in 5 years time? And (one I try on myself) where is the best place to be poor? (Not London, I would guess...) And, where is the best place for the DSs? (while they're young, at least)... Personally I'd think "not london" on the last one as well, although I've no idea what life in NZ is like. Good news that your DH has a few weeks work coming up though - if he wants to make a go of it, it might be good to stick it out until spring (things will look better then!)

I am hot and tired and want to moan (have been at work all day and should go to get the DCs...) Maybe I'll just go to sleep instead

Thanks Loopy and Chaotica, I am just at the end of my tether! I think DH wants to stay and try to give it a proper go here, and I do agree, but it just feels like nothing is ever going to go right! We spent so many years with our London life on hold because we were 'moving to nz soon' and now we are here it's all buggered up again because we have no money and are all miserable
I am prob more depressed about it all now its winter and cold and gloomy and I HATE winter so much, so I am prob suffering from SAD .
Anyway, DH might have a few weeks work (shit pay but hey ho) coming up so thats an improvement......

Kaybee recession or no recession, I think you are both amazingly brave to take Very Smalls and head off for a new life the way that you have It sounds now a bit like you feel as if you are damned if you do and damned if you don't which is a pretty shit place to be . Personally I think a decision to stay put and try and stick it out would take huge amounts of courage, and equally a decision to return to the UK would take just as much! Which would you regret more in 5 years?

Chaotica I do hope you don't end up with enforced SAHM-dom, it's only a good thing to do when we want to, isn't it?! How is your DD today?

jewels how have your nights been the last few days? Have you returned to the cot? Just hope everyone is getting some sleep.

tracyface just too much excitement brewing in your life right now, isn't there?! I do hope you manage to relax and enjoy your holiday!

Not a lot going on here apart from some major lying/drawing on walls/other extreme naughty behaviour from my 4yo over the weekend. Did laugh though, when i found the drawings all over the living room walls, she tried to tell me it was middle sister. Shame she had had a go at writing her name and her age as part of her wall art !