Secret Garden

[BriansMum]

Hope this works, a shiny new thread girls - come on in .

Where is everyone? Has 'dinky' disgusted you all that much?

I don't know how long Gran lived there Stitching, I couldn't have been more than 7 or 8, maybe a bit younger, I'd guess a couple of years. Do you remember when Natwest Bank gave away a family of pigs bit by bit to kids. These: www.childofthe1980s.com/2008/04/16/junior-bank-accounts/ Anyway I got my first one at Callander. For a week long visit when I was so young it really brings back a lot of memories! 4 of my close friends met at Stirling uni though so will need to arrange a trip up there when we get back I think.

I love A's pics of M. Did he take 100's and you selected the good ones or is he a budding David Bailey?

Completely diff subject, anyone got any experience of the mini pill? Considering it, but put off by potential weight gain and mood swings stories. Basically I want a contraceptive that results in no/minimal periods and buckets of weight loss. I reckon I could make a fortune if I could invent it.

I'm here! Have snotty cold so not in good form. Agree that Callender is lovely tho I haven't been since my teens. Visiting more places in Scotland is on my to do list! Maybe a staycation next year...

Can't help on the mini pill. I've tried every other form of hormonal contraception though and not a single one suits!

My brother has all five of those piggy banks - he's still very good with his money !

I loved those pics A took of M - he did take loads, but tbh most of them were pretty good. I don't know whether it was beginner's luck or whether there is a bit of a talent there, but it's something I'll nurture and see whether he continues to be interested. Both his mum and his beloved mentor (i.e. my friend the photographer) spend a lot of time taking pics of him so he's been around cameras literally since the minute he was born!

As for contraception, I'm using the coil (mirena). Don't know whether it has any effect on my weight or not but is finally helping to reduce my hideous periods .

Re: my weight, I'm feeling very sorry for myself today - supposed to be the first day of my new fitness campaign and instead I have been at the GP being told I have probably torn a ligament in my knee and I have to rest it entirely until I can be seen by an orthapeadic cons - waiting list TWO months . It stems from my fall at the beginning of this month but I did something to aggravate it yesterday and it's now swollen and painful to touch/walk on. Really fed up about it .

Anyway, hope everyone else is well .

You have my sympathy Stitching. I was on about day 3 or 4 of the 30 day shred when I tore the muscle in my back. After some very bad angles in photos at the weekend I was about to restart this week but have now come down with a rotten cold . So I got DH to pick me up some chocolate at the shop to cheer me up...

I stopped for biscuits .

I'm going to start swimming next week once the worst of the flare up has died down - no way I can do nothing for two months .

I know, where is everyone?!

I was in the travel agents booking flights from Wellington, NZ to London, UK - ONE WAY!!!! Less than six months now.... woo-hoo!

Sorry. I've been being rubbish for the last few weeks. Still here though. All fine with me. Sympathies to those of you with injuries. great news on the flights Mudwiggle.

House update. We accepted an offer of £460 two weeks ago. Found a house we are keen on and then realised that after 10 days our buyers still hadn't instructed a solicitor. So we are kind of hanging around waiting to see if they pull out. On the positive side at least we haven't spent any money yet, and we had only made an initial v cheeky offer on the house we like which was rejected. So we are leaving them to stew on turning our offer down. Then if our buyers do come good, we can go back and increase the offer. We also have 2 new viewings tomorrow so I am back to skivvying around with two DCs on the loose. Just cleaned the basement up at 11pm for a quiet life!

I was in France last week at my parents' house. The travelling which I had been stressing about was absolutely fine. The weather was scorching which I kind of enjoyed especially retrospectively as this week in the UK has been foul. Definitely Autumnal. My parents were fine although my dad as mentioned last year sometime is terrible for being stuck on his computer all the time. I was beginning to wonder whether he was fed up of little kids spoiling his peace but then on the last night he made this little speech about how great it was to have us and his voice was breaking with emotion. He's an odd bloke - I wish he could just chill out with his grandsons and play with them

Yay re mudwiggle flights.

Fingers crossed re house (and maybe one of viewings coming good)laguerta. Glad france was nice but can sympathise re your dad. Had a few days camping with my mother and step dad (wasn't too bad although I doubt I will ever be a camping convert and no chance of me doing it with baby). My mother having gone on for months about how much looking forward to it also very on/off with e (as happy to play with phone iPad etc). Although now I think of it she wasn't the most engaged of parents either so no shock there (I said to dh that although she likes thought of another grandchild I think a new iPad would be similarly interesting ).

Now resting in flat whilst e and dh out at some kiddy museum (been very lazy but been feeling dizzy all day).

Have I missed much apart from I see the Leo and stitching meet up went well

£460?!!! LG, we would buy your house for £460 - would be a great investment for the future !

Sympathies on the disinterested GPs - both MIL and my dad are of a similar ilk, although MIL improving now the boys are older. It's hard cos the DC are the centre of our universe and we expect our parents to be similarly enanmoured and it's tough if they're not .

Gaston, if you're feeling dizzy you're overdoing it - get thee to bed!

We're off camping tomorrow but only going for one night now cos of weather and my knee - all seems a lot of hassle for one night but the boys are so excited (big and little boys!) I don't have the heart to say let's now bother!

Yay yay yay for Mudwiggle's news - can't wait to meet up, although I think I'll make it a different day to your other meet up .

Gaston quick thought re: the dizziness. Have you had your iron levels checked recently? Can be a sign that they are getting a bit low.

Stitching - the strange thing with my Dad is that the boys are the centre of his universe in terms of what he cares about, he just has no idea what to do with them on a minute by minute basis. Also my mum being ex Reception teacher is brilliant with kids and so he backs off and feels a bit useless. It is easier in the end for him to hide behind his laptop. Gaston- LOL at mother being as happy with an iPad as a new baby.

Hi all

Great news about the flight Mudwiggle, I know just how that feels!!

got mil here at the moment and she is great with the boys as is my Mum, but my StepDad doesn't do that much with them and my Dad has only recently taken a real interest and that's only with the 2 big ones!

Love the ipad/newbaby

Hope camping goes well Stitching

Laguerta - great news about the house, fingers crossed it moves no now and you can get sorted.

still no house buying here, thinking about Location Location, do you think they'd have us?

Boys(all of them) are off to sil and bil on Tuesday until saturday , I'm looking forward to it!!!Stefan is becoming a teenager a little too early(he's only 11)We can't afford to go away for all of it but I have just booked 1 night in a nearby hotel with pool, sauna etc...Can't wait.

Definitely do it Deb (LLL I mean)

Have a great time when the boys are away. Sounds lovely.

No further house progress. 2 viewings became 1 viewing and he didn't like it. It sounds like our buyers are v keen but something is up with their buyers that their agent won't / cant properly explain.

Trip to hotel sounds lovely deb and hope boys enjoy their trip (if it's any comfort dss lovely now but only took 10 years to get there ).

Home from France after lovely trip(although sympathise with your bad knee stitching as have sore neck from awkward sleeping and still have bad hip but all well apart from that).

Resting now but dh car hunting as wants more space Im boot and for car seats (we could manage in current car but virtually no boot space ). I a ignoring fact he keeps saying we might want another as he finds this very funny .

Oh and early I know but advice here on whether I need some kind of buggy board or pushchair for e (generally she can walk but there are occasions where doesn't). Deb what ages did boys stop needing help? Sadly so far she isn't into her scooter which was my hope. pushchair or not

I bloody knew you would get the "mine walked everywhere at 11 months type" (like you always get someone on sleep threads saying something about "my child is 17 and I have slept 20 minutes a night since birth").

Afternoon all. Gaston, I've just been chuckling at your other thread - I wonder how many 'my DC walk 10 miles a day and have been since they were about 6 months old' and 'have you ever thought about encouraging your DD to well, walk?' posts you'll get FWIW - if I was having another anytime soon I'd need something for DS. Even though he's great on his scooter there's no way I'd be overly comfortable in town/v busy urban setting with one in a buggy and one free to scoot off and bump into people and get under people's feet

If money no object I'd go for bee plus, mostly because I'm a huge fan of my bee. I thought it was a great buggy and I used it way longer than other parents used their travel systems/prams etc. I used it quite regularly till he was about 2 I think.

Any more dizzy spells btw?

I'm expecting an AIBU thread about me to spring up today. I have just been to Sainsbury's and purchased fruit shoots, thomas the tank engine pasta, honey loops cereal AND a cbeebies magazine. I was looking over my shoulder the whole time watching out for judgy MNers I'm feeling fully up to speed with fruit shoot ishoos though. Having studied the ingredient listings at length I can now confirm that the 'low sugar' variety have aspartame in them and the 'no artificial ingredients' one has added sugar. However, there is a 'my five' range with neither aspartame or added sugar so I purchased those because it was two packs for £2

Sorry that there's no progress on the house front LG. We're still desperate to move but unable to find the time to get our house organised to get it on the market. There's a perfect house for sale just now too. We were supposed to be getting loads of stuff sorted at the weekend but didn't get much done at all.

Deb, you should so go for LLL! Enjoy your holiday from the DC this week.

Mudwiggle, glad you've got your flights booked! You must be thrilled to be coming home!

DS is getting very demanding so I need to go - he's very into playing games at the moment which on one hand is good, but I think I like the little spell of independent play that he's been going too through more...

It's the star chart reward). I am despairing re dd diet - she has turned into worse kind of non eater so we are doing lots of stars/reward for good eating. Half the issue is she is so stubborn- usually likes whatever it is when actually eats it.

Lost half post there - was amused by your sainsburys basket as we also have comics as a bribe (and have bought those fruit shoots).

That thread now turning useful (which is more than bf advice one where asked for help - got one post ... Think I will try but won't stress and make myself sick and unhappy like I did with e)

Camping was fantastic thank you - although the combination of the weather and my buggered knee meant we only managed one night. The boys loved it though and we'll definitely be doing a lot more of it next year - including going to Camp Bestival which I'm very excited about .

I think it wore DS1 out though - he went to be at 4.30pm today and we haven't seen him since .

Very at your time alone - we have a weekend planned next August and (if we make it) it'll be our first weekend away without children since 2008!!

Gaston, we have both a buggy board and double buggy if you want to borrow either of them? You are more than welcome . I definitely wouldn't bother forking out too much as I expect you'll probably manage with a sling and existing buggy as it won't be too long before DD won't want anything. I did at some of the comments on your thread but it doesn't surprise me - you get it with every thread about a developmental milestone, the other day someone was saying on a speech thread that their child was talking in full sentences by its first birthday . I'm sorry but I find that very hard to believe!!

However, I am feeling very benevolent to MN today as I started a thread in Style & Beauty last week about the appalling state of my skin (I developed roseacea when pg with DS2 and it's just got worse and worse and worse ) and someone recommended Dermalogica products. I took delivery of them this weekend and they have been amazing! My skin already looks and feels better and doesn't have that horrendous itchy feeling. They cost the earth but I think I'll be selling the boys into slavery to afford them .

Leo, I'm quite appalled at you feeding fruitshoots to your DS . DC love them when we're out and about and it's so nice not to always have to remember to take bottles with us all the time .

LG, sorry to hear the house situation has not improved - so frustrating for you both.

Right, better go and be sociable - we have the outlaws staying!

Helloooooo!

Helloooo....

I'm back, lovely night away. Hotel was 4 * but 1st room was definitely not, so we changed to a room that had been refurbished and that was much better. Played tennis and enjoyed the pool, sauna etc. Went out for a great meal last night but then dh was awake half the night with really bad stomach, he had the same about a week ago too, wondering if it's irritable bowel, anyone got any experience of this?

Anyway back home and tidying through whilst I haven't a 3 year old here to move everything back.

will catch up with you all later

What did he eat when upset? I have found dairy sets me off like that so tend to avoid it I'm large quantities.
Hotel sounds ace
Have majorly stiff neck due to sleeping wrong a nd a tantrum ing dd (ww3 re bedtime) whonhas taken against dh (most unusual as is a daddy's girl). Am I right in thinking s can kick off at bedtime Leo ?

Sounds lovely deb (the hotel I mean, not the IBS ).

Can't help on the bedtime thing I'm afraid Gaston - that's always been one of the few easy parts of the day here!

MIL has just left - exhausted. She drives me insane. Said she would do the ironing today - went through the ironing basket and picked out all dh's clothes to iron and left mine. AIBU to think that's a fucking horrible thing to do? Especially as I spent the afternoon putting together a photo calendar together for her cos she's crap with IT .

Just can't stand the woman .

No that's horrible- she will reap what she sows as sooner or later boys will pick this up and despise her for it (remember my story about my nieces laughing at how horrid my mil could be and she is nowhere near as bad).