'October 2009-chattering and on the run, our toddlers are such fun'

[HumphreysCorner]

Right ladies, off we trot into the next stage of our gorgeous toddlers lives.

HC
x

HT we have posponed torchwood for tomorrow,I have been finding it really tough[shok]

J sounds full on but great fun.Just to let you know it is the terrible 2s,3s,4s,5s,and 6s !!!!!!

But 7-11 are gorgeous(I can't comment any further!)

I have been crying my eyes out at the Irish dancing programme.

dd1 has also been picked to be captain of the c team for hockey,I can't decided weather it is better to be the captain of the c team or play for the A team? she may get to do both!

She's happy so so am I

Sacked our housekeeper of 6 years as she hasn't been doing a good job but have new fantastic girls for alot less time and she does more.I have found it all very traumatic as the first one was part of the family(but costing us a small fortune)..........Please tell me we did the right thing?

fidelma You did the right thing. Sometimes people get complacent in a job and they just can't make the same effort that they used to. Normally a chat/warning does the trick but assuming you already had that, what else were you supposed to do? Now you're a) no longer being taken advantage of and b) Have more money to spend on lovely things(or fuel for running the dcs to all these clubs! ). Torchwood much better btw.

I cried buckets at the Irish dancing film as well, my neices both take classes and I love to watch them. I adore Irish music, saw Christy Moore performing in a pub in Doolin and had a few drinks with him over the course of the week. I bought a low whistle there as well. Doolin was amazing, I used to play my flute outside on the sands or the pub and people would sing and clap along. Fab atmosphere. Liverpool Irish festival coming up

Am struggling to find words to tell dh something that he is going to absolutely kill me for. Thinking favourite meal might help?

HT we have seen Christy Moore a few times also.We love him dh is Irish
Thanks for you advice/opinion with house keeper,it helps to hear other peoples opinions.

What do you have to tell dh?

Torchwood much better only 2 to go but Dr who tomorrow.x

Hey everyone

Fidelma I doubt you would of gotten rid off her, unless you really had to. It does make it hard because she has been there a long time, but you are paying for her to do something, and a good job, so if she isnt pulling her weight, then I would of done the same.

HT now really....what could you of done that would be that bad? Are you just be hard on yourself??? Dont panic...can we help???
Love that Joe is speaking alot better not liking that night terrors. They are horrible. It wont help, but they do ease off, just dont wake him, it can make things worse (i found that out with DS1).

Hi Mel hope all is well with you x

Scout I hope you are having a great holiday

How are our pregnant ladies doing????

HC Whats happening with the baby making???

Hi to anyone else!!! xxx

Faith is going mad with the fridge! She has even broke the lock we had on it and the dishwasher is another thing she loves being in.
No news on the house yet
Her eating is still as bad, as long as she is eating something, i suppose thats ok....
Gabe will be 4 months next week where is the time going?? He mostly sleeps through the night, from 8-7am, wish my other 2 were like that! Teething has started too.

Better go....

Fidelma and littlepea - I contacted someone who I promised dh I would never, Ever, speak to again-and we're meeting up later in the week. It's my ex-manager, we go back 14+ years of working together and were close friends for a long time. When he left the first company we were at, I joined him 6 months later. Things deteriorated over the years, I was working far too hard on too big a territory. XM became a bit of a bully and as the only woman in a team of men, it got a bit chauvanistic and nasty. When I handed in my notice, XM was in tears and seemed genuinely remorseful - his take on it was that he was trying not to show me favouritism but had gone too far the other way and been a right git. My triumphant resignation was in fact a bit heartbreaking for us both that day, we both cried. Right up until the end of my 6m notice, they were trying to get me to stay but I had just found out I was pg so said no. They replaced me(twice!) and business seems good.

So now...money is tight and I think I need to go back to work p/t. I don't have the start up funds to do what I want at the mo so would be happy to do anything that would fit around Joe. Everything I pick, dh thinks is beneath my skillset or not worth applying because I'm overqualified. So having been out of the workplace for 3 years, I got in touch with XM. He's in town this week and suggested we meet up. He's v well connected in the industry and at the v least I can pick his brains, job wise. Hope dh can see it that way...

To be honest, I think your XM was very much in the wrong, but if it was as bad for him as he said, then I think its only fitting that he should help you if he can. And if he holds alot of contacts then use him for that. I think your DH should see that, and its not like you are becoming BFs with him, its to do with getting work. Have you told him yet??? If so, what did he say??? xxx

HT all sounds quite normal but I would talk to your other half before you see him.
Are you sure you want to be involved with him again?
xx

Hiya, would have been back sooner but had builders and carpenters in and lost internet for a while. I now have a lovely new front door and stairs that actually feel safe!

So...Dh predictably hit the roof but calmed down over the weekend. It helped that he had "forgotten" to tell me he'd got a parking ticket 2 weeks ago and that the bill would turn up this week in my name! I go from thinking it would be ok to see XM to getting quite upset about it - a lot more went on than I'm prepared to put on an open forum. If anything though, it might help me stop feeling all nostalgic about my job and the extra income we had.

Joe has a filthy cold which he's passed to me. We were at a puppet show on Sat which he really enjoyed but that night had an awful nightmare, the worst yet. Screaming, flailing-the only way to calm him was to take him into the garden and sing to him. He woke up properly and was all smiles, snuggled down and fell asleep within minutes only to repeat at 3.30am. I find them really scary. Since then I've been spraying his room with big bad wolf spray and using a brush to sweep the bad dream monsters-seems to work.

How are all the dc's everyone? Enjoying the torrential rain and puddles?

Afternoon ladies

HT-what a difficult decision to have made but I really hope some good comes out of it especially as money is tight. Lots of luck.

fidelma-you absolutely did the right thing so don't look back. DH wants to get rid of some of his staff that aren't pulling their weight but it appears that it is not going to be an easy task.

littlepea-the baby making is half happening and I had convinced myself we would have a 'made in Spain' baby but AF arrived 2 days early. I am still temping but DH doesn't always want to perform at the right time and I don't want to push him as it will turn into a baby making exercise which I don't want IYSWIM. But hey, at least something is happening at the moment.

Hope everyone is OK. The girls are back at school. Matthew is driving me mad with his wet nappies. If I don't change him every hour it leaks and he wees all over the floor.

Better go as I have a complaint letter to respond to for DH.

HC
x

Hello!

Hello Scout How's things?

Losing the will to live here as having spent 2 weeks out of the country I now find so many people are rude and ignorant here. Feel like ramming them with my pram.

HC
x

Where did you go HC? I've just applied for a job in Berlin

waves to Scout and all

Feeling poorly today, I have Joe's cold and he was up half the night coughing, at one point poor thing was sick all over me. After that, I didn't really sleep and have been wheezing all day. Ruddy asthma. Dh took day off as my coughing fits are a bi scary. Emailed XM to cancel meeting, he knows he'll be contacted for references now and we'll probably meet up next time he's up here. Feel strangely relieved not to be seeing him so think Joe did me a favour.

Is anyone else's toddler getting leaner? Joe still fussy, still off pasta and cheese and his clothes are loose. Am trying not to stress, I know his cold isn't helping. He won't drink any oher milk apart from [buscuit]. Doctor isn't much help, just tells me he's clearly going to be tall like his dad and all kids go through it.

Sorry for typos, hit send during a coughing fit!

Despite not having any school aged children I found this summer holiday/break FLEW by. It was a crazy summer.

Just before the summer holidays MrScout went to the US for work for three days. He came home with a suitcase full of American treats for me (to hold me over until Thanksgiving) and presents for S.

My Nan-in-Law had a massive stroke days before we went to Senior Section/Guide camp and passed away while we were there. S and then MrScout and I ended up with food poisoning (S's source was different from our source, so two different times but the same week) and we all went to Nan's funeral/buffet at her favorite pub sick. It was not good/easy (the service was 90 minutes away) but I am glad we went for my MiL (it was her mum).

Senior Section camp was brilliant. S loved it and had a great week living in a tent, chasing campfire smoke (learned "OT!" for "hot" and kept a good 18" radius around the alterfire) and running around playing. It was a week of new foods/flavors, attention/spoiling from his "girlies", playing half-naked with the fire bucket and inflatable paddling pool (he had severe nappy rash while we were there so when the weather allowed he ran around almost all nature but we had to take care as we were living outside).

MrScout has been asked to do a long-term project in the US. At the last minute he went out for 12 days and came home in time for our annual holiday to Devon. Now he's waiting for his visa to come through (not sure if I'm mentioned before but MrScout is British so will need papers) and when it does he can book his flights and go over for up to 12 weeks. He's going to the state where my best friend (and S's Godmother) lives and will be a short 1000 miles/1.5 hour flight in the same time zone) to my parents. Sooooo...I have strongly hinted okay, I stamped my foot and said what I wanted and S & I may be going for an extended trip, first with him, then to see my best friend then up to M&D's. No matter what happens we'll be there for Thanksgiving.

Because of the limbo-state we're living in at the moment I've stopped doing Guides, at least for the term. Must admit I'm looking forward to the break and might stop doing it for the foreseeable future. We've booked swimming (fifth term of doing baby, now tiny toddler swimming) because we both love it and they've said we can get a refund if we go away long-term.

Medicine stopped in July and in mid-August I realized I'm finally feeling "normal" again. I am also, for the first time in a year, hungry again which was wonderful to be in Devon with the cooked breakfasts, cream teas and yummy dinners every day. I ended up losing (approx) 35lbs and dropped to almost university weight. Everyone was really worried and the doctor also expressed concern and was about to intervene (how, I don't know) but then the course finished. I'm also starting to sleep properly again and am not exhausted all the time (tired, yes, I've never met anyone with a toddler who isn't tired).

Well, it's well past bedtime and I should go to sleep. I think I have a poorly toddler who's really struggling to bring through his incisors (fang teeth in case my spelling really is that bad) and his second set of molars. He's been sneezy/runny/cuddly-boy today which is a sign that a cold is on it's way. So I need to get some sleep while I can.

Night all!

D'oh!

Sorry for the novel!

Scout lovely to hear all your news.I hope you get a great extended trip to the US.

Off to make dh have a lovely birthday he is 50 (12 years older than me!)

Gosh, our cherubs are nearly 2, do we need to start a new thread or let this one run?

Happy B'Day to your DH fidelma. 12 years is nothing.

Scout-sound like a fine idea to go back home and you have been doing Guides forever so are entitled to a break-go girl!

Hi to everyone. Bought a bottle of vino from the local shop then when I got home I realised I had bought the wrong one so went back and they changed it-phewee!!!

Still gutted that Matthew gave up BFing while on holiday in Spain.

HC
x

I wish Connor would give up bf but no he loves it!!!!!!!

Off to watch dd1 play hockey in the rain.She is the captin today

Out for a chineese in the big smoke tonight.Starting to get a life!

DH is doing the bedtime routine with Joe, God I love weekends! Tried to give Joe goats milk today-he threw it across the room. That's a no then. So far we have rice milk, soya milk and goats milk rejected and cows milk he can take or leave on any given day. I suspect I'll be bf for a while yet.

Had a bit of a fright on Wednesday night. I don't mind spiders normally but there was one scarpering across the floor that was HUGE. I did the old glass over card trick to chuck it ino the garden-I needed a pint glass and still its legs poked out. At one point it almost got out and slipped through my fingers but I got it and out it went. Seconds later my finger started itching. Within five minutes it had swollen to 3 times its normal size and I stared to feel v dizzy and sick. Just made it to the bathroom in time and was sick but felt like my throat was closing in, I couldn't swallow properly. I downed quarter a bottle of liquid piriton, crushed and took two Benadryl and crawled up the stairs to wake dh(it was now 3am). My finger was still swelling and my wedding ring was really digging in. Luckily the antihistamines seemed to work. I saw emergency gp the next morning and he thinks I was either bitten by the spider or suffered an extreme allergic reaction to something on it. I'm taking steroids to bring the swelling down on my finger and finally got the ring off last night. Have now got to be very careful around spiders-if it happens again, straight to A&E. I have a similar allergic reaction to almonds which is why I went straight for the piriton but this was much worse. Am now shit scared of spiders though for the first time ever.

fidelma How did dd1 get on at hockey? Belated happy birthday to your dh, hope he had a fab day.

Scout I am so pleased you are getting to go home for a break. Great to hear all your news

Calypso How are you and how is the Unmentionable coming along?

Big weekend wave to everyone else!

HT Now I am going to hate spiders even more!!!!!!!!!
DD hockey 3-1 to them She is having a ball.

Good friend comming for coffee (she lives in London) so scones in the oven.

windy and wild!

ggrgh just typed loads and lost it all!
here is a short version....

HT at the spider story!!! Scary!

jobs I have just started a new job at a pre school. F will be able to come with me when he's 2. Part time . Loads to sort out in the mornings before work and dropping the kids at school and with my friend who is minding F. I've made a chart to remind me of everything I need to remember . Which is a LOT!

rice milk When I first went to see the dietition we were advised that rice milk is not reccomended for the under 3's as it has arsenic in it!!! It was a shame as ds2 liked it on his cereal. Now he has to have water on his ready brek. Which doesn't taste too bad actually... poor sausage.

Hello to everyone else :) A long trip to America sounds great Scout. Glad you have your appetitie back too. I lost mine after ds2 was born and it was miserable.
Good luck with the baby making hc :)

F is in his own room now :) Has been for almost a month. I don't want to discuss his sleep as don't want to jinx it! ;) He's still bf before bed and first thing in the morning (plus in the night if he wakes...)

Just curious -- what is everyone doing for their toddler's for Christmas?

Hello, hope you're all well. I met a lovely mum today who told me about some church playgroups for us to try out. She also sends all her children to the school I'm considering for Joe and has good things to say about the nursery so that was a huge help. Have all you all applied for nursery places already? We are going to gently break the news to MIL tomorrow that Joe may not be going to the school of her choice(that my neices go to). Eek!

I'm very upset about the trapped miners-I come from a big Welsh mining family(dad & uncles were all miners) so it's a bit too close to home for me. I was like this about the Chilean miners, up half the night worrying about them every night. Silly I know.

PPM Big congratulations on the job and lovely to hear all your news. I still don't know what to do job-wise - I veer from going back into publishing full time to going all trembly lip at the thought of leaving Joe and wanting to do something different. I met a teaching assistant at a Surestart open day last week and was really interested in that kind of work, it sounds very rewarding...and it's term time only.

The rice milk thing is interesting-didn't know that!

Scout Do you mean in terms of Christmas presents? Joe is train mad so probably a train set of some sort, I'm leaning towards Brio as the family can all buy bits for it to add onto. His second birthday is on the 5th and we're doing a Day out with Thomas the weekend before, just us, and a little family tea here the next day, then huge family party in Wales.

Right, I need to be at the hospital for more acupuncture at 8am so must get some sleep!

Hello!!!

HT as ive never had to apply for any schools like that, we apply a couple of months before the child starts....what do I do, and say its for Faith, being almost 2.....what shools do I apply for now? We hope to be moved over to Southampton by the end of October...you will all be more than welcome to come visit!
At the end of the day, the school choice is up to you, not your MIL....my friends & I have a saying....FTF (Feel the Fear!!) just tell her lol....

Scout Faith loves my kitchen, so we are buying a little kitchen with dishwasher and hoover....I remember DS1 at that age, it was all Thomas the tank.

Better go...Gabe is crying, always when I get to sit down and do something, one of them starts lol....

Big hello to everyone else, will post more later xxx