"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???

www.... welcome lol! For a moment I wondered if you had something to tell us.

FG: Number 1 son okay. He's actually incredibly fine about it. I have kept an eye in case of delayed shock etc.

Now girlies... I'm sorry to have to report but I am out yet again tonight! I'm off to Angua's hen night. Then off to salsa.

Now I've been thinking about this meet up thingy some more. Relax FG... we'll not come to you (yet!!!) but we do need to get together. So........ we need some suggestions as to where to meet and FG... we need a cover story for you so that you don't have to blow your MN cover. But we do need to meet! All of us! I was telling Pixi the other day that you are all like family to me now, and I'm a woman who likes to see her family.

So.... thinking caps on and I'll see if I can book Paolo to sing at our meetup!

I would love to meet up with you all, but it probably won't be this meet up, unless you all come to Switzerland !

My sister is arriving this evening to stay iwth us for about 2 weeks, I haven't seen her for about a year and a half, I am soooooooooo excited :O!

The thought of popping over to Switzerland is more tempting than you know.

Hope you have a good time with your sister and that she helps you out so that you can rest where you need to.

Well I'm officially exhausted! DTs 2nd birthday today and we have had 2 parties this w/e...yesterday was the 10 kids under 4 plus other babies mayhem. Today was the relative nightmare of the relatives - my divorced mum and dad and his new wife who I can't stand because she only approves of the girls when they are sitting quietly...she gets all tight-lipped when they start to run around and have fun (and make a little bit of noise) - so I encourage this a bit more than I normally would, cos I get a perverse pleasure out of seeing her annoyed .

Anyway, we have all had a wonderful time and I have spent many a few moments thinking back to last year, when my over-riding emotion was just 'thank god I've survived the first year'. We had just moved house and I was feeling v. isolated, the DTs were v. hard work and DD1 was v. ill and we didn't know what was wrong. Now although they frequently drive me to distraction, I love my girls and actually enjoy being with them and I have been as excited as them about their parties and presents. I have been quite emotional today thinking about Maude and Alexander (the twin boy who died a few weeks ago) and counting my many blessings.

No time to catch up with everyone I'm afraid, (MIL is here, so dinner to cook!) but Mars am so on your DS1's behalf and glad that he is ok. Your philosophy is great - so long as they are fine, everything else is just material.

Ooh and Leo, not sure if you can get it in Switzerland, but homeopathic remedy Euphrasia is great for sticky eyes - cured DD1's conjunctivitis without need for antibiotics. I only have tablets but I think you can get it in liquid form as well.

Look, look, nearly two days in a row! Actually sposed to be working again, but have done an hour and feel that's enough for a Sunday.

Mars - I'm horrified about DS1. I'd be so angry, but as you say, so long as he's OK...

Leo - DT1 (it's so cool to write that!) had sticky eye too and I spent quite a few days hovering over his eye squirting milk into it! He's got really dark brown eyes (like Daddy's) and it looked so bizarre afterwards. A bit alien-ish! Anyway, it worked a treat. I also did some extra wiping with cooled, boiled water when i remembered.

Leo - I found DD very difficult to manage for a while. It takes a lot of adjusting, and for a while I really didn't like her very much. Horrid feeling, and not nice to admit to. But, it was there, and I remembered reading about it somewhere so just went with it. Didn't help being tired and tetchy! Anyway, it pretty much went about 3 weeks ago, when DH admitted to it as well. Now we're back to normal-ish, although she's very, very bossy with most people including Daddy.

tkb - happy birthday to the girls! Hope they've had a great day. And don't blame you at all for ruffling the new wife! Just what I'd do if mine was still around. (She's known between my brother and myself as the stepwitch. We are bad children!)

And hurrah, the boys are going through the night, 7.30 til 8! Not always asleep, I have to admit, but not requiring food. Which means I can go to a salsa party in April! Hooray! And they're on carrot and pumpkin puree mixed with a wee bit of baby rice. It's such fun. Two spoons, one bowl, twenty hands...

Meeting up sounds like a good thing. Tell me where and when, and I'll see who I can leave various children with. Have quite a few friends still round London who I could get to babysit if needed. I'm not good at decisions at the moment, so best just to tell me where to be.

Pixi - really good to hear about you - when are heading down this way? Summer sometime? I don't have your address on my new PC so mail me when you've got time and let me know how you are.

Doris I'm hoping to pop down to see my grandparents next month. Will prob only be a day trip but will hopefully be able to see how your twins have grown and introduce you to mine. I'll email you soon.

hello every one, I am a bit too pmtish to post any more, and feel intimidated by how much I have missed, and overly anxious about missing any one out. So I will just say hello, and wait until I am feeling a little bit better before posting more.

to overrun, we have missed you. Please come back soon.

TKband3 i also found euphrasia magic for eye nasties, i only had the liquid form. Just a few drops in cooled boiled water did the trip, i have not needed antibiotics again since for any of the DC. Unlike Kelly i did not keep any in the freezer compartments....but may this time

Mars how awful for you ds, glad he is ok. Cant believe you are out again!!! Im coming to live at your house

Leo i would come and see you in Switzerland, they have good chocolate right?!

Devondoris LOL at the one bowl and 2 spoons, i remember it well. Pretty sure i had 1 spoon one bowl though, poor dts

Now....devondoris and pixi where are you? Im relocating to Plymouth to have this next baby for about 7-8 weeks. I go for Easter and stay till the next half term at the end of may. Are you visiting radius to Plymouth? Would be fab to put some faces to names. I promise not to bring 'all' the children unless we are meeting in open air Let me know what you think!

I have just been to Plymouth for the weekend, it was lovely!

Just what the midwife ordered, although not to get my blood pressure lower as she is concerned it is too low! At my last appointment it was 45\50! Still, better than rocketing high and being something sinister. Im 32 weeks this week it's going way too fast, heeeeeeelp!

Happy monday all

Cooeee! I'm here! Though I'm sposed to be working...

Plymouth! Hurray! I'm in Bovey Tracey (just next to Newton Abbot Trago Mills for those who know). So definitely visiting distance, LGT. Let me know when you get here and we'll descend, or you can descend on our pit of a house. There's a park nearby, with a river and lots of space for running children!

Oh and the two spoons is so you can do feed faster! I was going to put a query on the weaning threads but I can't be bothered - most of my information on weaning says to start with a teaspoonful of puree to start with. My boys are polishing off 2 ice cubes of veg puree mixed in with baby rice and 3oz of milk. They've been eating for 5 days. Is this OK??? They seem to want more, but have been a little grouchy going to sleep for the past two days. What do we all think? Too much food? About to get chicken pox? Just being babies? I can't remember from first time round. Oh and they have a breastfeed afterwards just to make sure there is no room left at all in their bellies.

LGT - your blood pressure sounds so cool! And can't believe you're 32 weeks already. Spooky!

hi everyone, I'm around momentarily too...will need another early night tonight as I obviously can't cope with being away for 2 whole nights and going out for a meal until the wee small hours I have learned my lesson and won't attempt such a daft thing for at least another 6 months...

The dress and shoes have arrived, dress does absolutely nothing for my so-called figure so has gone back, shoes too high and scary for me I have less than 4 weeks to find the perfect outfit

Will now spend the next hour catching up!

Hooray people.....

Devondoris it's a definate date! Woohoooo, a river sounds good, i will bring life jackets. Hope my brood dont terrify you too much. Had forgotten all about trago mills, some fab bargains to be had in there and a very good greasy spoon i seem to remember!

The weaning sounds like it's going well. They wouldnt eat it all if they didnt need it, if it was too much you would be wearing most of it after each feed

Am off to watch masterchef and contemplate dinner....DH home tomorrow as his broken foot is not healing on the ship. So he is home for a rest, HA!

Oh no, Dingdong, how frustrating! I do find big shoes scary too. Started salsa again this year, and feel I ought to get some lovely dance shoes, but they've all got heels and I'm too scared I might fall off. Some lovely little sparkly numbers around though. But not, unfortunately, in a size 9 which is another requirement. Maybe I'll just have to get mens' shoes... and get DD to add some sparkles...

Hmm, I think I can feel working tonight disappearing. Small boy is not entirely happy and I can feel an early night coming on, so I have enough energy for salsa class tomorrow. I ached last week! At least I can stay out for a drink tomorrow though because the boys have finished with 11pm feed.

Oh, had a lovely moment earlier today which is for sharing. Small boys on changing mats on the bathroom floor having a bit of nappy free this afternoon. I went to get something and was surprised that no one had piddled before I came back. So put nappies on, put babies to bed, had lunch, babies woke up (early! grr!), changed nappies, about to put baby shoes on and one of them was wet. DT1 had peed directly into it, sock and all! Not even his shoe. I was amused. Didn't have to clean the carpet or anything. Clever boy.

Just missed you LGT! The river isn't deep so maybe just a liferaft would do. Are you kids big? I can't remember. DD will love them if they are... If they aren't she'll boss them. Apologies in advance! My DT1 is named by her after an older friend whom she loves dearly.

You could always take the kids to see the animals at Trago - bargains aren't the same as they used to be though. You need to be sure you're buying something that can't break in any way (like screws) or that doesn't have anything that may not fit the rest of the product. I (bought a slow cooker from Trago recently which had an ill-fitting lid. Fortunately had the DTs with me when I took it back and the ladies cooed over them which made it very easy to get my money back - not like the old Trago we know and loved!

The kids are all ages, twins are 8, dd is very bossy 6, ds#3 is 4 and ds#4 is 2. She will have her hands full commanding that lot around LOL!

Animals at trago sounds like a good idea too. Cant wait to come now!

I love high shoes (i also need them being only 5'4, just) my feet are a size 4!!!!!

Must go and eat tea, hmmmm what to have?

She'd probably latch onto DD and DTs if given a chance, and do lots of looking up in awe!

I had a hot cross bun and a kahlua for supper. Interesting mix...

Now going to bed - see how long I can sleep for before DT2 decides to have a spooky groaning party by himself like he did last night. He's got a very deep voice for a 4.5 month old, which occasionally sounds as though it's just breaking. Very odd. And he used it to great effect at around 3am quite frequently, while trying to dismember an elephant in a way that only a 4.5 month old can.

Night!

Dingdong, before you go any further in dress buying, have you tried any Magic Knickers? I have bought killer dress for my sisters wedding (I only have one sister and I'm not her bridesmaid so I'm jolly well going to SHINE on the day!) and was worried about all my strange lumps and bumps until someone recomended them. Ordered on ebay, came in the post this morning and are SUPER - can't hide baby-ravaged tummy but at least the dress glides over it now instead of getting caught in my wrinkles!

And lol at dt1s excellent aim, devondoris! Maybe try him with the potty next week....?

there you go Doris, expensive but made to measure. Quite nice shoes. I've bought some from them before (until I found a woman who sells salsa shoes really cheaply but only up to size 7)

Will post on Wednesday. Got a full day tomorrow.

Oh felt a bit miffed as I only got 59% for my Lit assignment. But the tutor's comments were valid. I did rush it and I didn't connect the dots properly. Onwards and upwards [gentle sob]

Cool.... over that now.

Had a fantastic night out with Angua etc and the salsa was the best. I found it hard to leave at the end of the night. It was brilliant. Anyhoo.............Kisses

Overrun I wish I could help. Its crap isn't it. Let me know if you need to vent it. We can start a grumpy ol bitch type thread [empathy]

Everyone else, I have workmen and painters in so I'm packing up to leave the house for the rest of the day.... Hope to catch up soon x. p.s. why is it that workmen/painters like to poo in your house? Is it marking of territory? Do they not feel embarrassed by the smell and stains? [puke]

we nearly missed this one!

Hi all - been away for weekend, sooo much to catch up on. Hi to everyone, Mars what a mare about your son, hope he is ok now.

FG - my workmen didnt even come in teh house to pee, I have no idea what they did...infact I asked them and they said they would ask to use the loo if they needed to! They have gone now, sob. But will be a fresh set doing the double glazing next week!!! Hurrah for adult conversation!!

Going for a meal with a few friends tonight (girlies) which am looking forward to greatly.

DTs both ill though and one has been up since 4.30am so may be calling it an early night and sloping off around 9.30pm......

hows everyone doing today??

I lvoe that shoe site mars, and they go up to 9.5! I've bookmarked it in case I ever get an oppurtunity to wear sparkly shoes.

Sorry to hear about your tma.

All this talk about meetups, I want to meet you all! We really have to get something organised.

ds1 had his paed appointment today. Not really very good. He does have hypermobility (bendy joints) but she still thinks he may be asd or dyspraxic, so it's still a bit of wait and see. But at least we are getting somewhere, and she is going to send a medical report to SSD confirming that he does have sn and his behavioral problems are down to his sn. Ds is so much happier than he was a year ago, so I'm going to try not to worry about things too much.

estar, I don't blame you for dragging your heels. I've been here there and everywhere for ds1, and it's taken me three years to even start to get a dx. It would have been a lot easier if I had jsut left things until he was older and some of the problems have rectified themselves and others are a lot clearer to identify. You might be worth getting him checked though, since you don't want him to struggle at school, but explain that you aren't keen ont aking him to speech therapy.

overun, get back in here! Don't worry about the PMT, you can come and vent at us.

fg, stop daydreaming about nutini. I think we need a new thread, all this encouragement can't be good.

welcome back hm, did you have a good time?

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I'm pregnant!

!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!