July 2010: now they're all 1, some me-time has begun [huge feck-off sarcasm emoticon]

[CakeandRoses]

am bf A and telling F off and have still come to the rescue.

They both get ignored until 7am anyway

I'm still bf too, planning to stop in the next few months once D is in a big bed of his own.

We're going to start ttc around march next year and don't really want to still be bf when we start that.

D had an awful night, he's got a runny nose and sneezes I think he's teething as they seem to go hand in hand. He was up from half 10 til nearly half 1. I was pretty much bf that whole time, I have him calpol in the end.
I still wonder if it's to do with his naps, he has one in the morning which can be anything upto an hour but then I try to get him to have one in the afternoon but he's not tired til about 3 but I don't want him having one then.

Apparently ethnic origin is a factor in what stage babies get moving - black children, for example, are often really early walkers. And girls tend to be walking earlier than boys. So it's not at all unusual for a black girl to be walking at 9 months, and not unusual for a white boy to not be walking at 15 months.

Terrible night here, I think he's teething. He's in a filthy mood today too. grr.

dh Gina ford says to cut the morning nap right down and regardless how long they have slept they must be awake at 10am then they should go down for a longer afternoon sleep. I have done this with D for quite a long time, he goes down around 9-9.15 by the time hes settled himself he has around half hour then hes ready for his next nap around 1.15-1.30 and hes woken up at 3pm regardless. I wish i could tell you that he sleeps soundly at night but at the moment hes a nightmare, Not a peep till 4.30 but then he was really disturbed till 6.15 when i finally had had just about enough and got him up!
Im supposed to be at work but popped home between travelling to turn off the slow cooker, now i have a slow cooker full of mince, which is obviously gona cool. I think i had better freeze some when its cooled and hest some up for tonights tea, I was going to make lasagne with it but if i reheat it in the oven i cant freeze it then can i..............Hmmmmmmmm. I browned it off this morning, could i have then left it to cool then put it in the slow cooker now??I think im just out too long to make the slow cooker work for me. Im sorry if im asking stupid things but this slow cooker thing is all new to me.

He had half an hour at half 10, then another half hour at 1:15 I don't want to change anything yet as hes not well and I figured he needs as much sleep as poss atm.

Took him to tiny tots, a group run by old woman part of the church but based in the hall next door. They have loads of toys and lots of room for them. Unfortunately D was crawling too close to the seesaw and it squished his hand :( he was in an awful mood after that so we left.

Vik you can leave the slow cooker on for 6-8 hours depending on what's in there, on low. No I wouldn't reheat then freeze. The other option for the future is to put a timer on the socket it's plugged in to.

Two half hour naps in a day isn't much dh. They only get into a proper deep sleep after 30-40 mins. I know you're not after advice, just saying, that's all.

do you not have a warm switch on your slow cooker vik? if you do you can switch it to that and it just keeps the food warm. not sure about freezing it again after heating again but i'd probably do it to be honest.
woodlands i wouldn't say J is behind. it's perfectly normal so don't fret. 9 months is VERY early to walk! my brothers gf's brother walked at 9 months too. i'd imagine it looks really strange!
E slept all last night bar when we were going to bed she woke for a minute but i feel absolutely ballbagged today. i actually can't wait for the day that i wake up not tired! i'm always bloody tired!

oh well i'd listen to mlic then and don't mind me cos she's better at the cooking stuff vik!

kk ballbagged, thats funny! chu said something about having a full night sleep making u feel shite, cant remember though. I know what u mean regarding being forever shattered, its really hard work atm. D's sleeping is shite, dh's job is shite and he is miserable as sin, my cooking is shite, ive just ruined the bloody mince, i put fresh penne in it and put it in the oven thinking the pasta would cook and it hasnt! everythings a bit shite right now. Never mind im sure it will blow over. Just need a few good nights, off to brum tomorrow evening and D sleeps down the corridor so we cant really hear him unless he cries, so might get some sleep friday/saturday.
mylife thanks for the cookery tips, im such a sado!

No you're not! If you've never had to cook, how can you automatically be a good cook? It's just practise, that's all, as D and your other lo get bigger and you get more used to cooking, it will come naturally.

I've had a shit day trapesing all over looking for a Christening cake and didn't get one, baby screaming in the car, toddler having a full blown 'throw myself on the floor in temper' tantrum in the middle of the highstreet in town this afternoon...oh the joys

OK there are some great bakers on here - should I just buy a fruit cake from Tesco and attempt to decorate it myself, or shall I make a sponge and attempt to ice (and therefore decorate too I suppose) it. I've never iced a cake before btw...

You can get the packs of ready-roll marzipan and royal icing, so it shouldn't be too hard to cover a cake yourself, MLISC. :) You can get butter icing or similar too, though they're probably a bit more of a challenge to apply evenly.

Alternatively, are there Christmas Cakes available in the shops yet? I know I saw mince pies in M&S Food Hall earlier... (I was wistfully dreaming window shopping in my lunch hour, rather than actually affording anything. ;)) If so, you could always buy a Christmas Cake, eat any Christmasy decorations and then just add some Christening decor. [lazy]

Despite loving baking, I got M's Naming Ceremony cake from Costco. Since it has her full name on, I'll link to it on Facebook. I was so busy getting everything else sorted that day, I didn't want to have to faff about with making a cake too. [beyond lazy]

Unrelated, I feel so much better at the moment than I have done for weeks! Had some mild chaos at the start of the week with symptoms that it would be TMI to share. But a trip to the doc and a course of antibiotics have made it all better.

Though I can't help but wonder how long I was ignoring the problem for. I tend to just obliviously ignore what other people find obvious such as going into labour.

mlic, I iced J's christening cake using ready to roll marzipan and regal icing (it was the top tier of our wedding cake). It was easier than I had envisaged and came out looking OK. I watched a couple of videos on YouTube first to get some advice and then just went for it.

spirael, glad to hear you're feeling good! Loved the cake pic on fb.

J has been a bit of a grizzly nightmare today. I think it's definitely teething this time - he's dribbly and in pain. Despite still only having two lower incisors, I think from looking and feeling that it's the first lower molars on their way through - it's a bit odd to get these before all the incisors but never mind! I've had to dose him up on Calpol three times in the last 24 hours - we can't go on like this for weeks. I must try to track down some ambesol. Ashton and Parsons teething powders help for a while, but I've only got two left and they're so hard to get hold of!

woodlands you have my sympathy. baldy has all manner of random teeth coming thru including 2 molars despite not having one of her bottom front two teeth which normally come first. she also has an awful bruised gum where a top molar is pushing thru. feels like she's been teething for the past 6 m.

spirael you crack me up but glad things are back to normal.

mlic seriously, icing's a doddle - and i'm really crap at it. i reckon you could find a xmas cake now but if not get a normal plain fruit cake, ready rolled marzipan and icing like the others have said and some decs. you can cut out the excess icing with pastry cutters for extra decoration too. chuck a ribbon round the sides and you'll be done.

i'll upload a pic of previous xmas cake so you can see what i mean. tis by no means stunning - i'm crap at it like i said - but it shows what's possible v easily.

felt long a long week - my boss's boss and i are clashing horns and people generally are doing my head in at work. i have less patience these days or just less time to be diplomatic.

playbarn tomo then the weekend :)

Hiya ladies

How are you all?

Its the september weekend here so I finished college today till wednesday which is great. Rileigh seems to be on the mend the poor soul has been ill since before I started college round about 24th august so I'm really hoping she's turned a corner.

I've not managed to read through but I will as soon as I can :)

mlic try saisburys, they have the iced fruit cakes all year round, if not look on you tube on how to ice a cake for tips thats what I did, remember L's birthday cake? that was regal icing for the edges and ready rolled royal icing to cover, look on his birthday album on fb.
spirael I went docs the other week with a fanjo problem, I left it weeks, until I thought my fanjo was going to fall off, anti biotics and cream sorted it out without it falling off, but I left it ages too!

Well I have realised this week I havent had my contraceptive injection for ages, im actually 6 weeks overdue for it, cue mad panic from me and then DH talking about wanting to ttc now and how I would feel about it I ended up in tears saying no no no! then I ended up crying when I realised L (and I know that will go for all of the July babies) that he will be goint to actual big school when he is 4 years and 2 months! and I cant keep him off til year one, it just seems so young! (oh and I know im being totally precious) dh and I arent married, I think of him as my husband and wear a ring etc but we are actually making it official before L goes to school, this has made me panic too, we mentioned it to sil cue her saying oh the girls can be bridesmaids, in front of the girls, I ended up telling her we will run away and do it if her family try and take over then spelt it out, no bridesmaids, no being given away etc soory for epic rant in just in a panic mode and scared im going top relapse into feeling mad!

ichecked in here for some sanity! Good to see tis the same here as ever!
Clara no longer has a dummy- told her we forgot to pack one- she was fine!

At grannys, car's ace_ granny's bonkers! But we knew that anyway!

c'mon ph you can do better than that with the poison granny stories. spill...

congrats on the dummy. you won't be able to say 'remember i have a nearly 4yo with a dummy' anymore tho :)

enjoy your break stac and really hope R picks up with her mummy around again. are you enjoying the course?

memph you do what you want to do about getting married. people will get over it - whatever you choose to do.

do you think you might be pg? fwiw, i really panicked too when dh wanted to ttc when bigboy was 11m (and we were on honeymoon). really didn't feel ready to do it all again and i still felt a bit anxious when i got the bfp but as my pg went on i realised it was what i wanted. and i bloody adore her now of course - i can't imagine it just being 3 of us without her now. i know you have the added worry of pnd but it doesn't have to be the same this time round - particularly if the birth is managed better.

i feel the same about school - can't believe it's only a year til F starts i'm really worried about stuff like my views on homework too

Memphis you can get married however you like, we ran away and didn't have bridesmaids or anyone!

Oh and my July baby won't be going to school at 4 yrs 2 months...they start school at 5 here. As in, on their 5th birthday.

cake what are your views on homework

And that's weird cake that your 2 year old will go to school before my nearly-4 year old!

I really, really hate and don't understand Facebook. I just changed some settings and saw for the first time that you all sent me birthday wishes back in May. I've never seen these. Thanks guys! I couldn't see an option to post a reply in FB. I probably should look into how it works a bit more but I can't be bothered. I only have it up to see and share photos of/with you lot and soon with my October group. Oh well.

I can't believe I'm having another baby soon either. I mean M is still my tiny baby, how can there be one even tinier? I'm absolutely riddled with guilt about what I'm doing to M. I know I shouldn't be and I keep telling myself a sibling is a gift, but when she comes to me for a cuddle and I wonder if I will be able to give her enough cuddles and attention when no 2 is there, I could just cry

She was meant to have her booster today, but is poorly with sniffles so we couldn't go. Are they ever bug free? It seems like all our babies suffer from something constantly. I really hope there is truth in that it helps build their immune system.

mlic How did W's appointment go?

stac Good to hear R is better. Enjoy your time off.

memph I feel the same about wedding pressure. I would love to just have the tiniest wedding possible, just so we can get married, but that's absolutely no option, so I really see why you panic.

memph and cake If we move back to England I really worry about the whole school situation, particularly cos I don't know that much about it. 4 sounds terribly early to me but I assume it's not full on proper school then, is it? They do play most of the time, don't they?

What are you all up to at the weekend? Weather is meant to be lovely here (I love early autumn, late summer days) so we're gonna be out and about a lot. M is so keen on walking now that we can spend our days doing just that. Walk. Or sit on a bench and let her walk

It went fine thanks. He was pleased that he was using it and pleased with his range of movement

I think your priorities really change when you have kids. My wedding was my fantasy wedding to be honest, but if I was doing it all now, with kids, there's no way we'd have done what we did/spent the money we did.

It's only 15 weeks until my pfb starts pre-school! The only reason he's not starting sooner is because December is full of nativity/craft etc and is a bit manic for the teachers so they started him in Jan instead.

So I was at the retail park and saw a really cute Winnie the Pooh cake at M&S so I got that. It only serves 20 but not everyone needs to have cake (us for example, and my parents won't be bothered) And I bought an icing pen from Hobbeycraft to put his name on it, then went to Birthdays and bought a couple of helium balloons (one of them is Winnie the pooh, the other is gold) so I unintentionally have a sort of theme going on now!

I'm completely on my own I took toddlerboy to nursery this morning while we were at the hospital/retail park (he did cry but settled quickly) then dropped babyface off there on the way home. It feels sooooooo weird. I keep thinking they're napping! And I don't have to be at the hairdressers until 2pm so am just vegging on the couch. Ahhhhhhhh :)

I'm back at last from darkest Wales, it's been a long couple of weeks.

mlic glad W's arm is better and you got a cake at last.

cake what are your views on homework? I have slightly unorthodox views on it too tbh.

trudyla when your next one pops out it'll be fine. We all worried about betraying our older ones/not having time for them but it's only natural.

memphis I hope the panic's over!

stac have a lovely long weekend :)

I've decided re L and nursery that I'm not going to put her in early. If I'm going to spend money on something it'll be that cleaner that I haven't got round to hiring cos I hate cleaning every time I do it but I never hate parenting, it just frustrates me about 8 times a day. I'd miss her like crazy too, just the thought of sending her in Jan makes me feel a bit sad

Off to find some paracetamol before my head explodes.

eeek - i've just shown interest in another job (still at mega-corp). not sure if i'm mad or not... big job, still want part-time hours.

sorry for me me me post - will catch up properly when i'm calmer!

cakes wow will it be more hours? is it a promotion?
what is your view on homework? my friends son is 5 and he gets something everyday! I couldnt have a baby now, I couldnt do it, I cant do a double pushchair I struggle to use a single one I have only recently started feeling half normal downstairs after the awful birth, I told my sister we were planning another and her and mum cried and said how could I go through it again? their nerves were shot to pieces afterwards, but I think of the traumatic entrance to the world and think it could have been worse and I would do it again in a heartbeat...but.... not just yet. Oh goodness and if I was pg now I think it would finish me off ive only recently felt like me again and I want to enjoy that!
trudyla think reception is structured play so they know about authority and that being naughty isnt acceptable but they get to play more of the day than the other kids, but it is still like school 9-3.15 here.
mlic shh but ive already done the big posh wedding, 4 bridesmaids, everything getting out of hand £15,000 later and only 2 monthsafter mum payed it off I kicked him out, so I want a wedding away on the quiet but dh has never done it before so I know he would want one here, minimal family and a few friends then a big party after, I will have a big dress but, its a wedding of convenience, only so I have the same mahoosive surname adding that to my 9 letter first name and you have yourself a 12 inch long signature!
ph so you will be travelling home in style then, what is she doing for a car? buying another? I hope the visit goes smoothly but am hoping to hear some cracking mil stories!