June 08 - 42 days til Christmas, and Deb is coming home!!

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

The old one was taking too long to load!

Sorry I dont get chance to reply to more people atm - with the kids not having a nap now I hardly the kids never give me a minute's peace! They don't have a nap now a when I am on the laptop they just want Thomas on! This is the second time I have written this post cos I lost the first one by Theo riding his car over the keyboard. Grr!!!

Amber glad you're safe. What a lovely man.

Here's my car story:
DH got into the car to go and get some diesel, and came back a minute later telling me that the car had stopped whilst he was turning round in the road. DH likes to play Russian roulette with the gauge and this time he lost . We couldn't move it, so he's gone off on foot with a can, leaving the car blocking the middle of the road. And to make it more exciting, it's blocking Steroid Pete's (I've changed his name in case he's reading, although I doubt he can read) driveway. And also the driveway of another neighbour who's partner is having a baby any day now. Whilst DH and I were trying to move the car across the ice, I heard wailing from inside the house - T had done a poo on the chair. So I'm sitting here waiting for DH to come home with the diesel so he can go and fill up the car, and hoping that I don't get a knock on the door from The Steroid or, even worse, a midwife.

amber I'm so glad you got such a lovely taxi driver - can you contact his head office to send in a letter of appreciation? (although a £10 tip is also good!)

Rolf oh no! let us know when DH returns!

We went out for lunch today - very exciting. C was at nursery, and D slept through the whole trip from start to finish, it was the most relaxing meal we've had for ages! Then we went and collected our new (second hand) car. exciting times, I've gone from driving a 3 door 53 plate Punto to a massive 52 plate estate - the plan is to keep it for about a year and then get something more up to date once I'm back at work.

Well done Pies. Sounds lovely. We are trying to work out a way of going to London together so we can both go to a dinner. I've never been and DH's colleagues think he's hiding me . I don't know if we'll manage it, tbh, as I'll need to find someone to come and stay overnight in our house with the children which is a pretty big ask.

DH came back with enough diesel to get the car back to where he started. He and DS2 were going out so they've gone on foot as there wasn't time to fill up the car properly. Poor thing, but all totally self-inflicted, as the best predicaments always are .

Still snowed in here with drifts of 4 feet, only 4 wheel drive cars can get up the road. School's closed, no post since Friday, washing machine ordered but who knows when they can deliver that, still no fridge freezer but I have made a freezer in the garden from an old compost bin and piles of snow.Lovely village though, just been out to see the Christmas lights turned on and then mulled wine and soup in the pub.

Sorry can't reply to other posts(mobile internet), but I am reading and thinking about you.

neenz I meant to say thank you so much for the wraps - they arrived while I was in hospital having D and I forgot to thank you. much appreciated!

Deb, the Austrians would have got your post and your washing machine there on time! At least you got moved in before the snow arrived!

Hello everyone! Some very exciting news to catch up on here, Congratulations Pies. How are you and D getting on?

Had my consultant appointment today and penguin2 will be arriving on Dewin's bday. 14 Jan unless he decides to come early. Bit freaked out as I still have low lyng placenta which may well be attached to the scar tissue from last time. It means I have a 1/25 chance of needing an emergency hysterectomy....and a 100% chance of lots of bleeding. I dismissed this when he said it cos my maths head said 4% is nothing to worry about, but a bit freaked out now.

No longer working, so R is spending lots of time in front of Thomas - and I only have one ATM Neenz.

Sorry for the me, me, me post, thought trying to catch up would take longer than one Thomas DVD. Off to namechange now.

Really quick message as on iPhone and have Luke as no nursery. Yes wonderful cab driver and I did call his boss as soon as I got home to tell them about his heroics!!

My lovely birthday lunch is cancelled and Luke us home from nursery so I am going to have a horrid day. Much as I love him he needs so much attention and he has so much energy I can't cope :-(

amber I totally sympathise - the Dts are running me ragged too, and they sleep late and I am not 8m preggers with twins . Hope your day has been ok. Does he like watching Thomas ?

Thank fuck for the tv - what do people who don't allow TV do with their kids?

I don't know- there are some people I work with like that. One of them takes it in turn to read to her husband at night.

The other has cards with pictures on relating to nursery rhymes so dd can sing songs that relate to pictures. Whilst this is not a bad idea can't help thinking lo will miss out as tv part of kids lives now (I agree there is a big debate on what and how much to watch ) but it is part of what kids talk and play about.

E got croup - any tips to help ease things for her (she doesn't seem too bad but sounds croaky and nasty hacking cough).

I'm in tears about bloody snowboots - thread here. I'd appreciate any advice - what's the name of the consumer rights organization again? The worst thing is that I feel like a complete failure as a mother as all the other kids have warm waterproof boots and DS1 really needs them for forest schools which will start up again in January. I'm quite senstive about the fact that I'm now working and not as involved as last year. But this snowboots really isn't my fault - I'm on the mailing list for our local shoe store and they sent out an email in Sept saying the ones I wanted were delayed so I have an order in with them (but they haven't got them either) and an order with the company themselves who have reduced me to tears tonight.

deb you don't know any websites where I can buy snowboots from Austria do you? I need warm and waterproof ones. I looked in Canada and the US but it'll take three weeks or more to get them airmailed over and cost a fortune (plus will likely end up with customs charges).

DS1 told me it's okay, but then asked me to keep trying because his feet are very cold in the snow.

Tried waterproof world or skiwearservice.co.uk?

abdnhiker - I can't believe that the company have hung up on you twice, disgraceful. A friend of mine said this place has kids snowboots. She bought some for herself and said the kids ones are £20. They don't have any on the website but it may be worth phoning and asking.

Amber Your taxi driver sounds likes a wonderful person!

Not much snow here but the kids are really irritating me so really couldn't cope if they were at home!

waterproof world doesn't have anything but skiwearservice might - I'll call them first thing tomorrow morning.

(they're two sizes too big though so not ideal... but I could manage with extra socks on him)

thanks sleazy - have called the skiwearservice and spoke to a lovely lovely woman who's restored my faith in humanity and is trying to get us some snow boots as quick as possible - have convinced DS1 that the silver ones are buzz lightyear boots and he's willing to wear them.

Abdn, sorry, I used to buy cheapies from aldi or lidl when they had them, or a local shoe shop which doesn't do online. I've looked at Amazon.de and they have a good selection but expensive.

Sounds like a nightmare Abdn. No wonder you are fuming. It's so horrible to think of them being cold isnt it. Do you know anyone whose kid might have grown out of his boots who might lend you them? Surely snowboots are the sort of thing you might have hanging around after your kid has grown out of them?

I am having a bit of a mare with Theo, he is just getting so rough and aggressive. I know it's prob a lot to do with attention but I try my best and it's not always that cos the other day he was sat on my knee having a cuddle: he kicked me, then when I said 'stop that' he kicked Daniel (brought his foot down hard on him when he was sat in his bouncy chair) . I slapped his leg (theo's) . It was a totally involuntary action, I didn't even realise I'd done it till I'd done it! But he didn't seem bothered. I use time out which helps but it is hard when I am so busy doing other things,. it's easy to let things slip a bit (which explains why he may be misbehaving). I am feeling a bit stressed with it all really, they are really full-on at the moment. Roll on January when they go to pre-school 2 afternoons!

HardandSleazy Iestyn had croup a couple of weeks ago - MASSIVE sympathy. He was more ill than I'd ever seen him. I hope E has a mild case (if there is such a thing).
Coping tips: calpol, calpol, calpol.
Steam as well - I sat Iestyn in the bathroom when I took a shower, and we filled his bath from the shower (but the bathroom in London is very steamy anyway - it's not here).
We also got a bowl of boiling water and put it near his cot when he was asleep (obv. not too close, and it's too dangerous if E is in a bed and likely to get up).
Also lift the head of the bed up - we put the cot on big books.
TBH though nothing much made a difference- only time.

Sorry to ignore everyone else - had to reply to H&S - been there myself recently.

H&S my sympathies too, croup is so horrible, Caitlin's had it several times, once badly enough to get prescribed oral steroids (which were amazing and fixed it within hours, but obv have downsides!). Nothing much to add to Dewin's advice but if it gets very bad this may sound a bit crazy but try going outside, wrapped up well of course, or just standing in the doorway or by an open window. Cold, wet air being breathed in can get the swelling down in the vocal cords. (I have also seen advice to stand in front of an open freezer door for similar reasons!) Oh and we gave ibuprofen as well as paracetamol, again to get the inflammation down as well as for pain relief.

abdn I am so impressed at your thinking ahead skills, I have only just worked out that the kids need snow boots and by the time we actually get them the snow will have stopped!

I don't normally link to other threads but this one really made me laugh; though I went straight from 1st child to 3rd child practices I must admit! must go to bed, night all

H&S hope E is better today - I cross posted with you last night and missed your post.

systems we do get more snow here than most places so all the mums are very on the ball with snow gear.

I do feel like I'm a bit of a disaster this year sometimes about planning ahead for the kids but they seem okay with the nanny so my guilt is probably irrational (plus DH's job isn't very secure at the moment as there's rumours they might be sold so he'd have to look elsewhere etc - not drastic and we'd have lots of notice though but it makes me very very glad to be back at work). Non of DS1's friends at school have two working parents because the nursery is only 2.5 hours a day with no provision for childcare etc so most kids with working parents are in private nursery. (There is a stay at home dad at the moment - I should probably make an effort to be friends with that family as they're lovely and DS1 quite likes their DD).

H&S how is E today? None of ours have had croup (yet) but it sounds horrible.

Abdn how horribly frustrating about the snowboots. I'd write to them saying that the boots weren't what you ordered and you will assist them by returning them, but at their expense. As they have been so inefficient, you are reasonable not wanting to pay to return them yourself and rely on them to refund your costs. So tell them that you have packed them up in the original packaging and will take them to the post office provided they send you a pre-paid address label. Or offer them as an alternative the option of sending a courier round at a time when you'll be at home. I'd also tell them that you would like to have be refunded within a reasonable period of time (say 10-14 days so there is time to get the label to you and you to post them) after which you reserve your right to begin proceedings in the small claims court and report them to their local trading standards office.

I have a laxative for T, which will hopefully help her so long as I can get her to take it . It's to be mixed in water and although I topped it up with juice yesterday she wouldn't touch it. She had some this morning, liberally laced with OJ.

Then for the first time in ages, both girls slept well, only for poor DS1 to get up in the night with awful itching from his eczema. He's had it for a few years but we've tried to treat it ourselves - I haven't wanted to give him steroid cream. It was so bad last night that I took him to the GP this morning and he has a bagful of goo. I think someone on this thread has a child with bad eczema? Sybil is it you? If anyone has any advice I'd be very grateful. I gather there's a lot of trial and error. Poor child, his skin looks just awful and he can't stop stratching.

Deb welcome back .