Mumsnet Talk

Hello, October Mamas!
Make yourselves comfortable.

<settles down with milk, bottles and ear muffs>
<offers more ear muffs around>

Lovely place No Hun, I really like the title

Seriously Dd will not stop screeching and screaming at anybody. It is driving me mad
I am hoping by the time we do the next thread I will look at my first post, laugh wisely and believe it was just a phase and she is not really a little madam, princess

Oooh new year new thread I like it

Phew! Glad you like it, Ty.

Aw! Bless her! I am sure it is just a phase! <that lasts another 17 years>

Hello, tf, and welcome!

Good timing NoHun as dd took her first steps on Christmas Eve - three! - and then today did eight in a row a few times. I know some of yours have been walking for months and months, so we've just got in under the wire. She's into everything, including ds's toys which he's not madly keen on .

Ok, need some advice about totbots. I got my Cherrylicious which looked lovely, but was sorely disappointed the first time I used it as it leaked really badly after less than two hours. Not just wicking but properly wet. The blurb said it didn't need any other booster but do you guys use one? I've used it a couple more times but only for a short period each time.

Hurrah! Well done, Junior ft! And aw bless re wanting her brother's toys!

I don't use a booster for my TotsBots EasyFits, they have always been brilliant. I think they say all babies are different, and some nappies just don't suit some bottoms. I don't know what to advise, really. If you have a booster about, you could try it, I guess.

I'm here!

Floozie our dc always seem to be on even keel.
Dd took her first independent steps a few days ago and can manage 8 in a row.
She only falls down due to pure excitement that she managed it and claps

Meant 5 in a row, sorry thinking of your dd to much

Great thread title NoHun . Congrats to your DDs on the walking Ty and Floozie it never fails to make me smile seeing DD racing about.

My parents have just left. DD is asleep- feel rather lonely! Work tomorrow and I seriously and not interested! I love being at home with DD and wish so much it could go on forever.

Thanks, Mock.

Yay for all the walkers, now here come the talkers! (Praise for thread title gone to head!)

Dd3 prefers to say 'uh'

DS's favourite word is oosh!

Dd when she is not screaming tends to say adada it is rather cute

They are getting cuter and cuter, aren't they!

DS comes and gives me a huge squeeze when I ask for a cuddle, I love it! Arms wide, squeeeeeze. Bliss. Kisses too.

I got woke up the other day with a kiss!

I'm getting kisses too and DD's form og hug which tend to involve climbing me. DD'd favourite words are HIYA! said all the time, yes, push (because she likes to push the light switch on/off) Dada, nyum nyum and Traaceee (the childminder's name) .

Gotta love the kisses!

DS says 'go' a lt. DH has fun conversations with him along the lines of:
DH: On your marks, get set ...
DS: Go!
DH: Name a board game.
DS: Go!

Heh heh!

I get kisses too, one day soon I am sure she will close her mouth to kiss

Know what you mean Ty , got a lovely yoghurt one the other day!

Anyone else's toddler do zombie running? Arms out ,going 'arghh'

Ds's favourite word is "doggo" (for doggy). Every dog we see necessitates him bouncing excitedly, pointing and shouting doggo. Even a girl dressed up as a dog

I Love the kisses! I get them all over my face each morning, have to wipe off the slobber!

Ds's favourite word is "doggo" (for doggy). Every dog we see necessitates him bouncing excitedly, pointing and shouting doggo. Even a girl dressed up as a dog

I Love the kisses! I get them all over my face each morning, have to wipe off the slobber!

HJ, ours runs sometimes with his arms outstretched BEHIND him, like he is about to take off! He climbs everywhere, sooo adventurous. Little scamp!

Dd3 is only little & has to get a box to get on the settee!

Dd has not walked again since those 5 steps but she can climb on to the sofa unaided and get on my bed with a stool, which she puts there.
She still shocks me, I see her as a baby but she is a toddler now

My DD was like that Ty. Its like they think- ooh I can do that. Right, off to the next thing! For a little while she found crawling faster, but not for long. She's trying running now and ran into a door frame this morning. She has a large welt between her eyes, down her nose and to her lip. I sense this is just one bump of many....

Baaad night last night. We stayed with a friend and DD is not a fan of the travel cot so I co-slept with her.....well tried to. Normally she's fine with co-sleeping. Last night she had ants in her pants and shifted position I am not kidding every few seconds including trying to drape herself across my head at one point. She comfort sucked for a long while which helped me doze then came off but obviously wanted to be sure she could find me in the dark again so kept hold of a nipple. . This was not comfortable for me....unsurprisingly. The histrionics when I tried to prise her little fingers from me was quite something and I compounded my friend's DH's opinion that he never wants children as her shrieks could be heard through the walls. I ended up taking DD downstairs for a bit where she gazed at the tropical fish tank. So I did not get much sleep worse luck. Fortunately we managed to drop off at 3 but woke up at 8. DD is now fast asleep but struggled to get there tonight. Fingers crossed she stays asleep!! The nipple thing did have me wondering about stopping bfing in the middle of the night . So did me laying on my back and DD throwing herself on me for a feed and restricting my ability to breathe.......

To answer NoHun's question from the last thread. DD has 4 teeth. Both front ones top and bottom. No sign of the other yet.

Off to try a name change....

Tis Mock. What do you think of this name?? <twirls>

Oh mock / huggy what a night! Hope tonight is better. Every time I see the words Pom Bear I want to eat some

ty ds did that with the walking too, did a few steps, then didn't bother again for a while. Don't worry before you know it you'll be running around after her all day long...

We've been busy getting organised for ds's first skiing holiday, am excited but a bit nervous! I will only ski a couple of mornings I think, I mainly want to spend the time with ds. There will be another toddler and his mum at the chalet too, but I am a bit nervous as ds loves to be outside a lot, and not sure how easy that will be. He's been practising walking in his snow boots though, looks very cute! 7 sleeps to go... (14 for ds!)

Ps I think my nipple is actually twinging a bit in sympathy! Poor you! Ds fully weaned now as I was struggling with the very restrictive diet (he has allergies) once back at work, but every time he tweaks his bottle teat I wince a bit at the memories! Still, it is a lovely thing to do too

(I mean breastfeeding is lovely, not tweaking nipples, for the avoidance of doubt )

(I mean breastfeeding is lovely, not tweaking nipples, for the avoidance of doubt )

Huggy, great new name, I like it a lot! Ah, they are monkeys, aren't they! DS is a wriggly bug, finds all sorts of positions to snuggle into me in bed, I do love it though, he is so cuddly. He definitely has a favourite side for sleep-feeding, too.

Skiing, tf, really? Are they able to ski at this age? I have never been, I really want to. DH mentioned it yesterday, actually, we will go one day, hopefully soon.

Ohhh no ds won't be skiing, we will be playing in the chalet and venturing out into the snow for aa little play every now and then and maybe try some gentle sledging. We're going with a big group though so there is another toddler and a baby, so we will have company in the day and its such a beautiful place to go, and the chalet is well staffed so I can just put my feet up while ds naps, which is all I ask from a holiday these days

I miss the co-sleeping cuddles, ds just won't sleep in our bed though, he thinks its a giant trampoline, so I have to make do with morning cuddles

Ohhh no ds won't be skiing, we will be playing in the chalet and venturing out into the snow for aa little play every now and then and maybe try some gentle sledging. We're going with a big group though so there is another toddler and a baby, so we will have company in the day and its such a beautiful place to go, and the chalet is well staffed so I can just put my feet up while ds naps, which is all I ask from a holiday these days

I miss the co-sleeping cuddles, ds just won't sleep in our bed though, he thinks its a giant trampoline, so I have to make do with morning cuddles

Ah! I did wonder! From what age can they start skiing? We'd like to start DS young. I feel I missed out, never skiing as a child, though we simply couldn't afford it, so such is life.
DS loves sleeping in with us, which I am grateful for. We will let him move out whenever he wants, I just hope it's not any time soon! I love the sleepy snuggles so much!

2.5 I reckon for skiing. Its the age I started (I was born and brought up in the Highlands) and they're fearless at that age. Lots of alpine children ski from that age, legs very wide apart, bombing down hills regardless of others! Your holiday sounds lovely TF . I would recommend self catering if you go to Europe NoHun. They think vegetarian is eating no red meat but serve up fish and chicken as if it hasn't breathed and lived, I think a lot of Europeans would find veganism a mystery (Particularly in Bulgaria where I think they have a national allergy to veg)- although I am sure you could find vegan chalets. America would be good as they are very friendly to different kinds of diets although the disadvantage is its FREEZING and not great for kids in that regard whereas when you stop for a hot chocolate and apple strudel in Europe you can get a lovely tan and eat outside quite comfortably! I am jealous TF!

DD had a lovely bf this evening and stroked me then climbed into bed wuite happily which was very nice compared to the last 2 night .

just been onto Youtube and was looking for the lyrics of Autumn Days as my Dnephew's been singing it for school. Sang along then clicked on colours of day. For a split second I couldn't remember it then suddenly was like OOOHH! And sang along. Something I don't think I'd be doing in company!! ....All together now..So light up the fire and let the flame burn, open the door let Jesus return....remember it?! Happy days. .

Those songs take me back a bit!

Wow huggy you have skied in a lot of places! I have only skied in France, plus switzerland once (for our honeymoon). I would like ds to start at 2.5 - 3 ish but only as much as he enjoys doing. I suspect he will be better than me within a few hours. He is already better than me at catch . I am sooo not naturally sporty!

Those songs take me back a bit!

Wow huggy you have skied in a lot of places! I have only skied in France, plus switzerland once (for our honeymoon). I would like ds to start at 2.5 - 3 ish but only as much as he enjoys doing. I suspect he will be better than me within a few hours. He is already better than me at catch . I am sooo not naturally sporty!

Thanks, Huggy. DS will love it, I am sure. Europe is indeed not great for vegans, I usually go elsewhere. Canada would be good! I do know some fellow vegans who go skiing and organise vegan groups, so will bear it in mind.

Ha ha, yes, two Catholic schools in and a Sunday School teacher for a mother means I do know that song!

I fancy a hot chocolate now you've mentioned it!

Doubt we are getting a holiday this year. Might just be weekend(s?) away.

Dd1 being 12 & having a family of 5 seems v difficult for cheap holidays. Found a cheap caravan thing in France but its a long way to get there and ££££ to fly/drive. Plus we need to buy dd3 a passport!

We are unlikely to have a holiday this year too, though there is a vegan summer camp in Italy that will be inexpensive whilst there, it's just getting there, plus passport for DS, plus, I am concerned about travel from airports if cars don't have the high standard of car seat we want. Plus, I really don't like disposable nappies, but I can't imagine I'd be able to manage very easily with cloth nappies at a camping facility. Two other vegan little ones will be there though, so hm, dunno! We can afford it if we really want to, but we are desperate for some necessary home renovations, so that's a big factor for our finances. I also want to do a big Italy trip one day, the whole place, but this summer is not the summer for that!

Car seat was our other issue with fly/drive. 3kids + cases+ buggy + car seat on a plane. .

Italy is lovely. It's on our list but I wouldn't like to drive when there. It was quite fast!

Exactly! I need a Camper Van!

Well, depends where you go, I guess!

We'll see. Don't need to dec

Ooops! Fat fingers! ... Don't need to decide for a while!

Think this will be our only holiday, we wanted a week in france in the summer but DH's work schedule looking too busy. We may do some traipsing around to wherever he's "working" though...

Think this will be our only holiday, we wanted a week in france in the summer but DH's work schedule looking too busy. We may do some traipsing around to wherever he's "working" though...

We are holiday looking in UK now. We have a tendency to 'home' to certain places (Hay - on-wye, Bath, Wales) so trying to move out slightly out of those zones. Found a couple of more affordable ones so might have a chance yet ( website called farm stays if anyone is interested )

We are going to Holland, first time abroad for 6 years so rather excited, it is actually our first holiday since having ds.
Deposit paid just hundreds more to go

We're going to Centerparcs.........again!! At the end of Feb and DH is taking me away for a surprise 3-4 days at the end of June (the surprise being I don't know the location but needed to know the dates for work. No major holidays as the Olympics means that we'll be hugely committed over that time (for olympics, para and special) so hardly anyone will get a summer holiday this year. Great for those trying to sort activities for their school age children in the holidays....not. 2012 is going to be a massive committment for my line of work, what with the jubilee too on top of everything else we're doing.

Re Italy and driving- they have to conform to high standards of child seats and outside of Rome the driving is fine in my experience. No worse than the UK. Well, the county where I normally live has the worst road safety record in Europe so anywhere is better!!

Oooh exciting tyson I really love Holland, a beautiful country. I bet ds will find it all really exciting too.

huggy that sounds like an exhausting year for you! We keep thinking about centre parks, am quite tempted to try it but it does seem quite pricey.

I love my holidays in the sun but I think we are going to be sensible and give it a miss this year. DD is a very big handful at the minute as she is just into everything, running around non stop and has an endless supply of energy so I don't think it would be very relaxing. Plus I would like to be pregnant again and would feel uncomfortable being out of the country. Then there are the more boring things that we need to spend our money on so I can't really justify it.
We are going to PILS caravan at Easter and as we bought all the camping stuff last year we will try and get a few weekends away.

<twirls>! Just trying out a new name, not sure I wont revert back to NoHun though. Is it lost that it's a reference to Top Gun?

Anyway! Ooh, holidays! There is a vegan summer camp in the UK too, it's just that we already know quite a few people going to Italy. Think the UK will be much easier though. Will see about finances nearer the time. And like busyp, we are hoping to be pg, if we get pg this month, I'd be eight months by August, so won't want to be abroad, ideally.

I love TopHun!! But then I would wouldn't I?!

When I read BP saying she hopes to be pg, I realised how totally unready I would be for anything like that. I really feel in my gut that I'm happy with my lot. Much respect to those trying for more!! My DD is a star, I just don't feel the urge for more.

Heh heh, well, true!

Do you think that is a definitely for good, no more DC? I totally see the advantages of having one and one only. I feel privileged to have DS, and if I don't get blessed with any more, I will feel overjoyed that at least I have him, but I really would have loads more if I could! Six or seven would do! But unless I get two loads of triplets, I am too old really to get seven! So at least one more will do, two more would be great!

Right now I am 100% sure but recognise that I may change my mind, but the feeling of sticking with what I have is very strong. I haven't really weighed up the advantages and disadvantages, its just an overriding feeling I have and DH is happy with that. Right after we had DD he was talking of having another and I do absolutely love that teeny tiny newborn stage- well, I've loved every stage really! On that newborn high, I would have had another too, but now my hormones have settled I am happy with the status quo. I have occasionally thought it would be nice to have a little boy charging around the place as well (but like girls too!) but I have my lovely energetic nephew for that!

On the age front, you never know!! Fingers crossed for you.

You can't guarantee you'd get a boy next time anyway! Tis wonderful to be happy with what you have.

Well, based on having singletons, one every two years, I'd be 49 by the time I was having my seventh! No thanks!

Absolutely. I am the 2nd sister so of course would be happy to have another DD if I found myself pg. But I have nooooo plans for that .

We would like anothe but health , logistics & finance mean it wouldn't be the best decision!

Giving it until dd3 is two before we commit

I am pretty happy with one for now, I like the balance in my life, but part of me thinks we should give ds a sibling, so I am contemplating a second but not for another couple of years. Ds is wonderful and I love my time with him but not sure I am ready to be a mum of two yet

nohun I admire your ambition

I am very happy with two dc, but I am going through the hard stage that dd wants to do fun things but is too little and I still have to do fun things to keep a 3 year old entertained.
If I had a 3 bed house and a 7 seater and no health problems then I would poss just keep going till all the car seats were full. I love my dc and being a mummy but cant see me logically having more.

I feel exactly the same Tophun- love the new name by the way. Feel so lucky to have DD that I would be happy if this was my lot, but I do want more. I think 3 would have to be the limit, due to age, finance, car, DH etc. But best laid plans and all that we will just keep trying for number two and see what happens. My friend came round with her LO the other day and DD was very jealous when I was having a cuddle with the baby so I don't know how she would react to a new baby in the house.

DD seems to be changing daily at the moment she is like a little sponge taking everything in. She is learning more and more words. The new word of today was 'shoes'. She refuses point blank to say daddy and calls both me and DH mummy which is very funny as DH insists she does it to wind him up. When i ask her to say daddy she just says mummy and giggles so he might be right

Ty, I can imagine two the ages yours are together is not plain sailing! DS is into everything, how you cope with two, I don't know! Still, it is what I wish for.

Thanks re my new name, bp! <twirls again> I like it a lot! Though the main reference is lost on the rest of MN who don't know what DS is called!

I can't remember how old you are, I think you may be near my age? I think three is our limit due to age, I don't ideally want to be trying much after 40.

Are we due a growth spurt at 15m? Dd3 is eating everything in sight. I seem to be called (signed) 'milk sit there'

HJ quite possibly, dd is doing the same. She is even attempting chewy foods!

@ 'milk sit there'!

Phew! found the thread by searching for TopHun! I seemed to lose the postnatal threads!

<feels important>
Do you post a lot elsewhere? I don't, so you lot are always high up on the Threads I'm On.

I keep posting on the no replies ones so they clog up my threads I'm on & then I have to hide loads

Dd3 has been with me all day and just asked for milk. She has eaten tonnes of solids today though. Major brain growth spurt I think. Lots of clever responses today. Had a little toddle round town & she took me to the charity shop and straight to the toys. She's usually in the pram & don't always go to the toys. She bought a book in the end, had cows in , cows are good!

No, I don't post hugely elsewhere, I think because I hadn't posted in a while it had time expired, but I also couldn't find the whole post natal thread either.

Why Tophun you are important, you started the thread!!

<wallows in warmth of importance>

Hi all
(was loobyboo, monkeymaker)

Thought I'd post as haven't for awhile.

Little man is nearly 16mths and looks like he is having a growth spurt as he is eating lots and just being a little monkey, I do say he was sent to bring us joy as he just makes us laugh a lot.

Other news adding myself to the sept 2012 thread as it looks like we are pg with another, total shock and let's just say Christmas spirit may had something to do with it (not alcohol) only 6weeks so not counting chickens, as already had some bleeding but confirm with a scan today that there is a little one there.

Now have to get my head around it all.

Congratulations Plum! . Another joy spreader for you!!

Congrats plum, nice to hear from you again

@ Cows are good.

Hi, Plumsie, great hearing from you. Huge congratulations on your pregnancy, hope all goes smoothly.

There's an interesting thread in Chat about vegetarianism TopHun except is actually about veganism. Most are saying they have either tried veganism or don't think they could cope. The more you talk about it the easier I think it would be! Mind you being allergic to eggs and dairy products helps me there! One downside is most of my uniform is made of wool (makes you smell like a wet sheep in the rain) and the shoes are leather.

Thanks, Huggy, I have actually already just posted on it!

Ooh, I always hated that wet wool smell!

Congrats plum

I'm feeling brood ier y after watching the C4 big family thing yesterday!

I saw that thread & thought of tophun too!

I just watched that 15 children thing today, made me sad I didn't start when I was 14! I am a year older than that mother, and only have one child so far!
Ok, maybe not 14! 34 would have given me a couple of extra years for this baby-making lark! Actually, 15 would be a bit much for me, we want to do amazing trips around the world with our children, and even if you had endless funds, it's a bit impractical with 15 children. Four would be great, but I will be thrilled if I get at least one more!

Ooh, either I have a 'thing' or I go on about it too much. Hope it's not the latter!

If I had any more dc, I would want boy and girl twins called Thomas and Lauren.
But I will not have more, never am I ruining my tummy muscles again after starting 30 day shred and starving myself of chocolate
NoHun I hope you get your 4 dc very soon.

I'd love twins too, Ty! Two babies for the price of one pregnancy, brilliant. I'd be grateful for either gender, but we have names ready for girls, and our boys list isn't as certain, so for ease of naming, I'll take twin girls please! Names are a secret though until they arrive!
And thank you! Me too!
Oh, and I think I may go back to this name, think TopHun is wasted elsewhere!

Hello all,

Sorry I've been awol, I've been going through it with work at the moment. It's all gone up a particular creek and some berk has stolen my paddle.

I don't really think I should go into it as it's probably going to get quite sensitive soon.

Anyway apart from that, me and the boy are full of a cold and are sniffing olbus oil like it's party time down at the local. He's very chatty and is very cuddly at the moment.

Me, I'm ok, we'll get there in the end.

Also I got a KINDLE!!!! <strokes kindle>

No Hun you would be brilliant with twins! but David Caruso is mine, mine, mine
Tribs I have aKindle too, what books did you get???

Dd spent the whole hour of the food shop sitting in the trolley shouting, 'muma muma muma' at me with her hands outstretched, looking utterley upset!
She was fine btw

Oh and Tribs, did you Squee, when I got mine I squeeeeed for at least 5 mins

Ty I did indeed squee!!! I've had the Sookie Stackhouse books, confessions of a GP and a few other freebies as well. I carry it with me everywhere .

Squee? I have a kindle and have never heard of this! I have read 65 books since I got mine, lots of freebies too.

Welcome back Trib. If you ever want to rant about work feel free to pm. .

Staying down south this weekend with a bad back. Was struggling to walk at work today, wincing whenever I moved. Not the easiest on my own with DD and the dogs!

Pom you know, when you get something so great it makes you literally say 'squee' in an ear pinching over excited way?

Missed ya, Trib. Take it easy and be extra kind to yourself. Hope things work out.

Heh heh, Ty, ok, you can have Mr.Caruso, he isn't in my top five anyway!
Ah, thank you re the twins! Well, here's hoping!

<feels old and rather staid> I don't tend to do that....but I do have objects that make my heart swell like my kitchenaid food mixer . DD is totally into the squee thing. She's obviously much more up to the minute than me!

Anyone's DC had a tantrumette yet?! DD wanted to stay downstairs to play with the dogs yesterday morning and I took her upstairs to get dressed ready for going to work and childminder and she objected very strongly to going upstairs and when we got there she started to cry hard (no tears). I went to hug her and she pushed me away and turned around then sat down with her head down sobbing as if the world was coming to an end. I went to do my teeth and she followed me with an outraged expression alternately shouting and 'sobbing'. She wanted me to see her upset. Then suddenly her face cleared and she was back to pootling about!

She likes to help me get dressed in the morning and without me teaching her, she passes me the various bits of my uniform in the right order and lays my slippers in front of my feet and taps my foot to encourage me to put the slippers on (or work shoes if available). This morning I swear she said rank slide and passed me them.....

Thank you NoHun I think you are mad, how can he not be in your top 5!
Pom yes my dd has been tantruming alot for a couple of months. Usually she wants my phone or a toy ds is playing with. Luckily ds just gives it her as he likes the peace but it is not really teaching her anything

hun Im with you on the wanting twins. It would be perfect. Also I have twin girl names lined up but am struggling with boys. The name that I did like for a boy looks like been stolen by my pg friend. Oh and yes I think I am just a year or two behind you age wise. I can tell I'm getting old when I actually have to think about how old I am

Sorry to hear about work Trib and your colds. Hope things turn around soon. What are th eSookie Stackhouse books like? I love it on TV I need to find something to get me back into reading again. At the moment I only tend to read for work.

Your DD sounds very cute helping you get ready Huggy DD has tantrums quite regularly when she isn't getting her own way. She shakes her hands about crossly and screams, sometimes she throws herself on the floor or throws things. Now you have me worried I thought it was normal. Please someone else come along and tell me that your LO tantrums too

Cross posts Ty glad to hear that you are dealing with tantrums too

Of course its normal! Its a developmental thing just like walking, some start earlier than others!!! .

Feel free to ignore this re tantrums or not: www.continuum-concept.org/reading/whosInControl.html.

DS is ... strong-willed!

Huggy, that is amazing re the getting dressed!

Ty, well, he is cool as Horatio, but there are a few others I'd choose first, is all!

busy, ooh, well twin daughters here we come! Are you going to share with us your name ideas, or are they top secret like mine?

NoHun I probably read it too fast, but not sure of the overall message of the article. Is it basically crack on with what you're doing and that keeps you in control and you child will learn from that? <says this as DD is unloading the tumble dryer>......

I only skimmed it too, but yes, carry on as you would. Not sure how much I could do that, but I can see how it could work. We are very DS-focused, go to the swings, or messy play, stuff that we would not do were it not for him, but at the same time, we do go out in the evenings to restaurants and take him with us, he stays up late like an adult at weddings etc, so I guess we are a bit that way.

DD stays up late if required too and is very amenable about it and she comes to restaurants and has food off the menu.

She's very grisly today (2 new teeth emerging) and has just come round for a nap in time to see her Daddy on skype. She tried to kiss the screen and got very upset when he left. Not long now though! He's back in a couple of weeks .

DS is not so much up late if required - he is just a night owl.

Great your DD got to Skype and kiss with her daddy! Couple of weeks, gosh, that seems to have flown. How long is he back for? I don't know how you do it.

I knew it was normal I guess huggy its just I have had a few comments from people lately about DD being 'strong willed' I guess it made me a bit paranoid. Even the nursery rang to ask me to collect her as she wasn't well, when they described the symptoms it was a tantrum! Which made me puzzled because surely they deal with them everyday. They did later explain they had never her seen her tantrum before so I suppose I should be pleased that they got in touch when she was acting differently to usual.
She is really starting to test boundaries at the moment. Whilst eating she kept throwing food on the floor when DH stopped her she gave him a really dirty look then a few minutes later called to him and threw a handful of food at his face. Think we will have our work cut out
Though to be fair most of the time she is a delight and really cheerful

Glad your DH is back soon huggy
Nohun I'm keeping my names secret for now- sorry!

I had a tooth out on Tuesday it took two dentists over an hour to get it out and my mouth is still hurting so I am having a quiet weekend. I was on gas and air for all that time and felt really out of it- it really reminded me of labour.

Trib- pm me/FB me if you want.

Dd3 has started tantrums. Only a few so far but proper stereotypical ones on the floor kicking & yelling. She did have one at toddlers & fell off her chair which made her crosser! dd2 was vv difficult as a toddler so I tend to feel this is easy so far.

She's really challenging dd2 (10!!!) for top dog too. She's just pushed her over.

Aww at dd kissing the screen mock!

Its not nice when people make you doubt yourself BP. At least now the nursery have seen a tantrum. DD's are more of the pit of despair variety although as she approaches 2 I am sure they'll escalate!

I really did not know tantrums started this early!

Sorry, meant to say NoHun, they time most definitely has not flown by!!! DH Left at the beginning of August and that feels like ages ago, especially as I had to move house and start work in October.

huggy are you mock? Have I named checked right?

Work is ok, thank you for your messages they were really sweet. They seem to be going back and fourth at the moment. But I had a nice day today, which was really positive.

Also, ds has been asserting his sense of self for a while. Will he touch fruit??!! No, will he bugger! Two months of this now . He also tantrums, he will throw things at me and then cling to my legs. I tell him no and leave him to it. Rightly or wrongly I don't want him to get the idea that he will get positive attention that way.

nohun I'll read that article in a minute.

That article is interesting, we're sort of child focused here. He goes to groups and plays with other kids, I'm not always in his face but I do play with him and talk to him. I give him cuddles but at the same time I let him get on with it.

I don't really take him to restaurants as he just wants to wonder around, I find that stressful.

Trib Yup, tis Mock! Fancied a name change. Does your DS like vegetables?

Wel, I always thought the end of breastfeeding would be a mutual thing, but it appears that my body has made the decision. I am producing no milk. DD has dry nursed at night recently, but when she's actually hungry, she's demanded food. Well, I suppose 15 months is good going. Still though.

huggy but at least dd has sorted herself out over it.

15 months is great, Huggy. And your DD is fine, all good. I'd be happy if DS was off milk, either if mine dried up, or he just self-weaned. Still not pg, and I think I may be one of those for whom BFing is not compatible with conceiving. But I don't want to force him off.

This is my Chinese New Year namechange, btw!

People in America might raise an eyebrow at that name HoFun!

Oh dear, what have I missed?

Oh, do you just mean the ho? As in dirty ho?

Yeah, brings me back to seeing Jerry Springer years ago .

Jerry, Jerry

Well, the end of an era. Last bf this morning at 1030- a dry nurse and a fantastic skin to skin cuddle in bed. This evening, book, bath, massage then cuddle instead of bf. DD cuddled right up, rested her head on my chest and fell asleep in my arms. It was very lovely and she appeared quite content. Still feel sad, but at least I know she's fine with it as recently she's never demanded a bf (never turned one down though!) so she's ok. If over the next few days she asks I won't refuse. I do wonder how long it would be until she forgets the reflex. I consider myself to be very lucky to have had absolutely no problems breastfeeding. I remember the long hours watching recorded stuff on the sofa while she cluster fed when she was tiny and how I used to bring her downstairs after a bath and she'd feed to sleep and I'd let her stay like that until we were ready for bed. My family (apart from DH) thought it was wrong of me, but it worked for us and made her very secure.

Before I had her, I really had no idea how long I'd bf for and how natural it was to continue past 6 months, then a year. She's a little star and we are blessed. .

Hope you don't mind me blathering on! <wipes away tears>. I was hoping to still be bfing when DH got back, but its not to be. At least he can have night time cuddles!

Oh, Huggy, you have done amazingly. Your DD is grand. Happy memories. I too have loved it, and it's been easy for us. Loved all the tv watching whilst DS nursed to his heart's content. Was just a nice easy way to let him nod off.
And btw, I meant to say I hope you didn't feel I was belittling how slow it's been for you with your DH away. Just seems fast when you aren't involved!

Blather away as much as you like!

No not at all HoFun whenever a colleague goes away the time flies its just never the case when its you!

I am due to retire in 4.5 years time and I really hope I do not have to go away before then.

Phew!

Nice! I hope you don't have to go away either.

Fingers crossed for you huggy!

Thank you! I do live in fear of one of our ancient passenger aircraft having a problem. We fly in aircraft that are no longer flown by civilians as they are so elderly. Also, the weather where he is is very poor at the moment and he's meant to have flown south to meet his successor but is stuck due to snow. Here's hoping it melts soon!

Huggy you have done an amazing job bf and made lovely memories. I feel so proud seeing how DD changes everyday but at the same time that they are changing and growing up so quickly. We bought DD a height chart sticker for her room for xmas and she has grown since her first mark on boxing day. And yes it is horrible when people make you doubt yourself. I kept playing the conversation over for days but now I am reassured DD is fine and it is good that she is strong willed I just wish now I'd have stuck up for myself a bit more!
Hope your DH gets home safely soon and that you don't have to go anywhere

DD had a massive tantrum tonight because I took the bubble mixture from her as she kept trying to drink it- yuck! When me and DH ignored her she took herself into another room and we could just hear her wailing 'bubbles bubbles'

DD was sick at 1am this morning all over her room and then I had a terrible day at work, not helped with sleep deprivation and my neck is really sore. Not the best start to the week but am off to bed now and hoping that tomorrow is brighter

Oh dear BP. Was it the bubbles bubbles?!

If its any consolation, I tipped a hot caramel latte down myself this morning. In a massively public place then was stood in the ladies in my undercrackers (thank goodness I put a petticoat on this morning which I don't normally do, but my work skirt been static and clingy) washing my skirt and shirt then spending ages drying it under the pathetic hand dryer.....

bp, hope your LO is better today.

huggy, hope you didn't scald yourself! Ow.

Went to the GP yesterday as we aren't pg yet, just to ask if it was worth doing any blood tests or anything, and to get on the books if there is a waiting list, but she said they won't do anything for me until I stop BFing, and that it is most probably that it will then just happen. Grrr.
I am nearly 38, and my concerns are that a) the longer we leave it for no2 the harder it is to conceive, and b) potential risks for the baby of abnormalities. With this in mind, we are going to try and reduce his feeds, which I really am sad about, I so wanted him to naturally self-wean. He is not best pleased either.

Big hugs to those stopping /reducing breastfeeding, I know its hard having to do so before you're ready

Just a quick hello from me, am back from holiday it was fab, lots of relaxing and lots of fun. Managed a fair bit of skiing, lots of snowy adventures with ds, and lots of good food and good wine. On the last night I went out with friends to sample the apres ski and danced till nearly 4am

Had IT training today and now in bed with a tummy bug so its back to earth with a great big crash will at least give me a chance to catch up on sleep though!

I'm glad you had a great time TF. Sorry to hear about the tummy bug! Boo hiss.

Thats annoying news for you NoHun. I'm prob teaching you to suck eggs, but have you considered upping your DS's calcium intake via food and that might curb a desire for bm? Some ideas could be biscuits made with almond butter, tofu dip, tahini sauce over leafy greens (DD loves spinach sauteed with garlic), rhubarb muffins, crumble etc. Its THE time of year for forced rhubarb too, all lovely and neon pink.

Some research I've seen was that fertility improved when night feeds stopped. Could you wear something inconvenient to your DS accessing your boobers at night? or sleep elsewhere for a few days and he just sleeps with your DH until he gets used to no night feed (I am presuming he helps himself at night still?)

tf, welcome back, glad you all had fun.

Good advice, Huggy. Thank you. I actually think he has it as much for comfort as nutrition. And even after a day, I think we have managed to reduce his BM intake a little bit. Have heard that about the night feeds, so those are the ones we are really trying to limit. DH now takes him to bed first, and I stay behind while they read, until DS is a bit more sleepy. Not sure I could bear to sleep in the other room! I love the cuddles so much. He didn't help himself last night, had a really quick feed this morning, then we gave him his proper breakfast. Early days, he is adaptable, hopefully he will take to it well. If he is distraught, we will just take it slower, but I really am quite desperate to complete our family with a sibling or two!

Mmm, rhubarb crumble!
We had haggis, neeps and tatties tonight! Yum!

Ooh I am jealous! Its not a dish for lone dining (DD's still teething and has a cold so isn't too fussed on eating today). Perhaps I shall wait til DH gets back and we'll do it properly. He loves haggis too. Where do you get your vegan haggis from? I bet it tastes even better than the real thing! <wonders if DH would notice>.....

DD started to have very quick morning feeds by mid-Dec, more interested in coming off and chatting, so I started to take her straight downstairs for breakfast and she was not bothered by that dropped feed at all. I think as long as you feed them swiftly they are not fussed. DD loves to feed herself porridge in the morning .

Glad you had a good hol tired and hope that tummy bug clears up quickly.
Hope that the reducing bf helps hun think that the LOs adapt to new things quickly at this age. I'm still not pg but not concerned quite yet as it took a while with DD.

I noticed that DD has two new teeth today, they are really near the back so hadn't spotted them before. I didn't think that they got back ones till much later.

Her new word of today is please- very cute as she doesn't say the 'l' and makes it very difficult to say no to! and also nose- which is not quite so cute as she puts her finger up either her own or my nose as she says it

I've never tried meaty haggis, so I don't know, but Scottish MIL says she only wants the vegan version now! You can get it from Sainsburys or Waitrose. Or make it from scratch. Was yum. Had it with baked beans too, delicious! And ketchup! I am a heathen! Was a huge meal, I need to learn to only use half a swede at a time!

That's what we are doing now, as soon as he starts fussing for it, either distract him with food, or a cartoon/iPad/book, or his toys. Was funny, had the weaning episode on Family Guy tonight. I felt quite emotional watching it. Poor little Stewie feeling deprived!

bp, maybe we will fall pg at the same time! We were blessed to get pg first time last time, so I suppose this is fair, on balance. I just wanted them close in age, and healthy, of course.

Still only six teeth here, he's had six for ages!

Cute re please/pease! Our new word is BOO! But you have to ask for it!

Only 6 teeth here too. Think she really needs back ones , am fed up of the revonstitued raisin nappies now!

The new two takes DDs teeth count up to 10. Although we still do get the raisin nappies HJ. She loves raisins and am trying to teach her not to just go and help herself to them out of the cupboard.

I have never had haggis- meaty or non. Must give it a go.

Wow at pg on first time hun! Fingers crossed that we are both pg soon.

Dd1/3& dh had haggis tonight. Dd3 not entirely convinced but nothings as good as peas!

Fingers crossed, bp!

DS doing ok with the reduced feeds, bless him, really hope it works for the conceiving malarkey.

Good luck nohun we are more yes than no on dc4 at the moment. No idea where we would put them but mat leave is my sticking point at the moment.

Ooh, exciting! Good luck!

Glad the reducing feeds is going ok nohun. I would be the same about not wanting to lose the nighttime cuddles, so lovely!

wow at ten teeth bp , ds still only has two!

Dd3 is v v obsessed with my boobs at the moment. She cried when I put my bra on the other day

Morning! DD had a rather late night last night after spending the weekend with her cousins. She is just wolfing down some porridge. I am on sick leave with a bad back.

Oooooo can I come in here please? MY DS WILL NOT WALK. He took obligatory first steps at 13 mths. Just can't be bothered. Lazy swine!

Welcome MischeviousMum . I imagine one day, your DS will just get up and run across the room just when you least expect it!! I imagine his crawling is so efficient he cannot see the point. My grandmother used to stand her babies up against the wall, step back and encourage them to step into her arms as a way of getting them to walk. I didn't try it, but perhaps you could give that a go? No hurry though .

Tried that, I've bought shoes, he has a walker that he actually lifts up and walks with. He just won't walk without holding on to something shouldn't be encouraging him too much I suppose, lol!

Welcome, MM! Lovely to have you here. There really is no rush re the walking, once he decides he wants to, he will. And then he'll be off, and you'll be wondering why you wished away being able to sit on your bum!

Things are good here, reduced feeds are going really well so far, he is drinking more from his cup, eating more solids, I am relieved. So really, just got to get pregnant again now!

I was at work today after a week at home with a milk obsessed toddler my boobs were hurting by the end of the day. Dd3 really full of cold again. Going to be a calpol job tonight I think, she's all hot already.

DD is the same HJ and is really snotty. She has got terrible nappy rash as well- anybody any tips on clearing it up?
Hello MM I'm sure your LO will be running around soon.

HJ, mine are a bit sore too, hoping this will pass soon as they get used to needing to produce so much milk.
Hope the snotty ones get well soon.

bp, not sure, maybe as much nappy-free time as possible?

Helloo!

I can highly recommend Snuffle Rub HJ Thyme and eucalyptus ointment that I dab behind DD's ears and on the shoulders of her sleeping bag that helps clear her nose.

The snot and nappy rash can be a sign of teething BP, DD's just been going through it. Her normal castor oil and zinc bum cream she's used since birth when required didn't cut it any longer. No really sore bits, just red all over. I bought some Weleda Baby Calendula nappy cream and its instantly soothing and redness is gone in minutes. It says its vegetarian though, but its not really as it contains beeswax and lanolin, but DD doesn't react to lanolin so its been ok for her. If you are happy to use lanolin and your DD doesn't react to it, I strongly recommend it.

How many feeds have you dropped over what period of time NoHun? When I had sore boobs in the past, spring greens in my bra straight from the fridge worked wonders in about 30 mins. I think the norm is to use savoy cabbage, but it was what I had to hand and it worked well.

I think it is teething related as she is fine otherwise- she has just been bleeding due to the nappy rash She has been at nursery today so no chance for nappy free time but I can give her lots tomorrow. Have just put her sudocrem on but I will go to the chemist tomorrow to get some cream- thanks Huggy.

Oh how miserable for her . I'm not sure but I think I've seen people recommend cutting down on acidic food like tomatoes when they have nappy rash.

Ooh, ooh, just remembered miracle bath soak too! Balneum. It was excellent for DD's chicken pos and I use it whenever her bottom is a bit sore or if generally I think she needs a moisturise. My grandmother is super sensitive skin wise and swears by this and it helps the eczema on my hands too. Balneum (expensive but you use a tiny amount) is easily available in the chemist. I got Weleda at Waitrose, but its also on Amazon.

Sorry, over posting. Balneum is slightly medicated soya oil.

Huggy, he was BFed on demand, for as long as he wished. He's been good the last few days on three short feeds, 10 minutes or so each, better than I dared hope. Think my bosoms need to hurry up and adjust! The soreness is just because they are swollen.

Beeswax and lanolin are vegetarian, just not vegan.

I knew beeswax was, but thought lanolin wasn't because of the process [dim emoticon]....

Lanolin is from the sheep's wool, well, secreted from their skin, so can be collected without killing the sheep.

Hi peeps. Just popping in! Ds2 is doing really well, running around and telling me off alot. Dd2 was born on Friday so has been a bit of an upheaval for a toddler but he is being very gentle with her. He looks enormous next to her! Lol

Hope everyone is well and hoping it happens quickly for those of you ttc the next dc

oh big congrats Xav!

Congrats Xav! Is that a square 4 now then ?

Congratulations, Xav, nice one. Enjoy your baby girl.

Wow, congratulations Xav does she have a name yet if you don't mind telling us?

Aah, just did some nosying... Aoife. Lovely name Xav.

Lovely

Two short feeds today, bosoms feeling fine!

Wow! Well done NHun's DS!

Thanks Huggy. I used to use Balneum myself when I was a kid and had totally forgotten about it. She seems to be improving.

Congtratulations Xav lovely news.

Glad the dropping feeds is going ok Nohun.

hi all. I am following. Congraulations Xav, a perfect balance for you . Lovely name too.

Huggy, sorry to hear dd stopped bf before you wanted. Dd did the same at 13 months and I was very sad but there we go. NoHun, hope the reduced feeds have the desired outcome. Do I take it your periods still haven't returned?

Had some lovely news today. One of my best friends told me she is five and ahalf months pg. We live in different countries and she's been texting me trying to sort out a time to call for ages, so I had my suspicions! She's been trying for a second for a while now and has had one definite and one suspected mc in that time. And NoHun she's 41 now so there is hope - you're a youngster! Actually one of my friends here had her second in October at 42 and was 43 last week...

Have had lots of illness here, mainly dd bless her. Sick bug all one week, cold and temp last week and she's suffering a lot from constipation too which is really worrying me. Giving her lactulose at the moment.

Must go to bed! So tired all the time, but stupid for staying up when I shouldn't.

Thanks. So far, so good. My periods have been back for a few months, ft. Should have a baby by now!!! I know I am not ancient, but I am just aware of the increased risks to a baby, the older we get. And I'd prefer a small gap, ideally.

Congratulations to your friend.

Hope you have a well household soon!

DH hopefully home tonight!! The flt got delayed so DD will be in bed, but she'll see him first thing in the morning. So excited. DD is currently ranging about with rice pudding on her head....

That'll be a fun wake up though!

Oh wow, you must be so excited. Have a happy reunion!

Oh how lovely, you must both be very excited!

He's about 30 mins away!!! <taps fingers>. DD couldn't stay awake .

<doubts we'll hear from Huggy for a while>

hope you are having a lovely time with your DH Huggy

xav wow and congratulations!! I hope everything is going well. beautiful name

Hope you all feeling better soon floozie

Enjoy your reunion with your DH Huggy Will be lovely for DD to wake up to her Daddy as well.

Nappy rash has practically gone thankfully. It must have been teething as two new teeth have appeared all of a sudden - that takes the total to 12 now

Wow, 12 teeth. We still have six, been that way for absolutely ages, though I think he may have some news ones soon, as he's had a title rosy cheek thing going on ... but that could just be the cold!

We are stuck on 4 teeth. She has nappy rash and has been grumpy and clingy so I think she is due more. 12 Wow!

6 here. Dd3 needs back ones to chew this food she keeps storing hamster style

Hope huggy & dd are enjoying mrhuggy being back.

Just bumping cos you were falling off my threads where are you all?

Just had a phone call with an interview date for next week( Nohun you wre on my CV thread? ). It's f/t <eek> but really interesting.

Yes, I was on your CV thread! Great news re interview, go you! Good luck.

Can we help you with a new name? Any ideas?

No just thought it was time for a new one but people 'knew' me as HJ

Fair enough!

It has gone quiet- I just assumed it was my phone playing up again and not loading up any new messages.
Congrats on the interview. Hope it all goes well for you.

Harder to get online now than it was when DS was a baby: toddler monkey is keeping me busy, he is a ball of energy and mischief!

Hi
Dd is teething and ds has conjunctivitis so am being kept busy
Congrats on the interview

Hello all,

How are you all? I am now a SAHM (for now anyway), I handed my notice in a few weeks back. A bit gutted but it was better that than be fired.

Ah well, ds can now sing the Bob the Builder theme tune. He can also put a box on his head, clearly he is a genius. I may even contact Mensa.

Congrats Trib!

When is Bob on? I used to love it but havent seen it since dd3 got into tv.

Ah Trib. Are you ok about not working? Will you have to find a new job? Hope you are ok.

hello Trib good to hear from you. I'm sorry things have worked out like that for you. On the plus side, I had to hand in my notice once with no job to go to, and although I had wobbles about the decision from time to time, I know looking back that it was definitely the right one. I hope you are enjoying all the extra time with ds and if you're hunting for jobs, I hope the hunt goes well and hope you are doing ok

hj good luck for your interview! my job was advertised as full time but after they offered me the job I asked if I could do four days and they were fine with it. It does mean I really do a full time job in four days, but its worth it.

my jobs just a maternity leave contract, so chewing my nails waiting to find out whether they can find the money to keep me on when she comes back in April.... I really love it there so will be a bit gutted if they can't

At the moment I'm not looking for work, the last six months have been horrendous and I need time to recover from it all. I am, however, going to be applying for a college course come September. I'm going to do an access course for nursing and midwifery. I wanted to do it eventually anyway, so I figure now is a good a time as any.

tf, hope they can keep you on.

trib, sounds great, I think being a MW will suit you. Good luck!

We are upping sticks! To Germany! Eek! DH was offered a job on Thursday, we have decided to go for it! It's all been a bit fast, and they want him out soon too, so we are now busy dejunking, and planning what to pack, and what to store. Initially it will be for a project which should take 15-18 months, then if we all like it, we stay, or consider our options! (I have a thread in Living Overseas, with a pseudonym!) I am definitely looking at it as short-term, to make it feel less daunting. I am rather anxious, but excited too. We have a lot to sort out!

We've also got to sort builders out before we go, to do some major work on our property in London, so we can rent it out while we are away. Busy!

Wow! I know you wanted put of London but Germany's a bit different!
Exciting and a good chance while ds is little too.

Ooh he will be able to learn German. Do you speak it? I love the idea of teaching littlies languages but I think you need someone around to be fluent.

I wasn't thinking we'd leave London just yet though!

It's currently being viewed by me as a short-term move, and we will see how we like it after the first project is finished. By which time, DS will be three, so not fluent in English even, but we are hoping he will have some good basics of German. I don't speak any yet either. Hoping I will pick it up easily when we are out there.

Wow NoHun, how exciting! Hallo is Hello that is all I know

Thank you! I shall try and remember that one!

Ich bin elf is all I remember but wOnt help you much since it means 'I am 11'

oooh nohun how exciting!! I can imagine its quite daunting, but in a way maybe better not to have too much time to think about it! A short -term adventure and then who knows where life will take you after that . I would love to live abroad for a stint like that. I hope you get lots of tips from the living abroad thread

tribble a bit of time off to recover sounds like a good plan. I felt the same after I handed in my notice from my old job, I just knew I needed some time to recover before I started somewhere else, as I was so battered from the experience I wouldn't make a good go of starting somewhere new. Access course sounds like an exciting plan for the future my friend did one a couple of years ago and is now studying physio, there were quite a lot of mums on her course.

Not super useful, HJ, but thanks anyway!

tf, might you do it too, or are your circumstances not set up to do so? I do feel lucky that DH has a job he can do in various places around the world, and we have no ties here.

No ties nohun what about us??? Aren't we enough for you ?

Aw! Of course you are!

Sorry to hear that it came to that Trib and that you have had such a rough time of it. Enjoy spending time with DS and good luck with your new career path. I take my hat off to you nursing is something that I could not do- even the mw part which I expect is nicer but emotional.

Exciting news Hun hope it all goes well for you. Am sure you will have a great time.
I would also love to move abroad but everytime we have seriously discussed it something has come up, promotions, babies etc. Now we have DD DH would never do it as he is very adamant that she is brought up near her extended family.
I did think when I saw your news that we would miss you on here- but then I realised that they do have internet in Germany I have been once- but can't remember a word of German- and really loved it. Ate out at some lovely places. Though I might be remembering it through rose tinted glasses due to a holiday romance

Is half term this week so am enjoying a break from the routine

Had my interview this morning went ok not wonderful. Bit scared now they'll offer me it.
The work looks good but full time/salary negotiations/very small team are putting me off.
Anyway if I don't get it I've still got a ok job ( most of the time) and good colleagues.

Thanks, bp. We will have a good time, I am happy as long as I have DH and DS, wherever we are.

HJ, you don't have to take it though, do you?

DS is back to being a BM fiend.

No. Just feel if they offer me it /offer right money it's hard to turn down.

Dd3 is milk fiend too this week.

Because of the money, or other factors?

Maybe there is something in the air! Little monkeys!

Money mainly but it's a good chance to get out of my field without retraining. Plus there's lots of promotion opps and would look VV good on a CV.
Lots of pluses, lots of minuses. Pretty much money that tips the scale.

Well good luck whatever you want to do!

But part time could beat money ...

You could always go part time later, nothing is ever forever hj; that's if you do take it that is.

I found out today that my colleges had been asked to report back to my old boss on me just before I handed my notice in. I had a little cry at that; felt quite betrayed.

That really sucks, Trib. Did they do it though? Either way, glad you are out of there.

Yeah they did, found out after I told another college that a person I'd been working with had gone behind my back. My college then said that the person had said there had been a number of people reporting back on me.

The thing is I don't know what to do, there has been all this stuff happen and it's driven me insane and I'm so angry about it all. It makes me want to spit nails!!

Ask on the Employment board, they should have good advice. I am angry on your behalf. I know all about hell at work.

That's shit trib.

Blimey, it's all go on here. Trib sorry work was so shit you felt pushed to go, but glad you have some breathing space now and time with DS. You are definitely doing the right thing if you absolutely don't have to work. They grow up so fast, you will look back on this and be glad of the time spent with him. And ace that you're going to train to be a midwife. What an amazing job to do - I thought about it once just before I became pregnant with DS, when I thought I might not ever conceive. Best of luck with it.

And... NoHun how exciting!!! I'm always vicariously thrilled when other people are going off on adventures abroad because that's what I always want to do (well I did do it when I was a young(er) thing, but not for many years now). Can you tell us where you are going to? I went to Germany last summer for a holiday if you remember, and really enjoyed it, even though it was a bit of a conservative part of the country. We stayed in Cologne years ago just passing through on the way to and from Prague by train (dp hates flying) and that was a really great city. I lived with a German girl in university, and I learned to swear: "scheiszer" sp? which means shit, and to say schlaf gut, which means sleep well. I can count to 10 too! Please and thank you, and that's about it. Better check out the maternity services just in case!!! It's fab being on the continent cos you can get to so many other places so easily. Great chance to explore.

HJ hope you get the right result with the interview, which ever way you really want it to go!!

Busy hope you are having a relaxing half term.

The run of illness in our house continues. Poor DS has been ill this week and it's half term. We were supposed to be going on a trip today (which I'd sort of organised, at least had suggested and found out the relevant info) with friends and kids on the train to our destination, which would have been great fun. He's had a cough and cold all week, and then yesterday I thought he was a bit better, went out, and he was sick everywhere after having an ice cream . So bit of a wash-out week for us really. I'm hoping he's on the turn today and will pick up enough to do a bit before school (and work for me) start again next week. I'm also considering applying to alter my hours from three days of eight hours to two of 10 hours. Would be long days but I'd get a whole extra day with dd and not really lose out that much time with both of them on the other days anyway. My lovely not quite but almost manager has been encouraging but I'd have to put it to my actual manager so would depend on what he says. I do have a bit of extra leverage because of ds being disabled and it would make a difference because I'd have an extra day to do stuff with him after school, which I feel he needs. God, I really need to win the lottery!

Trib re the singing - since new year, dd has been singing Twinkle twinkle in perfect pitch. No words but the tune is spot on. She also started singing a song of dp's. So cute listening to her (and also deafening at times!).

ft, that is amazing re the singing. Wow.
Sorry to hear your DS is poorly. Hope he gets well soon.

We are off to Frankfurt. I am nervous about not knowing the language. I am trying to learn a bit before we go, but my brain feels like mush! I have found out some things re maternity care - they don have gas and air!!! I can't get over this! Anyway, will cross that bridge as and when - not to a BFP yet, and weaning DS off the BM is not proving very doable, so I am not feeling too hopeful of gettin PG an time soon.
Why don't you up sticks too?! Go on, you know you want to!

We vhave a poorly household atm, dd is poorly but I think that may be to do with her mmr and ds has been unwell with 3 different things this week, I have not done anything fun or useful with them because of it.
pil's are having them tomorrow so I can go swimming as I am missing that.
No gas and air! That is terrifying!

Goodness me, sorry for all the typos above!!! Terrible! Stooped iPad!

As, Ty, sorry to hear about the poorly twosome. Hope they get well soon.
What does MBOT mean?

Stoopid not stooped!

Aw, not as!

Didnt get the job. Not too upset. Was told v strong interview, written test was the weak spot. Which I knew. Bloke V nice & offered to keep details on file in case of work in future.

I'm feeling a bit weird at the moment. Keep overheating, knackered( but not sleeping well-weird dreams), things taste odd, windy. Sound familiar? BFN. Not told dh as he'd say I was imagining.

Sorry about the job HJ
Wow that does sound like you are pg HJ
NoHun, sorry I had forgot about the nc, I am going back to usual in a minute.
MBOT = M onster B ook O T ys

Ty Oh no, now I'm imagining you as 'Momo bot' off of 'Show me, show me'. Damn you Cbeebies!!!!

HJ Sorry about the hob, also it does sound as if you are pg. I actually had that a while back and did a pregnancy test (BFN) in the loos at Asda. I swore a lot that day looking back. I put it down to stress/mind playing tricks/cute nappy induced broodiness.

I went and took all my stuff into work today, and also chatted with my rep. He said he's going to put it to the employment relations people and raise it with my union. He also said I could write a letter to big boss and tell him off. Also the person who I least expected in the world to be nice to me told me that I didn't deserve to go. I cried at that.

Do you think I should do some ritualistic ceromony and ask for some boils to be placed in some uncomfortable places?

Nohun Are you scampering off pretty quickly (like in the next few weeks)?

<twirls>
Back to normal
I wouldn't want anyone have cbeebies nightmares when the dc are asleep!

Ooh yes on the boils , great plan!

I shouldn't be pregnant. Not much sex, on the pill. Probably just hormones & I've imagined it enough before.
Will have to wait & see!

Durh, MonsterBook, of course it is, wasn't thinking!
Sorry about the job, HJ, and the BFN.
TeaTwo, I hope you can put the work hell behind you. I wish nasty boils and pus on the lot of them (apart from the nice ones).
Yes, we are leaving quite quickly, well, six weeks, though DH is currently meant to serve longer notice than this with his present employers, but is negotiating a compromise, so a bit up in the air, but I think we should be off at the end of March. Took DS to get his passport photo done today. Very hard, didn't stop wriggling, and wouldn't look at the camera, little monkey. Cost me £10 as well, what a flipping rip off!

Ouch on the passport nohun are you going all at the same time or will you & ds follow?

Hoping to go at the same time, for sure. Do not fancy lugging all the stuff I'll need for DS on my own.

ooh nohun not long to go then! I would love to live abroad for a stint sometime, DH's job is perfect for it, but mine not so much.

hope you get the passport without any hassle, we paid £9 at jessops for 'professional' passport photos of ds, only to then get a letter from the passport office saying that the photos were rejected on the grounds that they didn't meet the criteria of being 'professionallly taken' arrrrghh .

I can tell the weather has warmed up, all ds wanted to do today was play outside. we played catch in the garden twice, and went on FIVE walks/ trike rides, one of which incorporated a play in the park. if any one wants a cut price personal trainer....

Been out tonight for a couple of hours. Dd3 wasnt speaking to me when I returned. Although was tempted across by milk. She still held dh hand while she fed though

Would you need to work, tf?

If the photos don't pass the muster, I'll demand a new set for free. Honestly, £10 for a set of six small prints, daylight robbery. And they aren't that great anyway, am thinking I should just take my own, crop them down to size.

Ha ha at the petulant toddler, HJ!

Feeling overwhelmed here, have made a start on the packing, trying to sort what's getting stored vs what's getting sent over in a crate, vs what we will need to carry over as luggage, because we need it between now and then, and a load of stuff to take to the charity shop. Sooooo much to do. I think we will feel lighter once it is done, less clutter, less stuff. But for now, I just feel overwhelmed, don't know where to start. Anyone want to pop round and help!

If you were nearer i would. I love decluttering ( dont look in my loft tjough!) One room at a time, small tasks.

Start with things you don't need day to day. Photos , ornaments, books. 3 boxes. Keep, store, charity.

Kitchen stuff, sort into still using, store, charity shop, taking but not using.

Ditto clothes shoes.

Store stuff ds is out of but keeping for dc2. You can get it when you need it.

Ohhhh HJ, you sound so good at it! You sure I'm too far away?

I have so far packed one box of stuff for a new baby, not sure whether to take it to Frankfurt, or store it here, as I am currently not keen to give birth in Germany (no gas and air!), but you just don't know, may end up giving birth there, then stuck without these things, and would then have to pay to have it shipped over. Or, if I take it, and do come back to the UK, I'd have to lug it back! Not that I even have a BFP yet, so could be ages off. You say store here, I may bow to your superior knowledge and store it then. Dunno dunno dunno!
I've also started a box for things for a grown up DD, should I ever get one! Favourite clothes of mine that I'll never wear again. Or is this crazy? I have some lovely clothes.

Feeling ruthless with other stuff, furniture, sell sell sell. Also going to sell my lovely fridge freezer, as we're getting the kitchen redone while we are away, then getting people in to rent. Should get a fair bit for the fridge freezer, is a posh fancy one!

Got a big box of charity stuff already, already took a huge bag load last week. Slowly slowly catchee monkey. Just feels like a mammoth task.

Am paring down to a basic capsule wardrobe. What do you think I need?
Am thinking:
Two pairs of jeans (I am mainly in jeans!)
Waterproof winter trousers
Three skirts
Five t-shirts
Two smartish tops/blouses
Three jumpers/sweaters/hoodies
A couple of day dresses
One smart dressy outfit
One smart/casual outfit
Trainers x2 (one for daywear, one for actual exercise!)
Boots x1
Nice shoes x1
Flip flops x1
Swimsuit x3
One exercise outfit + sports bras
Three nursing bras
Seven pairs of pants
Seven pairs of socks
One pair leggings
PJs/loungewear and two dressing gowns
Seven coats/jackets of varying warmth/weather protection
All my maternity wear (wishful thinking!).
I might repost in Style and Beauty.

Store stuff here. Then you can get it when you're pregnant. It means less to take in the initial move.

Take more jean's if you wear them more than skirts

True, but then it's hassling someone to find the right box, get to a post office, and sending it. Or coming back ourselves, though actually, we have a wedding in September, so we are really hoping to be back for that anyway. Oh good, had forgotten about that. Will store it here, then collect when pregnant! Now, to get that BFP!

You'll have 8 months to do it. Just label it well & position it obviously ( with your new address on ready to post?) just in case.

Gosh nohun if you're getting rid of clothes send em my way . I discovered that once I returned all my work kit that actually it formed the majority of my wardrobe.

BTW just trying on the name for size.

Darn it, Tea, I did most of the clothes last week, took 'em to the charity shop already. Sorry. Darn, should have said earlier. I have a box in the loft from sorting and storing ages ago that I need to go through, if I am getting rid of any of that lot, I will let you know. Are you down south before the end of March?

Will do, HJ, will see how pregnant we are in September when the wedding is, hopefully I AM pregnant by then!
I have packed my maternity clothes, I think I will take them to Germany even if I haven't gotten a BFP by the end of March, which is when we should be flying.

Finished for the night, I think, back is aching, and am missing my nightly cuddles with my little poppet! He is busy, still wide awake, as per usual. He is a night owl for sure.

Have just binned all the cards we got for our engagement, wedding and first anniversary. Think we will bin DS's baby congratulations cards, we have all the memories in our hearts and minds, and they take up so much space. I'm not really interested to see any from MY babyhood, after all.

I've just done a pile of birthday cards I'd kept. I'm only interested in pictures really although had fun reading all my old reports. Dh has virtually nothing ( including pictures) and he's not that bothered( wishes he had more pics but not the rest).

I think we're down first weekend in march nohun, I was going to message you for a meet up anyway. Might as well before you jet off.

Got rid of birthday cards a while ago. I am ruthless! Also got rid of a lot of photos of myself, we have electronic copies of the good ones.

Would be lovely to see you when you are down.

Yes I've all the photos from the last few years in various electronic formats. It's the old ones I keep. Dd1/2 were pre digital cameras .
Dh only has 4 pics of his whole childhood 2 are on the same day.

Yes, I am so glad I've got all of DS's photos electronically. Am rather snap happy with him!
I have a fair few of me as a young child, but when my parent's split and money was tighter, no more photos, so there is a big gap until I was a young adult and bought my own camera. Oh well. Four for your DH though, that's very few.

Today DH got down the bags and boxes we'd stored in the loft when DS was born. Can't remember there being so much stuff! I'd be loaded if I hadn't bought all those clothes! Did an afternoon of sorting, decluttering, packing.
Two more big bags carted off to the charity shop today. Feels more spacious already.
One small-ish box of my favourite outfits to save for a DD, should I ever get one (or two!), when she is a teen. Assuming she will be the same size as me!
All my maternity clothes boxed ready to go, on the chance we need them out there. <crosses fingers>
Started the box of clothes to take.
Finished the box of A-line skirts and tops for a friend.
And found a pair of trainers/walking boots which is perfect timing as the air bubbles on the ones I've been wearing for the last year and a half popped yesterday, so I made an annoying noise when I walked!
Am feeling good and ruthless for all the chucking out we did! Still lotto do.
Going to eBay some furniture. Hoping DH will do that, I don't like faffing about with selling stuff, am too lazy!

Ds has whined all afternoon and I've had it, I've put him in his cot and am sat in the living room waiting for dh to come home and deal with him. I can't do it, my head is thudding and I can't listen to him crying in my ear anymore.

Oh dear, poor both of you. Hope he is happy now, and you too. Is your DH home now?

We are well. Someone had cute rosy cheeks yesterday ... and a new tooth today! That makes seven teeth!

I have carted a huge suitcase full of clothes to the charity shop today, they must wonder what is going on with me Feels good, cathartic, to get rid of so much stuff. Surrounded by half-filled boxes and brimming bags yet to finish going through. But getting there. We have soooo much to get through, should have time, but I feel the sooner it is done, the better, so I don't have to worry about not having it done in time.

Yeah dh came home and he was a happy bunny once he got a bath and some milk in him.

I've just moved my bed aside to clean the sheets and I found black mould all up the wall <shudders>. I've contacted the landlord and wiped it off but it's still made me feel a bit ill.

I'd lost you all I must not have posted for a while.
Sounds like you have been very busy nohun
Hope that your landlord gets it sorted trib
Just got back from DDs swimming lesson and I have no motivation whatsoever so am just going to do nothing for a while

Urgh. Can you leave a gap to let air through so that it's not getting worse?

Did you say you're not good at decluttering NoHun????? Sounds like you could do it professionally to me! Very impressed with your ruthlessness.

I'm taking DS to hospital today for an op and I'm terrified. Stupid but I'm really scared of him having a GA. We went once before and he was at the end of a cold and the after being on the ward fir hours waiting to go the anaesthetist called his consultant in who said ds's breathing rate put him in a higher risk catgory, so we didn't do it. Didn't help with my fear of ga! He had a cold last week ... Am wondering if the same thing will happen today. He's just had a last drink of water now.

Floozie I hope everything goes ok for you today.

HJ Done already, hopefully it'll get sorted out.

Oh, Trib, you are not having a good run of it, are you.

bp, nice to see you. Yes, I am very busy!

ft, not terrible, it's just such a mammoth task, sometimes it is hard to see where to even start.

Hope he hospital visit goes as well as can be hoped.

Hope everything went ok floozie

floozie I hope the operation went well, and that you are both recovering and relaxing now

hj are you a chalet school fan then?! I loved those books as a child!

ds says quite a lot of words now but he also likes babbling nonsense (well thats what it sounds like anyway), he 'reads' stories and babbles, today he was in his car seat on the way to nursery 'reading' a board book and going 'bdah bdah bdah' over and over, then later at work I was looking on the bookshelves for a book and caught myself saying 'bdah bdah bdah' out loud

ft, hope all is well.

tf, lovely, isn't it. DS babbles too, but has some good words. 'Backpack' being my favourite, obviously we watch a lot of Dora! He's great at body parts too, and can point to loads, even pointing DH's and mine out, which I think is fab.

Bit down today, was feeling hopeful as AF didn't arrive, but got a BFN. Gutted.

HJ, look: www.mumsnet.com/Talk/baby_names/1412088-Middle-name-for-Harriet-Jones-help!

Nohun!

Tiredfeet- yes, there's a thread in AIBU at the moment , join us!

NoHun My child goes 'ne nah ne nah' all the time. I do think it's super cute though.

Oh another funny thing, DH came home from work yesterday and all evening was attempting to find his phone. He surmissed that he'd left it at work. Well, this morning after he'd walked out the door DS came up to me babbling away with a big grin on his face and DH's phone in his hand. I have not stopped laughing all day.

In other news, I found the thirty day shred level one on youtube. I managed twenty minutes. I figure the last ten can be the walk with DS later. <picks self off of floor>

floozie hope that everything went well.
Trib- cheeky monkey
DD is really coming on with her words now. This morning it took me ages to get her in the car as she was pointing in the garden shouting 'snake, snake' well 'nake,nake'. No idea what she thought was the snake! We went to a pet shop at the weekend and she was very taken with the snakes and lizards- or 'snap,snaps' as she calls them.

floozie, how are things?

Ah, bp, DS knows snake after a pop up book which has the snake saying HISSSSSSS, so snake to DS is HISSSSSSS!

Am feeling really stressed at the moment. Got so much to sort out. Feels like everything is getting to me. Even getting DS's passport sorted, I was not happy with his photo, that stupid rule where they can't smile, so he looks so solemn in his photo, doesn't capture his gorgeous sunny nature, am hacked off with how much it all costs, what an utter rip off, then I paid extra to get it checked and sent via the post office as I thought this meant they'd be able to look at his birth certificate then give it back to me, so, I didn't have to risk it getting mauled in the mail, she just folded it up carelessly herself and shoved it in the envelope, it does go off after all, even though I asked before she began. What is the point of check and send then???

Period was six days late so I got all excited thinking I might be pg, but I'm not. Must just have been stress delaying things, as usually I am regular. Gutted.

Meant to be meeting a friend this afternoon, but now got a delivery coming, should have been here Saturday. Have emailed to see if they can leave it with a neighbour, but no reply yet, so I am not sure if I can go out or not.

I am going to emigrate and live on a little island, I tell you!

You'd still need a passport nohun

Dd3 is all spotty. Not sure what yet. Either chicken pox or teeth is my guess!

Haha, oh yes, you are right!

Oh man. Hope it's teething. Am dreading chicken pox.

Sounds like you having a bad day nohun must be stressful having to sort everything but you will get there. The point is to check there are no mistakes so that the passport office don't have to send it back which would cause delays. When I got dds they said 'oh they might send that back because of the photo' and I too thought what have I just paid you for then.

Hope that your DD3 is ok HJ and the spots aren't making her feel poorly.

DD has been a little rascal this weekend and up to all sorts of mischeif

She's itchy. Naked at the moment, rubbing on the carpet

Hi everyone!

Trib well done for making THE decision re your work. It must have been a relief but atthe same time very frustrating as it is a career you wanted to do and no one wants to go when its the people rather than the job being a pain.

Floozie Hope all went well with your DS. [hugs].

NoHun Woohoo! Frankfurt- that will be great . I agree with you on the passport front, DD looks really annoyed in hers! Sorry it must be frustrating and stressful. Your capsule wardrobe sounds good and Amazon deliver to Germany . I know you have tonnes of friends but if you need anything sending to you thats hard to find in Germany, just let me know and I'll happily despatch.

HJ ooh chickenpox, you have my sympathy. I can thoroughly recommend Virasoothe- much better than calamine. The other thing is aqueous calamine, but we found virasoothe to be best (on Amazon). There's a pic of DD on my FB of a spotty baby in a spotty nappy . She still has a purple scar above her lip. Also I recommend Balneum for the bath. That really works.

BP your DD sounds cute

I've had a great 3 weeks off with DH and DD and have gone back to work today with a very bad back still and a cold! Day nurse is the best! (An advantage of stopping bfing).

On the massively negative side though, DD is poorly. She's staying with DH oop north at the moment as she was sick on Friday (and has never been sick before) then a high temp on Saturday, ok yesterday then diarrhea (which is why she's stayed with DH) that reached its zenith today and he ended up taking her to A&E as the local docs would not see her. Fortunately they say she's ok as her temp and blood pressure are fine and she's still got wet nappies. He's going to try and get as much dioralyte into her as he can. She was up 3 times last night twice with a dirty nappies. On Friday night when she was sick, I went to her and she passed me one of her teddies and said 'here, have this' when I was clearing out her bedding. Its making me curse the end of bfing as that would have been good for fluids and may even have headed this bug off at the pass. I was all set to go home but DH has persuaded me to stay at work .

I am off next week to where DH has just got back from for a week. Its really pants timing as DH starts work that week so DD will be staying with my parents.

On the words front, DD talks ALL the time when not ill and its mostly unintelligible but obviously means something to her as she uses intonation and you can tell when she's asking a question and she'll repeat exactly the same thing. She's just recently learnt Mama but says it with her top teeth on her lower lip like Vama and still prefers to call me Dada. She can say Daddy but says it in a really sing song Daday. She can say Who's that, here, have this, whats that, the name of one of the dogs, Auntie (then my name) after being with her cousins too much, her cm's name and her dog's name and thats about it.

Sorry for blathering on!

HJ I've got images of this naked baby snake like thing. Funnily enough, DS has started doing some sort of tumbling type movements on the carpet. I'm thinking baby gymnastics asap.

Huggy Thank you, it is massively frustating. I feel like I'm grieving, everytime someone mentions work I start crying. I got a text off of a friend asking if I was ok, and I just burst into tears in the middle of a car park full of youth.

Nohun How frustrating! I hope you get a BFP soon. As much as I'd love another LO, I don't think me or DH are anywhere near ready for another.

We have some cute babblers then, DS talks all the time and has proper conversations with me. I have no idea what we're talking about, but it seems interesting to him.

I don't think I'm going to read the work threads on here again, they make me feel irrationally guilty. It's stupid, but they all talk about working for tuppence to keep their careers ticking over etc etc. I think I'm going to advoid in future.

In other news, I sent off my application for the access course, fingers crossed it'll all work out.

NoHun I forgot to say- how pants for you over the BFN. I shall send fertile thoughts your way.

Fingers crossed with the access course Trib if I could I'd be a SAHM. I have my pension in 4.5 years time although the government has just announced a new pension plan that we will be forced to move to in 2015 and its unclear whether my immediate pension is in danger. If I find out I lose it and don't get anything until I am 60 then I plan to leave my work as there will be no point staying and risking being sent away for 6 months.

Huggy With a lot of the forced pension moves (we were going through it with ours), those who had less than a certain amount of time left were left on the old scheme. So if you only have 2 or 3 years left, chances are they may leave yours as it is.

Nope- I am due to leave in Aug 16 and we are all forced to move to the new scheme in 2015. We have no clarifying info at the moment though.

Trib- totally understand the grieving thing. I left a job I loved due to bullying then dh left his under similar circumstances to you. I'm ok now but dh still gets frustrated.

Still not 100% on chicken pox but going to phone HV this am and see if it's going round. Some spots look like it but others don't. She seemed rough yesterday but bouncing atm.

Huggy- pension thing is shit. Dh would have lost loads if he had stayed teaching. Good reason not to go back for him now.

Spoken to HV she said it sounded v like chicken pox & to treat as so dd3 is now in quarantine!

hj Is dd3 in some bubble like contraption?

Saw a friend from work who is eight weeks preggers, I feel very broody. Fortunately i have the implant so it would take more than a whim to come off it.

Pram with rain cover is a bubble think that'll have to do.
It's not affected her appetite , she's just ate a small baked potato, cheese, crisps & grapes for lunch & is now on a bf again!

We've just been doing indoor gardening on a sheet. Dd3 put compost in the pots & I put the seeds in. No mess. I expected to Hoover at least!

That's the problem with the pill trib

Hope your DD is feeling better soon Huggy
HJ hope that your DD recovers from the pox quickly

I will be affected by the pensions too- but haven't got my head around it all. I am having wobbles about my job anyway. I overheard my bosses laughing about how they would never employ someone who has been working with us on supply even thought they were interviewing her the day after and I knew that she had worked really hard for that interview. It left a nasty taste. Yesterday I got shouted and screamed at by a parent for opening a new school in the middle of her son's GCSEs (which of course was all down to me!) I didn't know whether to laugh or cry when she left. A few other things as well have really made me think.

Anyway, my DD has been replaced by a little monster today. We have had tantrums, cornflakes thrown all over, she keeps telling me 'no', she tried to move me by pulling my hair, I could go on. She is currently asleep and I am hoping she wakes in a nicer mood. Hope the terrible twos aren't settling in prematurely.

Huggyand HJ, hope your DDs get well soon.

And Huggy, thank you for the offer of sending me packages! I shall bear it in mind.

Will post again, DS calling!

bp, yes, the PO seem to be making money for doing very little. I didn't need it checking, but I paid the extra for the supposed speedier process. We shall see.

huggy, am liking the sound of my capsule wardrobe, still working on getting it even smaller than it is. I do like coats though, a different one for every type of weather! So will need to be frugal there. I have a lot of coats!!!
Hope your week at work goes fast, and you aren't too lonely apart from your family.

Trib, well, you have much more time than me. I have ten years on you, and I feel the pressure of the 35 and over fertility decline. Fingers crossed I get a BFP soon.

Did four trips to the charity shop today! Really I should get them to come collect! DH yet to go through his clothes, reckon he'll have loads to offload, he says he is feeling ruthless, and wants a fresh wardrobe for his new job! Was really busy today, clearing, carting, and playing with DS, who wanted to go outside a lot! Beautiful weather today. Still feeling a bit stressed, but feeling a bit like we are making inroads. I do want to lead a less cluttered life, free of too much stuff. I feel lighter already.

Happy St David's Day!

Ohhhh, I missed out on doing daffodils! Darn!

Busy busy here, pack pack pack! Phew! Making progress, but maaaaaan, is it a lengthy old process!
I am so looking forward to moving, and a fresh start.
Got to go, packing to do!

Dd3 a lot better. Turned out to be hand foot & mouth which I hadn't come across before but all drying up now. Just had some nasty sores in her mouth.

Crikey, poor baby HJ, hope she is better now.

Seems ok now. Spots all dry and mainly gone. Risking public appearances now.

Hello all,

Glad your DD is getting better HJ.

DD had rotovirus and wound up in hospital on Wednesday when I dashed home to be with DH and DD. I spent the night (horrible) in hospital with her. There was nothing they did that I could have not done for DD in the comfort of our own home. The best advice was to wake her 2 hourly for dioralyte which she took much easier when very sleepy. She bounced back the next day and pronounced to the entourage of medical staff who came to see her that she was 'better now!'. She's a bit skinny but eating well now.

I got a cold last Sunday (gone from one every 2 years if that to 3 in 5 months) that came with a cough that got worse and worse and apocalyptic on Thurs-Sun with a temp of 102. Then on Sunday I got an ear infection as if my body was telling me to do something about the cough and when I failed to do so made it obvious I needed antibiotics by striking me down with a horrible ear infection. I ended up going to a walk in clinic on Sunday and got a cocktail of drugs, then the next day was signed off work for 3 days. I am still not right, my lungs burn and there is a horrible lumpy pain across the bottom of my ribs, top of my abdomen and I can't eat properly and my ear prob STILL has not cleared up when I would have expected it to by now. Its leaking horribly and blocking up all the time and causing me stabbing pains. However I am going into work tomorrow and have just travelled back down south with DD as my boss must be very hacked off with me as I disappeared off last week on Weds to be with DD then went on 3 days sick leave when I was meant to fly out to where DH has just come from. I cannot fly with an ear infection and would in any event get cursed by the fellow passengers for keeping them awake with my cough. The working hours out there, high altitude, jet lag and really poor air quality would have floored me. So my colleague who has only just arrived in the job has had to go. Rubbish.

Right, off to sort out our stuff for tomorrow X

Huggy, geeze, your poor baby! How awful. Glad she is ok now, does make you appreciate good health.
You take it easy and look after yourself!

I am buried under a mountain of boxes, but DH is taking many of them to his parents on the weekend to store, then we can see better what we have left to pack for Germany.

DS's passport came today, so we are good to go! Not got a moving date yet, but we are working very hard at packing as much as possible so we can relax sooner. I really can't believe how long it takes, never again will I accumulate so much stuff! I have a capsule wardrobe now too!

Huggy that sounds like a really bad week! Glad dd is better now and hope you feel better very soon!
Sorry I have been quiet, I lost the thread
Dd can walk properly now so I took her to Clarks and got her some light up pink dolly bar shoes, they are adorable!
HJ glad dd3 is better now
No Hun I bet you are very excited right now

hello all! I never seem to manage to post since ds killed my blackberry...

huggy poor you and dd, that sounds like a really tough week or so. I hope you are feeling properly recovered now

nohun sounds like you're making a lot of progress! glad your ds's passport has arrived, it must feel like one less thing to think about at least.

Tyson those shoes sound lovely, I secretly want a pair for me . I took ds shoe shopping last weekend, there was only one pair in clarks (outlet) that fitted him, just plain blue shoes but ds fell in love with them and doesn't like to take them off, ever, and if he has too then he carries them around hugging them

got MIL and SIL coming to visit this weekend so a bit of a houseful!

Good to see you both!

DS needs shoes, I can't stand all the hard-soled ones though, and anything soft is leather. Need to order some vegan ones online, what a palaver.
Very glad to have his passport, even though I am still not loving his photo, he just looks so solemn.

Hope you all have lovely weekends.

Dd3 is living in her wellies at the moment. She always out in the garden or allotment at the moment.

She's just got tooth number 7 this morning. First one since October!

Aww at the teeth HJ.
Dd has 3 more teeth, I just noticed two of them this afternoon! She has been so good throughout getting them I didn't even realise
Tired if I ever bump into a woman with pink light up shoes I will know who it is then

Hope the teething wasn't painful. DS had his seventh through a few weeks ago, didn't seem bothered at all.

He also got a couple of freckles!

Aww freckles!

DS still only has two teeth! and he's had them since October. I'm starting to think he'll be like that forever

hj ds is similarly outside most of the time when I'm at home, we are constantly walking around or going on trike rides, I don't mind as much now the sun has finally arrived (I keep trying to switch the light off as we leave the garden though )

I heard the later they get teeth, the better.

Beautiful weather we are having. Shame we are so darn busy packing still! Honestly, where the heck does all this stuff come from, drawer after drawer of 'stuff', takes hours to sort through. I am now 100% committed to never accumulating 'stuff' ever again! Or never moving again!
I seem to have a hundred pairs of socks, as does DH. I have whittled down to about ten pairs! Down to three bras, from about 30! Though I doubt I'd ever fit in pre-baby bras ever again anyway! Several pairs of jeans, it's ridiculous. I now have just two! Hurrah! Haven't managed to get my coat count down so low, I like to have a coat for every weather, so have a few to cover all possibilities! Warm and balmy, warm but with potential for rain, cold and wet, freezing, smart, casual, etc!

Have sold a few big things on eBay, but some people are taking ages to reply about collecting, and I need this stuff out of the way, so we can see more clearly what we have left to pack/clear.

Sorry if that sounded a bit moany! Mainly we are excited about the move. And decluttering does feel good, once it is done!

how long left till you go now nohun?

We haven't actually got a moving date, but DH starts on the 2nd April, so a few days before that, to get settled and chill! So not very long at all!

Hello everyone. Thanks for all the messages about Ds's operation. It went well and he's been back on his feet properly for about a week now. I was dreadfully nervous before he had the GA but luckily he was only under for about 50 minutes. He's still got to wear casts for another three weeks though.

Huggy and HJ hope both dds are better now.

DD has 12 teeth. There was a lot of ear rubbing yesterday so maybe more coming.

NoHun maybe the trick is to move MORE often! I would love to have a good declutter. I look around and despair sometimes and yearn for my backpacking days when it was literally the stuff on my back and nothing more.

Oh dear, can hear dd crying, not like her. Better go before she wakes ds up.

Really pleased the op for your baby boy went well, ft.

Well, yes, and hopefully we will. I see a life of travel and adventure, seeing loads of countries, and hopefully having a home in the UK as a base, to return to to spend a few months every so often, and feel like we have a mothercountry, as well as a nomadic existence. We'll see. Maybe we'll just get a VW Campervan.

I'd love a camper. Family is getting a bit big for a VW one though

Feeling v stressed about work atm. Usual short staffed/not enough staff to start with/work load increase/now loads Of crisises. I'm not feeling particularly strong yet either so not a good combination. Plus I'm getting a lot of pain this week.

Me too! You can fit three children, easy!

Oh no. Is there a solution? I hope you are ok.

Dd1 is bigger than me , don't think I can count her as a child.

Re work- leave? I'm looking around but everything is short contacts or just as stressful. We've a few off on long term sick, someone going on secondment & someone on maternity. No cover. Don't think I'm far off sick myself. I'm off for nearly 2 weeks soon < clings on>

Geeze, sounds awful. I have nothing really useful to suggest!

Hello all, thanks for your thoughts. DD all better and eating like a horse. I still have the ear. Infection and am on 2nd set of antibiotics and have a hearing test next week.

Just a quick MSG as I have pudding awaiting!

Dd is on her third pair of shoes, I was in Clark's the other day and they had plenty of non leather ones.

Dd has just sprouted 4 teeth all at once so she has 8 now.
Hope you're all well.

nohun that sounds lovely, part of me would like the moving and feels the need to roam and part of me clings to my roots.

hj that doesn't sound good. hopefully a long break will really help. Its so hard to cope once things are that over-stretched.

ft wonderful news about your boy. I hope he isn't feeling too uncomfortable with the casts.

my contract has been extended for six months and they're pretty sure they'll be able to make me permanent after that, so I feel really chuffed. I'm contemplating dropping a few hours and making the time to finally learn to drive as it will make life so much easier. I feel sick with nerves (long story but I hate cars) but I finally feel the motivation to grit my teeth and get on with it as public transport is rubbish here. I have decided to persuade dh that my prize for passing will be to then stay on reduced hours but spend them with ds

Huggy, glad DD is well, hope you are fixed soon.

I went to Clarks last week, they had no non-leather shoes, I even asked to check. Ended up going to central London to a specialist 'barefoot' store, and they had some that were even labelled, so I was thrilled with that! Bit pricey though.

tf, glad your work is looking stable, hurrah for you!

I am quite a homebody, I like my home comforts, and am also a bit lazy too, but I think trying the nomadic-ish life will spur us into action, and make me less attached to material things, and if we do manage to have a base in the UK too, it give us the best of both worlds. I think it will be a fabulous life for us as a family, and a great start for DS (and any others we have!).

Am now trying to reduce our kitchen cupboards to bare. I had superbly stocked shelves (in case of zombie attack!), but now trying to get through it all before we go. Have had some interesting concoctions, such as haggis lasagne, which was actually rather amazing! Think we are on schedule to finish the perishables and freezer stuff within the next two weeks, and if we finish it early, we'll have some lovely takeaways at the end to see us off.

DH's last day at his old work tomorrow. He is delighted!

Just got back from GP. Am v rough now. Asleep with dd3 every night. 3 day & counting headache , aching all over, major twitchy eye. GP thinks its all stress and took my BP which at the lowest was 129/104( bottom number should be 70/80 ish. Got to have blood done & looking to start meds if it's not improved in 2-3 weeks.
Didn't sign me off but only cos I said I didn't want it cos I'd never go back

Crikey, H, that sounds really bad. Stress is serious, you look after yourself. x

Am off today. Migraine really got me at 5am. Woke up crying in pain. Have subdued it for now as long as I don't look round or lift my head. Just waiting to catch my boss.

ohhh hj that sounds tough. I am pleased in a way you have had today off, I think you could do with a break. I hope it has helped a little and that the headache has gone

Sounds really rubbish, HJ. My sympathies. Hope you are feeling better now.

Headache had gone last night & back a little this am.
Going to have to work extra tomorrow to catch up.

Hope you are doing ok, HJ. And everyone else!

I thought I'd scared you all off!

When's the move Nohun? Can't be far off now?

The end of this week! Haven't got flight details yet though! We are flexible, Thursday or Friday, Saturday at a push.

When does he start?

Monday!

Blimey, you're off NoHun! Are you all ready? How very exciting.

HJ guess your head is better by now....

It's dd's 18 month 'birthday' today. She celebrated by not going to sleep until pretty late, but luckily she was in with daddy .

I had a pre-children type night out on Saturday. Went to a party at a proper venue in a sparkly dress. Alcohol was consumed and dancing was done, and - get this- I didn't get home and to bed until (allowing for the fact the clocks had gone forward)..... 4am!!!! Of course, sadly the morning after was not pre-children like at all. Such lovely weather though I didn't mind as my friends who had gone to the party with me all spent the afternoon having a picnic in the park, and lovely it was too.

Nearly ready. Getting there!

18 months has come round soooooo fast, hasn't it! I can't believe where the time goes. Happy 18 months to you and your DD!

Ooh, get you, party girl! 4am!!!

Good luck then nohun

floozie dd congrats on your 1.5 birthday!

I was thinking of marking the 18mth birthday too Floozie . Your night out seemed great!

Hoping you're on the mend HJ.

Wow NoHun the end of the week eek! Guten Abent

oooh well done floozie that sounds fun!

wow nohun good luck will look forward to hearing how you are getting on (unless you're planning to abandon us for german mumsnet )

Thanks, All!

No, won't be abandoning you all. Though we have no Internet from Thursday, and don't know yet whether Broadband is set up in the apartment we are going to, or if we have to organise that, so if I am missing for a while, that is why!

We marked the 6 month 'birthday'so why not 18 m

Hope you arent away too long Nohun!

Just bumping you up before I lose you!

Hello all! I have an iPad....it's lovely. Hope you're all well. Thinking of you nohun!

Ooh IPad

hope you are enjoying the ipad huggy
and hope the move has gone well nohun

ds finally has two more teeth, giving him a grand total of four!! he grew them just in time to show them off at his first ever dentist's appointment.

what have you all got planned for the bank holiday weekend? I've got a couple of visitors but otherwise just planning on relaxing with ds and pootling around (dh is working 3 out of the 4 days, of course!)

Dd3 is poorly. Started Saturday & had to cancel our trip to Chester. GP said virus & come back today if no better so we are.

It has gone quiet! Hope you all have a lovely Easter. Hope move went well nohun, and Huggy I have ipad

can you tell I like the s ???

Ooh, iPads are great! Enjoy!

Poor baby HJ. Hope she is better already. DS is teething, has at least four that I can see coming through all at once, poor little tyke, but he is being brave, bless him.

We are in Frankfurt. Is good to be here, settling in, though we aren't in the apartment for good, at least I hope not, it leaves a lot to be desired, but it's free for three months so I will try to make do! It is clean and roomy enough, at least. DS seems to be comfortable in his new surroundings, taking it all in his stride. I hope we make a good go of things, I am sure we will.

Hope you all have a great Easter break. Our belongings haven't arrived yet, so looks like we won't get our Easter Eggs in time (I bought and packed some from the UK). Oh well. anyway!

Hi nohun

No dd3 is still pretty rough. Has virtually eaten nothing since Saturday (thank goodness for breastmilk) and lost loads of weight. Still coughing & being sick. On anti biotics, regular calpol otherwise her temp shoots up. She's brighter in herself in between but having some really long naps.

oh dear hj that sounds like hard work, although at least hopefully the naps give you a break.
nohun glad you have got there ok, shame about the easter eggs though! hope your belongings get there soon

happy easter all

tf, my dentist said he didn't need to see DS til he was three??? I thought the earlier the better! Well, I will find a new dentist in Frankfurt.

HJ, sorry to hear she is still poorly.
And I see you are off work? What's happening with that?

How do girls!?

Hi silver!

I'm off on leave. Back on Tuesday.( providing dd3 is eating by then).

nohun we were going any way so they said might as well start see him too. felt a bit silly as he has so few teeth! but I figure at least it gets him used to going, and if there were problems they'd be spotted.

hello silversky!

Dd3 saw dentist in Septenber . Pre teeth.

Hi guys
Happy Easter
HJ hope you are feeling much better.
Hi silver, how are you
NoHun are you there now or is it Monday coming?

Oh seem to have lost part of my previous post!

Meant to say she got the first ones a week later.

Hello All! I'm glad you made it to Germany ok Nohun. Sorry to hear your dd is poorly HJ. Best advice I got when dd was being sick was to wake her every couple of hours for fluids. It's great that you're still breast feeding, it's so much better than trying to give them horrible tasting rehydration salts...I know! Lovely Easter here. Got a dark chocolate Lindt bunny for DD :-) she likes Lindt 70%. Got my parents a marzipan egg and eyed it all night in the fridge...they very nearly did not get it!

Happy Easter y'all!

<leaves deserving eggs for all>

I am well. Shattered. 26+1 weeks with nbr 2. Those of you on fb may have guessed tho have not officially announced as still got a way to go.

DS is 17mo, walking, babbling with not much talking! Only got 6 teeth and bet your bottom dollar there will be bad teething around EDD.

Any of you with two got any tips?

Silver my tip with two would be to enjoy it! You already know most of it due to the first so it is easier tbh.
The only thing I found was I was more scared of the birth as I knew how much it hurt but even that turned out easier and less painful!
Congratulations!!!

This too will pass

<helpful>

Wow! Congratulations Silver . No tips! I cannot imagine having anything more than DD.

DD has just fallen asleep in my arms cuddling up before bedtime. Soo lovely. She opened her easter pressies this evening as we're travelling to see g,parents tomorrow. She was a very lucky girl and got 3 hand knitted tops, some leggings and a t shirt, a little basket of eggs and a chick. She was delighted. We're saving the Lindt bunny til tomorrow or Monday.

Had cs last time and no real labour pains so I'm still none the wiser wrt full on contractions ! Prob better off not knowing!!

Oops sorry silver
You will be fine!

Will it be another CS?

Hospital bods tell me it's up to me..... Got awhile to decide but who knows. Not me at the moment.

I've had three. Best was the elective with spinal (dd3). Felt I missed a lot with dd1/2 being unconscious

Happy Easter guys

help here please!

I may go down the route of if no natural labour by x I'll have an elective. <reserves right to change mind>

Wow, Silver, congratulations! Good luck with the birth, however it happens.

HJ, sorry your DD is still poorly. Poor poppet.

tf, I've had two visits to the dentist with DS, but still he said there was no point seeing him at this stage. Will find a new dentist here in Germany anyway, hopefully they will start young!

Ty, here already, been nearly a week!

Oh wow, hope you are settling in ok

Have you moved for work? <nosey.com>

Good thing about Germany is most speak English which is very useful!

Thanks, Ty, settling in well.

SSky, we are here for DH's work, yes. I am wanting to pick up the language, and not rely on people speaking English. But it is great most do, for now!

Dd3 ate some mashed potato & peas for lunch. Nearest thing to a meal in 9 days now. Think her throat is v sore.

Well done to your DD HJ!

Sorry she's poorly hj

glad she's improved a little hj

Oh bless her HJ , at least she managed something, hopefully she is on the mend

Congratulations Silver!!!! Hmm, having two - I would say, despite there being two to deal with, it's still easier than getting used to having one! Everything feels so much simpler as you just don't have all the worries of not having a clue the first time round. Well maybe that was just me. Are you blooming now? I found being pg the second time mostly a real drag as no chance to rest. Ever.

Aw bless your dd, HJ she sound so poorly. Glad she's eaten something.

And ...Huggy - did you say dark chocolate Lindt bunny????????? How come I never knew about this before?! I gave up chocolate for (non religious) Lent and that would have been perfect to break it with.

There is some definite bumpage going on. Was told today I was blooming and my face looked thinner tho I suspect that had more to do with scraped back greasy hair!

Nobody tells you how hardcore it is being pregnant with a toddler. How come the fellas are less sympathetic the second time round? My moans and groans about being tired go largely unnoticed!

Silver Dh wasn't as good the second time either.

Just bumping you before I lose you!

Are you an MP, HJ?

Dr Who reference. Harriet Jones,MP (later PM). I needed more than 2 letters so this is my stop gap!

Oh!!! I've never seen it.

I'm geeky

Hey, NoHun, how's it going in Germany?

Yeah, good, settling in fine! A few stresses, like house hunting, but we will get there! Wish I could speak German though!

It's a crash course for you though!

Morning all...Morgan Nohun .

I got home from hospital yesterday. I had 2 repairs for damaged caused by the obsteritician at DD's birth. Came home a day ahead of plans and am feeling well. No lifting for 6 weeks, no driving for 4 weeks. I am hoping that it all stays fixed.

Hope you're all well. X

Huggy glad you are feeling well and got to come home a day early!

Hope they fixed you up good and proper, Huggy.

Make sure you rest then huggy you don't want to end up back again.

lovely to hear from you huggy and great news that they let you escape a day early. I hope the recovery goes well and you are able to get enough rest.

ds has decided he wants to have his day time naps in the living room, I'm trying to get on with jobs downstairs (well, ok, mumsnetting and emails...) but it is soooo tempting to just join him...... zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

I usually have a little nap when DS does, tf! Enjoy it while you can, I say!

Brilliant news huggy!

Just bumping you as I'm losing you again!

Anyone else got a toddler developing 'independence'? Dd3 is.

I've had one of those for a while now HJ! Tbh, I'm teaching DD a lot of independence stuff so I don't have to lift her, so she gets into her seat for mealtimes, can climb out of the bath (but not in), climbs up and down stairs, walks most places (in a very roundabout fashion) etc. the downside is I have a varied success in getting her to hold my hand. For ages she would say yes to everything, but she's just learnt nooooo! Which is employed regularly! She's also learning to come over and lie down for a nappy change and left up her legs for me (I'm sure loads of your DCs already do this!). We're also some of the way to ECing/potty trg. It's hit and miss, but she's enthusiastic . Random

Mine does a lot of those when she wants to rather than when I want her to. I do like toddler logic though!

ooh random here too. Happy St George's Day you English types! Major independence in this little girl. I can't get used to having a little way who just walks miles away from me after DS.

Huggy, hopee your recovery is going well.

wow at your dd lying down for a nappy change huggy, ds is the opposite, if I ask him if he's done a poo (knowing he has) he says 'no' very firmly but then can't help crack a smile! He does help apply his own eczema cream though which is so cute. I hope your recovery is going well

I'm trying to learn to drive!!! just had my first lesson. I'm also trying to work from home while DS naps but keep distracting myself...

Ooh, TF, well done. Its funny when you start driving how fast 30mph feels! My recovery is going pretty well. Just got to remember not to exert myself too much.

Just quickly checking in, been absent due to rubbish Internet connexion, but all going well here, settling in nicely, been a month now, and time goes too fast!

Good luck with the driving lessons, tf.

I had a lovely lie in this morning, quiet dc, wrongly assumed they were asleep.
Ds had helped himself to my almost full pack of bourbon biscuits, took them to his and dd's bedroom and shared them. Between the 2 of them, they ate about 30 biscuits Dd's cot was coated in chocolate as was the carpet
TF, good luck and enjoy the driving lessons. My first few were as if I was driving a go kart, immense fun

I always find if it's really quiet, then DD is absorbed in a task. Normally sorting sharp objects, eating whole packets of biscuits, wrapping long things round her neck, climbing into the pan drawer, trying to ride one of the dogs or carefully pulling all the loo roll off the tube and tearing into teeny tiny pieces .

We've both got colds at the moment. DD woke at 0100. I gave her some paracetamol and a drink. She said 'thank you!' and waved bye bye to me! All quiet after that , so I. Gave her exactly what she wanted! Before DD, I had around one cold every 3 years. Now I generally get hers off her, so since her first cold in October, we've had about 6!

tyson bet they thought it was great fun!

ds has been unwell the past few days, lying on the sofa and wailing / saying 'no' to everything unwell. all back to normal now though so we've been for a walk in the rain and jumped in lots of puddles.

Loving how all the s have been changed.....

Well, it was short lived and for anyone who missed it, instead of a grin it was a full moon....

Oh cool Huggy I thought you had gone mad

Lost you all!

You lot are quiet! Busy running around after busy toddlers, no doubt! Mine is soooo busy, climbing, running, scooting about, it's all good!
Settling in fine here, found a new apartment for when our stay in the company flat is up, and I can't wait to be out of here, and properly settled, unpacked, ahh!
DS is good, his chatting is coming along great, he even has some German words now, I think we came at the perfect time to get him speaking something other than English. No doubt he will speak German better than me by the time we leave!

I love children learning different languages. Much easier for them.

Me too, totally. One of the big reasons we did this move. I am learning bits too, mainly useless stuff like the words for butterfly, snake, monkey; you know, really important day to day getting by stuff!

Dd1 is doing German at school they think she's really good. She seems to pick up languages easily.

That's great! Wish I'd done German before now! Really hope being immersed here will help!

I learnt nothing in German at school. Teacher wasn't the most inspiring. I was good at French though haven't done any since.

Hello how is everyone?

well done nohun and your ds! I found german really tough, although I think it was partly just a rubbish teacher. all i can say is 'I am thirteen years old'. Which isn't very useful now. I loved learning french though and love having a second language I can (just about) understand. I am guessing your words are led by ds nohun? they are the kind of words ds is picking up, I think he is learning a word a day at the minute (mainly animals, food items, and forms of transport....), I can see it would be the perfect time for them to pick up a second language naturally!

good news about the new apartment too!

all good here I have had a couple more driving lessons and survived them so that is progress! I had happy birhtday sung to me so many times over the weekend (mainly by my nephew) that Ds by the end was also singing 'baaahday baaahday' it was super cute!!

LOL at 'I am 13' not being so useful now! I know how to say DS is 19mo when people ask, will have to learn what 20mo is soon!
I don't get a lot of time to try and learn German myself, we have some fun Apps for the iPad, so I am getting a bit of vocabulary when DS is playing on there.

Well done on the driving lessons. And Happy Birthday! I am loving how they are picking up words so well now. DS said broccoli/brokkoli (same sound in German) the other day, which I think is his first tri-syllabic word!

Ich bin elf.

Dh said my mum has been dropping hints about dd3 giving up bf. he just said something along the lines of 'she will do it when she's ready'.

Hello, I'm still here though haven't got round to posting in ages.
Glad everything is going well in Germany nohun
Happy belated birthday tired
Thats a good response from your DH HJ How often does your DD bf now?

We are a house full of germs at the minute DD has got slapped cheek and I have got sinusitus. DD seems happy enough in herself though which is good.

We are the same here with new words all the time- she NEVER stops talking we got our first tri-syllabic word the other day too- blueberries. She has just started linking words together so on our way to sentences. Her swimming teacher is finding her funny at the minute as she spends so much time saying the words she doesn't actually do what she is supposed to- the other day she just floated round the pool saying kick kick kick but didn't bother to actually kick!

She's feeding at bedtime & all night & nap time. Other times if she's bored/hungry and I have no snacks. I try to give her snacks rather than milk though.

oohh thats funny about the talking instead of swimming bp !! ds says kick kick kick when he swims too but the first 'k' comes out as a 'd'

ds's first 3 syllable word came a while ago but not sure if it counts as only me and dh know he's saying it - its bicycle but he says 'bidell bidell bidell bidell' its sooo funny we are always looking for bicycles to point out just so he says it! broccolli and blueberries are good healthy choices of words! ds is refusing fruit unless its pureed, sigh. he used to love it!

Well done your dh hj, so annoying when people think there is a set 'perfect' time to stop! do what suits you and dd best.

nohun I like the sound of you learning the language alongside your ds .

Glad the thread title is proving right!

Blueberries and broccoli, what a healthy vocabulary they have!

DS is great at recognising the alphabet, constantly amazes us!

bp, good to see you! Hope your DD gets well soon. Slapped Cheek sounds like such a ridiculous thing!

We are still BFing here too, mainly at night, and I haven't fed outside in the day for a while now - mostly in a bid to get PG again, otherwise I'd not have tried to get him to reduce his day feeds. What a faff taking all these boxes of food though! BFing is much easier!!! Does feel like a sacrifice, but I really feel time is ticking for me to have a second child, and I'd rather give DS a sibling. His eating of other foods is going great though, so we believe all is good! He certainly has more than enough energy, and is bright and lively!

Dd3 has started asking for my tea as well as her own. She had almost the same size portion of lentil cottage pie tonight!

She still doesn't talk much. She has loads of words & signs but some get used once then not for months. She's getting very into colouring & sticking and loves stickers.
And gardening. She can point out loads of plants

Your DS is very clever with the alphabet HJ I have been trying to teach DD colours but she calls them all yellow.
at your DS swimming tired
Hj DD is into colouring as well and that is cute with yuour DDs green fingers.

We had a rough weekend with DD being poorly she has been very grumpy and hasn't been able to settle to sleep I think she is on the mend now though- fingers crossed.

DD has also met another developmental milestone in that she now tells lies Last week when FIL had her for a couple of hours she would not settle at bed time when I asked her why she didn't go to sleep she said 'grandad noise' and then at the weekend she was sick on my leg when DH asked what had happened she pointed at the wet patch on my trousers and said 'mummy wee wee' Anyone else's doing this? Or have I got myself a naughty one?

BP dd3 blames dd2 for everything.

HJ, I think if they know signs, they often don't bother speaking the word. DS waved 'hi' and 'bye' for absolutely ages before he'd say the words, yet he could make the sounds, as he'd say baba, and similar. If I asked him to say hi or bye, he'd just wave!

BP, pleased your DD is on the mend.

DS loves the alphabet, we have various Apps on the iPad, many game ones, cartoons, Thomas the Tank Engine etc, but very often, he'll want to play the Alphabet ones. He points out letters when we are out - signs and posters etc.

I cannot wait to move into our new apartment, I don't feel properly settled here, just feels like I am on holiday, living with the minimal kitchen, haven't unpacked most of our stuff etc. DS is going to think it's Christmas once we unpack all of his toys! He's been playing with a minimum, poor child!

Dd3 will also bring us pictures in books rather than speak.
She was signing milk at me today though and when I asked her to wait she yelled milk at me .

Smart cookie!

Hello all.

Recovery is going well here. 5 weeks down.

Everyone's DCs seem to be coming along so well . I am very impressed with your DD's talking BP, your DS's alphabet recognition NoHun and the very clever blaming of your DD2 by your DD3 HJ .

DD is doing great. She's being so helpful now I cannot carry her. She takes the wet laundry out of the washing machine and has a stool that she takes round with her to eat at the table, climb in and out of the bath etc. she can climb into the car and into her carseat too and carries stuff for me so well. She's a delight. I think she's slightly behind your DC's on speech. She can say things but often to herself or when she thinks I am not listening. She can say sentences like I do it and where am I? But like HJ's DD3 she'll say something then not say it for ages. She always says Thank you to me when I give her something but goes mute at the childminders. We have worked out its because her best friend there who is 2 speaks for her. Also she's had a lot to concentrate on being more independent over the last 5 weeks. I am very very proud of her.

Hello all!!

Glad to hear you're all doing well, ds is coming along as well. I discovered he knows how to count and he also knows what a cow is. I didn't teach him this though, it was the childminder!

He's very chatty and has no trouble with tone and inflection, but he doesn't really have words and mostly babbles to me. He also has become very affection and is hugging us left right and centre at the moment. He also does this to randomers at church (and random person at the docs as well). I'm not sure if I should be worried or pleased that he's confident with others.

Well apart from that, we're doing well. Nothing much else to report.

I like the hugging of random people trib I bet it makes their day! I think it shows he's happy and confident!

well done to your dd for helping out so much huggy ! it must have made it a lot easier for you. Are you feeling more recovered now?

hope you are all enjoying the jubilee celebrations and long weekend! we are off to the village party in a bit, provided the weather holds....

Glad your recovery is going well, Huggy.

Nothing hugely new to report here. We move to our more permanent place in three weeks, I am very keen to get in and settled. DS is great, I am so enjoying my time with him. 20 months yesterday! Where does the time go? He marked it bu making it the first day he's woken up and not requested a feed! Hope this marks the start of a more fertile time for me!

Hi all, I lost you!

We've just come back from holiday. Dd3 was a bit confused and asked to go home at bedtime the first night but quickly got into it. She's a bit rough at the moment , think it might be teeth.

Dh has got quite a bit of work at the moment (take it while he can!) and I'm on my own most evenings so I think my MN habit may be back again

good news about finding a more permanent place nohun and good news about your ds dropping the feed too.

hj same here, its busy season for dh so I have a lot of quiet evenings now. I have even done some work this evening before my brain gave in

ds comes into our bed in the morning and the other day I had dozed off when I heard him saying 'boborteee' over and over and giggling, in my half awake state I forgot that's his word for water, until he tipped an entire glass of it all over me!!! not the best start to the day!!

TF!

Fingers crossed for your apartment move NoHun.

I hope you had a great holiday HJ.

DD was in knickers all day, no problems. Then saved it all up for the car ride home. The car seat cover is now in the wash. I think pull ups or something are the best bet for the car! To be fair she did say uh oh!

Holiday was great. Just loads of things went wrong when we came back!

Huggy- isn't toilet traing great! Dd3 has just had a tummy bug so we aren't doing much nappy free at the moment

Dd3 is currently obsessed with the fruit in the garden. Having to stop her eating unripe ones as she's not very patient and screamed at the red currant bush

I wish I had a red currant bush....

We have 3 <smug>

And 12 blackcurrant, 6 gooseberry, 4 blueberry,3 apple, 3 cherry, 2 plum, 1 pear, 5 fig, 4 goji berry , 1 kiwi( no fruit so far though) and LOADS of strawberry and raspberry plants.

Wow, check you out. I am particularly interested in the goji one...I did not think they grew here. I found a gooseberry bush at the bottom of the garden in Bucks and have found one wizened sad little gooseberry....

Gooseberry bushes like space so clear around it.
I've only had one goji berry yet in 3 years. There's quite a few around on the allotments, they are very hardy, from somewhere cold but I can't remember specifically.

Hello everyone!

I haven't posted here for ages but still have the thread in my watch list so read from time to time. I'm really impressed by your move NoHun and glad it's working out. Our little ones are so big now and can almost take on the world it seems. We are expecting dc#4 in January, I have been really poorly with sickness and am currently off work. Roll on 2nd trimester. I've had a couple of scans as I've been bleeding and the baby is absolutely fine. Exciting times! Hope everyone is well!

Congrats Spring!

We are wanting DC 4 but am getting myself sorted first do I don't have some of the crap bits of last time.

I would so love a garden to grow my own fruit and vegetables, maybe I should check out allotments here in Germany! Though I am lazy and it would need to be outside my back door, or the plants will get neglected!

Spring, huge congratulations on your new bump, you lucky thing!

A week til we move, I cannot wait! I am looking forward to unpacking properly, and DS having his toys out, we've only gotten a few out of boxes, so I reckon he will be excited to see all his old toys again!

We aren't as good at the allotment but it's a big job we are making lots of little ones.

Hello all

Wow Spring, congratulations. Don't envy you the sickness though. Hope it improves soon. How very exciting. I still haven't completely made my peace with not having another, though it would be total insanity, even supposing I managed to get pregnant in the first place.

Good luck with the move to the apartment NoHun.

Huggy, your DD is in pants all day?? Goodness.

HJ, we used to have fab raspberry bushes at our old house and ds loved picking them off but we have less room here so have stuck to decorative plants.

DD is such fun now. She and ds can play together more and have lots of giggles together. I love this age.

Yeah DD is loving the pants. For some reason I thought she'd 'get' needing a poo before wees, but wees are easier for her to deal with than poos. DH got her pants with a motif on the front which she is obsessed by .

Hi Spring! Congratulations. Wow, number 4!

Hi Floozie, it's a lovely age, I agree.

Got home up north tonight to discover there's been a power cut and I've lost the contents of the fridge and freezer. Most annoyingly the last of the expressed breast milk is ruined.

Huggy

On the plus side, I now have a fabulously empty freezer and you can see the cold air whirling round it....

And it's nice to fill it up from scratch.

hello all! I'm feeling sorry for myself got an ear infection and perforated ear drum, hurts like hell! look after a toddler felt like hard work today

on the plus side, we're going away to Ireland for a few days at the weekend I'm looking forward to the change of scenery.

nohun how was the move to the new place? hope you are feeling all settled in

huggy what a pain about the freezer!

spring - congratulations! I was one of four it was good fun

hj that's an impressive variety of fruits!

totally agree with you floozie I think this is a lovely age, ds is full of fun and it feels like he does / says something new everyday. So lovely in fact that we're starting to think about trying for a second, am feeling pretty apprehensive at the thought of sleepless nights all over again though... but I guess that bit passes eventually...

Hi Tired!

Anyone else got a toddler into stickers? Dd 3 sticks them on her nose and forehead & all over us. She thinks it's hilarious. Paper doesn't have the same affect. I have pictures of dd1 at the same age covered in stickers so wondered if it's a 21 month thing!

I shall try the stickers thing. I used flag stickers ( that you have at work to flag papers in a file etc) out of my work handbag recently when in hospital with DD waiting to see the doc. She carefully stuck them all over the floor....

Brave you TF and everyone else either pg, TTC or thinking seriously about it!

DD bathed with her Welles on this evening.

Wellies are Good!

at bathing in wellies that's brilliant!!!

huggy I've just brought ds some sticker books for our journey after googling for ideas of things to do with this age when travelling, am hoping he finds it as hilarious as your dd

DD is doing so well in pants. Dry days all this week. Nights are still very very wet though! Probably not a bad thing as it would be disturbing for her sleep!

We use a carry me potty which seals up and looks like a suitcase so it can be used on the move and when closed keeps the contents.

Anyway- what I came to ask, does anyone have a recommendation for bath tap covers? dD is obsessed with them and I don't want her to burn herself.

I cover in a small towel & tie on with bobbles. Ours aren't hot though just easy to bump on.

Dd3 isn't weeing much at the moment , can't work out if it's heat/sweat or not drinking enough or just that she's starting to wee less often. Dry nappies two nights in a row so am keeping an eye in case of infection.

HJ dd loves her stickers too. It's been a revelation watching her getting them off the sheet so easily because it's something ds can't do on his own. Dp had the bright idea of livening up our recycling bin lid with lots of stickers from ds's discarded magazine stickers.... sure enough dd made a beeline for it and started methodically pulling them off one by one. I did warn him he'd need to varnish it or something. Bin lid now lives on top of the fridge .

Hope you have/had fun in Ireland tired. I haven't been for two years and I'm starting to feel the need.

Must go to bed. I just can't seem to get myself there before midnight. Madness with dd/work/school run in the mornings!!

Also, tf, there's lots of lovely Irish names if your ttcing commences now and is successful straight away .

have to tell someone but can't in RL so shhh on FB but dc4 will be coming next year

Wowsers, HJ, nice work, congratulations! When are you due?

DS is loving sticking Post-It notes around, I haven't bought him stickers yet, I will when I next see some!

Huggy, I haven't used this, but I think it looks fab for your tap question: www.amazon.co.uk/Boon-Water-Deflector-Protective-Cover/dp/B0048DMPD0.

All settled in to the new home, been here nine days now. Not hung everything up as we didn't have enough hangers, but I just bought some more today, so hopefully will be able to finish unpacking our clothes from the boxes! Hurrah!

Is mega hot here, phew!

Currently have a foot covered in animal stickers!

Absolutely no idea when I'm due. Somewhere between 4-8 weeks pregnant and only know this because I had a scan to check something else 7 weeks ago. Was on the pill and only suspected I was pg due to dd3 complaining the milk was all gone last week and then weeing loads this weekend. We did plan another but weren't going to ttc until later this year. Was a bit nervous of telling dh but he was swaggering think he took it better than I did! Not telling anyone in RL until I've a 12 week scan and am secure so MN is my outlet for a bit when I know which ante natal group to join

Crikey HJ! Super fertile! Or invincible sperm on behalf of your DH! Stay with us an update us, don't go defecting to a brand new group too much! Many congratulations and hopefully you'll get some good support for your hips.

Thanks NoHun! I saw those and discounted them for a stupid reason. My taps are old weird ones like mini surgical taps if that makes sense and I'd misread the description of the cover so thought they'd be no use. You redirecting me to them and me reading it again makes me realise they'd hopefully be perfect! oh and stop showing off about your hot weather....we're all growing gills here!

Loving the stickers thing Floozie! DD spent a quite 15 mins playing with post it notes too on Sunday.

My mum used to give me cod liver oil when I was little and when I was incredibly ill for a while when I was 4, after various tests it was discovered I was allergic to cod, eggs, dairy products, beef, cat hair, dust,wheat and something else (and recently gold, so i can't wear my wedding ring) My mum called me fussy, but funnily enough I never objected to eating vegetables so there must have been a clue! Anyway, DD has shown no such tendency towards allergies then yesterday the childminder took her to a cafe and gave her fish fingers (urghhh) chips and beans. Her face went all red and puffy, spotty and rashy and she was really grotty and uncomfortable last night. I went to the cafe today and asked what was in the fish fingers and they brought out the box and sure enough they were cod....and minced at that (all lips and eyes). Poor old DD. To top it all, she's now constipated which has never happened before, so she's extra miserable. Roll on a veg rich weekend!

Think dh is going with invincible sperm huggy!

Poor dd at the fish fingers

congrats hj !!

we had a lovely time in Ireland, despite the rain. DS loved exploring the new place and we went on a miniature train which he adored. he was soooo good on the plane, both ways. On the way out there was a little baby crying behind us most of the time, and he kept offering her his snacks and toys . I can tell he's a bit sad to be back as he's been playing up all evening. I'm glad to be back as I find it hard work being somewhere different with him, and I have a killer hangover which made travelling extra tough!

huggy sorry to hear about the fish fingers, your poor dd

Congrats again HJ, very exciting news. There is nothing a man likes more than the prospect of his sperm being invincible I hope you get a scan date soon so you can be dated.

Success! Got DD home tonight, one satsuma, a packet of raisin, a big cup of juice, tummy massage and leg cycling and voila! Not a constipated looking one but she was a bit upset by it, then instantly sunny afterwards. A relief for both of us as I was worrying about her.

Glad your DD is ok, Huggy, shame about the allergies! Time to go vegan?!

Aw, tired, what a sweet boy you have. Bless.

Nohun. Joking aside I have given a lot of thought into it, but it would be a bit hard and not to mention a hypocritical thing to do right now, what with our jobs not exactly lending themselves towards total compassion, not least of which our uniforms are predominantly woollen..... I don't think our employers make room for vegan lifestyles. Vegetarian yes (if you're veggie in the field you get a Sikh ration pack!). But I think that vegetarianism endorses turning a blind eye to elements of animal by-product production that is no way vegetarian and thus I think it's hooey (sorry to anyone veggie reading the world according to Huggy) May as well do it properly and be vegan. We, in the time we're all together, try to follow that sort of diet ( but can't say we have that total lifestyle by any stretch) but when we're spread to the 3 winds, DD at childminder and DH and I at work home or abroad it's harder as our jobs are also lifestyles. It's something we're thinking about for our retirement which is in 4 years and 1 month for me! Woo hoo!

DD's face is calming down. She's back to her Normal giggle self.

Oh my goodness me, every time I come on here now someone is announcing they're pregnant! Congratulations HJ, and well done dh's super sperm . I have to say, you are pretty brave after the last time round. Are you feeling ok?I can't remember if you got ms the last time.

And I am of your super hot German sun, NoHun. You lucky thing.

Last time ( now so far ) no MS just nausea. V tired but nothing like last time with the meds. GP suggested them and I practically ran out of the room! It's the SPD that I'm worried about but am ok at the moment( touch wood)

Oh wow congratulations HJ!!! Wow, go you and DH. Must be something in the water round myhouse here .

How is life in Germany Nohun, the latest pictures of your DS are super cute!!

It only feels like yesterday we had our children and so many are going to be older siblings already! Felt a little sad for DD yesterday. She helped with a baby visitor, burped him, stroked his hair and held out stuff for changing him. She won't get a baby brother or sister. However I do know that if I'd been cuddling the baby she would not have been impressed!

I was reading the other day that in tribes were breast feeding until total self weaning is the norm, the average age gap between children is 4 years. It said that those babies/toddlers seem to have more milk than food which assists in the natural birth control. It makes me wonder if the reason for DD self weaning at 15.5 months was down to access to more food than nature intends at that age?! Nonetheless she's happy .

If anyone wants any baby girl stuff if and when they know what sex their new babies are, I'd be happy to pass some stuff along. Also, toilet training (training is the wrong word I think as we're not actively teaching DD, she's learning her own way) is going well and she's using the normal loo now. I have a fair few reusable nappies that could probably use a new home in a while. All sorts of colours, camouflage, giraffe print, hearts etc. All pocket nappies and all. Bar one with snaps rather than aplix.

Sorry Trib, was being thick, are you also pg??!!

Ooh trib ??????

Am I getting company when I find a AN thread?

Yep Huggy .

Huggy, sounds like you have given veganism some thought, that's great!

Trib, cheeky, congratulations!

No such news here, but if I get pg next cycle, I have calculated I'd be due on my birthday!!! So totally hoping for that!!!

Yay!!!!

How many weeks?

Seven plus two (according to my phone ), what about you HJ?

Somewhere between 5&9. I think about 7 but there's not a lot of logic in it other than rough memories of symptoms! I put this rough guess in my phone and get 7+1. So we will be around the same time if I'm right!

Oooo how freaky, we may have ovulated at the same time .

I thought I met your DH a few weeks back, I was at the place where I assume he works and walked past someone with his name. But then went back to say 'oh is your wife named xyz?' It wasn't him turns out .

There's a couple with the same name. He's been behind scenes for the past few weeks , probably for the rest of the summer as that area is short of trained people. Means he's getting lots of work though!

Have you had GP or anything yet? I'm waiting for referral to Hosp and hoping for a scan soon to date me. It's v frustrating not knowing!

Wow! Congratulations Trib! You don't need to find an ante natal thread, you're creating a whole new one here! At least you wouldn't have to deal with those worrywart first timers.

Here's hoping for your next cycle Nohun! Birthday due date would be great for joint birthday parties and a whole new spin on the term birthday present! I shall send fertile thoughts your way. Hopefully the gods of fertility will send what would have been my portion your way .

Huggy I must admit, I wouldn't be able to keep up with a full on thread at the moment.

Come on Nohun! <sprinkles baby dust and sparkly crap all over the thread and runs away>

Head stands for Nohun.....

Really looking forward to hearing all the new baby names. I love looking at names. If anyone wants to discuss names beforehand I am an enthusiastic listener! oh and will not be badly opinionated, unless you want to call your child Moonunit or something

Now this is getting ridiculous! Congratulations Tribble too. Wow you and HJ having babies at the same time again. I'm getting slightly nervous now with all this procreating as dp and I DTD without protection although it was well past ovulation time.... Make sure that baby dust is only sprinkled on NoHun Trib!

Thanks, Huggy. Me, I don't mind forgetting it's my birthday, would gladly let my birthday child have their day all to themselves.
Thanks for all the sparkly baby dust <rolls around in it liberally>.

I love talking baby names! Would go for Moon-Unit (note the hyphen!) but I don't like matching initials, so all M names are out. Shame! Actually, we do have our names sorted, for both a girl and a boy, with several extra loved names if there are quad girls, but not loads more if it's twin boys or more, so here's hoping for a singleton boy, b/g twins or girls one-four! Top Secret though, sorry! But once we have our second (or multiples!), I will divulge if anyone's interested!

ft, have you definitely shut up shop? Or just taking a break?

We've a girls name but no boys (again!) got ages yet anyway. My last two didn't get names chosen until after they were born anyway!

Wow congratulations on all the pgs. Very happy for you all, if a little bit I'm coming to join you rolling in the baby dust if that's ok nohun. We've been trying for ages and then have had a complete nightmare at work as they have been complete twunts. I was all for walking out but dh and common sense have dictated I stay and get at least another maternity pay off them! So really really trying now
I love name talk too. Got a girl and boys sorted but even dh doesn't know them yet!

I have been reading but my laptop has broken- thanks to dd- so haven't posted for ages.
Huggy your dd is doing really well with the toilet training. I don't think dd is ready for it yet.

We are off on hols this weekend. We can't afford it and dd will be interesting sitting still on a plane but after work upset me and the lack of summer sun this year I thought sod it and booked one.

Loving seeing all the pictures of your Los on fb. They are all so cute and getting so big! And very jealous of the girls with hair! Dd still gets mistaken for a boy all the time.

We have ideas of names, but I'm always open to new ones. The thing is I think ds has a pretty good name (IMO, obviously won't be everyone's cup of tea) so I need names in a similar vein.

I quite like Seth or Jasper at the moment. I think they're not as used as they could be, but can't think of any others. I just like names that are a bit uncommon but would ok in a professional situation. I also like nicknamable names, I didn't have one as a kid. I suffered immensely .

bp, come roll with me!

Sorry to hear about the nightmare at work. Been there, done that, got the payoff!
We also had laptop issues, not really DS's fault as I should not have had the bubble bottle near it. Oops.
Where are you off to on holiday? Have a great time.

DS gets mistaken for a girl! Even with his small amount of hair! And people don't think he is mine, as he is so fair, and I am so not!

Are you sharing names on here? DH suggested our potential boy's name (DS's was my idea, DH came up with his middle). I really love it. We are totally on the same page. Easy! My girl's name I have loved since the eighties. Ran it by DH when we were first dating, deal-breaker if he didn't like it! Luckily he loves it. He has come up with a perfect middle name, so here's hoping.

Trib, a friend of mine has a Seth, it's a great name, though I don't think she wants it getting too popular! I think both Jasper and Seth work with your son's name, though Seth doesn't really lend itself easily to a nn. I like nicknamable names, is very key with our thinking. I love DS's name as he can use a mainstream name if he wants to, there are loads of options.

Jasper was ours last time. I like it but was never 100% iyswim

Had GP appt.BP on the low side now which is what happened in previous pregnancies & I had to come off meds.

Got hospital letter has to rearrange so will now be between 9 & 13 weeks when I go. They told me to see my MW earlier if there's a problem and didn't seem to understand that I don't have one. They kept saying everyone has one!
They also said GP can refer for an earlier scan to date but I'm not sure. If I'd known before this ams appt I would have but am not sure about phoning and asking.

HJ Nowt wrong with a phone call, it would probably help set your mind at ease.

Will ring tomorrow if I can excape children's ear shot for long enough!

GP referred me for a scan, just need to wait now

Great, hope you get word soon.

Any of the newly pregnant people still bf? It's really hurting at the moment and dd3 keeps twiddling ( think due to the drop in supply).

Got a scan for Thursday.

Good news HJ.

I can imagine the bring could be troublesome. My friend was bottle fed because her mother bf'd her older sister and all the way through being pg with my friend and didn't want to bf my friend as it had all felt too much when she was pg . That said my friend has alway been healthier than her sister...

I've been lurking on the March 2013 thread until I know a EDD and just seen shieldbug, so that's at least 3 of this thread due then!

And who is it that's just announced a baby on FB? I'm not good at matching us up on there!

HJ Once in a very blue moon and even then it's just a bit of comfort.

Silversky's just had her second.

Does anyone elses's toddler do the following:
Open cupboards and methodically empty them
Open drawers and get everything out
Snake a little hand over kitchen and bathroom counters to grab anything in reach and BONUS! if it's toothpaste or make up.

My colleague who has a 5 year old was surprised that my toddler was 'so naughty' and said she was very strict which was why her daughter was so well behaved and never did anything like that. Does anyone else have a pillager, or is it just my child?!

Thanks Huggy!

Y to the toddler emptying drawers thing. I think it's normal I've not met one who didn't if they had the chance.
Dd3 likes to empty the fridge & eat as much as possible,

Oh yes! I forgot about the fridge!

Mine climbs up the fridge!

Our toddlers are not naughty! They are inquisitive adventurous explorers, and a load of fun.

That's what I thought. It was her shocked expression that made me pause! Dd makes me laugh every day.

Ds likes to climb into the fridge, hide under the stairs (he actually closes the door), empty the cupboards (and then walk through/on the debris) and hide my personal possessions in secret places.

His record is still three whole days of falling to reveal the location of my iPod and dh's phone.

Chaos reigns, if I can teach him sarcasm before the age of three and a bit I fully expect he will rule the nursery with an iron fist.

Mine loves to hide things. I find potatoes all over the place!

Y potatoes are fun here too!

Maybe he's trying to grow them NoHun .

Will bear in mind the potato thing, but the dogs would probably hunt them out before me, being vegetable lovers. They adore courgettes. Loving the ruling the nursery bit Trib.

This morning DD refused to come upstairs to get dressed, so I dispatched the dogs outside and left her to it (safe downstairs as we're in a military quarter with naff all in it). It went ominously quiet which is usually a sign that she's absorbed in something destructive. Putting things down the loo is the latest fad as she uses the loo now and not a potty which means her clutching hold of me to avoid falling down the loo. Anyway I came downstairs to find her sat quietly on a kitchen chair. Goodness knows why she decided to be so angelic!

Squeeeee HJ congrats!!!!!
Sorry not been on here much, just skim read back.
HJ Bloody congrats, I am so happy for you!

Had scan. They couldn't find baby at first and offered rescan in 10 days or dildocam. There was no way I was waiting that long so had the internal. Found a tiny heart beat, smallest I've seen any of mine and they've said 6 weeks. Bit worried as I've known for 3 weeks I was pg so must have been a v early positive or something wrong. It was within my possible dates though but I feel like I've lost a couple of weeks as I was expecting them to say 8weeks!
Will get another scan in 3 weeks so got a while to worry yet !

trib that puts me behind you then!

So pleased that there was a heartbeat HJ! It will be fine xx

HJ Did they give you a rough due date? I know scans that early are a bit hit and miss with dates aren't they. Congrats though!!! Fab news!!

No date. I've chose an approx one of 20/3 just to put me on. Medical people are v confused by me not having a MW and keep trying to send me to one. Every time I'm having to explain why.

Have you got a date trib? I've never been so scared as when I couldn't see one.

HJ I've got 3rd March from my own dates, MW has me down as the 8th. I've got my scan on the 17th August so I'll guess we'll see then. Have you posted on the March thread yet? I don't know if I have the energy to keep up with another antenatel thread.

I have been lurking and joined today. Need to occupy my head to get through 3 weeks til scan & avoid thinking about work! Dh is working most evenings so more company the better.
Shieldbug is over there too.

Oh HJ how is work going?

Better but we are heading into a short staffed phase and had an frustrating duty call to do the other day. Not happy to leave things as was but not bad enough for immediate action was two of us on the call which meant at least we could gather a lot of information.

Dd3 doesn't talk much so I told her about the baby in mummy's tummy. She is now checking her toys & saying baba. Oops.

Are you still SAHM trib?

Yep, I've been for a few things now and haven't had any luck. Obviously baby scuppers things a little. I'm not exactly lacking in skills and experience and it's bloody tough round here at the moment. I finally get what dh was going on about.

Fingers crossed for you Trib.

Anyone got any cures for dog tiredness? Non-available options are cutting back work hours, spending any time resting during the day, or not traveling up and down the country weekly. .

I actually thought you meant your dog was tired!

You do have a hectic schedule. I used to travel several hours every other weekend when dating DH, it really takes it out of you. Can't imagine every week, with a toddler. Poor you. Sorry no solutions. Retirement soon though!!!

Huggy- just check the health stuff to make sure that there's nothing else making you worse. Iron levels? That sort of thing

I've been taking spa tone iron rich water and a supplement which I think has helped a teeny bit.

How are you feeling now, Huggy?

Just voted for you, Tribble.

www.mumsnet.com/Polls/olympic-name-change-12

Me too!

Thank you .

How are you huggy and HJ?

NoRun It's a shame we won't be in the same place at the same time, it would have been nice to see you and your lovely DS. How are you enjoying things at the moment?

Me too Tribs, good luck

Am currently doing competitive tiredness with dh. This has hit at the wrong time as I cba doing anything with dd2 (dd1 can sort herself and dd3 is easy to entertain). Dd2 is the one who needs rte exercise though!

Hello! Good name changes! Have voted for you Trib. Can't believe you're not top.

I'm ok thanks, been sleeping terribly but I seem to be getting used to it, although I had the twitching eyelid thing going on earlier!

Hope everyone is well. X

Twirls

Very nice, Huggy!

Sorry to miss you, Trib, it was mega last-minute. Had a good time, stocked up on a few food items, went to my favourite restaurants. We are liking Germany a lot, it is much the same as the UK in many ways, though I haven't managed to find easy-peel satsumas/clementines/mandarins (never can tell the difference!), and the bread here is on the drier side than I'd like, but no huge disasters or troubles. And there is no Sunday opening for shops, that takes some getting used to! But we are close to good parks, the pool, shops and stuff, it's a really nice area. I just wish I could speak the language faster!

Glad it's going well nohun. Bet you know more than you think though!

Lovely Huggy

I know some vocab, but the die, der, das thing is hard, and people speak so fast. I hope that it will all start clicking more soon!

Glad you had a good time back here nohun.

Satsumas tend to be limited to winter, are lighter orange than any other variety with flat tops and bottoms. When organic they're lovely and sharp.

Clementines are year round, bright orange, flat bottomed and pointed top they are the most fragrant.

Tangerines are thicker skinned, mid orange and larger segments. They tend to be a bit blander and are rounded at the top and bottom.

Mandarins are very juicy, flat bottomed and bright bright orange.

Can you tell I like my citrus fruit?!

DD is a poorly girl. High temp, been sick today and very lethargic.

Wow! You know your orange citrus fruit! I am impressed! I like them too! They just all look much of a muchness to me!

Hope DD gets better soon.

Thanks, FB won't let me post. I think she has a tusk instead of a tooth coming! Her temp's high and she was sick this afternoon. She hates the heat as well.

Oh bless her. DS has two teeth coming through, I can see them poking up. And his hair seems to be looking more full now!

I noticed his hair on one of your latest pics nohun

Dd3 seems fed up of her sisters this holidays, they keep trying to tell her what to do!

Think dd3 has cracked the potty! ( wee wise anyway) she refused a nappy this am and has been a few times off her own back rather than me suggesting it. When she's weed she runs away and doesn't want to have anything to do with it ( IME toddlers like to empty/flush)

Well done to your DD3 HJ. DD announced to everyone in a pub garden on Saturday that she wanted a wee wee.

There's even more hair in real life, the photos don't do it justice!

Yes, we have a fan of emptying and flushing here!

at the wee announcement!

Very definate this am at no nappy. Dh getting paranoid about poo!

Marks place. Even tho ds1 ended up a November baby.

Hi silver

Lost the thread

It's a quiet one that's for sure !

Maybe we need a Friday Five (on a Monday!).

Yes! Do it!

Haven't posted for awhile I think I announce that no 4 was on the way earlier on in year. Was on this thread had DS1 in late sept of 2010 was under the nn of loony boo or monkey maker.

Now announcing that no4 DD3 arrived 3 weeks early on the 23/08 by c-sections under GA. Esmé Rose 5lbs 12oz.

Congrats plumsie

Congratulations Plumsie!

Lovely news!

What are the ages of Dd1&2 or are they twins?