We will brook no argument for a boring, uneventful, blooming pregnancy; followed by a perfectly-timed pain-free sneeze birth; vol 5

[ScreamIfYouWantToMeetSanta]

Hi No Brookers! I do hope this has worked and is in the right place...

I've added a few extra sofas so we have plenty of space for all the Rat Smackers who will be joining us soon. There's also a nice long table filled with mince pies, yule logs, gingerbread snowmen and xmas puds! Plus some non-alcoholic mulled wine. I've strategically positioned a few clean glittery vom buckets under the table, just in case it's still a bit too early for xmas munchies for some people!

As you were...

dream what would happen if you left DD in her cot during the day at nap time and she didn't go to sleep? If you left her in there awake instead of worrying about her not being asleep what would she do?

I think rules go out of the window during illness and bad days. Nothing wrong with a bit of Cbeebies when you're at the end of your tether.

I have to say I'd be a bit annoyed if my DH was to criticise me losing my rag if he'd already left me to deal with it on my own and gone to sleep in the spare room. You both need sleep. Yes he's at work and ill and he has a massive responsibility in his job. But you're also ill, yes sleep deprivation does count as illness in my book when it's over a prolonged period of time like it is in your case, and you also have massive responsiblity looking after your poorly DD all day and carrying your twins. Anyway, I hope he doesn't give you a hard time over it, it's the last thing you need and I'm sure all of us with DC have shouted and ranted at some point. It really does sound like you could both do with a break, just the 2 of you.

scarlet I did leave her for 45 min, she won't lie down, stands up, and as she gets more and more over-tired she tries to 'run' round her cot, usually ending up with her falling over and smasing her fce into cot barss . As happened today. And I left her in it from 2:45-4am last night- she does not go to sleep, or pipe down. We left her from 7-9pm the other evening- snap, no closer to her being asleep when I gave up and went up.... Due to our total lack of sound-proofness in our house, I don't think he was asleep, but at least he was lying quietly without dd.

errr, 'face' and cot 'bars' , can't even type- but dd managed to stay asleep in her pushcahir after all, so I'm still sat on my bottom doing nothing productive!

I don't know what to suggest dream, I know I'd be at my wits end by now and crying and ranting would be a regular thing if I were you. I'm not known for my patience generally. It's amazing though how you manage to find it when it comes to your own DC. I certainly have amazed myself at times

Is there a willing volunteer who would have her overnight for one night for you? Your DH is probably feeling as bad as you about it all and you're both just desperate for sleep by the sounds of it.

my family are too far away really, 50 miles/ hour and a quarter drive, and she still seems so little... I know she's 15 months, but I still think of her as a baby. Plus, I don't think they'd have her, and I'd be worried she'd be upset without me- her major clingyness has started since I went back to work and mummy has 'abandoned' her all day . I'm putting my foot down though, I'm not having her in bed with us. Doesn't help her sleep, or us sleep, but we keep trying to resort to it . Feeling a bit desperate again already today, and I really hope its pregnancy hormones and exhaustion and I won't be this inept with 3 LO's

Dream honey you are absolutely, 100%, not inept!! You are exhausted - end of. Don't be so hard on yourself and don't let DH be hard on you either. You're a lovely hardworking mummy who just needs some sleep. PLEASE don't feel down about that.

Hear hear Imps.

Well said.

Dream if I didn't live 300 odd miles away and have no idea what to do with young children I would offer to come and give you a break. You are doing a fab job and I won't accept you saying otherwise

I know exactly what you mean dream about her being a baby. Thing is, she is still a baby. And of course it goes without saying that you are not inept in any way whatsoever! You just need a break, and a hug from your DH.

I'm sitting here with my 5th nosebleed of the day. Got tissue stuck up my nostril and I'm listening via the monitor to DS counting to 10 and he keeps saying "what a day!" I've no idea where he's picked up this saying from but he always pipes up with it when he's in bed

Dream I'm so sorry to hear the last 24 hours have been so stressful for you! I feel so sorry for your DD, she's just been ill for so long and we all know how it feels to be "ill" for weeks at a time! I'm incredibly sorry for your DH as well, he must feel awful with the lack of sleep coupled with now having hand and foot, and still having to work. I agree he was completely wrong to blame you for temporarily losing it last night, but I know that I get really unreasonable when I'm feeling rubbish and I can see why he'd become unreasonable as well!

Most of all I feel sorry for you though! It just sounds so incredibly stressful and tiring! You are doing so well though, you're holding the whole family together! You're giving DD has much comfort as you possibly can all day and night, you let your DH sleep in the spare room to give him as much rest as possible, and you're still growing two new people inside you! You're superwoman! It will all get better soon, it has to! You deserve a break more than anyone I can think of!

Dream - have you tried sleeping next to her cot on a makeshift nest? It's what I'm doing with dd at the moment when she gets the 'bed anxieties'.

It will be a phase and it will pass its just a rather unfortunately timed phase...

Oh dream you poor thing. You are not inept or a bad mother in any way. I can only echo what everyone has said already. Cut yourself some slack. Was last night any better?
scarlet 5 nosebleeds? Are you ok? Bless your ds for his phrases, I wonder where they get them from sometimes. It makes them sound so funny.
Ok why is it when dp tells me he'll get up with ds I'm awake by 7.30 after sleeping badly all night, and ds doesn't wake up till 9! Anyway at least I'm still in bed internetting on my phone whilst they are in the lounge. Now how can i get a tea brought into me without me having to get up?
Hope everyone is well, musical were you well enough for the theatre? How are you feeling today?

I have a very hungover DH who's face has been very well aquainted with the toilet bowl this morning . I can't really moan as he's not one for going out drinking usually and I think he just needed a good night out to let his hair down. I wasn't too happy though when my premonition became a reality as I did have to hear all about his evening several times when he got in. DS also chose this morning as the first morning in ages where he was wide awake and wanting to play at 6am. So we're all very tired here.

I'm still full of cold. I've been having a lot of nosebleeds for the last couple of months Ninja and I think the amount of nose blowing I've been doing during this cold has just made them even more frequent than normal.

Me and DS have just been watching The Snowman. He loves it. I can't believe it's 30 years old next year

dream I hope you're all feeling a bit better today?

Have a good weekend everyone. I'm not up to much, just sadly too excited about the Strictly Come Dancing final tonight

Just think of all those brownie pints you're amassing Scarlet. Hope your DH can get some distance between him and the loo soon!

I also love the snowman - and am
horrified surprised its 30 years old!

DS and I are just having some lunch before going to the aquarium since DH abandoned us to go to work - should be nice

I am also excited about the Strictly final today, although I just got a sarcastic 'wooo' when I mentioned this to DH. who you rooting for?

hello, sent dh into town on an errand for me so only brief as dd is the most attention-demanding little monkey! We had an amazing nigt last night though- maybe as she was so exhausted herself- slept all night til 7:15!!!!!! I am human again. Hoping it is hormones that had me shouting at he though, still cringe at the memory, and I'ver never done it before being pg.

scarlet, poor you with the nose bleeds! Do they scare ds? yes, think of all your brownie points

Have tried to get dd to watch the snowman- she likes the flying bit, because dh 'flies' her round the room.... hard work for tv watching i say!!

musical, hope you're feeling better!

pomme, have tried sitting in the nursing chair in dd's room with her in her cot, but she won't stay in the cot- just stands up, and eventulayy goes to the moving round it/falling...

Think twin 1 still v quiet- get the odd movement, but very one-sided at the minute. Disagreement with dh who doesn't see the point in ringing delivery suite etc for (his words) 'a non-viable baby'. He says I'm just being anxious, get over it and wait for my scan on 29th. I can kind of see where he's coming from (again, never, ever expect sympathy from someone medical in your family, they save it all for their patients!!!). However, i'm still worried about, it, and have told him I wouldn't forgive myself or him if I went on 29th and twin 1 had died and I hadn't followed my instinct- and then he'll remind me I did feel ? one kick last night, and maybe they're not quite where I'm expecting them to be etc etc and I can't decide what to do

Right, dd and tea time for her call... (one significantly louder than the other!!!)

Dream why don't you agree with dh to call the delivery suite and just see what they say? They won't have you in if they don't think it is worth it / necessary. Or rather they won't have you in if they think it's a waste of their time! And they do have a wide definition of a waste of their time - they err on the side of caution but they do that for a reason. So you could agree that a call doesn't really take much of their time and to just see what they say? It is their expert area after all.

When I called earlier in the week they didn't just have me go in immediately (or in fact at all). But they were nice, and helpful and they factored in how many weeks etc I was and guided me from there, so why don't you just defer the decision to them?

And re the 'feeling 1 kick' thing' - remember they want you to feel more than that (which you know of course). I don't know how to word this without it coming out wrong so sorry in advance. But it isn't just a matter of 'there or not' so a reduction in kicks could mean that if there was a problem, there could be something done.

Naturally we are not going to have a problem - everything will be going tickety boo in there .

Anyway, good luck xxx

Oh, and how lovely that dd slept last night - yippeeeeee! I bet you all feel better today! I know it's horrid when you've lost your rag with dd (or DS in my case) but you can't dwell on it. You know it isn't really the answer, even at the time, but you are a human! I can literally guarantee you that that many sleepless nights combine with everything else you have going on would have broken me ages ago! You are superwoman!

dream fantastic news about you having a better night. Fingers crossed for you again tonight. I think it's up to you really whether to call the delivery suite or not. Although what your DH is saying is probably correct, it is you who is carrying the babies and it is you who is solely responsible for them until they are born. If you think that ringing the delivery suite would make you feel better then that is good enough reason on it's own. Tell your DH that you are ringing them or just tell him after you've done it. If everything is ok (which I'm sure it is) it's not a big deal to ring them is it?

Biscuits I'd like Harry to win tonight. I think Chelsee was overmarked for her Paso slightly last week and Harry slightly undermarked (I can't remember what his dance was). I also think it must be a bit harder for a man to learn as he has to lead and he is pretty amazing. I like Chelsee (and love Pasha) and think their routines are fab so I don't mind if she does win. As long as it's not Jason who I find far too serious and earnest about it all, and he isn't as good as either of the other two. How about you?

Scarlet - similar re strictly. Jason too earnest - thought I'd love him at the start but he's far too dull! I agree also he's not as good as Harry or Chelsee.

I do rather love Harry. (in no way did I think he was quite fit right from the early McFly days ). Chelsee is good too though, (although i though she's drive me mad). and I also like Pasha a lot. Overall I'd be rooting for Harry too I think but if Chelsee wins, well that would be ok i guess. I won't be voting so can't really complain .

Disclaimer: Harry's a bit young for me - I more objectively thought that if I was of an age to be swept away by McFly, then it would have been him I liked. If I'd been a teenybopper of the time .

Right, I'm off to act my age

at Biscuits Of course I'm also far too old to have a crush on Harry but it's good to have someone nice to look at on the tele. I also won't be voting so I can't be too annoyed if Jason does win. Christina also annoys me somewhat. While I can see she is a terrific dancer and her routines are always brilliant, I end up wanting to tell her to get in the shower and have a jolly good scub. I just think she looks kind of dirty (but not in a good way IYKWIM?) That sounds unkind I know, but I've thought it right from day 1. Maybe it's all the fake tan and too much make up.

I want Harry to win and Jason second. I can't stick Chelsee, she irritates me so much

Yes I do know what you mean about Kristina! I'm not Aliona's biggest fan either - she just strikes me as a bit over confident, although her routines are less 'all about her' than they used to be. Although they could have done a cracking dance to 'it's all about you' if Harry just sat down or perhaps did some drumming at the back!

Pasha is perfect has no obvious flaws, but in the interests of fairness I will be examining closely tonight .

And yes yes for a bit of eye candy on the telly box - gives me something to look at while Ola's flouncing about in her undies

Pasha is 31 - I'm not too old for him

jen I felt irritated by her that week with the dress incident. I also felt a bit irritated last week when all the others were praising and thanking the pro partners and she didn't say a word about Pasha. By the looks of things in the VTs he must have the patience of a saint.

Yes, I really am far too involved. Saturday nights used to be for going out. This is as exciting as it gets these days.

Jen I know what you mean about Chelsee - I thought she'd drive me mad. But if you fast forward through all the training videos (and crap 'hilarious' skits) like what I do, then she's ok if you just take her dancing in isolation

me neither Biscuits

I've also taken against Aliona. I really loved Matt Baker last year and she so spoilt his chances with their showdance in the final. The fact that DH fancies the pants off her has nothing to do with it of course