Dec 2008 - Hello 2011 the Year of the Toddler!

[DeidreBarlow]

Totally unispired but hope you all find it...

what I mean is - I remember saying when I ordered the book, I bet I get pg now before I get a chance to read it, and whadda you know. perhaps it's a good luck charm! Let me know if it's not too late and I'll send it to you... Back later I've just been out to get fire wood from the farm shop - oh the glamour. DS had the biggest meltdown on the way home (only 2 mins) and I didn't know why - turns out he was thirsty. if only the boy could/would talk!

Crikey, the DSs have been together too much today and are driving each other mad. DH is on a rare day in the office but is on his way home and is threatening to go against the grain and cook Italian. He is a very stereotypical Chinese guy and only ever cooks Chinese food and always with rice. Can't complain as he cooks very well. It's just I love Italian, but its always me that cooks it. He loves it too but is nervous of the ingredients. On the phone just now there was talk of capers, artichokes and GARLIC BREAD!!! Yum. I love garlic bread.

The reading talk is interesting. Here they don't teach actual reading until 6, its based on the belief that reading is taught when the first tooth falls out??? Sounds strange I know. But they also believe that before actual reading can be taught children have to master the ability to read and comprehend. I quite like it actually and I'm fine with it. DS1 has actually started kind of teaching himself to read in English at home and we've spoken to his teacher about it and she's happy with that. She said the same as DBs dds teacher, do it at their pace, if its forced and they have a bad experience they can develop a block which is very hard to get around once they have this block to learning.

DD was pretending to be a cat earlier, and then actually licked DS's bum in the bath. The funny thing was DS was just laid on his tummy playing with a duck and never batted an eyelid while she was 'licking away'. DH came in and quickly removed DD from bath

DB Omg!!!! That is just hilarious!

He does have a gorgeous bum but I can't say its particularly lickable....

DH has gone to the pub tonight hooray! Crap TV and wine for me

Just had a quick skim read. ZJ, I thnk everyone else has hit the nail on the head with your dilemma. The only bad thing for them really is that she is in SCBU, which fingers crossed won't be for long. There is a wee girl at Lucy's school who has DS and is wonderful. She is a little slower than some (tho not all) of the others with things like reading and writing but she is smashing and doing fantastically. It must be a huge shock for them of course. There is a poster on here called Thomcat whose 1st daughter has DS and her posts about her are wonderful. I'd focus on the SCBU part rather than the DS part in your message and then just treat them as any other new parents.

Rubes, could you do the 11th for drinks? Or is that the day everyone is meeting in the day? That could be a thread overload and some people won't go to 2 things. Or perhaps another day in the week beg the 7th? Let me know what would be better for you. And anyone else who fancies of course.

DD1 doing my head in. Back ina minute.

DB bloody hilarious!

hi.
DB that is very funny!
DD1 said today "I saw a Great My today", which baffled me, so I asked what a Great My was, and she said, "you know, when the birds all fly off together to another country" - we'd been talking about migrating birds last week! I love how their minds work
ZJ that's tricky with your friends - but I do think a really happy card would be good. i was just thinking I sometimes dig out all the New Baby cards from my two, and love reading through - and I was thinking how sad if they were all more like sympathy cards.
JB I'm another one who had pre-eclampsia. For me i started with headaches/ seeing stars at around 27 weeks, then BP rise and protein in wee started just after, then by 29 weeks I felt wrong - just felt stiff and was puffy in my face, and felt like my legs didn't belong to me. Was admitted to hospital and given the steroids in the bum, and had my section 4 days later. Was rather poorly then and had a while in ICU/High Dependancy, but Lucy did so well - and I'm sure the steroids had made a big difference to her. So I imagine if you feel fine (or 'normal' for your pregnancy) then I should think you are ok. I guess they are being very cautious with you due to your various organ issues! I hope your results are good.

sorry, just re-read that JB and realise it sounds like a right doom and gloom scary tale. Sorry if that was really unhelpful.

Deids - when I saw that on FB I was in stitches! Priceless, Aaaah kids!
I'm right there with you - wine and crap TV. Dh is in the other room dictating. it's a nice Aussie Shiraz and American idol for me I was watching this weeks Greys Anatomy, but dh had to do work and quite enjoys it so asked if I could put on something he hates! Job done! Not a big JLo fan and the show isn't the same without Simon but oh well.

Sybs - not sure what's happening on the 11th in the day yet. If it's going ahead I would have the littles with me for the daytime gig so couldn't obviously stay out with them and be cheery unless I didn't take them and got mil over, but if it's the only day possible I can ask mil as I will see her tomorrow. otherwise, I can pretty much do most nights as I don't think dh has anymore on calls till March so just depends on his home time as to what time I could get in to town. Wed are particularly good as he's in London in the afternoons so could do an exchange with the car full of kids.
Who is up for a meet up? We need to do a thread I think and specify day / evening availability etc! Where's Summer when we need her for a spreadsheet

Let's figure out a dare for both things.

Am honestly more than happy to have everyone here. We have a little branch line station that if you get the right train takes an hour from Liverpool street.Cambridge peeps fairly easy drive here. I can do some sort of lunch.

What do you reckon?

A dare!?! Farking iPhone. A date

Suits me Jam. Glad it was a typo, thought we were starting some new MN thing and I had to come up with a 'dare' or something

fark, both have their swimming lessons today. ds woke early so hoping he's not meltdown-tastic in the pool. I'm already knackered. Up early to take dh to the train. Work again, but his last Sat till March.

How long from Brighton, Jam?

Aargh, T has really bad cough as has B. Really hoping that's all it is for T, but do I need to be worried that B has too, if he can feed? Way too young for Calpol!

Avo re- your SIL I didn't ever meet her as DP picked up the chair. So I can only comment that her texts were quite short but I am a massively excessive texter so shouldn't read too much into that.

On the Essex thing it was just that I realised that whenever my mum comes it takes her 3 hours to get here and that if we were in Essex it would also be near London and much easier to see her. Selfishly for the childcare, but also because she's on her own and getting very forgetful and I'm realising that she is not getting any younger and may well need some support herself soon.

But I think realistically we'll be looking North London. WG what is Evesham Rd like?

Trace that is funny about the Great My. SOunds like some heroic literary figure.

Rubes glad DS is on the mend. Re- the thirst, words don't always help. Quite often T says something but it's a massive fib. Or he can't work out what's sore so you suggest things and he says yes to them all.

X posts, I think we should have a thread dare.

Rubes I dare you to run down your road with your knickers on your head and kiss the first person you meet.

Spot: I think a visit to Essex is still needed for research purposes . I agree about the talking. DS2 changes his mind all the time. It's a constant battle at the moment. Typical day:

Getting dressed: 'I do it!' 'Nooooo!' 'Can't do it!' 'Mummy do it!' 'Nooooo!' 'I do it!'

Mealtimes: (poke poke) 'Is it done? Yuk! No hungry any more. Go play?' Then he goes to filch some cheese from the fridge.

Bedtime: 'I do it! Story! Two story! Play! Nooooooo! Mummy STOOOP! Me wake up! MUUUUUUMMMMMYYYY!!!'

Things used to be a lot quieter round here...

PMSL at licking bottoms! Priceless!

ZJ I think what others have said about congratulating your friends and offering practical help is perfect. If you do a thread search on here there is a wonderful piece of writing about having a SN child and being able to mourn the child you thought you were going to have while loving the one you are blessed with. I'll have a look too.

here we go

Hello everyone, thanks for all your tips and links, DH is out tonight so I'm going to have a proper read of it, and a proper catch up with everyone here. I've found some lovely Mum's on the SN board and DCs all sound adorable, I'll link to that thread if anyone wants to read some gorgeous tales (that have all made me sob). I'm also going to catch up properly with you all, and think up some dares

Pmsl Spot! Erm, I'll take truth please
Good point about the words / speaking Spot / Effie. We often get fibs with the nodding anyway. Or says yes to dinner / fruit etc and then doesn't want it Last night was the exception though. he was SO hungry as he'd hardly eaten all day very much, and he went and got his cutlery and was pointing to his highchair! He then ate a whole bowl of pasta bolognaise and a big yogurt, plus andother glass of milk.

One swimming leasson down. DD was their little demonstration girl she was so tired towards the end and fell asleep not 5 mins in the door.
I'm just doing a total Hugh Hefner in my robe as I have to take ds in an hour to his first class since before Christmas break.

indith - i haven't even dared look at that link as i'm already in tears. will give it a go when i'm feeling stronger.

and this next para is going to be boring to everyone but spot - evesham has just been closed off as a rat run onto the north circular, so it should now be a nice quiet road. the closer the property is to the east, the nicer it will be (the edwardians started building from brownlow road outwards), and the properties nearer the n circ are newer, and in my opinion, not as nice (from the outside) although you can't tell until you go inside. you will be about 10 min walk from the tube - we are 5 mins. and most importantly IT IS AROUND THE CORNER FROM LOVELY ME! as for links to up north. my dad lives just outside bury st eds and it takes about 1hr 15, but i am fairly speedy. this area has great access to the M11/M1/A1/M40, all sorts. the n circ is a nightmare at the mo because it is being worked on, but once it is finished (in a year's time or so), it should be so so so much better. the nearest parks are arnos park, broomfield park, durnsford road park and of course ally pally. crouch end is dead close, and if you want to go horse riding/go to the countryside, it is 15 mins in a car to near cockfosters and whoops you're in the countryside. if you are in the area again, please please pop over for a cuppa. anytime - i think you've got my number - just call on the offchance - we're good at impromptu visits.

Hello !
Sorry AWOL for so long, DS1 got flu, DS2 started waking at 4-5am in the morning for not apparent reason etc etc. Panicing about money etc etc etc
Only got a quick amount of time while boys out so skim read...

Beams how is your dad ? When parents get ill its very very frightening. Hope tests/treatment are going ok and you are getting lots of support from people around you.

Trace hope you are doing OK, you were talking about taking some time off work a while back? Glad things are going OK with L and though, about a year ago you were quite worried about her health werent you ?

Lady Glad the house is getting sorted out, and you got some time in London too. The girls sound great. BTW you asked me ages ago what happened when your eardrum burst, basically its like having a snotty nose from your ear and really nasty, you have to keep the ear dry until the infection has healed and this can take weeks, as a tricky one to reach with drops/get antibiotics to work. Fortunately he is good now. In the meantime, sleepin/eating is all over the place.

Veg Congratulations on the house, not congratulations on having scary friends. I know a one or two of those and I tend to find the cowardly way of avoiding eye contact works :)

Lastly Spot We haved lived in SW in Essex for more than 10 years. I grew up in a big city and this place is just about my dream location. It would depend what you like :
Firstly its big enough so not everyone knows your business, but small enough to have a community and community stuff going on. It has a load of small independent shops and delis, and the best "junk" shop ever that I never get bored of looking in. Again, small number of nice pubs and restaurants. Lovely walks, becautiful town and with lovely green spaces, lovely surrounding countryside accessible by foot/bike. extremley low drime rate, excellent schools and friendly people. I've spent two maternity leaves here without a car and loved it. Downside, not very exciting. ~50 mins on a train to London but the station is a drive away. Public transport is pretty rubbish. If you like a nightlife, theres not one of those round here.....

Jam You must live really near me, I didnt realise ! When is the meetup planned again - sorry I missed talk of it.

SL I am SO SO excited. Some of my family want to do the Coast to Coast bike ride and dH has agreed to look after the kids for a couple of days. Have you done it ? Have you got any tips ?

Hope everyone else is finding a way to enjoy this grey weekend....

Sorry, I meant crime rate, of course :)

Oooh notjustanumber are you going to do the whole thing or just join them for a leg? I walked the coast to coast a few years ago, it was fantastic. We carried all our kit and camped, I look back at that trip as particularly blissful, the is something wonderful about having all your stuff with you and just going from place to place. Ah the things you can do pre kids! That and being a student, don't somehow think dh would go for taking 2 weeks holiday to tramp around the countryside

I am ever so slightly excited. A guy dh rows with has a holiday cottage in Whitby and does ates rates so we have booked a bargain for a holiday in June (woohoo we can afford a real live holiday! Ok so in Whitby and only an hour away form home but still a holiday). Anyway, since that is nice and cheap my mum is coming up the weekend before valentines and baby sitting and we are going to the Gourmet Spot (absolutely amazing restaurant in Durham) and spending the night in a hotel! I'll get to sleeeeeeeeeep! Of course we will not be rushing home on SUnday morning and instead will go to one of our fave cafes for breakfast with the Sunday Times. What bliss.

Shrek 4 at the village hall tonight for family film night. Hot dogs before and they do an interval complete with ice creams. Ds is very excited, dd is asleep on the sofa so hopefully will last the distance :) Poor girl has spent most of the past 2 days with fingers in mouth. Bloody teeth. She slept ok-ish last night but ds got bloody growing pains int eh middle of her longest sleep.

Dh has man flu/sore throat/glands up/is very run down from working hard. I do actually feel sorry for him so probably isn't man flu. They are getting closer and closer to delivery deadline onthe project they are working on and things keep going wrong.

Evening all from Grumpyville, Whingetown. DD is being a deviltoddlerbeast - no idea what's up but GOD she's grumpy. Virtually constant whingeing or stropping all day. Slight improvement since Calpol suggests maybe teething (she still has a good 8 or so to get, aghhh!) but who knows. She's trying my patience severly, and I don't seem to have an awful lot of it at the moment..

Rubs thank you for lovely offer re book! I ordered a bunch of stuff from amazon and don't think I can cancel now. Maybe ordering it will have the same effect on me anyway - fingers crossed eh?!

Those who have used fertility monitor thingy - I'm on day 10 and still says low. Slightly surprised cos I'm reular as clockwork at 26/27 day cycle. Does that sound strange at all? If i went by calendar I think it would be almost peak season, so to speak...