dec 2008- Who will stonk it in & be crown queen of the thread?

[HRHvagolaJahooli]

He we are ladies though I may need to change my name as royal title may be stripped.

Just lost my post and now supper is ready. Oh, I just HATE it when that happens!!

Morning all. Had a bit of a mini-breakdown on DH last night as haven't had a full night's sleep in so long and it all just builds up a bit and I worry that it's turning me into a bad mum as my patience is so short with the DDs. So he gave me a night off in the attic room. So kind of him. Little did I know that you can still hear everything up there, BUT DD2 slept through the night!!!! AAAGH! I also heard them all get up at 5.45, which is the earliest we've had for some time. I got up soon after as was lying there listening and feeling guilty! Back to my own bed tonight, which will be very nice. I missed it!!! God, no pleasing some people - ie. me!

Am going to do a 10k run tonight in practice for Saturday - go me! DH coming back for 7pm for me. Brilliant.

Right, off to do breakfast for these little beasts.

Deids - re fake tan in eyes - not sure how it got in there - I only put it on my face, but think because I wear lenses they're extra sensitive or something? Who knows!

DD2 now loving doing her wibbly walking. It's hilarious. AND she repeats words we say, which is extraordinary - only 13 months! BUT it's things like "bubble" and "hello" and "mama" and "daddy", which isn't that challenging. I'm still convinced she's Einstein.

Thank you neighbours for having a row at 5.30, waking my 2 sick children who had both been up since 4, on the day DP goes to Amsterdam at 6am. Can't they wait for a reasonable hour to argue, i.e around 8pm? At least they should bring me coffee.

Beans, fair play to you doing a 10k run tonight, glad the mini meltdown had the right effect.

Off to a wedding in Oxfordshire on Fri, all of us going and sharing a bedroom. Hah, last of the major masochists.

T has been watching CBeebies since it started this morning. Not great parenting but we are both too knackered to do anything else. Sounds like B is playing with the empty wine bottles. Oh dear.

Anyone else having major issues disciplining their DCs? I appear to have lost my authority (if I ever had it) and feel I have no control over T.

SPot - I find discipline very hard work, esp as M is a cheeky boy. I do tend to shout rather a lot, which works better when I save it for the important things. Mine know (tho they don't always remember!) that for heinous crimes or after a warning, they have to go and stand by the front day for a minute for every year of their age (a la Supernanny). This is usually enough to precipitate tears, apologies, remorse etc but they have to do their time. Gives me a bit of time to calm down as well.

Beans, so glad you got some sleep. Impressed on the 10k. I did a 5k last night but very slowly as I was knackered. Am trying to get under 30 mins but am a way off at the moment.

Right, ballet calls. Not for me. T and I are at home today on our own. I foresee laundry folding, nail painting and lots of stories. Hurray!

Ooh, Sybs - that sounds bliss. I could do with a day like that. Can we join you??!

I am scanning recipe books for something to cook this week. Am so bored of cooking!!!

DS2 has just used the potty. This is only the second time he has used it so I'm very happy with him.

Spot I also feel that I have no control over DS1, I do the naughty step (also taken from Supernanny) with him and he hates it. He's usually screaming about it but he does sit there. I'm not so keen on using it for DS2 as I'm not sure he really understands it.

Beans Sorry for your row but at least you got a night to yourself. Hope your run goes well. I couldn't run 10K in a week.

My knees are knackered and I need to wait 3 weeks to see a physio and then probably have a MRI scan. So much for losing weight I can hardly walk at the minute without almost crying in pain. I'm feeling very sorry for myself as I've just started paying out to go to the gym to keep fit and I can't go.

Hope you are all well.

spot Your neighbours are cheeky beggars! I would suggest playing music loudly in the middle of the night next time both boys are awake. And discipline, yes DS can be a right sod when he wants to. he is having some spectaular tantrums at the moment. he can literally go from cuddling and "Woof(love) you mummy" to throwing himself around and screaming for an hour a time. My discipline/shoutiness fails, so I tend to ignore him it works a treat at the mo.

syb Enjoy your day sounds gorgeous!

beans Good luck with the run. I'm going tomorrow for the first time in 2 weeks. I've had to rest my hip and dodgy shins but all is feeling better so I should be okay to go again.

Take care with your shin splints, DB - I've had them and they are hurty!

Has anyone ever read any Jo Nesbo? I am deeply in love with his writing. Actually think his books are better than Steig Larsson.

Beans - I have. Don't think I'll ever be able to look at a snowman again without the hairs sticking up on the back of my neck!

Hi to everyone else. Back in a bit, I'm supposed to be buying a pressie for my niece.

Hi Nolda! Any further thoughts on moving? I think you said something was happening with your DH's job, are you staying in the same area?

Beans, I haven't read any though my FIL likes him (I thought it was a woman). Have you still got that 16 yr old for jobs? I need to capture one. I presume it was your middle sister that stayed. WHat's the age gap between you? Well done with all your running. Am so impressed!

Spot - if your wedding is West Oxfordshire/Cotswolds and you want a drink on your way back...Sorry about the neighbours, what selfish twonks. As to discipline, O is being so trying lately and I must admit I have totally failed to find an adequate solution.

Right, going to post this and then do another chunk, before it disappears!

DB - we did an Aldi shop on Saturday, though I did get some stuff from Tesco after. That seems like a good compromise though obviously it takes longer. WHen it comes to budget supermarkets, I do actually prefer Lidl as they have some branded stuff.

Effie, it troubles me to hear you think other mothers would judge you for parenting/homemaking/whatever. I really do doubt they would have grounds! OK, admittedly I don't know how you live (I am terrible at housework, I do try but somehow it is never as tidy or even clean as I would like, but I think that is mainly down to the two little kids keeping me hectic AND making a mess).

Jam - oooh, Abu Dhabi. Hot hot hot. Lucky you! What are you going to grow on the allotment? We have a bit of garden at the top, about 50ft by 50 ft, which is one day going to be a veg patch. I have been trying to clear it of waist high nettles. It also has half a dozen fruit trees in it at the mo so my veg patch is a long way off.

Right, will post this tranche now...

Am actually going to write more but I need to have a coffee and sort out these nipperoos.

Anyone in need of a film recommendation - I watched The Social Network (drama about how Facebook started) and it was really, really good (prob doesn't sound it....)

Me again - am upping post quotient Loads more I wanted to say and now I have lost my list. SL - how are you now? Let's see: Vag, ZJ, Rubes and PD are on hols...

Maybe I will bang on about myself. Am really starting to enjoy the house. Yes, there's still lots to be done and yes, the living room is still crap and will be for a couple of months before we tart up the fireplace, completely rearrange the room and get a new telly so we can get rid of the behemoth, ancient one taking up too much space. I think it won't be looking properly finished until the end of the year. But we have come so far. DP gets fed up about the fairly large, jungly garden but I secretly love the green-ness of it and the smell. There are far too many trees and some are going to have to come down (don't really want to get rid of any, but DP would get rid of the lot if he could), but I think in time it could be so lovely. And I still love our bedroom. It's at the top of the house, there isn't masses of stuff in there like there was in my the old one and it feels like a real haven.

The only blots on the landscape are that we have not yet tarted up DP's flat to rent and that is getting urgent, as is doing the same to my London flat in the autumn.

When DD1 starts her two mornings a week in Sept (and then her five mornings a week in Jan - has everyone else registered?) I am hoping to have a bit more time for work and writing. As well as my beautiful DD2, whom I feel still doesn't really quite get enough attention. She has quite a few teeth now (JJ, I know that E has just got a tooth and you are so right about how the knowledge that that gummy smile is gone forever is tinged with sadness...)

Right, we talked about picnics and evening meet ups and all sorts. It would be so nice to get something going, whilst the summer hols are on...Will have a think again.

Sybs, remind me what the sitch is with work now? Are they cutting your hours?

JB - how is J getting on? And Trace, you must be as busy as I am RIght, I have still missed people but I can hear DD2 weeping.

One last thing. Potty training is non-existent here. She will not use the potty. Just won't. We had her naked all day in the garden the other day to force the issue and she did two poos.

(1) It was partly down her legs but we still haven't located it. When quizzed she said she didn't know, Monkey had done it. Would then only say "Ask Monkey".

(2) She nipped into the shed and did it on the floor. Was very pleased with herself about that then tried to insist that Monkey was the culprit again when it was obvious that her antics weren't met with favour.

It's all a bit of a nuisance really.

lady I love your shameless posting in an attempt to get your quota up. I don't believe your 'MN ate my post' story for one minute. Your house does sound lovely and idyllic, am so pleased you are really starting to enjoy it. And yes I have DS down to start the nursery at DD's school in January, which actually saddens me to think my boy is so grown up.

DS had his nappy off at mums all afternoon, he would only wee on the grass,despite potty being beside himmuch of the time. When I asked where they where he replied "on Grandad Grass"...then he poo-ed on the grass and gave himself a little clap. I am still going to attempt this weekend though, as he actually got down from the table last night to wee on the potty during his dinner. So I think he sort of gets it.

And Lidl is next on budget supermarket to try. DH thinks I've gone mad.

Hello Nolda

Yes where is Trace? Is she away with it being the holidays?

Oh and playdates Effie! A mum from DD's class has asked me and DC's over on Friday for play & lunch. She is uber-glam...and thin...and really nice...arghh I bloody hate her. Am terrified that the DC's will be horrors, or that I will look like a tramp. But if roles were reversed (highly unlikely) I wouldn't think twice...silly aren't I??

Lady - Glad you're enjoying your new house. DH's job is rubbish but one of his colleagues asked my DH if he wanted to do a bunk with him to another firm. This was all v exciting and the negotiations went on for months only to get put on hold as the new firm is merging with another one. The new firm was in Winchester which has good schools (and v expensive houses) and Chandlers Ford is close by which also has very good schools (and slightly less expensive houses). We might still move that way anyway because of the schools. It would be no further to work for DH and would provide more opportunities for me workwise should I decide to go back to paralegal/legal secretarial work. Otherwise we might move a few miles into the forest and I have to think of some other way of earning a living .

DS managed his first wee in the potty today, hurray! Not sure if he knew what was going on but it's a start and his reward (Kevin the Crane) has finally been liberated from the top of the wardrobe.

We are off to Sweden tomorrow for a week. It will be us, my mother, sisters and 3 of my sister's 4 children. We are staying at the farm where my mother grew up. While we are there my mother and her siblings will be discussing the fate of the farm which we are hoping will not end in tears as one of my uncles is being very awkward, to say the least.

I've got to go and Shred now. I had a mid-life crisis moment today and bought my first bikini thinking that afterall it'll only be me and a few elk, so who cares!

rubes happy birthday to your DD, sorry I am late saying it! Hope you got away somewhere today?

beans your DD is clearly a genius you are right. 13 months v young to be talking. Can't wait for my DD to talk, I love it when they talk. THe novelty of DS talking still hasn't worn off to be honest. And hurrah for the walking.
I am reading The Snowman at the moment, but not got into it yet.

nolda I have ordered the shred, should come in the next few days, exciting. Am sure you look fab in a bikini! Are you Swedish originally then? Hope the farm issue can be resolved.

ladyt your house sounds super dooper! Love the sound of your garden with all the trees.

Loving the potty training talk. Hee hee, la la avoiding the issue and putting it off for a while longer. Excuse being going to MILs in a couple of weeks and cba with her wittering on about how to do it. Obviously can't win as she will be asking why we haven't done it yet (obviously DH will have been potty trained at 12 months, etc, etc)

Am feeling better now thanks! jam i think you are right it was time of the month related, but bloody hell hope it doesn't happen again.

Lady - I love the sound of your house too. Blissful garden - I want to come and wallow in it! It was my middle sister who came to stay. She's 5 years older than me, but if I'm really honest with myself, she looks about the same age as me, if not a bit younger, with an amazing figure. Sob. We are really close and I feel bereft whenever she leaves. And DD1 is so in love with her children, it's heavenly.

SL - thank you for confirmation of the genius. I will shortly be applying to MENSA for a testing pack. Just waiting for her to learn the alphabet and violin first.

Erm. I have to admit that as a warm up for Saturday's 10k Race for Life, I have just run... 10.4k. I am seriously idiotic as everything is aching and I am exhausted. I am going to be in so much trouble tomorrow and probably have crippled myself for Saturday! I actually quite enjoyed it, although thighs and buttocks went a bit spasmy towards the end. Ouchio. Will shortly be hobbling to bed in the hope that I don't sieze up entirely. DH cooked delicious trout with onion, garlic and chilli oil for supper. What a hero. Now we have Blade Trinity on in the background. Total brain freeze crap - perfect. Love it!

SL - hang in there with Nesbo. They do get better. TBH, I've read all of them apart from The Redbreast, which is the first. But luckily someone told me it was a bit crap, so am glad to have skipped it. I read Snowman first, then went back and read the others and then re-read Snowman, which was just as good second time. Now onto The Leopard - vg.

Potty training - I wouldn't rush it. DD1 is trained, but she still has accidents. I almost preferred it when she wasn't potty trained as it didn't matter if she said she needed a wee, she just got on with it and I changed her pants when they needed it. Now I have to traipse with her if she's feeling insecure! And the stench of her poo in the potty. Bleugh. Unfortunately she won't sit on the big loo to do one as she had a bad experience the other day and toppled off it mid biggie. I nearly got the giggles. But luckily didn't.

Right, DH getting narky with me typing while he's trying to do some serious goggling. Off I go to nurse my aching limbs and blistery toes!

xx

evening all, how exciting all this potty training activity! and also of course Sl's tummy being better at last :)

Well we're meant to be off on our summer hols for a singing week in 2 weeks time, with quite a lot of good mates we know from past singing weeks, several of whom have kids too. The deal was that the guy who runs it had arranged it specifically so that those of us with kids (who don't usually get to do the singing, viz me and dh in venice last year) can do, as he will organise childcare for the younger kids during the singing sessions, older kids can get looked after by a granny who is going along. Me feeling slightly nervous what with it being E's first time with someone other than family, will be for 2x 3 hr sessions each day.
It turns out that the guy who owns the accom has got in touch with a local uni student of English, who may or may not have childcare experience, and certainly not a qualified baby childcarer. am quite cross at this late stage, I would rather end up looking after the girls myself than leave them with a random punter but that is really not the point of this trip. Grrrr. Anybody know any qualified nannies in central France...?
Or AIBU and this person could actually be fine? It just seems that ability to speak English has been prioritised over ability to take sole charge of small children. And given that we have been looking forwards to this trip since last autumn, it's a bit late to suddenly find out it might not be doable after all...
I'm such a crap poster, stay away for ages then come back to rant. Apologies my lovelies. And especially to lovely LadyT who sent some lovely house porn and choccy

Oh JJ. Poor you. I'd feel pretty pissed off too. How many children are there? The sessions aren't too long, so probably possible to cope with for a student. I would go with it and maybe watch them in action for the first session, then see how you feel. But don't cancel whole holiday. Would be such a shame to.

In some serious pain now. Foot cramp. Tits.

JJ I'd be seriously pissed. Is it one person looking after the children? How many will they have to look after? Having said that this person may be more than capable...I looked after children in the states whilst at Ink and I had zero qualifications. But the kids loved me!

Beans hope you can walk in the morning. But well done that's a great run!

Whilst at 'uni'...bloody predictive text!

Kids are 12, 12,10,8,5,5,2(s),1 and e. There's a granny on hand all the time, plus usually one other non singing parent, who that is depends on qhat day it is. Organiser reckons that the older ones will basically look after themselves, granny takes the middle ones and hired person does th three little ones. I'm really not keen on the idea of a random 21yr old trying to look after the three, what if they all need tending to at the same time? It's hard enoigh to entrust tiny babies to experienced carers, let alone someone who by the sound of it has no one to one experience.They're also meant to be covering the ever popular 3.30-6.30 kiddie meltdown period...!

I looked on a website called something like greatnannies. Com, and that cstarts off looking great, except then you spot that mOst of the people on it are total chancers, eg 'i don't have any au pair experience but i really like children'??? We won' cancel obv but likelihood of it being a hol where i actually get to do some singing is looking minimal. Grrr.

E still sleeping like poo, also... Went to bed at 7.30, awake at 10.30, 2, 5. Hence the time of this post. And that's after we succumbed and gave her medised at 2... 4 hours drowsiness my bottom. she was awake and crawling round the cot instead. Am running out of excuses for her - there can't always be wind/ growth spurt/ developmental leap. And there's not really anywhere for a sleep regression to go to when three times waking is actually qu,ite a good night...
God what a whingebag i am lately. Girls are both still lovely, that's the main thing.