Further freakingly fantabulous adventures of the 40+ Mummies

[10000Fireflies]

For gorgeous, frolicking and fabulous 40-somethings to share the joys of becoming a Mummy, just a little bit later than most!! . Park your zimmer-frame next to your baby buggy, put your feet up, and come and join us in the snug.

Great to hear from you seaside and sorry you've all been ill. Interesting re the 'trying for no 2' thing... Constantly on my mind but feels like I'm peering over a cliff edge. Felt so lucky to get pg that I didn't look further than having one, but now it's a possible maybe I'm feeling the pressure.

Financially I am screwed. House/bills are big and they are mine, and I'm nearly out of money. No idea what the future holds. My work is lucrative, but competitive and not that flexible, also can't stay away for too long. And I don't want to even think about work yet anyway!

Halfway through holiday now and just arrived in our 4th accommodation. Spent yesterday hiking in the mountains -was v v hard but managed to walk down 2000ft then all the way back up again! It got me thinking back to the awful post birth period when I felt like shit - traumatised, in pain and broken - thought I would never feel normal again. My body's still a bit of a disaster area but definitely getting things back together and so lovely to be doing 'normal' stuff, albeit with a screaming, pooing baby in tow.

Yes to cute baby clothes! I've been stockpiling outrageously cute traditional summer outfits (ebay bargains) and baby Eagle is wearing a different one each day on holiday.

Please save me a bit of the tart au citron scarecrow - my favourite!

Hope everyone having a good week back in the uk

Ps seaside I love your star system for not doing housework. midget your poem on that topic was very moving and made me think. It's too precious.

eagle you are rather inspiring. Your hol sounds amazing. Re girls clothes yet more evidence that you are an eBay bidding athlete.

I'm feeling pretty good too physically - I think I'm at my happiest pushing the two of them with ds on the buggy board in the sunshine

Great to hear you're feeling good somewhere - it took me what felt like forever to feel anything like normal

Holiday update - we've spent the day mostly indoors due to thunderstorms apart from a quick visit to the beach, which is a nudist one. Proud to say we sat there with our clothes on and silently tittered until the thunder started again and we had to leg it back to the apartment.

Baby E is tetchy this eve (teething it seems) so can't risk restaurant so dispatched DP to bring back food. He arrived home with 2 pizzas and 1.5 litres of what is allegedly wine - 3 euros, and in an unlabelled plastic bottle.

Tomorrow - more rain forecast I think

Next year - package holiday with a kids club

Just a quick hello and hugs to all. I have taken root in the snug and am knee deep in ice cream and fudge cake. I can dream can't I. !!!
Those that are unwell. Hugs. Those that are knackered. Hugs. Those that are fine and dandy. Hugs also.
Be back soon xxx

Jeez Eagle, glad I'm not bidding against you on girl stuff! What searches do you do? I go for Frugi, John Lewis, JoJo, sometimes Polarn O. Pyret (though only today won anything for first time as PO.P goes for stupid prices, like nearly £16 for a t-shirt the other day) and "appliqué" as I'm a mug for that. We are lucky to have two good children's specialist charity shops in the local high street so I can indulge my shopping bug for DC pretty guilt free.

A treat to hear from you LRM; hope all going well for you and babyMonkey.

My in laws here for FIVE sleeps. To help..... Am babysitting with T for my sister who has a grown up kitchen full of chocolate and home made brownies and...you get the picture. Am like a kid in a sweet shop. So much for day 2 of my sugar detox (especially as had lots of cake on day 1 and a Magnum for lunch....).

Eagle, package hols with kids club is the best, only drawback is that I tend to stay put and not see enough of the country... But good food and rest on the seashore while my DS has fun from 9to 3 at the kids club, and a bit of baby sitting from 8 to 10, warm weather and it is paradise !

Ooh scarecrow a fellow POP fan! My main searches are that, plus Petit Bateau, Noa Noa and No Added Sugar. Got really lucky a couple of times with the PB - pile of 6mo vests which are surely the Rolls Royce of underwear, plus a set of 6 summer items (romper suits etc) which are pristine but cost less than 10% of new price.

I'm slowly learning how to nab the bargains - Sunday night is always popular, youngest sizes go for cheapest and need to remember that French clothes come up v small and Scandi stuff tends to be large. The plan is to sell everything on again and get my money back but already feel so sentimental about all the clothes baby E has worn already. Maybe I will allow myself to keep one or two things...

Of course, am sat here in maternity skirt and large H&M vest, totally excluded from the world of adult clothes shopping. 'can I BF in that?' seems to be my only requirement these days

Hi to LRM my weight loss inspiration!! Hope you are nice and comfy in the snug

Are the ILs really helping scarecrow? Or was the babysitting a welcome escape? Sounds like you've earned the brownies!

Eagle - Petit B tick, though never v inspired by what find online (love shops but too stingy wise to pay new prices). Noa Noa and NAS inspired. Check out Lizzie Shirt: hippy Cornish brand, but can be really great fabrics; not unlike Desigual for kids. Bundles great, and if sell pieces separately can turn a profit. I planned to sell stuff but ended up giving most of it away as in truth search and bod for way more than I buy and am too lazy

Petit Bateau is really worth the money, especially if you get them at bargain price. I wear some myself ! and they do last. Some of the vests I have have been used for 2 babies before DS and now A uses them...
I love Jacadi as well, very classic but such good quality. I was offered Dior Baby outfit and Hermes shoes for my babies, I am definitively keeping these although on eBay I would certainly get a nice price !
Eagle, I have put aside most of my clothes because I can't BF in them ! Shame as I had a huge shopping spree when in Mauritius 18 months ago.

On top of everything, Dior and Hermes were given by my godmother, I just can't see myself selling gifts... Or am I being sentimental ?

Hello from Spanish Spain. I am having the holiday you just described. Never put DD in kids club. Always been a bit sniffy about it. Not any more! Best go data roaming. Big waves.

hello, god I'm envious of the holidays, nudist beach or not We need to plan one asap. Perhaps it can be recuperation for poorly dp.

eagle I have exactly the same sole bf criteria for clothes now - which counts out all my lovely summer dresses (don't fit anyway ) I thought wrap round dresses would be ideal, but they feel a bit explosing - kind of make you look like an amazon with one boob out for bf ... Am a bit fed up of still wearing pg trousers - trying to diet, but am still so hungry all the time - and really don't feel like a carrot stick or apple. I havent yet found a style

somewhere cosleeping has been such a joy and a shackle! Mainly a joy ... born out of necessity as I had barely any sleep for first months apart from the odd hour of guilty cosleeping: I fought it as baby s was prem and small, which are supposedly risk factors for cosleeping, but I couldn't find any actual research to back this up, so went with it in the end, and life has been sooo much better. Did it from a few weeks old (can't remember exactly - all a fog), using the spurned cosleeper cot as a kind of bed rail, normal size double bed for 3 of us, with me in the middle. Has been a bit of a squeeze, and easier now dp has decamped to spare room for a bit due to all the illness. How are you finding it? Best thing for me is watching her wake up from a few inches away - just yummy. Night feeds are easier - don't usually bother sitting up or waking up properly. Down sides are not being able to put her down in the evening ever - hence the shackle (I'd be very happy safetywise, but she won't go without me as still a velcro baby), and the odd few days here and there when she dreamfeeds nearly all night.

O love pop and john lewis and jojo too, although ofen wear tesco didnt know noanoa did baby clothes, just looked and omg they are gorgeous (so expensive ...) agree petit bateau last forever - and are lovely. we had some wrap round nb vests that had been through plenty of babies already

scarecrow I would love to babysit for your sister in her well-stocked kitchen - do let her know

Anyone interested in boys clothes from 9 months to 3 year old ? a friend of mine is moving back to her country on 6th June and wants to get rid of all sorts of things, baby equipment too, potty, bath tub, Mamas and Papas pram, can be converted in pushchair.... PM me if any interest, I will put you in touch with her.
She has a cot with one missing screw so she is giving it away for free if there are DYI people on the thread.
Have a lovely week end every one

meant to say in last thread but baby s woke up - I haven't yet found a style that doesn't make me look dreadful in my post-baby bf dumpy state - any bright ideas? just feel so frumpy, with ever greyer hair to boot. Baby s is prob the only person that doesn't realise what a wreck I look these days - bless her!

seaside my hair has suddenly got greyer as well. So far the greys have been underneath and not visible. Now they're making a break for it. To dye or not to dye? As for the frumpiness, I hear ya. I've got a horrible flappy belly hanging over my Caesarian scar and thunder thighs. It's all too hideous. I am managing to stay away from cake though. Dying to start exercising even though I have little energy.

Clothes - another POP fan here, but only a few pieces as they're so expensive. Got John Lewis vouchers for both DS and DD so we have lots of their stuff, which I like (though the babygros don't wash well). I'm a big Gap fan actually. Got some really lovely t-shirts for. DS last summer and their jeans last forever. bbd if you don't get any takers on here then what about going back onto the pregnancy thread? Bet you'd find good homes for it all on there.

I'm doing much better. My energy levels are gradually increasing and I'm getting there with the bonding. Baby wow is still crying less, she's giving me lots of heart-melting smiles and starting to vocalise. I think I just had a bit of a panic about how weak and crap I felt. I needed to accept that recovery will be slow and I am doing so now. Got my 6 week check on Monday and will start gentle exercise on my bike if I get the go ahead - literally just 10 mins to start with and build from there. I'm already able to walk further without feeling like collapsing so there has been progress.

The kids are both asleep so am having a lie-in. So nice not to be running around sorting them both out. A slow start to the day for once!

Chairman, it is lovely to hear from you, you sound much more relaxed and very calm. Your little DD has found her way to you with her cute smiles, hasn't she ? Take it easy. No rush, you had a lot to do before birth with the move and redecoration, 6 weeks is still very early, stay in bed and watch the flowers grow.
Hugs to all

Hello, everyone

Baby cycle and I are still in hospital, but hopefully we'll escape soon! he arrived at 34 weeks on Wednesday at 2348 and weighed 4lb 12oz. He's feeding well, which was my main worry. After a week and a half in hospital, I'm really ready to see my own house again.

congratulations and hello cyclecamper best of early for a speedy escape from hospital. I had a early, teeny one too - so precious and fragile aren't they - very well done with the feeding :) is he in scbu? hope you are both ok

chairman so glad you are doing better - bbd is right it is early days, and you know you are through the toughest bit when they smile at you. I know, I'm inching towards the hair dye. Gave it up for ivf, pregnancy and now bf, although I think I may still be stuck in ivf -mentality of being v.v. careful.

sunny/rainy here, just trying to find umbrella that works then we're heading out! have lovely saturdays all

just reading you name, Seaside, makes me happy. even more so now I also have a DD who us so delighted the sand and ocean. Do every post brings joy chez Scarecrow.

Cycle, so thrilled feeding going so well. My DS Alcoa greedy tyke with a string suckle so keeps bringing up feeds. On Thurs he actually possetted on my breast But even he was not so good at such an early stage. What a fighter he will be (in good sense).

We have in laws down to help. First 24 hours were he'll, but learning to handle them and I think they are gaining confidence each day to help more. Still not cooked a,meal, fed or nappy changed a child or settled or bathed one but at least I'm now getting cups of tea and they cuddled T for A bit this morning while I slept. I still despair that DH and DPiLs seem incapable if often even managing a single child between them, so I get both to look after, when DH expected mw to care for both alone from day four after CS....

sorry that was full of the usual typos and v complainey. Nothing compared to the rant you'd have all had yesterday if I'd had a chance

Scarecrow, vent out the rant, don't worry, we are here for you ! You are investing tine in training your inlaws :) it is time consuming but it will pay out. Keep on smiling !
Seaside, oh i did not know hair dye was not good when bf, i m now worried... Glad you all are feeling better.
Cyclcamper, welcome on this side ! Your DS will catch up soon especially with good feeding, well done you and DS. You will be back home soon.
Xxxxx

so this afternoon I made MiL and DD cry, taught DD the F word and made DH really cross with me. They are unravelling me

bbd no please don't worry - I think hair dye is fine when bf, everyone does it, hairdressers say its fine, its just neurotics like me that worry about it! ivf kind of gets you in the habit of refusing all chemicals, cos the odds of it working are just so dreadful as it is, you will give up anything just to nudge the odds along a fraction of a percentage. Its difficult to lose the hair dye habit now, but I just feel too young to be so grey.

ah scarecrow the inlaw challenge! not surprised you are crying and sweary - I was cross on your behalf at the lack of meaningful help. My very kind and lovely mil drives me bananas doing 'helpful' things that don't help at all, incessantly chatting when I'm knackered and want to be quiet, carrying baby s around precariously with arthritic hands and other such height of unreasonablenesses. I laughed at you giving your baby a MN my baby can have one too for getting snot on my boobs all week - is that worse than sick? Felt like it was plumbing the depths a bit. Seriously though - hold on, they will go home, and you can have stern words with your DH about helping or you will teach the kinds more swear words. Glad you like my name :-)

Back from holidays. Where has the bleeding sun gone please? It was here when I left and it seems to have gone AWOL. Both my kids turned out to be good travellers and I managed not to burn either of them. Result. Master midge looks very ginger in the sun. And he has a ginger curl at the front - he looks like tintin. Being back sucks. I want little brown sun kissed kids and a house on the beach

Welcome cycle - hope you have broken out. Glad you are on top of feeding. No easy feat with prolonged hospital stays. We have a few of us old ones on here with prem babies so you will get lots of good info here if you need it. Anyways - congratulations and welcome.

Scarecrow - Is that wrong that you made me laugh? Hope the in laws are being helpful rather than just giving you more to do. And yes to snot on your boob being somehow worse than puke. I've had a little snot monster for about 10 days now and as much as I live my son he does make me gag when he does it.

Chairman - glad you are feeling on the up. I am always taken by surprise of how much making a person takes it out of you. Slowly slowly catchy monkey. Talking of which where is that monkey?

Better go - only just got back to London. Will catch up properly tomorrow. Big wave.

Welcome back Midget to cloudy London. I m feeling the cold ! Although it is much better than beginning of April ! Can't get rid of my wool cardigan... A proper grandma already at 42!!!!!
Scarecrow, is the situation improving ? I like having relatives around but at some stage, they get on my nerves, certainly because they do things differently. We went to visit my cousin yesterday, it was wonderful for DS to spend time with his cousin, who is only 6 month older but A got very upset as she likes being on the floor crawling here and there but my grand aunt wanted to cuddle her all the time as well as other aunts... Poor DH, I could see despair in his eyes calling me for help to get A out of the people's arms.
Oh, her first tooth is coming out, lower incisive ! As well as crawling and cruising with more confidence each day. Strangely enough, she started standing up first and cruising, but then realised she could go faster on her bottom so she now sits down and goes on her bottom or 4 ! I will be putting the stairgates on really soon.
Oups, I hear movements upstairs, be back later