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.

Jam was just thinking is your friend on mumsnet, there are threads for support for what she is going through on here. Sadly there are a few lovely MNERS who have been through similar experiences. I stumbled into one the other day and apart from lots of wellwishers who really helped the poor women there were also women who gave practical advice to the lady to do with the birth.

JJ my new name is made up of the nickname that Pubes coined and a character in The mighty boosh. I then decorated it with a bit of old skool Christmas cheer.

Yes she is Vag dont know her MN nickname but am sure she will seek out the support threads.

No worries Vagetta - it's sounding like it's not going to work all round, but do let me know if you find yourself free at all after you get here as I'd love to see you and the Vagboy's and Vagdad if he's around and if I'm not busy. I'm a whizz on the tube when kid-negative

Awww jam your poor friend. I was thinking about her at 2pm

Hows the head Sybil? hair of the Dog love.

Jam - I'm so sad to hear that. It makes my heart hurt for them. Let us know how she is doing. Must be such a hard thing to do. I am thinking of them.

It does bring home how lucky we are with our DCs.

I'm afraid we're off and away for Xmas as of Tuesday next week, and not back apart from one night, til 2nd January. AGES! Mind you, that's all weather dependent slightly, and the snow has started a bit here now!

Whistlestop tours - 3 nights with inlaws, 4 nights with my parents, one night back here, then Cumbria for 4 nights. That's the bit that's weather dependent! If it's freezing and snowy, then might not be worth the trip.

xx

Ladies thanks for your kind thoughts.

I feel as though I have broken the thread with my sad news.

Back to Christmas frivolity please.

Just doing late feed for Pru. She farts like a man.

Jam - of course you haven't broken the thread darling. Remember how the basket operates . We are here to celebrate good times and support each other and our pals in bad ones. We are all mothers and are hurting for your friend. Poor girl. Am thinking of her and of you.

Feeling much better. Cheeky glass of wine has helped no end. Now wrapping school presents. Deep, deep joy.

See you tomorrow

XXXX

jam that is such sad news for your friend. I hope they get all the support they need.

sybs Glad the red wine helped. I seriously need to start wrapping some presents.

Feel awful today. Splitting headache, sore throat. Oh and I discovered headlice on DD yesterday...yuck! I'm such a wuss, anyway she is de-loused and ready for school now. DH says I shouldn't mention it being the last day of term. But I will, not that I think they do anything much about it. I don't suppose there is much they can do!

Has anyone got the snow yet? Just frosty here. We bought some sledges in anticipation and it seems that has cursed us!

Where in Cumbria are you off to Beans? Not far from me and we go camping there a lot in the summer. Its so lovely in Winter, very Christmassy....as long as you make it of course!

Hi DB - we go to a place about half an hour north of Penrith. Miles away!!! But it's gorgeous.

I'd like to have a lie in.

Have just organised a weekend down at my parent's place while they're on holiday in February. There's going to be 5 of us there, no children, and I'm going to sleeeeeep! And probably have a few drinks too!

PS Am not leaving children on their own - DH is looking after them for the weekend. And he's NOT allowed to go to his parents' place himself, or get his mum down here. I want him to actually experience a bit of what I do. Not in a bad way, just want him to know that he can't just drop everything and go and play tennis or golf or go for a run or whatever!

Is that bad??!

beans that sounds completely fair! I often get cross when I come home from my Tuesday at work to find DH has taken dd out for lunch in town, and then watched lots of beebies, and had pasta and pesto for tea again. It's just a bit disappointing really!

Jam fret not, I think we're all just spending extra time looking at our dcs and feeling very fortunate. More hugs for your friend.

veggie - ah, never watched the mighty boosh so that's why the name makes no sense.

Off to get flu jab this afternoon - and paying for it! My drs surgery doesn't know when they'll be getting their next stash in, but a local school has had to close owing to 150 kids getting flu (and a lot of that swine flu apparently, it's a school that one of DH's colleagues doctors for and he had to make the decision to close them early for the hols so as to stop it spreading further ).

eek JJ that sounds bad. One of the schools in my work area has loads off with flu as well. i got my jabs through work and I'm taking dd1 for hers on Monday.
jam so sorry for your friends' loss. And yes it reminds us how blessed we are and to keep things in perspective.
Well as JJ has revealed she never watched the Mighty Boosh, I shall reveal that I have never watched it either, neither have I any clue what you are all talking about when you mention BE (? ) and I have no idea who WG's DH is, or kiwi's DH. There. Ignorance exposed
I've finished work for Christmas now, so today am child free . Have so far taken L to school, then come home, donw a bit of my CBT 'homework' and watched last week's Casualty with a cuppa! Next job - tidy house a bit then pop to the shops to try to find a pressie for BIL. Then home and start wrapping...we're going to put our tree up this weekend. So far we've done nothing really to get ready for Christmas, so I think we ought to start.
Ooh and I have a decision to make re work. In brief, there's an appealing job come up...
It's a paediatric staff nurse in a health visitor team. Reasons to go for it : my School Nurse job is not overly secure it seems - lots of meetings lately, redundancies mentioned...also we're starting to be rostered instead of working our own diaries, so will have to work 8.30 - 1.30 and 12 - 5, rather than mainly in school hours which I currently do, so would need more before and after school club. New job is in York (but other side to where I live, so probably similar travel time as I'm doing at present), either 16 hours over 2 days or 24 hours over 3 days (there are two posts), so could reduce the no. of days that P is in nursery. It's all year round so financially better for us, and I quite fancy the role and am qualified and experienced enough to do it (on paper!).
Reasons not to go for it - my current job is term time only which is fabulous with DH being a teacher and LOs at school. I've only been in my current job a year and a term, so might look like a quitter or like I don't know what I'm doing. I like my current job and colleagues.
aaghhh! Too hard. Closing date is Jan 2nd, so I've got a little while to ponder it. Hmm.
Right, tidy time

Snow bucketing down here. We're meant to be having friends for drinks on Sunday - not sure it's going to happen!!

My dad's meant to be coming tomorrow to babysit DD while both DH and I sing in a concert - he's only an hour away but given that a couple of weeks ago we were completely clear and he had 5cm snow in the garden, can't really be sure of anything now! Any pics please Beans?

Trace - oooh, bit of a dilemma. Well plenty of time to think things over as you say!

I've put up 3 more of the pics I had done, /the ones I've chosen are: the one of both, the one of Izzy and the headshot of Pru. the full body one of Pru isgorgeous too, so was hard decision and still not sure if it was right one!!

Was that pics you meant, JJ?

Hello!

Trace - BE is a Radio 4 comedy called Bleak Expectations. WG's DH write the scripts. I have no idea who WG's husband is either except that he is a very funny comedy script writer who not only write BE but also writes Gigglebiz! Your job dilema is a hard one. But a good one becuase it's great to have appealing choices. I have just been doing my CBT homework too. I find it rather mentally exhausting. In fact I wish I wasn't trying to do this CBT while really busy at work and preparing for Chrimbo. I need more mental space to make the most of it.

Jam - so sorry to hear your friends' tragic news. I hope L has a fab birthday today.

JJ - you are scaring me with this flu talk. I don't want Christmas ruined through illness. Don't think I'm eligable for the jab though.

Deids - I hope you feel better soon. Lemsip max strength?

Lady - where are you?????

Beans - I think you are being entirely reasonable wanting your DH to have experience of sole charge. However sod's law dictates both girls will be angelic all weekend.

Rubes - you have lost me with your charger talk. Are they heated? I got a lovely Vera Wang fir Wedgewood dinner service through our wedding list and would live to use it on Christmas day. It has four sizes of plate! But we always go to the inlaws for lunch so using it is a mere dream.

Right, must off and prepare for DD2's party this arvo. Her birthday is tomorrow but her friends are coming today. It will be carnage as her friends are all the younger siblings of DD1's mates and they are coming too. All the four year olds expect party games so I have done a pass the parcel but I doubt the birthday girl will have a clue what to do! I have also set out lads of play dog and cutters so I am hoping they'll all cut and mould for a while. DD2 is uber excited and is currently applying imaginary make up for the big event.

Happy Birthday to minijam Hope he has a wonderful day.

trace That jobs sounds great tbh. Why not apply and see what happens. If it's meant to be and all. BTW how is your roof?

avo Whats a play dog??. Sounds fun I do hope the party goes well.

Feel even worse now. I ache everywhere. Am eagerly awaiting the CBeebies Xmas panto to start, and can shove both DC's in front of it with a really crap dinner

Oh beans those photos are absolutely beautiful!

Beans: you have astoundingly beautiful children - those photos are just lovely :).

sorry beans, I'm a sad git was meaning pics of the snow - but the girls pics are of course gorgeous as well, whizzer is a real beauty.

right - being jabbed in 5 mins, if you hear a big yell across the nation it's me being a wimp

Hello

We are out of pox-land! Woohoo! Dcs both scabbed over and allowed in public. We went to a lovely Sure Start run music group this morning and it felt great! Dd decided she was running the group and sat next to the lady who runs it with a drum, demanding the songs she wanted to sing and beating time . At teh end we sang happy birthday 4 times over for 3 other children who have just had birthdays and for dd. At the end of each round she pretended to blow out candles and after the last one she demanded "Where's the cake mummy?" That's my girl . I am so behind in Christmas and birthday prep though with having been stuck inside, one mental weekend coming up.

Invis sorry you are in pox hell at the moment, hope it is over by Christmas.

Spot your pool sounds great! Where do you have it? Does it not get in the way? I've been considering one for number 3 baby which we have not even ddecided if we are having or not (me yes, dh no :() as our water tank is small and heated by a fire. I can imagine being mid oush and dh having to stop holding my hand to go get more coal

Jam how very sad for your friend, I hope she is getting lots of support at such a difficult time.

Beans such lovely pictures!

Trace the job sounds fantastic, I'd apply, you don't have to accept it is offered.

Happy birthday wishes to all that need them.

Hope nobody is suffering too badly with the snow, we seemt o be missing out this time in the NE and I'm not complaining!

Hello need to catch up so just marking my place.

Trace, I think the job is good, however, I would ask them at interview how much of it is child protection and if they have much problems with understaffing. I got a similar job in Derby but didn't end up doing it as I got pregnant and knew I didn't want to go back after I had DS2. Anyhoo, it was going to he loads of child protection stuff, basically relieving the load from the HVs and also the teams were severally understaffed so it was also being a bit of an assistant to them. At the time it was a good job as I wasn't really bothered with what I did for work I just wanted a job that worked around nursery hours and as a fill in until I got pregnant, which happened a little earlier than I expected. I don't want to dis the job as pead nurses on HV teams do different things on different teams but just be sure of what your JD will be and what is expected of you.

Got a bit of a headache and need a relaxing bath, DS2 is still waking hungry at 4.30am.

Gotta go but will yabba more later, we are quite snowed in here.

Thanks for the pox sympathy - Indith, glad you are through - I can't wait! DD is pretty much scabbed over, but DS is fully spotty and a complete clingon. Serves me right for planning a week off at home. At least I managed to exchange the tickets to the ballet the GPs got for DD, so she will go next week - but with DH, as I'm back at work. She is convinced that she will be a ballerina when she grows up!

Jam - so sorry for your friend.

Trace - if you are seriously tempted by the job, I'd give it a go. Big part of it is whether you like them and you won't know that unless you go for it.

Avo - hope the party has gone off well. I sometimes feel sorry for DS as mostly he gets to play with whoever DD decides. But then I saw him running around like a maniac with some 3 year olds and he doesn't seem to mind too much.

Spot - hope T is feeling better. That pool sounds heavenly!

Syb - hope the head isn't too bad, hope it was a good night.

Beans - gorgeous girls!

JJ - those swine flu tales are scary. Enjoy the singing though.