June 08 - 118 (and counting) sleeps till Chistmas, but don't tell Deb!

[EddieIzzardismyhero]

Welcome to our new, cosy thread. Log fires, big jumpers and Christmas shopping .

What do you mean it's still August?!

But don't you enjoy getting all shouty and ranty when anything monarchy related is on the telly? When there's political stuff I don't agree with on the tv I love getting all het up and shouting at the telly!

Must go to bed myself actually. Have enjoyed a thoroughly lazy and stress free evening. Apologies to all for monarchy-bashing banter with Knitting

I never apologise for monarchy bashing DG !

So, one step forward, two steps back... While DH managed to settle S last night it did mean that he sneaked into bed with us at about 1am. It's not as stressful as the late nights but not ideal. .

We're weak though - the sight of him padding into our room clutching spare dummies and Peter rabbit always makes me want to scoop him up and give him a big cuddle!

Kitchen - impressed you got the last word in! So much for going to bed!

Just think of it as 1 step forwards, forget the 2 steps back!

Ah - DG that does sound cute. Luke has never got in my bed - I really wanted him to but he only wants to play not sleep! Sounds like things are getting a little better. I also love it when Luke says something new although some of the latest things are not so good 'shut up mummmy', 'I done a stinky' (where have they come from!!!?)

Neenz - lol at Esther! I think if I were to wear tiny knickers it would have the reverse effect on Mark at the moment (if I could find a pair which fit!). I don't really wnt to get Mark going anyway - last thing I can be arsed with!

My sister has just phoned in tears saying she's depressed with the life of a new mum. I reminded her of how I was when I had Luke when I would cry once a day at least and used to refer to him as a parasite . And how I couldn't wait to get back to work again. Poor thing - I had to tell her that 'all the other mums' that she referred to were probaly feeling the same but just didn't admit it!

Amber - I remember feeling like that too. How old your nephew now?

He's 12 weeks now

That was the point at which P got really screamy for about 6 weeks and had to be carried everywhere. Wasn't fun. Your poor sis.

12 weeks is around when J decided he wouldn't breastfeed except when asleep and I ended up at home all day long so I could feed him when he dropped off, and before he was too soundly asleep. He also fed every 45 minutes or so during the night. It lasted for 4 months. Actually looking back I don't know how I coped. Hope she feels better soon Amber

I remember finding those first few months quite stressful too and being desperate to go back to work. One thing that I found difficult was my inability to keep the house looking great while looking after a baby - once I lowered my standards it was much less stressful. Once S got to 6 months it was a lot more fun too. I think at that stage you have to just get through one day at a time and try and make sure you get out every day.

At 12 weeks she could start thinking about taking the baby to different classes - Jo Jingles, baby sensory etc? I'm not convinced the babies get much out of it at that age but it was a life saver for me. I made sure I went to classes in venues that had cafes as the mums were more likely to stay for a coffee etc afterwards.

Of course, it's also worth watching out for any signs of PND though. I don't have any experience, but I guess in a lot of cases women can be written off as just having pretty 'normal' experiences? Not that PND isn't normal, but hopefully you all know what I mean without me causing offence!

Good advice Deb. I'm just relieved that we didn't have another scream-fest.

DG, I had gone to bed - that post was written at 6 this morning! A has taken to getting up at 5.30am . Grim when you're trying to get your head round a new job.

Amber, it might be worth your sis touching base with an HV/GP. She'd be at high risk of PND given her traumatic route to motherhood . We all know it passes, but hard to see that when you're in the midst of it (I didn't feel like that with A but certainly did with M ).

Marking spot - amber sorry to hear re your sis and agree with knitting that gp or hv next step. I would agree with Sybil that about3 months e got painful about feeding. That said I agree that it shouldnt just be dismissed as a it's just life as a new mum(like some of sleep threads here)- your sis is not ok and deserves sympathy and help.

Quick wwyd- just come home and noticed next doors car Parked badly and really close to dh car (am talking 2 inches away). There is a small scrape on dh bumper (car is his pride and he is trying to sell it so it's a pita) . Am pretty sure the car did it but can't be sure (can see
No mark on there bumper and tbh am not so obsessive re car that can be100% sure it wasn't there before). Am best not saying anything am I as not worth upsetting generally lovely neighbours over this(have I done my celeb neighbour from hell story)?

E starts pre school tomorrow- am hoping she takes to it as well as some others on here.

And penguin went with your posh shower gel cream idea- thanks for that.

Also would think it's easy for Pnd to go undiagnosed a be written off sometimes as new mum hormones etc

sleazy - I wouldn't say anything if you can't be sure it wasn't there before and no we haven't heard the celeb neighbour story. Hope pre school goes OK tomorrow.

Stefan starts secondary school tomorrow, I saw the head on Monday and got him into a class with his friends , so he's 100% happy about school now, wish I'd known that a few weeks ago when I had sleepless nights worrying about what we were doing to him!I take him tomorrow, we have to be there for 7.40 am, and from Friday he gets the bus, well buses. He has to change and gets the bus from here at 6.46 amThere are 5 others from his class going by bus though so I'm not too worried!

Good luck to Stefan, Deb. DS1 starts secondary next year and we're dreading it, so I feel your pain . I bet he still seems too little to do all that travel on his own, and so early in the morning, too.

Amber good advice from everyone for your sister, I think. I hope her GP and HV are giving her lots of support as I agree that she's prob higher risk for PND.

H&S fwiw I think you should ignore the car thing. The obvious response from your neighbour would be that it wasn't them. If they did it and were going to admit to it, they'd come round with apologies, offering to pay for the damage.

DO tell us about the nightmare neighbour, though!

Thanks for advice re neighbour- they are generally lovely so it's not that big a deal(dh fine about it) so won't say anything.

Wow Stefan in school- he will love the bus. Dss had train mates and class mates.

Re previous neighbour she is a well known actress with famous spouse. I didn't think much of it when she came round and introduced herself bringing a parcel as she said it in a way that was sort of you must know me. But I assumed that had met her at party when pissed or something .

A while later we had (admittedly rough and not very good) decorators in. They were in house while we were out so didn't know what was going on. Well we had complaint that they had recognized her and her hubby in street and used quite abusive language (per her). This was first I knew of who it was as had no idea. We did apologize profusely etc but not a lot we could do(this bit btw doesn't make her nightmare but more sets tone).

Cut to few months later- she took to Banging on door late at night and dropping notes in complaining our hall light was on ( this would be to come in from work in dark - not all night, was standard hall
Light with window that looks onto their side path and is overlooked by window). We had several more light complaints ( I decided not to take up someones suggestion of investing in night vision goggles to get in the house). All of which we apologised for as were dss when we were out who leaves lights on( I wait with interest for how she deals with this phase on her kids).

More complaints about satellite dish (2 years after it went up), air con (again not visible from her house but ordered fitters to move it without our permission) etc

So was glad to see her move as dreaded
Seeing her . Sadly she is on tv loads (as is her dh) in ads tv stuff etc.

Evening all - can you send some positive vibes our way? DH still upstairs with S, so fingers crossed...

Ooh, H&S - am now trying to work out who your neighbour is. Can we have some clues?

Good luck to Stefan Deb! Getting the bus will be a great adventure for him, but I can appreciate your anxiety.

Was in recent major retro police prog

Ooh, was DH sexy spy once upon a time?

Success! S is asleep . Later than we'd like, but that's two nights in a row. Woo hoo!

Thanks for the messages, Rolf, Stefan is the same age as your ds1, they go 1 year earlier here, so he'll have a month in big school then back to primary again for the rest of the year!!

great news goddess

OMG, Keely Hawes? Isn't she married to James McAvoy who is just gorgeous?

Just googled - no, she's not married to him. Lucky really because I would have moved into your spare room, H&S! Matthew McFayden is nice though in Pride and Prejudice.

No real news here - I'm still feeling sick half the time and getting a bit fed up of this now. Iestyn had a speaking-spurt with lots of new words and combination but seeing as his only English words are No, Me and Look, I guess it might not be appreciated here! (He also tries to sing Baa Baa Black Sheep in English, but it comes out as the strangely Eastern European Baa Baa Blackski. He can't say sh, j or ch, and won't for a while, as they're very 'foreign' sounds in Welsh. Or maybe they're amongst the last to develop, I don't know.)

x-posted massively. Great news DQ - was thinking of you as I settled Iestyn tonight. (Sorry, that's not meant to sound smug or anything! I was there, refusing a fifth song (routine is book, 2-3 songs, he demands more singing, then I go, he cries, and then he stops ) and thinking 'I hope DQ settles S quicker tonight. And that he stays in bed. )

Am I right, Hard&Sleazy??

hoorah DGIT

deb good luck for Stefan - that is one early start though.

Am watching Grand Designs - a night off from studying as DH is on call and I can't work at home, so scheduled a sofa evening so I didn't feel like I had wasted it