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?!

Ooh, yes - two very different hairstyles!

I'm impressed by anyone who tops the 1st page on their name alone on google.

Weirdo stalkers!!!

congrats amber!

off to bed but happy birthday sybil!

p.s. I like the short hair best!

Yes, the short hair is cool!

I'll pretend I didn't hear that Goddess

I have survived the 1st day where Stefan went to and from school by bus. I was desperate to speak to him and find out if he was on the right bus, but I sat on my hands and waited and it all went fine. He's all of a sudden growing up too quickly, hope our sale hurries up and we can get him back into a primary school for the rest of the year!!

You freaks, go get a life!
I googled myself now to see what's going on and it's all about me! Not sure I approve of my previous job coming up first tho, particularly as I left there miserable and under a cloud. I wonder why it's the main page?

The short hair is more recent, but currently I'm in between - kind of growing i.e. not been to a hairdresser.

And yes I did go to Jesus college (but after that loss on UC I'm not proud of it ) but I also went to St Hugh's which is a better college.

Deb so scary about Stefan! I'm sure he's coping fine but the thought of the bus journey...so grown up...you must have many mixed emotions.

You know I'd do anything to avoid my assignment Dewin .

Anyone else need googling? Anyone need any present shopping research done? Anything but CSR and corporate governance... Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz.

Sod it, I'm going to watch Spooks!

Dewin, I've just sent him off again for the day and he tells me as he's going out of the door that he had to stand on the bus half the way there yesterday. The road is full of bends, just ask Spider [anxious Mum emoticon]

Rubbish night here, dh has had a cold for about 4 weeks now and he's on the cough stage, all night he was coughing, I have it too so I'm feeling croaky, dreamt that we'd all overslept , ds2 appeared at 4 as he couldn't sleep so he got in, then I kept waking every half hour to make sure we didn't oversleep. All too soon the alarm went off at 6.15.

Oh Deb - rubbish night! I am in week 7 of my cough. Mark and Luke also have the remnents. It's horrid hearing them coughing in the night. My electirican also had the cough and said his doctor called it a 100 day cough - got a while to go then!

I am getting my first bikini wax in yonks today in preparation for potential swimming costume on hols. I am dreading it. I can't see my nethers any more but I do know it's as wild as the amazon rain forest! The poor beautician

We've had the 100 day cough here too, Caitlin is, I fear, going to spend the whole winter coughing, maybe 'cos her first winter without bf-ing; she's already had ear infections for the first time. Deb you must be shattered!

Sympathise with you sending Stefan off, I'm doing anxious Mum stuff too. Today was the first day all the kids lined up and walked to their classroom without parents. On the plus side ds was quite happy while some of the others were crying. On the minus side he was so giddy I couldn't get him to line up or take his bag; and at one point I even lost him completely, turned round to see to Caitlin and he managed to hide himself on the playground somewhere, heart in mouth for a few minutes! All these well-behaved kids (OK mainly the girls) lining up beautifully and there's Liam bouncing around, he's so little he's still all over the place. He's only just turned 4!!

Caitlin on the other hand crept off and slipped herself in to one of the bigger class's lines, I had to run and retrieve her before she got through the school doors, she's desperate to start. I would actually worry less if it was her starting, she's so self-sufficient.

Dewin - yes I did need to get a life last night. DH was working till after 10 last night and I was struggling to find any form of entertainment, hence being reduced to watching UC in the first place. I thought it a bit sad that the earlier profile described you as a young historian, but in the current one you are now just "legal". Do you have to write your own profile, was the word change your choice?

Feeling tired and emotional for no apparent reason this morning. Luckily DH has 10 days holiday from tomrrow. Probably not going away, but need a break.

Deb it is indeed a very bendy road, but we did comment when we visited on how amazingly well maintained it is(in case that is any comfort to you)

Amber good luck with the bikini wax!

Dewin I've had symptoms like that when I've been pregnant and also when I've not been pregnant. That's helpful isn't it?

Deb sorry about the crap night and the scary bus ride. I had a horrible night as well and DS1 went to school on his own for the first time today, and I'm all jittery. I have to go to a meeting at the secondary school tonight and I'm dreading it. DH can't go and I find the school terrifying. It's huge and I get panicky . My cloistered little life has meant that everywhere I was educated was v charming and not too huge, and enormous schools scare the bejasus out of me.

Spider you need chocolate . Is it hormones do you think? You've seemed anxious for a little while?

Rolf good luck tonight at the meeting, you're not alone - we went to ds' new school's summer fair in July and lasted 30 minutes - it was so huge - there are the same amount of kids in his year that there were in my whole primary school!! I bet you won't be the only parent there who's terrified and trying to be grown up!

Thanks SA, and I forgot to say hello and welcome back . I saw your other thread - have things settled a bit now? Is your DS enjoying school and are you managing to get there on time? I am one of the frazzled mothers who constantly trail in a bit late. On the odd occasion we are early and the playground is v quiet, the children think we are madly late and everyone has gone in. They don't know what early looks like!

We haven't really made up our minds about which school DS1 will go to, which is adding a note of frenzied panic to everything 2ndary-school-related, too.

Oh Man - I am never getting a bikini wax again!!! It hurts 10 times more when you are preggers and she's made my skin bleed

100 day cough, now that's all we need

Spider, so well maintained because they're always doing roadworks on it, 3 lots today. Hope you get some rest whilst dh is on holiday, tell him that all the books say that just before the arrival of #2 Fathers must spend quality time wtih #1!!Whilst you go and get yourself pampered and spoilt somewhere

Amber - ouch, where are you going?

Systems - ds1 was just like that when he started school

Rolf - hope meeting goes OK, you won't be the only worried parent there intimidated by the size of the place I'm sure.

off to the tip, I have such an exciting life

Deb we are going to Spain to stay with Mark's Dad and wife for 6 days. We're going on Thursday. Unfortunately I always view a holiday as a more hard work than norm l life these days 'cos I'm tired and Luke wants me 24/7 rather than going to nursery so I can have a nap! Still at keast I have a couple of spare pairs of hands.

Aaarrgghhh, it would appear the chicken pox monsters have arrived on our door. Just as a bit of a sense check - S has come up in spots on his arm and body, some of which look like bites. He hasn't been unwell at all, no fever, no nothing (although he has had some eye-watering poos in recent days). I've done the glass test - spots disappear under pressure. I'm pretty safe to assume chicken pox aren't I?

Any tips on managing/what to expect? DH has been dispatched to the pharmacy to stock up on calamine (sp?) lotion and calpol. S is completely unperturbed at the moment - when will the spots get itchy?

Just typical - DH's parents who are both retired (mine work full-time) have just flown out for a fortnight's holiday and S has today been at swimming and soft play! Do you think I should alert the soft play centre?

Oh dear, poor S. Sounds poxy to me, and not a worrying rash even if it's not, he'd be unwell in himself with scary rashes!

I'm back from Exam Hell where I have been living for the last 6 weeks or so! I get to think about buying things for this pending baby! I had to spend two nights in Edinburgh in a prison cell Travel Lodge away from C and DH though. It was fabulous to get back to her tonight, I got great cuddles, and a brilliant welcome home. My Mum has been looking after her for two days (my Mum is a hero), and they'd made me a card as well. DH has gone out to the local late opening deli to buy some cake and all is good in my worldQ

DGT no point in letting the soft play know - it'll be spreading everywhere anyways. If it is CP, my boys both had one bad night with a fever, within the first few days, but otherwise they were both fine with it. We did a lot of bicarb baths (I'm thinking that was what it was, I get mixed up with baking powder sometimes) to help the itching although it wasn't too bad, honestly!

good job biscuits

amber glad the scan went well! enjoy your holiday.

spider 10 days of vacation sounds heavenly.

DH is away in Norway and I'm feeling like a bad mother as I've been yelling a lot tonight. In my defence, the boys were both up twice each last night so I'm shattered and work is still a big adjustment.

Thanks Abdn and Biscuits. Bath tip sounds good - will try that tomorrow. He's happy as larry just now so hopefully he'll be ok tonight. DH can take Thur/Fri off so we just need to try and juggle stuff tomorrow. Oh, and I must finish my assignment by thursday - that'll teach me to leave it till the last minute!

Dgt- apparently Zovirax liquid taken in first 24 hours of rash massively reduces spots(e is free so far but two colleagues kids had in last few weeks). Hope s (and you ok).

Lovely to see spider and knitting yesterday. Hi to everyone else- been bit tired/ tied up with jilly cooper so not around.

Hurray - DH on holiday!

Biscuits - well done, enjoy yourself now.

DGT - sorry to hear about the potential pox.

Rolf - thanks, yes you are right hormones and sleep deprivation are making me feel a bit wobbly. I have a sense that I'm not on top of household things at the moment: broken washing machines, leaky bathroom, doors falling off hinges, outside building works that are still going on, and DH who hasn't been around much with work of late. I can't really face the jobs, and just want to fixate of getting ready for the baby. Anyway, hopefully DH and I can work through lots of the dreaded "to do" list this week.

DGT my girls were fine with the pox. Really, it wasn't too bad at all. I made sure I had calpol in the house in case they were feverish but they were ok. I'd just avoid taking him to nursery/soft play/playgroups etc and make sure anyone you arrange to see knows about it so they have the option of avoiding you.