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

Yeah it's great we had to do this latest set at snappy snaps which is fine for DS1 but they still managed to make him look like a child criminal!

Where is Lady tonight, maybe her MIL has finally pushed her over the edge and she's taken to her with the radiator paint?!

Boing! Boing! These are the headlines from Pandanews

Boing! BabyPanda much happier at nursery drop off today, mother said to be pleased

Boing! Kiwipanda going to New York tomorrow, hasn't started packing yet and has truly vile cold to take with her

Boing! Kiwipanda feeling a bit teary about leaving babyPanda for a whole week

And those are the headlines, good night

Boing! News from Venice! There are too many hucking bridges and the only people who have offered to help are Norwegian tourists, but it's very pretty and you can walk around the whole place from canal bank to canal bank without realising you'vo crossede a whole city. Off for belated anniversary dinner now, am hoping the bridges are easier without buggy...! DHs singing sounding fab, am v proud (and v jealous )

Was very jealous of Venice as I lurve it there but just realised it would be a bit difficult with buggy. You could always take them across to the Lido it has a big beach.

Kiwi at first I thought you were bouncing but then realised it was like big Ben 'BONGGGG'. I'm glad kiwigirl is happier at nursery but I can understand how sad you are about leaving her. I'd love to go to NY for a week but I would miss the boys so much.

I have just lost an entire (longish) post. And now DP wants to get an early night (half ten counts as an early night in these parts ) I am in good shape but have been working at the house for ten hours today and MIL is on the sofa next to me. So, erm, more tomorrow morn. Big love to you all.

Gah! Still not had time to properly post. Kiwi have a fabbo time. Vvvvvv jealous. As you all know NY is my city.

Boys continued on their path of destruction for the rest of the day only at my mums. DS2 tried to climb onto the mantelpiece n

Double I beg of you !

I must di better and post properly tom.

Mwah mwah to you all.

Ruddy iPhone fat fingers

early night here toooooo 11
kiwi!! dd will be fiiiiiiiiine
Lady - mil asleep? or just sitting next to you on couch?
jam sorry one handed post (needy dd )

JJ how long are you in Venice? Have fab restaurant recommendation (food generally being v poor for Italy) if you still have time

Distracting myself w mn in taxi to airport. DD knew something up and very upset when I started taking suitcase down etc. I will not howl in back of cab. I will not will not.

Hi all, quickie from me, Kiwi have a fab time in NY, so glad DD has settled more so you can at least not to have that hanging over you when you're away. Of course you'll miss her loads but I hope you have a fabulous time (and that DH appreciates you even more on your return!).

LT, blimey that's a long time to be working, i hope you're feeling a bit happier though, and so glad you'll have Avo for company next week. How's the MIL been doing?

THink T has been having nightmares, he wakes up in the night screaming and won't settle for hours, doesn't seem to be teeth anymore as he doesn't respond to drugs/gel/milk. I think he is generally more unsettled and upset during the day, not sure if due to our time at my mum's, DP being away or being very tired which is just exacerbating itself. Anyway, food is still a problem - he ate chicken nuggets and chips last night, and I was delighted. That's not something I ever thought I would say! Think it is about control though and he's much happier with finger foods. Need to work out how to get something down him that's healthier than chicken nuggets.

So we decided not to go for the flat, realised we'd probably lose money as we wouldln't stay there long term and there was no way to add value . So now thinking of renting in the village we saw the other house in. The house would have an extra bedroom and would be 300 less a month, so theoretically we could be there for a year and save some cash and then hopefully in the meantime something would come up in an area we like and we could buy something that ticks all the boxes.
Ooh, the DM article that mentions by book is out today!

Spot: DS2 is up screaming at night too. Proper hysterical abdabs. He appears to want his breakfast which is unlikely to happen at 3am . maybe a growth spurt? Am going to try filling him up at bedtime, but it isn't as if he's starving himself during the day. A full bowl of cereal, slice of toast and glass of milk for breakfast.

Oh and I am no longer Daddy (for the other Mummy refuseniks out there). I am Nanny. Not sure if he thinks I'm my MIL or on the payroll.

Kiwi: have a fab time in NY :)

Oh how exciting Spot is it available online? I'm constantly on the lookout for friends who are trying to concieve to recommend the book.

They just had an bit on BBC news about thr teeny church that wants to burn copies of the Koran. It's an terrible thing to do, but worse still is the reporting of their plans. If no one had picked up on it they would have just been a bunch of loonies burning books.

We were supposed to be looking at houses today but it's been cancelled by the agent.

Here tis www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-1309967/This-couple-spent-60-000-IVF-family-Devotion-friends-said-unhealthy-obsession.html?ito=feeds-newsxml

Kiwi can't comment on your trip as it makes me a bit teary.

Spot sorry about the flat but it sounds like a good plan.

DS2 said his first, kind of, sentence today. He finished brushing his teeth today with his brother & DH. As he was handing his tooth brush back he said 'done, daddy, look..." and showed his teeth. He has being saying "mama, look..." and pointing at stuff a lot for the last week. That was an increase from just mama...& pointing, and also when he wanted to show us something he just adressed us both as mama. So it us quite nice that he has started referring to daddy & trying to put a sentence together. He is quite pleased with himself.

that's brilliant speech Vagerola. What a clever little babyvag2.
ds still won't speak, but he did help me feed dd yesterday (held her bottle for a little while until I saw he was pushing it so hard into her face she could hardly breathe!)
Then later she was crying and he ran over and her muslin was covering her ace (just a little bit) and he pulled it off and shot me a dirty look like I was very neglectful!)

Have a fab time Kiwi - I could go on and on about NY!

Spot sorry about the nightmares - I think ds has had a few of those but he seems to settle ok after. Maybe he would benefit from some Calpol night or something to take the edge off the teeth and help him sleep?

Lady - just looked at your photos - gorgeous. I have to know where to get one of those little red coats for dd!!!?

I'm on the lo carb from today I've decided.... scales going in wrong direction this morning

that was meant to say 'covering her face' (I didn't think it was ace)

although it was ace that he was watching out for her

Kiwi - you'll be fine - and just imagine how excited she'll be to see you when you get back! Although if she's anything like DD1, she might just wave and say hi, as if you'd just popped out for 10 mins!!! Do cry if you want to - find it helps!

All well here. Just got to Sainsburys, did all my shopping, got to check out and had left my wallet at home. What a total tit. GRRRR. I had gone to the big one, too, so was a drive away. Honestly.

But also went to Fara charity shop and gave them a baby bouquet we'd been sent when DD2 was born. You know the beautiful ones with rolled up clothes to look like flowers? We just didn't need it, so thought someone else should have it.

They also have loads of wellies in there, so went and got DD1's feet measured and we're heading back to Fara tomorrow to see if they have any in her size. BRILLIANT!

DD1 back on medicine as her poos are getting hard again today. Nuts!

God, sorry, total me post there. Mortified. But did want to say, Vag - v impressed with sentence from DS2. DD1 said "Kick the ball" the other day. Hurray! But that's literally it on sentence front. Just lots of random words usually. She tells me long, complicated jokes in the car, then laughs uproariously. I have no idea what she was saying, but always laugh too as it's hilarious!

Ive done that Beans - but mostly online shop now - can't handle the faffing. Sentences from yours as well Beans? [worried]

We officially need a bigger house with a playroom.... it's toytastic in here. I can hardly see the floor and it's doing my head in. Right I am only going to tidy up ONCE a day when ds goes to bed

OMG I meant to say Vaggie - what was that wine??? I got some BB Dry Muscat I think? Delightful!!! DH said I should have got more!! Thanks - (I will)

Veggie Your DS2 is such a clever boy. Ed is still nowhere near stringing words together. He does a good fire engine impression though.

Spot Sorry about the flat but your plan sounds v sensible.

Beans How annoying about the wallet, so easily done.

Deirdre Glad to hear DD is still enjoying school. Very funny about her wriggly bottom .

Kiwi Hope you have a good trip and that your cold gets better.

JJ Good to hear from you in Venice. Hope you had a lovely anniversary dinner.

DD enjoyed her first day at school and was put out that it was only 'a short time'! I'm seeing MIL for tea tomorrow afternoon so will be able to get the photos off MIL's camera then and will put them onto FB either Thurs eve or Fri am, hopefully. We've had our Olympus digital camera for 6 years now and it has been great but the battery charger is rubbish. I have ordered what will be our 4th charger now off the internet but it still hasn't arrived, hence the loaner camera.

I am ashamed to confess that DD will be going to the dentist for the first time this pm. We've had to give up on getting her name onto the NHS dentist's list and send her privately. She doesn't want to go at all so I hope she is going to cooperate .

Right, I have but a few mins to myself before I am being collected for the next massive house sesh. So annoying to lose that post last night. And yeah, Rubes, MIL was just sitting on the other end of the sofa but was engrossed in her sudoku. Being with her from first thing in the morn until last thing at night is doing my swede in, of which more later...

Jam, that sounds like a pretty hardcore day yesterday - hope today is better!

KP - hope I haven't missed you! I know you will miss DD horribly (I am already fretting about when I am in hospital and won't see DD from the Tuesday until the Friday evening as she is going to the babysitter) but it's a gorgeous time of year to be in NY and I hope you manage to have a bit of fun too. 'Twill flash by!

Avo, I was going to provide you with a low-carb picnic, seems like the least I can do! If you felt you could do the radiatiors, that would be fab. My sister did some and some radiators are new so I think there are only three to do. If you're sure!

Rubes, painting day is Weds but I won't hear of you exerting yourself, you have too much on. I would so love to see you before I have DD2, though, and if DP is in Reading in the next couple of weeks and you felt you could face coming in, perhaps we can work something out. And thank you for the kind offer of the vests, etc, which I would love, assuming DD2 doesn't turn out to be a total biffer and therefore too big for them I haven't looked at those FB pics of DD for yonks but the little red coat was from Baby Zara in 2008 - maybe there's one on Ebay?

Sybs, I must apologise for tarnishing your good name by telling everyone you got pregnant on the coil when you didn't! I got muddled, obv. I am semi-persuaded by what you say but still feeling a bit of a scaredy cat about it...

Nolda, hope your DD's first day panned out ok. And extremely glad to hear that the ADs may be helping you a bit.

Sorry about the flat, Spot. Finding a house is a lot like finding a bloke - you have to kiss a lot of frogs, keep thinking you've found the right one when you haven't, etc. Don't give up hope. And congrats on the mention in the Daily Evil! That's so brill as it has such a wide reach.

Bless your little DS2, Veg. And "kick the ball" - what a boy!

Beans, that is a bugger about the purse. I love wellies on tots. Urbane's DD had some super cute yellow ones on at the meet up.

As to MIL, I must be more generous about her. Ok, she is nosey and a bit critical, but I genuinely think she cares and means well. But she puts the worst possible complexion on everything and it is horribly wearing. Almost everything she says makes me want to snarl and I have to respond with a patient smile. For instance, she will say "Oooh, it is such a shame your novel wasn't sold. It's an awful pity you wasted all that time, I am so disappointed for you." I see that she is trying to be nice. But actually it's one of the few achievements in my life of which I am rightfully proud, and it may yet be sold anyway. Or: "You do realise you won't be able to go gallivanting off to London when you have two children, don't you, so best to prepare yourself" or telling me that DD has a lisp (she hasn't, but even if she had, no reason to say it in the sort of tone one would use if she had Bubonic Plague ) Also, she speaks in baby talk. Feeties, socklets, trousies, cheekies... But not just about DD, but about HERSELF. Am I precious to find it unbearable? Probably I am. We all do it a bit, I am sure. But having to hear a 70something wittering about finding her sockie socklets early in the morning is a cruel and unusual punishment. When we were at the house yesterday, she started telling me some family history, predominantly about her parents. Not only did it take two hours - TWO HOURS! - but it was a lurid, Monty Pythonesque tale which made Angela's Ashes look like The Swiss Family Robinson: toddlers being burned to death in housefires due to the negligence of the 4 yr old minding them; child beatings and subsequent disfigurement; being snuffed out overnight in 'flu epidemics; suffering at the hands of various employers; having to escape from evil guardians and walking hundreds of miles...I could go on. All this in a quavery Peter Cook voice. I sent her and DD home at 2.50 yesterday, I couldn't take any more and DD needed a nap. So I was bloody annoyed when DP got home after 5 and DD had not been put in her cot. When I phoned at 6.45 she was still asleep, of course, so then she had to be woken up for supper. If I hadn't called, heaven knows what time MIL would have let her sleep until. And of course we have got "Eat up! Iggle Piggle eats his breakfast, he is a GOOD BOY!" Sorry for the big rant and rave, after I said I was going to be generous! Right, must dry my locks, she'll be here to pick me up in a mo...