D'ya ever wonder... [enter witty phase here]

[MultipleMama]

We fill these up fast!

We have fleece liners in the stroller but I'll try the sheep one might be softer :)

Bubs - if he's not in the boba he's swaddled as often as possible even in his car seat. He likes to really intense movement and rocking but the baby swing/bouncers don't seem to be fast enough to ease him. And the stroller absorbs too much for him to get the movement he seeks. The OT thinks it mainly due to his sensory seeking.

Hey, Soks! :)

So.... we picked up the keys to our new house today. It's officially ours!!! :) :) :) Cannot wait to start decorating and crafting, I want this house to become the family home; where all the kids remember memories and come round for tea every weekend when they're older. Spent this evening making plans for the kitchen picnic table, and designing the kitchen and bathrooms, and tomorrow I start making calls to 5 project managers who will over see the building work. AHHH SO EXCITED!

Ouch my bloody tooth - or the gap where it once was - hurts so much.....

Poor you Shabs xx

How's your non-tooth/gum today, shabs? Clove oil works wonders, if you haven't already tried it xx

How is everyone today?

DH and I have decided to find a new OT (who also does PT) for BlueA as we feel he's not making much progress and BlueA has a serious dislike to them; they're not too keen on involving me and DH in his actual therapy sessions and we want to change that. As his surgery looms closer, I'm getting more scared and no matter how many times his care team try and prepare me and explain it, it doesn't help.

Oh and Soks, I ordered a lambskin liner, today so hoping it works! :)

Dya ever wonder where everyone is? Sat up in bed wishing I hadnt had a plate of fish n chips with homemade garlic mayo and half a bottle of Pinot...........its the mayo that's dunnit :o Boys driving me nuts, gone back to toddle mode, chasing each other and non stop sparring.......I am off to London Mon-Weds to sil then we are going to Hertfordshire to look after her adorable 7yr old b/g twins, can`t wait to see them. Any ideas of a small gift each, no idea anymore what 7yr olds are into. Should be fun! Need to sleep.............night all..............if you are there! xx

toddler.........:o

Trips - how about those craft sets you can get? Those were you can make things like soap or candles even jewellry and for boys I think there's little crafts like "make your own clay dinosaur" if you look in Range (if you have one!) there's load of stuff you can browse and pick up as gifts :)

...mmm garlic mayo!

Morning, sunny start so off to the market to make the most of it! Hope you are all ok, will need to do a roll call soon if things don`t buck up. Lets see who turns up when I bring the b/fast trolley out........

Morning girls xx

Urgh. The nerve on some people today, was out and about with both sets of twins and took the icandy with buggy board because I knew I didn't wanna take the Donkey on this bus. I get on the bus, and took me asking twice to get two teenagers to move so I could put the buggy there, you know what cheek they said to me "we there's no where else to sit" there was quite a few empty seats next to people! I was so

how are you lovely ladies today?

Project manager hired, plumber hired, kitchen fitter hired, gardener hired and electrian hired. Estimated completion 27th August. Doesn't need much work but some jobs need expert attention and we haven't got the time. Tomorrow we show the kids around before we meet up with the PM :)

From me and my Matthew to you and your Matthew Trips. My Matt loved the fact that his Dads favourite singer (John Denver) had a song called Matthew xxxxx

Aww thank you Shabs, I have never heard that song before. Its such a lovely name, not many little boys are given it now. In all my time at primary school working with the little ones we have had one Matthew. Every time I had to say his name it made me feel so strange in a sad yet nice way. He has blonde hair and blue eyes too............

Hello ladies. Beautiful song shabs and trips. Xxx

Had a tough few days with James - no bike due to puncture plus spending time in the company of my mum/sister/nieces seemed to send him into massive meltdown Friday. Not helped by me 'abandoning' him, Joshy and Emily at parents so I could nip Jen to minor injuries. One glued head later... Still hasn't stopped the silly thing jumping on the sofa.

Anyway, yesterday managed to throw bigs out on their bikes. James spent a lovely day with one of the much older boys, racing on their bikes. The lad even looked out for him when two of the girls were throwing things at him . They got short shrift from me. I do wish Emily wouldn't play with them but it's not fair to keep her in when they are out all the time so sucking it up and keeping a close eye on them all.

Mama. That is good news about your house. Hope it all goes smoothly for you.

Thanks, Soks. It's awful to hear things are being thrown at your little one. I would have told them also. They wouldn't like it if things were thrown at them. Hopefully Em sees through them and she finds nicer friends. Glad James had a lovely day after a few tough ones! Xx

Apollo is being admitted to Berlin Heart tomorrow afternoon at 2pm and I'm trying to pack for the stay. What he needs and what I'll need. Got to set off at 7am but I'm too busy stressing and packing!

Oh Mama I hope everything goes well for your little man, I shall be away tomorrow until late Weds so not on here. When is his op?

Thanks, Trips. I hope so too! His op is at 6am Tuesday morning at the Berlin Heart Center so I have to look forward to a 5 hour drive with a child who hates his car seat should be fun! I've managed a short list and running around the house like a headless chicken I've forced myself to go bed in 15 minutes!

PIL are here. Bags are packed. I'm loaded on decaf coffee. Apollo is screaming in his car seat. And all ready to go. Let the looong journey begin.

I maybe be on a lot, rambling crazy nothings as I'm awful at waiting!

Hope you ladies have a lovely day xx

Safe journey Mama xx
Well I am loving and leaving you for a few days, off to London :)
BE VERY GOOD :o

We're here and settled well as much as possible!

Spoke to Apollo's Surgeon who explained everything simple enough so I could understand. He's also one of the best surgeons there and is an expert at the Ross percedure and valve repair so Apollo is in good hands but I am still shitting myself. They say he could be in surgery for upto 8 hours!

I'm so tired but too nervous and anxious to nap.

Have fun in London!! :)

Which valve are they repairing Mamma? Just think when Gareth was born 32 years ago they didnt have the expertise or knowledge to do this kind of surgery. Only through research and post mortems on babies/children with heart problems have they become so amazing at 'fixing' babies like your precious lad. Hope everything goes really, really well.....I'm sure it will x

His mitral valve is damaged from his CHD so they're going in with the hopw to repair instead of replace it, and on his scans a few week ago they noticed he has a bad case of aortic stenosis and is a candidate for Ross procedure. So they'll be doing both through OHS instead of minimal invasive due to the location of the damage on his mitral valve. It's an extensive triple surgery but with really good odds... gotta keep reminding myself of that!

And I am so heartbreakingly grateful that we now have the knowledge and experienced to preform these operations but it's so so awful that many babies did not have research to help them xx

His surgeons are happy with him and say there's no reason why he shouldn't make a full recovery and lead a normal life. I'm just a complete worry wart. Thank you for your kind words, helps stop me freaking out!

Awake. Apollo just spent the last hour screaming, he just wouldn't settle. And having 3 parents glare at me and have 2 nurses keep coming to "take him" from me didn't help except make him worse. He's exhausted and worn out on my chest (he's not used to sleeping in a cot). I just want to sleep before they wake us up but every time they come to check his SATS, they wake me up . Need sleep!!