D'ya ever wonder how life still carried on like this?

[Kelly1978]

A new thread!
Especially for throckenholt

I was hoping the original one would go to 1000, but it was gettign a but annoying scrolling all the way done, so come over here instead.

How is everyone coping with the school holidays?

I'm fed up with the rubbish weather, as we're stuck in the house too much. I daren't take them to soft play as it packed during the hols and then I can't watch all four of them. Plus it costs a fortune.
Mine are changing so much. Rav is becoming a right wuss, scared of new places. I suppose it shows awareness, but it is annoying when I've driven miles for a nice day out and he just wants to sit and whine because he is too scared to go on anything! Shay is developing his houdini skills, and now has a tendancy to bolt out of parks so I have to watch him like a hawk. I must dig out the reins before we go on holiday.

My DTs (a whirlwind of chaos runs in front of them, beside them and behind them) were very sweet earlier. They took it in turns to play sleeping on the floor (along with snoring noises) while the other one stroked the sleeping ones head and sang a lulaby. How cute is that?! and puffed out bosoms of proudness!

oh yeah, forgot to say DT1 sat on DT2's head just after that until he cried and he nipped her later. Don't want you all to think I'm having a peachy time over here or anything . Night.

Hi all, once again I've found it impossible to keep up with you all, but I've a couple of hours at home alone this morning so...!
Devondoris - thanks for the book recommendations. I'm going to try ot do an amazon order this weekens so any other recommendations of books would be great. I'm also looking for some new books toread to ds (19months) so if anyone has anything to recommmend let me know.
Goodluck with the birth DD ! Looking forward to hearing from you again!

Kelly, ds likes lego (duplo size), dh made him a house out of cardboard boxes which also gets played with a lot, I think anything they can climb inside is a good idea, trying to think what else... he drives me nuts if I spend too much time in the house with him so we usually go outside (even when its raining) as much as possible.

We have decided to completely change direction and ideas on where the twins will be born. ds was born in a small hospital, private doctor etc... thing is my health insurance doesn't cover the area my doctor works in anymore so we would have to pay for everything and if they end up being born early then they will end up in a hospital miles away from where I would be which to me is an absolutely horrendous idea. We have decided ot go to our 'local' hospital which means dumping my doctor and having all my ante-natal stuff done there. they have a specialist unit for 'special' pregnancies and an premature birth unit next to the maternity bit. I think i will get more open ideas about having a natural birth etc. And the hospital is closer to where dh's family live, his sister will be looking after ds while I'm in hospital so it makes sense. We are going ot look at the hospital this afternoon and will probably register with them then. Feel relieved about this decision.

I've also decided that I'm going on maternity leave at the end of the year (about week 30) and taking a year off (manager has agreed to that in principle) - see how it goes after that!

Marslady - hope the revision is going well, but of course you won't be reading this for a while will you . I'm interested in what you think is realistic expectations for giving birth to my twins naturally.

Well, i'm another loooong poster, sorry !

My twins were born naturally. They wree planned to be born in a hospital my private midwives had an arrangement with which allowed them to go in and do births there. They came to my house and in fact the first twin was born at home naturally. It was good but I needed the gas and air and they used a TENS machine too. Then twin 2 didn't want to be born that day, silly boy.... so eventually we went off to the hospital as planned and speeded him up with a drip, I had my first epidural ever, (for my 5th child) at my request so I felt really in control and he was born there on the bed fairly easily and we all went home that night to our own house. I was very happy with the births. I felt in charge all the time of what we did and when. I was very lucky they stayed in until 40 weeks and labour started normally.

Your plan there sounds great. When I called my UK doctor to ask as it was twins was there any point in paying private midwives at all he said even more reason because in the UK hospitals tend to over mechanise twin births. He was so right (his wife's an independent midwife, but not mine).

Good luck with the twins. I love having twins. They're 7 now.

I think that your new plan sounds fab leogaela. Realistically... absolutely NO REASON on earth why you can't have the twins naturally (or should I say.. vaginally). I'm glad that the new hospital is more open. You'll feel better about it and that will help. Gotta go now before they see I've been here again.

mars, get back to work! I know for a fact u had 3 hours off this aft!

Snatches the piece of cake off mars, cos it is soooo gorgeous, u have to taste it to believe it....

bit longer than 3 but sssssssssssshhhhhhhhhhhhhhh who's to know lol! Though I did complete Hamlet (working on final scene to prep for exam now) and I am working through a film production of King Lear... in Russian

Hello you mad lot, wondered if I could interrupt and ask your advice. We're about to buy highchairs and hoped someone might have a recommendation for twins?

Lots of people keep telling me to buy the cheapie IKEA ones but they look rather uncomfortable. While my ladies can sit propped up they are rather small and without a harness I'm worried they might disappear out the leg hole

Went to Mothercare and completely bewildered by the array of day-glo plastic monsters. Would appreciate your suggestions...

I used the cheapy IKEA ones. They go in the shower when they need a good wash down lol.

You can go for plush and comfy but the wee beasts soon break out and trash the house with food......... Sorry... not helping am I? lol

Thanks for your support again! We looked at the hospital yesterday and had a talk to one of the midwives, a c-section wasn't mentioned at all until i told her ds was born by c-section. She said she didn't see why a 'natural' birth wouldn't be possible but that its too early to start deciding what i should and shouldn't do with regards the birth, but i do feel much more hopeful and relaxed about it now (but also open minded remembering that ds was definitely not coming out that way!)! a neighbour of my SIL gave birth to her twins there naturally and thought they were absolutely fantastic! I would love to hear more positive things from you all about your births. Anyone given birth to twins 'naturally' after having a c-section for a single first birth?

Glamour badger, we have both a trip-trap (given to us) and one of the cheapie white plastic ikea high chairs, have also used lots of others in people's houses and restaurants. We (and ds) think the cheapie Ikea one is by far the best. I think he was probably sitting up quite well when we first put him in it but we put a small cushion or blanket or something behind his back to keep him in place a bit. If you aren't sure and buy the cheapie ikea ones and you decide you don't like them at least its not a expensive mistake.

Shakespeare in Russian !

Remember Leo... no two births are the same. Just because your DS came by section doesn't mean the twins will.

Hey Mars, GET BACK TO YOUR DESK YOUNG LADEEE!

I used the Mothercare highchairs (£60 I think). I padded them with pillows when the DTs were a bit on the small side. (Bought the inserts which were no use at all and pillows were much better). I think cheaper is fine, the others just have more bits to clean (foot rests also give them something to push off).

I've just finished Hamlet you screeching banshee!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My head hurts. Still, time for a wee nap and then back again to look at Measure for Measure. Sigh.............

we have the trip traps - we used them up at the table from the start. I also bought the insets (didn't do that for DS1) - which they needed because they were small - but I sold the insets later so it didn't actually cost much. We still use the triptraps now at 3.75 and will for th eforseeable future. They are good (if expensive) option if you don't have much space.

Hello ladies,do you mind if I come here and join you? (I think I did introduce myself a while ago but I haven't been on MN much recently). Anyway,I have 4dd's-11,dt's aged 3 and a baby of 6 months. Now things have settled down a bit for me I am trying to be brave and chat a bit more so I thought I'd start here .

catj... you are more than welcome. It's good to have you back. Just duck when FG and her swinging mangoes come into view. lol

Okay!!

I have obviously been away far too long.

(I suppose this is where I confess to not reading much the rest of the thread .

And not being able to type either

Hello glamourbadger. Whatever you buy, get something that is easy to clean and doesn't take up half the room. I have these and they are lovely and comfortable and had the rocking action for when the boys were smaller, but they are huge, and impossible to clean! I can't even stick them in the shower due to the electric bits!

I would get these . I'm very tempted to flog mine and replace them with these. They are similar to the triptrap but a lot smaller. A lot of restaurants seem to have them round here, they are comfortable, easy to clean, adjustable.

Hello catj

I shouldn't be here neither. I've been cleaning.worked round the the computer desk and stopped here!

Thanks for all the highchair suggestions! Just started weaning and can't believe how little hands manage to work food into every small crevice. I like the look of the Trip Traps but is there a disadvantage to having no tray? Does a tray help contain the pureed gloop or am I just fighting a losing battle?

Help! I've come over all serious about highchairs. Funny what motherhood does to you

Hi there Catj - am just an extra here, occasionally lurking on the periphery...

the tray is jsut somethign that is useful for hiding the pureed gloop under! More hassle than it's worth.

glamourbadger... there will be NO lurking on this thread. Post post post!!!!!!!!!!!!

I don't think you need the trays, they just take up more space. Trip-traps are great, we just have a problem with ours at the moment that ds tries to climb in and out of it and onto it, I'm just nervous that its not that safe.
Hi Catj - I'm new since you were last here, I have ds 19 months and twins are due in March!

Helloooo, hellooooo!

I'm not supposed to be here because I should be at Twins club about 14 miles away with DD and .... a full belly still!!! 38 weeks, hurrah! They're allowed out now! Midwife is back from holiday, obs being lovely, husband finally on leave (though looking after the shop instead), DD playing happily in her bedroom and I can see Dartmoor from my window. How good is that???

Anyway, it was just to say, I'm still here - thank you to everyone with lovely things to say! PC is still hit and miss at the moment, but I'll let you know what's happening... I don't think I'll make the end of the week but we'll see. Seem to be getting quite a few practice crunches going on...

Quick high chair note - we've got a tripp-trapp (just invested in another second hand on ebay) which has been at the table ever since DD started eating. Control freak mother has to admit that she has some of the best table manners of her friends and I think it's because we've always had meals together. Obviously all that hard work is about to go down the pan when the boys arrive, but hey, can't have everything!

Must go to twinsclub!!

Love all!
xxx
doris