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

Enjoy your trip Kiwi!

Oh dear LadyT. Deep breaths. I think I would be uncontrollably violent to any adult who talked about their sockie socklets. I really would. Is she at least getting a lot done on the house?

Nolda, I am so pleased your ADs are beginning to kick in. I'm also interested that your DD hates the idea of the dentist. DD1 is going for the first time next week and when I told her she threw and ALMIGHTY tantrum. She literally screamed "I DON'T WANT TO GO" over and over for 30 minutes. I have no idea why she is afraid as she has never had a negative experience and I have never spoken negatively about dentists. I doubt I will even get her in the building.

Go baby Veg on the talking. I am really enjoying this language explosion stage. DD2's best sentance is "Want lucky song Mummy". She says this several times a day. Mortifyingly it translates as "Please can you put 'I Should Be So Lucky' on the CD Player" ? To be clear it is DH that has the "Ultimate Kylie" CD, not me!

Spot, it sounds sensible not to get that flat. By renting in a vilalge you can get a good idea whether you want a longer term residence there.

Can I have a rant? I promise that just because I have told you all about my phobia I won't become a bore, so just this one story. On Sunday we went to visit some friends. The DCs played with their DCs and we all hung out and ate. Yesterday the wife texted me saying "We have all come down with a terrible stomach bug. The worst. I cuddled your DD2 a lot on Sunday and the kids shared a bowl of crips so no doubt you are all next. Sorry!". Now, am I being irrational, or is that a horrible text to send someone? What can I do now other than sit and fret and fret? Its not like by warning me she has given me a chance to take avoiding action. She has just given me time to panic. We are meant to be going to Devon for a wedding this weekend and now I really don't want to go. In fact I am finding it pretty hard sitting in work. I just don't understand why you would send such a text to anyone, phobic or not.

OH dear Lady, you have some real patients there! Not long now, you'll be in the new house, and you can lock the door! Did you tell her to give dd a nap when she got home and she just ignored you?? I'd be livid.
I think I found the coat - new! Yay it's so sweet. Where is there a baby Zara? I know they are in the bigger one's but must be Oxford St right?
Yes I'm pretty freed up until this shoulder malarky starts. I'm having the xray done today and then it will be about a week until the results are in but my GP has said that I can get it done on NHS at a private hospital near me, and the waiting list is only days not months (bit of a loophole they found) so I'll be doing that I hope. Will try and get the Xray on cd today so dh can check it out and asses the damage.
Anyway, I'll come in one time and get mil to have ds again. I really don't mind driving out to you though - seriously.

Avo - agree tith you totally - phobia or not that's a bit much!!

Can I just say today has gone like clockwork.... Those of you that said things would settle down when overnight guests had left - you might have been on to something there... We are finally finding routine, and dd is really settled, as is ds. He's been helping me unload the dishwasher, put clothes in the dryer, feed dd and has now gone off for a nap. He's back to waking at 7 thank God, and this morning I put him on our bed with Cbeebies on and I must have fallen asleep again and then I woke at 8 and he was happily watching telly, and dd asleep in the moses basket still. Of course it could all go tits skyward tomorrow, but I'm enjoying while it lasts!

That is so brilliant that you are getting into a routine already, Rubes. [Shock] good for you! So glad you've found the coat or something similar - not sure where Baby Zara is as coat was a gift but if you find it let me know! I also find Baby H&M and Asda brill for kids' clothes, though I only get to Asda when I'm at Mum's as I think they are a Midlands and North thing. Yes, MIL ignored me about the nap as she has done before. I know it's because she cannot bear to have DD out of her sight but it's selfish. She's already telling her "Nanna's going to cry and cry when she leaves you on Friday." Yeah, and 'Lady' is going to dance with glee.

She isn't getting a lot done, Avo, no. But she is in her 70s and I am grateful for any help. Even half an hour saves us half an hour! Listen, PLEASE don't fret about that rather thoughtless text. I am sure she thought she was doing you a favour with the warning but as any microbiologist will tell you, it is by no means certain that any of you will get it and incidentally, if you were you'd probably have had symptoms by now. Dismiss it.

Rubes - would recommend Asda wholly with Lady - there is a massive one at Clapham Junction, and I think there is one on the A3 as well - although there is definitely a Tesco there with clothes. And theirs are great too. As are Sainsburys. Loving supermarkets for cheapo kit. THere's a baby Zara on Kings Road as well.

Lady - she sounds hellish. I don't know how you put up with her! And the non-napping. Oh my god, I would go spare! I give my MIL a routine typed up when DD1 goes to her! And I will with DD2 as well! We're off to a wedding in Nottingham in a couple of weeks and they are coming up to stay in the cottage we've rented to babysit. I know she's happier having a routine to follow as makes her life easier!

Avo - it's a bit of a thoughtless text. Probably meant to be sent in a nice warning spirit, but she should have thought it through before sending it as not good for your state of mind! Does she know you're phobic about sick?

I have just ironed 7 shirts and it took me nearly an hour.

I am tired! Got to cook a dinner party for 8 tomorrow - eeek!

There is a Baby Zara in Westfield. And lots of other good baby clothes shops.

Ooh, I'll go there next month when DD1 at nursery! EEK!

ladyt I felt drained reading about your MIL, still Friday is only 2 sleeps away - you can do it!

veggie What a clever DS2 you have, my DS growled at National Geographic yesterday when he sawa cheetah, thats about the extentof his vocab

Kiwi Enjoy NY, I know you will miss DD but yo'll be home before you know it...oh I love NY!!

Avo it was a bit thoughtless of her to send that text & I'd be a bit but I imagine you would have been struck down by now, so fingers crossed it has passed youall by.

Rubes great news on the routine. Oh and my house is 'Toys R Us'. Toys get tidied away before bath (once a day), so when they come back down for a drink/supper, they can sit nice and read a book...well thats the idea. I usuallyspend most of my day tripping over some bit of plastic tat!

spot Shame about the flatbutyour plan makes good sense.

I'm off out for dinner with the girls tonight and then drinks on friday with some other friends. Check me out 2 nights out in one week, I hate to say it but that looks like a social life to me!!

Argghhh...I want a space bar that works without me having to thump the bleedin' laptop!!!!!

LadyT OMG on the MIL! She sounds horrendous. Well done you for not lamping her.

Avocadoes I wish I could tell you that all was a breeze at the dentist, I really do, but I'm afraid I had to carry her bodily into the dentist's room. No way was she going anywhere near the dentist's chair but she did eventually relent and let the dentist look at her teeth whilst sitting in my lap in an ordinary chair. After that she relaxed a bit and even sat in the dentist's chair and he made it go up and down but she wouldn't let him recline it. Not one of my top 10 parenting experiences. Like you, I have no idea why she was so afraid. Anyway it's over now and she has her Princess and the Frog figure set from Tesco. In March, DS is going too, so there'll probably be double screaming, joy!

Sorry about the tummy bug text, it seems very thoughtless to me. I don't think it would take until the weekend for you to fall ill if that is what is going to happen but that probably doesn't help at all.

Rubes Good to hear that you think you've found routine.

Deirdre enjoy your night out.

DD managed to wet her pants at school today and was still wearing them when I picked her up, so I'm not very happy and shall have to have a chat with the teacher in the morning. School uniform is washing as we speak.

I've had quite a full on day today. Feel wiped out. Cooked supper for 3 kids - and did it for 2 yesterday. Only fish fingers, but it's hard work! Thankfully Pru only on boob still!!! Izz's constipation is back and DH had the gumption to imply that it's only him who's concerned about it. Erm, hello?? Who has been taking her to HVs and GPs and everything for the last year??? I am doing everything right, it's just she's prone to it! Now back on the medicine, which hopefully will ease it.

Pru now tucked up in bed, Izz just pottering with her toys. I do a quick rough tidy up at lunchtime, or I get frustrated. Then the big one while Izz watches ITNG, but she tends to wander round and get things out while she's at it. Which is ok. She's such a honey at the moment. I just want to hug her all the time. Luckily she likes it!!!

DH home soon, I hope. He'll probably be peeved I've done bath myself. But it's just so much easier to get them both done at once as Pru can't last much longer than 6.15, so do them both at 5.45.

Nolda - that visit sounds like hell! When do you have to take them?

Evening ladies have been lurking during the day but never able to post in thr afternoon due to various shenanigans. DS1 had a birthday party to go to afterschool plus his violin lesson and I had the whole thing planned out to the millisecond to ensure he got to the birthday & to his lesson. Unfortunately somewhere along the way I had changed his lesson time in my head from 2.45 to 3.45. His teacher rang at 3 to find out where we were. Thankfully she has a slot at 4.30 so I picked him up & took him to that. Unfortunately though her previous lesson was running overtime. Anyway it's all sorted now he loved his lesson and he starts in a group class every second Friday from this week, as well as his weekly lesson.. It's going to be a rush again as he has his birthday party for his Dutch friends from 2-4pm then the lesson at 4.45.

How's this for a mean mother. The little girl who had her lesson before DS1, was getting her hired violin this week. The teacher gave her a choice of a blue or a green case & she chose green. Her mother said blue was a boys colour and wanted her to get the green one. But the little girl wanted the blue one. Finally the mother just ignored her & took the green one. How mean is that!

Sorry had to post as itouch is weird & I can't see the 2nd half of the message so am typing blind. Anyway Avo I think it was fair enough to tell you but the detail was a little unnecessary any signs of sickness yet? If not you may have missed it.

Lady your MIL must be stewing that she is not getting a rise from you. What a complete B with an itch! You are truely amazing to find the emotional energy to ignore her. What does DP say? Also I sympathise with her 'helping' with feeding DD, I swear DS1 goes backwards feeding wise whenever my mum visits. She literally stands over him.

Beans 'kick the ball' is amazing! Rubs this stage is a novelty for me as DS1 didn't say much until he was over 2, and he kind of just started speaking in normal sentences not this trying it out type speaking that DS2 is doing.

DB & Nolda I'll have to tetras you post as can't remember what I was going to say.

Where is Trace?

Nolda well done to DD for being so brave! But big frown at her teacher for not changing her, poor little pet.

Rubs, remember I was going a bit mental about your DB visiting just after DD birth. I really think having your home and time completely to yourself helps both of you to adjust to each other and get to know each other (I guess that's bonding isn't it). It def increases sanity & chances of BF success. Now go easy on yourself & enjoy her (whilst still maintaining constant contact with us here)

Right I have to go make a pirate cake!

Sorry to hijack but too long too text but LadyT - right I was just chatting to dh and he has the whole of next week off and we have no plans (except Monday) and would be more than willing to come and help out at the house. He actually suggested it when I merely mentioned that I wanted to go and help, and he said you shouldn't be doing that sort of work so late in your pregnancy. He get's a real kick out of diy and it's almost therapeutic for him so don't feel like it's hassle. There are a couple of options as we have some friends near you which we need to visit and we might go off for the night to see them and come back the next day or he said we could even come and go for a couple of days as it's only an hour or so to you.
We could check with mil and see what days would suit her to have ds and see if it would work for you if you like? Let me know, and as I say HE suggested it and said he has every power tool known to man, so he will do whatever he also paints at the speed of light and we could piss off to the pub so can I check with mil and see which days she wants ds? She would love to have ds too so it's win win all round!
Right - let me know what you think Lady -
must cook dinner and will catch up later...

Pirate cake? Vag your talents are endless. Can we have some pix of the finished result?
So cute about your DS1 and his violin lesson, I love little kids playing instruments (apart from the recorder, which is the work of the devil). at the mean mummy, that's really sad.

Lady you are incredibly generous for not having risen to the bait with your MIL, I would have spontaneously combusted by now.

Check you out, DB, you dirty stopout!

Nolda, your poor DD has had a bit of a time of it today, I hope you both had a nice evening without horrible institutions like the dentist and doctor getting in the way!

Well, you now know never to trust a word I say again as we have decided not to do the rental thing after all but stay put as the hassle of moving into somewhere we'd only have to move out of again before DS2's arrival just felt a bit much. So the search continues but don't worry I will try not to bore you with excessive detail!

Take Pubes up on in Lady, that's a great idea!

rubes, you and your DH are too too kind. I am quite overwhelmed by your offer actually and feel lost for words! I would feel bad if it was more than a day but of course, check with your MIL. Thurs or Fri best for me but obviously would fit in with you guys. Thank you thank you thank you. Frankly it would a)
be fab to see you and b) really great to have your DH's expert eye as well as his hands. DP doesn't know what he is working yet so it may just be me. I feel like I have moaned so much about this renovation I apologise unreservedly. DP is similarly bowled over. We are still at the house so must sign off for now.

As to MIL, believe me when I say she means no harm. She just has not one scintilla of self awareness, that's all. Not even an atom.

hi ladies
veggie I'm here! Been trying to keep up with reading but not really feeling like posting. Sorry to be selfish.
Just wanted to say kiwi I hope you enjoy your time away. I know you'll think about dd lots but you'll love her all the more when you get back. She'll be just fine I'm sure.
And lady I wish I could scoot down the country and join the merry gang of helpers. Well done on surviving the MIL so far - she sounds so trying.
nolda glad to hear you sounding a bit brighter
and veggie I'm and amused that you can't remember when you got married!

just a quick wave from New York! It's hot. I have packed for autumn, and it's clearly still summer. Oops.

Hi Lady - you're more than welcome. We know exactly what it's like without being 3 weeks from a baby arriving!! Right I will check which day mil can mind ds if any, and go from there. Will work towards Thurs or Fri, or both, depending on mil's situation etc and all that. What do you think dh could best help with? Then he could sort out if he needs to bring tools etc... I'll get back to you after I speak to mil about her work next week and when she's available. Even if it's just the one day - we can get up there quite early if that suits, and if I just bring dd that should be OK as she mainly sleeps!

Sorry still haven't caught up with the thread but will soon!

Spot it's a pirate ship cake tin that I bought for his birthday cake last year. It was £24.95 so both boys will be having birthday cakes for every birthday until they're 21. I have already made the cake this year for our family birthday dinner for him at the pirata familie restaurant. For that one the detail didn't come out very well and I thought it might be cos I used too much oil to grease the tin & so some of it pooled in the bottom where the detail on the top if thr cake shows. So I didn't grease the tin this time. Turns out the non stick surface is fairly stickable. I had been told by someone on here to grease the tin well. Oh well DH is happy as it means cake for us. I'm meeting a friend for coffee tomorrow so I'll take some to her's. Will have to cook another one tomorrow. Will get some 'bakspray' first.

Rubs that's brill that you & DH are going to Lady's the DIY skilled eye will be a big help alone. I wonder if it will give him the itch to DIY again for you guys?

Go trace bo worries about not posting. Do you still have Wednesdays off?

Still not had a chance to catch up properly but just wanted to say the support on this thread is awesome. I love the way we are there for each other. Big hurrah to you all!

veg yeah still off on Wednesdays. Been a busy one today. CPN came round this morning, then met 2 old pals for lunch, then took P to GP to get her foot checked (skin has gone a bit odd but GP thought nothing to worry about so I felt stupid for taking her) then took P and L to hair dressers. Got a bit of a situation actually... you know I've been going to a psychologist for CBT? Well I'm finding it really hard to find child care because I always book my appointments on my day off, but P can't come, and my BF has just left York so I'm really stuck now. Family aren't nearby so I might not be able to go any more. My CPN this morning really thinks I need to carry on, especially as I've not been too good these last few weeks, so she has suggested I talk to my manager and see if I can attend appointments in work time, so I don't have the child care problem. Not sure what I should do, as I don't really want that conversation with my boss, but I would like to keep up the therapy. It would be an hour appointment (so probable lose 1.5-2 hours work) every 2-3 weeks. Any thoughts anyone?

Veggie: what about greasing and flouring? Grease with s little butter on a butter wrapper, shake in some flour and tap it all around the tin, then shake out any excess flour snd give it a good tap in case any is sticking.

Rubes: that's a great offer, I'm sure your DH will enjoy himself! I hope you and LadyT get to put your feet up, coo over DD and gossip.