Fledglings don't makes resolutions in January, they fly and chat through the babysteps.

[BitchytheGreat]

Roll up, roll up. Thread two for January is here. You chatty lot

will be back later with linkie poos and a vat of bitchy's special brew...

In the meantime spot markers will be handed a magic rubber and told to clean up after themselves...

I will never live that down, will I?

Bitchy - I also have lots of photos of my boys wearing knickers on their heads - knickers do seem to make good hats. DS1 used to go to sleep in all manner of odd garments worn in weird ways when he was younger. I have a great picture of him fast asleep with knickers on his head and wearing various odds and ends on the rest of him. Will be great for the 18th birthday party .

Very peaceful morning because there was no need to get DS1 to school. Ended up being so early taking DS2 to school that I sent him in to class before the bell went by mistake. He won't be happy about that!

Working at home this morning. Teacher will be coming round to see DS1 later.

dizzy and feet - well done to your DDs. What a wonderful thing to be involved in.

Just - can't believe you did ironing in bed . That's taking dedication to Flying to a whole new level.

Quickly flying by on my way into a meeting - more knicker talk than I was expecting

Sat in the car in the rain in Cumbria. Should make a flying plan for when I get back but cba!

I tend to lay out everything or nothing!

Ds2 refused to go to school this morning. Dh blamed it on me of course, as he said he only left the room for a moment, and when he came back ds2 was in a complete strop and it was my fault for not saying the right thing when I handed him his PE kit! The pe kit was cue for a denunciation of both parents for failing to get him onto competitive teams, and he said the only match he'd ever played in (Boccia which is a form of Bowls, was for Dyslexics only and didn't count...?????

Dh tried to walk him to school but he screamed and cried so much he had to bring him home again.

I spent morning taking ds1 to Grade 3 violin exam in distant Feltham, so really had to leave them to it...Have been feverishly re-reading The Explosive Child to try and tackle these outbursts or head them off before they occur (which is what is recommended) - and it is always slightly takes me aback when I DO have to tackle them. All very well in a book isn't it??

Ds1 exam went well, apart from completely forgetting his scales Was delighted to meet a nice Polish dad there who said his son never practised either (and he was on Grade 5 violin) So there may be hope. I'm delighted and I hope ds1 will be delighted, with a PASS. And maybe he'll practise his scales for Grade 4 if we get a violin we can tune and the pegs don't keep coming off

Toffee I feel the relief wash over you at not having to struggle this morning.

I am now officially knackered by sleepless night, journey, and exam fortitude.

Just I hope you can get through the motivation meeting without spitting in someone's tea.
Love the egret!

Oh, Swan, I'm sorry you had school refusal this morning. It's such a stressful way to start the day. Horrible too when you and DH start blaming each other, but so easy to do. I have to admit that, having tried to deal with DS1 on the way to the learning centre yesterday, I did see DH's view that he couldn't deal with DS1's issues whilst driving. Not being a driver myself, I hadn't understood that really.

DH once said to me that we shouldn't ever blame each other because we were both trying our best under difficult circumstances and neither of us could get it right all the time. That did make me stop and think.

Anyway, it's so easy to see what one did/said wrong in retrospect, but so hard when you're in the midst of it all. Completely understand what you mean about book learning vs putting it into practice in real life. My bookshelves are a testament to all the approaches I've tried over the years, with variable results.

Have spent the morning working at home with DH and leaving DS1 to amuse himself (which means playing Roblox on the computer). Would love a nap, but there's always something to stop me - this time, it's the teacher calling round to see DS1 in an hour, supposedly to take him for a walk, except that it's pouring.

Have managed small amounts of Flying: swish & swipe in bathroom; and two loads of laundry.

Dizzy - not sure if you will get this now (DH decided to install a new version of OSX in the middle of the day whilst I was trying to work - over 1 hour later I'm finally back trying to work - grrrrr) Try to take binoculars with you tonight if you can, makes spotting DC much easier although we were helped by one of the staff members texting us to tell us where they were :)

Sorry for everyone's school, meetings, general life troubles. Really feels like we could do with a magic wand here.

Haven't caught up with thread yet (been awol in Blighty for a couple of days as dd's school was closed for teaching day yesterday) but just popping by to say "hi"! Hope everyone OK.

What's all this about Toffee "flaunting" her underwear?
Honestly, as if knob polishing wasn't enough!! ... .

BBL once I've caught up!

Teacher has been and gone. DS1 is very happy because he's back on the computer again. I am drinking coffee to stay awake.

Got drenched on the school run this morning and it looks as if the same thing is going to happen to me this afternoon. Wonder if DS2 will be peeved at me for sending him in too early. Makes a change from being too late though .

Back with just enough time from exhausting motivation malarky and not tea spitting to try and prep English for ds.for 5.

Swan sorry to hear about refusal. Very difficult.
Toffee your Dh has wise words there.
Quietly pulls duvet over Bitchy

Waves to all ploughs on to get English ready.

Yes, I have to concede to his wisdom on that score, Just. Wish he could pick his dirty socks up and wash up properly too, though .

SC - sadly, there hasn't been a lot of knob polishing recently (I'm referring to the fact that I've lost my bottle of Brasso, by the way. Just in case there's any confusion ).

DS2 was quite upset after school because he said the teachers told him he had a bad brain. Turns out that he has identified himself as having a 'fixed' brain after an assembly on fixed vs growth brains. Have downloaded some information on it and am going to have a chat with him about it later.

First, am waiting for my Ocado delivery and trying to stay awake.

Love that you saw an egret Just. I used to have a long cross country drive to an old job, and there was one place where a little stream ran across the field next to the road and there was a little egret there every morning, beautiful.

Toffee - wise words indeed, it is very easy to blame one another.

Swan - sorry you had school refusal.

RE knickers out - I'm not a SAHM but I dress as though I was (ie the same casual clothes on work or home days, jeans, leggings etc). I don't put my clothes out the night before except for special occasions or unusually early starts, but since I've been Flying I always know there will be stuff ready to wear in the wardrobe. If I suspect that there won't be because of a laundry backlog then I will check the night before though.

Sorry for not posting much at the moment, I am actually Flying quite well, but am busy with all the statement stuff and OU stuff and it's DS's birthday party this weekend plus I'm busy at work at the moment. It never rains but it pours. In more ways than one.

You have a lot on your plate, WhoKnows.

Ta da

Fridge cleared out and cleaned
Shopping delivered and put away
Dinner cooked
Family meal - don't want to jinx it, but they are definitely less stressful. DC still aren't eating much though.

DH did washing up

DS2 has a front baby tooth which has been hanging on for two months. We thought it was going to come out on Christmas Day, but it's been just gradually sliding down from his gum, whilst the new tooth pushes it out. He's just come running to me, saying it's bleeding. Am really hoping it will come out tonight. I hate the wobbly tooth stage .

Toffee - we are at the in between stage for both DCs with teeth, both have lost the 8 front ones but none of the next set. One of DS's front top incisors got turned right round backwards overnight once when it was dangling by a thread, I nearly threw up when I saw it, DH had to pull it out

Sorry, I haven't caught up, will have to do that. But here's my list.

ta da
-usual morning routines, school runs
-washing up
-laundry (washed, dried, put away)
-recopied budget into new book
-check bank
-vacuum living room

• write out food diary (for SW)
• split school run today due to afterschool clubs
• tidied living room
• moved some of the living room furniture
• tidied kitchen
• completely cleaned DS2's room (and took away a huge basket of toys and items that are too young for him and not played with anymore)
• put away clothing that was stacked on chair and bed in my room

to do

• make out tomorrow's list
• relax and enjoy my cup of coffee

Well, we've had a nice day with ds2 despite the bad start. Dh exhausted himself entertaining ds2 (I had a two hour nap) and when I woke up, I did French with him. He is getting better at doing pictures I'll give him that! He drew and coloured in three pictures for French (confused) of course not paying any attention to the French bit but still...

Ds1 in an excellent mood as a result of playing football at school, and not having to worry about his music exam for a few weeks. Dd being a screechy teenager in between pirouetting, applying lipstick and rushing upstairs to revise Chinese. She did a brilliant impression of a Chinese test last week, where the teacher said something incomprehensible to her, and she wanted to answer back in gibberish just to say something, anything, that sounded vaguely Chinese (apologies to anyone on here of Chinese heritage)

done
Caribbean style shepherd's pie with sweet potato and peppers, broccoli

re: statementing
I'm very confused about the difference between the new provision and the old. I thought statements were being phased out and schools were meant to provide what statements originally were designed to enforce?

What else have I done housework wise?

laid out clothes for ds2 tomorrow (unironed as always
ds2 knapsack ready
washed some more clothes
persuaded two children to unload dw
unpacked fruit I bought
milkbottles out
food compost recycled
recycling
rubbish out
ds2 bath

not much really, beds unmade, bathrooms unswiped, laundry not put away except a tiny bit...still, made it through the day!!!!

Evening all. Not long in from Parent's Evening number 2 in a run of 3 in 3 weeks. Nice evening telling lots of parents how lovely their children are but knackering in equal measure.

Got home and DH had outdone himself. DS had done homework, house had been tidied and dinner was on the table. (Nothing to do with the fact that last week when I walked in to a shit tip of a house,no dinner etc. we had a row)

No flying to speak of but tomorrow is another day.

Enjoy Young Voices dizzy. DS did it a couple of years ago at Sheffield Arena. Hope you took note of feet's tip, don't think we ever really saw DS though figured out where his school was.

Going to watch some crappy TV to unwind.

Alice - statements are being phased out, just not yet. The application process will change in September and then everyone with an existing statement will be switched over gradually to the new plans. I think. Anyway, nothing has changed quite yet.

Ta da
School run, 2 schools x2
Stripped and made bed x2
Swept kitchen floor
Tided kitchen
W/m x3
T/d x2
Unload d/w
Long run
H/W x2
Online clothes shopping panicking that I won't have enough outfits for work
Set up anti virus on computer got distracted by MN and FB, lost 2 hours

Haven't shined my sink, packed the lunches or laid out clothes. Argh but CBA!! Off to the naughty corner and cracks open a bottle of bubbly, because why not!!

Evening all!

Have been in London for training day today, which involved yr 5 children so was moderately terrified - not an age group I've much experience of. All went pretty well though, and waiting to see if I'll be accepted onto the next stage of the course.

Journey home was hideous though - train before mine cancelled and a football match so our train was packed the whole way, running late and then the station carpark was absolutely gridlocked and DH getting more and more irate with all the other drivers...

So no flying and plenty of this evening!

tbh atm i think a lot of us could use these: Pamper missions

missions

Anti- procrastination day - got anything you have been putting off? Yeah not after today you don't get it done!

On my being procrastination list are as follows:
Find current cv on computer
ring doctors
ring dentist
return texts re ds
Car tax
Drop some mail off
...
Soooooooooo much fun in that list .......

WhoKnows - a similar thing happened to one of DS1's front teeth. I couldn't deal with it at all, so DS1 pulled it out himself. I keep telling DS2 to wobble his tooth, but he won't touch it.

I try to be a good mum in most ways, but there are two things I won't deal with: wobbly teeth and sewing .

Alice - wow, you really have been Flying today .

Swan - glad you ended up with happy children after your stressful start.

ellie - should we be giving golden duster awards to your DS and DH?

Merry - sympathies on the MN/FB distraction thingy. My computer overheats and turns itself off at random times. Sometimes I think DH has set it up that way so I can get on with RL.

Sounds like you had a hard day.

Ta da

Ds2's bathtime & bedtime
Telly time
Hot chocolate for DS1
MN

To do

Final batch of washing up
Iron shirt for DS2
Lay out clothes for tomorrow
Empty lunch box
Rinse water bottle
Put socks in shoes

DS1 is not expected in tomorrow morning, so no stress first thing. So relieved.

Hope your DS2 is ok for school tomorrow, Swan.

Thanks for linkies, Bitchy. I have so many things I've procrastinated over that I wouldn't know where to start.

By reducing them by a few?

I have only listed the ones with deadlines that are coming up, if i am completely honest. I have an entire room of procrastinated over stuff, and then a whole heap of other stuff. I am not going to think about that. just stuff that I have been putting off that needs doing - like booking in to get that filling replaced that fell out and has now giving me mild tooth ache for the last fortnight

DD had a great time and was tucked up in bed straightaway as we got back at just past midnight! Luckily she doesn't have to be in school until 10.15 tomorrow.

Feet - missed your advice but we were lucky in that they were to the right of the stage at the front of the bottom tier, and with the school banner on display we got close enough to wave to them but although our seats were at the back of the floor seats I could see her the whole way through!

DH and I went to Chinatown for lunch and then I dragged him to the National Gallery! We all got soaked to the skin walking to the coach so the radiators are covered with wet coats and shoes which I hope will dry by the morning