Festive Frugaleers gather round the (best value and carefully researched) Christmas Tree for support, advice and chat. All welcome.

[needastrongone]

New thread.

Thanks people, I feel better in the cold light of day. I wasn't worried about the gagging itself, just the impact on DD being reluctant to feed. She's still struggling this morning . I think there's a weighing clinic tomorrow in the next 'village', I think I will take her and speak to HV.

Coffee with some school mums today. One of the other Reception mums has identified that there are a handful of younger siblings who will be in the same year so she set up a whatsapp group and invited the babies round for play dates. It's very kind of her and good to meet more local mums with same age kids. Need some garlic bread for dinner, no other planned spends.

I seem to have had a very busy weekend without actually doing anything if that makes sense. Haven't really been anywhere except the supermarket for a quick top up and the house is still a tip although dh gave the kitchen and going over.

Your hand looks sore Lonely.
Pleased you enjoyed Florence Laska.

I'm a terrible twitcher at Xmas. I bought a comic for DD's stocking yesterday despite having finished shopping for her ages ago.

My shopping is done now except for 2 small gifts that I can get in Boots easily. Dh's isn't. He has about 4 family members left to buy for. I have told him he has to sort this. I always seem to be the one traipsing round the shops in the dark trying to think what to get them.

I've finished for xmas this year but already twitching on the bargains for next year. Superdrug has quite a lot if their Xmas gifts reduced already so I've bought £30 worth of those. I do have people in mind for most of them though.
Busy weekend. Was working a KIT day saturday and went round dropping presents and seeing family Sunday so not had much of a rest. House is not to the standard I want it to be. It desperately needs a Hoover. Will definitely make sure that get done today. Need to meal plan and check the freezer. Need to go to the co op for bin bags. Everything will be fine. I have time...
@lonely hope the hand isn't too sore now
@Laska welcome back. Happy you had a lovely time
@seacow I'm glad DD is sleeping a bit better. Hopefully it lasts. I know it's hard to relax after something doesn't go to plan but dd is being well looked after with mum like you try not to worry too much

Finally finished my Christmas shopping - can't even bear to tally it up 🙈 Next year I need to be stricter with my budget.

Seacow maybe your dd had a bit of reflux before she started feeding and it put her off. I remember well that anxious feeling I would get trying to get ds2 to take his milk - which was made worse by the fact my friend had a baby the same age who was draining 9oz bottles, whilst I was struggling to get 4oz into him.

Ended up in a&e last night with ds. He woke at 0030 screaming and sounding very hoarse and wouldn’t settle. So I called out of hours gp for advice. They said to pop him down. So we did

They think he has a bit of a cold/virus affecting his nose/throat. Poor baby. But no temperature no cough as such (I asked about croup but the “goose” noise isn’t made when he coughs. More when he breathes in sharply). Oxygen levels fine breathing fine other than sounding raspy chest clear blood pressure fine.

He was chatty and smiley and wiggly with the dr. Dr wasn’t worried once he’d seen him so that’s good.

Still. Stressful!!! We came home and back to bed and I couldn’t sleep in our room with ds as was too worried about his breathing (which sounds awful and congested but nothing to worry about) so knew I wouldn’t sleep. I went in the spare room as figured if I’m looking after him today I need to sleep to be able to do it properly.

He’s his normal self except for being super congested and snuffly. Dh honks I’m being crazy but I’m documenting essentially everything just in case. When he feeds how much nappy changes naps and temperature. I figure if he does get worse it’s be useful for Doctors. I’m not usually this pessimistic or organised

Anyway. Inbetween dealing with ds I’ve sent another email to our building manager re changing the articles re no kids no pets, have done a boots order £67 to collect on Thursday and have put washing out. Must clean ensuite next because I really looked at it today and it is, for want of a better word, minging. Sigh.

That is stressful Em. Hope you have a better night tonight and he gets well soon.

That must have been so worrying Em. Glad the doctor is happy with him.

Em Hope you and DS are ok

Our Xmas shopping is almost done...I think DH just needs to buy something for his DM and his DSSis who he hasn't seen in about 5 years has had a baby so I said we should get something for the baby too as a sorta peace offering. I doubt she will want to get in contact at all but she only has 1 DB (other than DH and DBIL) who lives further north now and we could be some support/friendship for her if she is up to it. The family dynamics are very complicated there though and she is about 5 years younger than us so I reckon gift will be just met with silence but there's only so much he can do really.

Thinking ahead for sales after Xmas, does anyone have suggestions for maternity things I might need that it would be a good idea to buy in sales? I don't have anything yet other than a pair of ginormous PJs from Costco but I'm only like 14 weeks so don't have a bump yet or anything. Well tbh it does look a bit plumper around my tummy but I think it's mainly from my er digestion troubles that the HG have caused rather than baby . But I thought it would make sense to capitalise on sales a bit? Thinking more of mat stuff than baby stuff, feel like it's too early to be buying baby things.

Yes I didn't buy baby stuff until 20 weeks and mostly only after 30 or so. We did get the buggy quite early but it was only because we fell in love with one on a huge discount (I am still in love with it now!). Not sure re maternity clothes as I know you are far far slimmer than me to begin with and TBH I mostly just looked fatter until near the end, I just bought a few bigger clothes and only a couple of actual maternity tops which double as nursing tops, I find them really useful to feed in public discreetly.

Soft play this evening for an autism meet, entry and kids meals paid for. Might grab a few bits in town after (not twitching! Things that are planned... Promise!)

Decided to check a Lego set that DH got, it's retired and was opened but supposedly complete. So far doesn't look like it is. Will have to check the rest later (the last cellophane bag was never opened) and hope that we can get any missing pieces from their huge box of it before wrapping. It was a bargain but still.

Ah em must have been scary.

Ah Em - you did exactly the right thing - there is nothing worse that having t try and remember last feed, nappy and medicine in a fog of tiredness and panic. If it helps - do it.
I love healthcare for the way they are with Kids (and anxious parents)

who said about using an ironing board to wrap presents on - Genius - back does not hurt half as much!

I have 3 more presents to get for DD - but i have the rest of today and Thursday/Friday - no stress.

meadow - might you get back to work - what's your dress code - how about some maternity trousers and tops for work or dresses
Leggings and loose tops for the end when you are larger
Do you wear jeans? - something casual for weekends.
You won't need much but those are the usual scenarios imo.
Swimsuit - do you swim - have a holiday coming up?

Also bras and pants - though i didn't get maternity pants just sized up in primark and wore them under bump.

meadow

I bought stretchy pencil skirts (in a lovely soft jersey material) and Maternity jeans from ASOS. New look ones were also fab.

I didn’t buy a huge amount of Maternity clothes really. What size are you? I have a couple of tops I’m happy to send your way? They were gifted to me so happy to gift on. X

Baby “stuff” we bought the pram early ish as it took a while to order. But everything else we bought nearer the time and on a deal.

We have a timer tippee nappy bin thing, and the bottle feeding starter pack (including steriliser). I wasn’t sure how long I’d bf for so we bought the kit just in case (electric steriliser, 4 small bottles 4 large ones, milk pots, warmer and insulated bag things) it was around £60 I think on amazon.

Got fifty in my PayPal as trampolining teacher has canceled lots of lessons. Problem with the leisure Centre not doing maintenance so she feels it's not safe. Caglets are really missing it and we have a potential new class if she is not satisfied with their actions but we do love the teacher. Anyway I have withdrawn it into my bank.

Also may have picked up a little work - HE mum of a teen who needs accompanying to practice songs for an audition. Not done anything like that but worth a try in the new year. Got a new possible pupil too. I've never actually worked around a baby before though so that'll be a challenge. Luckily most of the parents are good friends anyway, I'm definitely not advertising in the near future

You can't be too careful with a baby that young em, you should always ring & the charts are a good idea.

nsd.

Dh has won a hamper at work so he's gone in to collect. He thinks it'll be shit

Argh. I twitched and bought DH the new Wonder Woman DVD for Christmas. Got home and he's watching it on some dodgy free Chinese website It's must own fault for not sticking to the plan - but SO irritating.

My, not must. Fat fingers.

Dorritt the no twitching is really hard isn't it? I don't really understand it, but I always really want to buy stuff in the days leading up to Christmas and then afterward buying stuff seems just totally unappealing, even though it's all cheaper then. There must be some switch that flicks on Christmas day that totally changes our attitude to spending money.

I've started thinking about the sales as well, think I will pick up cheap gift sets and keep a well stocked present box as this def saves money when I forget someone's b day! Dd needs new pj's, was going to get her some for Christmas eve but now think will wait for sales, even in primark they are £15!

em babies are so scary, it might be worth keeping an eye on the snoring as that was the first sign that Dds adenoids and tonsills were causing problems... hope he feels better soon.

Glad you had a good time laska and congratulations on your retirement.

Are you feeling a bit better meadow ? Hope so, I managed with one pair of maternity jeans for my pregnancy! It might be worth looking at new bras though as I left that late and got told off by the lady in m&s!!

I'm twitching! It's awful. I have bought enough, but have an odd panicky feeling going on.

Got my last amazon box today. The really lovely postie chased me down to deliver! I wasn't at home, so he brought them to the shop, we weren't there either, so he came back!

My hand is fine, just a gash, no insidy damage. The middle bit of the sofa is at the tip. The broken end bit will go next time. Luckily the Chrysler seats fold away, so it's like a van.

The new very old sofa fits the space like it was meant. Bought a metre of fabric and a teddy fleece blanket in dunelm to cover it quickly for the time being.

em you definatley did the right thing. I keep a tally of calpol/nurofen when dc are poorly, it's so much easier to keep track of it. I wrote down when dd2 napped and fed (which side, how long) for about a year. I've no idea why, she was like the perfect baby!

Always go on your instinct em
Glad hes ok
Not twitching here -everything is planned and done !

I think it was when I was pregnant with DD1 that mum showed me a book where she'd written all my feeds 20 years earlier! Whereas half the time I can't even remember what side I'm due to feed from. I know some people use a bracelet but I fiddle endlessly with that sort of thing and I'd end up switching without realizing.

No twitching here despite temptation. I had a stern word with myself.

Instead I spent boots points on snacks and lip balm for the Caglets who are getting sore from the cold. £15 at soft play on food and drink.

Also got next year's diary. Pleased I signed up to the paperchase card as I got £5 birthday voucher and introductory 15% which made it £7.75. It's soooo pretty and I definitely find that worthwhile - I still have a long way to go with getting organized but since I started buying nice quality diaries that don't fall apart I actually keep using them all year and no longer have as many major blips like missing appointments etc. I have housework to do now but I'm super excited to write in all our bill dates all year (lame I know but I really think it'll help me)

Been at a meeting this evening & work is crazy busy so not had time to check in with you guys but not spent anything either!

Dh did grocery shopping without a list so there went my idea for a teeny shop out the window he spent €108.65.

I got an email at lunch saying order has been cancelled for phone for dh despite email over 12 hours earlier telling me it had been shipped

@ememem84 dc are a constant worry when they're young but it's better to be safe than sorry.

@MeadowHay I didn't wear many maternity clothes in first pregnancy - a dressy top, pair of maternity jeans & leggings really were it. Second time around I was in them before 12 weeks

I love a new diary Cag. This year I'm getting the Cait Flanders financial planner from my Mum for Christmas. I've not had one before so I really hope it will be useful, as it was way more money than my usual Paper Blanks diary!

Meadow I wouldn't buy too much in advance personally, even if it is a bargain in the sales. Most of the stuff I thought I was going to need and was advised to stockpile (ie sudocream, breast pads, nine million maternity pads etc) I didn't really use. And I used far, far less maternity clothing than I thought I would - turns out most of my tops and dresses are beautifully stretchy By my second child I just bought as and when I needed something and spent much less.