Dec 08 Ladies - LIghtning Strikes... and the usual gossip!

[Beans33]

Hope this works for everyone - I'm assuming Summer won't give birth in the next few hours!! x

I am at the house and can't really stop until I am on the train later but wanted to send Kiwi a quick hug - how ghastly those mums were not to comfort you! - and to Avo - couldn't not reply to your amazingly generous offer - you really did bring the tears to my eyes with that one, honestly. I am massively touched. But there is no way I can allow you to give up your pampering. If you felt you could spare a day or half a day, though, it would be fantastic. I wouldn't work you too hard and frankly it would be so nice just to see you. I am so rubbish at accepting offers of help. But I want to respond to your v gracious offer graciously. More later...

Just lost another massive post.... I will summarize

-disasterous night
-dh sat up until 330am doing work he had been putting off and begged me to wait up a bit with him as he needed the company to stay awake
-I lasted till 12
-then dd kicked off
-Then I woke at 0500 to the dog vomiting - nice.
-I hate breast milk - or rather just what it does to dd. Since she's been back on it she's been irritable, unsettled, windy etc.... She's been a very needy baby (meaning wants to be constantly held from day one, and she knows the minute I put her down even if she seems fast asleep!! Has been like this since birth so it's not that she has been picked up too much or 'spoiled' as they say....
It's quite nice at times as she's the complete opposite to ds but at the moment I'm knackered! I think it makes her feel better when she has wind - even if she's just being cuddled.
-feeling much better about family departure. Actually have been thiking about a couple of reasons I actually get irritated with the way they are and it made me feel better, but they're still family and I still miss them.

Lovely offer to Lady Avo... was trying to work out how I could insert myself into the equation, but with houdini / screamy mc scream scream and miss needy windy pants I'm not sure how!
Must post this before I lose it and then catch up a bit more

and spot or anyone else, sounds good. Let me know closer when you are free to get together, and we'll sort out a day.

Oh God, totally forgot Health Visitor was coming today (A different one than I've been going to see at the clinic)

She's 9th centile for weight which is weird as she was 11th last week apparently but has gained half a kg !
50th centile for height, and 75th for head!!! Obviously huge brain in there

House was a mess and ds pulled entire contents of books off bookshelf while she was here, but she said I'm doing the right thing and dd looked much better, also said not to worry about ds's grunting only as she could see he understood when i told him to put the books back etc. He is also understanding discipline which I am pleased about as he hit me and I said don't hit or you'll go in the kitchen (behind baby gate) and he suddenly stops! Result
Right that's 3 from me....

no it's not it's 4 and now 5!!

Hi everyone, have been really busy but have tried to catch up:

Rubena Sorry you are feeling a bit sad after your family's visit.

LadyT and ouch on the ripping thing, poor you! I hope the drugs are helping. So sorry that you are feeling so gloomy , I really feel for you. You have so much on your plate at the mo' which can't help. I hope you manage to get a good night's sleep soon as there is nothing like it (apart from drugs) for making everything seem better. Best of luck with DP's mum!

Effie Sorry to hear about the vom. I hope everyone has recovered fully now.

Avocado Glad you survived the ILs. They sound like 'interesting' people ...
Good for you on the therapy thing. I hope you find someone to help you. I hadn't realised how debilitating your phobia was for you.

Beans I'm very impressed by your sailing skills. I'm fine crewing but have a terror of having to take the helm. DH and I did dayskipper and coastal skipper theory courses together which was fun. I beat him in the last exams as he mucked up his weather paper. He thought it would be best to set out when he would have the most exciting sail rather than the time safest for boat and crew, etc. This does scarily demonstrate the difference between our sailing styles!

Sorry to hear that you still have a bit of a struggle with not being sick. As an ex-bulimic myself, I would just like to say (a) keep up the good work it is possible to kick it and (b) make sure you are getting enough calcium whilst you are breastfeeding. My front teeth started to crumble a bit at the end of breastfeeding DS. The damage I had done to my teeth making myself sick and not getting enough calcium whilst breastfeeding really had a scary impact on my gnashers.

Jam Lucky you sailing round the Bahamas. One day maybe! So glad you are going to where the jumpsuit after all. You will look fab.

Veggie How scary for you to be locked out away from DS2. I'm very impressed that he was trying to give you the keys. What a clever boy!

Deirdre So glad to hear that DD is loving school. The photos were super cute. She is really adorable.

Invisible Glad that the new job is going well.

Quick summary of activities here: one of DH's friends stayed here last Thursday (on his way to Jersey) and MIL came to babysit the DCs so we could all go out for a meal together, so there was much frantic cleaning Thursday daytime (more for MIL's benefit to be honest). DCs had their haircut on Friday afternoon so DD will look gorgeous for school tomorrow (arghh! is it really tomorrow??!?). DH and I had another falling out on Saturday but the good news is that DH has phoned Relate today to organize the counselling. More cleaning today after DH's DIY activities on Sunday, as DH's friend is staying tonight again (on his way back from Jersey). Don't feel like a hotel at all . DH's friend has even had nerve to ask DH for free legal advice!!

Does anyone have a good recipe for houmous? DH loves it but hasn't had it for ages as he is on a low salt diet for his blood pressure. Or would it just be yucky if you didn't put salt in it?

OK LadyT, I think we have a plan, I will pamper myself for one day and help you for one day. I am so pleased you will allow me to come. Which day is better for you: Tuesday or Wednesday? Basically I can leave my house at 9am. I live right by the M4 so I I guess it will take me about 90 mins (although I need to verify where exactly you live!). I love childfree car journeys so I will enjoy listening to Radio 4 and not being shouted at. I should arrive at the cottage by 10.30ish. We can paint and clean and gossip and I will head off at 4.30ish so that I am home for my girls at 6ish. Does that sound like it would fit with your plans and be helpful?

Nolda. I'm so pleased your husband is signed up to the Relate idea. Here is my hummous recipe. I am not sure its an amazing one but it does the job. It does have salt in so you will have to experiment without the salt:

1 x tin of chickpeas.
1/2 tsp sea salt (NOT regular salt)
2 garlic cloves, chopped
1 tbsp tahini
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
several big glugs (thats the technical measurement) of extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp cayenne pepper, more to taste
a few grinds of black pepper

Blitz in a food processor. Serve with seasoning and a further glug of oil on top.

Right, on the train to tiresome house meeting. I feel a bit better though You ladies have helped me so much - truly. My stupid head's been like a pressure cooker. This morning, after aforementioned head in hands, I made a list of 27 friends to send a chatty email to, along the lines of I haven't seen you for ages and even if I can't at the moment I wish I could. I have only sent seven so far but the responses to those have been warm and even enthusiastic. It's really nice.

Avo, you are so kind. Wednesday would be fab. Can't tell you how grateful I am. And the nice company will be such a tonic. Tell us about the spiffy house, though. Any room for negotiation on the price?

Rubes, I am sorry for your bad night. There must be something in the air. Also, it's lovely of you to even think of me but you have WAY too much on your plate, just concentrate on getting through the days. When this craziness is over for me, come over or I will get DP to drop me over for a visit. Sounds like you and your DH have a stack on at the moment. Come on, I am still waiting to hear of the treats you have arranged for yourself.

Don't worry Veg, I have been avoiding fumes and have only used water based paints, even the gloss. It makes for crap gloss but there we go. My radiators are as yet unpainted as radiator paint is fierce and DP is too busy on other stuff.

Nolda, I'm v bucked to hear your DH is up for the counselling. Super news. How are the ADs going?

Beans, tell me all about the coil. I am too scared to have one despite my consultant telling me it's the best option for me. I am also scared by the fact that our Sybs got pregnant on it I need something foolproof as DP is still on about a third DC

Kiwi, I know it must feel dreadful but your DD may well settle soon. Try not to fret. I bet she is fine when you've gone. Can the staff reassure you more?

DB, how is your DD enjoying school now?

Effie, that is corking of you about the hat. How kind! Garden - yes, it's quite big and v overgrown...next year's proj....

MIL is full of mad remarks I have to say, it is affecting me far less as have had these other things on my mind. It's gonna be a long week though Thank you for being so nice to me. I will shut up now and enjoy my iPod as nearly at Padders.

Blardy he'll, I just realised I still haven't sent babyPubes & lighteningbaby their presents yet, sorry I'm so crap.

Lady I'm so pleased you've accepted Avo's offer, it feels like we are all helping somehow, thought clearly were not. I want to send some cheerfulness to help the painting run smoothly but don't think it would get to you in time, is it this Wednesday?

Nolda that is brilliant news about the relate counselling. Also cheeky about the legal advice. People expect DH to sort their computers out all the time, in some cases he has saved people 100's of £'s buy usually doesn't get more than a thank you. In one case the friend he did it for was a builder, yet whine DH asked him for some plastering Hebraic bo!

Dammit hell not he'll & we're not were!!!

Fecking itouch that last part of the last sentence has just come out bizarre!!! It should read yet when DH asked him for some help with a small bit of plastering he said no!

Oh Vaggie, you do make me laugh! Hebraic bo is pure genius! God bless the itouch and its quirky ways.

I have survived my marathon work session and am off til Wed. Am actually going to sneak out Wed am from office to give blood as the blood people keep calling me as well as writing to me. Oops. I am A- which is rare enough to need donors but not so rare that hardly any blood is needed. I reckon an armful of mine isn't too much to ask.

Right, am off to start the sypper then I'll be back for a proper read.

Sybs I actually giggled for ages after that one, it sounds like some Yiddish rapper.

Hello lovely ladies,

I am late to say anything but Ladyt sorry about your downness and glad you are feeling a bit better. You really do have a lot on your plate to worry/fret over at the moment by the sounds of it, so really try and go easy on yourself. You have been such a support to lots of us on here and always so thoughtful with responding to everyone, those friends of your late DH's who are not around any more are seriously missing out your friendship I reckon. Not sure who suggested the e-mailing lots of people who you haven't seen in a while, but that is such a good idea!!

rubes sorry too that you are missing your family. Must be hard having your family on the other side of the world. My DD also doesn't really like being put down, I do usually manage to get her to sleep some of the night in the moses basket but she is often in our bed. We also had a nightmare night last night, she has a cold so keeps waking up even though not really hungry. And in addition one of her two hour screaming/wakeful sessions, so i got a few broken hrs sleep only. Which was nice considering today was my first day on my own with the two of them. Fortunately it was not too bad, we went to a new toddler group (I don't know any of the toddler groups in thea rea as have not been to any since we moved) which was great, very friendly. Was associated with a church though so there was a bible story at the end, which I think went over the heads of the 0-3 year olds the group was for .

This afternoon DS and I made brownies, which made an infernal mess. Tasty though!
DD also did a lot of screaming throughout the day as I would be doing something with DS and couldn't easily just stop and see to her. Please tell me this is normal with 2?!

beans also tell me about the coil, I think I may get one too when I have the contraception talk at 6 week check. Well obviously not there and then but you know what I mean!! I am actually feeling a bit frisky of late but have not done the deed yet (TMI sorry)

avo and ladyt how great that Avo will be helping you out next week, hope you get to have a right good gossip too!! I would love to come and help out but I fear we would hinder rather than help!

nolda great news about the counselling.

avo tell us more about the house!

spot any update on the flat, when is your DP going to see it?

veggie I love your typos. This is why I hardly ever post from my iphone, also it takes me ages. Did you decide whether to get an iphone in the end?

kiwi apparently this age is a time for DC's to get funny about going to nursery anyway, so may not solely be due to the change in nursery. DS cried for one of the first times ever (think he may have done once before and then turned out to be coming down with something) the other day when DH dropped him off, and our friends were saying the same of their DS even though he hasn't moved nursery or anything. He's alright once we've left though apparently. I won't drop him off often now so I won't have to see it. Sorry the most of the mums were horrid.

Anyway I am tired so going to post this now watch a bit of crap telly and then go to bed!

Light may I have that brownies recipe, & is the right size baking tin important. I've had some slight disasters with brownies and not sure if it's the baking dish I'm using.

Also poor DS2 screamed a lot I picked him up as much as I could but not as much as I would have liked. Mostly when I was cooking dinner for DS1. DS1 learnt to put DS2's dummy in for him while he was laying under the playgym. Eventually I learnt to make a sling that I could wear DS2 on my back so I could safely cook and hold him.

Rubs both boys liked being held a lot. I pretty much wore them as much as I could (see above). It was a little easier for me though as DS1 was older so I could wear DS2 without DS1 getting jealous, & also hecwas in nursery three morning a eel.

Crap bloody dumb stupid DAMMIT ITOUCH!

Oh & lightening I've decided to go with the iPhone, but we are seeing what goes on with this house buying thing as I don't want to get a long contract and then we don't buy & stay (though I'm pretty sure we will).

Veggie, I usually make Nigel Slaters choc brownies, but they are a bit fiddly and not easy to do with DS, so I tried another recipe from someone on here. They are here and they were really nice but they don't specify the size of baking tray and I used two small baking trays and I think the combination of them was too big as they are quite shallow, but still quite squidgy and tasty.
Sorry that is not much help is it? But if you do the Nigel slater one and use the size that it recommends then they work for me www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2004/jun/13/foodanddrink.shopping2 and are yummy.

Also I think Avo recommended the nigella recipe.

I like the sound of the Tana Ramsey one too.

I got the mumsnet recipe by reading this thread on here. That should have links to the nigella and tana recipes too.

Vag - Yeah I've been wearing dd loads in the Bjorn. She really likes it. The Baba Sling got returned as she hated it and I found it too difficult. Plus she likes to be upright with the wind.

Ds doesn't really get jealous if I'm wearing her. He only gets jealous if I'm talking to another adult (so far)

Hi Summer hope your dd feels better soon and the cold goes away. I started off with dd in the moses basket most nights, but with all that drama I was having with the feeding, she almost always ended up in our bed still in the P&T cocoon, but then sometimes wanted to be right next to me so had to come out of that. Since the Comfort formula at night started, she's been back in the moses basket, so hoping that continues. No deed done here either - while my boobs have been a (albeit crap) dairy, it's really off putting for me!

Today was hideous with the expressed breast milk. Her poo also turned really green and HV says it's sometimes / usually a sign of wind? She just says it's odd that she is really windy on the BM and not on the formula. However, I don't think it's weird at all as she's on the actual Colic friendly formula to help with the wind!!

Lady I wish the timing was different and I could help you too! Maybe I could bring lunch or cheerfulness! I still owe you lunch too don't forget! Which day is it?

DS has started not eating his dinner unless he is allowed to feed himself - trouble is he's not the best at that yet and gets about 2 mouthfuls in before he throws a strop that i'm loading the spoon for him! He got so upset with me today and pushed his bowl away and said "NO" when I tried to help him, and that was it for dinner Guess he'll let me help him when he's really hungry! I'm running out of fork loading friendly meal idea's but I do want him to practise!

Rubes, quiche cut into little cubes is a good fork-ing meal ( see what I did there). I make quiche either with our without a base and then cut into bite size squares that DS2 picks up easily with his fork. I'll try to think of others. Oh also I have a large plate for DS2 so he can scoop things up easily with his spoon but if any drops it just falls back onto his plate. I'm sure we have other easy fork meals just can't think of them at the moment will try to remember.

Rubes: how is he on finger foods? I confess to not feeding DS2 for ages, neither of mine took kindly to spoon feeding. It does mean more food on the table/chair/floor than in DS2 sometimes!

I do give him food, obviously. I just don't spoon feed him!

(whispers) fish fingers...

Hebraic bo was funny, the Vagmeister. As was Syb chortling at it and then saying she was off to cook her sypper. It was all like a Two Ronnies sketch. Sybs, you are a v good girl with the blood donation. DP also has a moderately uncommon blood group and is also diligent about donating.
Me, I'm bog standard O+.

I did struggle to accept Avo's wonderful offer of help next Wed because being the helpee rather than the helper makes my head swim a bit. But like I said - it would have been churlish to refuse such kindness.

Y
ou
are feeling frisky, SL? I am seriously impressed with that. Sorry your DD had a cold, it's hard when they are that tiny. Woo hoo! Any other coil users prepared to talk me round? It's that or the Pill which I don't fancy overmuch. DH's friends - well, plenty have been wonderful but three betrayed me horribly, which sounds v melodramatic but it still really hurts, you see, and a couple of things recently have brought it back. That and really just having a huge and general wobble about almost everything. I do feel better tonight, though, than I have for days so I am hoping it's on the wane.

Nolda, can you use lo-salt? I have used it in the past. It's actually ok.

Rubes, I didn't get on with the baba sling either. Are you on the 48 hour experiment with the expressed bm? When is your shoulder appt? The rips or tears or whatever they are have been far easier to bear whilst I've felt all despairing gloom is evidently a marvellous analgesic. Is your DS still down on singing? .

Right, am going as am squinting at phone on return train and feel like I have hogged the thread enough already.

I know I said I was going but must clarify I meant woo hoo at the friskiness of SL and not her DD's cold. I can't think of good forkin' food, Rubes. New potatoes? Carrots? Cubes of cheese? Mmmm, getting all hungry now.