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Feb 2010 They're all walking and talking....and some are even sleeping. The babies are doing okay too.

988 replies

InmaculadaConcepcion · 11/11/2011 20:19

Pull up a comfy chair, grab a cuppa and a piece of cake, switch the monitors on low and let's PARTY.....!!!

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Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
PenguinArmy · 10/12/2011 20:57

Do they have any idea why yet SB?

no IC he got called a twat on a AIBU once and was scarred by the experience Xmas Grin. He was on here a few times when he first became a SAHD.

BG how is the lurgy in your house?

StoneBaby · 10/12/2011 21:04

IC here is the eggnog cupcake recipe (from Hummingbird cake day)

Makes 12 -16

For the sponge
80g unsalted butter softened
280g caster sugar
240g plain flour
1 tbsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
240ml milk

For the frosting
500g icing sugar
160g unsalted butter softened
2 tsp rum essence
1 tsp grated nutmeg
50ml whole milk

Preheat oven to 190C and fill a muffin tin with muffin cases.

Using an electric whisk, beat together the butter, sugar,flour, baking powder and salt on a low speed until reaching a fine breadcrumbs texture.

Break the eggs into a jug, add the milk and whisk. Pour 3/4 of the mixture into the dry ingredientsand mix on a low speed to combine. Increase the speed and keep mixing until smooth and thick.. Add the rest of the milk/egg and continue mixing until everything is well mixed and smooth.

Fill the cases two-third full with the batter. Bake in the oven for 18-20 minutes or until risen and springy to the touch. Leave in the tray for a few minutes then transfer onto a rack to cool.

Using an electric whick, whisk the icing sugar with the butter, rum, nutmeg on a low speed until no large lumps of butter are left and the mixture is crumbly. Graddually add the milk and increase the speed until light and fluffy.

Once the cupcakes are cold to the touch, smooth the frostingon the top of each cakes.

BabyGiraffes · 10/12/2011 21:08

PA IC Lurgy is a good word. I have felt slightly nauseous since yesterday afternoon (not so bad now, maybe the Wine is helping) and dd1 cheerfully announced yesterday that her bestest ever friend at school was sick in the classroom and had to go home... Hmm. dd2 was quite miserable yesterday and up a few nights last night, again looking miserable and doing little coughs as if she was also feeling sick. Fortunately none of us have been properly sick though but there have been a few extra trips to the toilet for all of us (tummy bug but minor?).

Ah yes, condensation... We bought a dehumidifyer just over a year ago and it broke a week past it's guarantee Angry. The house has been terrible again since with water running down windows etc. We are having it repaired to keep our house from rotting... which seems to be the opposite to easing coughs though... Confused

Apologising for random thought process... it's been a long day. dd2 also did her 'I don't want you, I want my Papa' weekend thing again... Hmm

PenguinArmy · 10/12/2011 21:09

no eggs for us though but thanks :) I know I have a great simple recipe in that recipe.

Nigel has been very 'cryie' (as DD likes to say) this week, but I have been watching Spaced on 4OD to get me through it.

Do you just pop a bowl of hot water into her room then if lacking anything more sophisticated?

BabyGiraffes · 10/12/2011 21:10

er, that should read 'up a few times last night' and 'its guarantee'

StoneBaby · 10/12/2011 21:10

PA I saw the doctor I was refered to last week (this doctor is in fact my diabetes doctor) who wasn't concerned what's so everAngry . He thought I was looking well and that there's was nothing to worry about (even when expalined that I can easily faint). Also not helping was that my BP was back to normal.

So I just have the feeling to have wasted my time going to see him.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:15

That's exactly what I did PA until I splashed out (ahem) for a proper ultra-sonic humidifier thingy. The first time I put a pan of steaming water in DD's room, the difference was magical. DD stopped coughing within a few minutes and fell asleep.

Another trick is to put a small bowl of water on the radiator, although you may want a more steamy environment for it to be really effective in stopping the coughing. The humidity is supposed to help decongest them a bit too.

I find we usually only need the humidifier on for a couple of hours of so early on in the night because once DD's properly asleep, her cough reflex seems to calm down. And I guess the atmosphere is already sufficiently steamy by then too.

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InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:16

Thanks for sharing the recipe, SB. And sorry to hear your doctor hasn't been very sympathetic. Meh for that.

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PenguinArmy · 10/12/2011 21:17

I only seem to have a touch of DD's cough, more just a crazy irritating tickly cough.

I'm Angry for you as well SB

That must be hard for you BG no matter how rational and understandable it is

Think I'll go with ICs idea and do this They're not really for other kids to eat and she is fine if she's eating something as well i.e. not trying to steal beg other people's food.

InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:17

Ha ha ha, here we all are MNing away on a Saturday night....we're so rock'n'roll!!!

DH has gone up to bed already and I'm looking forward to snuggling up beside him and finishing my book. Middle-age ahoy!!

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InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:19

Yum, they look good, PA!

Glad you're feeling better today, BG.

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PenguinArmy · 10/12/2011 21:20

You remember when we were just getting ready to go for a night out Xmas Grin?

Nigel is asleep so me and DH have a date with David Attenbourough

Meant to say we got DD some 'boys' sock from Sainsbury's with cars etc. on. She loves them, when did girls not like trains, cars, tractors and more importantly fire engines (nee-naw nee-naw).

InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:25

Exactly PA Xmas Grin

DD is already a big fan of Thomas the Tank Engine. I get her "boys" stuff sometimes too - her slippers, for example. They have pictures of dogs in a little kennel and supposedly they are for boys. Since when have dogs been more for boys...??!! Xmas Confused

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InmaculadaConcepcion · 10/12/2011 21:27

Anyway, it's been fun, but the latest installment in the Shardlake series beckons.

Night night Xmas Smile

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BabyGiraffes · 10/12/2011 21:28

IC Gosh you are so right about Saturday night... I am in pyjama bottoms cross legged on the sofa with a glass of wine and a nice fire roaring, dh has a beer and plays guitar, and the girls are sleeping peacefully upstairs.
A few years ago we'd just about get ready to go out Xmas Grin. Do I miss it? Nah, it's cold outside.... Wink

StoneBaby · 10/12/2011 21:43

I'm with you on the been nicely at home. I'm in fact in bed checking MN on my ipod touch and watching tv (not the xfactor). Was out last night and while it was great to catch up with my friends I now prefer quit nights at home with DH (when not working) and some Wine

BG sorry to hear you and your girls are under the weather.

BabyGiraffes · 11/12/2011 09:49

dd2's most used phrases/words right now are 'again!' (esp when throwing her around and holding her upside down), 'more' (food - she is turning into a very good eater), 'my turn' (important due to having a bossy sister), and 'help me please?' (impossible to resist when said with sweet baby voice) Smile. She is also suprisingly well mannered and says please and thank you a lot (something I am still working on with her sister! Angry)

BabyGiraffes · 11/12/2011 10:12

Oh bless her, dd2 is playing hide and seek but doesn't quite get it and will jump out beaming when dh wonders to himself out loud where the baby might have got to Xmas Grin

StoneBaby · 11/12/2011 16:04

DS phrase/words are 'encore' / 'more' (said either in French or English), 'all gone' (mostly said when he ate all food), 'pomme' (apple) but he used it for all fruits, pain (bread) has also appeared duiring the week. So knowing that I was worried a few weeks ago that he wasn't using any French, I'm now reassured Xmas Grin

RedNoseBabyGiraffes · 11/12/2011 16:45

We split the girls up this morning to do stuff and when dd1 and I got back from getting a christmas tree dd2 got very upset. She wanted to keep her Papa just to herself Smile. But at least she had a lovely time going round Ikea with dh Hmm and having his full attention. dh and I had a chat last night because I felt dd2 is losing out a bit because her sister really is quite bossy and demanding all the at times. He had the idea for each of us to do things with one child more often. (Just as well we only have two! Confused). dd1 certainly enjoyed chosing a tree just with me and baking while dd2 slept at lunchtime.
I find it really hard to be 'fair' to both girls at times... Sad but I guess it all evens out in the end because their needs are slightly different due to age and character.

StoneBaby · 11/12/2011 19:22

BG is your new name due to been Christmas or because of a cold? Xmas Grin

RedNoseBabyGiraffes · 11/12/2011 20:11

SB Just felt a bit festive... Xmas Grin

InmaculadaConcepcion · 11/12/2011 20:27

Ah, the more-than-one-child guilt, RNBG....

I obviously haven't experienced it myself, but my sister's told me all about it.... (she's got 4 DC)
The hide-and-seek is really cute!

My DD is also developing manners - she says "please" a lot without prompting because she's realised we're more likely to give her what she wants when she includes please, so she's highly motivated to use it. Not so motivated to say thank you, but she does say "thankykoo" and "danks" from time to time without us reminding her.

Well, I think this was a short sharp cold because after being clingy, snotty, coughy, sleeping badly and off her food for a couple of days, DD's right back on form now. She slept for more than 12 hours last night Shock which is her longest stretch yet. As a result, she's now chuntering away to herself in her cot quite happily, something she didn't do the last few nights because she was so exhausted and miserable with the cold. Here's hoping we get a bit of respite now until the next one....

Good news on the French, SB!
DD's Spanish is continuing to improve, although her English is now way ahead, not surprisingly. But DD is now using verb phrases in Spanish as well as English, which we're chuffed to hear.
Funny - more/mas were some of the earliest words DD had bilingually too.... Smile

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StoneBaby · 11/12/2011 20:36

No please or s'il te plait but some ta. To be fair I forget to teach DS to use them Blush

According to DS Father Christmas does roa (like a lion) Xmas Hmm I'm now trying to understand that his noise is hohoho no roa. It's not going to be easy Xmas Grin

PenguinArmy · 11/12/2011 22:10

Anyone else feel a bit like that their DCs getting ill this winter is related to stopping BF Blush I know it's just a normal thing and our first winter but still...

anyway shortbread biscuits have been made :)