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

[KnittingisbetterthanTherapy]

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Rolf we have problems with ezcema here (DH, myself and DS1) and we use the doublebase cream liberally as a mosturizer and soap which really helps. I do use steriod cream if needed but I really don't like to.

how's the snow deb? it must feel rather surreal to move from the Austrian slopes to snow in Yorkshire!

Liam had terrible eczema as a baby Rolf, he's grown out of it now but that process of trial and error and gunking liberally many times a day has marked my soul! I have posted elsewhere on it in detail, let me see if I can find you a link:

try here, for the full detail

here, the summary version

here, on detergent

and here, on steroids!

oops - it's diprobase we use at the moment not double base - - the dr has prescribed vats of it..

SA and Abdn - thank you . I've been holding off the steroid cream for ages and ages, but he's definitely had enough of the eczema. His teacher spoke to me about it a while ago and said how much DS1 scratches in school and how good it would be for DS1 if we could get it under control before he starts secondary school. I'm rubbish at seeing through these things so I'm hoping that DS1 will work with me not against me and we can try to make things better for him.

Rolf to reassure you there is a lot of concern about the steroid creams but hydrocortisone 1% is very safe and extremely unlikely to lead to the sort of skin thinning that put people off earlier, stronger steroid creams, according to the National Eczema Society stuff I read. I spent months and months avoiding using it but really he damaged his skin far more scratching at it (still has scars), I wish I'd used it much earlier but I didn't have access to the information then.

I put it on DS1 at night while he sleeps as he's not keen on it during the day. Not sure if that's an option for you?

Luke has eczema too although much worse when he was younger. I used diprobase but never found it much cop. My best tip is Aveno - it's amazing it makes Lukes sandpaper legs and arms all lovely and soft. It's coloidial oatmeal (whatever that is).

Was meant to be going to Nobu today for my birthday. Instead we went to the local Toby Carvery - not quite the same eh?

LOL at Toby Carvery...laughing with you not at you though.

My paper in St Andrews has been cancelled - no surprise there! - but it's actually raining here now!

Went to buy a Christmas tree today! Iestyn seems rather unimpressed though because it stung his finger. Ah well. He wanted to go to a cafe (he likes that and is co-operative if he knows we're going - 'well only if you sit in the chair and don't run around' etc) so we went to Waitrose. I had the most amazing hot chocolate ever. It's Gu hot choc there, and it was fabulous. (Tragic waste - an attack of m/s - but I refuse to believe that something so delicious can cause problems. FFS it wasn't a gin and tonic. )

We found Calpol worked really well for Theo's croup.

DH has been using hydrocortisone for yonks without any obvious ill-effects! Actually I think he was even using it on his face until his doc said 'er, you shouldn't be doing that!'

Loving the Toby Carvery story! I love Nobu, black cod - Mmmmm. But I'm sure the Toby was just as good!

I feel much better today after feeling really down and a bit overwhelmed last night. The twins are just so full-on, sometimes I feel like I have so much to do and no time to do it. It all comes down to sleep - if I have had enough I can cope with anything. If I am tired it all gets too much sometimes. Luckily the kids are pretty good sleepers but I was up 4 times the night before last (3 times with Daniel then Theo woke once too). Last night was better - just up at 3am and 6am with Daniel and the twins slept right through.

Abdn, about 42 cms of snow here, -10 last night, still no washer and it won't be here until Thursday, I HATE hand washing, still no fridge freezer, not huge problem with these temps but some sort of creature had got into my makeshift freezer in the garden and ate the bread!Freezer stuff now in neighbours freezer. Did manage to dig the car out and go shopping today though, the drifts are amazing. Also got mice or rats in the attic, could hear them last night BUT we are home and happy, boys have friends and it's a great village.

Sorry about the short posts these days I hope normal service will be resumed soon.I haven't bought any Christmas presents yet, beginning to panic a little

so disappointed about the creature eating your food Deb I was so impressed at your home-made freezer!!

Neenz it is all about the sleep, isn't it? FWIW I am often in complete awe of what a great job you're doing with toddler twins and a newborn.

Amber hope the Toby was some consolation ... We're supposed to be Going Out tomorrow night for dp's birthday - we never, ever go out together - his parents are supposed to be coming to babysit and we have a lovely local restaurant booked, but it is all dependent on snow as they live an hour and a half away, so I may be posting 'had takeaway instead' tomorrow!

Am I copping out if I buy a fake Christmas tree? I was so excited last Christmas to finally have a house where we could have a full-size real tree ... but there are STILL pine needles in the conservatory. With our housekeeping skills I fear plastic may be the way to go.

Just marking my spot...

Thanks for all croup tips ( I remembered when you posted it iestyn had it recently) - the cold air tip was really good and tried nurofrn. She isn't any worse but still very congested and coughing loads which disturbs her sleep.

Ah hope boots show up soon.

Sorry your birthday plans were spoiled but hope you had a nice weekend.systems hope you manage to get out.

Deb any news on deliveries?

Less than week til big holiday and can't wait- work getting me down a bit, just found out had to pay a bunch of non reclaimable holiday pay to ex nanny so much for doing right thing when I knew she wouldn't return and it's cold....

H&S things do sound a bit crap for you at the moment with E being ill and all your work stresses. Your holiday will be great though, just hang in there!

Deb your homemade freezer reminded me of how we used to hang milk and marg outside the window in halls at Uni as it would get nicked in it stayed in the fridge. Fingers crossed you get some appliances soon.

Amber wasn't there a thread on Toby carvery recently where you could have a roast dinner and a curry on the same plate? I have never been but now I quite want to!

Rolf yes ds1 has really bad ezcema and we spent several years as outpatients at the hospital through it. We have tried all the creams recommended on here and to be honest the trick is going through them until you find the right one for his skin. We currently have hydromol (the axle grease of the moisturising world as ds1's dermatologist put it) and it is brilliant but very hardwearing on clothes. Do use the steroid cream. The 1% twice a day until it clears is better than leaving him to scratch and scar and you need to get it under control. Otherwise, the best buys I ever made were from here Buy the pj's with covered hands, or even the tshirts for during the night so he can't damage the skin even further by scratching when he is asleep. We used to use them during long car journeys too. They are expensive, but well worth it.

We have put up our first christmas tree in the new house! (second one today) It is a homecraft one, and has knitted stockings, croched snowflakes, dried ornage slices, saltdough dec's the kids made and glittered and (bought) candy canes. It looks really sweet!

Thanks Sybil- it shouldn't complain really as I know how very lucky I am but all sorts of smaller things seem to be coming together(my sister also rang to say ahe has an ovarian cyst - they think it's benign but deciding on method to treat it. Hairdressers later ao think hot chocolate and big read of all their mags should be nice.

Am re trees and decorations - can People do pics so I can live vicariously?

Deb- I do the outside fridge thing in winter ESP at Xmas when too
Much in. And I did smile remembering hiding stuff in fridge at uni.

Oh and no words of advice but sympathy re excema

Any thoughts on x factor or scd? Hope widdy goes- x factor it's hard to care

Ok, H&S I have put a (bad) picture on the tree on my profile but it not very close up and I couldn't figure out how to turn it To make up for this crapness though I also put up Jamie's favourite salt dough decoration, which he cut out with dh's help but decorated all by himself. It was a wrench for him to put it on the tree to be honest!

Salt dough decorations - that could be an idea to do with poorly girl ...and give me a festive fix- sybil you are a Genius thank you

Have moved over my profile page so you should be able to see the photos now.

Salt dough is really easy to do. The kids really enjoyed it especially the glitter part.

Tree looks fantastic and so do decorations

Just marking spot really. Have been reading, but not much time to post.

System, I am firmly in the real tree camp and hoping to get one today now DH has spent most of the morning digging the car out . What kind of tree did you have last year? I usually go for a Fraser fir or a nordman fir and they're both quite good re needle retention.

Sybil, your homecraft tree sounds fab. H&S - another easy Xmas dec making idea... Cut festive shapes in bread with cutters, leave out overnight to go stale, then paint/glue/glitter. I also printed off some festive colouring in sheets for S last weekend and he decorated with stickers, glued bits of tissue etc. Hope E is better soon.

Waves to everyone, and points Deb in the direction of Amazon...

I just got my hair cut too! W slept throughout despite the heavy dance music in the salon. These sleepy babies are so much more accomodating than the non-sleeping variety. I am now getting a chilly bum whilst feeding W outside Pret as no tables inside in busy pre Xmas high st. The coffee and cake were good though.

P has eczema too. I have always remembered Sybils advice to use steroid cream rather than not. So much better to get it under control.

In a nod toward Xmas P and I made cards yesterday. They look rubbish but I enjoyed doing something crafty even if P only did 2 before heading to the TV and I ended up doing to other 35.

Thanks so much for all the eczema advice. This is only the second day of following the regime, and already DS1 is more comfortable than he's been in years. I feel awful for holding off the steroid cream for so long .

Sybil your tree looks fabulous. I love the idea of doing salt dough decorations. I'll do that with the children this year. We usually make biscuits and hang those from the tree, and sometime do popcorn garlands which we love. We made our first mulled wine of the season last night using Diana Henry's recipe from this book: www.amazon.co.uk/Roast-Figs-Sugar-Snow-Winter/dp/1845335244/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1291475226&sr=1-2

Just marking my spot. D is on a feedathon and I'm knackered. No tree here yet, but only a couple of presents left to get.

Hi. I couldn't stay away forever. Had a skim read last week and I noticed Rolf (aww, thanks Rolf) was wondering where I - ex-Whinegums - was. If anyone can be bothered, can I have a quick update? Biscuits/Mince Pies has a new baby, Dewin is expecting one, Deb has moved back home - anything else?

I've been off radar - had a horrible horrible month. My uncle died at the end of October, which was sort of expected, but very sudden at the end, and of course very sad. A couple of days after getting back from his funeral, I got such a huge horrible shock. One of my closest dearest friends back home had a heart attack and died. The day after his 45th birthday. So, back home for another funeral. I am still having trouble believing it, can't really get my head around not ever seeing him again. It's been an utterly shit time, added to which DP hasn't been well at all, although still turning up for work, and practically collapsing at home, and B has had the usual toddler snuffles/meltdowns etc.

I'm just looking forward to Christmas - which will be fairly quiet for us I hope/think - and a decent break.

Sorry for short self-centred post, hope everyone is ok, B requires attention x

Hi Bugger - so sorry to hear of your horrid time. I had a double death myself two and a half years ago - one expected and one sudden and so I know how it feels. I hope Christmas can prove a small distraction for you. x

My only news is I have a date for my C section so 7 Jan my twin girls will be born - mega eek!

Pengiun is 14 Jan for her birth - think it must be a c section as well to be so specific!