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

[KiwiPanda]

Um sorry about rubbish title

Are you having real gold curtains handrolled by virgins? Or made from the tears of golden unicorns spun by Rapunzel?

Veggie I do love pizza but even I could tire of it at every meal. one pasta and one pizza per day just fine though ...

Holy Moley Jam do you live in Buckingham Palace??

Typo should have been £. Honestly why go I always always manage to love the most expensive ie out if our reach things. If we go for it it means no Summer holiday. Don't think I can bear it if the boys don't get to go to a swimming pool house. So back to square one. Cheaper material = holiday and happy children.

Vag sorry about DS1. I think he is doing brilliantly. And if he is so much younger than the rest then I would t worry at all about holding him back for a bit. Better for him to be able to understand and do the work than to struggle. There is nothing worse than knowing you can't keep up. He will be happier for it.

Kiwi I would do Berlin. We lived our weekend there. Or what about visiting Tge Hague. You could have a meet up with Vag. Or Sth of France this time of year you can get stonking weather. Or Madrid. My parent are there at the mo for work and loving it. Or Ibiza old town. There was a programme a while ago that should a great camping place in Ibiza where you stated in little wooden chalets it looked fab.

Kayz poor DS. I third fourth what the others said about going out. As long as you are not doing soft play or busy parks it's fine.

Oh and guess what. Marathon man thinks he can do it faster! He finds out at the end of the week if he gets into NY marathon . If not he is thinking of doing one of those buy your entrance with a club thing. Knew it wouldn't be his last race.

Sorry am on my phone so loads of mistakes. At DS1 golf lesson. What did mothers use to do when hanging around at lessons before the iPhone was invented.

Jam - perhaps don't tell DH this, but if you go for a lot of the marathons abroad, you don't have to get sponsorship and you just pay a one-off fee to enter. DH has done Paris and Barcelona and is doing Geneva this year. I don't mind too much (apart from the weekend childcare), because we palm the kids off on a grandparent or two and then go away for 2-3 nights without them. And honestly, it's a real treat. We do it with a group of friends, so there's usually 4 or 5 of us girls navigating the city's transport system to get to the next cheering point. It's ace! Geneva in 2 weeks - whoop whoop! I can get some sleep!

xx

Beans that is exactly what I am hoping for when looking at NY last night her decided we could go on a Thurs and come back on the Tues. Ace! Unfortunately we dont have such generous with their time Grandparents but I reckon we could get them to do at least one maybe two a yr.

Ok Jam, your getting quotes for handspun, silk & diamond curtains & your eldest is having golf lessons, clearly you are far too refined for us. (Does he have funky golf trousers).

Kiwi, I think go to Berlin, these days I love going back to places we know, you don't have to waste several days figuring out where everything is and you already know where all the good restaurants are located. Though I could definitely recommend the galaganones (sp) in Sardinia, a yummy potato ravioli type thing, with mint, sounds strange but very yummy. Having said that I love German food, and so much vegetarian, I was quite surprised as I hadn't expected it to be very Veggie friendly.

Jam have you been to Ibeefa? I'm quite interested in going as I've heard it's good for kids.

Oh but I can def recommend the Hague, its near the beach

I love Munich. I'd go back to Germany any day.

Kiwi - what about Crete? We just had a fab week there. You can fly Easy Jet to Heraklion or Ryan air to Chania. It is warm and they love children. I can give you the link to uor hotel. It was up in the mountains so not near the sea but it was not too pricey and it had a great outdoor playground next to the coffee bar so the kids could play while you drank. It had a nice pool with a kids pool attached. There was a soft play upstairs. Despite all this it had a vey rustic and non-touristy feel. The taverna had ace food including various meze dishes which were veggie. The accomodation is in little cottages with two bedrooms.

If I were you I would also look at Andalucia (lovely beaches and lots of veggie tapas) or, if you like the idea of glamping, then Feather Down Farm sites in France.

I know a fab place in Tuscany too. It is a bit pricey but it is the best child friendly holiday we ever had with the best food ever, ever, ever Villa Pia. You can get cheap flights to Bologna.

Aubs I would be keen to look at the link for Crete. Thinking about not doing the States this Summer looking for cheaper alternatives.

Aubs a friend recommended that Tuscan place to me too! Will have to have proper look. We've been several times to Andalucia when DD1 was tiny and actually when I was pregnant with her too, and Crete is probably better for slightly longer trip (though we also had a dreadful holiday there about six months into our relationship that nearly ended it so DH is a bit anti it )

Villa Pi a is the Hague Expat family favourite, loads of this lot over here go because its so child friendly.

I love Munich too Indith, like Berlin, very kid friendly, we had our first ever photo of all four of us taken at the Hofbrauhuis. Did you go to the volksbad swimming pool. It's one my favourite public pools ever.

Crikey just discovered featherdown farms are in NL too!

Well done MrJam, and I like the idea of mixing running with holidays! On running, I wonder how Trace's GNR training is doing?

Happy belated birthday Kayz, hope it wasn't ruined too much by the pox? I'm pleased DS2 is alright in himself

Sybs that's a long wait til the funeral, that's not great. Have the DCs understood and taken it in? x

I used to play the violin, despite having lessons for the best part of 8 years I was very screechy. I suspect Vagboy1 is already better than I ever was! I also played the piano, and my Mum gave me her beautiful piano when they moved. To my immense disappointment, I can no longer read music, and keep talking about having lessons again but haven't got round to it yet

Did your boobs explode before DD2 woke Kiwi? When I had the same last week, DD2 refused the second side, so I had to do the pre-school run looking v lopsided!

I don't think there's any shame in keeping DS1 back a year Vag, I'm not surprised he's struggling a bit at reading and writing, seeing as Dutch is his 3rd language after English and Chinese. Its much better that he's paced rather than him feeling out of his depth. Oh, and my DH's head swelled rather when I told him your comment about him being the pin up boy for vegetarians!

Bedtime is slowly getting easier, thanks Jolly, although I'm still bathing the girls separately - DD1 at bedtime and DD2 at any spare moment in the day. I was picking the HVs brain for advice on E's sleep terrors and she recommended 'a great website, mums dot net dot com'

I laughed out loud (in a public place) at holy moley and funky golf trousers

I had a really nasty dream last night, one of those that leaves you feeling down all day. I dreamt we (the family ZJ) were staying in a hotel and someone stole DD2 and I tried to chase them but couldn't catch up. No one in this big hotel would help me and I was getting more and more distressed and cross. But then my hero came and rescued DD2, and it was LadyT. Hurrah, I knew I could rely on the Dec 08 mums to be there

Greetings from the US of A. Vag ds is far from struggling. He's a Ilittle fella with a big challenge in a foreign country. He's doing brilliantly.

I'm all over this villa pia joint!
I have a buggered knee which dh says might be a bakers cyst but he's not convinced.

Man oh Man, what a vile day. It is disgusting.

Just dropped the DDs off at various childcare. They SO hate being left and both bawl when I go. But apparently it lasts seconds after I've gone and then they're fine, so I don't mind it too much. But I do worry I'm being a terrible mother by not having them at home more. The reality is, though, that I still don't have enough hours in the day. I work Tues, Weds and if I have to, Thursday mornings from home. And then the girls are back in the afternoons. I have them at home with my on Fridays and on Mondays they're in childcare from 9-3, so it's meant to be a day to myself, but I never seem to get everything done! I have to do the shopping, the cleaning, the washing etc. You know how it is. And I'm just very very busy! I would LOVE to put my feet up for a couple of hours, but seem to be busier here than I was in London, even though I have less friends (read, none!). Never mind.

DMIL is coming to babysit tonight, so DH and I are going out on a date to the next door village for dinner. I can't wait! Really looking forward to a night out together.

We've got nearly all our curtains up now, just waiting on the delivery of the big ones for the double doors at the end of the sitting room. Had to get them made as the doors are so huge. Then we're done. Apart from the blind for the kitchen, but we've dcided as it's nearly summer, we don't need to do that one until the autumn!

Jam - curtains are damn expensive. Fortunately, we caught the Laura Ashley sale and got 3 pairs of ready made ones there and got the massive ones made for under £500. Would normally have been more like £800!!! And for some reason, despite blackout lining, our bedroom ones (which we had to get made because windows aren't standard size), came to under £400 too, which is great. Thank you John Lewis for those. BUT it is vastly expensive getting curtains done. My MIL told me to budget £800 per window!!!! They are considerably richer than us, but I had, so to come in a lot less than that per window (ready made, read £160 or £90!!!), was a bonus and now we can afford to do other stuff instead - hurray!

Wow, I'm boring myself!

Rubes - how are The States? Are you enjoying it?

I need coffee and to do some work. A bien tot and all that.

Sybs - call me!

Morning lovely ladies

I haven't read the last few posts yet but did see Syb's awful news when I looked yesterday - I am so, so sorry about your FIL. What a ghastly shock.

DD2 has been really unwell and ended up getting sent to hospital by the GP yesterday - vomiting virus, which started quite sedately on Friday night, was getting much worse and she was getting badly dehydrated. Anyway, she's had some fluids and we were able to go home late last night, and she really seems to have turned a corner. Right, am going to have a big read and do a catch up.

We've got Porky Pig on. I love old cartoons. Speaking of pigs, there was some Peppa Pig chat earlier. DD1 loves Peppa Pig (she has only seen it once or twice at a friend's house, as I only let 'em watch CBeebies as I cannot stand the farking ads for toys on other channels - is that po-faced of me?) - but she gets the comic and we have a few of the books. In one of the books Peppa is going on about trees being 'boring'. It really annoyed me. I mean, not all stuff has to be educational or worthy but, I don't know, I didn't like it.

Lucky you, being Stateside, Rubes! I love NY. Have several friends there and won't be seeing them any time soon, sadly (unless they come here!) Was interested about you managing your flat. My tenants want to move out in June. I could scream. Their break clause time is July 8. But it's just that new tenants will attract £500+ of charges from the managing agents (tenancy agreement etc). It's such a racket!

Vag, don't be sad your DS1 is being held back. He is bright and sociable and a general smasher. He's done brilliantly to settle in another country the way he has. Working in a completely different language must be so hard! Pal of mine was sent to the Lycee (posh French school in London) from the age of 4, not knowing a word of French. He struggled for the first few years...and ended up doing really well - as well as speaking French like a Parisien (literally - French people ask him if he is from Paris).

Going back a bit, thanks so much for the birthday wishes. Lots of people forgot in RL It was slightly hurtful in some respects (eg my SIL, who was 40 herself only a few months ago and of course a massive fuss was made ) It made me think quite a lot, as well. As I can't get to London very much these days, it's definitely a case of out of sight, out of mind with some people. It's a bit of a shame. But I suppose birthdays are a silly thing to get upset about anyway.

Jam, your DH's time was amazing How exhilarating. Who was he running for? Jeepers, those curtains sound dear. I know what you mean about being automatically drawn to el posho stuff though

Looooooaaaaadddssss more to say but need to make another coffee. I am forcing myself to drink camomile or fruit tea sometimes as well. I wish I liked green tea...it's so good for you. I have tried on several occasions. But it makes me gag. Even more than normal tea (which I loathe). Right, more in a bit.

ZJ, I am so glad I saved your DD2, even in a dream And how is the little poppet? I have big asparagus envy though. So is he Mr Asparagus in the summer and Mr Sprouts in the winter? Any other vegetables in his repertoire?

Re: huge tellies, DB - it's on our shopping list. But we have to wait for more money. But when we get it we can totally rejig the cramped and crowded living room as it's going above the fireplace. Which will be brill. My aim is to get one by Christmas. How did the filming go for BGT? And did I ever tell you I had a schoolgirl fling with someone who came 3rd in BGT the Susan Boyle year? Maybe I glossed over that one The funny thing was, I hadn't seen any of it until the final, which we watched at a friend's house. I nearly dropped my wine when I saw him!

Talking about flings, I was thinking about you and Jason Donovan the other day, Aubi

Anyway, I still haven't made my coffee.

I have just noticed how many s are in my posts. Gosh, I am more cheerful than I thought.

Wowzers I'm sat in the car outside DS pre school...when did winter come back?!

Lady, so glad D is on the mend. Not a pleasant experience for any of you.

Jam, those curtains are expensive! But good curtains will last....bloody hell I've turned into my Mother!

Vag, DS is doing incredibly well. I wouldn't even think of it as holding him back. DD is also an August baby, so I try not to stress about her school work as she is almost 12 months younger than some of her classmates. He will get where he needs to be in his own time. He's so incredibly bright with his languages & music!

Gonna have to brave the storm and get out of the car. If I don't return later I've been swept away in a flood!

Ladyt Poor DD2, hope she feels better soon. It is so scary being sent to hospital. DH hates the word boring and banned Peppa recently due to her use of the word! We have dvds but as far as L knows cbeebies is the only children's channel!

Jam My mum makes all our curtains, lucky me! You can get v pricey fabric much cheaper at end of line places. You could get a local company to make them up. It would be much cheaper!

J was sent home from nursery with a vomiting bug yesterday. I'm looking forward to taking the cat to the vet later just so I can get out of the house.

Vag I thought it was well known that bilingual children tend to be slower off the mark at first but a few years on overtake their peers?

I know DB! It was gorgeous when I got up this morning and now it is freezing and blowing a gale!

ZJ J was bathed very infrequently until I started doing them together. You are a less lazy mummy than me.