Not Driving Away!

[Pumble]

P1 splashing in the paddling pool and P2 having a nap. So pleased to be back and they are so pleased to be with each other again.

Can't believe we got to 1000 posts! You need to change your nn now too don't you wylye ?!

Trying to sell a house is rubbish rubbish rubbish.

Hip pain when pregnant with two active little people is rubbish!

Mr P never being in the country and when he is in the country working all the time is rubbish.

Grumpy children are rubbish!

But when the pumblettes throw their arms around me and snuggle up tightly because we all just need hugs at least there is some light in the day

Today was a very challenging day for the pumblettes and me. I really struggled with their behaviour. I know they are exhausted as we had a big day out yesterday but it was so so hard. I am proud of myself for going and shutting b myself in the kitchen for two minutes away from them so I didn't lose my temper at them. We all snuggled and read 'sometimes' at bedtime so we all knew that no matter how grumpy we are we still love each other. I do wish Mr p was here more though I have to confess

Hi pumble. Selling houses and hip pain is rubbish. Having children throw their arms around you is fantastic.

You will get hard days, especially when you are in your own and everyone is tired. How is your network of friends these days? A couple of hours with adults and the pumbles having other children around may help.

It sounds like you are missing Mr P very much. Can you see and speak to him most days online? I can't imagine what it is like,and how hard it is at times.

I'm sending you lots of hugs. Please go slow and don't try and do too much. Have a stack of reserve activities for them when they start to get tetchy, and maybe rotate some toys, put some away for a few weeks and then bring them out again.

You will have bright days, you will sell your house eventually, and you will see your husband. In the meantime, reach out to us on here, Mr P, your friends and family.

We're here for you.

Ps, you are half way through the fortnight Mr P is away, which means holidays are closer.

Nighttime wetness is tricky. I have had my fair share with my one daughter. I've found it is easier to layer up with sheets and blankets and to ditch the duvet as these are much easier to wash and dry, I've also got 3 washable waterproof mattress protectors which have been wonderful. Give her some time to give it a go, and good luck!

Thank you row. It was just what I needed to read.

We have had a better day today with less grumpiness all round! Have managed to get a physio appointment for my hips tomo which is good and pumblettes going to a friend whilst I'm there which gives them something fun. Then I'm going to see my parents I think. I think we all need a change of scene.

Very hard yo speak to Mr P except via text due to time difference and crazy hours he works whilst away which adds to the toughness for us all I think.

We had a run of seven dry nights for p1 and then the last two have been less good. Last night she woke up having done a tiny wee in her pants which thankfully was so small I didn't have to change beds! I guess it us the right time if she's waking up and stopping herself before finishing on the loo-it would just be nice if she woke before the little wee in her pants!! It must be a little frustrating for her that p2 did it so early and with so much ease!

Fingers crossed they sleep v soon.....

How are the holidays going Row? Have your DDs recovered from the end of term yet?

I admire anyone who lives on their own/ with Dh regularly away. It is hard. He will be home in a week.

Glad you have had a better day.

My girls are fine, and starting to be more rested with the holiday started. They were ready for a break.

My eldest doesn't seem to be frustrated that her little sister is dry consistently at night while she isn't. She thinks that her bladder just needs more practice and that her bladder doesn't always get the message to her brain yet, but with time it will. It has shifted responsibility to a part of her body so she doesn't seem to be concerned about it. We are still waiting to be consistently dry. Up it is certainly better in the holidays than in term time so we would have a good run now.

Enjoy visiting your parents, and I hope your physio goes well.

Hallo you two!

I am back - had an amazing time, very, very hot so didn't do a lot but spent loads of time with PFGD who is, as you can imagine, utterly adorable. I am totally & utterly besotted with her & found it very hard to leave.

Pumble I am sorry that you are having so much to cope with at the moment. I think you should certainly hide Mr P's phone when you go on holiday - or even forget to pack it! Tell him from me that no one is indispensable & no one says on their death bed that they wish they'd spent more time at work!

I also hope you are thinking about getting some help for when P3 arrives. (October/November??). I think you should think about organising it now, not waiting until you have her/him. You & Mr P need to think about what you could afford & what would be best. Maybe a cleaner or a part time Nanny so you know you have some space & time for yourself.

I think you are right to possibly shelve the idea of house selling at the moment - I think you have enough on your plate without that major upheaveal. I assume you are moving for more room for 3 x P's? Baby P, as you know, won't need the space for a few months at least and maybe next Spring, which is only 6/7 months away (eeeeek!!!!) might be a better time to start the process.

COld & grey here, just like me!! Need to sort out some drawers & cupboards today, lots of stuff just got bundled away when all the building/decorating was going on & needs organising. What fun!

Row hope you are enjoying the holidays - are you going away at all?

So glad you had such a wonderful time magi-it must have been v special for you all. How old is PFGD now?

I have had awful flu type thing since Saturday and barely have a voice. Spent much of last night having coughing episodes that lasted almost 45 minutes at a time. Still not better by fractionally on the mend. Coupled with very bad hips on Friday and Saturday I was so pleased to be with my mum and dad who were amazing at making me do nothing!

Really want to shift it now before we go away-don't want to be poorly on holiday. Mr P been ill whilst he has been away so hope we will both be fit for holiday.

How was your day of sorting magi? It's been a grey day here... Where has summer gone?!

Hallo pumble & row!

Just checking in.

PFGD will be 12 weeks tomorrow!

I think the gilt has come of the gingerbread a bit & all the new baby excitement is over & it's a bit of a long haul now until weaning!

I am being "the soul of tact" and not saying a word!!

Most unusual for me!!

But she is their PFB & they have to work it out for themselves.

Mind you, DIL's Mum & I have been having a laugh & wondering if they realise that we managed to get them to adulthood! We have decided that we are 'the old fools' now & are quite happy with it.

Not much of a summer here - it's a howling wind all the time, even when it's sunny & I still have not had a sea swim as is to 'ruff' for getting in & out.

But, we are off to Turkey in early September & that will be glorious.

Hope all your hols are going well - look forward to hearing from you both.

(And you are going to have to start a new thread in a bit, Pumble)

Hallo!!!!!!!

Echo!!

Halloo!

??????? - and am assuming great hols!

Hellloooo!

Got back tonight and shattered but happy-will post tomo when more awake

Happy is great ................ lining up the popcorn & waiting to hear all about it!!

Still shattered but thought I'd say hi!!

Was a lovely holiday-probably didn't get as much rest as I probably should have done but that was due to enjoying myself rather than doing too much! Late night board games, star gazing, chatting with everyone etc. And my hips are much much better which is great. Pumblettes had a fabulous time with everybody around them and loved the swimming pool-made me realise that all those swimming lessons and hours I spend in the pool with them has been worth it! It was a little hot for me at times but muddled through! It was really good to see so much of Mr P - it's a very long time since we have seen much of him! I did enjoy the delights of not having to queue in French supermarkets due to p3's impending arrival too-genius system! Loved that the pumblettes didn't get up in the mornings either-was odd having to wake them at half ten ish on many occasions though!

Hormones led to the odd interesting moments with my mother.... She is generally v tactful like you are with your DS magi but there are times after that much time in close proximity things can get a little tense especially with pregnancy hormones!

How is life with you both?

Mr P back to work tomorrow and not looking forward to the return to normality.... Got to sort out car as well after some lovely French man buggered my wing mirror on our way to Saint Emilion... It was a tough place to return to when no drinking allowed!

Mr P and I realised we do need to try to make some changes to see more of each other for our own benefit and the pumblettes in the future. All the time in the car meant that we had an opportunity to talk as the pumblettes amused themselves which was good.

Right I'm rambling on so shall stop!!

So pleased to hear you had a good holiday. And that you had time with Mr P & time to talk.

Honestly, Pumble, I've 'known' you for what must be coming up for three years now & that post is the happiest, most level you've ever posted! Hang on to that feeling & draw on it when times aren't as good.

Can 100% understand about your Mum. From a mum with adult child pov I know how hard it is to accept that your children are adults (am still not 100% convinced that DS is!).

Two weeks with yr mum & the kids is quite a long time & I reckon it's amajor achievement that you didn't have a row & things only got tense. Quite normal.

Woken by heavy rain & thunder here at 5am & it's still wet, murky & odd rumbles of thunder. So dark it's like early evening & all lights on!

Good news re PFGC - DS messaged me this am to say that when he crept out to work this morning baby was asleep in the crib & not on Mum!! Thgis is a first!!

My in laws are so odd..... V proud of myself for surviving their visit and at least we are done until Christmas!!

I think I've heard about yr odd in laws before.

Well done for managing the visit.

Christmas ( I even hate to type that word) is a long way off!

How's PFGDs sleeping? Still sleeping in the crib I hope.

Not been posting as kept getting confused with password changes. How are you?

I'm struggling with name tape sewing....should have paid more attention in textiles class!! And I feel sad every time I look at P1s uniform as I feel so sad she's off to school!!

I may shoot Mr P soon. Now we are back from holiday he is working harder than ever and although he's technically not been further than north England this week, every night he's been on conference calls and working and so barely seen him long enough to have a conversation!!

Thank you for being so lovely about how I seemed in my post holiday post magi-glad to know I can still summon up some sanity!!

Crib was a one off!! Still sleeping mainly on Mum, but gets dropped on Dad at 6am every day!

Password changes have had me confuzzled - I was on the list! (Claim to fame). But as I use a different pw for everywhere I go I am not too worried.

When I dropped DS off at school for the first time - some 30 years ago - I came out, sat in the car & howled!! But after a few days got very used to the peace & quiet!

Don't envy you the name tape thing & even if I lived next door to you would not be offering to help - I HATE sewing/knitting/crochet/macrame or anything else handy like that!

Mr P needs to sort things out re work/family. But you don't need me to tell you that.

Shall I come round & talk sternly to him? I can be quite scary - silver vixen that I am!!

Oh I remember the days of no sleeping in the crib. The only thing that helped was the hot water bottle trick! The pumblettes do like their creature comforts even now!!

You made the list magi-you must feel so honoured

I think I will be sobbing on day one of school-especially as p1 keeps telling me that she might cry at the start of the school day but she will try to cry only a little bit....

After a stern talk last night I think Mr P knows things need to change.... Fingers crossed he took it on board....

An interesting possible development on the housing front was found out in passing today but it is going to need an awful lot of positive thinking etc to even begin to materialise into something I fear! But it's a possibility! Just need to sell ours....

Posting here so I don't shout at Mr P

Wish he would stop bloody working. He's making more of an effort with the pumblettes but that means that when they are in bed work kicks in again. He's finding work tough so it sort of feel I can't get too cross but I'm so so annoyed. I just want our evenings back.

Is all this work leading somewhere, like promotion and/or more £SD?

If so & if the time it's going to be going on for is limited then I think you just have to suck it up & come here & vent whenever you want.

However, if this is just the culture & nature of his work then he needs to rethink things a bit. He has a wife & 2.9 (!) children and I assume he wanted the 2.9 kids as much as you did.

Is he getting sucked into the" I have to work every hour that I can" culture that is so prevalent in many jobs, especially law & finanace? Do all his colleagues put in so many hours?

If the latter scenario is the case I think you & he are going to have to talk about this asap. No one ever said, on their deathbed, that they wished they'd gone to work more!

Pissing with rain here - DH gone off to see 101 year old Aunty, who is still going strong! I ought to think about getting the hoover out - deep joy!

Waving!

XXXXXXXXXXX

First day of school survived... We all did ok but it was hard. Missed p1 like crazy and find it hard to know that this is how life is from now on but we will get there. Let's see what tomorrow brings

So pleased it went well. Now P1 is a couple of weeks in how is it?

Got back from hols in the wee small hours of yesterday. Had a wonderful time. It was unseasonably hot, even for Turkey. Coolest day was 34C & hottest 41c!

Highlight (one of) the holiday was that I discovered I can still do a handstand in the pool!! Haven't done one for more years than I care to remember & was thrilled to discover I can still do them!! Very childish, but strangely enough it did wonders for my back & I will try to keep doing them when I swim, as long as the pool is not crowded.

Will post a picture when I've downloaded them.

Must go & put yet another load of washing on!

This is me doing a handstand!

Now you'll all know me when we meet up