Further freakingly fantabulous adventures of the 40+ Mummies Part 2

[blueblackdye]

Our 2nd thread is full but it won't prevent us from laughing, moaning, keeping on supporting each other, sharing and chatting over our new life with 1 or 2, even 5 children !
Here you go, fantastic 40+ Mums, a brand new thread for all of us, old friends from the pregnancy thread or new joiners

Scarecrow. You shine a lovely light on your little ones. The train day sounds lovely horse poo and all. And to end the day with a smile magical! !!
Welcome nana. Lovely to meet u. A bit about me for you. 44. Ds 8.5 months old. Emcs after 18 hours of pain sickness and people looking up my muff. He is perfect. Silly things that drive us all nutty butty. Won't nap in his crib in the day requires walks or boob. Crib at night and wakes every 4 hours for feed/cuddle. Got two teeth and has the best laugh and smile melts my heart every time. He is my first. Live up north and work in retail. Welcome to our gang. We laugh cry moan support share couldn't ask for a better group of ladies.

Hello everyone, guess what?
I've finished my marking! A bit late because had to pick up BG on Thursday afternoon due to him vomiting spectacularly over her cot, therefore was home on Friday. And have done last four night duties as when he was ill only mum seems to do... But all done today so I plan to spend a lovely hour tonight catching up on this thread and posting properly. Watch this space...

That's the childminder's cot. BG is still a boy...

Welcome Nananaps, this thread gathers a really nice bunch of ladies, we have lots of fun on here and get loads of advice and support !
All is well on my side. A is still not sleeping more than 4h so I m still up twice a night ! She is now down to 1 nap, after lunch for 1/1.5 hour. But she is healthy, moving around a lot, pulling on wires, exploring the fireplaces and leaving her fingerprints on white furniture everywhere when not on her face ! Her nickname is Cinderella now. Her second tooth is making its appearance slowly. She loves melon and strawberries !
Her brother is cuter everyday, being very nice to her, came to me tonight saying Mummy, do you know how much I love A ? I can hear him reading books to her, mainly the 3 little pigs, he is the big bad wolf !
Busy with work and packing for hols. DH will stay here for work and the rest of the family goes to Paris after 10 days in Portugal.

Okaaayyyyyy... Here I am!

I have been industriously lurking and enjoying all the lovely posts. I am so behind that I think I will just have to start from here in keeping up with all your news. scarecrow I loved your description of your family day.. and meeting bbd's DS! I can imagine with such a lovely mum that he is a delight. mrsw cycle eagle bbd lrm somewhere seaside midget and anyone I have forgotten/lurkers hello and thank you for sharing your new mum life here with the ups and downs and making me feel normal!

AFU we are doing well. BG has decided that sleep is actually quite cool, and now sleeps from 6/7 pm until 5:30/6 with one or two wakings for feeds, but goes straight back down. I am not too bothered at the moment about taking the night feeds out - he still feeds a bit prem-like i.e. doesn't take much at one feed so can't have enough during the day; also we are off to NZ in just under six weeks, which I assume is going to play havoc with his sleep patterns, so no point getting too het up about routines until we are back. In the end we did a lite version of CIO as he was only sleeping about 5-6 hours a night, resulting in him being do tired during the day that he couldn't keep balance sitting, and just wasn't trying to stand up any more. When it started interfering with development we thought dire measures were in order. Actually the longest he ever cried for - with us going instead five minute intervals - was 20 minutes so I think we got off lightly. He still yells for about five mins but it is outraged rather than distressed and he waked up bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and happy to see us.
I am loving being a mum and I miss BG dreadfully when I am at work. Who'da thought... I am known as the hardheaded career girl! I love how he laughs on the in breath as well as the out, as if he has too much laugh in him only to do it 50% of the time. I love that when he picks something up he does it with a flourish, as if everything is so wonderful it deserves extra special treatment. I love how determined and stubborn and excited and cute he is... Can you tell I'm a bit in love?!
I would love to give BG a sibling. I worry that he is born into an aging family, that by the time he is 10 he will have no grandparents, that his dad is an only and his mum has two sisters, one drifting round the world, the other who actively wishes he had never been born . And no cousins... I had such a hard year last year with my family so far away and most of them seemingly indifferent to the new member, and I don't want him ever to have to go through that. But DH seems intent that we will not have another, I think under pressure from his dad, who cornered me on my first day back from hospital after having BG and tried to force me to say we would not try for another . I am not convinced DH really does only want one! So all of you who had to persuade OHs to try again, please give me your tips!
Ooh sorry for the me me me post and the ups and downs therein. I think I am done now!
Oh not quite. bbd I know you are leaving this weekend. I am so sorry I won't get to see you. BG has medical appointments this week... I hope you will still be here on the thread though. I hope lots of us get to meet up soon too!!

Goat, it is nice to have you back. Hope baby G's vomiting was not too serious. Shame we won't meet before we head abroad but definitively keep in touch on MN.
Sorry to hear about sibling or not sibling. DH's dad should not have any saying in this decision. Why would he not want a second grandchild ? Is he involved anyhow in baby G's daily care ? How strange. But Goat, whatever he says, you and DH are the decision makers.
We were very happy with DS. But being an only child to me was unnatural. Certainly because I have a lot of brothers and sisters. Playing, sharing and arguing are part of the game. But mainly I did not want DS to be on his own when we are gone, fingers crossed that DS and A will get on well and can be strong and reliable support for each other. And second reason was I could see how spoiled he started to be, from us, from his grand parents, from his uncles/aunties... DH is an only child and he is rather egocentric and introvert. Above all, the key was that DS was so cute, lovable, wonderful, lovely, funny, handsome etc.... That we could not just stop with/after him !!! We are so blessed to have A as well now and even if it is tiring, we do not regret one second. She is just as wonderful as her brother. I am sometimes sad thinking I will not have a third baby.
Xxxxx

Hey goat lovely post.

Love your description of baby goat! I like the way we are all stopping being so polite and just going for it about how wonderful our babies are!

I think a single child is ok actually. I agree with everything bbd says, however the only children I've known have grown up very confident and successful human beings. But if goat wants one go for it - nothing to do with anyone bar your dp.

But goat what's the story with your sister? My middle sis doesn't speak to me or my older sis since we had kids so am intrigued that you've experienced a similarly extreme reaction....

Xxx

goat and scarecrow the way you described your love for your LOs gave me goosebumps! So gorgeously lovely,

Goat I'm with somewhere regarding the confident only children I've known in my life. That said, I know what it's like to hanker over having a second child. When my DD was first born, I couldn't imagine having a second that I would love so much, plus I wasn't absolutely sure I wanted a second. I have a fairly awful relationship with my brother, but my DH had a wonderful relationship with his sister (sadly she died 12 years ago - but he still thinks she was one of the best friend he's ever had). Things got easier as DD got older (and started to sleep better - she was a dreadful sleeper), and my DH convinced me that not all sibling relationships are like me and my brother. I felt I didn't have much time to dither around for a decision, so we just went for it again. 18 months later we became pregnant with our DS, and you know - maybe it's a confidence thing - but things do feel so much easier the second time round. I'm head over heels with DS. If you feel even a slight hankering for a second, I definitely think it's worth having a serious conversation with Mr Goat telling him how much it means to you. That said, if it's not meant to be for whatever reason, you sound absolutely blessed with Baby G.

I took baby KK to the health visitor today, apparently he's dropped down the weight chart, he was on the 50yh percentile, now he's just above the 25th - I was asked the usual questions do I breastfeed (no), does he finish his bottles (not always no). Why is it though you always remember something when you leave.....I forgot to mention that his 8 and 12 week jabs hit him for six and put him right off his food. Anyway, I now have to return in 2 weeks time to make sure he's putting the weight back on.

Other than that, me and DH are still struggling with each other . He can be such a thoughtless selfish bugger at times. He's got 4 days off and apparently it didn't cross his mind that at some point I'd like a lie in too . Plus, we just seem to be ships in the night, not talking much beyond kids and housework. I really do feel we need to start paying attention to our relationship soon otherwise it may be costly. I have also no desire to start being intimate yet - tiredness number one factor, but number two I tend to think us ladies need to feel loved and attractive and I'm feeling neither at the moment.

Sorry a bit of a me post. On the upside, I managed to go for my first post baby run today - albeit interspersed with brief walks. But my pelvic floor muscles held up! . Will go again tomorrow as have to try and attempt to get back in my old clothes at some point. Can't afford a whole new wardrobe!

Some lovely long posts: great to have you back Goat, and the rather elusive Knicky too :)

Goat, I'm with the others on some happy older children, but strongly wanted a second. DH was deeply resistant: I tried to keep low pressure, open communications, etc, but twice he walked in on me crying over the issue. Despite my rather wept pregnancy, I'm actually not really a crier by nature so I think he was quite shocked by it. Eventually I wrote him a letter explaining that I didn't just want a child, I wanted ^his^ child; and in fact more than anything I wanted him to want a child. I said I understood this was an even bigger ask, but it was about the importance of feeling we had the same priorities: family and love, rather than spare money and time for exotic travel or more possessions (his chief objections being that kind of coping). I also blithely promised I would cope, he could go motor racing, and goodness know what other idiocy. In the end he said he was persuaded by seeing DD's love of other children and wanting her to have the companion. Later when he panicked he said he was angry I had pushed him into it, he'd felt emotionally blackmailed. I had never threatened to leave, but he rightly intuited that was only because of DD. our problems over this are documented in part on this thread, but he now seems utterly delighted with T and I have promised to never ever even whisper the word "another?!"
What am I trying to say? You know your relationship, but despite all that happened I am glad I insisted, and I actually think one day DH will say he is glad he reconsidered. It's not for everyone, but it's too important to drop without at least keeping open lines of communication. Can you find any "solutions" to his concerns?
It is of course absolutely nothing to do with your FiL...

Thanks too for evokative description of BG :)

Knicky - sorry about DP. A friend swears a second baby is the biggest test ever of a relationship and separation/ divorce should be outlawed before their 5th birthday. You are right to try to pre empt things getting worse. Also maybe take time to consider which aggravations are most important, and which are perhaps secondaries:only annoying because you are irritated. That might help focus any discussion you have. Also I have fund being more specific helps: I got annoyed DH gave DD bowl of cereal in front of telly and didn't notice she hardly ate it. So eventually I simply explained how important it was to me that she ate her meals at the table with his attention, and why (but left off the rant about untidiness and washing up for now anyway) Am as as anybody it needed to be said, but problem mostly solved.

Still shattered by last week so forgive me not name checking more. Somewhere, wondering if your mum yet has results? Seaside, have you had more job thoughts? BBD have you heard about your job application? Eagle, hope DP's treatment going okay still. Chairman, hope you are having a good week. MrsW, hope colic subsiding with treatment and you coping okay. LRM, agree you should consider post partum fitness training. Midget, you okay? Waves to NotSoOld.

I leave you, with your indulgence, with a last story: last night DD was going around with a white colander on her head because she was a "Scary Alien"...to encourage her upstairs for a bath I suggested she go and scare daddy. "Don't panic, mummy," she replied, "it's only 'tend."

Im enjoying these baby-love stories too :) Baby seaside has discovered the joys of throwing things on the floor for us to pick up (and then throwing again, and again, and again) big time this week, not playing with them a bit first, just straight on the floor, looking us rather challengingly in the eye, and indicating clearly that we should get on with picking up asap. Its very funny, and like fools, DP and I keep this up for some time.

I would love another child, DP more cautious, but I think he would too. I worry about miscarrying and serious birth defects though, and just don't know whether our bodies could make another one, we needed ivf before, I don't think we could find / borrow the money again. I have very happy memories as a child and adult with my siblings, and feel so sad I most likely will not be able to give that to baby seaside. I worry about her being alone / lonely when she's older, but of course I may just be projecting: I have no knowledge of what it would be like for her, or how it would have been for me as an only. And she does have cousins close in age - I must make sure she sees loads of them. Dp and I are getting on OK mostly, some big spats though, several stupid ones about different ideas about proper way of doing baby-related stuff (proper way vs slapdash way ;) ). On the whole I know I've been lucky to avoid too much man-child stuff, he shares the work/responsibility when he's around. Weaning has been a godsend in loosening the exclusivity of mum/baby bond and letting him in, so he can now occupy her happily for a couple of hours here and there, for the first time really. They have their own stuff that they do: stories, silly games - I love to eaves drop, but mainly just dash round trying to get stuff done!

I have lots of work to do, came downstairs to an accidentally defrosted freezer this morning, red juice from the frozen raspberries running down fridge and puddling on the floor, rather macabre ... I need to properly defrost all the half-frozen food and cook it up, we need to eat like kings for a few days, don't usually have a very meat/fish centric diet, so might be fun. Unfortunately I had alreadycooked a massive vat of bolognaise last night filling the fridge, going to be meat for breakfast, lunch and dinner at this rate.

Hello Ladies, Ii wish I had more time and energy to post. I also wish I could get my brain to work a little bit. Thoughts come and go. I feel like everything just slides down, nothing makes me react one way or another. Am I too tired and just function as a machine ?

Reading the last posts about siblings actually made me sad.
I did not realise how difficult it could be to get pregnant, going through IVF is such a journey, Seaside, hats off, not only you managed to have this little girl but also she is healthy and cute and perfect.
I did not realise sibling relationships could be so hard, harder than friendship by the sound of it. I am closer to my sisters than my brothers but we are always here for each other. We can be mad at each other but if there is a serious crisis, we forget about details and just gather. I am very naive about blood ties, aren't I ?
I did not realise either that having a second child or the thought/desire of a second child could endanger the couple as an entity so much.
I feel sad I think because the project of having a child and actually having a child tolook after should be surrounded and filled with joy and light, not worries nor arguments.
Maybe I just feel sad because Scarecrow put words on my fears !

Time to cheer up. I have great news ! First one is We are off for a family holidays for 2 weeks on Sunday, Portugal is the destination. 2nd great news, DS got a place in a great school, he will learn French and Mandarin from year 1 ! 3rd, I met a lovely Mum today whose baby is an angel, sleeping through the night at 3 months, chilled out and very cute. She once said her motto was Happy Mum, Happy Baby, I think she is right.
4th, A started playing peek a boo.... And said Papa a few days ago, although I m not convinced she connects the sound and the meaning, but DH was thrilled.

Oh, tomorrow is DS' last day at nursery, it feels like the end of an era. A new chapter starts, my little baby boy is no more as little as he will always be in my heart. Somewhere, time flies and today I wish I could stop it because he is just so perfect. "O Temps, suspends ton vol et vous, heures propices, suspendez votre cours, laissez nous savourer les rapides delices, des plus beaux de nos jours..." A de lamartime.
And the chocolate cake I made for his leaving party tomorrow is properly cooked this time. Yeah !!!

Forgot to say that last Monday I met another lovely Mum. At 5 weeks, her little boy looked so tiny and fragile next to my almost 11 month daughter. I had the chance to hold him and it felt like I had feather in my arms, warm and light. My friend Mum was so impressive, she was so calm and serene even when her LO was a bit unsettled. And he looked exactly like his Mum.
All right, today's mission: finish packing. But for now, a bit of work !
Will be back soon

bbd congratulations on getting DS into the school! I too wish I had more time and energy to post. I have meant to post the last couple of nights but ended up falling asleep as soon as I climbed into my lovely comfy bed. Not that I spent much time in it in the end last night, as the hot weather has made poor BG's eczema flare up and the poor thing spent the night in considerable discomfort, no matter what I tried.
Thank you to all the answers about having a second. I absolutely agree that being an only is not a terrible thing - I am married to one and he is a lovely and functional human being - it's more that BG is an only in a full generation - DH at 39 is the next youngest in the immediate family! Also I guess I never saw myself as mother to one, I thought I would have more. Though I do realise that there is no guarantee that siblings will get on! My sisters and I got on really really well growing up. I remember the wonderful games we used to play, making up extremely complicated plots and acting them out. It was only later when things turned really abusive that the 'divide and rule' mentality won out . I think this is why my sister hates the fact that BG exists - she had such an awful time that she honestly wants the family to die out. Up until his arrival, I was the only one in the family she still talked to. Hasn't talked to our mum for over a decade, or my other sister for a couple of years now. Families, huh?!
scarecrow I love the stories about your DD! What a fabulous creative mind to have living with you.
knicky so sorry to hear you have difficulties with DH at the moment. Having a baby really turns everything upside down. I hope you can work it out together.
seaside amazing that you have come through the incredibly difficult journey of ivf. Lovely to hear of the burgeoning relationship between baby seaside and her dad!
Right. Am at work, so do you think I should actually do some work?!...
(Just want to go home and be with BG...)

Oh oh oh Ladies, one of the babies on this thread turns 1 today if I m not mistaking. Happy birthday to baby FF ! Wherever you are, I wish you a wonderful
Celebration on the longest day of the year ! Be a good boy to your Mum today. FF, hope the holiday house sale goes well. Xxxxxx

knicky well done on run!. Sorry dp being crap. I'm afraid I've found only the nuclear option of therapy has taught my dp to see beyond his own nose and employ basic fairness principles around things like lie ins. It's funny I remember ds being knocked for 6 by jabs but dd has sailed through. Is it evidence that boys are more sensitive ultimately? Are they hassling you about his weight now?

scare I haven't heard about the gene yet. But I'm sure my mum has it. I will fast and symptom check and I will survive - I'm confident. Reiterate loving your stories about your kids.

bbd well done on school! Mine has his place too and I'm so excited. My sister said it was the most exciting thing since birth. We are going to his schools fair today. Your words about ds growing up have really got to me of which more later. Lovely re Portugal - have a superb time.

goat your sister issues sound more complex and embedded in bad things that have gone on than mine. My middle sister has borderline personality disorder/narcissistic personality disorder, possibly (she wont engage with mental health services). Shes in constant emotional torment and abusive and violent and pretty scary. There was years of denial from my parents but essentially she is just bad luck - something awry in the chromosones. That why she won't speak to us - and why thats fine by me. I've been thinking about her a lot recently and how unlucky she is and how lucky I am. Suppose I'm always interested in a sibling story, I hope you can get through yours as your sis is basically normal?

AFM (disingenuous I know as I've been banging on about myself all post) don't you think babies are like the Tower of Babel? Dd goes allaaaaah (Muslim) and ngugi (like Kenyan writer Ngugi wa thiongo).

Also feeling sad about ds growing up. I'm sort of having the opposite of scares prob. I still love ds but I feel I've sort of de bonded with him. I wanted a girl so much and I love my girl so much. She gives me the elaborate connected conversation I like while ds just answers in monosyllables or not at all. bbds comments got to me - its as if I can't see the gorgeousness I saw before in my ds. I can see it but not as much, it's sort of been eclipsed by dd. he's growing up - I miss him even when he's right in front of me. Mil has been doing a lot and that is great but takes us further apart.

I said I'd never express but now think I must to give me some time alone with ds.

Xxxx

All v quiet here. Hope everyone having a lovely weekend / I am.

Think my ds is either realising baby s won't go back or tired or growing or something. It's just a phase. I just hate it when he won't talk to me as I am a big talker.

Where is chairman wow?

Xx

Oh just too annoying - typed a long post and it went to the page which told me mumsnet site was offline so lost it all!!

somewhere agree re de-bonding with the older child. I don't feel half as close to DD as I did pre DS. It doesn't help that she has become a bit of a tantrum-y child at the moment and that DH is looking after DD in the main whilst I deal with DS. I feel so sad that our close bond has gone. I'm hoping as DS becomes less dependant on me, then I can start to work on building the close bond again.
Yes, HVs are hassling me re the weight - due to see them a week on Tuesday. He doesn't look remotely underweight to me - he has very pudgy michelin style arms FFS! They did say it's probably because he's dropped a feed at night as he's going 6pm till 3am without a feed. When I suggested whether I should be waking to feed him, the HV told me not to, so I have no idea what they will suggest next if he hasn't put on the correct amount of weight - I can't ram milk down him if he doesn't want it!

somewhere and scarecrow thank you for the advice re DH. Interesting about the therapy and that second babies are the biggest test of a relationship. There are times he's lovely and there are other times that he's an utter a*hole. Yesterday, I hadn't managed to put away DD's biscuits as I'd been too busy. I left them in front of the microwave. When he went in the kitchen to use the microwave, he threw the biscuits on the floor in a strop (he couldn't have cared less if he had broken them) and told me I should have put them away. It just made me cry as this behaviour is not infrequent and is so far removed from the man I married.

bbd hope you have a wonderful holiday - looks like you picked the right time to go, where has the british summer gone??

Yes, wonder where chairmanwow is? Hope you're doing OK if lurking

Hello all
On my weekly trek to E London. Almost my favourite trip of week to see my sister as get an hour on Tube each way when can't feel guilty about being on iPad!
BBD, hope holiday in Portugal is or was lovely and good luck with settling in to home life in France. As promised will text or post if we pass close to Paris. I might need tranquillisers after two to four weeks couped up in a tin box with three, er two, children ;)
Knicky, hope things calmed down at home. How are bed times going. Mine are sometimes. Dream of happy family, sometimes ghastly. At the weekend I stomped into DD's room when she was still playing up at nearly 8pm and told her in no uncertain terms I'd had enough of looking after other people and wanted some time to myself. Amazingly it worked!
Echo wondering where Chair has gone. And MrsW. And Cycle. Hope you and babies are all okay. Thinking of you lots.
Somewhere, love your infectious adoration of DD. Re bonding, my thoughts evolve all the time: partly I think it is just an emotionally shattering time on my levels (guilt, for ex, was not a memorable emotion with only one); partly adjusting to different relationships re age and place in family, and gender: given time I sincerely believe these and all the other changes will settle down. I know my bond with T is growing deeply and beautifully, it is just different.
Seaside, have you thought more about work? When are you thinking you might have to return?
Eagle, thinking of you and DH often, and hoping you can enjoy his extra time with the family at least.
Midget (I think) did you ever take DS swimming? Hope he liked water. I can't wait I take T.
Goat - am v curious what your instrument is? (Is voice an instrument?) Do you compose too?

Have last couple of days childcare for a long while as CM on holiday next week (expect no posts or counsel to despair!), then we head off to France..DH wants to go away for seven weeks, I want to go for two. As ever I agreed to four if not a disaster and now he is pushing for more again. It frustrates me that it has to be all or nothing: working all hours or being on holiday: I'd prefer him around at home more over time.
Tomorrow take DD to the Montessori nursery she starts at in September. They will be ?observing? her - am partly amused, partly worried I?ll be made to see I indulge her. Am also a teeny bit sad as feel it?s the first baby step to her leaving home! On Thurs T has his tongue tie cut. They tell me it won't hurt but still slightly dread it. My head though says it is the right thing to do.

Hope you all have lovely sunshine. Waves, Scarecrowx

Hello mums :)
blissful few minutes while baby seaside sleeps beside me - oh she's lovely. But rather clingy today! Haven't been able to get breakfast yet today, just choc biscuits Actually, I should prob try and sneak away and make sandwich now rather than typing with you lot.
1st post-birth period started yesterday nine months on - yay! I think 'yay' as it means another baby is a theoretical possibility (very theoretical in view of cosleeping, velcro baby and dp taking a battering in recent illness) Hope it doesn't mean I've cut back on bf too much since starting weaning - not sure how to tell if I'm getting it right.

scare I love the sound of montessori nursery, I would love to do that for baby s when she's older. we will hand-hold on thursday for tongue-tie-cut.

oops, and shes awake ...

Toddlers On Facebook

Hourah ! Internet is on, I will catch up in a sec. Xxxx

Hi everyone

BBD - hope you're having a lovely time in sunny Portugal

Seaside - what a strange coincidence - guess who else has had their periods return in the last few days?! I was really shocked actually - firstly, given the amount of BF I'm doing, and secondly I wasn't supposed to have periods return without medical intervention. I'm not sure if that necessarily means my fertility has returned too - I guess we shall see in time (although a couple of weeks ago I did wonder what was going on with my body as it seemed a bit mid-cycleish...)

On the subject of 40+ conception, I do have an amazing story to tell - I doubt anyone will remember but around my due date a friend of mine who's 43 had a MMC after several rounds of ivf. Once she had recovered a bit, she decided she did want to try again, and I mentioned to her about doing ivf via egg donor overseas and she thought it was probably worth looking into. Fast forward a few months and they've signed up and are ready to start, and are just waiting for her period to start, and it doesn't... Somehow, incredibly she has conceived naturally! Very early days of course, but today she is pregnant

Scarecrow your trip sounds sooo exciting! Regarding your tin box, I am guessing you have got some sort of campervan - I used to have a very old one (only a couple of years younger than myself) which was regarded as very cute by friends, but the bloody thing was always breaking down in awkward places. Was actually relieved when I got rid of it and still shudder a bit when I see people driving similar! A nice modern one would be nice though...

And regarding the number of weeks to spend away, my teacher neighbours have similar differences in opinion - he wants to be away somewhere for every day of the holidays, whereas she wants to spend a bit of time just at home catching up, pottering and enjoying the garden etc.

I sent you a PM a while back to explain about DP's illness as you did ask what was wrong and I didn't really want to say in public - not sure if you saw the message? Bizarrely, since then, they have actually diagnosed him with something else again and switched his treatment. He is back at work now, feeling better and this time next year he should be off the drugs and we are hoping he will be cured. How did the nursery session go by the way?

Oh and good luck for the tongue tie cut! DD had this done at a week old and was fine afterwards, and it healed totally in a few days. Was it diagnosed only recently?

Eek out of time as Baby E shouting from her hammock - waves to Somewhere, Knicky, Goat, LRM, Cycle, Chairman, Nana, MrsW, FF

I'm here, do not fear. Just very busy, exercising followed by poorly toddler and baby, lots of long posts on here and not the time to respond.

In fact DS is shouting 'Muuuuummmy!' now so I have to run. Eeek! Back soon friends x

We are sitting out in the garden with a ridiculous number of toys, enjoying the sunshine, having home to the park this morning. I'm hoping all the fresh air will wear BG out! We went to the playground this morning. It was lovely, though I looked at the 18-20 month olds careering round and thought 'blimey, these kids are the same school year as BG!!'

somewhere so sorry to hear about your sister. So tough to live with and to keep your own life whole and healthy. Not sure I would describe my own sister as normal... She has had mh problems in the past and is still dry tinder - we really have to tiptoe around her and still get it wrong. I really want to see her when I go home though, so hope she will agree to meet up.

knicky I get so annoyed about hvs and the weight obsession - no wonder we have weight issues in this country when it starts from birth! Do what you feel is right... You know his feeding patterns better than anyone.

scarecrow good luck with tongue tie snip. And the caravanning!

seaside choc biscuits are a balanced diet, as long as you have one in each hand

eagle that's great news about your DP. You must be so relieved.

Hope you are having a lovely holiday bbd . Hello to all lurkers (and welcome back chairman w) All newbies and new babies, hope you are all well!

Ps in case anyone thought I keep BG up until all hours... It took four hours to finish the post!!!!