Sept 08 - Our LO's are nearly 2, and they're hiding to do a poo (is it time for potty training, not until it stops this raining)

[ninja]

I started it!! (I'm going away to London with just DD1 tomorrow so I want to know where you all are when we get back.

3 toddler free days!!

It's not that huge bec, we earn more than that between us and although we are well off compared to a lot of people we aren't exactly rolling in it.

sounds optimistic hopefully

Well the good news here is that DH has been accepted to be trained as a debt coach for Christians Against Poverty (CAP) which is something we've been working towards for a couple of years! So from Jan we'll be taking a 20% drop in income so he can do one day a week debt counselling. We live in an area with great need, its great to be offering real practical help. Fortunately we're well below the cut off point for the CB cull, DH must be the world's worst paid computer programmer! But hey ho, he loves his job and only has a five minute commute :) And it is enough to live on, we just don't have exciting holidays and I've bought DD's Christmas present for £5 on ebay .

I'm so :( for those are being greatly affected by the government cuts.

I took DH to see the HV today as I was concerned about his weight and height as he's dropped to the 2nd centile. They wanted to weight him 'properly' but made him 1cm shorter and 0.1kg lighter than I did! Basically they said he is tiny, and has dropped 2 centiles since birth, so its one of:
a) he'll have a massive growth spurt soon
b) he's got MIL's rogue shortarse genes
c) there is a growth hormone issue.

They wouldn't do anything about option (c) for a few years, so I was told to take him to the docs and ask for a paeds referral if I'm still worried when he's 4. As he has a big appetite and eats a fairly healthy diet there was nothing they could recommend there other than lots of calcium and vitamin D.

mrsa i've never had people in awe of me before

Have worked out that Robyn and Lucy will only have 1 school year between them despite being 23 months apart. Robyn will get all the benefits of being one of the eldest and Lucy all the downfalls of being the youngest.

Luckily we won't be affected by the CB changes, DP gets about 10p more then mimimum wage.
All this crap about making 'work more attractive then welfare' will never work. how can we live on minimum wage with 4 kids without benefits, the money benefits account for double the minimum wage and that's qwithout taking into account free prescriptions, rent rebate and the services we get living in adeprived area. Before they go that is.

becaroo exactly, someone said on another thread that the cabinet probably think that CB is spare change to most people as they are all loaded (or words to that effect). Gross generalisation I know but I doubt that George Osbourne is very grounded in reality.

ooo, I don't like getting into politics on here in case we all start arguing .

Back on the subject of pesky small people, I was saying goodnight to DD and she licked the palm of her hand then stroked it down my face and said 'bluerghhh!'. She also says 'bluerghh' when she sees me undressed . Little treasure.

Hopefully that sounds positive (like my ovulation stick tonight, so DP came up with the goods !) I hope things work out but it's awful that you have to go through this.

Carrie the situation is very different in Wales for most things. Eg prescriptions and hospital car parks are free for everyone.

In Wales, school is based on Sept to Sept - no starting part-way through the year for example. We will get the funding for C from her actual 3rd birthday, not the term after her birthday.
If we were in England she would get the funding from the term after her birthday (ie Jan 2012) but would also get the place in nursery 5 half days a week at the same time.
In Wales you get the funding from their actual 3rd birthday and the place from the Sept following the 3rd birthday - in C's case that is when she'll be 4.

And don't get me started on CB. I earn a shade over the 40% tax bracket and DP earns under £20k, so between us I know we're better off than most and somehow we'll cope but it makes me really angry that our next door neighbours, who earn £25k and £40k, will retain CB despite bringing in more money than us. That is just unfair (nowt against my neighbours - not their fault).

The whole tax system is rubbish = it's a fact that one person earning £40k actually takes home less money than 2 people in a house earning £20k each.

Thing is....when we were first married 11 year ago dh was on 17.5k! His wage has gone up over the past 10 years so its not like we had that money pre dc IYSWIM??

I really do not know where the £180 a month will come from. I really dont.

Why do govts hate lone parents and SAHMS????

Toby will be due to start nursery the term after he turns 3, so Jan 2012. I think thats what happens in most counties, no idea about scotland and wales though....there are 3 intakes per year here - sept, jan and april.

mrsa my dh is in the same tax bracket as my BIL who earns HUGE amounts as he is a self employed IT consultant. Its mad.

I really hope this is the coalitions poll tax.

sigh...breathe...there! I am not going to moan abuot it again!

carrie The HV didnt sound too concerned about your ds then? Thing is, you cant fight genetics and if your MIL has - ahem - rogue short arse genes then maybe ds has them too??? I think its really wonderful what your dh is doing....you must be very proud. He and his advice will be in great demand sadly

hopefully Hope things are looking up? x

mrsa I had no idea the nursery funding was different in Wales, so there's my 'you learn something new every day' moment!

debs its bonkers that while yours are 23m apart, mine are only 17m, but will have two school years between them!

mine are 28 months apart- so only 5 more months than debs and they will have 3 school years between them!

Its odd isn't it how august and september birthdays make the school process so daunting.

Robyn is poorly again. Sunday night she slept from 5.30pm to 6.30am, and she had a nap monday. She was red hot last night and is tiring herself out very easily. She woke last night at 3am and i had to feed her back to sleep, i haven't done that in months.
Her temps gone down at least but she still looks poorly.

It is bonkers. DD will only have had 3 terms at nursery when she starts school (admittedly only part time school) but DS will have 5 terms!

Oh debs so :( Robyn is poorly :( Hope she feels better soon.

Debs I hope Robyn is better soon. T has a horrible cold and what we think is a twisted ankle (doc is unconcerned, says he prob wrenched it in his cot or something) and was up for hours last night for the first time in months and months and months. I was not impressed.

More positive news today - both the CAB employment expert and the solicitor DP has been in contact with think his employers have sacked him over nothing, and he has a really good case. Generally much more optimism here . Of course, if they don't change the sacking during the appeal process, it'll have to go to tribunal, which could take months , so who knows what we'll do for money till then!

Blimey Hopefully it never rains but it pours. Would your DP want to go back to work there if they reversed the sacking or can he look for someting better (a big ask in these times I know)?

And Carrie I was born and bred in the NW - born in Rochdale, brought up on the Wirral, so I too had no idea about Wales until I moved here to be with DP. Basically, income tax and benefits aside, the Government gives the Welsh Assembly the money needed for people in Wales and lets it set its own budgets and policies.

For example, all the houses in Wales were re-assessed for Council tax bands in 2006 and you have to take welsh lessons at school till 14.
On the up-side there are no SATs here at all and primary schools don't follow a formal curriculum until children are in year 3 (age 6/7 I think) - it's learning through play till then. And of course, the school funding thing isn't too bad.

I'm not sure about other areas but in our county, there's a pretty good choice of schools. You don't have to go to your local school if there's places available further away. My eye's on the old grammar school 10 mins drive away for high school

I'm happy C won't go to school FT till she's 5. She's developing at a rate of knots though and can now count to 5 and [faints] has turned into a really nice child - we're having fewer tantrums and she has become so loving. :)

I also think we have the final 2 yr old molars coming through.....agghhhh.

debs hope R is feeling better x

hopefully that sounds promising...hope it doesnt go as far as tribunal x

Feeling horrid. Am just going to mooch about at home today with the boys.

Robyn slept the whole night last night and woke up very happy so I think she is on the mend. she is happily watching Blues Clues without whinging for me to sit next to her. she has popped another tooth which can't of helped.

Hopefully hope things get sorted before too long

Well after all I've said about school, I've just found out that the school we want the DCs to go to has changed their rules and all children will have a ft place from the Sept, which means DD won't be in a January intake, she can go ft next Sept, before she's even 4 1/2! She is sooooooooo ready and desperate to go, she loves having 'work books' and being given instructions on what writing to do. I know she'll be in her element, I'm just not sure I can cope with my baby being so grown up so soon! At least I'll get a whole term at home with DS before he starts nursery in the Jan.

Glad Robyn is on the mend debs

MrsA we've gained the tantrums you've lost...!

Oh man what is UP with DS today?! The mother of all tantrums this morning, screamed when put to bed (literally never happens, except today it did) and now he's still awake and singing nearly 2 hours later.
I'm sure I'm not pg. Its day 21 today, I have two massive zits and have eaten everything I can lay my hands on including 3 packets of crisps. Yesterday I had 5 slices of cake

5 slices of cake!!! I'm impressed.

I wrote a big post here earlier, copied it in case it crashed. It did! But then I forgot I'd copied my post, copied something else I was doing then when mn came back online I pasted a random code of numbers into here. Grrr

Basically said that we're having tantrums here too. Mainly screaming at ds1 for not doing the right thing but also crying when we make him sit at the table after he's eaten 2 mouthfulls (if we're lucky) of food and then wants to get down and play.

Oh and Carrie, my ds1 was very ready for school- keen, can write his name and can copy anything else, draws better than me, knows a lot of 'stuff' etc. He's settled in really well but hasn't done any structured work yet. And apparantly they do very little in reception. I don't know how happy I am about this, part of me thinks that he's only 4, has at least 12 years of school ahead of him, so let him play. But then part of me thinks that if he wants to learn- let him learn!

Just been for a 5.6 mile run, my longest yet since I started again. I'm doing a 10k (6 miles) in November so I should be ready for it.

Aww Carrie so sorry you think you're not pg.
Here I have no idea what is going on. We're on day 24 and according to temps, cervical fluid & ovulation sticks I have not yet ovulated!
DP is worn out SWI since day 13!!

Tantrums...I feel your pain. Ours have (temporarily I'm sure) gone away. In the lasy week she has developed so so much and so is less frustrated. She is saying please and thankyou and asking to have 'my turn please'. Amazing....
Today her best friend at nursery ran over and, as usual, tried to hug her to within an inch of her life . She confidently pushed her away and said 'No. Hold hands please'!!

I am in so much love today - can't wait to spend time with her on friday - we're off to Blackpool overnight with MIL. Going for tea at Harry Ramsdens and then to see the lights then MIL will look after her while DP and I sneek off to the pub. Cost us the price of 2 rooms in a hotel but what the hell! I've promised her jumping in muddy puddles on the beach, she is soooo excited!

Oh and have also had 2 glasses of wine . DP asleep - do I wake him for a bit more SWI hehehehehehe

bookmarking then off to bed!

carrie Toby is getting his back molars I think and that has meant more tantrums...could that be it? Sorry you are not pg

mrsa Enjoy blackpool!!

Its my b day tomorrow and I have a child free day....what shall I do????

Am feeling slightly panicky actually...dh and I did the deed twice last week WITH NO PROTECTION....I am fairly sure of when I ovulate so should be ok but am now thinking "how stupid can you be?????" I keep looking at dc and thinking "oh wouldnt another be lovely" and then reality hits and I know its an idiotic idea

sigh......

bec I know how you feel. I'm fairly sure my period is 2 or 3 days late. I'm never late. We don't want another baby.

We're desparing over ds2 at the moment. Every single breakfast and teatime (he's not as bad at lunchtime) he starts off by crying and screaming for no real reason and takes ages to calm down. In the mornings he does eat all his cereal once he gets going but he's eating virtually no tea unless it's pasta. And it's all over silly things like he doesn't want to sit in that chair, he's got the wrong bowl, spoon etc, he 'doesn't like it' (he usually does).

just bookmarking to catch up! apologies in advance at my hopeless ability to keep up.

quick update swissmissy turned 2 a couple of weeks ago and is doing great. her big sister is now in reception, full time already, so i'm actually getting to spend some decent 1:1 time with her, when i've not been laid low with tonsilitis like this last week! she's an outgoing little girl who has NO FEAR and will try anything her big siblings are doing. Potty training's going well, but it has put her sleeping to pot. She's dry most nights but only cause she gets up to use the toilet and then doesn't want to go back to bed. grrrrh. just wish the 4 & 5 y.o. were night dry! she's not keen on poos in the potty or toilet, prefers pants or nappy for that .

def all done here with 3 DCs. Wish DH would go for snip but he won't. i could ramble on and on about that but wont.

will try and make more of an effort with this thread than the last one