"D'y ever wonder what Paolo would look like in my shower?" <<because I do>> For FG xxx

[largeginandtonic]

How are the pox today HM???

And the cake's cool! Well done, you! Can't see the fingermarks and it'll taste great no matter what they do to the outside...

Devondoris - could hear someone shouting across the moors - didn't realise it was you

LG&T - Cake looks fantastic - when do you have the time??????????????

Marslady - hope lady has baby soon so you can get back to normal!!!!!

Hi DD just got back from yet another kids party, again thankfully no chundering. Alas DD who is now very 2 was a mare. Lots of loud hissing at her as opposed to screaming for a change(other mums around)Dp was doing the hissing and the legwork so I managed to have a bit of quality time with the boys in between dragging said mare out of the penguins enclosure(Living Coasts party). Why are dps just never fast enough???

Your porridge has tempted me, we have cream in the fridge(alas only double)but also frozen raspberries in the freezer. Porridge it is then tomorrow.

Milamae - Living coasts in Paignton (ish)? Is it any good?

Oooggs (not sure how many 'o's are there!) Living Coasts is in Torquay near the harbour. Got the sea-y sort of animals from Paignton Zoo over there now. I'm told it's good, but I think it's rather expensive (or maybe I'm just a skinflint ). I do have a good carrying voice, by the way.

Hey Mila! Well, helloooo! Good to see you here. Probably actually manage to talk to you more here than in RL!

DPs are rather hopeless. Mine managed to carry one of the boys upstairs this evening for The Bath, but then sat in front of the computer while I undressed, removed nappies, put washing away, ran bath, bathed boys, dried boys, drew curtains, found dribble cloths... He did put on a nappy and some PJs though! And he fetched my book while I fed boys...

Loud hissing is always a good thing in a public place. I haven't had to do any today because DD's away! She had minor hysterics on the phone earlier when we rang to say goodnight, but managed to ring back later to say she was happy again. Funny, I had no remorse about packing her off. I'm actually feeling guilty about having no remorse, and also, which feels worse, for not missing her. Hmmm.

Hope you manage to get some rest too Mars, just think how many different midwives she would have seen by now all alone if she didnt have you as a constant Im sure you are making it a fab experience for her, despite the length of labour!

Night night everyone

Nedless to say lets not discuss my morning so far....i will just show^ you...

am so upset

Am off out for a picnic today so will put a hat over it. Back later to hear all your chortles no doubt.....

Hi all
Living Coasts is hellish expensive (thankfully we didn't pay) but we were all adding it up and reckon it was cheaper for my friend than doing the food and bouncy castle thing. She seemed far too serene for my liking, just payed to get us all in and then waved us off after the birthday tea which was included- my kind of kids party!!!! None of that waking up at 2am sweating over pass the parcel. Got to dash all 3 asleep in the car outside (bad mummy) best check they're all still there.

Hi every one, Lg&T, I take it he cut his hair off, I am a bit confused, must have missed something. Gorgeous boy though.
mars - are you still waiting to attend this woman?
Hi Doris and Mila/mae and Rosmerrin, what pretty names you all have in the South West.

Our big news was that after a day without the children (my parents took them to a zoo) and a night without disturbances, I feel even better.
Just hope this keeps up

He did indeed chop his long blonde curls off....i loved his hair. Hey ho, off to see the hairdresser tomorrow. I just hope it grows back like it was before.

Glad you feel better overrun, nice to have a break from them.

I hope that lady has had her baby Mars!

Back later, hoping you all had a good weekend

Yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Excuse me! Yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Well after a marathon 4 days and nights my lady finally had a baby girl last night. Today I have had to fit in the visits that I was going to do over the last few days.

Too tired to post... but wanted to say "hi" and wave at you all.

I have one lady to visit now (potential client) and once I'm back I'll be sleeping the sleep of the dead. Too tired even for Jack (24) and I still have Grey's Anatomy and ER and Ugly Betty on tape to watch. Yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love you all! Yawn!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Evening all!

LG&T - so sorry about the haircut, but I must agree with the others that he still looks gorgeous. I haven't experienced involuntary hairdressing here yet although I do remember having to take the DTs to be cropped when they went through a hair pulling phase - I found a nice short back and sides soon put a stop to that one even if they did look like convicts.

On another note - can any one offer words of wisdom/support/encouragement! My 22 month DS3 is a nightmare at mealtimes. He didnt take any solid food and was only on milk until 9 months and now he still only eats 4 month jars, sausages, fishfingers or anything in pastry! He will eat fruit puree and yoghurt, cereals without milk and, of course, biscuits and breadsticks. I have been putting everything and anything into pies but feel I am reaching the end of my tether cooking separately for him, the DTs and them DH and myself. Yesterday he actually ate 2 teaspoons of the lasagna the everyone else had so today I have decided to give him the same as every one else and if he won't eat it let him go without. He will still get a beaker of milk first thing in the morning and last thing at night. Am I doing the right thing? Im already feeling guilty as he is going to bed with no tea, only a beaker.

Any thoughts?

Oh rosemerrin you are a far nicer mummy than i! Hugs, ds#4 was 2 yesterday has been getting what we have since he was about 12 mths, it has taken until the last 3 months for him to eat any of it though, i just put it in front of him and thought if he is hungry he will eat it. No snacks in between and he only gets milk in the morning and evening. He has just started to get the whole "if you eat you dinner you get a yoghurt, cake, etc..." This makes him eat his veges too!!!

I didnt worry at all, he was growing and was healthy. No guilt from me im afraid, i am quite fanatical about meal times too. None of them leave the table unless we have clean plates and there is no pudding unless they finish. I has paid off as they all eat pretty much everything now, i still want to sob in to my slaved over creations some days though. With having 5 there is always one who pokes it around on the plate as if im feeding them arsenic...

So glad your lady delivered finally Mars. are they calling her Mars in tribute? I think they should really, have a lovely sleep.

Thanks LG&T - it really drives me crazy - I love to cook and it is so soul destroying when you have spent time and effort and you know they would like it but they wont even put it in their mouths. But I feel it really is time to take a stand - I hope to God it doesnt take 9 months though! We will wait and see!

Rosmerrin, after trying loads of different strategies with ds1, an incredibly picky eater for various reasons. I have now adopted this one, and he is slowly improving.
Always offer every one the same (I had previously got into the habbit of giving him the things that I knew he liked which were healthy, so he would get something nutrutious down him) I now think if he leaves what is on his plate it is his decision, did this with dts at same age as you ds3 as well.
I tend to put pots of various things on the table, if they want more potatoes or more meat, then they have to make an effort to eat some veg.
I do give them pudding whatever they have eaten though, as I feel that it ends the meal in a less stressful way. When I tried to withhold pudding from ds1, he would get hysterical and still couldn't bring himself to try the veg. He even got to the point of pretending to have stomach ache to get out of coming to the table
Having said that, pudding is usually fruit, most of which he wont eat anyway or greek yog with honey and maybe dried fruit, they all eat that
Hope some of that helps. I do think that we have had to learn all this the hard way, and the main thing now is that we try and achieve a relaxed enjoyable meal. What I wont tolerate is them whinging about what they don't like, I come down hard on that, and just try and encourage them to eat what they can.
I know that not all of this is relevant to your ds3 because of age, but they do learn so much from older siblings don't they?
Glad you can now take a break Mars

Many thanks Overrun. I am trying not to stress about it. I remember the DTs going through a similar stage, but I think I let them get away with it for longer because there were two of them and so you tend to choose the line of least resistance as long as they are eating something healthy, even if its the same thing over and over again! They weren't quite as bad as DS3 thought, and I havent pushed it so far because in every other respect, sleeping, playing etc he has to be the easiest and best natured little boy ever born! I know the DTs improved no end once they started at pre-school and saw everyone else eating, all of a sudden they would eat apple, banana, pasta etc! I'm hoping that before long DS3 will want to eat what his older brothers are eating, and he will also be starting pre-school at the end of April when he is two. He certainly looks and acts healthy and is not underweight - even if he is living on mush! And you wouldn't beleive how inventive I have become at finding filling for pies, have you ever tried shepherds pie pie! or bolognaise and courgette! All go down with pastry on outside but put it on a spoon and you must be joking! Anyway we will see what tomorrow brings.

DH back from his week's skiing yesterday - already says he needs a rest! What are they like?

Good night and god bless.

Hello everyone, it's busy in here isn't it!

I've had a busy weekend, family visiting from America. Shay seems to be recovering from his fall, though is still a bit quiet and limping a bit.

He fell about 10 foot, and I immediately had the HV on the phone the following day and ss had been called and she was telling me they were concerend and I need to be seen to be doing something about it. (because I wouldn't have thought of that - I like my son jumping out of windows! )
Anyway we now have childlocks.

I've discovered dog gates too, and I lvoe them!! They are brilliant, for the last 3 months I haven't been able to keep the dts contained anywhere unless I tie the doors shut. It's starting to look like fort Knox around here with so many locks and gates everywhere. I wonder if twins can be crate trained

We had a ss meeting today and I'm actually feeling a lot more positive, three of the group separately indicated that the kids should come off the register at the next meeting! So things are looking a lot better.

Rosmerrin I wouldn't worry too much if you can. I tend to cook and it's like it or lump it, and they have plenty of milk to fill up on otherwise. They do get better as they get older too. Dt1 actually ate an entire apple the other day, core included. He would only eat banana and mango before, but learned to say apple, then simply had to eat one. I find sneaky ways of getting fruit and veg into them too, in quiche, mixed up in curry and rice, in pasties, muffins, with jelly, etc. and they eat mroe veg raw while I am prepping it than they do in the dinner.

I'm having my first full day alone with all 4 children today. So far so good.
Managed to drop DS1 to nursery and back. Felt really evil tied the rein strap for the older two onto either side of buggy but at least I had peace of mind crossing the main road.

Then took the twins to be weighed as health visitor was supposed to come over two weeks ago and still waiting. DT1 now weighs 7lbs 11 and DT2 (the boy) 9lbs!!!! Well it's not really any wonder he's feeding roughly every two hours, and she's happy to go 3-5 hours between feeds.
It is getting easier by the day although they all seem to need me at the same time.

Oh and we still have no names, we like unusual ones DS1 has a Greek name and DD1 a Roman one so open to suggestions...

Popping into say hello and popping out again.... a little overwhelmed by the amount I have to catch up on !

Hello all, me back again briefly. I'll catch up tomorrow properly, but in the meantime I would appreciate anything you could add to my thread !

I'm seeing a breastfeeding consultant

Pixie here ar some names for you

dd- Dahlia, Dori, Calista, Dulcie, Talulah, Thalia, Cleo.
ds- Tristan, Hector, Homer, Tobias, Demeter, Cassius,Jasper, Ferdinand

Will keep thinking for you. Glad it is going well and the twins are growing very well!!

Kelly hope ss are not giving you too much grief. Im sure dt will recover soon enough and be back to bad boy antics.

Im off to Plymouth to stay with MIL tomorrow. I plan to collect the kids from school and drive straight there, should arrive 7.30ish. Just need a break.....

Hope everyone else is ok

Evening ladies - just a quick hello and goodbye tonight I'm afraid. And miracle of miracles DS3 ate a Bovril sandwich at lunchtime - the first time he has eaten bread that wasnt toasted. Isn't it funny the things that can make your day when you become a mummy - heaven help us! Anyway, great result, I only had to starve him for one night - I hope to widen his repetoire even further tomorrow - I bet the suspense is just killing you!

Good night for now!

Wow, that cake LG&T, looks great! I am most impressed that a pregnant woman with 5 dc's and no help at home has managed to do that! I would also get the Thomas the Tank engine one from Tesco!

Kelly at dt2 jumping out of the window! He is still a bit young to think he is superman isn't he! Glad that he is OK! Dog gates, hmmm, something to add to my future list of things we will need to buy!

Piximom, you sounded incredibly calm yesterday, I hope the day continued well!

DS has spent the last 2 nights at SIL's I can't believe how much I have missed him , it seems he hasn't missed us at all though!

Sunday I thought that the babies had decided it was time to arrive so I went to the hospital just to check, everything seems to be fine and they are staying put for a bit longer but the doctor told me to stay for a night for a rest and observation. Against my better judgment I stayed, what a nightmare, how the hell can you rest in hospital!!!!!

about to start wading through the last few days posts - but thought these would make you smile.

I was upstairs ranting at DT2 because he had once again pulled all the clean washing from the carefully sorted piles and spread it all over upstairs. I heard the front door cose - and then DS1 said "she's upstairs shouting at DT2 " - our neighbour had called round to deliver a letter the postman had put through her door by mistake.

And early on Saturday morning the phone rang - DT2 answered it - talked happily for a while - I assumed it was my mum because she is the only person who rings us at that time of day - after a while DT2 gave me the phone and said "who is it ?" I thought he was playing a game with me - and so pretended it was grandad - then a heard the woman on the phone say - "no it is not granddad, it is the swimming pool" - they were calling to let us know swimming lessons were cancelled because someone had had a "toilet accident" in the pool and it needed cleaning.