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.

Oh drspouse hope you're feeling better. I've just got back from yet another awful dental appointment. It's getting bloody ridiculous. I'm still trying to get the tooth the dentist broke sorted. The treatment hasn't worked so now she wants to start a root canal treatment but is not sure thatwwill work. .. and if it does I won't now have time to get the cap done before exemption runs out. It would be cheaper to fly back to bloody Egypt than get it done here. I hate dentists all of them except my barbaric but super competent egyptain one.

get well soon drspouse

and BOOOOO to toothe problems, Rosie So hope it finally comes.good.

Ow rosie, hope that gets better soon!

I feel a bit better than I did this morning but it's been up and down today - mainly tired/bit headachy/sickly rather than full on migraine. Early night tonight (I'm already in my PJs and about to go and watch telly).

It didn't help that someone who wasn't thinking about time differences called us at 2am, either!

Grrr just lost a long rant! !!!
Short version. Dh is a twat.
My entire perfect filling of all very important and irreplaceable visa paperwork is now in a mixed pile along with most of my other files which he has pulled apart looking for a document i knew and told him was with the lawers in Egypt. We don't even fucking need it (which is why i don't have it) finally after several shouty phone calls to mil. Yes it's with the fucking Lawers In cCairo.

I am beyond angry.

So sorry Rosie about DH messing up with papers. Mine is just as useless... He never knows what is where and never put things back where he first found them. Here's and [hot drink] for you.
Same to DrSpouse, hope your migraine has gone and you could enjoy today with DS.
Eagleray, did you manage to do any work from home today ? How is baby Eaglet ? Blisters ? Nappy rash ? Get well soon.
Goat, Scarecrow ? Are you feeling better too ?

Little A had conjonctivitis and runny nose. Eye ointment seems to work. She now says "more, more" for food, water... DS is on Easter break, did not really manage to do anything with him apart from Easter eggs making on Wed while builders were in to change 2 windows. We have gained 3 to 4 Celcius straight away in each room.
I have horrible cough. Need some rest and sleep really.
Today went to Science Museum with DS. Cooking now for tonight and running to pick up little A at 4.30pm

Waves to all

Rubbish weekend :(
Started with a failed root canal treatment on Friday. Awaiting hospital referral again. :(
Huge row with dh on sat, mostly my fault as I'm knackered and in pain. He looked after dd most of Friday so I could sleep BUT that's not the point!

My parents visited today and dm was on 'top form'. The thinly veiled put downs were constant and cutting. She spoke gleefully about all the things she was taking to dsis for dnephew (now 3 months and she sees ever few weeks) then gave me £10 to buy something for rosebud as she 'couldn't find anything to get her! ! Ffs. she scared the hell out of dd when she arrived by 'popping out' from behind her highchair and going 'boo hello rosebud' dd bottom lip rolled out and she screamed. Dm spent the rest of her 2 hour visit saying how much dnephew loved grandma cuddles and am i not worried about dd being too attached to me dnephew also has better hair!
She mixed in some really really racist remarks aimed at dh, personally, his religion, his race

Immigrants in general (she is when it suits her an immigrant herself being Scottish! !)
Oh that bloody women i really wish she didn't get to me but she does. .. Every time.
Bbd hope you got some rest. Is A auditioning for Oliver? ? Lol. Hope you enjoy your easter break. Are you going somewhere nice? (At least to France i hope :) )

Oh forgot to add dh hit a car in supermarket car park and the exhaust felloff tthe car.

Glad it's Monday :)

Finally back here!!!
Rosie'oh my ...what a visit from dm!!! Poor you and lo!!

Hello to all....going back to read thread as I missed so much!!!

That's funny, 'D'P hit a bollard in the supermarket car park last weekend. Apparently it was my fault, even though I was in the supermarket at the time. Apportioning blame was important as it's my car and he didn't want to pay for the damage...

rosie so sorry your DM is so hard work... And Poor Rosebud being so frightened... Life sometimes is nicer when one is far away. Sad though.
eagleray rosie I am in about car park accidents...
scarecrow has T turned 1 already ? I know his birthday is early April but can't remember the day. Sorry, have not regained my brain yet. Not sure will one day !

Nothing to report on my side. Little A woke up with a swollen eye after last week's conjonctivitis... Back to GP and same eye ointment. But she is still herself, happy and stubborn... DS has been v good, patient, agreed to no TV during Easter break but keeps asking to make more Easter craft activities.... We've made eggs and cards. Trying to think about what to do next. Forgot to mention DH has conjonctivitis too.

Eagle and Rosie, sorry about your car park incidents. And Rosie, what a horrible situation with your DM, sounds really stressful, and poor Rosebud. BBD hope A's (and your DH's!) conjunctivitis gets better soon, and enjoy your crafting with DS!
We've had a really nice beginning to the holidays with my friend and her 2 kids staying Mon/Tues. But I've been limping around a bit due to a massive blister on the sole of my foot after an 18 mile training walk on Sunday - really need to prepare myself better for the actual Pink Ribbon walk in June. Managed to limp round Chartwell yesterday (with a padded thing and dressing on my foot). Had a lovely time, despite Rosa making a break for Churchill's desk and chair - the steward was very understanding! Taking DS and his friend to the Olympic Park today (Rosa going to my mum's for the day). Sorry not to name check everyone, hope you're all OK x

Friday again... last toddler dance of the term. Then meeting my lovely mum friend for coffee/play at the play cafe.
Things are very slightly more positive on the adoption front but we aren't counting any chickens. And I have a very early flight tomorrow for a long work journey to somewhere quite remote. DH and our team of childminders are being left In Charge till Thursday. Wish them luck!

DrSpouse, wishing you an uneventful work trip.

Sorry, a bit overwhelmed here, reading but not posting, A and DH are still a bit poorly, improving but not out of the woods yet. 2 more days of antibiotics, not easy to apply eye ointment on a 20 mo !

Enjoy the week end everyone

Hola!

Finally dared take a look.

Pooh here comes Somelet to interrupt.

rosie poor you. Any point in having it out with DM? Can she 'mentalize' ie see into the thoughts and feelings of another person? If she can't then obviously no point.

scare I'm stopping boob too it's so sad the little eyes and the reaching hand patting the boob and stroking my face.

bbd you too???

drsoouse how are you? What is the news with dc2? Swimming wise my ds was way too unmanageable to learn any proper swimming but loved the water. A warm kids pool helps.

knotty liking baby pics on Facebook - she has the same fat knock kneed legs as Somelet, they are body doubles,

AFM Somelet is one. She is communicating loads, she says yes and no and sings to herself. She brings me books to read to her. She is eating blue cheese and Indian masala omelette with chili. She can stand, get off the couch herself and makes a face like Mel smith (the rueful lips pressed together frown with the sticky out bottom lip) when she's concentrating esp hard.

Just can't believe she is one. All the babies born earlier should be one first no? Oh they are one? They are going to be two next? Que? Am incredulous.

Better stop while I'm winning

Hugs to all good to "see" you

Xxx

Drspouse, hope your work trip is going OK. BBD, hope your DH & A are feeling better. Somewhere, yup, Rosa is 16 months in a few days, that's just ridiculous. Love the description of Somelet . Rosa is similar in her food tastes - loves sweet chilli sauce, my mum's homemade pickled onions (which are FIERY!), spicy turkish sausage that made DP cough. She had roast lamb with us last night but had to stop her from eating mint sauce by the spoonful.

Hope everyone is getting this lovely weather. Off to the park later with friends - Rosa does love a good high swing. She tilts her head back and laughs at the sky. I'm trying to make the most of this week with the kids as I'm away on the hen weekend Fri-Sun - have never left Rosa overnight before, and have only left DS for more than a night once before. I know they're with DP and will be absolutely fine, but I feel a bit wobbly!

Greetings all, just running in quickly to say hello. We are back from Marrakech, where BG had a ball. He was a bit shy for a few days and scared of the lovely friendly staff, but by the time we left he was flirting madly and I think secretly hoped we would again leave him with a babysitter as they were probably more fun than his poor sleep deprived parents. Unfortunately his constant activity during the day didn't help sleep at night, any his nappies got bad again, then we discovered that the babysitters were merrily feeding him cakes and chocolate. Apparently these didn't register as possibly having dairy in them. even though we stipulated that he should only have the snacks we left for him. Poor BG, the last few days he has been utterly miserable, then today did several MASSIVE poonamis and was suddenly his sunny self again!
But he loved the pool (v shallow) and loved all the tagines and salads at meals, and ran round the big, cool bar like a loon. Mint tea was also a favourite!
Thank you for the recommendation, bbd, it was a lovely break!

Goat, glad you enjoyed the resort, although very disappointed staff did not understand allergies and food intolerance. Hope BG gets better soon.
Knotty, how was your week end away from Rosa ?
DrSpouse, dito ?
Eagleray, so jealous of your trip next week. You will manage brilliantly I am sure.
Somewhere, I just can't stop BF, giving myself another 3 months until little A turns 2. Her conjunctivitis has finally cleared up, 2 rounds of antibiotics ! But she is still lively as usual, running around chased by DS and laughing. She does not speak as such but does communicate, hope it is only the normal delay for bilingual children. Fav food atm is blue cheese, St Agur or Roquefort ! not v sure it is recommended that early so monitoring the intake carefully. Tinned macquerel has always been a big hit with her and her big brother. Yesterday she drank the balsamic dressing after her cucumber salad... What is it with these kids ? :)
AFM, this Easter break is very busy, DH travels a fair bit every week, visitors last week end and next week end then DH is off again for a whole week including week end. Not sure I will cope though this time. Upperback pain has come back, GP sent me for XRay as I have had it for 8 months now, very likely it is a muscular problem...
DS and DH are flying to see great grand parents over the Easter week end, I agreed but now I don't know, don't want to be away from DS at all.

So glad you had a lovely time in Morocco Goat - how annoying about BG and the food though.

Wow Knotty - that's a big step re the hen weekend - I'm sure you'll have a good time though. It hasn't occurred to me to leave DD and go away, but you've got me thinking now that I should contemplate it, perhaps when not working full time... Rosa's food tastes sound amazing!

Somewhere happy birthday to little Somelet! Her culinary tastes are as impressive as Rosa's. Can just imagine the Mel Smith face

BBD hope things are better in your household now - poor A and DH

drspouse will keep my fingers crossed re the adoption - hope you are safely abroad and things going ok at home.

It's been a shocker of a week here, with DD coming down with yet another illness, this time D&V bug. Yesterday there was vomiting and today it's travelled down to nether regions. Twice today while she's been sat in her high chair, there's been gas and gurgles and straining and then suddenly her back is soaked and dear god the smell - worst thing ever. The poor thing has spent most of the day in the bath being hosed down while I try and peel stinky clothes off her.

Other than that, I'm trying to salvage my working week (nursery have been amazing and sending staff to look after DD at home) and then I'm rounding up items on the packing list and trying to do all those silly admin tasks that suddenly present themselves just before you leave.

As for working, I'm done with full time! I just can't carry on being such a failure and apologising for existing the whole time. Can't put in enough hours at work, can't even be there some days! Can't manage DD's eczema properly, can't meet up with any friends, can't keep fit as no time do any exercise, can't plant anything in the garden as haven't even had time to step into the garden this year, can't get the car taxed as it now doesn't even have a bloody MOT because I forgot! When I get back from hols, I'm going to tell work I'm only available 3 days per week after my current contract ends mid May. They can either have me on that basis (and I'll be the most amazing worker ever on those 3 days) or they can wave me goodbye and try and find someone else.

Right - back to packing and more work... Hope you are all well

Goat, your holiday sounds amazing, although sorry BG had a miserable few days. BBD, how long will DS be away for? Hope you can get some help with your back pain, it is miserable isn't it? I get a lot of problems with my lower back and referred pain across my shoulders & neck (apparently I have a wonky pelvis?). Obviously carrying not so tiny Rosa around doesn't help! Exercise helps for me and getting DP to give me one of his evil massages . Eagle, so sorry DD is ill, really hope she recovers soon and you have a lovely trip. Sounds like you've made the right decision for you about your working hours. My friend is a single mum of 2 and had always worked full time and had no time for anything other than work & ferrying the kids from breakfast club to school to after school club or childminder, and had horrendous childcare costs and was very stressed. A couple of months ago, she managed to negotiate with her employers to go part-time, term-time only (don't know how she did that!), and she says the difference to her life is amazing. Bit less money but she's so much happier, as are her children. Hope your packing goes well and YOU ARE NOT A FAILURE! You are a brilliant mum who's trying to get the best balance for everybody.
Yup, hen weekend is Fri-Sun. I'm sort of looking forward to it, but not to being away from the children! I wouldn't normally have gone but it's my niece's (she's also my god-daughter), and even though the vast majority of the other ladies are in their early 20s good god, quite a few, including my niece, are mums so I know I won't be the only one missing their kids! Also, DS & DD will be with DP, and also seeing my parents so they'll be fine. I just hope I can cope with being out until the early hours, 2 nights running. I do like to be in bed by 10pm .

Hi Eagle sounds like a great decision. I'm all for mums working full time if they like it but I couldn't myself.

bbd I really feel for you with the back pain. You are so tiny I sort of imagine you floating about. I hope it gets better soon.

Re giving up bf it's nice to get a film of them stroking your face and wagging their elbow. It helps. I've done it. My only tip is cover the roll mop titty no one wants to remember that!

knotty your hen night sounds good I can imagine the wrench leaving them but it's a chance to reconnect with forgotten parts of yourself and become more complete.

On a Hen night note dp and I are getting married in sept. we are getting an old friend of his family to cater. We sampled his food at lunch today -Lebanese - just gorgeous. Fatoush - who knew? A sumac sprinkled salad with bread in it. Muhurah - nuts, Harissa-y type seasoning.

goat BG is such a trouper. I'm sorry he had to suffer on your lovely holiday. Marrakech is great - did you do a riad or bbds hotel?

Xxx

Congratulations Somewhere ! Brilliant news. And Lebanese food, yum, one of my favourite ! Fatoush, so fresh...
Knotty, I have no doubt kids are in good hands with their dad, have fun. On my side DS will leave on Friday and comes back on Monday, these 4 days will be like eternity, on 1hand because I will miss DS and on the other, because I will have to deal all by myself with little A during 4 full days and nights. She can be such a velcro toddler sometimes.... And my sister/her godmother will be here with her family. First time they visit us, so I want her to feel welcomed.
Eagleray, 3 days is perfect, I did that for 4 months but employer asked to add 1 more day, so negotiated to work on that day from home. It was the right balance for me with 1 child at nursery FT. At least, the week end was a proper family week end as chores were dealt with on the 5th day of the week.
Scarecrow, are you ok ?

Ooh congratulations Somewhere! And you're right about reconnecting with forgotten parts. However, as the first night involves going to an indie club where they play requests, I'm hoping it's not the severely inebriated part that used to stand by the DJ shouting/slurring " 'ave you got any Longpigs then?" every 10 minutes.
BBD hope your weekend goes well, I'm sure your sister will have a great time. Try not to miss DS too much (pointless thing to say I know!).

Just been on a Waitrose trip to get pizzas etc. in for DP, DS and DS's mate who's sleeping over tomorrow while I'm away. Rosa wore her new sunglasses all the way round the shop whilst holding her new handbag containing a baby doll's bottle (she loves the bottle, hates the doll), a hairbrush and her wooden hammer .