December 2008: because i unwittingly finished the old thread

[waitinggirl]

oops. sorry. didn't realise i was post 1000. hope people find this...

Thanks WG Probably good thing my last didn't make the new board

THanks WG and love the new title.

Well, the 2 nights of sleep were great but not to last it would seem. Up a lot from 3, but I wonder if it was because he was cold. The heating's on in his room but still it's cold as there's 2 outside walls. He's just in PJs and a sleeping bag as he's so active in the night he just shakes off any covers. what are your DCs wearing to bed these cold nights? (not a fashion q, though it sounds like it).

Off to see a medical herbalist recommended by a friend today. I'm so sceptical and already regretting spending money I don't really have but he is so often ill and such a poor sleeper I'll try anything.

There only seems to be one thing T is scared of - have you ever seen Come Outside on CBeebies? He just loves the dog, Pippin, and when it freeze frames at th end he gets really upset. I have to tell him that Pippin's sleeping and that seems to be ok. But it seems to really disturb him as if we've watched it in the day he'll keep asking about Pippin hours later...

Spot: more layers under the sleeping bag? Socks? I sometimes sneak in and out a blanket over DS2 (and an extra cover over DS1) as I go to bed, as it does get cold in this house. Sorry he was unsettled again. Are things moving generally in the right direction do you think?

Speaking of which I am sat here fully dressed with dressing gown and slippers over all. Freezing. the downside of working from home. I need fingerless gloves. Partly my fault cos I have some windows open a little, but we need to air the house or there is a danger of things getting damp (DH disagrees on this point, but I hate unaired houses). One of the things my family was complaining about yesterday was DRAUGHTS.

Rubes: I'm afraid your post sneaked in .

That's a good idea, effie. I shall get him a proper vest too . And some slippers.
Talking of which, I seem to remember you got some good slippers a while back. Can you recommend a brand? I really want some nice ones. (Is there an emoticon for "can't believe I'm asking for slipper recommendations?").
Have you got an electric heater you could slip under the desk?

Think we are doing ok generally for sleep, at least he's stopped asking for milk when he wakes.

On the old board, but not the new one.

Good luck today Spot

DS wears flannel PJ's and has both his zip up duvets on his bed.

WG - good work on new thread!

Spot - my littles are wearing babygrows and vests and have their 2.5tog sleeping bags on.

Spot - M&S do a good slipper! Reminds me of a sketch on TV I saw once when everyone was at a party wearing S&M gear and one bloke was wearing cords and a zip up cardy and slippers because he'd thought it was an M&S party. HA! Actually, have to come clean and admit it was on that programme The Detectives with Robert Powell and Jaspar Carrott. I know it was pap, but it had a couple of moments of genius! Like when Jaspar Carrott's character slipped on an ice rink and had to have his head sewn up. The doctor sewed one of those toy trolls to his head and it was there for the rest of the programme and no one commented on it and it made me weep with laughter. Sad, moi??!

Had a disastrous morning this morning - thought we'd go for a bracing walk and it was absolutely freezing, DD2 wouldn't go to sleep and DD1's hands went blue, so we had to come home. DD2 still screaming blue murder in her cot as she is beyond exhausted and won't even eat any milk. I am on point of murder. Poor DD1. Have had to come on here to calm down!

Right, coffee...

Quickie from me.

Zoe - DD2 is very fearful of dogs and reacts like you describe when a dog comes close. But she is also obsessed by dogs. So if she sees one she goes on and on and on about stroking it and then you take her towards it and she screams blue murder.

Spot - DD2 wakes early if she is not bundled up very warm. So she sleeps in a vest and tights, PJs, a 2.5 tog sleeping bag and a large blanket (too large for her to kick off easily). Her rooms is also heated! I am so excited that your offer was accepted on that house. Where is the house? In Brighton or in one of the villages you were considering?

Lady - I am sorry about the cabin fever. You need to MOVE! When are you going to be able to get into the cottage?

SL - so glad that you didn't have mastitis after all. How are you feeling today?

Veggie - Loving the tails from safari. I wish they had a place like that over here.

Everything is moving along well with the house sale. We are aiming for completion before christmas but I bet that does not happen. DD2 is rather poorly. Its been 9 days since her MMR so I think its a reaction. She has a very high fever and just needs cuddling all day. This morning she was like a little koala clinging to my front and it was heart rendering when I had to unpeel her and hand her to the nanny while she screamed "Mummeeeeeeee don't go, Mummmmeeeeeeeee don't go".

I am definitely up for a christmas meet-up.

Oh no Avo don't tell me that - we have MMR booster tomorrow. Hope she feels better.

I'm up for a Xmas meet up too!

Jolly got your address and will send dress on Friday.

Hello kids

The scar is on the mend, I reckon Good ol' penicillin! (OK, and possibly rest). I still don't feel top hole, exactly, but I am resigned to this long recovery now for whatever reason. I am sad to see the back of the old thread because it makes my little baby seem 'old'

Careful your DD doesn't develop arachnophobia, WG - if your DH promises to eat one of those your DD1 might hold him to it

So whaddya think of last night's Apprentice, Trace? I watched most of it through my fingers again, because they were mostly so embarrassing. Did anyone else think 'mixed fruit jam croissants' sounded absolutely dire? How the French would tut! I was interested to read that L goes to bed at 6.30 - O goes off at about 8.30, which I know is really bad, and also it gets on my nerves. But I have no grounds for complaint really as she is the only member of the household who gets 12hrs sleep or more.

Rubes, I know you had a shocking time with your midwives but I swear you'd have liked the ones I had when I was in hospital. They weren't judgey and chippy like the worst kind, they just couldn't do enough for me and also there were a couple who'd worked at the Portland and had some great celeb gossip So how are you doing, my dear?

Eeek, loads more to say but DD2 is crying. Back within the hour.

It's in Hove, Avo, right next to Stoneham Park. Do you know it? Wow, good luck completing before Christmas, that would be great.

Poor DD2, I hadn't realised it was MMR booster time. Little sweetie

Appt with medical herbalist was quite interesting (though hard work as it was during T's normal naptime and he was going beserk in a small room). She's preparing some remedies which is what she does I guess, but also gave some very obvious advice, but I don't think I'd really thought it out. Such as trying to give as many hot meals a day as possible, keep trying new foods as even though he gets all the food groups, he's probably missing out on other minerals because his diet is so limited. And to try and keep activity down a bit when he's got a cold as even though he's happy in himself and want to run around like a banshee, he's learning to just carry on through illness, which is more likely to lead to secondary infections etc...

Right, I have now lost my scrap of paper with everything I wanted to say on it - no doubt spirited away by DD1 to somewhere unimaginable. Sigh. Will try to remember, brain a bit addled...

Spot, Boden have got some velvet slippers at the moment, with bows. I like 'em. I did put the spending review on yesterday but the analysis was quite crap and I got a better overview from BBC online. If I watch any more motherducking CBeebies I will lose my mind. I have silence at the moment. Aaaah. Medical herbalist sounds really interesting. Hope the remedies come up trumps. Maybe it's stuff like the herb that's in that sleepy tea - Valerian? That does have an effect actually.

Avo, that is topping that you might be sorted by Christmas. I would love to move, you are dead right, but we have been stalled since DD2 as at first DP was busy with us and now he is busy at work, and I can't do a fat lot as I can barely make it through the days and ensure that me and DDs 1 and 2 are fed, clean and relatively unscathed It's horribly frustrating but on Sunday we have a minder for DD1 and we are going to spend the day toiling. Though obviously I can only do soft stuff.

SL, thank heavens it wasn't mastitis. When are you back at work btw?

ZJ, it always sounds so exciting round your gaff Beautiful barn conversion, loadsa tractors, loadsa geese...I was horrified to hear what you DH was told when you were having DD. The poor man! Thank you for the beautiful card, btw

You mentioned about will and insurance. I would say think about what you or your DH would need should the worst happen. In my case, I would want my mortgage to be paid off in London so it would be an asset for the girls and for DP to have a chunk of money for childcare and so he could work a lot less. Life insurance is quite cheap - I have been quoted £14 per month, and I am 38. I got it through the financial adviser at my bank, but only because they can tend to get a good deal (you do have to put up with their flannel) - you could do it online. Wills - this is important - I am still unravelling my DH's complicated financial affairs years later because we didn't realise getting married nullified his will (also I must admit we were rather in denial about what was going to happen). Also, if your money is tied up in property it can be complicated. Google 'intestacy rules' and see if the rules suit your situation: it can be tricky if you end up with part of your house or large sums of money held in trust for children if you want your partner to have access to it. It's particularly crucial for those who aren't married to the fathers of their children (I think that's just me and Spot). Anyway, coincidentally, a colleague of DP's purchased one of those will kits from Smiths this week You'd think a barrister could sort himself out but of course law is specialised. Anyway, he is photocopying the contents and distributing it to everyone in chambers. If anyone wants a copy, please let me know and I will put on in the post.

I know there were other thing I wanted to say to other people but I still can't put my hand on that darn scrap of paper. Apologies to anyone I have missed. Beans, I was laughing at you laughing at the antics of J. Carrott and co

Rubes, please come and tell me you are ok as you sound fed up. How did the meet up with the other mum go today?

Hmmm, I am starting to think about Christmas gifts. Have done a bit of Christmas shopping, but need to start making lists.

Oh, how are you feeling now, Avo? I presume better if you are back at work. Sorry about DD2. Yikes, had forgotten about MMR booster.

Hi - Lady I'm fine! (except ill with bad cold) I'm not fed up - well maybe a little bit with the start of cold weather, numerous online shopping returns and two kids with congestion and coughs etc!
dd isn't as bad as ds but she's having a growth spurt I think and guzzling loads of milk! DS is miserable, and as well as teething is really stuffed up and has a cough which the other day made him vomit all over himself and the dog then he panicked and shook it all off his hands and it went all over me! Before I could clean it up the dog was licking it off herself and him charming.
I canceled meeting the mum and dog due to illness but am going to see her tomorrow at toddler group and organize another day then. Turns out her dd is sick too
Glad your scar is on the mend. I'm sure I'd have loved your midwives too as being from the Portland they are quite familiar with electives I'd expect! I'm determined to do Xmas shopping early too. Every year it seems I'm doing last minute stuff and this year we are off to a big fancy house for a week so have to be doubly organized this year Oh and agreed. We thought the Apprentice was cringe-worthy too!!

Glad things are looking up for you too spot and congrats on the house.

Re Insurance. DH used to have one that paid dh's salary out to me, but got rid of it as it was a joke and waaaaay expensive. No point in having one for me since mine is a pittance (how sad!)and all made up of free travel! We now have one where our Mortgage get's paid off and it's about £19/month. We also have £50K lump sum for accidental death through Natwest Private Banking (guess they sometimes are helpful banking as they also cover handbag and mobile phone loss / breakages) dh already had one Blackberry replaced through them.

And for my third post

I thought I would spread a little harmless joy to combat the irritating blandness of CBeebies - Bert and Ernie, from Sesame Street, performing my favourite song of theirs, about a hot topic - sleeplessness. Charming and funny here

Aha, so it wasn't my third post after all

I am glad you are ok, Rubes, (aside from the cold - at least you can take proper stuff for it now. Sorry about the online returns. Were they clothes? I keep thinking I need to buy clothes but we are short of cash again. What I really need to do is shed this weight and then I have tons of things (probably all way out of fashion now!). Unbelievably I am within a couple of kg, maybe less of my pre-pregnancy weight. But er, that's pre-DD2 not pre-DD1 so that's still a good couple of stone too heavy. Ho hum. I am going to do it this time though. And I feel positive about doing so, too. DP is doing well with his diet. I am pleased for him as it really bothers him.

Hey, I thought you and DH were HSBC Premier customers like me? I need to check what they offer. The free travel insurance I do find good. Not sure what else they offer.

I'd forgotten you were off to that fancy house for Christmas. How gorgeous. I must admit, I am excited about Christmas in our new house with my two little poppets There is a ponce's Christmas thread on here which I was contemplating joining - I do adore Christmas - and it's for people with too much time on their hands to obsess about table decorations, the perfect tree and all that malarkey. And then it struck me I have NO time on my hands, even though I love all that guff Ah well, I can dream. MIL will be in Australia for Christmas as that's where DP's sis and her family will be, spending time with her DH's family So we will just have my DH's Dad over as I tend to see Mum and co for a few days immediately after Christmas. New Year's Eve I don't know - it's not my favourite and I always used to insist on being out of the country for it, but that's not very practical any more, sadly. I spent one New Year's Day on an elephant trek in Sri Lanka. It was a good start to the year.

Nope, I've always been Natwest Private since getting married and joining dh's account where he's been a customer since day dot.
dh got home from work and collapsed on the couch and is now snoring He did get woken by dd last night with her congestion and unable to breathe then couldn't get back to sleep (4am) he claims. ds is doing his best to keep him awake driving his cars over him.

My GP receptionists are rather incompetant. They lost dd's registration paperwork 3 times and now claim my conultant never sent any letter thtough about physio for my shoulder. I have just rang consultants secretary and she said it was done same day and has emailed me a copy of what was sent and said she will try and organise some physio at her end at the private hospital via the NHS channels
I love Christmas too, but do get a bit sad when I'm not around the fam. Am looking forward to the big house though. Why don't you see your Mum Christmas day?

Well, I would frankly adore to see my Mum on Christmas Day but really it's for several reasons which I will explain, but everyone else feel free to skip

1. my late DH's Dad's need is greater than anyone else's as he only has me and lives alone whereas Mum has her DP, and my sister and co a mile away;
2. Since we have been in DP's flat there is only a sofa bed in the living room for guests so not v practical - and Mum loves being in her own house anyway, tbh;
3. We can't really go to hers as in 'my' room there is only space for a 3/4 bed (ie between a single and a double) and DP and I wouldn't fit in it We have stayed at my sister's on occasion but that's another sofabed in the living room job and it is less practical now with two nippers
4. We usually get major pressure from MIL about Christmas - the only way to deal with it is to see one Mum before Christmas and one after, to be fair to both (not that my Mum would ever make a fuss, because whilst she loves to see me she is really unselfish about such things )

Oh, and remind me where the gorgeous house you are staying in is, and tell me about the plans so I can feel Christmassy

Just marking my spot. Will return later. Love that these are back [hgrin]

Can I gatecrash and stick head around door to say hello?

Sorry not been on for so long 3 small children and working takes up so much time that I tend to collapse in bed very early!

DD3 doing great. Chattering away, running around and developing a great sense of humour. She has mastered her big sisters' names, well a garbled version of them, and spends her whole time trying to talk to them, sometimes it is comprehensible.

I can't believe she will be 2 on Boxing Day. It seems only yesterday we were still pregnant.

Have only had a quick skim of everyone's news, but so many second babies! Congrats all! I feel hopelessly out of touch, hope everyone is okay.

Oh lovel love love Christmas. DS1 is really understanding of it this yr. I found the boys jingle bells in a box the other day and DH and I were chatting about how we would do flour footprints on the front door mat and jingle the bells by their bedroom doors at night. DH will as usual go totally overboard with the boys gifts and ignore all previous attempts by me to be sensible in present buying. But deep down I do love it.

Hideous wks sleep here. Shmoks awake for most of the night the other night. Then this morning I felt the duvet move and rolled over to notice that he had snuck into our bed in the middle of the night and was fast asleep clinging to the side of the mattress.

Thanks for the advice re friend and PND I have spoken to he DP and he agrees its not right and is keeping a v close eye on her.

Right must do boys tea back later for personals.

Crikey third post coming up. Who is the interior designtype person is it PD?? Anyway ave any of you heard of this place DH and I love their grain sack furniture looking for something for the kitchen what do you reckon?

Hellow Hatty, loooooonnnngggggg time no see! How lovely to hear from you. And lovely to hear that your DD3 is doing so well. How are the twins?

Jam - I live 10 mins from the Old Cinema. I love browsing around there. The stuff is just gorgeous. Its usually rather expensive though. I can't see the grain sack furniture . What section is it under?

Zoe, Lady's post reminded me that I wanted to tell you a cautionary tale about not having a will. My dad had no will because he was 38 and healthy and assumed he had a long time to think about things. Then he had a massive brain bleed that came out of nowhere. He was not killed instantly and for a few days he even seemed to be making a recovery. In that time he dictated a will to the ward sister. Unfortunatly he then died and teh will he had dictated was rules inadmissable by the court. My mum, who had only given birth to me 5 months before, was left to fight for her house through the legal system. She lost. The court split my dad's estate between his three children (or the 3 that were then known about, there turned out to be two more but that is a whole other story...). Because I was born out of wedlock I qualifed for less than my two half sisters' whose Mum had married a very rich man after leaving my dad. So my mum had no money and had to work full time while mourning and bringing up a baby with no support. I would therefore really encourage everyone with kids to make a will and get it checked by a legal bod.

Right, got to go. This was written in a car between meetings and I have made myself quite car sick trying to type.

Avocadoes, hello! I love your combination of yellow and hello

Twins are doing really well, just starting their second year at school. We are half ttcing child number 4, which is a little bit loopy in terms of adding to the general business of life but rather exciting all the same!

Jam I am so excited by that link. I don't get down to London as much as I'd like but am actually staying with friends in Chiswick next month. They are apparently very near to the store and will take me for child-free browsing, the vintage stuff looks great!

jam - just snuck a fb look at your photos - your family looks just gorgeous and i think i might want your life, actually. apart from the sickness, that is. i think this may be a mn crush developing...

oh, avo - your poor dad, your poor mum. we are in the middle of writing our will. as far as life ins is concerned, out financial advisor has got us ins which covers the mortgage, with half of it paid off for critical illness, plus an extra 500k should either of us carp it. i feel a lot better having that all set in place.

hi hatty - lovely to hear from you