April 2009 Episode 15 Bebe & BB have babies n stuff

[PuzzleRocks]

Ta da

Thanks ladies. Most of the time I can barely cope with my existing children so it may be a huge mistake!

The work/kids balance is an eternal battle for me. I am working essentially ft, much like you two, which is more than I want. But when I'm home I find it such hard going too. Where's the middle ground? Is there one? I'm missing sandy's nativity in tues too. His dad and wee sister will be there though.

Oh, God, don't ask me about the old work/life disaster balance, I am floundering and permanently behind with everything, knackered and cross.

I'm just hoping it gets better as they get older (unhelpful remark, I know). Although the friends I have with 3 don't seem to have such heinous squabbling as we do. Boff will be along soon with reassuring words, I'm sure!!

France is secular, so no Nativity plays here to cry at/offend other parents by taking illegal photos of/miss because of work.
Mine are missing some school festivities on Thurs & Fri as we are sneaking off before the official end of term. But they are so excited about going on a TGV to Paris, seeing the Eiffel Tower (both DSs) & Mona Lisa (DS1; Alex couldn't give a flying fart about the Mona Lisa and her enigmatic smile) and then flying to Edinburgh that I think they will cope with missing some school stuff.

It does get better when they get older, as long as you teach then domestic and organisational skills.

My eldest is now so together I can stay at her flat in comfort, borrow tights, and get a cooked breakfast before work. Never thought it would happen, it has, and it's great.

DS1 gives thoughtful parenting advice derived from my academic psychology books, which he has been reading, and the advice usually works.

DS2 is very domesticated and great at household support.

DS3 is really quite compliant and cheerful to have around.

It does get better.

Another one floundering here - got too much work on to fit into my 2 days of childcare so working evenings and weekends and every possible spare moment at the moment (and farming kids out left right and centre to anyone who'll have them) as we have to pay for Christmas somehow!

Zulu - that's amazing news! We're considering going for number 3, but not until J is 2. He's still waking at least once a night and up between 5 and 5.45am most days so need to get some sleep first.

Auld - hope you're hanging in there. Will you get some TLC in Edinburgh?

Boff - I'd be :( too. Is there a crib service you can take him to on Christmas Eve so he can wear his costume? That's what I'm doing with O.

Right, must get back to work. All I want is chocolate, and do I have any? Do I fuck.

Just read back up the thread a bit...

Zulu - I'm sort of ok. Getting an average of about 5 or 6 hours of broken sleep a night so have no reserves at all. I was ill for 3 weeks (neverending cold which turned into a sinus infection) and blame tiredness/rundownness for it. James is rubbish at sleep. He won't go to sleep unless I'm in the room and he very very rarely sleeps through the night. And he gets up ridiculously early. So still knackered is the answer, but hoping he'll get over it at some point (Oscar did).

Oscar is not dry at night - he always has a very full nappy. He sometimes goes to the loo in the night if he wakes up and needs it, but tends to just sleep through wees. He's generally pretty good during the day now, although will have an accident if he holds on too long (usually not wanting to stop whatever he's doing).

Bump for Boff...
Big wave to you all, hope everyone's OK!
Posting in a mad rush as ever.

I'm here
Alloy of copper and tin

I'm sorry about your friend Boff
Congrats Zulu, you'll be great

Hello all. Lost you for a bit but now you are found!!!

It's not even 9pm and I am desperate to sleep. DD1 is still awake, scratching the side of her bed with her fingernails, coughing intermittently, kicking the wall with her foot. DH hasn't even come home from work yet, and when he does, we will go straight out again and get drunk and come home and snore. I spent the beginning of this week mopping up everyone's vomit, and tomorrow MIL will descend on us.

Back in 2009 I thought, once the kids are (nearly) 4 and (nearly) 6 everything will be so much easier.

Ha ha ha.

he will go straight out again. Obviously. I am not going anywhere, for I am the mother, who is supposed to be around all the friggin' time to look after the little beasties.

I think you need to organise a night out for yourself, Schulte ...

Oh hello everyone! Did you get to sleep Schulte? Hi AA! Sorry, I never did e-mail you... Hello TD. Howzit Boff?

I did get a night out myself, on Saturday, but still catching up on sleep Sorry I was so very gloomy, but I already felt better posting this little snippet!

Hope everyone is well. Trying to organise a long weekend away with a girlfriend in May - somewhere hot and luxurious, but don't want to fly longer than say 3 hours. Any ideas anyone?

Schulte, Madeira?

I am fine, thank you. Having ditched toxic boss I am very happy at work, with lovely colleagues, nice office, more pay, and a healthier and less tiring commute. Yay! If anyone's in London do shout and we can have lunch. I work v near where we had the meet up, by the way.

In childcare terms I am a bit stressed as our au pair did a 6am flounce last Tuesday after I pointed out we weren't a hotel and she was supposed to work 30 hours a week, not 10 and then watch TV at my expense for the other 20 while I picked up after her and did all the housework. She was 22 but I think nobody had ever told her off before in her life. Lazy cow. Not that I am still cross, or anything

Offspring are good - DD in NY for 6 months finding her fortune. DS1 occasionally doing homework, DS2 doing really well at school and has settled down generally. Felix loves nursery and sees it as a second home (it is absolutely fantastic there, I have to say, and he is beautifully nurtured).

In terms of disability I had a terrible Xmas back on crutches. But the last two weeks have been much better than for years. So it's up and down.

Corsica? Sardinia? Tunisia?

Ah yes I looked at Madeira but I think the flights just didn't work - we will only have two nights. It was the same with some of the other places, we would have had to stay for another night. So se have settled for Nice - have never been and the old town looks pretty.

Glad things are going well for you Boff! Can't believe our little ones are starting school this year - H doesn't seem ready at all, but then she still has a few months to grow up! Today she drew her FIRST EVER picture. While DD1 spends pretty much all her time drawing and colouring (and now writing and making books for me ) DD2 never went near a pencil or paint pot. She always avoided the arts and crafts activities at nursery like the plague, but today she brought a drawing home that shows 'her family' aka 4 stick men, but I must say her drawing of DH is pretty accurate .

Must go - early night here!

Felix can't draw, he just scribbles in different colours.

Same with Izy
Obviously takes after dh as the year before starting school I drew my teddies and they were so good my mum kept them. Trying to be unbiased but they were really really good. Sadly my art didn't improve much after that.

Has anyone seen Bicnod's DS1's drawings? The are AMAZING. My DS only does scribbling too..

Oh, where can I see Bicnod's DS's drawing please? I mean I have seen some stuck on her fridge but... are there more?

I thought DD1 was some sort of arty wunderkind when she spent several days in a row working on a massive 'canvas' when she was 3... it was beautiful but nowadays she's into patterns and drawing speech bubbles and it's not the same really!

what's wrong with horse meat?

If it's not specially raised with the food chain in mind it has nasty vet drugs in it that are toxic.

Alex draws weirdy bubble men. He did write a big 'A' today but since he has to put his name tag beside a big 'A' every morning at maternelle it's not a sign that he's a child genius, I feel.
DS1 has taught himself to read in English, though, and I am v proud and relieved that I don't have to teach him myself. He's now tackling Oor Wullie annuals, with more mixed results.
Hope everyone is OK.

Bicnod has had some fantastic drawings on facebook over the last few months.

I'm a vegetarian. I too can't see the difference between eating a horse and eating a cow, but the drugs do sound nasty.

Ok I just had to come and find you on page 2 of the postnatal clubs list! The last post is almost a month old. That's not on ladies, or are you all too busy organising 4th birthday parties?