July 2009: Toddling towards 2 and a full nights sleep!

[Phoenix]

Good one QueenFee :o

I had a few mins at work so started it :o

hi jetli. Finding the bottom of the washing pile is my holy grail. I have become much less fussy about ironing stuff but really I can't complain as DH does alot of the ironing for me. He hates doing shirts so last night while watching waking the dead together we shared a basket full of ironing. How romantic! He's a good man :)

Dedication: was fab yesterday. really great and joyful service at church and house group did a great job with the food so my mum could kick back and relax with us all. saw my sister and friend from school afterwards back at ours and mum kept the kids busy so we could all chat like grownups. Was really great of her :)

bit nervous as I'm off to the docs to try and get my period problems nailed once and for all. My PMT is threatening divorce and even with medication my bleeding is so bad it leaves me wiped out for a week afterwards. Sorry if TMI. off to see other doc at hte practice as my doc is great but liable to pat you on the head and say there there little lady!

Other good news is we've booked a holiday :) Off to the lakes in August. Really looking forward to a proper family holiday. is a cottage on a working farm in the middle of no where but about half hour from kendal/windermere. very exciting.

Hi to all you lurkers. must go an put the bins out.

Is there a bottom to the washing pile?
I definitely use the shake and fold technique, although I didn't realise until my youngest was 'helping' me unload the tumble dryer the other day and was doing exactly that (not sure the creases will drop out of his folding though!!!) My husband irons his own shirts - it's either that or go to work with creased shirts! I do everything else but only things that REALLY need ironing.

Your dedication sounds like a really lovely day alibobble. Hope you manage to get yourself sorted at the doctors. Sounds like you've done the right thing in seeking a second opinion.

Patchy - So sorry to hear about your Gran. Funerals are draining enough without a long journey either end. You must have been wiped out. Max's teeth sound a bit of nightmare, at least you know it will be ok in the end.

Not much going on here. DS4 eczema has flared up quite badly, which normally means he has another tooth coming. Unfortunately I can't really check as it's his back teeth and if I try to look or feel he bites me finger really hard
We're enjoying the fleeting better weather and spending a lot of time in the garden or down the park. Roll on the summer

patchy - sorry about your gran
Washing - I also shake and fold! Dh does all his own ironing which leaves me with only 1 or 2 items a week
I have just started using cloth nappies to try and save money as dh is still out of work So more washing but not too bad as no ironing etc needed just chuck them back in the basket straight from the dryer.
Ali- glad your dedication went well. My nephew was dedicated a couple of weeks back and it was lovely

Hi all - thanks for the laundry tips. Am trying everything

QF - lovely pictures of your lot

JLo2 - same here with checking for teeth. I rely on peering in when she has a good scream. Screaming seems to be the way these days she isn't adjusting well at all to having a sister. Sorry about the eczema - thats awful for him.

Ali - glad the dedication went well sorry about the periods - have you tried diet for the PMS? Wasn't there a program in the last couple of years looking at high calcium or something, & it "cured" some women... Can't quite remember - although it would do bugger all for the bleeding I suspect. Anyway, the Dr should take you seriously - you wouldn't be expected to put up with it if you were a bloke would you? Outside of BF I take high strength EPO & find that helpful. Holiday sounds lovely

We just keep buggering on here. BIL & family are visiting this weekend - initially they were staying over but they've changed their minds which is a bit of a relief TBH as I wasn't sure how I was going to get upstairs straightened & cleaned & beds made up by Friday. Thankfully now I don't have to bother Need to sort out something for Saturday lunch though I think. Dunno really - its always crap like this when you leave any arrangements to two bloke IME. Never any finer details. So long as I'm not expected to magic a meal for 7 out of an empty fridge with 20 minutes notice though...

Hope you've all got this fab weather shame its the last proper day of it though. The temp here is going to drop by 10 degrees tomorrow - it will feel positively arctic compared to this week!

Have a good weekend all

am of work today as childminder at a funeral. Enjoying the weather. 10c drop? Arg. not looking forward to that. just dug out all DCs summer clothes from the backs of wardrobes etc. obviously too optimistic.

Jetli: Wonder if calcium a problem for me as am on dairy free diet? have lactose free stuff but still no milk added to any other products. Hmmm worth a thought.

Off to collect Beth from school. think we might call in at the park on the way home if the weather's not for staying.

Hi Ali - this was the thing I was thinking of here

We've had a picnic this afternoon - just on the back garden. More trouble than it was worth if I'm honest with PITA toddler!!

We're back indoors now. The debris is still on the garden....

Jetli: fantastic link. thankyou very much. Would much rather take calcium supplements than take anti depressants. Will give it a good read. There must be something in it too as I feel much better in summer and you get vit D from the sun don't you?

Hey Patchy how are you? Sorry about your loss. I love my grandparents (on my mother's side) as they also helped raise me and I would be devasted. I hope your are ok.

Jetli How goes it with 2? I can't believe you are entertaining already. WOW. Supermom.

Ali what is a dedication? I grew up Catholic - it is like a baptism? Re the pms do you think having your tubes tied has affected any hormonal balance? I have to say after having 3 my hormones are KEERRRRRRRRRR A ZEE. But I am also 36 so age could be a factor. Lol.

Questions for those with older DCs
At what age do children cut their own food during meals?
Tie shoelaces?
Shower on their own?
Learn to ride a bike?

I ask as DS1 is going to be 6 at the end of July and I kind of feel he is not hitting the milestones that let's say I or DH did. Or is it a bit longer nowadays? Advice welcome.

Hey to QF Phoenix Jlo2 and lurkers.

Hi I tend to be quite relaxed about milestones but here is what my 2 do for comparison.
Cerys is 6.5 and Fin 4.5
Using knife and fork. Fin does this brilliantly. Cerys still struggles and we have to help with some things
Shoelaces Cerys only has velcro or zips so couldn't say. Fin can do velcro but def not laces.
Cerys can shower herself if Iput the shower on. Fin would struggle to wash his hair.
Both can ride but only with stabilisers. We plan to teach cerys to ride without them this summer.
Fin can't yet zip his coat up. Cerys could pour herself a drink or a bowl of cereal but not Fin.
Erm...
Cerys can skip Fin can't yet (i mean without a rope neither have mastered that yet.)
Both dress themselves but fin cant do hooks on the top of trousers. He can do buttons with great concentration.
Hope that helps.

Thanks QF I was also wondering if I was "doing things right" iykwim.

I have had a terrible day being topped off with DH saying this next freelance gig has been cancelled. I just want to cry. After this Friday he has no work! F**K.

(hugs) I feel your pain dh has been out of work since jan and nothing on the horizon. I am doing everything I can to reduce spending including cloth bumming Alfie but its just not enough :(

Hi everyone, I hope you are ok. Thanks for all of your kindness about my granny xx

MissP I am good thanks. I was very sad about my granny but she was very old and hadn't had much quality of life for a long time so for her it was a blessing. She was my dad's mum and sadly I didn't have a good relationship with my dad in later years and he died before we could resolve things. My granny found that hard and sided with him so my relationship with her wasn't as close as it had been whe I was small. That said when I was a little girl she was everything a granny should be. Families hey!

Re mile stones. My 2 are 9 and 7. They both shower on their own although every now and again I have to remind them that that stuff called shampoo is for washing their hair! They really started showering on their own when Max was born so 8 and 6 (DD is the youngest and I think girls are much more advanced than boys, well that is the case here!)

Riding bikes, dd started without stabilisers when she was 6, ds a little younger. Eating, that was problably about 6 or 7. Shoe laces, don't get me started!!! They can both do it, they learnt at the same time, probably 6 and 8. DS is still not brilliant and we go for velcro when we can! He just can't be bothered.

I wouldn't worry, really I wouldn't. I think boys develop at a slower rate, especially the eldest as we have a tendancy to baby them a bit when they are little and they get used to us doing it for them. Also he is a July baby like my ds1 and they do seem to struggle a bit. It is only this year that things have really slotted into place for my ds.

Sorry about your dh work MissP and QueenFee I hope things come god soon.

xxxx

Sorry for everyone's bad news about work.

BIL & tribe brought their own lunch. Would have been better if DP had actually told me they were doing this....! We sat & watched whilst they ate - felt like a total lemon TBH. I hadn't shopped as I didn't know what was happening & DP had taken the car.

On a BIG frugal living kick here too. Fuel prices make me want to cry. DP is cycling to work where possible - thank goodness for this nice weather. I'm trying to find a decent walking route to the Surestart centre, to help me shift some weight as well as saving money - the big 40 in June & I want to be slim. Thankfully we have Aldi, Lidl & Netto nearby (and thankfully Waitrose is a bit too far to justify except on very special occasions ). There was a blind taste test a couple of weeks ago at the Childrens Centre, during their budgeting course. Netto jaffa cakes came out top - they are bloody gorgeous - even nicer than the square M&S ones. Def. worth a try if you have a Netto nearby. Read on another thread here about having a "soup & crumble" night once a week which seems like a good idea to save money. We already do one night of "something on toast". Food prices just seem to be rocketing don't they?

Hi to all & hi to all the lurkers

Jetli I lile the soup and crumble idea, we do what I call "Pick and Mix" a jacket potato with little bowls of bits and pieces, cheese, beans, etc. Very cheap and cheerful. We have that once a week with different things so everyone doesn't get bored. I think 4 jacket spuds is 70p at tesco.

xx

QF: you've inspired me to get my old cloth nappies out that I used religiously with beth. I've made no effort to reuse them with becca so I've cracked the out. she was less than impressed as I fastened it on her but we shall see.

Alfie didn't seem to notice the difference and I had a half load of hankies going on regularly so it just made sense. Dh isn't so sure but I have already saved £7 so 2 more weeks and the nappies I have bought will pay for themselves.
Thanks you have just inspired me to do one of my moms staples. Scotch broth made with reduced veg and spotted dick which has to be the easiest pud i have ever made.
Like the spud idea too... hate having to live so frugally; we lived like that anyway so cutting back is nigh on impossible.

QF - how did you do the spotted dick? DP would love it I'm sure. If its easy I'm game on to have a try

Did apple & plum crumble last night - twas scrummy. Have found an old tin of custard powder in the back of the cupboard as well. Daren't look at the best before date but it tasted fine made up. I made DP try it first...

Cracked out the breadmaker as well. OK, so you can buy cheap bread but homemade isn't expensive but it feels like such a treat. Hetty wolfed down loads of it last night, warm with butter.

Patchy - will be adopting your spud idea here as well

Going to get back to the cloth here also. Been a bit lazy since Christmas to be honest. And there is that much bloody washing already, 2 or 3 extra loads won't make much difference here!!! Just slightly concerned about staining from the BF baby poo. Aldi nappies are pretty good.

Spotted dick in qf's mums style

2 cups self raising flour
1/2 cup suet
1/2 cup sugar
1 cup raisins
Milk

Mix together using enough milk to form a stodgy dough.
Put in med dish (christmas pudding plastic bowl is what my mum uses)
Cover with tin foil
Place in steamer for 2 hours till the pud comes easily away from the side of the bowl.
If you haven't got a steamer then use a pyrex dish covered in tin foil in a half full pan of water with lid on :)

sounds good QF.

Happy Mother's day everyone. Hope you all got something nice like or !

Have a lovely day everyone

Thanks QF - will let you know when we've had a go.
Hi Ali

Hope all had a good mothers day

What a glorious sunny day.
Hope everyone had a good Mother's Day.

Not much to report. DH contract got extended (phew) and the children have been good.

Tristan's eczema is awful though. We have tried everything (steriod cream, oilatum, dripobase, epaderm, tar shampoo, tea tree oil shampoo etc). I think we need to be refered to a paed/dermatologist. It is keeping him awake at night. Have I missed any other remedies?

Spotted Dick - never tried this English pudding. I will try. Looks yum.

hi all. Well so much for these stupid anti depresants. I can't believe I've to keep taking them for 3 months. they make me dopey and sleepy and fit for nothing and they are doing bugger all to keep the red mist at bay! that said this week I have a meeting every evening, becca has a cold and the tea has just failed to work so I think my stress levels might be a bit higher anyway! :(

Ali - Ma JetLi takes them. I think she felt worse for about 2 weeks at the beginning & then started to feel better. Fingers crossed you'll feel better soon.

MissP Look at a website called the Green People, (I'll check thats what they are called) They were set up initially by a woman whose child had terrible eczema. Not sure if they will have anything for him but they may offer some advice over the phone? Their sun cream is the only one in 8 years that hasn't made dd come out in a rash, so I swear by them. They are a small company based in west sussex. I stock up every summer in the sun cream.

Ali sorry to hear you are struggling. It sounds like you are working really hard. I hope things improve for you soon.

Things here are ok, manic as usual. Do any of you ever look in your diary and panic as it looks so busy, then find that despite your worry, you got through the day and it worked out ok? That happens here all the time and I find that panic so stressful. Perhaps I plan too many things, but some are just the logistics of getting through the day and looking after everyones needs.

That said I had the best day today. My friend who's husband died took 3 of us girls out for a really special lunch to thank us for what we have done for her, as if any of us wanted/needed to be thanked, but it ws just so lovely and great to have time out from it all. I came home feeling like I had had a week off, not only a few hours. Utter bliss! Such a kind thing for her to do when she is still struggling herself.

Anyway, I hope you are all ok. The beautiful weather helps, it was 23 degrees here this afternoon, Max was in the garden in a vest playing with water for hours on end! Long may it last.

xx

Missp glad about dps contract extension
Re excema have you considered allergies? a close friend of mine her daughter had terrible excema and its turns out she has numerous allergies.
Ali hope the anti ds work over time
Being a mum can just be hard sometimes and busy sometimes 2 weeks will go by and i realise i havent spoken to my mum :(
Patchy i have weeks where i dont have a day without an appointment for one of the kids!
We have also been making the most of the lovely weather going to the park after school. The kids are so much happier for it.
Nak on my phone as usual so please forgive typos etc!