December 2009 - Still waiting for our Silent Night

[BlathIceSkate]

New thread

:o

Just posting so we know Kate hasn't killed the thread

Glad you got the book Lee.

I'm just posting so we know Blathers hasnt killed the thread.

Recovery is going well. I'm off harsh painkillers and can now lift my arms above my head and also managed to carry my handbag for a short amount of time.
Paul is back at work full time next week so that should be fun, still cant lift elizabeth at all but managed to get her dressed this morning although she was cooperating due to the novelty of me doing it, once that wears off it might be a bit harder!
Jake is very helpful though. He fetches things for me and is getting good at dragging Elizabeth away from things she shouldnt have!

Blathers meant to ask you... We're thinking of booking for Center Parcs next year, is it worth it?

Also we're posting far to slowly... Our thread title is still the Christmas one! We need to sort ourselves out!!!

(either that or have a sneaky thread change at 500 posts )

Just posting so ABF knows she hasn't killed the thread . Glad your recovery is going well, do you have help nearby if you need it?

Nothing much to report here - study leave has started to that is half my classes gone. Only one more week until half term - can't believe how fast this year seems to be going.

Imogen has learnt that she can walk pulling those pull along toys behind her and has been going around in circles pulling them which is hilarious. She is very into looking after her teddies and reading to them, feeding them, wrapping them in muslins and cuddling them whilst patting them and going "ssshhhh". Of course this is in between her tearing around the house with her cars and bus making as much noise as humanly possible!!! I am really loving this age, she is so much fun to watch and I keep thinking she is going to say some words soon, although none really yet - she doesn't have any problems communicating what she wants though and is very bossy.

Just posting so we know Hercule hasn't killed the thread

ABF, we love Center Parcs. We're not going to get to go this year I don't think and it'll be the first time in years which will be really upsetting. We always go to Elveden which I think would be your closest too. We've always gone in term time so it's quiet and means that we don't have to book everything in advance and can drop in on various things as and when we like. Alex loves the crafty sessions and Catherine really liked the soft play last time we were there. We do lots of swimming which Alex really likes and the pool there is great with lots of areas to keep you busy. The main pool has a wave machine, there's a lazy river, lots of flumes and slides and even a toddler area with mini slides and shallow pools which they keep extra warm to stop the little ones getting cold - although we do still take neoprene suits as my skinny children get cold easily! We take Alex's bike and it's great to let him tear around without the constant panic about roads (although there are still CP vehicles so watch out) and then we pay for a few eaxtras like bowling and crazy golf. Alex tried short tennis for the first time last November and really liked it. There's loads of nice places to eat including Hucks which do a buffet type hot meal for children (chips, burgers, fishfingers, beans etc) so they can eat immediately and then run off to play in the play area while you take your time :) All the resaurants have play areas which is great, I don't know why normal restaurants don't have them, we'd go out a lot more often if they did! Get one of the newer style lodges as they're much nicer and make sure you pick up some of the crackling logs packs so you can cuddle up with a movie in front of the fire in the evening. I always make food cheaper by taking loads too. I like making a big lasagne or something before we go - I freeze it then it defrosts on the way there and we get an easy meal on our first night.

I'd definitely recommend it

Catherine is trying loads of words at the moment. She says 'Shoes', and 'hello' and 'tree'. She does a good monster growl too. She's so much fun at the moment.

Oooh thanks for the info on CP. I did a price enquiry on the website and it was actually cheaper in July than in June! We are planning on going with my sister and BIL and their 3 children. My niece has her exams next year.. I forget, do they have exams in May and then that's it or do they have to carry on till end of Summer term? If that's the case we have no choice but to go during holidays because she cant take any time off.

Re exams - probably depends what year she is in. Our Year 11 and 13 (GCSE and U6 A-levels) don't have to come back after exams. Year 12 though who are doing AS levels do have to come back after exams... no idea if that helps!

She'll be yr11 which is crazy, doesnt seem like 5 minutes ago that I was walking her upto school at reception age and now she's leaving
I get this emotional at the mere thought of my niece growing up what am I gonna be like with my own children!

All right, all right :o

I agree, this age is so fantastic, it is so lovely watching them become proper little people :) Noah has a few words but not joining them together. He talks a lot with us not knowing what he is saying as well though. His most impressive one recently is saying cucumber (gumgar!), and then also referring to gherkins as cucumbers as well! Unfortunately he also refers to strawberries by the same word :o

Gumgar that's so cute!

Yes, I think so too, I think that might be why he uses it for strawberries too as we probably seemed really impressed and he's trying it out on other things to try and get the same reaction :o

Newest thing today is that when I am sat on the loo, he will come and sit on the pedal bin right next to me! He's always accompanied me to the loo, I'm hoping it'll pay off when we're thinking about potty training in a year or so!

Hello quick question, in case anyone sees this tonight! Imogen has a temperature this evening, she felt really hot to touch and when I used the forehead thing it was just over 39 degrees and she just wanted to be held. She had one mouthful of dinner and was sick. She has been a bit tired and not her usual self during the day, so I think she probably had a slight temperature earlier and I didn't check (so now I feel v guilty!). She had calpol about half an hour before she was sick and had eaten bits and pieces during the day. She didn't want anything to drink before bed, and went to bed before 6.30. I've just put her in a bodysuit with a thin cellular blanket over her instead of her bodysuit and I went and checked just now, she is fast, fast asleep and feels cooler to the touch. Should I just check her again before I go to bed? I think it might be back teeth, not sure, but she had her fingers right at the back of her mouth all day too... sorry not really sure what I'm asking here!

Sounds liek ti could be her teeth. I would give her a quick check before you go to bed. If she is anything like Elizabeth she'll wake you again in the night if she's feeling crappy again. I'd have the thermometer and calpol to hand for incase she does.

Thanks ABF - good idea about the calpol and thermometer - will take those up to bed with me.

I think Catherine's getting more teeth too. She's been grotty all day and has runny eyes and nose. I so hope it's not the conjunctivitis back again

Temp and clinginess would also signal teeth. I second what ABF said, take the thermometer and calpol to bed with you so you can dose her up if she wakes in the night. I would check on her too. If she's fast asleep, you're unlikely to wake her and it'll make you feel better too.

Poor Imogen and Catherine :(

Noah is teething again, was up at about midnight last night, really crying and not wanting to go back to sleep which is not like him :( He was really attached to DH too, which is fairly unusual as he's normally a Mummy's boy. We had a period of 5 months with no teeth and he has had 3 come through in the last month, with (I think) another 5 on the way! Must be so horrible for them :(

Thanks everyone, i've reinstated the monitor tonight and can hear her whistling as she breathes at the moment. Hope all their teeth come through soon!

I think technically there is no medical link between teething and any symptoms, diarrhoea, sickness, rash, temperature so doctors can,t say that is the cause, but all the anecdotal evidence suggests otherwise, they just haven't found a physiological link if that makes sense! The last time she was proper I'll, she just slept loads for 24 hours and then was fine, although temperature not so high. Maybe it,s because when their gums hurt, they shove their dirty fingers in their mouths all day and the germs make them sick?!?!

Glad Andrew slept well and you had a fab time out last night!

Hello - thanks for the posts last night, with DH away it was just nice to tell someone if you know what I mean. I checked on her as I went to bed and she was still fast asleep and didn't feel as burning hot as she had earlier in the evening so that was good. She woke up at 1, 3 and 5 in the night, but each time by the time I got up, put my hair up and went to the door to go downstairs to see her she had stopped so I didn't actually have to go in. She finally woke up properly at 715 when I could her her telling something what to do in her 'bossy' voice so I knew she was OK!!! She still had a slight temperature, but only just so that was good. She's had some milk and wanted porridge so I've taken that as a good sign too. She was a bit miserable though still so I did give her some calprofen earlier and she has already gone back to bed for a nap. I think we'll be staying in today and doing lots of sleeping!

It's a shame we're missing swimming and meeting up wtih some NCT friends, but at least DH is back tonight so that will be good. I had a breakthrough with the bottle yesterday - currently she has a bottle in the morning when she wakes up and before bed. I've tried offering her milk in a beaker before in the morning, but she has flatly refused it and screamed until she got it in a bottle. Recently she has started wanting to sit by herself and drink her bottle as opposed to sitting on our laps so I tried the beaker again yesterday and she was so excited with it in the morning! Of course this morning she wanted the bottle, but I feel I can see the end of the bottle days ahead!!!

Oh Lordy! The MN meet up is TONIGHT! And Justine's coming!!

Wish me luck