June 2009 - terrible twos here we come

[bigcar]

Here we are ladies

Evening all!

God, it's been ages since I last had one!

Ninja, wow, big painting duties ahead Oh, it'll be done quickly, I bet, especially as the weather is really nice these days and it'll be dry in no time I hear what you say re. the living room, the rest of the house will be all new and pristine with new paint that the living room will look 50yo Good decision to get all the painting done together, otherwise you'll procrastinate that for months years We're going for a Maclaren as well, but one higher up the scale, which reclines fully and comes with a 0+ car seat so it turns into a travel system. We definitely like the fact that they are umbrella-fold types, but the added features mean we can use this one from birth onwards.

Snow, Fingers crossed for better nights ahead for you all. 10-2 sounds hard, lady. I meant to ask you, as you're the one of us closest to this in time (only 6 months ago), are Braxton Hicks REALLY frequent at these stages? I'm having TONS a day, TONS! And I'm getting a tiny bit paranoid at times. It can be every time I get up, and yesterday they lasted 1.30 hs (on and off, that is). Please tell me this is typical You'd think I'd remember these things after M!

I miss DH, and M misses him badly. She cried quite a bit when he left and in the morning when she wakes up and comes to our bedroom she weeps a little as well, bless her. She says "papi, it's gone" in her mixed language I'm doing OK, mostly, work is hard but M's being really really good, for which I'm grateful.

Do you mean Buenos Aires when you say BA???? How exciting!!! When would it be? For how long? Oh, I'm cracking my brains thinking how you could work it out with Z... mmmm thinking cap on!

June, oh how great! Enjoy your holidays, soak up all the sun and bring a great tan back!! I hope you went swimwear shopping, lady, to get some new and smaller pieces Re. MIL, when EB (emotional blackmail) arises, the best thing is to ignore ignore ignore. Hopefully she'll "get over it" by the time you're back... if she doesn't, it's her loss, as she's the one staying away, you guys haven't done anything.

Right, long day at work. DH's absence is felt, there are some things I'm doing now that I didn't use to do and I'm crap not the best with money/numbers so I count things 10000000 times in order to be 100% I haven't screwed up I'm in charge of paying suppliers as well, all new things

DH is expected to receive all docs back between 15 and 20 working days from now, they told him today They were very nice about the fact that he has to try and come back quickly, he told them I'm (almost) 32 weeks and they put a note on it to "fast-track" it so we'll see I don't want to think of the baby coming early ladies, believe me.

Anyway, hope you have a nice weekend. We're visiting a friend who just had a baby, and her first DD's birthday is this Sunday as well so we're taking some pressies round. Tomorrow I'm going to do a little bit of shopping, I need a dress or two, trousers are getting unbearably uncomfortable these days, the baby doesn't let me sit down! He starts "complaining" as soon as my bottom hits the chair, and I'm not precisely wearing skinny jeans!

Waves!

Hi everyone, hope you are all having a relaxing Friday evening.

Snow - Wow Z really has you on the go with these nights doesn't she!

Maybe it is the hot weather. You clearly deserve a or a G&T.

I unfortunately will have to abstain like Gauchita as I have recently found out that I am 5 weeks pregnant with #2. EDD 2nd March 2012!

June - have a great time on hols, hope you bring some of that sunshine back with you, the British summer could fizzle out any day now.

Gauchita - glad M is ok after her daring exploits, my heart would have leapt out of my chest. Hope they will process those visas quickly for you so that your DH can be home soon.

Iron tablets urgh I take Feroglobin which is a liquid form of iron plus other vitamins, very gentle on the stomach, easily absorbed. You can take up to 15ml a day (5ml in 3 doses) without any nausea. Alternatively there is a natural iron tonic called Floradix which you can take made of vegetables, herbs and fruits.

I did read somewhere when pregnant with N that Braxton Hicks can relate to how much water you are drinking and that people have found that lying down for half an hour and sipping a pint of water has helped. Don't know myself as didn't really get them with N, but might be worth a try.

Ninja - Good luck with finishing the decorating, I think you and DH should claim entire loft conversion once finished as a retreat from the rest of the house! You could take a couple of G&T's up there and pretend the rest doesn't exist for a few hours.

Zhen! Congratulations!!! Great great news! Right we have a wine-free corner on the thread now Any symptoms yet? How are you feeling?When are you seeing the MWs? Re. BH, coincidentally I read about the dehydration thing here on MN yesterday and I said "that's balls!" as I honestly drink 1.5-2.5lt of water, plain plain water a day (and wee every 30 minutes as well thanks to that ) Maybe I need to drink more? I'm seeing the MW on Wed, I shall ask!

Hope everyone else is well. Hot hot day here, our flat gets the sun from noon onwards, it's just gone (!) and therefore it's 28 degrees in here! I showered twice today

Ninja, I forgot to say, pics look great! Can we have some once they're all finished and furniture in?

Waves to all!

aaarrrgh dammit, mega post and just lost it. Was mid-rant about DH and my work and oh, never mind.
Firstly, a big woohoo to zhen. Hope you feeling ok. The end of term is almost in sight! I hope you can catch up with some rest over the summer.

gauchita Yes to ridiculous numbers of BHs. Some days seemed like one long one.
Yes to Buenos Aires . Just a few logistical problems, like, am I a selfish mother for subjecting my baby to this flight for a 3 day trip. Also, DH has job interview for a job 2.5hrs west of here, in two weeks time. If he gets it, we will have to up sticks and move in 6 weeks, find new nursery etc. Will be much further from London/airports/GPs etc. He needs to find his first consultant job, this search has been going on for ages now and there are many of them (about 70people) that have all finished training and very few jobs to apply for. The fact he got an interview is fantastic.

But, he is being such an arse about me wanting to take on these work trips. I love my job and particularly the teaching side (and the travel). I have missed two big teaching meetings and I really, really want to do these ones, as they will be the final two. And we need the money. But, he is so difficult about helping try and plan how we manage the childcare. He couldn't possibly take a day off as he has no leave left and that is because I made him use it all to go home. Yep, I made him have a horrible month in Oz and now there is no way he can take a day to help with the kids. If he gets the new job, we won't even have a nursery/friends/any leave/ any help in time for me to go away. And of course, I wanted the kids, so I should be looking after them and not swanning off around the world. No concept of 50/50 parenting at the moment. He complains when I don't work and then complains when I do. I can't fucking win. He complains how fat I have got (yes dear, I know, it fills me with joy too), but my running has gone to pot as he complained that dinner was too late by the time I got back . What the fuck am I doing with this man. Where is my lovely DH? I tried to have a calm reasoned conversation last night and he would not make eye contact with me and kept reading a fucking magazine with we were talking. Oh and irony of the bloody magazine, it was 4wd porn. He would like one for his 40th, to be bought by me, with the money I earn from working, but won't help me so I can go to work and earn said money. Honestly.

I am getting het up again, so will go and make that pot of herbal tea.

morning all

zhen, oh wow, massive congratulations hope this doesn't mean you need to move again!!!! I would love to move into the loft, the rooms having windows at 2 sides makes them lovely and light and from one room you get a lovely view across London. It's amazing how being that little bit higher up means you can see almost the whole of London. Think it might upset the kids though

gauchita, it won't look half as good with my knackered and battered old furniture up there If you're worried about the bh do get yourself checked out, any chance you're over doing it with dh away and the extra work you've taken on things can be completely different with each pregnancy so probably nothing to worry about but if it's a concern to you, get checked and make sure you get some rest, a bath might help. I know it's easier said than done with M running around but do try to put your feet up when you can, the housework can wait.

snow, hope you got some sleep Did you manage to get the paed to sign Z off?

waves to all

and I forgot to say ninja thanks for asking about Z. Yippee, all signed off and making her way up the centiles. Thankfully she slept better over the weekend, 9-3 fri night and 8-4 last night. The sleep was lovely!

itng was brilliant. Both kids were spellbound. Really lovely show. Popped into the safari park after (we went to an early show which was only 1/4 full- bliss!). Lovely day had by all.

Z awake so must go

x posts snow. I know it's early but or if you'd prefer and don't blame you for having a rant he's bvu, hope you can sort things out, sounds hard atm.

x post again Huge yay for Z, must be such a relief to be signed off and to get some sleep at last Pleased you enjoyed itng, it's so lovely to see the kids faces when they see their favourite characters right in front of them.

oh hell, I have broken our thread with my whinging ?sp.Apologies.

How is everyone?

Had a lovely A moment tonight. As you know, he is a boy of few words. He sang me wheel on the bus when in the bath. The most words ever! .

DH on call, solo parenting for 2 days and nights, but bless the kids, they went into bed easily enough, without any vomit/wee/poo misadventures and have both stayed asleep so far.

After a very sensible chat with my best mate, contingency plans for every possible scenario of childcare around my work trips have been discussed. I will write up said plans and stick them inside the 4wd magazine discuss with dh.

gauchita you ok missus?managing by yourself ok? how are those BHs?
ninja cheers for all the support. Glad of . Enjoyed a few tonight with an old friend who is visiting this week.

Morning all!

Sorry I've been quiet for a few days, being a "single parent" is exhausting!

Snow, oh, someone has been wearing the "I'm the most unreasonable person in the house" hat, haven't they? (him, not you of course) I've also found a similar attitude from DH, at stress peaks for him, so I know what you mean. It's just bleddy annoying when you talk and they don't even acknowledge what you're saying! DH would do it in front of his laptop or his phone. But then, I'm a bitch witch and demand that he leaves things and listens to me I really hope you manage to make him understand this is a 50/50 thing. When you work on a "self-employed" basis, as in, not all the time and with a specific timetable, etc, it's easier for men to just go ahead with what they're doing and forget you're also a working partner, who wants to work and go further in your profession as well (and bring money in FGS!)

In my case, for example, it happens in this scenario: I get a long translation, I tell DH about it to see how busy his diary will be so that I get some extra help with M. He says "yeah, go ahead, it's great that you got it" and then the following day he suddenly has things to do and has completely forgotten he was supposed to help with M Last time it happened with a TV interview for his work, it was on a Sat (he doesn't work on Sat during the day, only at night) and I was counting on him having M, so that she didn't have to just play on her own all day while I worked. He said he'd take her with him Erm, no, that's not doable, you have an interview, she'll be bored and hence causing trouble, understandably; and it'll also mean you'll have to bring her all the way here only to then have to have to go to work again. Not practical It can be quite frustrating when they act like this, can't it? I'm keeping my fingers crossed so you can have a sit-down and talk about these things. You say you talked to a friend re. childcare, would that mean Z would be staying here while you go to BA? When would the trip be? Great news re. DH's interview, btw, but yes, I can imagine hectic times come for a few weeks if he gets the job. Gosh, sorry for the long post, Snow Glad to hear Z has been officially discharged by the Paediatrician and that her weight is going up.

Ninja, MW appointment today, so I'll ask everything. To be honest, I think it is related to doing a bit too much I'm taking your advice, though, and trying to rest a bit more, yes. How's the end of the works going? When do your DC break up?

Right, busy days here; and everything was topped on Monday night when I was sitting in bed reading when I see an animal run by my bed. Cue psychotic screams, of course I had DH on Skype and he told me to see what it was, but I was in a silent screaming fit I say silent because M was already asleep. Well, it turns out one of our hamsters had escaped. I had left one of the Habitrail gates slightly open and the bugger had run away. After 1.15hs of useless search and moving things around, which wasn't a good idea anyway as I can't move heavy stuff atm (DH just said "move the bed" as if that's an easy task for me now), I closed the door, texted a friend (our boss, coincidentally ha!) for him to come in the morning and help me, and went to sleep in M's bedroom. He came, moved the bed, and other things around the bedroom and caught her.

The silver lining of the whole hamster debacle is that nesting kicked in and I threw away so much stuff I had piled up in our bedroom It looks so much better now, and bigger!

Baby's pushchair and car seat arrived yesterday, 32weeks today, so I guess we're on the final stretch of the road

Off at 10 to politely ask demand that the trainee MW tells me how the baby is lying. I think I told you she's been reluctant to tell me for the past 3 appts I need to know if I need to spend more time on all fours if he's breech, FGS! Since when are we brushed off and not told how the baby is presenting?

Hope you have a nice day, ladies!

Waves!

Oh, Snow, forgot to answer, BHs still full full on, which is when I remember Ninja's stern look and lie down or take a breather

Back from MW. Apparently now the 'policy' has changed. With M they always told show she was lying on the day, always felt my bump, etc. Today I asked them to have a feel and the trainee MW did it but said they don't do it up to 36wks, as babies move a lot before then and also, because when they have a feel they can upset your uterus Now, that is new! What about women who go into labour early and they've never been told how the baby is presenting? Anyway, he is sort of transverse today, so more time on the birthing ball and on fours.

Stuck in the car with M napping atm. Waves!

heya, we're still on holiday for a couple of days! free wireless in the hotel so thought I'd check what's new in the june thread :)
snow sorry you're having a hard time with dh, some of the stuff you mention sounds familiar here too. like gauchita dh is pretty much always on the phone/skype/generally busy with someone else more important which is frustrating. do you generally go through phases in your relationship where you're closer some times and more distant other times? i hope things settle down for you, good luck with whatever happens with your dh's interview. 6 weeks to move is pretty sudden.
gauchita hope you get to put your feet up a bit it does sound like you're doing a lot. any news on the visas? lol @ the hamster episode:)

our holiday has been fantastic so far, we have booked a babysitter to come along to the restaurant with us in the evening a couple of times so we could have a fairly decent meal. the resort is really family oriented and lots for kids. we're definitely coming back here.
actually the flight in was delayed by 7 hours and we were messed around a lot, it was a nightmare and we were stuck on the runway for a further 2 hours before take off, meanwhile we weren't offered or given any food or drink...pretty stressfull as we ended up all being up 24 hours (C did not sleep at all on the plane). i am not looking forward to the way back!!!

we're going to make the most of tomorrow, our last full day!

take care

I just read your post snow and here's a sympathy grrrrrrr!

DH has been going on, for six years now, relentlessly about me working. I knew his job was too demanding for me to ever expect him to rely on him to be able to be a real no.2 support, so essentially ignored him, as I knew it wouldn't work (I have no family, no back up).

Anyway, have been working for 2 months on finally starting up a photography/creative project company and last night had to go to our parents drinks evening to take orders and do a bit of a sales pitch. F woke up crying just as we were eating dinner (and I had only 15mins to do this then get dressed and out the door). I said 'he just needs to be cuddled for 15mins then he will go back to sleep' and he was utterly stunned that I should be saying that he should do this while I 'waltz out the door', when he had an evening of reading to do for his current project. I just said 'it's just 15minutes and I can't be late'. He came around, but I absolutely can see how he is going to hate me working - he wants the money, doesn't want to feel he is alone in supporting the family, but it hasn't entered his cranium that 'things will not be the same' and he will have to do more.

When we met he used to complain that all weekend was spent 'doing chores' - shopping, fixing things around the house, etc etc.....and never got to rest. When I was pregnant and work dried up....I did many things during the week so the weekends were very relaxing. I thought he would notice/comment/appreciate the change but there was never a mention.

I think there will be many caustic comments over the next few months. I wonder if I should get something in writing now......'I the undersigned, fully appreciate that now my wife is working, that I will do more, that weekends will be busier, I will be grateful she is now contributing and I will support her...........Dated.............

More likely he will start saying that I don't earn enough....and why don't I earn more.

....sigh......

btw hello gauchita

Morning all!

Man! I'm such a numpty! I hit "refresh" instead of the correct button to turn the screen brightness down and I lost a massive post. Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Vene, the "contract" sounds like a good idea I remember signing one with DH years ago, I can't remember regarding what, though Men can be clueless at times, can't they?

Snow, how are you doing? Any progress with DH and the trip?

June, I suppose you're all back from your week away now. Sounds like you were having a fantastic time Hope your flight home was good, the outbound one sounds a nightmare! Re. visas, we're just waiting now for all documents to come back.

Zhen, how are you feeling?

It's been almost two weeks now since DH left and I'm truly exhausted Even though I'm taking things slowly, I finish the day begging for a bed! A friend of ours (coincidentally our boss as well) sent the lady who cleans his house over on Friday to give me a hand, bless him. In two hours she left the flat shining, which in all honesty would have taken me a few more, with this huge bump, my SPD and M around

Hope you're all having a nice weekend, ladies.

Waves!

I've killed the thread again

hey gauchita take it easy, the hosuework can wait (do you have the number of the cleaner? Hope dh comes back soon to give you a hand!

yeah we're back from a fantastic holiday :D was very hot (42/43) but totally manageable. The way there was a complete nightmare, the way back was better thankfully!
I've only been back a few days and already I'm exhausted and really upset with dh who keeps promising he'll stop smoking and never actually does anything about it. ARGH!
I just have to get over it I think, really can't be bothered fighting this anymore, I just wish he would do it for C. if he can't do it for me.

Have the builders left the building now ninja? :D

snow how's things?

vene hadn't heard from you for ages, hope all is well.

gotta get back for now, C will be up shortly, take care!

Hey everyone :)

I am crawling my way to the end of term, morning and evening sickness are here and getting quite dizzy in the day so having to eat lots of snacks to keep blood sugar up. I am soooo tired, but DH is being a star and doing extra so I can relax.

Went to gym induction today, trying to stay fit and active this time round as abs are shot from EMCS and am already looking 4 months pregnant at almost 7 weeks!

Gauchita - glad your boss sent a cleaner round, what with the great hamster escape and the nesting, on top of DH being away and SPD you deserve a break!

Snow - sorry to hear DH is being unreasonable, he wants to have his cake and eat it doesn't he? If he wants you to lose weight then he needs to start doing more. He can cook his own dinner surely?

With regard to your work it is easy as the main working parent to forget about your partner's needs. DH had words with me the other day about me not spending enough time with him, but what with deadlines at work and being exhausted from the pregnancy I hadn't really considered his needs to just have someone to talk to who isn't a toddler at the end of the day. All I wanted to do by the time I got N into bed was to retreat into my book and have some quiet time.

Maybe there is a way you can sit him down when he isn't so stressed on his day off and help him see what it would be like for him if the shoe was on the other foot.

Snow - glad you had a nice holiday, maybe you could show DH some pics of lungs with cancer, we use that in secondary schools to educate kids about the dangers of smoking.

Hi Vene and all other Juners :)

Morning all!

June, glad to hear the flight back was so much better than the first one. It can make such a difference, can't it? Has DH smoked for long? At the moment my whole family is supporting a close friend of ours (in her mid-50s) who is suffering from lung cancer since last year so it's a raw topic. Her eldest is my age and smoked just as much (lots a day!). She quit as soon as this happened, which makes me think it's absolutely possible to do it, she went cold turkey and hasn't touched a fag since last year! It's an addiction, of course, but it IS possible to get over it. Such a pity something like this had to happen for both of them to realise this though My dad used to smoke, only a little, but as soon as my mum got pg with my brother (15 years ago) he quit for good. Hope your DH realises how much is at stake, his health, his time with C and his family, etc.

Zhen, oh I remember the exhaustion too well. Snacking all throughout the day helped me as well to combat dizziness and all-day-sickness. Hopefully by week 12 this will magically disappear When do you finish work? This week or next? Hope you have a smooth end of year. It's interesting to hear your point of view re. the full-time working partner. I would pay money for DH to sit me down and ask me for more time together It'd be such a change! Well done on the physical exercise front. You know, this time around the same happened to me, I had a "bump" in January! and I was 6-8 weeks then I guess our bodies are not the same after the first one

Ninja, how are you? You've been quiet lately.

Hi to everyone else!

I think the cleaning lady will come back this Friday I'm 33 weeks today.

I've had a wheezy chest for a week now, a simple cough developed into that. The doctor gave me an inhaler but I had to stop using it as it gave me such a fright the other day! I got palpitations, really bad palpitations, and it says it's one of the possible side effects So I'm now wheezing again On a positive note, the new iron tablets they prescribed don't make me feel sick so that's good! I'm eating as much iron-filled stuff as I can, I have 2 more weeks till my MW appointment, where they'll take a new blood sample to see if I'm back to normal levels. If I'm not, they won't let me give birth at the birthing centre, so...

I'll upload a pic of the bump now, excuse the mess around!

Hope everyone is having a good week.

Waves!

afternoon all

snow, how're things going, did you manage to have a chat with dh?

gauchita, any news on dh's return? Huge [yay] for the cleaner, may be they can come a few more times, or even permanently Lovely bump pick, not so lovely puking though! Is M ok now? Wow, 33 weeks, not long left now

june, holiday sounds fab so pleased coming home was easier though! Dh gave up smoking 4 years ago, he got a really bad chest infection that meant he couldn't smoke and decided then to give up, he used patches for a while and he went through loads of chewing gum but I'd spent years nagging him to give up to no effect! I think he saw the doctor to prescribe some patches and then the chemist ran a sort of follow up thing where he could go for a bit of support. My dad used to smoke until he gave up when I was about 2, apparently my mum had taught me to tell him he smelled horrible and that smoking was disgusting worked though we just won't mention all the people on the bus and tube that I used to say the same thing to

venetian, good luck with the new business

zhen, not long till the end of term now, when do you finish, my lot finish on the 22nd? I think I was in mat clothes by about 8 weeks with E, not great when you're trying to keep hush about it all! Sorry to hear you're not feeling great, the first weeks are knackering and then the sickness [yuk] hopefully soon it'll pass, have you booked in yet?

loft's finished [yay], carpets down and ds1 is in his new room, dd2 will be moved over the weekend, just waiting for all the paperwork to come through now and of course the rest of the painting and decorating Can't wait for E to be in his own room, he seems to be waking really easily when we go to bed atm and then he ends up coming in with us, he's such a fidget bum no one ends up getting any sleep!

been a bit busy with all the loft stuff and end of term, will try harder to get back more often. waves to all

hey vene congrats on starting up the business, best of luck with everything. so how did the salespitch go in the end?
eek i have to go for now but quickly zhen congratulations on baaby number 2 (is it 2 or 3?)

Sorry I've been so busy, I have had no time for family or friends!!

Big hugs to gauchita, I hope your dh gets home soon.....remind me when you are due.

Congratulations zhen - that's really special news.

Hi june - glad you had a gorgeous holiday. Re: smoking, I smoked from 14 to 37 and gave up coz dp hated it, and I wanted to have children...I was tired of it too. I remember once my boss put a video on my desk to look at (I used to work in marketing and assumed it was an advertisement). Anyway, it was a gruesome video showing people who could barely walk because their emphysema was so bad, and women who had lost half their jaw because of mouth cancer etc. It was horrible. I didn't stop as I felt I was young and it was many years away. At 37 I felt I wasn't so young and maybe it wasn't so far away. Re the business, I put a Thank You book together for my dd's teachers (with photos and drawings and some lovely graphics) and some of the parents bought it afterwards. I thought, my book in their home is a good start. And from that a couple have asked me to come and take photos and do some books and canvases for them as christmas presents. A humble start but a nice one.

Now I have to tell you one of the most exciting pieces of news aside from my children being born.....we have just bought a campervan. A gorgeous one that we adore. No flights, accommodation, cars etc......just pop some food and wine in the fridge, fill up the tanks and set off into the horizon - and go where we like. I'm in heaven...even at the weekends we can go to the beach and park up for the night. I don't know how I am going to sleep tonight. We set off next Saturday, so gauchita I won't now be around for a while. Dp is probably starting work in September which is one reason we want to make the most of the next 5-6 weeks.

x

Forgot to say, we are heading to France. I've got a post in Travel june if you've got any great suggestions.

Hi everyone,

Vene - my mum is living out of a camper van for the summer while she looks for a new house to buy and is loving the freedom of taking off to a beach whenever she feels like it. The kids will love it.

June - sorry just realised I called you Snow on my last post, blame pregnancy brain. This will be DC2.

Ninja - Glad the decorating is nearly finished, just in time for them to have space from each other during those hectic holidays. N is the same as E when she is in our bed, she keeps waking with nightmares, but as soon as she falls asleep again I put her back in her bed before she ends up flopping all over me and kicking us in the head!

Gauchita - glad you have got the cleaner coming again to help you. It is difficult to clear a cough with a big bump as it restricts lung movement so they can't clear themselves properly. N had ventolin once for a bad chest, it made her vomit and could feel her heart racing so didn't give it to her again. Hope it clears up soon.

Snow - hope you have come to a diplomatic solution with DH

Finish on the 22nd and can't wait. Went to GP on weds to start booking in process and she picked up a heart murmur so now have to go to have an echocardiogram on the 27th. Could be the increase in blood volume or something they have not picked up before. Slightly worrying so am trying to take it easier work wise for the last week.

oh girls,
it has been ages, sorry. We had a friend stay for a week, was away for a weekend then just busy with work and DH doing lots of on call, so tired with solo parenting for days and nights on end. Z still being a bit of a cheeky girl at night. She is absolutely delightful fun in the day though, lots of high pitched squealing, occasionally rolling and sitting by herself for a few seconds.

june so pleased you had a fab holiday and that the flight home was MUCH better than the shambles over getting there. When are you going to book another dinner out with DH?

As to the smoking thing, I have a real problem with it too. DH has given up several times, never more than 6 months. I want to co-sleep and have sent him to the sofa until he gives up again. I was particularly pissed off when he recently started again and lied about it numerous times until I confronted him with the evidence. Are they that stupid to think we won't smell it???

gauchita How you managing chicka?any progress on the visas? I think the cleaner needs to be a regular thing. I have one 2 hrs a fortnight. Money well spent.

Very weird about the MW and not telling what position? Mine always did (partic as A was OP and I was doing everything to try and turn him).

So you are 34 weeks tomorrow? You are looking very fabulous, I love that photo on your profile

ninja almost the end of term? Things quietening down a little for you? Has E gone into his room yet? Anything particular planned for the holidays or can you rope the kids into slave labour painting

vene Thanks for your supportive post re DH. and to the campervan and buggering off to france for many weeks. I will have a look at some of the fabulous camp spots we have been before and put them on your travel thread. If you are going to be going on many of the peage roads, it might be cheaper to get a card before you leave. Although, you must be leaving very soon?

Your new business sounds fab and good luck with getting it established.

zhen End of term almost here. I hope you let yourself gets lots of rest over the holidays, especially as it is now on the doctors order . I do relate to what you said about when you come home from work and just need to chill. DH does too, I just ask that he doesn't do it as soon as he comes in the door, as he is often late and just has a small window of time with the kids and if I have to watch him sitting there reading a magazine while i run around feeding,bathing and kid wrangling by myself, said magazine will be used to batter him across the head

So to DH, we have been ships in the night, so not really any time for a big chat. He didn't get the job, so less childcare concerns as A can go and do extra sessions in nursery and DH can do the drop off and pick up and look after A by himself when Z and I are away. We did get out for a last minute dinner last week and that was kept very light hearted and we did have a nice time. Going to try again this week. i think we need to go to counselling though and learn how to communicate again. There really has been so much happen in the last three years.

DS1 was born and died 3 years ago today. I still have trouble with my grief just bubbling over. I am planning a nice long walk with Z, maybe go get a nice coffee and cake and just appreciate how lucky I am now to have my two precious living babies. My dearest friend (the one who came all the way here to look after me and Z for a week) has sent a bunch of gorgeous bunch of flowers, they are a bunch of sunshine to look at.

Gosh, this has turned into a mammoth post. Hope you all ok.