Dec 08 Mums - Introducing our new joiners, TrudyV and Al Fresco...

[Beans33]

Hope this is ok? Thought it was subtle enough for the wider MN and not offensive!!

just dashing on to say DH is out and I put Phoebe to bed all on my own and she didn't climb back out of bed I did it! We've started a sticker chart so I think that was the reason she stayed put, and that was over an hour ago! Hurrah! Can't hang around now but had to share my achievement!
love to all xxx

hurrah Trace!

Yay! Progress always feels great.

We went out to meet up with rellies today and DS deteriorated rapidly. He's very unhappy and mis now - just put him to bed so we'll see how he goes. Typical that I can't get him to a doc before Monday - well, I know I could but I'd go through the whole out-of-hours rigmarole only if I was really really concerned. He has a sore mouth and throat, you can hear how croaky he is. DH also went downhill rapidly today, with more or less the same thing DS had, so FD tomorrow is going to be really jolly, not! Anyway, was lovely to see rellies and hear all about body guards and armoured cars and chefs and maids. My aunt had to go on a course for ambassador's wives - would have loved to be a fly on the wall! I imagine flower arranging and schmoozing foreign dignitaries to figure highly. My cousin is 20 and so cool in a good way. He was brilliant larking around with DD. Have now come back to reality with a bump.

Gosh, talk about me me me posts, that's a prime example.

Go trace! Well done you x

Yay trace that brilliant. Hooray for good mummy moments.

Trudy i meant to sat earlier the mouth thing could've been measles but it would've developed bye now. I'm thinking it might be more like a strep infection. You can leave the doctor for now but how is he with eating & drinking. glad you had a nice day with the fam. when is your uncle off to Bahrain?

Well done DB you will hit 10km in no time. All with no walking, brilliant.

we had a big festival on the main shopping street we live parallel too. It was nice wandering around with the boys, we saw some of DS1's friends from school which was nice and also discovered there is a great little Italian cafe tucked away next to a horrid fried food dutch cafe. I snuck back there later to get DH some chinotto for fathers day. I'm making egg fiorentina for breaky, on a lovely yummy brown bread from our local bakery.

Morning all. I am typing this from a big double bed at my parent's house, having slept from 10pm-8.15am with one quick visit to loo in night. After up 10 times on Friday night, I bloody needed it!!! What bliss. Feeling much refreshed. And went to Asda yesterday and they're selling t-shirts for £3 each so I got myself 4.

Trudy I hope DS & DH are ok today.
Deids - v jealous of run. I got changed to go for one yesterday pm and had left my trainers in London!
Trace - well done in bedtime! Yay!

Right. Off for breakie. I am heading back to town at 10.30. Is it awful that I hope DD2 was up in night??! Have left a card and present for DH, but he won't open them til get back. Bought him s book he's been banging in about!

Glad you got your weekend in, Beans! And yay for P playing ball, Trace, v pleased to hear that.

Well my girls - we are in boxes everywhere, still a bit of crap left at DP's, but nothing that can't come over in a car trip or two. First night here ever! It has only taken 18 months since completion. Oh dearie me

No broadband until about 5 July. But will be on phone. Anyway, better go! Can't believe we have finally moved in.

Hooray will have to scrounge around for something alcoholic to toast the move with, Lady.

DS2 is being cheeky and popping out every few minutes. Aaargh.

CONGRATULATIONS LADY! How exciting! Would toast but need a night off the booze. I am in spirit!!

I am back from weekend away. Got back this morning in fact. Had a lovely day with the girls. I missed them so enjoyed seeing them. Then went for a run this evening. 5k. Quite earnt my big, fat curry I have just consumed.

Celebrated DD2's bday today so DH could join in. She had no idea, just scoffed fairy cakes I'd made. DD1 has nabbed her Peppa Pig book present. Will be a scene when I reclaim it, but never mind.

God, I feel quite sick post curry. I never learn not to eat so much!!

Off to watch 2nd Dragon Tattoo book. Started it. V explicit lesbian sex scene. Felt a bit embarrassed!!

Have drunk Veuve Clicquot for all of you Happy Birthday to Beans' DD2 for the morn. Awww. And meant to say to Vag, great on the Olympics tix. We were out of luck. Night all xxxxx

Congrats on the move lady! I'll enjoy a virtual glass of bubbly with you, cheers! I meant to say I've always lived in old houses and I think you get a feeling if they've been happy houses or not, no matter how old the place is.

Really glad you got a night away beans. You certainly deserved a rest.

Trace Glad you had a good night.

My girls slept in till 9 this morning plus J didn't wake at all till 6,15. Amazing! The night before was awful with me up every few hours between them so it was a wonderful to sleep for so long. I wish I could bottle whatever caused that! I'd make a fortune.

Best get to bed. night all.

Actually before I go I need to get off my chest how very pissed off I'm getting with people noticing J's hair and almost treating it like an affliction. 'oh dear ginger hair; it might lighten up; oh well she has a pretty face'. How dare they! I wanted to kick my mother's friend in the shins on Saturday with her idiotic comments. Grrrrr. I want j to grow up confident and proud no matter what her size shape or hair colour. Right rant over. Sorry ladies. Bedtime.

lady . that's the best news.

jolly you have made me realise how i already see off comments about B's ginger hair with humour, but it makes me as bad as them. i mean it kindly as he's so cute, but realise i'm already on the defensive, which isn't good.

about your sleeping lasses, hope it repeats itself!

so glad you got a night off beans and well done on the run! may it be th first of many (nights off, that is...) how is dd2 today?

oh and trace nice one on P's settling, that's great news...

LadyT not quite Veuve Clicquot but am raising a bottle of Grolsch to you. Congratulations! Anyway, hope you'll have many happy years in your new home. Is DD1 excited? I think as ZJ suggested you should defo have a virtual housewarming for us. I promise not to throw up in any of your vases.

Happy birthday to Pru for tomorrow. Can't believe it's been a year already! Just think, give it another 2 years and you might even catch up on your sleep. Unless you're planning on sneaking in a 3rd of course...

trace well done on getting P to sleep. How did you get on tonight? We just started a sticker chart for DS yesterday to encourage him to write his name as both of his preschools keep banging on about it. Decided to do a potty/toilet one for DD so she doesn't feel left out. We've never done sticker charts before and they were both so excited. So now DD has 7 stickers and a diamond (poo). DS has 1, the lazy little fecker.

spot how are your aches & pains today? Didn't realise that about your Dad - that must have been so hard to deal with.

urbs you sound as if you're feeling a bit less grim. Good to hear it. Have you told them you are pg at work yet? Btw have posted on picnic thread.

And Kiwi (if you're reading) I've lost track of how pg you are but I presume work know now. I think last I read you were being interviewed for your job - any news yet?

Arti your DD is a sweetheart isn't she?

Vag what are the Olympic tickets for?

So what did all the dads get for Father's day? DP got pancakes for breakfast, which is more than I got for Mother's Day it has to be said.

JB/spot on the ginger thing did you see this story? I wasn't sure what to make of it myself. It is such a weird thing to be stigmatised for though, isn't it?

That's great news Lady. I'll dedicate the two Pimms I had last night to health, wealth & happiness in your new home. Pain about the broadband. We thought we were going to have something similar when we moved in Dec, all to do with the old phone number being reallocated, which was going to be interesting with an internet-based business to run, but between BT and Zen they sorted it out.

Beans hurray for your weekend away. How is DD now? All better I'm guessing, if she's scoffing cupcakes Haven't read any of the Girl WTDT yet, keep meaning to. Shall add it to my GoodReads list >efficiently goes off and does it right now< Big Happy Birthday to DD2.

JB great about the sleep - I could use me a bit of that. DS had a ginger phase on his way from dark brown to blond and my mother made similar comments. I made it very clar that if he was going to be ginger then I didn't want him thinking there was something bad about it. In the event he's blond as they come but I sometimes see a reddish tinge in sunlight. SD is strawberry blonde, but being 17 she's dyed it to oblivion.

Father's Day was weird. DS had a crap night and was grotty, and DH was also fairly miserable as his cold gathered pace. We'd planned a BBQ with my parents too but it was so cold and with everything else we almost cancelled, but it was better we didn't. DS perked up a lot after a nap and having people round forced us to come out of our stupor. Before that we'd all been getting a bit bad-tempered and fed up. I'd hoped for a better night with DS apparently improving, but he made a huge fuss at bedtime and then had me up every 1-2 hours all night. I was worried about how much calpol/nurofen he'd had so was holding off, but at 3am on my fourth trip into him (I'd gone to bed at 9pm to catch up a bit - fat chance) I gave him some more and it made no difference whatsoever. He woke up at 5.30 but I convinced him to go back to sleep, til 6-15 or so. He was whinging so much that I forced myself to get up about 6.30 and he's been fine ever since, so it wasn't pain making him like that, it was little sodness. He also completely forgot he was TT while he was ill so we'll see what happens this morning now his nappy's off. He's obviously still uncomfortable around his mouth and throat, but he's not 'ill' in the same way he was on Saturday. I don't feel I can send him to nursery though and I'll see if I can get him a doc's appt so the poor little chap can eat and drink. Rather with him though for being so grizzly for no real reason as he's fine now he's up. That makes me sound such a cow but it's how I feel right now

MORNING ALL! DD2 tucked up in bed. This week starts my ordering online food shopping and no more massive shopping sprees!

Right, must go - Trudy, sounds like DS is on the mend - hurray!

xxxx

Happy birthday Pru. I can't believe the first of our littles is 1 already! I'm pleased you managed to get to your parents Beans, it sounds like you had the best rest

Hurrah on a successful bedtime Trace, I hope the stickers are still working?

Congratulations on getting moved in LadyT . I hope some sense of order is starting to appear. Jolly reminded me about old houses, I read an interesting book by Julie Myerson years ago, called House or Home. She'd researched all the people who'd lived in her house, sort of a family tree type project. I was fascinated by the idea that a house knows a lot of stories

I've learnt loads from the eBay tips, thanks Rubes and Deids. I'd never have thought boxes make a difference, they normally go straight in the bin. I sell a few bits on amazon, because you just set a price, but have never tried eBay. But big stuff thats difficult to post I often just freecycle and get someone to collect it as I can't be arsed to to deal with it

Your DS's rash sounds strange Trudy, but I'm pleased to hear he's feeling better (but not pleased he's well enough to keep you up for no good reason, cheeky little man)

I don't think I've ever heard you rant Jolly, it must be driving you crackers as you're normally very kind and calm. I agree that it is uncalled for, no one would say shame about her ginormous nose or squinty eyes or whatever. I always wanted to have auburn hair as a child, but then my hair is officially the most boringest mousey brown colour ever. I dare you to confront someone and say 'I didn't realise there is anything wrong about ginger hair, you'd better tell me what it is?'. That should make them squirm ...

We had a good fathers day, although it didn't involve much fathering as yet again DD was being passed round like a baton in a relay so we could enjoy a social life. But that is it for a while now, we are going back to being full time parents again. DH and I had some good news, which I'm not allowed to share with you for a couple of months, just to check all is going well...

Damn phone ate my post. Bugger.

Eek! Quiet hurrahs across the pennines to ZJ! So pleased for you.

Will try and write my post out on the laptop later on but for now Happy Birthday Pru!

ZJ whispered whoop whoop.

yay, ZJ. Will keep fingers subtly crossed behind my back so no one can see.

I told you lot I thought I was clackered with Pru before I told DH!!! EVIL ME! I am horrific! Feel v guilty now.

I need a wee now, and friend coming round for homemade fairy cakes for Pru - yay! And we've just ordered her this for her birthday. A bit late, but we had bought her a rather crap CD and a rubbish bath toy and we felt a bit mean, so got her a little something else. Must go, loo calls.

xx

Happy Birthday Pru!
BEans I told you guys before DP too.
Quiet but optimistic cheer for ZJ.

Am sending ZJ a v happy, but understated vibe

JB, am shocked at people being incredible nitwits about ginger hair! I for one think it's gorgeous and would be thrilled if one of mine was a ginge. DD1's went a bit sandy for a while and we were hopeful but it's pure mouse now.

PD - Father's Day - DP got a wine diary and some nice bubble bath and shower gel.

Hope things are better with your DS, Trudy.

DD1 fell out of her new bed at about 2 and then same again at 3. After the last time, I got back into bed and thought I heard a funny noise. DP said "It's that sad little boy standing over there". He was just trying to wind me up as I said the house has a bit of a spook to it but although it was funny it took me ages to get to sleep EVEN THOUGH I knew it was a joke...

Oooh, more to say but hate posting on phone. Besides - we can't yet get into the living room!

Wow!

Well done ZJ, fingers crossed.

Happy birthday Pru!

Am not being made redundant - yippee! But am likely to be royally screwed next year (and not in a good way - Boo!) alas. Still, at least I will be gainfully employed for a bit longer. I am embarrassed to declare my spending on food and other luxuries. I am leading a one woman quest to rebalance the economy. Reckon will have to put a bit on ebay to redress the balance.

Right, put the DDs in the bath then bed. Back later I hope

Hmm, not very good at subtle or understated so a big but slightly muffled WOOHOO from me ZJ. Fantastic news.

LadyT intrigued by the wine diary. Is it for you to record all the booze you've sunk that day or something slightly more sophisticated?

I think a whine diary would be good for me at the moment actually. I am feeling incredibly grumpy lately, to the point where I really shouldn't be allowed out in public.

Hey, some good news though - DP finally got his arse into gear and took DD out without a nappy for the first time. No accidents either, and a dry nappy overnight to boot, so I think we can safely say nappies are on their way out. And good riddance - most things make me a bit sad when they move from one stage to the next, but I have to say nappies is the one glorious exception.

Well done on the job sybil.