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.

Lady: have no idea re the formula. Maybe it just has some extra iron, therefore higher chance of constipation? Might be worth starting a thread about it as I bet someone would know. That or you have a mystery neighbour with an aptamil stockpile.

Real quickie as making dinner. LadyT, DD1 was just dropped off my her friends' mum who is paediatrician. I asked her re formula but cldnt remember D's exact age. She said follow-on has abt 25% more salt than newborn. For a little baby this wld be hard on the kidneys. But that's long term. An emergency feed or two wld be ok. If you have a bit of the newborn stuff she suggested alternating feeds. Hope that helps.

Thank you so much Avo! That is so helpful. I think I will just hope that we can get somewhere further tomorrow. I have enough to get me through to lunchtime, perhaps, so maybe I can string it out. The buses aren't running so DP can't get to court. He is having kittens. It is about 15 miles into Oxford. Dang and blast this weather!

Effie, I meant to say earlier - DD2 was wearing your beautiful hat today. It looks gorgeous, thank you so much.

Hope you are all surviving the snow. We are all so stir crazy we actually got in the car and drove to my parents today. It wasn't too bad once we got past our road. Poor old DS. I suggested making a snowman in the garden yesterday and he was so frantically desparate to get out he put on his had and coat by himself, fished out DD's hat and started hassling her to put it on. He is still quite spotty but on the mend. I can't work out whether I am glad to go to work tomorrow or not, I just feel like a rat on a treadmill at the moment with no respite anywhere.

Vag - I am constantly in awe of all that you do. I can understand why you feel down - moving country with small children is hard work (I know it from the child end) and the way you have thrown yourself into it is amazing. I am sure getting to grips with the language will help, but time will do its part too. Don't be hard on yourself.

Spot - sorry that cabin fever has set in - hard and the best of times and even harder when you have all going on that you do. Hope it all resolves well without any permanent harm done.

Where is Vag do you think she is stranded in euroland somewhere?

Grrrrrr!! Why does my entire family think that, just because I am not actually leaving the house, I am not working? I have SO much work to do and will be doing it rather than twiddling on the internet or chatting on the phone. Makes me hanker for the summer when there wasn't 6 inches of snow on the ground and I could swan off to the swimming pool at 6.30am in peace.....

It's a big problem for those who have to do any work at home, Sybs. I don't know the answer but can send you lots of sympathy on this front...

Invis, my goodness, I bet you do feel cooped up. Pox aside, how bad is the snow in London? I can't get there today as the bus still isn't running so have no hope of getting to the station. DP definitely can't get to work. COurt may not be open, though.

Jam, I was wondering that. Vag, I do hope you are ok.

Vag has been quiet since they set off on their journey, not even on FB. When was she supposed to get to here does anyone know?

sybs Sorry you are finding it hard to work, DVD?

lady I hope you can manage to get to another shop for the right milk for DD2. Is DP going to set off on a hike seeing as he can't get to work? Poor man it is so cold out there!

I am actually quite at how badly we handle bad weather in this country. I know its not the 'norm' but still you think we could manage it all a bit better. I suspect there will be an 'inquiry' we are much better at them than dealing with snow. Mini rant over, off to the Toddlers Xmas Party this morning, that is if I can move the car. Failing that I'll put them in a sledge and drag them there I think.

Keep warm & safe everyone.

By handle I mean gritting roads/snow ploughs/transport in general. Not people, on the whole I think people are more resourceful and helpful than the powers that be.

Hello!
Lady I have text you - we have about 4-5 inches on the ground but it's not actually snowing. Only the mainline trains are running and there is a bit of snow forecast for tomorrow.
All fine here just ds isn't shaking this cough and cold so I've got him in extra layers, the fire on all day and stuffing him with Olive Leaf Extract which my mother swears by failing that i'll be taking him to the GP as mine is still hanging on. We've had a few horrendous nights with him waking due to coughing etc but last night he slept 7pm till 815 !! Maybe this stuff does actually work! (or maybe it's the fact he isn't loving it in his milk so has slowed down the milk consumption therefore not overflowing his nappies therefore not waking early from that dd is fine and SO no trouble that I feel sorry for her at times as she sometimes gets forgotton when she's so quiet
Hope Vagola is ok. It could be a bit of delays / waiting around etc. They aren't flying are they? I had more but will be back

Really hope the airports get sorted soon - not just for Vagola, also because a good friend of mine was acting as team mum to 15 8-13 year olds on a choir tour of the East Coast of the USA. Meant to be flying back at the weekend, now possibly stuck in Washington until Xmas so can we all send warming up vibes to the Heathrow runway?!

ladyT hope the formula situation gets sorted, my mate in LH might be able to help if you're still stuck? (doesn't have a newborn but they've managed to dig their car out which is a start...)

Thanks girls, DP and I were trying to work out who should walk to Woodstock and back (it's at least 5 miles, maybe 6, and that's one way) - I love walking and have better boots as his good ones are trapped in the new house, but whilst DP acknowledges this he thinks he is much more robust and I wouldn't make it. I am sure I would, but anyway, a colleague's wife, who lives fairly local, has agreed to lend DP her car and they are closer to the main road. Our hire car is still trapped, which is infuriating, not least as we are still paying the daily rental It is getting out of the village that is the real problem, I think the main roads are now passable, with extreme care.

Last week was so busy we didn't look at the weather or stock up on anything. Really stupid to leave ourselves exposed like this. I always think Oxfordshire won't be affected, it usually seems to miss out.

I am worried about Veg because she was going from Calais and Northern France was vv badly hit by snow. Her last post said she would be in Oxford by late today - well, I don't know where they are staying but I believe they have had a foot of snow in the centre of Oxford so it's bad there too.

Rubes, that is so kind of you and as I said in my text I will keep in touch. Sorry DS is still rough. Did you watch The Apprentice?

In other news, the last two nights, DD2 has been fed around 9ish then been unsettled until 11ish, from whence she has slept until 6am yesterday and 7.15 today!! I hope this continues but I doubt it will.

Keep safe ladies. I am fretting about not having finished my Christmas shopping (DP won't have any presents unless I can get to the shops bedore the weekend) but all that really matters is that we are all safe.

Hi gaian. DH has left for work now (in the car these days of course) but apparently it's really busy and their lists are really backed up.
Lady that is brilliant about dd's sleeping - must make suck a difference. DD must still have a peanut sized tummy as she wakes at around 3 for a feed, but seems to inhale it and back to sleep in seconds. DS has been rough though. has an awful chesty sounding cough which on occasion makes him vomit but otherwise he's ok. It's the same cough / cold I've got and I still can't shake mine either. He's been sleeping too long in the day too and I have paid for it at night. One night he was up from 1am-3am and just not tired so the next day he got woken from his nap after an hour and a bit and then that next morning slept till 730 am!
What's the situation with your car lady? How long are you needing this hire car for? I'm a bit behind on that. Please do let me know about the milk and your postal situation as I can send it quite easily. Perhaps I should anyway?
JJ hope the choir gets back. I have several friends who have been texting me from the gate and had to sit there for ages and then they sometimes cancel anyway, but a friend of mine went to JFK today so it might be ok now.
Yes I remember when Vag said on FB she was leaving I was a bit worried that they might end up stranded with the forecasts etc. They keep changing as they had said we would have snow Thurs and Fri and now it's tomorrow and Boxing day so who knows.
I was impressed that Sainsburys made it out on time. Having said that, we are a stones throw from the M-25 I guess!
Sybs hope you got some peace! Just lock yourself in a room and ear plugs! DH gets that too but it's his own fault I say as when he is working from home, I sometimes look at his computer screen and he's alternating between cycling websites and his work so I don't feel such a need to keep ds away from him at that point!
Right, I can hear ds and the dog banging around iin the kitchen with bottles or something so must investigate!
Oh and deids and all on the charger / runner talk. You will be surprised to know that I don't have either for my Christmas table! I have some cheapy tesco red Christmas poinsettia napkins (I'm sure you've all seen them) and a little poinsettia in the middle of the table and that's going to be it really but I might pull some holly off the fence too

Oh my typing is bad!!! Sorry especially the "suck a difference"!!!

Yeah Rubes, the gearbox failed on 26 Nov (I remember as it was the day after DD1's birthday) so it has been in the local garage all that time. They can't fix it and DP has spent all that time trying to find someone who can, for as cheap as possible. He has found someone in London but it will still cost £1500+. So since then we have had a Vauxhall Astra from a hireshop (apart from when we had a van last wk) but it's not good in these conditions. Oh gosh, your cold is still hanging on as well! Awful, that's been ages. I like poinsettias. We haven't got a tree We were going to get one last week when we had the van but ran out of time. A proper one won't fit in the little car. I don't know if we will have one at all at this rate!

JJ, I do hope your friend and the choir get sorted. It's no joke any time but so much worse at this time of year, of course.

DD2 has got dreadful cradle cap, anyone got any tips? Poor thing's scalp looks so reptilian and flaky.

LadyT, if you put a bit of oilatum or oil (cooking oil will do) on her scalp and leave her overnight then wash it off, most of it should lift up and away. That said, my poor DD1 still has quite bad cradle cap but I can't do oil on her as she has such long hair I'd never get it out!

Effie, I have emailed you again.

Am racing through my work (hurray!) but there is rather more of it than I thought (boo!). Still am at least getting there. I am going to town to meet a friend on Thurs evening and am getting A's presents then, so if I don't buy it then he won't have it at all. I really take for granted being able to nip out in the the car etc but I suppose it's not for that long and I can at least wear my lovely welly warmers with fur round the top.

Right, to work! Stay warm and safe everyone.

Oh my Gosh LadyT - you've hired a car since then?? Gosh that must be expensive. That's mad that you can't get anyone to fix it unless in London. We have my car just sitting in the garage but unfortunately it's off the road and needs some work for an MOT. We are going to get it sorted in the new year as if this weather keeps up DH won't be cycling too often. I hate being stranded without a car - you must be going mad, but you've got the atmosphere out in the country with the snow etc! I hope you can get a tree soon! I know how you love Christmas. You've had some bad luck but this means your're destined to have a brilliant 2011 you know!

Quick question - given that all the good sales are on now, and I'm the size of a house, is it worth buying a few bits and bobs in my 'old' size and hoping to be back in them before next winter, or is that just a false economy? Having spent the first 4 months of dd's life in just a couple of very depressing mothercare bfing tops (before discovering the old vest-and-hoick method), I'm determined this time to try and be a bit more stylish and hitting the early sales seems like a way to do it, but if I'm not going to be anywhere near original size for ages, not worth the cash.

DEF JJ I'll eat my hat if you aren't back to your normal size in 6 months

I'm a bit worried about Veggie too, and wasn't Beans travelling to see family? Hopefully she got there ok before thr snow hit.

Lady: that is grim being stuck without a car. Please take care of yourself.

Postal deliveries up the spout here, so thanks to that and an email mixup (my fault) my SS will be delayed, sorry! Thanks for sorting me out Sybs.

Ventured into town today snd managed to get last pressies as well as some food. So only rhe Xmas food shopping to do. Pushing 'the buggy in snow keeps me fit at least. And I bagged the last packet of pre-rolled icing and marzipan, so we can decorate the cake this afternoon (to Jolly's granny's recipe :)).

JJ, I would definitely get some stuff in now. Also if you are doing the cardigan /vest BF combo, it doesn't matter if the cardigan does not do up. New clothes are very cheering. I am perusing ebay at the moment but not much doing. Am waiting for the post Christmas influx!

JJ I've already done that with the Boden sale - I figure that's inspiration enough to keep a handle on the mince pies. Obv not that I have the experience of losing the baby weight with a second which I understand is a) harder and b) in my circumstances, i lost weight v quickly as T would only sleep if I wheeled him round the park for 2+ hours a day. Somehow don't think I'll be doing that again.

Rubes sorry DS's cold is hanging on in there. Not heard of Olive LEaf extract, where do you get it from? What is your DH's take on the lingering cold? Must be hard to know when to go and ask someone else. Or indeed to try other stuff (such as the Olive Leaf thingy).

We're taking T to GP this afternoon as he's still not right. i know there are lingering viruses but I started a thread on it yesterday and the general consensus was that fevers shouldn't last a week so will go with the MN jury.

My mum did make it home yesterday fortunately, she drove the wrong way round the M25 (deliberately) and made it back in 3 and a half hours, which is pretty good. THe tension here has noticeably released, which helps a lot. I felt a lot more aches and niggles last night, which makes me think things are imminent. Still nowhere on a name yet, but feels like a small thing.

LadyT I saw your thread last night and was hoping you'd get some advice and help - have you found a solution that doesn't involve you or DP getting trapped in a snowdrift?

Sybs hope you get cracking on with the work and/or discover you could put it off until the new year!

How are the spots today, Invis? Sorry you're feeling pulled in so many directions, I hope you get a little respite at Christmas.

rubes Gosh that cough/cold hasn't half lingered. I hope that DS is okay, I hate hearing them cough in the night.

lady Hooray for the sleep. But that is a seriously long time to be without your car. I also hope that you do manage to get a tree.

Well we made it to the Xmas party. Except I hit some bad ice and nearly crashed the car on the way there. Thank goodness I was only in second gear. And that was on a road alledgedly gritted. Its so pretty tolook at but I so want it all to melt.

jj I'd get a few bits now if I was you.

Spot I hope T is okay, he really has had it rough. Good to hear your mum is home safe, and things have eased for you tension wise.

Hello peeps,

Jam I'm really sorry to hear about your friend . So very sad .

trace Go for the job, you can always decide not to take it if things look up and your job looks more secure in the new year.

Oh effie I'm really touched you've used the recipe. I do hope you enjoy it . I'll be decorating mine this week.

JJ I would! Sybil is right, new clothes are very cheering! I might get a few things in the sales myself for post DC2.

Hope beans and veggie are OK.

We got loads of snow on Friday night/Saturday morning. So much that hardly anyone made it to DD's birthday party. We had family round on her birthday itself but we'd invited friends and their children plus DD's favourite friend and only a few adults made it, which is fair enough seen as the weather was horrendous but I can't help feeling disappointed. That sounds very silly I know - someone slap me! DD enjoyed being the centre of attention and had a great time. That's the main thing. We have a mountain of party food to get through though! Sausage roll anyone?