Dec 08 Mums - Breech babies, bedtimes, boozing and Bikram

[KiwiPanda]

Um sorry about rubbish title

Blimey, DH has just had a text from a colleague announcing the birth of his baby - 14lb 10oz apparently . I hope it's a typo, but doubt it as the text also said 'gigantic'. Ouch, eye watering

I am working on catching up, back later

vag was on hols for a long weekend with a friend in a cottage near salisbury. it TIPPED it down but was nice to see my friend. Triathlon training sort of going ok, though being a bit lazy with all the rain recently. Still need to get a tri suit and look into logistic stuff, i.e advice you gave me re belts and stuff, but have been doing the exercise which I guess is the hard bit. You sound like you are doing a lot of exercise at the mo...are you planning on doing a tri or anything any time soon?

zj I bet it's a dozy bloke and it's actually 10lb 14oz? Would still be a monster at that!

sybs my ds still poos his pants sometimes. It's very annoying. "Mummy, I need a poo poo"...Great you think, let's go .... then you see this guilty face and little voice "I've done it already..." ARGH!!!!

kiwi you are doing a lot of running at the mo, did you decide whether to do half marathon? I think you should!

Morning all. Am just about to go and pick up my gorgeous little nippers, but thought I'd pop on and say hello.

Had new friends round for dinner last night. She is lovely. He is a bit of a knob. She confided in me while the boys were chatting and she had a look at my wedding pictures, that he's an alcoholic. All very sad and I really feel for her. Am seeing her tomorrow and Friday, so will hear more then. But it really hurt my heart as she's clearly not happy. I think will give her tips from my miserable sister and her damaged children. Poor love.

THEN I went for a quick run with 2 of the mums from playgroup this morning. One very sweetly texted me last night saying she was going and did I want to come! Yes please. Although if I'd known it was 7k, I'm not 100% sure I'd have gone. HOWEVER they run at my pace and chat all the way round, so it was actually really nice. And I managed it, despite not having done a run for about 8 weeks. V pleased. And will try to go at least once a week now. Maybe more. Hurray! Although work dependent. V quiet on that front today. Will have to do some tonight as have no interest this morning.

I hope everyone's doing ok. I'm going to have to go and pick up the girls now. Thinking of you all.

Sybs - how is DH holding up? How are you doing? Are the littles ok?

x

MN froze as I was trying to post that, but I've picked up the girls now and they're having ham and cheese sandwiches on the sofa while watching Come Outside. Peaceful.

x

Wotcha ladies, I have been out of action with the weirdo vomiting virus that DD2 had. It started properly on Fri night when I was at the Wine and Puddings night down the road. Marv. Was like something off Little Britain. Was flat on my back on Sat and Sun. Vile.

Anyway, tons better now (still felt ropey yesterday) so will be back when I have done some of the 3,999, 801 jobs that have backed up whilst I've been ill...DD1 has been playing quietly in her bedroom for over an hour, I am suspicious...

How's things Sybs? I'm thinking of you. Sorry to hear DD has had a setback in maths - do you think her confidence will return once she realises she's in a group that is manageable for her, rather than struggling?

How are DD and DS Deids? Awful as it is right now, remember this too shall pass. Trace had the excellent suggestion of a star chart 'timetable' recently, I forget who she mentioned it to. But she broke the day into chunks - breakfast time, morning, lunchtime, afternoon, evening, bathtime, bedtime and awarded stars for good behaviour in each chunk of the day - it helps to show they're not pushing it all the time and remind you there is good bits as well as bad. I thought it was a great idea - would it work for DS (and you)? And how did your friend do on BGT?

I read that article Vag - I loved that you referred to us as your imaginary friends . Talking of which, DD1 has 20 imaginary friends - 8 Chinese friends (it's not clear whether their nationality is Chinese or whether they go for Chinese food together, or perhaps both), plus 12 ducklings. I had to dress the ducklings for school the other day - they all wore trousers, tshirts and cardigans, very fiddly to put on and did eat into the morning routine a bit

Your bug sounds grim LadyT. Has DD2 recovered now? And did I see that little Jolly had it too? Hope she's ok as well?

We've never taken DD to McDonalds either, mainly because we don't like the food ourselves. I was double proud of DD1 this weekend, when we drove past one, and she pointed out the golden arches and said 'that's your name Mummy'. Hurrah for not recognising the brand and double hurrah for being a clever clogs with her letters

Hooray for 5 hours Indith, has he repeated that yet?

Kayz I think swimming might be something that turns babies - although I can't remember where I heard that, so could well be wrong

Grand news about the nursery Beans, and for making new friends already, your new village and the community sounds lovely

The growth spurt seems to have slowed, but she's still feeding more than normal. I totally agree with Vag on BF boobs - I'm going out on Saturday for my sisters hen do and will be making the most of my new cleavage to distract from my wobbly tum We've been giving DD2 one bottle a day this week, which she's been enjoying, meaning I won't have to be on call for feeds on Saturday. But today she's refused it, I really hope it's a one off, as I really want to be there for my sis. I can't have 2 bottle refusing daughters

I'll send Trace a text - I wonder if she's busy with the move

urgh 8 week jabs this afternoon. He has not stopped screaming yet apart from occasionally screaming himself to sleep only to wake if I dare to move a muscle. Have just reached for the calpol.

Indith hope DS2 is better today.

This rain is insane. Sandbags are out all over the bottom half of the village the steam is now a torrent of water. Mother nature if you are listening can you organise for this rain to jog on now please.

I'm with you, Jam. I couldn't get through to DD1's playgroup the normal way and had to park on the high street and walk down the hill. And I can't get to Bishops Stortford for an appointment as all the roads are flooded and blocked with abandoned cars! Got 2 friends coming with 4 kids this afternoon and I can't throw the children out into the garden. Bugger. Wet weather gear on and puddle walk coming their way!!!

Hope everyone ok? All well here. Just getting lunch organised for these people and ought to be doing some work, but who can be bothered???

Right, must go and make some nosh.

Big love

xx

Ugh, what a grim grey horrible day. Feel a bit though not sure why, probably just self pity..

Indith hope DS is feeling better, with both of mine I foudn the 8 week jabs terrible, 12 weeks a bit grumpy and 16 weeks no reaction at all. So hopefully that's the worst one over with, fingers crossed!?

Summer Yes I am indeed doing a half marathon, the Royal Parks one in October. Eeek! Not sure how I'm going to train in the summer, DH will be virtually AWOL through the entire Olympic and Paralympic period so it's going to be veyr difficult to fit in. Might have to pay a babysitter to look after DD2 while DD1 is at nursery..

Vag re schools, we have three state primaries in our area, two of which are very good but oversubsribed and we are probably not near enough. The other gets decent ratings but has a VERY high proportion of kids whose first language isn't English. I hope that doesn't sound like I'm complaining about non-English people, but it's like 70-80% which has got to have an impact on teaching..

Oh random question, I just noticed the other day that DD1's toothpaste says 0-3 on it (observant, me?) so I was wondering, are we supposed to use different toothpaste for over threes??? Another kids one (couldn't see on in my small local Boots) or adult one..?

Crikey that is a very high percentage Kiwi. In some ways it's nice having diversity but I can see your concern. I remember when some friends were first sending their kids to the main international school here they were talking about how great it was t their re were so many different nationalities for their kids to learn beside. However, reality set in when they discovered that in a class if 25 kids their child was one of fourEnglish! o cabn you just sign up for all and hope a pray?

Beans I wish I was popping around to yours for lunch.

I am completely shsttered today. Ds1 is on school holidays and I'm worn out. I've looked after them both before all day but now at the ages they are (& the age I am) its exhausting. I split up the day by taking them to two imax movies in the middle of the day, but before and after they were just rough & tumbling all over the place. Dh has just come home and taken them to the park to wear them out. I gave them early tea and am cooking some nutella porridge to fill them up before bed & bath. Phew will be glad to put them to bed tonight.

DS still a nightmare...would post more but I just keep crying. Hate feeling this way about him.

Hope the rain slows down for those of you affected. Are your houses okay for the mo?

Oh DB, are you ok? What's happened? Thinking of you xxx

DB talk to us. x

Kiwi that was the deciding factor for us moving out of the east end. we just didnt want DS to go to a school which was 90% english 2nd language. Its tough. Is private completely out of the question?

No time again but just wanted to pass the to DB. Listen lovey, if he's been lashing out again, he doesn't mean it, he doesn't understand properly and they are so prone to frustration at this age. I know it's annoying...but grit your teeth and try not to fret.

In fact, all round. You sound like you need one as well, Vag.

KP - there is an older kiddy toothpaste (4-6 or 4-7 or something?) - not sure what the difference is (probably none!) But by the time they use adult they ought to be spitting it out.

Must dash...xxxxx

Vag, agreed. You need a drink. One lovely friend's little boy puked in the car on way here so she didn't come sadly. Other did which was lovely. DD1 exhausted after long week and DD2 sleep-free. Both whiney and doing my head in. They won't leave me be. Mine don't lash out, but they whinge and whine and fight each other and it is exhausting!!! Bathtime, bedtime and boozetime in that order. Hoping both tucked up by 7. Yay!

Beans two whingy girls here too! DD2 been awake since 2pm which is a long time to bedtime when you are 6 months old and DD1 has spent last two days bursting into tears at slightest thing so is clearly either coming down with something or massively overtired. And DH is out for second evening in a row. One hour until they are hopefully both asleep and it is WINE o'clock

Jam it is really. We could just about afford fees but not the after school clubs/ holiday clubs they will also need with us working and no grandparental help thanks to my effing useless parents...

I hope everyone's who's LOs have pushed them today now has and sleeping children

Deids love, are you ok? Please unload here, the basket can take it

How is DS2 today Indith? Fortunately DD2 just slept and slept after her's, I'm hoping for more of the same next week

I noticed that on the toothpaste too Kiwi, the next age is 4-6 but I couldn't work out what the difference is

Summer was right about ginormo baby, it should have read 10lb 14, not 14lb 10. That's sounds better!

jam How are things now? Very scary to be so close to flood water.

ladyT I chucked at your post about the onset of your illness! Hope you didn't disgrace yourself at the evening itself. Knowing what villages are like you'd never live that one down!

indith Hope DS is feeling brighter now. Mine were always unsettled after jabs. Hope lots of cuddles and calpol has sorted things out.

beans Hurrah for the nursery place. Get you! New friends already . You sound lovely and settled already.

Kiwi Mmm schools. I've already stated worrying. I think we should be ok but I'm not sure about how it all works yet. Anyone know when we get sent info packs etc? Any chance you could move before january? Naughty I know, but would church attendance help?

ZJ Hope DD2 decides to take a bottle for you. Must be really frustrating when she has been taking it. DD did the same thing with the M but in Marks and Spencers! Very proud . We've never taken DD to McDonalds either but as you say, we don't like it. Oh and I'm glad that baby wasn't 14lb!!

vag Nutella porridge? Tell me more.. I don't like porrige but maybe I just need to try it with nutella!

sybs Thinking of you at the moment.

kayz DD2 was all over the place. I'm not sure she ever settled into a head down position. Do they still try and manually move babies round these days?

Now the toothpaste thing. This may depend on your area so if you have flouride already in your water it is different BUT my new HV at DD2's 9 month check said that children's toothpastes are a swizz and don't contain enough flouride . She said it is better to give them a normal adult paste but one which is branded as 'mild and minty'. I have NEVER heard that before. Anyway, I then tried to give DD1 normal paste and she hates it. Bought the 4-6 Aquafresh one, she hates it . She has just got used to the nice mild one. DD2 is being given the normal one and likes it. I'm actually quite cross about it and thought of emailing Aquafresh to complain about their inadequate milk teeth toothpaste. Not got round to it yet .

deids Oh m'dear. Hope you are ok. This too shall pass.

I took the DD's out today into the Lakes. It was a gorgeous day. DD2 is at that stage when she gets frustrated that she cannot get out of the pram and crawl about everywhere. We had a lovely time though and DD1 was very brave at the playground and went down the biggest slide on her own!

Can anyone recommend a book for talking to children about death? DD1 was crying her heart out the other night because she said she didn't want to die. I have no idea what happened to bring it on. I'm not sure how to reassure her or tackle the topic at all.

I'm already in my bed so am going to watch a little something on iplayer and head off to sleep. Night all.

Ok all are you ready for two irritiating weird sort of rants.

1, woman in our village was sort of friendly with but DH and I realised v quickly upon meeting her she was a use you and drop you person. Hilariously she has blocked me from seeing her FB posts but still allows DH full access. Bonkers!

2, found a girl in the village to do occasional babysitting wouldnt do for big nights out as she is so young (14yrs). But she is handy for me to go to the gym when DH is out. Well I arrived back tonight after being out for an hr and half to be told the shmoo poo attacked her. it turns out he was shut in the kitchen as she although having 2 dogs of her own is nervous of Louis. I asked her to clarify attacked to find he jumped up at her when she went in to the kitchen. Now I know he is a bouncy dog but he was shut away and she has dogs plural in her own home. Attacked! FFS. Honeslty if you have dogs you should be able to handle a dog jumping up at you to say hello. Now feel like I cant use her for sitting anymore, grrr.

Right breath.

Hope all you lovely mums who have had tough days have partaken of the medicine.

Jolly - DD2 is also talking about death a lot. I remember that DD1 went through this phase at around the same age. Just yesterday we bought DD2 "Goodbye Mog" but she cried really hard when we read it to her and then she insisted on sleeping with the book so that "Dead Mog, who lost her real body, won't be lonely". It is a sweet book but I am not sure if it has helped her understand death. TBH I am now sure whether it is possible for them to really understand it at this age.

DB - I hope you are OK tonight.

Kiwi - DD1 is at a school with a very high proportion of english as a second language. I am not sure of the percentage (how do you find out? the Ofsted assessment for DD's school just says "much higher than average"). Anyway, we went for the school because it does have an Outstanding Ofsted rating and a good local reputation and so far we feel it has been a good choice. All I am saying is that it might be worth finding out more about the school that is nearest you, sometimes plain stats do not tell the whole story.

Re toothpaste - our health visitor also said the childrens' toothpastes do not have enough flouride. But I checked that labels and the Aquafresh 4-6 year tube has the same amount of flouride as our Colgate adult tube. I think the 4-6 range does have more than the 0-3 range and it is slightly minty tasting to get them ready for the taste of adult toothpaste. DD2 did not like it at first but once she forgot about the sugary 0-3 taste she learned to love with it!

Just flying in - we found "Dear Grandma Bunny" from the Miffy series a good one for getting littlies to try to get the concept of death. It's very simple and direct. I can't get through Goodbye Mog on a good day, let alone in context.

Am off on a school trip to Godstone farm. Wish me luck. Hope everyone is well. I'll try to catch up properly tonight.

Love to all XXX

And Deids, whatever is going on with DS, I am sure one of us will have had similar and we are all here to support you and offer whatever advice / suggestions we can. And wine , albeit only virtual. Children can be really difficult and / or shitty to you and push all sorts of buttons. Hang on in there. huge love to you darling XXXXX

Morning ladies I should be packing but I'm on the couch with the boys watching cbeebies. We are off to arnhem for the weekend to a big zoo and some other stuff. The weather is not much chop for camping so we are going to stay in a little hikers cabin in a camping ground instead. We are all a bit excited about it as the cabin looks very cute & cosy.

DB how are you? Thinking of you. We have had a run of ok behaviour from DS2 & it has reminded me how sweet he is, but when he is screaming & carrying on and hitting his brother or me, it just feels like he is a monster and no fun to be with. It's funny his behaviour is very much better when DH is working from home a lot. I don't think it is him being around for DS2 that helps though, I think it is me that is in a better and more coping mood when DH is around. No rushed school runs and slightly more sleep.

How are you Lady?

Hello Sybs.

Jam what is a shmoo poo.