Dec 2007 - Little People, Large Strops

[strandedatseasonsgreetings]

Will this do everyone?

oh wow thanks buzzy - that is really interesting. Will look into getting that book

yes I remember neuro and having a bit of a row with her because she thought sex offenders should be chemically castrated - were we all a bit more argumaentative in those days? We never fight now, do we [loved up emotion]?!

Can't believe what's going on in this world - NZ, Japan, Libya - makes me want to never let my DC go out into the real world

DS2 is ill - just 4 days off after a week of diarrohea from all 3 [sigh] poor little mite has had temp of 40 degrees all w/e - double dosing with calpol and nurofen

clairey - I'm on it (re mysinglefriend.com) - just be patient - will add in that you are fit, a good walker, and willing to go the extra mile so your DC can enjoy themselves

BT - how's potty training?

Skidd - I got my books on Amazon.
Your poor DC, and poor you!

I'm up for a fight if anyone wants it! I am sure there are things we would disagree on but I also think we have found a nice, safe, hiding place on MN where you don't end up in a row (and if I sometimes stray into AIBU it's always nice to come back here again!). I don't remember Neuro. There were so many of us then though, conversations ran throughout the day towards the time we gave birth. There was always someone online, wasn't there.

Clairey/skidd - how does the mysinglefriend work? Do you tell us how to find her profile and we all add to it? It's quite hard as I only feel I "know" you as a mum and I'm not sure that's the image you want to project to potential suitors! I would say you have a great sense of humour, are obviously good at coping in difficult circumstances (you seem to have done so well since splitting up with your h) and are intelligent, well educated and interested in the world. Do you post a pic as well?

Buzzy - I agree with you about the team from NZ (and the other teams who have gone straight from there to Japan). I hope they get some sort of a) a break and b) good counselling. I haven't looked at the news today - it's all so awful.

My dd1 obviously has sensory issues - she always hated loud noises, she can't stand the feel of sand on her feet, she is very sensitive in many other ways. But she seems to be growing out of it, luckily.

Oooh a window cleaner has just turned up to do out neighbour's windows and he is actually quite a nice looking young man. Perhaps I had better get his number - and find out if he's single! - as I know Clairey likes a window cleaner . He's tall and dark with a bit of a stubbly beard. Any good Clairey? I can't see his ring finger from here...

Poor ds2 Skid, hope he is better soon.

Tall and dark v good clara Not adverse to a bit of stubble either.

Yes not sure I want a mumsy profile!

I think you would have to compile my profile together before putting it on there if you all wanted to contribute...It looks like the friend writes the profile and then I comment on what they've written...

Not sure I actually have time for dating right now though...this weekend I'm in Kent for friend's bday, weekend of 2nd is mothers day and my bday, then I'm celebrating my birthday the weekend after, then to London the weekend after that to search for dd's bridesmaid dress, then another birthday at the end of April...

And I have an annoying lingering cough atm that would probably scare any man off!

I don't remember any fights/controversy on here, must have skimmed over it! Didn't loucee come back for a bit under some different names?

that's a very nice description of clairey, clara - exactly what's I'd say too - along with not being remotely prudish - just remembering the poo during labour story for one

good point re mumsy - maybe better to get a RL non-mum friend that actually knows you to do it and we will add (promise not to mention poo)

window cleaner sounds lovely - send him over here (just for looking obv.)

Clairey - there is ALWAYS time for dating - someone to come round when the DC are in bed with a bottle of wine to rub your feet... (glad you're having such a great social life though)

Am having second thoughts about letting you anywhere near it now skid if the main thing you associate with me is poo!

See the someone to come round with a bottle of wine bit sounds good, it's the bit before that that I find difficult, getting to the stage where you know someone enough to do that I guess.

OMG window cleaner has a friend and he's even sexier. Slightly shorter but that's no bad thing because WC#1 is very tall...

...now I do need my windows cleaned so hopefully will be able to catch them when I go out in a moment to get dd2 from playgroup....

Oh no they've gone....

Clara, I was hoping you'd be able to take a sneaky pic!

Awww I am sure the W/C will be back ;)

Skidd - hope DS2 is getting better poor little mite :(

Potty training is going okay, took DS to the park thought we were safe as he did a poo and a wee on the potty before we left and he did a poo in his pants on the way back - only been gone an hour!

He had another poo accident at nursery but that was the only he had today.

I think he is still trying to get to grips with being a big boy.

I'd love to know what happened to some of our original bunch. I always wondered how TheLady got on, she had such a rough start. It's great how nosy you get to be compared to RL but a shame you can't sort of grab people and say hi when you see them across the street!

I remember Neuro because she was pregnant and single like me although she'd got pregnant on purpose via a very nice friend! I remember TheLady too, didn't she and her DH run an hotel in Scotland or something?

I hear you on the dating front Clairey. Have had to tell new man that will only be able to see him at weekends as during the week was just too hard. I have a bad feeling I'm going to scare him off. We still haven't DTD as can't get my head around it with DD1 in the room right next door. Am thinking about suggesting a sneaky weekend in Sydney in a couple of weeks!

oh gosh has forgotten about your new man buzzy! How is it going? Weekend away sounds like a great idea - very difficult to get in the mood when you can hear your child sleeping. I have a friend who has to turn photos of her DC to the wall when she and her DH have sex!!!

sympathies on poo accidents BT - I can't bear cleaning up poo accidents (which we still have quite regularly )

DS2 still bad - with our nanny which feels really wrong but that is one of the advantages of having a nanny I suppose - that you don;t have to take the day off when your DC are ill. But still feels wrong

Oh what a lot of memories seeing all these names! I remember thelady, she was on loads at the start, and was suey the one who had her own business? A physio? I actually had a wee meet up with Loucee and another girl who's posting name I can't remember - they were nice but we didn't actually live that close to each other, plus the Dec 07s weren't their 1st babies so I felt a bit at sea!

How is potty training BT? I'd say we are still on about a 75% success rate, which is getting a bit depressing tbh!

Buzzy if he is worth it he will stick around!! Can you get babysitters for some..ahem..adult time?!

Dundee you were saying you were much more achey than last Pg, I can totally second that!! Agony! 9 weeks to go!

Downside of iPhone I have realised is that I can't scroll back up to read posts again, upside is I am doing this and dds shower at the same time!

hi ladies, I'm still about, peaking in on you now and then
DD2 is lovely if somewhat challenging and bright 3yr old, DD1 is a wonderful grown up 9yr old
XH still being an arse, but life continues, had a new DP for a while but wasnt working.
Glad to see you all here and the LO's all doing so well

Stay macdoodle so I am not the only recent interloper!

Sorry XP still an arse, and glad LOs are well.. Loving the word "challenging"...DD seems to have morphed into a teenager today in between me leaving for work and coming home again, I do feel challenged!!

Hey Macdoodle! Stick around!

Caz - yes we are having a similar success rate, you are not alone. Poo seems to cause the most trouble, plus he is very stubborn. He is getting used to the idea. Still need to get him to go on the toilet rather than the potty though.

Hey good for you potty trainers - it sounds like you're getting there. Stick with it. It'll be worth it!

Hi MacDoodle - don't go! Yes the names are bringing back memories. I remember Amani had an elder dd vaguely the same age as my dd1 and then another dd - I think she was the only one who had more or less the same as me. You do all realise this was nearly FOUR years ago now!!

Not much happening here. My life suddenly seems to consist of organising things for the children. Is this what happens when they get to this age? Two weeks until my course starts - am getting very nervous about having to study again!

Had a bad day yesterday, DS weed and pooed in his pants all day. I think he was upset because I shouted at him in the morning because he wouldn't get his shoes on before school.
Hope he'll be okay today, has been mega clingy.
He has been getting into bed with us most nights as well, which I don't mind because he is very cuddly But DH doesn't like it as there is less room for him to sprawl!!
I suppose we need to encourage him to stay in his own bed and not scream "mummy!" at full volume when he wakes up during the night. But I think that and the potty training is connected so I'd rather continue with the potty training and let him sleep with us if he feels more comfortable. I think he is still getting to grips with being a big boy, and I think he may be worried about the new baby as well.

Hi all, huge essay from me then nothing for 2 weeks... DD has still not recovered from the cough/virus thingy she had after swimming (3 weeks ago) although is doing much better. Her cough is finally looser but she sounds short of breath a lot. Thankfully the doctor last week said it hadn't gone to her chest but it is taking a while to clear, poor thing.

BT, it sounds like DS's potty training is getting better, they do have good and bad days and it took DD quite a while before she could 'go to order' rather than just when her bladder was full. I would also say don't rush the transition to toilet - DD saw one of her little friends use the toilet and wanted to do it too but after a day she went totally backwards, I think the thought of being a big girl scared her a little.

Clara, we have a potette too (or porta-pot as we call it) but DD won't use it! Your experiences in Phuket sound terrible, I don't know that I am a strong enough person to cope with that kind of thing, I was crying watching the tsunami on television, real life must be so much more REAL [can't explain oneself properly emoction]

Clairey, that's slightly freaky (in a good way) about DD and the earthquake bless her, is she okay? Glad your sis is okay too. You have a great memory for names! I remembered them all when you said them but I couldn't have told you them otherwise!

Skidd, I don't think we were more argumentative, I just think we've whittled down to a group of more like-minded people now than when we first started the group (4 years ago!) WRT friends, I think DD has children she likes who she calls friends but I'm not sure how much she plays with them, she likes to play board games, card games, hide and seek etc with other children but anything imaginative is done alongside them unless she can boss them about. Also, STEP AWAY FROM GOOGLE - you will scare yourself unnecessarily! Have you got DS's referral through yet?

Buzzy, I think the stuff about Schemas is fascinating, I definitely followed the enveloping schema as a child, I used to surround myself with things - my Mum used to say they were like boundaries, this is my space. Interesting about how children with different schemas make friends differently too, DS1 is definitely likes ordering and also tends towards rotation a bit too (adores cars/motors) and he has always struggled to find and keep friends, he's 10.5 now and has only a couple of good friends and they are similar to him in that they don't quite fit the mould ( ie love football). Not sure which schema DS2 falls into but he doesn't struggle to make friends, he's more of a clown! Funny that you used to ignore your Mum's interest and now its yours too, I think that must be something you do! The older I get, the more interested I am in many of the things my Mum was fascinated with!

Caz10, DD also does the poo holding thing, she is getting better (with the help of the star chart and treat bag) but still only 'goes' 2-3 times a week. Giving her at least 1 drink of pure fruit juice a day has helped too, apple or UmBongo (which I was shocked to find is 100% juice).

Hi Macdoodle

Another essay - oops

beckle - we are still in the throes of post-swimming pool lurgy too! must be something going round the pre-school pool using community of the nation!

BT DD has been in our bed most nights since we started potty training!! I did think the other day, it is only March and since January she has started nursery, started potty training and found there's a baby coming...it is such a lot for a tiny person! So I am happy (but knackered!) with the nighttime wanderings for now!

Beckle your poor DD what a long time with her cough, DD called it her "croaky" and was quite triumphant when she came through one morning and announced her croaky had left!

The antib's she got were actually a blessing in disguise too as they acted like an instant laxative! We are dosing her up with fruit juice too, now dreading the next dentist trip!

Dd2 is in our bed quite a lot too, and she's been out of nappies for a long time. I think it's an age thing - I know a lot of people with children this age who admit to having them in their beds at night. Dd1 was bad at this age too but has now grown out of it apart from the occasional nightmare. To be honest we haven't been very good at discouraging them as even if we do get them back to sleep in their own beds they inevitably wake up again and I just can't be dealing with the disturbance. Luckily we have a spare room though so I kick dh out when one of the dd's come in to our bed.

Beckle, much sympathies to your DD re cough. I had one for 8 weeks only just gone now and its really not nice to feel you can't breathe properly at night especially.

Hi Macdoodle, sorry to hear it didn't work out with new DP. Are you doing OK in general? Feel free to vent here! DD1's father is now living in Kingston upon Thames and has talked to her a grand total of twice since Xmas so completely on the same page as you re arsey ex-Hs! She had a complete meltdown this week - weeping that she wanted to get on a plane now so she could hug him :(

Well I have to admit I've been completely lazy and left DD2 in pull-ups despite the fact that she has now started telling me on the odd occasion that she feels like wees and when we go to the toilet she does them (but still mostly just goes in her pull-up). Really feel I SHOULD be putting her back in undies but can't face it just yet for all the reasons you guys have laid out. Work is very busy right now and I just want to chill out when I have some spare time with the kids!!

I think we're all feeling still rather traumatised here by Christchurch and now what's been happening in Japan. It just drains you. It really does feel a bit apocalyptic somehow.