June 2008: new year, new diets, new resolutions, but when push comes to shove creme eggs are still the solution!

[KnittingRocks]

Sorry, couldn't cope with Christmas anymore!

x-posted knitting sorry you are feeling low. You have two fabulous and happy boys, so you are clearly excellent at parenting, and you've achieved so much against the odds that you are extra-special. If A isn't ready to potty train, that's no-one's fault, have a break from it and try another time, there's no rush. Now go and have a or a , put your feet up and do some knitting! x

Biscuits, I love it!! Will be buying one .

And thanks for the pep talk . Have a stinking cold and dh is being a miserable bugger for some reason so all in all not a good day .

Have been knitting - seem to recall I owe a lot of people some handmade things .

Right back to the knitting again . And glad you found the insert helpful - it was great for our micro-child too (in fact I think he'd probably still fit it!).

Knitting my ds 1 was 3 when he potty trained. His best friend was 4. You have all the time in the world to do this, take a breath and just forget about it for a few months.

Also, you are clearly an excellent parent - pottery painting!! I would be terrified to take J to one of those places, he would run amok.

I think it is easy when we are feeling down to forget how well we are doing. You have two beautiful boys who are healthy, happy and who love you. What else really matters?

J has a gastro bug, and my washing machine has died. You don't want to know what I have had to hand wash in the last couple of days. Lets just say that I have had to sluice in the shower before scrubbing them clean, and then go mad in the bathroom with the Dettol. I will require serious wine consumption to try to forget it.

I did have both my parents with me - three adults to two children and M still ran us ragged! It was pouring with rain today and I was desperate to do something! Results are on FB - works of art they are not .

Yuck on the gastro bug and no washing machine . Hope both are fixed soon.

Aw, Knitting, don't feel bad. You're clearly a great mum. When A is ready for potty training is absolutely zilch to do with your skills as a parent. Sod the brew, have some

Biscuits, I had a tough time with S earlier in the week too, it's rubbish isn't it? S has been some really whingy phases recently. It brings out my inner shouty mum which always makes me

Stop that right now Knitting! A is the smiliest child on this thread, so you are doing something very right.

I can't type much now as feeding, but you are a great mum - the fact that you care so much that you might not be proves that IYKWIM. Your boys are some of the most wanted and loved children i know of! That's what counts.

A & M didn't read the same books you did. None of your "can't"s will mean a thing at A's graduation - well unless he really still is in a nappy.

Double for you Sybil!

Lol eeny, he may well be - watch this space .

keepcalm, if it only brings out your inner shouty mum I'm impressed - whinging brings out my outer shouty mum at times .

I was going to tell you a funny story about throwing an ambulance down the stairs but I think you will all definitely think I'm a bad mother then .

Sybil - Shower sympathies. R has had corn on the cob for breakfast, lunch and dinner recently. We have so much corn growing in the garden but after three days of clearing up kernel filled toddler poo I can't bring myself to eat any.

No Boden envy luckily - I like their kids stuff more than the adults. And although I have got bored of knitting, my sewing is coming on a treat, so can now make my own boden baggies for the boys. So proud of a pair of tartan trousers I made for F. (Doffs her tam-o-shanty to the Scottish contingent, actually I even had haggis for dinner last night).

Dewin - That 20 week scan comment sneaked in there. Glad all ok, did you find out the sex? Do you know and you're keeping it a secret or are you having a surprise?

Any 3rd birthday present suggestions yet? We're thinking that we'll leave NZ when my visa runs out (Nov) so don't want to buy anything physically big because we won't bring it back with us. Is a portable dvd player too much for a three year old or actually an excellent parenting aid? Although most of our kids films are on MP3's now...

Missed the 20 week scan - sorry, being too self-obessessed tonight! Can't believe you're 20 weeks already .

Are you coming home in November then eeny?

No idea for 3rd birthday presents I'm afraid .

Well, I'm feeling pretty miserable with my untreated ear infection, so a v. short post in case I say stuff I'll regret.

But thanks Maya for noticing my scan.

A flurry of posts!

Dewin - I missed your scan news, that's great, and half way already!

Maya, no ideas for presents, although was actually thinking of a portable dvd for the car at some point, preferably with head phones so I don't have to listen to the snowman for the 874th time!

We booked a holiday last night - we're going to near lake windermere for a week in April. Also trying to organise D's naming day, which is proving difficult. Between DH's oncall, PILs spending several weeks at a time in Spain, and my Dad's weekend commitments at work we were left with 3 weekend before July. One in 2 weeks time, so too short notice, one is Easter weekend so trying to avoid that and the final one left is the day after we get back from our holiday and our preferred venue isn't available.
On the plus side, my mum is going to make a cake with a yellow brick road on it! [Grin]

Ah Dewin, I missed your whole post earlier. How was the scan? Ear infection sounds miserable, I hope you feel better soon.

Maya, after my recent London town trip, I think portable dvd players are brilliant for toddlers!

Is anyone else finding posts moving up and down tonight as you scroll over them? It's very annoying!

Hi all! I think I'm going to be one of those very occasional posters mow unfortunately but I do try to read the thread if I can. Just wanted to say a big yay for dewin's scan - boy girl or secret?!! Also knitting Luke is not potty trained yet either and I'm trying not to worry even though I have a deadline for the school! You are not alone. I can relate to all the statements you put down apart from the staying pregnant bit but I look at the kids and think I must have done something right and so should you!

Quick update babies are growing but both really sicky and have colds. It's 3.50 am and I'm posting so gives you an idea of thexanount of sleep I'm getting. Luke loves the babies now and wants to cuddle them all the time. Anyway must go, madeleine has finally dropped off so will try to get 40 winks!?

dewin good to hear all went well with the scan.

knitting Having potty trained the girls very easily I can see DS is nowhere near ready. He can hold his wee for quite a while so instead of peeing in the potty he will do it on the foor , he is very happy to pull dolls on his potty and make peeing noises but I think he just loves his nappies and isn't ready to stop using them. My aim is to have him trained by September for pre-school and will try again in August unless he decides before then he is ready.

My last couple of cycles have been short 24/25 days. Am on day 28 now and starting to panic . My boobs have been sore for days and have felt like my period is imminent but nothing - I am starting to worry.

Dewin I am sending you lots of virtual sympathy, ear infections are the worst thing in the world, I would rather give birth again than have another one. The last one I had was when pregnant too, I think combination of stuffier nose and resistance down. Also sending you virtual hot water bottle to hold on it.

Great to hear from you Amber! (and keep us posted going !)

KeepCalm they're fixing the jumping around posts today - link here - glad they've picked it up, it is making me feel seasick, I might even have to do some work if this continues!!

Theo and Esther are like Iestyn - they won't just go on the loo for a try if they don't really want to. It's a bit of pain when we're off out and I know they're going to want to go soon but hey ho what can you do.

Knitting don't feel so down. I think he did brilliantly, he did poos on the potty and some wees as well. That is great after just 2 days. So you have not failed at PT! You just haven't given him long enough. It took my two a week to get to where A is. Next time don't stay in the house - just take clean pants with you. He only wee's every few hours and poo even less so how much can go wrong with just a few hours out the house? Just try to see acccidents as not a big deal. Every time he has an accident he is one step closer to learning that you don't do it in your pants. It was 3wks before t and e got it. You are a fab parent, A and M are a credit to you.

Great news on the scan, didn't find out the sex then?

Major whining here as well today - blue cup! green cup! pink Cup! Grrr, we must have had about 10 cups on the go. I know the right thing to do is say no you already have a cup but then the whining just goes on and on and on... I got shouty too! However meal times are generally getting a lot better, they come nicely to the table now (most of the time).

Poor you Sybil, hope they are better soon.

Going omg - do you really think maybe?

Lurking nervously for news from going

Re Boden: I got plimsolls last Spring they were fine on fit and looked good. Only complaint was that they weren't v comfy in the soles but I think that is more to do with the style of shoe and my old lady need for comfort footwear. With my £10 from Johnnie I bought a biker cardigan in the hope that it will replace a much loved old zipped cardi that DH bought me in about 2004, but after 7 years and 2 pregnancies it really can't be worn in public. I used Sen4 to get 15% and free P&P.

Knitting, Biscuits and others with experience of diminutive babies. My friends' DS is dropping down the centiles. Now 8 weeks. Her DD was similar but not as bad. She is getting him weighed regularly. Can you remind me Knitting what the paed said with M and your pre-ecplamsia. Friend had high BP but not pre-eclampsia. Is high bp alone a potential risk factor do you know. She had high BP with DD first time round too. Thanks.

Hi spider, yes as far as I understand high BP can mean low birthweight babies but not an expert so don't quote me on that. How high up the centiles did he start and how fast is he dropping? M was always tiny (started off at 9th centile so never had far to fall!) and the paediatrician said this was due to IUGR and he should hopefully catch up by his 4th birthday .

Apologies for the whinging me, me, me post last night - realised it was PMT related when my period arrived this morning .

Neenz, thanks for your kind words but I think we're definitely going to leave it for a while. He goes back to the CM next week and it's not fair on A or her to deal with him being so unreliable when they're doing school runs, etc. I'll try again some time later in the year.

Amber, I remember the sleepless nights well! Does your nanny start soon? Sorry to hear the girls are poorly.

Dewin, huge sympathies on the ear infection too. I had one after I had M and took ABs (which I'm normally fervently opposed to) as I couldn't stand the pain.

going, would it be a really bad thing?

Thanks Knitting. Will pass it on. What is IUGR? I think he was about 50th at birth and is down in the bottom quarter now but defo still on the chart (I've seen the chart but can't recall the exact centiles).. My friend is a v level headed type but is feeling a bit of pressure to start formula top ups at 3 months even though she knows her DD is fine now, just slender.

E.g she has a MIL commenting that boys need "more"

Hey spider, if your friend's DS started off on 50th centile then small size now us not related. BP can cause small birth weight ( intra uterine growth retardation) but not slow weight gain.

D was 50 th at birth but now 2nd. if there are no other health concerns tell her to ignore her MIL.

Oh my word, S is having the BIGGEST tantrum upstairs. I may have to go and intervene!

Thanks Biscuits that's really helpful. I have relayed back to my friend and told her the BP is irrelevant in her case by the sounds of it.