dec 2008- the one where they all turn 2...probably.

[VagolaJahooli]

Sorry bit boring I know but I didn't want to make any reference to spot as I don't want to jinx her and have her baby come early, then it would be my fault. Also didn't want the mad rush at the end of the thread. This way we've had plenty of time.

Right I have sort of read back and noticed I missed quite a bit!
I'm having a break from the decorating. Tis very important to have a break and then look again and decide if it's too much or not enough ds got SO excited when I turned the lights on and I yelled "Christmas tree Lights" and he tried to copy!!! he said "tristra chee" or something like that I'm sure!!! Then he got all embarresed and wouldn't say it again!
Kiwi ds was like that about mittens but I started going over the top when we would go out and I say right everyone put on coats, hats and gloves, and he'd watch us do it and then do it too. he has little bits of velcro that attach to his sleeve but it's not very secure to be honest, although they stayed on yesterday.

Beans I'd do that suggestion of bringing some snow inside for her to play with - either that or move to Australia
DS was scared of bubbles until just recently. But dh just kept putting the bubbles from the bath on his head as he (dh) thought it was funny watching him panic about bubbles and he soon got over the fear - however I don't suggest that with the snow

Vaggie, what are your plans /itinerary exactly etc while you are here? I'm pretty sure the 22nd would be OK - and maybe even the 19th - just not sure. I think dh will be around both days. lady can I beg and plead that you and the girls (and dp if off) come to mine for some Christmas cheer with Vag? Oh anyone else is welcome too - I just expect you to all say if you could or wanted to!
We are just having a super quiet one for ds's b'day. Just small family gathering I think. I have got him the garage thing that he loves at toddler group and that very annoying toolbox Deids as I want him to have something to open on the day and also when the fam are here the following day.
Summer MIL is getting him a balance bike for christmas and we had trouble getting him one his size as dh measured his crotch to the floor. The Islabike was one of very few that fit him but decided on a slightly cheaper one since mil was buying, but she may still get that one as I know what she's like!

Christmas tree is really coming together now...
I bought a mini muffin tray and a tool to push down the pastry for the jam tarts / savoury tarts etc. that DS will be able to help me to use! Gosh I'm getting old, Avon parties, cooking parties, table runners, what's next? I really must go back to work to prevent this getting out of hand
Right better look at tablecloths next

After offering advice to Kiwi about keeping mittens on, DD insisted on taking hers off this morning. And then she insisted I take mine off too We didn't stay outside in the snow for much longer after that, I suddenly realised it was time for a hot juice.

Jam I had the same issue with my Mum a couple of months ago, with a work trip. Having agreed to have DD to stay months in advance, with 2 days to go she changed her mind Fortunately, all the other grandparents (yes, including my Dad, and yes, my parents are still married and living together) got time off work (my Mum doesn't work, but the rest do) and a couple of friends offered to help too. I texted Mum (couldn't bring myself to ring her, I was worried I'd blow a fuse) to say 'MIL is having DD on day 1, then she's going to friends house overnight, then friend is taking her to nursery when Dad will pick her up etc etc so you are don't need to change your brand new plans'. I think she then realised how angry I was, and rang DH when I was out to apologise and to say she could have DD after all. And then she insisted on having DD, so I had to cancel all the other very kind people. I was very angry, so I really feel for you. Do you have an obliging neighbour/friend, who your DSs like?

DD and I have been potato printing this morning, doing stars and christmas trees onto cards for family. It was fun, but she really has the shortest attention span - it took me most of Zingzillas to get everything prepared, and then the actual fun bit took only half of Waybuloo, before she'd wandered off.

Trace I hope you got childcare sorted today? Actually I hope you all got a fun snow day together, which would be much the better option. I'm pleased to hear you're feeling happier again - did you contact your CPN?

Oooh you are getting me excited Rubes, i have ordered loads of new decorations from JL, will pick them up from depot at weekend along with a TREE! How exciting. Our current decorations are rather old and crap, and our new house is much bigger so thought I would splash out on some new stuff!

MMM... Heinz tomato soup + a few warming drops of tabasco for lunch, yum yum.

That is very cute Zoe, re the Xmas cards. Maybe I should do that, is it difficult?

Rubes what balance bike are you getting instead? The ridgeback scoot is nice as well.

Summer - Don't know as DH is controlling the cycling [via mil] related purchases as you would well expect. He had a look at the Islabike and thinks it's really good quality - just didn't want mil to spend too much since ds has quite long legs and might grow out of it too fast. He has seen another one I think that was in JL that he quite liked, but mil wants to make sure it's good quality
yes I never know with christmas tree decorations if it's too much or not enough. We got some new things the year DS was born and have a real navy blue and silver theme going on so have stuck with it. I think it looks quite good but will see what dh thinks when he gets home! What kind of decs did you order? DS still trying to pull baubles off the tree but he has gone to sleep now!

Summer not at all difficult - especially the star shape, as I have a star biscuit cutter, so used that to mark the shape on the potato and then cut round it. The hardest bit was trying to keep DD interested (I had fun though). I am quite of the Heinz tomato soup, I love it on snowy days

Not that much, got these baubles, which I thought were fun.
these
and
this to go above the mantlepiece
and also a pack to make paper chains.

Our Xmas dec theme is any old crap that we've built up over the years! I quite like it like that though.

Zoe, might have a go at that. Though DS similarly disinterested plus don't have paints as am a bit scared due to the mess!!

Ooh I like those Summer! I'm excited for you now! DS will really enjoy it - wait till you see his eyes light up when the tree does!

I'm quite excited about decorating a tree now (although we need to get one first, but I could get cracking on the teeny one in the pot). DD loved it last year, so I know she will love it so much more this year. I was always of the school of leaving the decorations til as late as possible, but the last couple of years I've been itching to get started. Our Chirstmas tree theme is much the same as yours Summer .

On paints, its only the second time I've done painting with DD (the first time being last Christmas, when I vowed never again), but I've got paints that very clearly state they wash off with just water, so it wasn't too bad. Now the christmas tree stamps have dried, I'm thinking of seeing if I can get DD to finger paint some blobs for baubles - but maybe less is more, I think I am getting carried away.

I think I mean uninterested not disinterested. I have heard people bitching about people using disinterested wrongly before .... Oops.

I didn't even realise there is a difference

hello all, sorry for extended absence it's been a bit mental here with work and S being a little tinker in the evenings and DH being stuck at work til 8 every day :(

just wanted to say hi quickly, belated happy birthday to Matthew and Nancy and big hugs to everyone, I miss you all! Really want to catch up but no time between now and Sunday, so will have to read a month's worth then [yikes] but hope everyone's ok and give all your chilly dcs a big hug from me :)

Hello from a cold and stationary Eurostar. I am somewhere in Northern France surrounded by fields of snow. I want to get home quicker than this. I have Eiffel Tower snow domes for the girls and I want to see them before bedtime. Agghh.

Will catch up now. Hope all well. Paris was quite fun and I am in love with a Romaniam parliamentarian but other than that I have no news.

Avo tell us more about the Romanian while you are stationary.

Oh he was lovely Summer. I spent the week surrounded by parliamentarians from across Europe and most were soooo dull and old and uninspiring. But this guy was really sweet. He was v nervous about getting things wrong so I coached him through what he had to do and he was very thankful. When you work with politicians you rarely get thanked but he was very genuine.

Then I had to go to an Ambassador's Reception (sounds so much more glam than it was, they didn't even have Ferroro Rocher). I hate making small talk with strangers who want to be talking to someone more important and he saw I was uncomfortable and took me round introducing me to everyone. Then he invited me to dinner with various Romanians and I agreed (because I could tell he wasn't sleezy and it wld be fine). We went to a lovely restaurant and he was properly interesting & even inspiring talking about the things he was fighting for in Romania. I told him about my girls and about how my grandmother-in-law loves French madelines (I talked abt interesting stuff too, but I mentioned this). Today he left a bag for me and it had two Eiffel Tower snow domes for the girls and a tin of madelines for my g-i-l. How sweet is that????

So I am not actually in love, my heart is forever DH's, but Mr Romanian did make my week.

Still in France. Still on a stationary train (although we've got as far as Calais now).

Wow! He sounds LOVELY. Seriously!

Hello all. Brrrrrrrrrr it's cold, to state the bloody obvious. DDs nursery closed early today, good job I was working from home.

Veggie how's the nappy rash today? I second offer to send you the metanium cream. You can stock up!

Hello ladies just to a quick one as its been a heavy afternoon for teamvaggie and I think Mrjahooli may need a debrief. The boys are nearly asleep. DS1 has been brilliant this afternoon, while DS2 started off good but ended demonic. We had to go through all the mortgage stuff with the broker and then all the deed of sale stuff. Took over 2 hours. The boys were stuck in the room with us. Our estate agent dude was very good about DS2 being beastly.

Anyhoo I've just swooned a little over Mr Romanian, the only guys I saw whilst in Romania years ago were shrivelled up old man-crones, this one sounds lovely. So what are his dreams for Romania?

Rubes 22nd is prob best as on the 19th we'll have been driving from the Hague so boys might go mental in your house, and DH and I might steal all your alcohol.

Gosh the last thing I bought for my bike was a little backwheel shield so DS1 doesn't catch his foot in the spokes how sad is that, gone are the days of carbon fibre tri bars, or campag vs shaman. Well nearly. Better get old dama biancii out for a spin.

Jam I really hope you manage to go to NY.

Rubes I'm jealous of your perfectly shaped tree, I can't believe I didnt pick that this was a tree branch stuck in a pot with soil, I was so excited about having a growing tree, bigger for next year. Oh well, anyway it was the best I could get this early, the Christmas tree sellers don't start up for another week. The boys love it, though DS2 keeps scooting into it. He is getting quite miffed that I won't let him go scooting on the snowy footpath.

Oh and DS2's bottom is loads better, have been using kitchen towels and warm water to wipe him. he is still pooing these horrid loose poos. they have improved from watery at least. DS1 has them now

Hi Vag - I can't see a problem with the 22nd. but your boys going mental [hard to believe they seem so poilte] is nothing new around here and we have loads of alcohol to counteract that exact problem! Are you staying with friends in Oxford on the 19th then? You'd be more than welcome to stay with us if you wanted to - I'd be scared to cook for a Vaggitarian but we'd happily order a curry Anyway, do what ever works best for you and is easiest as we are very flexible and you can let us know last minute if need be.

Right must get dinner on.

Well we did go out in the end and it was fine - thank the good lardy for the P&T, much easier than with the Maclaren. Fortunately lots of other parents also had cabin fever so we weren't alone. Rubes I was very grateful for the belly band you gave me, my bump was nice and cosy!

We put up our plastic tree, T has worked out that it's loaded with chocolate though, so while it's out of reach the lights that are on it are connected to the socket on the floor so I don't think it can be long before he pulls the tree down via the lights in order to get the chocolate. Well, it's what I'd do...

Rubes you are the epitome of domestic goddessery. Don't stop, it shames inspires me into thinking more about my home. Sadly my default is blind lazy slattern.

Veg that afternoon sounded very full on but glad it's been productive - and that DS2's rash is better. It's so horrible when they're in all that pain - damn those teeth.

Jam I x-posted with you this morning, I would feel very resentful indeed in your shoes. Any chance she might change her mind?

Avo your trips sounds fab. I hope your stationary train started again and your DDs are happily admiring thier snow shakers.

ZJ am v impressed with the potato prints, I tried to do Christmas cards yesterday but T just got obsessed with the glue and it all got a bit messy and an-artistic thereafter.

Oh bollocks, sounds like he's dismantling his cot upstairs, bedtimes used to be relatively straightforward but i think the lack of running about in the afternoon (compared with summer or autumn when we could burn off some energy in the park) makes a big difference. We have to buy another cot as he's broken this one and I'm too scared to put him into a big bed at this stage in the proceedings.
Any ideas where I can get decent second-hand cots? Tried gumtree and ebay but no great joy.

DH is the vag-itarian tehe. Thanks Rubes that's very kind but we are staying with very dear friend who is quite excited about seeing the boys and who is leaving the UK soon so won't see much of her. Sadly we have another friend who we will be saying goodbye to on this UK trip, a beautiful lovely friend who is moving with her hubby and two sons to LA, will miss her and a teeny bit jealous.

hi all
zj your potato prints sound lovely and I'm sure will be appreciated by the recipients Last year L and I made reindeer gift tags using potato prints, and this year we've done some hand print angels - but we do it when P is in bed so she doesn't ruin everything make a mess I might do some with her tomorrow though - it's 2 at the same time which taxes me!
Well L's school was closed today, as was P's nursery (first time they've ever closed in 9 years!), but thankfully dh's school was closed too, so I went to work. Had a massive headache since 5am though and was sick at work so I'm wondering if I'm getting migraines properly now. I've always been a headache person but never vomited with them before, but now it's happened quite a few times recently. Rubbish.
Not sure if I mentioned this, but I took P to see a Speech and Language Therapist last month, as she's not got many words or sounds. Anyway they weren't too concerned because she's so fab at engaging and eye contact and wanting to involve people in her playing, and the SALT said she has all the skills for communication - just not the words - but said not to worry because she would probably just explode with words soon... (and also her big never-shuts-up sister is a likely factor!). Well, to tick a box in their assessment thay had to refer her to audiology to rule out a hearing problem, so I took P there today. Gorgeous, lovely, kind man and lady did lots of hearing tests and games, and basically P does have some hearing loss . Not too major, but they need to reassess her in 4 months to see if things have improved on their own or whether she needs investigating. So he said she's probably hearing most of what we say one on one, but if there's any background noise (TV, radio, big never-shuts-up sister), then she probably can't hear what's being said. She's also got glue ear so if that doesn't resolve she'll need grommets. Poor thing. We've signed up for a 'play with language' group which starts after xmas at the children's centre, so that might help her sounds come on a bit.
Sorry that was a bit waffly!
I just watched last night's apprentice . There were a fair few dirty looks going on in the girls' team!
Spot glad you got out for some fresh air and sanity.
P's nursery is closed again tomorrow, and L's school is opening 10 till 2, so if DH is back in school then I need to take the day off tomorrow. This snow does complicate life!
Right my head is telling me to stop using the computer and go to bed...
night night xxx

Spot - epitome of domestic goddessery? How? and Why? I'm flattered, but confused.... I've been re reading my posts! Do you mean the Christmas tree decorating rambling I've been doing? You're very welcome for the clothes. Just glad they are getting use Hmm not sure on the cot. MIL got me a brillaint nearly new M&P one for a tenner from a charity shop in Kent that she frequents so I'll ask her to have a look if she's in there. Try eBay too.

No worries Vag I'm sure we'll catch up at some point during your UK tour! We can sort it out later.

Right, last nights Apprentice.

WG - I probably still read books because I did a maths degree, so don't feel bad. Strangely enough have not seen HJ or the others around Muswell Hill, but have seen Ricky Gervais about. There was a time when I seemed to bump in to Mike Leigh everywhere. He must have thought we were stalking him.

Jam - I'd be v annoyed too. Just got me thinking how long its been since I was in New York. My brother lives there, but he comes here a lot and not sure it would be fun to go with the kids at this point.

Beans - your poor DD! I remember when mine was a little less than 2 and we'd had snow she went to inspect the snowman the kids next door had made. She went to inspect and the top part fell off and knocked her flat. She spent most of the next few months saying "Tali, snowman, falling down". It was seriously traumatising. But she seems to have got over it .

trace - at least you know what is going on if the hearing is affecting her speech so i guess its at least positive in that way.

Avo - your romanian sounds like a quite exceptional character!

I am getting old. Back from my second weekday night out in a row (both work things, so not so exciting) and will be thoroughly wrecked. Someone even asked me if I was coming down with something this morning.