Gardening in the winter sun. 40-something mums Christmas thread

[somewherebecomingrain]

40-something mums with babies of all ages - please join us. The 20-something and 30-something mums will never satisfy you like this thread.

Eagle. Your house of cards is standing and will get stronger over time, you have raised a confident and contented baby. Well done you. Xx

Some A friend of mine died suddenly last year leaving 2young children. It's tough. I've taken much better care of myself since as her death could have been avoided by a simple trip to the dentist :(

All quite here. Looked at weather back there today and was grateful that I've missed a good chunk of winter. AlthoughIit's not hot here at all. (Dull 15-17degrees).
Rosebud continues to thrive on all the (somewhat bazaar ) attention and remarkably has not had any 'off' days. Returning her sleep pattern to something resembling normal will be a challenge.

Only the weekend left, Monday morning we start the mammoth journey home. If all goes to plan we will be home in our beds by 1am Tuesday.
I think we picked a good time for dd to undertake the trip. She is still very portable, not mobile yet, breastfeeding has been a god send, weaning has given mil a job (which she has really enjoyed ) and rosebud has shown no separation anxiety at all. I will be very glad to be home and also satisfied that I did the right thing. (Somewhere, clouds of sheaha are disgusting and everywhere. No one thinks twice about smoking near the baby and I'm mocked for getting stressed about it. (Visualise crazy women waving arms around in the coffee shop full of people smoking sheaha! !!!) It along with throwing dd in the air, having her unsecured in the car and pulling black bogies from her nose are part of my every day now. :(
House still not sold although there is quite a lot of interest. Fx it goes soon.

eagle what happened to your friend?

I am worried about dp as his dad died at 50 of a heart attack and he is v unfit, addicted to sugar and has the abdominal fat that is so dangerous. He is also in a stressful job. He has quit fags and cut down on booze and we have salad everyday but even so.

Ds: and when milk comes out of the cows bottoms do they get smaller [lowers voice] and smaller [whispers] and smaller?

Ds after lesson on udders: Cows have VERY strange bosoms.

Somewhere, DS sounds so sweet.

It's Friday, every mosque is calling and it's magical.

Rosie, When in Marrakesh, DS was fascinated by these calls. He would stop talking and say "Mum, what do they say ? It is like a song, it is music, schhh, listen"

When I first went to a Muslim country (turkey) and heard the call to prayer I really felt smote by the hand of god in a good way - it was so beautiful and awe inspiring.

X

I got slightly sick of the call to prayer at 4.30 and then church bells at 6 when I was living overseas... Daily...

Anyway I'm happy to PM anyone about more details on DS - if this adoption goes through as we hoped then we're all done with the process and I'll be more open at that point, but not just now.

Waiting on our DBS checks to come back, I emailed the agency yesterday and they said mine is in the post and DH's nearly done - the admin person spelled both our names wrong, and the email I wrote from has DH's name on the account. Sigh.

Anyway today at home/out to toddler dance in the morning. It's now blowing a gale, DS is napping and I've been trying out That's Not My Pony as a lap tray for nail varnish. Very effective actually.

DrSpouse, sounds like you had a good Friday.
Fx for your application, will wait until then to hear about DS's story. Have you asked for a gender or will you be happy with either ?
I had a busy Friday, last minute shopping and cooking to celebrate the Year of the Horse. DH luckily was working from home so we sat down really for family dinner. Put additional bowls and cutlery for my Dad and grand parents and DS took the initiative to bring extra chairs, napkins for them, once I explained why there were extra sets. He made us pray and invited everyone. He also insisted on filling my Dad's and grand parents' plates! He ate his noodles and roast duck and pork with his chopsticks ! And was so proud.
Over all it was a nice dinner.
Until I realised my necklace must have slid and I lost a beautiful pink crystal butterfly...

My daughter is currently being fed sweet milk biscuits soaked in natural yoghurt with a little honey!! Please tell me no long term damage will be done :(

Hum hum Rosie, honey is best avoided before 1yo. There is a rare bacteria that can cause issue. Make them stop now. Quick.
But I don't think there will be long term damage if it happens just once.

I brought up the no honey thing and was sushed out of the kitchen with a flapping tea towel! !! Apparently it's only in English honey! !

Hope you all enjoy this dry sunny warmish day. Taking DS to his Chinese school party while A has her nap with DH.

Packing:)
Also. .. finished at the dentist and am sooooo happy. He has fixed my chipped, ccracked and badly stained front teeth. Finally I can smile for a picture with my dd. The damage to my face from the car accident is almost completely repaired now :) i had heaps of cranial osteopathy during Olympics from an amazing osteo who was working on site He pulled my face back into shape and rreleased the trapped nerves correcting the paulsy. All for free. .. would have cost 1000. Now teeth are fixed too. (For less than £100!!) I can finally put it behind me. I'm very lucky as my face really was a mess for a while and I'd never have had the money or self belief to spend that kind of money on myself. I feel so much more confident about looking for work again. :)

Rosie, this is brilliant! You can now leave this horrible accident behind you and move on. You also managed really well during the trip, you can be proud. Wishing you a smooth journey back home.

All packed. Dd is bathed and in travelling clothes, the baby bag is fully stocked for 24 hours, sandwich are made, We leave in 2 hours. This time tomorrow i will be in my own bed inshalla. It's going to be very emotional saying goodbyes :( mil has been in tears several times already :(. I will cry too when we get on the bus I'm sure. (Mixed emotions! !!) My egyptain family are very lovely people, the Arabic expression is ' they have white hearts' good people. Looking at going home as an opportunity to change our daily routine. It's totally f**ked at the moment so want to make a good (more structured) day when we get back.
Good news :) inshalla I'll get a car next week. .. This will help so much in 'mission return to work'

Bon voyage!!! See you back in the uk very soon I hope x

rosie sounds like you've had an adventure - I assume you've been before but not with a DC!

We had a fairly good weekend, it was only sunny (and not at all warm) for a couple of hours on Saturday morning, blueblack but we got out with DS on his scooter, with some friends, a very unambitious walk but good for all concerned. DH is very very tired at the moment and I don't know if he's coming down with something or what. He has a long (and early) commute during the week and isn't sleeping that well some days either.

rosie so thrilled for you about teeth. So hope journey goes well, and enjoy the home coming. Travel well as they say in parts of Africa x

drspouse does dh get January blues, or could he after this ghastly winter, especially with emotions and responsibilities of the adoption? So hope he finds rest soon x

Hooray for Rosie of the New Teeth and her homeward journey! See you (metaphorically speaking) soon.
And we have the poos and spews here. Again. Oh joy! A fun night ahead...

Drspouse, hope DH recovers quickly. I use lots of ginger, citrus and garlic during winter. But good night sleep is for sure the most restorative. Does DS like his scooter ?

Had good news today re DS's activities. Managed to get him on Chinese class on Sat when he is a bit fresher than Thursday late afternoon. And got him to swimming class in a nearby leisure centre on Wed afternoon ! Hopefully even if he is tired, he won't miss too much. So no agenda clashes. But still need a babysitter to take him home after swimming while I pick up A from nursery. Thinking about going with A as well in a parent/child lesson on Sun so that DH/DS can go swimming with us too.

2 days of single parenting ahead but it is nothing compared to Scarecrow's 2 weeks. I just get stressed over getting to school before door shuts and not yelling at the kids for meals or bedtime. My patience has got thinner lately.

Off to bed now.

goat so hope BG was not too bad and he recovers soon. Hugs.

Afm, on train to work for hastily rearranged meeting with boss to avoid the Tube strike on Weds. I got to the station and train at platform, but I thought "nah! I'll get a coffee and catch the next one." Great attitude, huh?!

Now, what do I need to put on my checklist?

Working hours?
Review point of new arrangement?
Desk?!
Vision of progress in new role/s (is it too soon for that, or does it look go-getting and keen?)
Arrangements for home working?
...ummm....any I've missed?

Apart from which of the three jobs he wants me to do I'm actually going to have time to do....?

Scarecrow, it is getting very real now, isn't it ? Good luck today for meeting. AFM, I would put on my list: Flexible hours, working from home (at least once a week), if new role, clear job description, review after 1/3/6 months and when either party feels the need.