Chatting and (Baby) Stepping, (Baby) Stepping and Chatting.

[Scout19075]

A place to have a chat, drink and relax from Stepping (or not). All chatters are welcome, Stepping or otherwise.

Come on in and enjoy the company!

Most of my in-laws are lovely though they all have their moments of insanity -- it's just one branch that stresses me out. Fortunately for me I don't see them as often as I see the rest.

I hope the fire brigade won't be called due to the smoke from all of the candles.

I have been truly spoiled.

Toddler & I are off to the soft play with an animal name (or "pet" name a lot of people here seem to use for their small offspring) with Toddler's BFF. I decided at the beginning of the week with the forecast the way it was that I wasn't going to sit in alone with him on my day so arranged a playdate. MrScout even gave me cash so I don't have to drag Toddler into town first and we can treat ourselves to lunch.

hi everyone,just posting so you know i still around

its been manic at chez zoo...
all uniforms are now acquired and shoes/coats/pe kits

dp has 2 week hols.typically it started with major row at weekend and extensive sulking...today hes taken the zoolets to Milton Keynes to an indoor playarea and indoor beach

i have been back to bed and am now having a snack eating maltesers before i launch myself into some recipes that need sorting into folders

today i have made egg free banana muffins that i found on the MN recipe site.they look and smell good,ds is the officionado of all things banana so he will be judging whether they are anywhere near acceptable

Today has gone a bit better.

Although DD just fell and bumped her head --again-- . She has been accident prone since we came back from hols. She is o.k. Just a bit worrying for me though when she keeps bumping her head.

will read back through thread in a mo as DD has just got up on my lap.

Happy birthday! Scout --hope I have got it right--

Thanks, Cats. Yes, you have it right. MrScout's just gone to get the dinner because I told him over the weekend I wasn't going to cook tonight.

Toddler & I went to soft play with friends and treated ourselves to lunch there. I fear my MommyLion roared in an almighty way when I saw a big kid, who was clearly old enough to know better, popping a pop gun in Toddler's face repeatedly. Toddler was backed against a wall and was clearly starting to panic/be upset when I ran over (I knew where he was at the time and turned for a minute to help my friend's 15 month old who, as a walker of only one week, had fallen over). Oh did I shout at this kid in a controlled way using my "teacher voice" but the curtain came down and I saw red. Not my finest moment. But Toddler looked relieved to see me and was able to go back to playing. That kid kept clear of me and Toddler the rest of our time there and whenever Toddler saw him he'd go the other way. I thought for sure I'd get an angry mother in my face a la MN-- but no parent in sight.

happy birthday scout & good to hear from you zoo

My steam mop arrived last week & I finally got chance to try it out tonight. It looks like it could be really good! I tried it out in the utility room where we have white/grey textured vinyl floor and it did a really good job of getting the dried on cat food off the floor, and the dirt from outdoor shoes out of the textured bits of the floor

DD2 has a fever she looked tired coming out of school and by the time I had dinner ready she felt sick with headache and sore throat. I don't think she'll be in school tomorrow, which is a shame as they share snacks on a Friday, it's always junk. She hasn't lost her sense of humour, which is good. It's nose-picking humour right now but I'm letting her get away with it.

Carpets are nearly finished, the blokes turned up at 3.30 today. They say they'll be back at 9.30 in the morning to finish. Puppies still need a shower. OH is dissecting the vacuum cleaner, he hoovered up something off the new carpet which seems to have broken it. I should be meeting friends for coffee in the morning but I reckon I'lll be taking another rain check.

If I don't manage to post tomorrow I hope everyone has a good weekend.

Hello everyone!

Happy Birthday Scout! Sorry I missed it yesterday.

I have a houseful again and am trying to do some baking for a fundraiser as well so it is chaotic.

Cats is dd growing? Mine get quite clumsy when they have growth spurts.

Thanks, carrots.

I love Toddler. I love Toddler. I love Toddler. Today I've had to remind myself of that. I love him but I have been struggling to enjoy him today. I've worked out he's trying to bring through another molar and store-brand Calpol has been my best friend. I can tell when it's worn off and I can tell when it's starting to work. Shame it's wearing off before the next dose is allowed.

Poor TS and poor you Scout.

I have had to leave a village party. One of the witches women who started all the trouble for ds came and tried to make chit chat with me. I had an overwhelming desire to tell her what I thought of her as ds had had a panic attack at the party a couple of hours earlier and had to be taken home. What they have done is bad enough. Why does she have to pretend it has nothing to do with her? Do you think she really doesn't know or do you think she is so cold hearted she just thought she would turn the knife?

Grrr!

the bad karma will get her carrots - stay cool & maintain the higher moral ground while we make voodoo dolls of her

scout have you tried alternating calpol & ibruprofen?

Thanks Bessie. She has made me feel sick.

I probably would have wanted to punch her carrots

Perhaps she realises what a bitch she's been & wanted to make friends? Or perhaps she got carried away with the mob mentality & doesn't think it was her fault? Anyway, she will pay - karma always comes around & will bite her firmly on the arse (not in a good way )

I really don't know bessie. It has been so nice being away from all of them over the summer. I have just seen the mums I wanted to see without all the playground nonsense.

I really wanted to tell her everything I thought of her. It's not my style at all but I had already broken my heart that ds, who had been so excited about the party, freaked out the minute he saw them.

Pah!

Thanks for the hug bessie. It's just what I needed. Dh gave me one too and I have had a too

Hope everyone is o.k. today. --I am not--
DD had us up twice in the night and that was after I had stayed up till 12 painting. She then decided it was time to get up at 7.00am so I had to get up too. I am "grumpy mummy" today.
--please forgive me if I seem "off" today--

To top it all I am still having problems with my wrist.

I hope your day went ok Cats.

We have had a fun day as a family today and I feel much less wound up than I did this morning.

Carrots

Glad you've all had a nice day, and that you feel calmer.

Cats

Hope your day went well after the early start.

DD2 is much better today, she'd been rosy cheecked and tired for a few days before she got ill, must have been the run up. Last night she had ibuprofen as well as paracetamol, said she thought her head was going to explode. Nothing made any difference although she felt more herself. Today she feels okay to go to a party, it'll be a quiet affair as most class mates have chosen to go the another party in an expensive venue.

OH, otoh, is asleep with a headache and has been feverish the last couple of nights.

I've caugth up on laundry today. We've given a load of things recently to the lady who does our ironing and works full time as our neighbour's maid. Today she returned roof bars they borrowed to take furniture and she gave me a bag of onions and a big jar of preserved peppers as a "thank you". I thought that was really sweet. This is a lady who needs the extra money for doing my ironing to supplement 2 full time salaries. Now that things are running smoother here I don't really need her, but OH employed her when I went on strike and I know she needs the cash, so I'm not going to upset the apple cart.

OH has booked a week's holiday for us in September, we'll be going south

Sorry to hear people are poorly at your house Adora.

I do however think it is your duty to continue to employ this lady It will be good for your Karma!

Sorry about my grumpy post this morning. I was pretty tired all morning and then went to bed for an hour at lunch time. Felt much better after a nap.
--hopes DD will sleep well tonight--

I am up late again but that is cause I am working to a deadline doing a painting. I have around 2 weeks to get it finished. It is going fairly well!
I find the best time to concentrate on it --without getting disturbed-- is early morning or late in the evening. I do try and do the odd bit when the DC are around but it doesn't always work out.

I must try to do some laundry tomorrow, I keep putting it off!
Tis quite a juggling act going on at the mo but I am glad to be trying to do something for me and hopefully might be able to make some money out of it too!

Hope everyone is o.k!

Thanks Carrots'and Bessie for the Karma vibes and vino, went nicely with my pisco sour

I have a theory about the frequent sniffles we suffer here it's OH's fault OH comes into daily contact with high flying business types who are always jetting of hither and thither. These peeps are quite likely bringing back coughs and colds from around the globe, which OH then brings home. I say this because none of my Chilean friends get sick as frequently as us and OH's staff. Even our Dr neighbour is amazed at how any colds we get in a year.

Cats hope you get the painting done in peace.

adora - can't you quarantine him? Or at least force him to wear a mask when he is at home?

Glad you are getting to do some painting cats - hopefully once the DC are back at school/pre-school you will be able to do it at a more sensible hour!

I have a question for those of you with older kids than mine. I'm thinking about getting some Ikea Expedit to store toys in. The gaps are 33x33x37cm & you can get boxes to fit in the gaps. Do you think you would be able to fit (most of) your kids toys in gaps that size? I'm thinking that they seem like quite a nice size to store boxes of brio/lego/craft stuff, but I'm a bit worried about forking out all that money for something that doesn't work.

Would anyone like to join in for a dip in the paddling pool?