TTTTT

[ladymuckbeth]

Here we go. More unexpurgated chat about our darling angels, all of whom are gifted and have exceptionally calm and admirably-coping parents.

Buddha has boobies too Mucky. & there were a lot for sale in the shop we were in yesterday. & boys pointed them out loudly on every one of them

We got the boys' balance bikes last week & are getting C one of those Smart trike things once I've re-researched them as I know some get poor reviews. We're still thinking about a kitchen too but we might leave that for their birthday. MIL has decided she wants to get yet more stuff but doesn't know what. Strangely she rejected our suggestion of the kitchen . I suggested my Mum get a Wendy house between them all, thinking it would be easy. But she couldn't choose one. So I sent some links that were rejected. Peppa Pig is too girly for the boys, even though they have bought DVD and books previously. & 'Mike / Knight' castle one wouldn't be suitable for C. Shouldn't be difficult, surely?!

Doesn't the letter thing just make you feel pants Tarti! I can't decide what to do. I don't want to lose it but neither do I want to go & do lots of stuff if they're just going to evict / not accept my membership in Jan. I suspect there could be politics at play. Or maybe I'm just paranoid. I put my begging explanation letter reply in the other day but haven't heard anything yet. Might wander down tomorrow to see if anyone is around.

Boys are doing really well at wee / potty while at home - no accidents. J is doing ok out & about too, but poor W is having a bit of a mare. He's going through all the spare clothes I'm sending to nursery & coming home in nappy. Apparently he did a wee on toilet there yesterday though, and again today when out with me, so hopefully has got some confidence from that. Poo.... well, that's a whole different ballgame

Can't believe these letters from allotment associations! I would hazard a guess that the complainers might be er... from the more elderly member of the community, perhaps those who DON'T have several youngsters at home to contend with on a daily basis?! I mean, priorities priorities - it's a disused piece of land on which to grow vegetables... it's hardly the Chelsea Flower Show! Grr, think it's best I don't entertain the notion of getting involved in such ventures myself, could end badly....

Busy busy here too. I have stupidly embarked on an expensive project to transform our living space into something which looks vaguely grown up. To part pay for it I am selling all but my grandmother on Ebay, since money is short here at the moment. But I am determined that when we have our party for the girls' birthday (our first one since moving back to the UK) I want to feel proud to welcome people indoors, not rapidly shuffle them downstairs before they can see the lack of homeliness. Today we had the first bit of "work" done - moving a radiator. Whoop de doo.. This is to clear the way in one of the alcoves for some built-in cabinets and shelving, which happens next week. After that the room is painted, and we're putting up a chandelier (hopefully), getting cushions, nick nacks, rugs, mirror above fireplace, paintings - standard stuff most people have except us I CANNOT WAIT EVEN IF IT BANKRUPTS US!

Loving all the Christmas present talk. I've bought a few more bits - got this if anyone's interested in a board game - Tummy Ache - apparently it's "hilarious" and it does look suitable for around age 3, unlike most things I see of that type. We've bought a few bits of Mike the Knight stuff ALL - the castle, jigsaw, plus helmet and sword. I tried the girls on Disney's "Fairies" DVD yesterday, and despite being a U (on the back it says "contains scenes of very light peril") they were absolutely PETRIFIED and demanded it be switched off. Oh do come on girls, Mummy wants an hour to herself on Mumsnet in the kitchen! Other than that I also caved and bought this which I thought would amuse us no end - JL Mini Piano thingie I'm not going to get much more stuff, think I'm going to get some personalised aprons on GLTC and a couple of other bits and hopefully stop there. It doesn't really seem like much when I write it down but I'm worried I'm going to start getting them stuff for the sake of it

chesti - sorry to hear you've all been so ill. Especially sorry to hear about H's ongoing ear troubles, poor thing. Did you get an appointment at the docs?

tarti THIS THREAD WILL NEVER DIE!

Oops linkie fail piano thingie

Oh bloody hell John Lewis Partnership I give up.

Hi everyone, I'm LONG overdue for a contribution to the thread, sorry about that. Like LVB am reading but not posting, which perhaps isn't very useful!

Poor Chesti, you sound like you have a very large helping of illness in your house and I hope it is coming to an end. The ear infections sound very distressing, poor old H! Did the doctor have anything useful to say?

Is it this mucky? Looks fab! We have a small chunky keyboard from ELC that the twins love, so I can see us graduating to something like this in due course. I have a sad, misty-eyed fantasy of them being really musical and would love to have at least one little piano-playing prodigy, being hopeless myself.

Poor J with her pneumonia, no wonder she needed all that rest. And good work on the ebaying, your living room sounds as though it will be rather like ours when you've finished so evidently we both have good taste . How's DH's job hunting going, or shouldn't I ask? Has he had the interviews that were coming up yet?

Well done to the boys on their potty training ALL and snigger at the boobies thing. I bet you were a nice shade of pink when you left the shop after all boobies had been identified. Have they started pointing them out on other people yet?!

My two are going through a lovely phase at the moment won't last long so for once I have no grumbles at all. That's really not like me, surely I can think of something?

Christmas presents decided upon/bought here include: wall stickers-come-height chart like this one, possibly an ikea play kitchen, bath towels (they are still using those handkerchief-sized baby ones and it's getting a tad ridiculous now), woolly hats, a baby pushchair, playdoh, Duplo, books and bookends. We got given a little table and chairs by friends for nowt and they love it - have had lots of sessions of sitting down with crayons and paper and miraculously they haven't yet experimented on our walls so I think any arty stuff will be enjoyed there.

Am also reasonably well advanced on other presents for adults, but am completely procrastinating over starting on xmas cards. I HATE writing, it's just disastrous whenever I put a real pen to paper, like some kind of apoplectic spider has been tasked with the job, and can't bear sitting down with a pile of cards. I also really struggle to write anything interesting - card fear.

Enjoy the weekend, looks like a chilly but hopefully nice crisp one!

Yes - Chesti, I hope things are looking better there? How did H's appt go?

Yup, complainers are oldies here . Though not as old as the previous secretary who did nowt & let the place get so run-down, so shouldn't complain I suppose. Thing is though, everyone on /around committee appear to be family or friends so it seems v clquey. & families seem to be building mini Empires by collecting runs of plots. Mine is at the end of one of these so I'm wondering if they have their eye on it & the council clearance of it wasn't such an accident after all....

Well exactly - Mike Knight is def not just for boys. & surely a little imagination of those so stuck in gender stereotyping would accept that girly princesses need castles too . Didn't see your link but we have keyboard here too that they love. After seeing boys enjoy a (pink!) one at playgroup MIL donated her once-used 9 day wonder keyboard. I was all for saving it for xmas but of course they need new things for xmas . Emergency sirens are one of the effects so they love that & C likes to bop to the demo tracks. Will have to look again at the Ikea one Cerub. I keep meaning to check out TTT for kitchen chat. We've seen one on the mothercare site we like but it's not in stock. & cards..... well I just don't do them other than the few I can't get away with.... increasing this year to send a few to nursery `friends'.

Only other booby chat we've had so far are mine , generally in the changing room at the pool, where bthey are also constantly surprised to discover I have a bum too . Though C does like to be forceful in her demands in public these days & just pulls my top - not so good when you're chatting to your boss . Probably worse at the mo is J's obsession with his willy. He's always been aware, but recently has been err... playing quite a lot & frequently announces made my willy big Mummy'. Only public' in loos so far but still. His other faves are to ask me to tickle / pull his willy again.... is that SS I hear in the distance....

Everyone ok?

My two are driving me f*&£$%^@ insane

My two are driving me totally fricking insane too tarti :( I completely lost it with them yesterday. Mind you, I think partly it's because DH is STILL under my feet (yes, NO JOB AS YET... 5 months and counting ). And yet still as much use as a chocolate teapot - I just get to spend all day with them with him looking on from a distance telling me how I could do it better. I'm only mildly joking.

He also keeps asking me "what we're doing wrong" with the girls because they are just in an impossible phase. Saying no to everything, whining non-stop, refusing to get dressed to the point where getting out of the house is a major achievement. They are acting like depressed teenagers already, and would rather stay home than ever leave the house it seems.

On the positive side, I think I'm about done with presents for them both. This includes birthdays, which on the one hand feels annoying to be so close to Christmas, on the other they probably get the equivalent of one lot of presents really, split between two days. Nursery are having a Christmas party on their actual birthday (14th) and we're having a party on the 15th. DH wants to pretend their birthday is on the Saturday so we "don't confuse them" by sending them off to nursery only to have a general party there, and them then having their actual party a day later. For some reason the fact that he's even suggested this is making my head explode with irritation...

I looked in earlier & thought I should come back to apologise for thread killing again...!

Haha, sure the girls won't care or remember having 2 birthdays Mucky, & I guess having parties on the wrong' day is pretty normal. Dp's Superdad crown failed him at a Xmas party on Sat. He wandered round like a lost soul <span class="line-through">other than sorting practical things like getting food, leaving me to field 3 littlies and the craft table mid-task</span>. They had a couple of performers doing Peter Pan & J <strong>loved</strong> it. He really got the humour / madness and giggled his way through it. He has such an infectious giggle & I was crying with laughter just watching him. W sat on my other knee & seemed a bit overwhelmed by it all. As soon as it was over he got up & announced that was brilliant'.... and kept repeating so maybe did enjoy it after all.

Well, J reduced his keyworker to tears today with his behaviour - does that count? Apparently he was a nightmare all afternoon & was picking fights with all the other children! When dp told me I got down to J's level to talk to him about it & his bottom lip started quivering, he burst into tears & needed a hug - and I hadn't said anything. Dp said he'd done the same in the car when he'd spoken to him. They've not been bad at home though we are going through a phase of W annoying J & J whining about it every time my back is turned. However, J has also worked out that telling untrue tales can result in W being told off so it's difficult. Usually end up telling off both of them.

Better news with potty though. We've had 1 accident in the last week or so at home, including taking them out & about on short shopping trips / groups we go to / swimming/ Xmas party. Nursery has been a different kettle of fish & they've merrily peed their way through all the spare clothes I've sent over the last couple of weeks . a breakthrough today with only 1 wet set of clothes between them. We had a poo from each on potty over the weekend too so that felt like a huge leap forward. None since, but they tend to poo first thing so difficult to catch .

We're done with our shopping too - dp picked up C's smart trike thing today. Just have to sort everyone else's shopping for them now! My parents have decided they don't want to get a play tent as they look too flimsy so have suggested one of the rigid plastic house things. Would be OK if we had a garden but not sure. But if not that then I'll have to come up with something else & though they have surprised me with how much they'd like to spend, the kitchen we have our eye on will be too much. & Mum is stressing cos she needs to shop asap as they're coming to us the week before Xmas so she needs everything Xmas sorted prior to that.

Re-looking at our real kitchen now - I booked a design bod for Friday. Eek!

We are all better and seem to be over the norovirus (if that's what it was). Wasn't fun whatever it was.

The boys are doing well but H is completely doing my head in at the moment. She's a nightmare. Stroppy, rude. The boys seem a delight in comparison and to be fair they are in the terrible 2s so just shows how awful she is being. And she's almost bloody 5! I thought the tantrums would be over by now. Think me and DH need to have a chat and reassess how we are dealing with her. Reward charts or something I think is needed.

Very jealous of all you who have done their present shopping. Mine is very chaotic. Need to look at what I've got and what I still need to get. We've got a 12' trampoline for the 3 kids. Not that they'll be able to use it much until the weather gets better. Did manage to get a bit of shopping done on Sat as I went to my parents for the weekend with they kids and Mum looked after them ahilst I shopped. It was bliss having couple of hours shopping without kids, even though I wasn't shopping for me but buying Christmas gifts it was still lovely. H is so easy to buy for and her stocking is bulging. The boys I'm really stuck, they have a peppa DVD, a few wooden trains, some t-shirts and that's it! Need to put more effort in.

DH stayed at home when I went up north and painted the kitchen which is also bliss. It looks great. Darker blue than I would ideally want but to be honest it was so grubby before that anything is a vast improvement. Need to tackle the sitting room next. How is yours going ladyM

Great news ALL on the potty training front. The boys seem to be doing great. My pair are still denying even having done a poo when they are pbviously stinking.

Very envious of everyone's house improvements...
Mucky I have no idea how you cope having DH around the house all day, I'd have long since killed him, myself or both...
ALL we have the same issue with very few accidents at home but lots at nursery. I think they just don't check/force them to go often enough, and/or the girls' requests to go don't always get heard above the din
Not loving the new emoticons by the way.
Lots more to say but as ever am too shattered. Nightie night...

I don't know how I'm coping either, mutter mutter...

House improvements continue apace. Don't get me wrong, we're not exactly rebuilding Rome here - carpenter arrives tomorrow to build some shelves and a couple of alcove cabinets, and that's about the sum total of the "renovations" in many ways. I must be insane because then on Monday the decorator is scheduled to start to paint the room, and then I'm hoping to tart it up with paintings, nick nacks, cushions, rugs (none of which have been bought yet... in the couple of days between decorator finishing and us having a party in which I'm obviously hoping to show it off with great nonchalance, as though we've always lived with a Grown Up Sitting Room. I'm quite pleased with my purchases so far though, managed to buy a lovely Graham and Green chandelier on Ebay which is 6 months old but going for about a third of the new price.

Just buying party bag stuff for the girls party. And thinking about doing a couple of party games. My god I am terrified at the prospect. It's not like the old days where you just had a party, bought shedloads of wine in, and then drank enough of it yourself in the opening 90 minutes that you didn't care less what happened afterwards... I feel utterly hopeless at the thought of doing pass the parcel, entertaining what will be about 10 children of different ages, and thinking that there'll be enough going on for the parents to have a decent time too. Not to mention the fact that at the moment our house looks like a bombsite...

And have I mentioned that my FIL arrived for a week long visit this afternoon?

Oh god. I'm going to have a nervous breakdown before Christmas, aren't I?

Just the mention of your father in law makes me smile mucky

Here here tarti

Ahhh I am so sorry for my lack of posts for about a gazillion years!

I have caught up but there is too much to comment on!

We are all fine here - have some good Potty training to report from Emme! Finally decided to bite the bullet as she was getting upset about all the praise that J and A were getting. She's been trying sooo hard and its lovely to see her feeling proud of herself about something! J and A have been acting like big sister 'Profession Potty Trainers' and have been reminding her, singing 'pee pee on the potty' songs, and making her stickers to say well done! Very cute!
It all changes pretty quickly though and their behaviour over the last few weeks hasn't exactly been 'enjoyable', but I've spoken to lots of friends and come to the conclusion that it must be the weather making them so grotty! Think they are all just getting tired and wanting Xmas to come!

Sorry again for such a ridiculously late update!

Gah! Long post just got eaten!

How's fil Mucky? Surprised you didn't just get him on doing the building / painting while he's here to keep us entertained him out of trouble.

We nearly just got the Ikea play kitchen Cerub, but have just ordered this instead. Am going to suggest my parents buy some additional pay food & then hopefully we're all sorted. Liked this too. Just need to work out where we're going to put it . Real kitchen plans coming on OK - layout done & just need to finalise the appliances. Can't wait til it's all done!

I wouldn't stress too much about the bottle post-1. I felt the pressure to drop it but we still had copious volumes of milk through the night in bottles for a long time. Lots of toddlers seem resistant to having milk in anything other than the bottle & ours certainly were. As long as they're not spending the day with the bottle hanging from their mouth & are chewing cleaning teeth then they'll get there in the end. Our 2 had v little milk once we got them off the bottle & it's only now that they choose to drink it at times.

I don't feel comfy with using the threat of no pressies for bad behaviour but our 2 wouldn't get it this year anyway. They have some understanding, but it's a bit wooly despite all the Xmas bedtime stories we're doing! They seem to think Santa Claus has something to do with bringing the tree but now it's up they're still saying he's coming soon so I'm not sure what they're expecting will happen .

The kitchen looks great ALL. And the real one is obviously coming along nicely too. We have ordered a JoJo kitchen in the end, having started to panic a lot bit that we were getting close to Christmas and not keen to spend any more time schlepping round the shops. It's this one - looks quite small so I hope it's not going to be a constant cycle of pushing and shoving to use it! Thanks for thoughts on bottles, they still seem to really enjoy their milk at the moment but I guess things like that change overnight don't they. I won't worry a minute longer!

Hi Kate, great news about E's potty training. Good girl! What are you getting your girls this year? And how is I getting on with her cast?

We've got tantrums galore from S here. Seems what he's been doing for a few months was just like a prelude to the main event and now he's on a knife edge a lot of the time. Requests to put on coat or shoes seem to drive him to distraction! Oh, and going upstairs, taking off said coat or shoes, having his nappy changed, bla bla. I badly need to grow a pair because I have to admit I am a little wimpy about asserting my authority when I sense a tantrum coming. At least R is being a little angel at the moment, which tends to mean she gets less attention but I really mustn't let that happen - must encourage the good behaviour!

Stupidly busy here. Work is relentless. And DH has been offered full time after Christmas so we are madly trying to sort out childcare for 3. Have some mad plan of using a combination of nursery/childminder/granny. Think I'm loosing my mind trying to plan it all.

Hope all is going well with you all, and I'll try and get a chance to read properly and catch up on all your news soon anyone-invented-a-time-machine?

Sorry to hear about the tantrums Cerub - I've come to the conclusion that this kind of behaviour is definitely seasonal! All this Xmas excitement just wears them out!
To distract mine from strops at the moment, as soon as they start the high pitch whinge I gasp (loudly) and say 'Wha.. what? Hang on! I think I just saw one of FC's robins outside! Quick come and have a look/Quick put your shoes on before he see's!' So far it has worked a treat!

Thank you so much for asking about Isla - she's doing brilliantly and it has become second nature to us now, we've pretty much forgotten about it. We joke that she should have had a fur lining to keep her extra warm!
Yep we are very pleased with E for the potty training :)

Just a quickie from me :) Am also madly busy, house is a complete tip but starting to take some shape. Went back to the antiques market this morning - up at 5.30 to do so!! - and came back with 4 paintings (so high end - ranging from £10 to £25 each ) and an antique birdcage. DH was less than impressed with my finds, wrinkling his nose up a bit at each one as they came out of my big holdall. Ah well.

FIL has just left. It has been a less arduous visit than most, it has to be said. But it had its moments. I tend to leave him alone more, don't bother trying to cook for him (it's pointless - he never appreciates the effort I go to to make us all a gluten-free meal for his bloody benefit and once this time I made him a Nigella Coq au Riesling which was DELICIOUS I caught him throwing it in the bin and nipping out to get himself a bloody Chinese

My mother arrives tomorrow so that should inject a small amount of order to proceedings. And increase the wine consumption considerably....

Will write more soon, just so desperately trying to get our house in some sort of order - we have weeks worth of post to catch up with, don't know how we can excuse the chaos really.

Our toy kitchen arrived today Cerub. Assuming it's the toy one anyway - the box is scarily huge . I really liked the wooden ones but this seemed to have quite a bit to it & is double sided so hopefully all 3 will find somewhere to play around it clearly still have some learning to do on that one.

Oh dear to tantrums too! We are having a bit of a phase with J at the mo. Not tantrums really, but def trying to assert his non authority. Sounds much worse at nursery but I think it's because he still cares a bit about making me cross at the moment. He's saying no to doing a lot of things. & don't like'. In fact he whined all the way home from nursery today because I don't like that aeroplane'.... that happened to be flying high in the sky. & then it changed to not liking a Xmas tree W & I were admiring. Last night he had a strop because dp didn't let him sit in the car seat of his choice when he picked him up from nursery. He came intp the house & lay on the floor by the front door declaring he didn't want dinner. So we left him. Then I put him in his room. Eventually he decided he needed a wee, dp took him to the loo & he was happy as Larry & came & ate all his dinner except the bits I'd given to others thinking he really wasn't going to eat. Baffling.

Great news on dh's job Chesti! Will you see decent financial gain too or is it still long-term plan? I hope things easein the run-up to Xmas.

Woop to fil not being too much of a pain LadyM. The Chinese incident - soo rude! Could see mine doing similar if I ever cooked for him.

Aaargh. Dp away tonight & C is awake for the 3rd time since putting her down...

Phew, am slightly gibbering mess after our party yesterday to celebrate the girls' 3rd birthday. Most of the work was done in the reception rooms, and I'm v v pleased with it The party was a great success, although I'm not sure I'm looking forward to repeating it and am beginning to see the attraction of "outsourcing" the venue in future. My mother pointed out that from memory, it gets a lot easier when the parents leave because of course then you're only trying to entertain one lot of guests, rather than two with completely different needs. I found it utterly exhausting!

Will be back to write more tomorrow... :)

Happy birthday J & E. Hope they had a great time at their party

Thanks Chesti. Hopefully my posts will be a bit less mememe now that this particular milestone has passed...!