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

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

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

Happy Birthday SB's DS!!

dd2 just did the classic toddler thing of looking out our front bedroom and getting excited about the snow, then running to her room and getting even more excited because there is also snow in the garden!

BG at the snow

Thanks for your birthday wishes. DS had a lovely day. He enjoyed his presents (an easel, an aquadoodle, a mini 'laptop', some duplo, some DVDs and a Thomas The Tank Engine book). And the cake was a success too

I posted some pictures on FB.

I just a fun trip to the supermarket in the snow, still all essential and fuel are in.

Happy birthday SB's DS. Hope BG's DD2 enjoys the party.

More fking sick from DS2 today at the dinner table. So very fed up of it now! On the other hand, gynae scan today was clear (so no reason for the mid-cycle onwards bleeding found so far) and physio says put off the op for the time being if I'm not in pain. . DS1 doesn't have coeliac disease (and I'll pop back re how to cope in public with dietary stuff PA at another moment) and is eating better on reflux meds. Have commited career suicide this week by getting my boss in trouble, but morally have done the right thing - more at another point on that if I can be arsed!

I've bought a lovely outfit today ready for the wedding (and had a total of 5 hours off for party/outfit shopping and scan) but DH is now pretty much following me round the house on the lookout for some 'action' - something to do with the girlie shoes and gym-fit legs apparently!!!

Sorry for not replying more to others tonight, but just wanted to pop in, continue the birthday wishes (though mainly on facebook) and check tha you are all snuggly and warm away from the snow.

SB I see your Noddy car and propose to raise you to a George Pig next weekend. (Not sure if you get Peppa Pig in France?! It's DS2's favourite at the moment).

Night all.

(and I really can spell. The local computer shop wants to charge £50 to refit the letter 't' onto my laptop so I'm resisting at the mo, despite the embarrassment!!)

bethy Let's the battle of the cake begin!

I'm tempted to make a Lightning McQueen just because it's DS favourite (it and Noddy of course)

haha as I was reading about reflux Nigel was sick on the floor. Thank goodness are living room is laminate flooring and not carpet

good to hear an update from you beth and look forward to hearing more details about all the snippets you've given us.

I am now the owner of these

Update from us: I still have the lurgy but got lots of rest today. I miss sudafed greatly. DCs are mostly fine, DD still has a cough so waking multiple times. It's been well over two weeks since she last slept through.

It does however feel like she's taken another leap forward in comprehension, skills and language. We brought a painting home she had done and was quite insistent we put it on the wall. we watched waybulo a few times and now spend some time most days doing the 'yogo' moves. I can't stand the rest of the program so tried to learn as many as could in a short space of time. We also now eat at the table and she's taken to not eating lunch as well as dinner. Hoping it's just a illness thing but serves me right for saying that I was being fairly relaxed about it all. I was starting to think I had imagined DD's intolerances but she got hold of some cake yesterday and this morning we had to put her PJ's, slippers and tablecloth in the wash and give her a shower. Someone at a playgroup had a 'bad' nappy that everyone was going poor her at. This helped remind me that these nappies aren't normal as it wasn't horrendous compared to what DD's can be.

I am glad DD's birthday is one of the last as I get to steal all your ideas

PA

So are you all having fun in the snow?

Have posted a snow pic in our fb group. Happy belated birthdays to mous, SG, BG, SB LOs and advance happy birthday to BBB's the next one coming!

Well, we've had a lovely weekend! DH took DD to the City Museum yesterday (which she loves) and today we all beetled off to visit BG and family, which was very splendid indeed. (will get some pix organised). As we left my DD and BG's DD2 gave each other a kiss goodbye, which was super-cute, bless them.

And DD actually tried a few peas today! OK, she spat them out again, but it's still a step forward. She also polished off her roast spuds and ate some of the cheesy pie I had made, which is all good. It's now been a week of us doing the second course at the same time as the main course thing and we're feeling very encouraged by it.

Sorry to hear of more sickyness, bethy (and highly intrigued about how you dropped your boss in it..!) but good to hear your DS1 doesn't have coeliac disease and that he's doing better. Arf at your DH following you around the house!!

Like the look of the bum-shaping jeans, PA! Sorry to hear about the disrupted nights and DD's food finickyness. And DS chucking up (hopefully just one of those one-off baby things they do from time to time...!) How's he doing in general?

We had a dusting of snow yesterday Mous, but it was all gone again by this morning (good job as it meant we could get to Casa BG)

Nice pix rainbow!

Ooh, meant to add, I've just made this squidgy oat bar for DD and she loves it. It has no refined sugar and is full of healthy things, plus is a good energy booster, so ideal for snacks/desserts. I'm going to start modifying it by adding some cooked quinoa to the mix and/or seeds and/or a bit of black molasses (excellent source of iron) to ramp up the nutritional content even further.

The cake looks ace, SB - looking forward to bethy's George Pig effort..!!

Unfortunately not a one off, he's a fairly sicky baby. Not enough to go further with reflux meds as he's quite a happy chucker, but enough to be a right PITA (several bibs and muslins a day, plus casually walking on when he's sick on the carpet at venues when we're out). Otherwise he's doing well, he's at the stage where he likes to sit or stand rather than lay down.

We had a good amount of snow actually, took DD out in the earlier and made an Avent-garde snowman

look forward to the pics

No snow over here but a cold wind.

PA hopefully his reflux will improve when Nigel starts solid food. He's standing already? I guess you may have another early walker

IC I'll try that recipe as DS likes cereal bars. How do you feel?

bc you too how are you doing?

Lies SB

Obviously standing whilst being held and supported. He's still not rolling yet, it's weird because although I know that's normal, DD had been rolling for over 5 weeks already. It's really nice to put him down and not be rolling though. DD no longer had tummy time at this stage as she would immediately flip herself back over.

dd2 had a lovely birthday with celebrations stretching over four days and is a little partied out now. She was quite unsettled last night, including calling for me at 1 this morning to tell me she had done pipi (Not sure what she expected from me... to congratulate her on using her nappy for its intended purpose?). This morning she's embraced being 2 by rolling around the floor screaming pretty much since she woke. Having said that, she's just picked herself up off the landing and has gone into her room to play because she wasn't getting the reaction she wanted (ie I made sure she was safe and then ignored her and left her to it).
I can endorse ICs oat bars... there are none left

I've been a horrible mummy this morning, just so tired and still have this cold. As DD has had two less hours sleep than normal as well it wasn't the best combination. DS isn't too bad but still rattly and we've not had any sleep greater than 3 hours for a fair while at night and day sleep has been very unsettled with lots of holding required.

Sorry had to moan somewhere. Painkillers and caffeine are now kicking in so hopefully the rest of the day improves.

My brother's wedding... snow... millions of relatives in my house or nearby... many meals cooked, eaten and cleared up... snow... DD2 throwing up as the speeches started at the wedding... snow... more food preparation... laundry...

PA
BBB
Waving... can't type too much because dd2 shouts 'Stop it' every time I go near the keyboard...

Aw PA, so sorry you're having a tough time. You're such a trooper. I hope you get the chance to get some sort of rest soon....

Eek BBB sounds hectic! I hope you had time to have fun too.

I'm okay thanks, SB. Symptoms mild, but still seem to be there, which I can only assume is a good thing. I've got my booking in appointment tomorrow (eek! good job you reminded me of that, I need to fill out my forms) and presumably the next scan will follow a few weeks after that. Still travelling hopefully.

How are you doing, Bc? And Fc?

BG I had to laugh at your account of being told about the overnight wee!!! And yep, DD spent part of this morning getting into her new two year-old role. Definitely testing some boundaries. She threw a wobbler about getting dressed, so I did pretty much the same as you. Left her to it and returned every few minutes asking if she was ready to get dressed yet. Eventually she calmed down and we got there.
Impressed at how quickly those oat bars went down!! Next time, I'll make double!

bethy just read back my post and realised it looked like I was asking you how you dropped your boss in your DS' sick. Ahem.

Oat bars look yummy IC. Do you get concentrated juice from normal supermarket or health food shop? Also the recipe didn't specify how much juice? Enjoy your booking in tomorrow DD1 very kindly slept all the way through mine.

Glad to hear all bday celebrations went well over the weekend SB your cake looked fab!

BBB I hope you had fun at your bro's wedding?

bethy so is it a good result that DS1 doesn't have coeliac disease? Do you know what ails him? that DS2 still suffering so much (and you too of course). When is the wedding? Do the boys have their tartan trousers?!

PA get well soon. If I was round the corner I would take DD off your hands for a few hours but as I'm not, I'll send lots of get well vibes instead. It is tough, tough, tough feeling ill and coping with two kids. Do hope you managed to get some more rest.

(DD2 isn't rolling either but then I don't expect her to as DD1 never really did.)

We had lots of snow here and there is still plenty left today to make it really quite a mission walking 5 mins to the shops this afternoon (pushing the buggy was the difficult bit not the walking). DD1 loved it for about 10 minutes and then moaned for the rest of our 45-min walk DSis got here before the snow and had to stay another night as the trains weren't running yesterday, hurray!

Right now DD1 is asleep, I put her down for a very late nap at 4pm as she is still under the weather with a cough/cold and just seemed too tired to go through to bedtime. She's been asleep for over an hour, I wonder what sort of mood she'll be in when she wakes, quite often she wakes up tearful from a late nap

Can I ask you all a question, I suppose this is more directed at the SAHMs but obviously I'd like to hear from everyone. I really, really like having 'time off' from looking after DD1 e.g. a cheeky late-afternoon nap (her not me, although that would be lovely thanks), her GPs having her every Tuesday (which is my favourite day of the week apart from the weekends) or DH taking her off for a couple of hours at the weekends. I just love it. I don't feel that way about DD2 in the slightest but then she is such an angel baby that I can just get on with anything with her around. Is this...... normal? I do feel, a bit, that although I love her to death, I find whole days with her quite... dull.

I do try to go out and meet someone else at least once a day and we don't have anyone to meet on Mondays and perhaps that's affected my mood today. I just wondered if anyone else ever feels like this.

Scones first of all, recipe clarifications:
Just get normal apple juice from concentrate (not the cloudy pressed kinds) as it's sweeter. But it's just the usual stuff. I used an ordinary carton from the supermarket. You need enough to cover the raisins for soaking (and it's useful to have extra to add if the mixture is a bit dry - mine was the opposite, I had to add more oats). I had a litre carton of apple juice to cover 300g of raisins and there's still loads left.
If you don't use proper cup measurements, you may have to do some complicated American - metric conversions (I did), but there are lots of handy comparisons on the web. Luckily, it's not the type of recipe where quantities have to be exact!!!
I used grated coconut cream (the solid stuff you get for Thai curries etc.), but I think you can just as easily use dessicated if you prefer.

Yes, I do enjoy having "time off" when DD is asleep or she's with DH or her GPs. I don't tend to get bored exactly when I'm with her - mainly because if I start feeling less than interested in our play, I usually take us out on an excursion of some sort.
But of course, no matter how much you enjoy the time spent with the LOs, you're always "on duty" so it's impossible to properly relax when they're up and active. One of the reasons why I've always resisted DH's suggestions that we put DD to bed a bit later!!