Dec 2008 - Hello 2011 the Year of the Toddler!

[DeidreBarlow]

Totally unispired but hope you all find it...

Hope your family and friends are all dry and safe, Vag and Rubes. Am going to check out the news - there was nothing on the BBC front page. Sounds like your parents are all set for a siege, Rubes.

Actually Pubes the phenergan is for you and DH for the kids probably piriton. If you can prevent being bitten all the better. Burn lots of citronella candles and put anything smelly on your skin.

Effie I've posted a couple of clips on YouTube

Bloody hell vag...it looks awful

Rubes & vag I hope all your family and friends keep safe and well.

Omigosh, very sorry to hear about the freaky conditions in Aust Hoping everyone's loved ones are a-ok.

Haven't read at all since Fri as I have been too busy but looking forward to catching up later will do a big fat post tonight. Actually had quite a nice weekend! Amazin'...

Oh right duh Vag! I will be over the top with the preventative stuff and will look into getting some of that too.

Lady glad it was a nice weekend. hear from you later!

DD2 has terrible nappyrash. Have been using bepanthen, but changed to metanium. DH put loads on the other night the other night. Think maybe too much and she was blistering yesterday. Plus we'd changed her nappy brand to Huggies. They were crap and both DD's leaking through them at night. Have gone back to Pampers and sudocrem.
Any tips??

Im not sure beans, could be anything causing the rash, poor little pet, try to leave her nappiless sometimes and I found recently that camomile based creams helped a bit. Mainly cos we couldn't get metanium here I.bought that on the chemists recommendation. Actually we tooks turns using zinc and caster oil, bepanthemun, and the camomilla stuff, it was mainly because it depended on which one we were closest to when we changed his nappy. Anyway it helped.

Two days in a row and DS2 handled no sleeps very well. Tomorrow a crazy scary dutch lady is coming over with her twins to play tomorrow afternoon so will see how he handles that.

Beans ds had nappy rash blistering quite a while back and I had changed to those Active fit Pampers. Not sure if they were the cause but others have said as much. However I have used them on dd and she's been fine.
Since the Vagoolster put me onto Metanium, it's the way forward with us for the serious rashes. It's meant to be put on thin I think although I am guilty of putting it on too thick and it's worked just as good.

Oh dear God, One Born Every Minute on right now. I salute you natural birthers. Is that screaming lady for real?

Hello

Rubes and vag I hope your friends and family are all safe sounds very scary

My dad is watching one born every minute. I can hear screaming coming from downstairs (on the telly, not my dad). I am going to sleep on a mo so will watch the second half tomorrow. Shame dh is away as I like watching with him. He cries when the babies are born.

Avo i would be telling you buyers to sod off. At least as an initial response. The shower in particular is taking the piss! Hope your girls settle down with you back at work soon.

Last night rubbish again as dd asleep at 9 then up 12 3 and for the day at 5. Hmmmm. Just need to ride it out though I think as she keeps changing so fast at the mo that I am not sure it's worth trying to fix things! Tips gratefully received though!

Rubes re the 50 words you'd be surprised how quickly they can start talking. He is probably biding his time and will really go for it suddenly.

Vag haha re the obituary. The other thing my mum said in yesterdays monologue too me was ooh look it's x that died. You know the friend of the vicar (who I don't know and she hardly does) whose funderal he's got to go to tomorrow. She was really interested and excited that she knew this poor deceased person through one layer of separation. My parents are great though they do have their funny little foibles. It takes bloody ages to get anywhere with them too. They question every last thing as you're trying to get out the house. Does ds need his nose wiping. Is this coat ok? Isnt his top a bit big he mightget cold? His top IS a bit big can you find a different top for h

Bugger I did it again!
For him go and get another top. I swear it takes twice as long to get out the house with the two of them "helping" as if it's just me!

Oh I also wanted to ask has anyone elses dcs picked up any rude words? Though rubes has already answered re oh shit!! Ds keeps saying "bloody"'. Really clearly and with great venom too.

SL I love the venomous 'bloody'.

Meant to say to you that when DS2 was about 5 months he kept waking earlier in his naps and this coincided with not sleeping so well. The no cry sleep solution had a tip where you go in around the time they wake and pat them back to sleep just as they are stirring. After a day or so of this they should just stay settled. I tried it with DS2, what I would do is when I put him down u would do a bit of a tidy, then just before he would tend to wake up I would make a coffee grab a book and head up stairs and sit in the room. Then when he became unsettled I'd pat him back TP sleep. I literally caught him just as he was starting to move and twitch his eyes. He did get back into a longer nap routine and I think his nights got better too. In general he was s pretty good sleeper until it all went pear shaped at around 18months.

Thanks re tips on botty rash. Does anyone rate Huggies? I'm not a fan! Back to pampers baby dry for us.
No tips I'm afraid, SL. The one thing I did do with DD2 was (heartless bit coming up) was leave her to cry for much longer. Clearly not if she was v distressed, but little cries went ignored, purely because was dealing with DD1 and couldn't race up at every opportunity!

One Born was as lovely as ever. Makes me marvel at humans anew. Not just the giving birth, although that's amazing, but at the little teeny humans arriving and the lovely lovely men weeping. They must feel so helpless. That lovely young boy, Ralph, at 18 was so much more loquacious than most men in their 30s + that I know. So felt for him being abandoned in favour if her mother!!
Right. To bed x

Same here Beans. DD gets left a bit but she doesn't really do any full blown cries unless she's REALLY upset. Probably because her whole short life so far, demanding ds has been around so she hasn't had a taste of 100% attention when it's just me. Poor girl. She's a really good girl.
I quite like Huggies nappies but I HATE their wipes. They just fall apart. I used to be a loyal pampers fan, but I find their sizes a bit odd. Huggies are smaller I think (for the same number) so when ds or dd are in between sizes, I choose accordingly, unless one of them has a good offer, then I choose that
Hope her bum gets better quick.
Right, midnight, and I'm still up. I'm gonna moan in the morn....

Beans: I find Huggies are better at containing DS2's monster poos. Other than that no idea. Hope the rash clears up soon. We have problems at the other end - DS2 is dribbling constantly and his chin is starting to crack despite copious amounts of cream. Am thinking about making some bandanas to mop up the dribble.

Any news re your friends and DH's dad, Vag?

Veggie I will try that. I think her bad sleeping is kind of a result of me just winging it with naps in the day. She is so chilled that she is happy with a 10 min doze on top of me after a feed and I wasn't making an effort to make sure she was napping properly and I think she was overtired. She slept til 630 hurray!

Btw LadyT: any more on the chimneys? These are the people we use: www.chimtech.com

No it isn't! Sorry, it's these people: www.chimtec.com

Hello loves

Sorry I didn't get back on last night - was too busy rowing with DP He is so annoying sometimes and there are times when the whole relationship feels like walking uphill in fierce wind. He gets cross so quickly and I just can't be doing with it and find it really stressful and negative. ANYWAY....

had a nice weekend actually! I think maybe I have been too hard on MIL. She does have a habit of saying the wrong thing and our attitudes to so much are so different...but she does love the DDs and care about us, and she is undeniably a kind person who means well. I must keep that more in mind. But she is all about doing as one is told and keeping up appearances/worrying what the workd thinks (basically the diametric opposite of how I was brought up) and we differ a bit on attitudes to childcare and it just makes life a little difficult...

Spot, I think Billy is a lovely name for a baby boy. Love William as well. It's my eldest nephew's middle name and it was DH's too.

Urbane, how did DS's dancing go? I must do more with DD, I am shamed about how few 'activities' we do. Rubes, you are very dedicated with the swimming. I must do better.

JB, I am so glad you have got some reassurance from the liver clinic re: your various organs! I was in your neck of the woods on Saturday (well, sort of, I think?) - Manchester. I have only been there once before when I was a lot younger, and wasn't really sure about it then but it seemed lovely on Saturday, I liked the atmosphere, and we had a lovely lunch at a nice hotel. And then we went to the Trafford Centre, apparently the biggest shopping centre in Europe but actually I only went in one shop - John Lewis.

Syb, sorry for the worms. It sounds so grim, poor you! Are they all zapped now?

Beans, fingers crossed about your MIL. Is she being scanned soon? So stressful, I know. As for Huggies, I used to like them for DD1 but we used them again for DD2 as they were on offer and I didn't find them a patch on Pampers. I do cringe when I think of them, all indestructible and stinking, in a landfill for the next 500 years but they are just so good. Hmm. I meant to ask, how is your eldest sister getting on, who had the marriage probs? Things any better?

ZJ - exciting about the London trip! Woo! What will you do when you are there? Are you staying fairly centrally?

Jam - Yorkshire and back in a day? That's quite hardcore!

Pingu - I have no Mummy friends either apart from you lot but you are all fantabulous so I count myself lucky! When are you thinking of moving?

Oh Rubes, I meant to say - I got a Citronella Spray that is safe for kids from Neal's Yard.

SL - I missed One Born. I do like it actually, even if I watch it through my fingers and get annoyed with several of the midwives on there. That is so sweet about your DH. DP is very squeamish and so that show is his idea of hell.

Avo - twenty grand off for what you mention seems too much. I am sorry your buyers are behaving like dicks. So stressful.

DD2 was conceived a year ago yesterday. It's gone fast. What a pity I spent last night wanting to throttle DP.

I have to whiz into Mayfair tonight for a party for a paper I do stuff for sometimes. I am not really in the mood. Dashing there and back is tiring and I just feel a bit fed up after last night. Ho hum. I don't feel like being pretend sparkly with a bunch of strangers and z list celebs.

Vag, whilst I remember how are DS1's violin lessons going? Is he still enjoying it?

Oooh, must go, both girls kicking off!

Oh and Effie - much appreciated! Will check them out - we have someone coming on Thursday to sweep and quote for the lining. Right, really MUST go

Deids how was your run yesty? I went to the gym this morning and did my ab toning exercises and a 40 min run I managed 5.3km in 40 min this time. Treadmills really are a bit boring compared to road running but my.ankle and knees are thanking me. I'm hoping by the time my abs are a bit more toned I will actually have a lot less fat so will actually be able to see them. Currently though I'm not a pretty site in those gym mirrors. Why do they have so many massive mirrors in gyms, damn them. Tomorrow I'm going to give the pool a go.

Lady sorry about the row (was I the only one who thought lady and lordlady had been doing some boat based exercise?) I have to say when you talk about DHs moods it makes me realise what things must be like for my DH. I do try my best to control my temper and my moods but I do lose it sometimes and it is not fun for DH.

Oh my poor lovely Brisbane, I lived there for 3 years just before I moved over to the UK. It's a beautiful city esp along the river. Such a shame and a hardship for those living there. Facebook is such a blessing though many friends have reassurance messages on.their status so we know they are ok. My friend in Towoomba emailed to say she and her family are fine. We still haven't been able to get a hold of Steves dad but it is very unlikely he would have been caught up in it as he only leaves his house to go to the Buddhist temple less than 5mins walk from his house. Both are in a higher area of town. Im not sure if you all remember that Steves dad asked not to be contacted by his kids anymore, so we think he just has his phone turned off and only turns it on to use it, which would be very rare. If we get concerned we'll just contact he temple and ask them if he's ok.

DS2 has had several pooey nappies again today. I cancelled a playdate with my scary dutch friend and her kids as didn't want to pass it on if its a tummy bug. Then DH went to pick up DS1 from school and bought home some other kid. So fingers crossed he doesn't pick it up. Im not sure if I told you the story of my scary dutch friend, but I thought I'd managed to lose touch with her, but she actually sprung and visit on me the other day at home so she is very much still around. Unfortunately my messy house didn't put her off. Who comes around unannounced any more?!?

Am I the only one who thinks its bizarre that women would actually want to be filmed giving birth? I didn't even want photos last time, though I regret that decision a little now.

Oh Lady - sorry about your rowing. YOur DP and you seem to go in similar swings and roundabouts as me and DH. Mine, too, gets cross really quickly and is quite brutal in his arguments, where I hang back as I know he will store up something I said to throw back at me at a later date. I love him terribly, but just wish he'd think the best of me, not the worst!

MIL has been told that the lump isn't big enough for them to operate on as they might not be able to find it, so they are waiting another 3 weeks then having another CAT scan to see if it has changed. Hellish to have to wait longer, but in some ways, if it was urgent, they'd be rushing her in immediately, so am trying to look on the brightside that I'm sure it is...

Lady - thanks so much for asking about my sister, you kind thing. You have an amazing memory. She has decided not to leave the bastard, as we call him secretly with parents. He won't admit he's an alocholic, but she's asked him not to drink one evening a week and he can't manage it. Or if she forces the issue, then they end up having almighty rows. She told me the other day that he's said such terrible things to her in the past, that now whatever he says just washes over her and she doesn't really care any more. I think that's so sad. When you don't care, then perhaps it's time to go. However, this has been going on for years and years on and off and I think the family have all said our piece and actually told her she'd be better off without him, as would the children. But she's decided to stay with him. I'm quite sad in some ways. But it's her decision and I think she's a fool. He really does treat her like shit.

I must go and collect DD1 from nursery. Sorry to do me me me post.

Veggie - am glad your friends on FB all seem to be ok. It's quite shocking what's happening over there.

lady sorry about the row. Hope that you are all made up soon. I currently have chronic PMT and could happily shove the iron in DH's head.

beans On the whole that sounds quite positive about your MIL I think. How is DD's botty?

vag Gosh I did think of you and your friends/family today when I saw the news. Its quite hard to comprehend. And rubes I hope your loved ones will be okay too.

My run was hard, although I managed to run a little further a few minutes faster...so good I think

Finally my nan is out of hospital! She is holed up at my Uncle's as mum and dad are off away tomorrow. But is she still needs 24 hour support she will go to them in a couple of weeks when they are home.

Trace, how are you and L these days? The reason I ask is DD has had some really shocking behaviour since returning to school after Christmas. Won't listen/really silly/rude/cheeky/obnoxious, just not like her at all really. Plus it seems more with me that DH or teachers etc. But I can't wait to ship her off to school and feel quite fed up when I have to collect her. DS on the other hand seems an absolute delight in comparrison and I could eat him up he's that cute! Gosh I hope its just a phase that passes soon.

Vag, no you and me too re the boat based exercise initial thought! Although I got an earlier text so I understood this time! They do have a rowing machine at home I think you know, so it's acceptable you would misunderstand. Back home we don't use the term, do we, (unless we are doing a boat based exercise) so how are we to know!I missed the chapter about your crazy friend? Oh and in my bro's neighbourhood they call in unannounced - like on Home & Away - happens all the time at his place. Door is open, people just wander in. I'd hate it.

Good news kind of re your mil Beans. Hopefully it'll be all fine.

Awful awful night here. I was stupidly up until about 12 for no real reason, then 1230 am ds comes wandering in to our bedroom sobbing. Milk, no change, hot as heck but his temp wasn't too bad (up a little) So he was up from 1230-2am then 4, then 5, then 7 for the day [tired] He only napped for 45 mins (not normal) and woke sobbing and feels really hot. Took his temp but it's a digital thing and he hates it and I got 3 different readings cause he was thrashing around, but all quite high. He won't eat and only tolerates milk. Won't let me put him down eaither I have given Ibuprofen and he seems happy now as I think it's just about kicked in. I thought his cough was getting better but I think he may need antibiotics which would be a first. DH at work till 8-9 AGAIN so gonna check him when he gets home if he's up. I think Ibuprofen has kicked in now as he's just picked up dd's empty bottle and his trying to feed her - so cute. best he's been all day.

On a brighter note, I vacuumed the dog today! Got this and it's brilliant! Well, a genius invention and very exciting if you like dogs but hate mess

Actually Vag, with the rowing
machine we do actually row-rhymes-with-sew as well as row-rhymes-with-cow...anyway, DP came home with a handsome apology and a bouquet of flowers for me. It was nice of him and I accepted both graciously of course, but secretly I don't want flowers and sorries, I just want him not to flare up at nothing. I can't stand this merry-go-round. It is actually starting to make me feel a little detached, so weary am I of it. And that's dangerous. Oh, what a minefield relationships can be. I know I have my faults and failings. But I try to be cheerful/reasonable and not lose it when things irritate me!
But maybe I won't think that when the argument has receded into the distance a bit. On balance things have been better the last six months.
Gosh, hope your DH's dad is ok, Vag.

Beans, that sounds tough with your sister. What a sad and tricky situation, you all having to stand by and watch. He might sink to a nadir of wretchedness and sort himself out. There's always a hope of that.

DB, perhaps your nan will improve now she is out of the hospital...

Anyone watch the new comedy last night, Episodes? I liked it.

Rubes, I will keep in close contact re: the passport stuff. Such a palaver, isn't it all?

Am on speeding train to my drinks party. Have never felt less like such an event. And everyone toadies round the editors in the hope of getting more features. It's all rather excruciating. The air is so thick with mistrust and envy, you could cut it into slices and tile yer roof with it. Ho hum!

X-posted with you Rubes! That took me ages to type. Sorry to hear DS is poorly. The dog attachment is hilarious! [Grin]