June 08 - 79 days (and counting) til Christmas, has Deb started her shopping yet?!

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

Thought we should update the thread!

at completely forgetting that your dh is called James!!!!

My brother is called Paul (would you consider that?) but he doesn't like it (maybe I shouldn't have told you that!) .

Whats not to like about James? I'm surely he is lovely and normal in all other regards though What about William? Or (if he doesn't like short names) Nathaniel, which I have always been a bit partial to as it means apparently means 'gift from god', and what child isn't that? Also, I like Nate, Nattie and all other variations of it.

I think Helen is nice but Helena is nicer.

Knitting - only one of your friend's has spelt their DD's name properly. I don't think Peter and Paul should be put together at all!

Very imrpressed at Christmas food planning! How was Delia's ham? We don't have her Christmas book but thinking of purchasing.

Ooh, X-Factor vote - must go watch!

Oh, Helena is v pretty.

marking spot- yes Wagner is through on x factor..love to see him win (he wont ) to see simon deal with that.

predictable bottom lot. And scd right one went out.

I like helena and any thomas the tank engine type names are good.

Right - quick post before sing off for all those with kids who are in nursery or particularly those like deb or knitting who have taught young kids. E has come back covered in paint that is really hard to shift (I am talking 3 days on her hand to get out...permanently stained clothes some of which are now in the bin). I am not surprised that she has got so filthy (she looked like an alien per the nanny on thursday... was in her hair on her face etc ) but I am a bit surprised that tehy are using some thing that isnt clearly washable with 2 year olds (fair enough with older kids you would expect them to be more careful).

dh memory may be failing (or dsc have tidiness genes that e doesn't) but he doesnt remember this happening with the big kids. so am I being pfb?

oh and spider you do win on that xmas thread - and xmas pudding doesnt win in the faff v. taste stakes in the same way xmas cake does for me.

Lol DG!

Um, A always comes home v v messy from nursery but nothing that doesn't generally wash out (although we do have a few stains on some of his clothes, but that's normally food!). Never had to scrub paint off his hands. Sounds like they're using the wrong kind of paint to me - can you mention in a casual kind of way and see what they say?

I LOVE James and Thomas! I am looking at mine right now . I think you'd have to be a papist to want a Simon to go with your Peter

That's v sad about you and your sister, Knitting.

I think Keir's a great name but sounds best in a Scottish accent.

How are Amber and Biscuits getting on with name choices? And could someone remind me of when the babies are due?

Ooh, Nathanial is lovely. It has the same meaning as T's name, which is one reason we chose it. I like William too. I wasn't fussed on James at first, tbh, but DH had his heart set on it and obv now I love it.

I don't mind them getting messy at nursery but I'm a bit surprised at it not washing out. T gets messy when she's there but they clean her up, and she never has food on her face, and I like it that I can tell they do it with clean cloths. I remember when DS1 was at nursery he'd come home with that horrid musty smell of stale cloth. I think getting messy is generally a sign of having had a good time.

Thanks knitting and sympathy re sis- as you know I am not on best terms with mine or my mother.

Downton abbey time now

Ooh, I meant to put a after the spelling comment, but I think you got it anyway knitting.

Can't believe I've been accidentally papist while still in a huff with the Pope!

Thought both acts deserved to go on x-factor tonight.

DGT Delia's gammon was v good. I made it last Xmas too so it was a known quantity. Also v easy: paint treacle on it and rub in salt. The same recipe is in her Winter Collection too, but with a different sauce in case you have that. If you love Xmas though (and I think you might), I'd buy her book, lots of v tempting recipes. Get it now though (or after the exams) so you can start your "planning".

Paul - not keen, two little dickie birds, Peter, Paul & Mary

William is on DH's top 5... Not ruled out.

Nathaniel I have always liked but might be alot of syllables with the surname. We have had positive conversations about it which is more than can be said for most names.

I was thinking Simon & Peter would be a bit much, and anyway Simon is an ex.

Weren't simon and Peter dodgy childrens BBC presenters?

Hardandsleazy, sounds like the paint was oil based maybe they were doing something like marbling, but you'd think they would have said something. You should ask if they have any idea how to get it out. I'm also a Downton Abbey fan

Ooh lots of chat now, and it's past bedtime!

Helen is C's middle name, so I like it!
We are still struggling a lot with name choices, due in 5 weeks so got a bit of time! All the boys names suggested above are the kind I like, but will people stop suggesting Thomas before I cry. Should have made DH take my name.

Isobel chat is interesting, We both like the name, but I have ruled it out, mainly because of the multiple spelling thing. I have always had to spell my surname and it irks me, and I know having to do the same for a child's name will irritate the hell out of me, so I have vetoed it. DH is disappointed. Alastair for a boy has gone the same way!

We had fun last weekend sorting through the baby clothes that we had got back from SIL - she had helpfully split them up into neutral and girls which made it a bit easier! We've left the bags and bags of pink stuff wtih my Mum for now, and split up the neutral stuff with my sister, as there was so much of it!

I've only got three more working days left now... roll on Friday night!

Thanks Spider - Am quite tempted to get it. DH actually does most of the cooking in our house and we're always out on Christmas day, but I do love a bit of Christmas food porn

Biscuits - I promise not to mention the T word again. I think Elizabeth (lots of nice nn's), Emma and Emily all go well with C. For boys names what about Harry or George? My friend has a George - I was a bit to start with but now I think it's quite cool and he really suits it.

Am enjoying some breakfast all by myself for once. DH left for work and S still in bed. It won't last for long I'm sure...

Once they are at school there isn't so much spelling things out. You wouldn't be doing it every day for the rest of your list, and there are lots of situations where people will want the name spelt out regardless of there being no variations of it.

I toyed with Alistair too but then realised that the first four letters are the same as my name so too confusing. My main incentive for using it would be to name both my children after New Labour spin doctors which would irritate my father soooo much.

I know sisters who are Charlotte and Freya which is v pretty. I think Alice goes well too.

Hi all, had a lovely weekend in Manchester at my sister's baby's christening. Had a nice lie in and a couple of treatments. Clearly then ruined 2 hours after getting home by a row with Mark over the most stupid thing .

anyway - loving the name chat/ Rolf I am due mid Jan so ages yet. Got a shortlist of 3 names but not saying as some have been mentioned already (but not in a good way!) so keeping shtum until they are born and then people can lie and say how lovely!

James was always going to be our name for a second boy (or Oliver as I like Ollie but Mark doesn't know about that!).

We have the plumbers in for 2 weeks - they are putting in a new family bathroom as the old one from when we moved in is hideous (it has carpet on the floor - mega eeeeeeek!). rubble, banging and dust for me. Brilliant.

Ooops, sorry Amber if that was me. I do think names are very subjective. I also think that many children grow into their names. There are several friends who have used names I am not keen on but now their dc really suit them and I have grown to love the name too!

Don't worry sybil - I can't remeber who said what to be honest but it doesn't matter anyway as I don't think it would bother me that much. Probably change my mind next week anyway!!

Apologies if it was me too Amber! Agree about subjectivity and growing into names too.

It's a miserable day here. It's half term so no Jo jingles and all the usual rainy day venues will be choc full so trying to entertain S indoors. We've had painting and playdoh and I'm already looking forward to post lunch 'quiet' time (having given up trying to get him to go to bed for a nap after lunch) so I can get a rest.

Oh, cries of 'no like playdoh' so time to move on to something else!

As I said on FB - DVD and packet of crisps...

Rolf, I have to spell my name every single bloody day! Drives me bloody insane - there are FIVE other women at my school with the same name too (two of them spell it the same way as me and the other three spell it wrong ).

Love the name George (Michael was George til an hour before he was born), and Harry (gorgeous) and William lovely too. I woke up in the middle of the night with a perfect name for you spider but I'm buggered if I can remember it this morning!

Just remembered!! It was Daniel .

I know Neenz has a Daniel but it really is the best boy's name ever so would be a shame not to use it too .

(I still think you're having a girl btw so not sure why I'm boring you with all the names I'd like to use next time ).

Oh I have enjoyed the names discussion - I completely concur with the must-be-easily-spelt camp having suffered with a name that's hard to spell - but then decided to lumber my poor daughter with Caitlin which can be spelt in any number of chavvy ways! and LOVE Eloise, for some reason it makes me think of Arthurian legends.

My son has now worked out that if he is late for primary school he doesn't have to wait in line and can go in through the side door. So he is being deliberately obstructive right up until the line of children goes in, then trots off round to the side door happy as larry. And then Mummy has to register him on the late list in the office and look like an incompetent sloppy Mummy. Which is of course not a sanction for him at all. I am finding 4 much harder than 2, Caitlin is a real handful but nothing in comparison!!