June 2009 - Threenagers and the world of 'I WANT...'

[Skillbo]

Thought would start our new one with a typical J threenager moment:

Trying to tidy up playroom which doubles up as our dining room -

Grabbing everything and trying to shove it to the side of the room, J declares 'my want my horses' which is this random stable thing she chose with her birthday money which houses 4 horses and is massive. Obviously she can't have it at the table but she grabs it and storms off saying 'you can't tell me'

Favourite phrases:

• My want it, obviously
  
• No, tried and tested favourite
  
• why? What you doing? Who's that? What's that?
  
• I want daddy to do it, and vice versa as long as it's the opposite to what you've got planned
  

and i won't get into her wardrobe choices

[Gauchita]

[snowwombat]

hey how about an oop north meetup gauchita seems we are on our way to y o r k sh i r e. DH got a permanent job. So currently amid the chaos of finding somewhere new to rent, giving notice here, packing, new childcare, my new job, etc.

This business coupled with my email account being hacked and all contacts and emailed deleted, after a kind person in Nigeria hacked in and sent an email to everyone as me, telling them I was stuck in london and needed money. Bastards. My poor almost 90 year old grandmother was ready to send money and I was fine, just heading home from a work trip to s p a i n. So, a mixed week of good and bad, but ridiculously busy. Oh , and i'm off to do my britishness test this weekend, ahead of my application to become a british citizen. Better get studying!

gauchita Well done on the new job. That is great news. Back to the issue of getting things done. The temp nannies we have had over the last 2 years have often been available at the last minute, so if I got work a week in advance or even 48hrs, I could usually come up with childcare. The work doesn't always cover the cost of the childcare, but in the long term, I have still made a profit, so I see it as a bit of a balance. Like you, I need to be seen to be accepting the work and getting known again, so that more work comes my way. And it has so far. . I hope you can find some solution that works for you. Have you had a nosey at childcare dot co dot uk- i found a few of ours on there. The other option was getting one of the nursery workers to come early evening so they could help with bed/bath and I could start working earlier than 9pm.

ninja i am appalled at the treatment of your BIL. It really warrants a complaint to PALS. I am sure neither he or his wife have the time for that at the moment, but I am so angry at the catalogue of f** ups that seem to have been his care. I hope the get some good news soon.
How exciting for dd3 going into a new unit. Lots of shiny new rooms/equipment etc? A summer holiday to enjoy first.
E needs to come to our place- constant tractors/trailers/combine harvesters etc. The traffic up and down our lane provides wonderful amusement. Coupled with the helicopters and the air force fighter jets low flying, we are a transport haven

june well done on the trip away. Sorry it didn't go quite as planned. Did you have a nice time with DH while you were there? As to time to be me, not mum, etc, I rarely get out in the evenings here, but I spend alot of time chatting via skype with my sister or best mates in oz. I try and chat to a friend (pre children) on the phone at least one night a week. Work helps too, and of course, I am always abandoning the family to work away, so I do get alot of time to myself when I am away. DH and I- well, it still isn't good. I worked my arse off to organise him a fab fortieth party. Everyone had a great time, but he was back to being an arsehole within a few days. Now he works away all week and we might speak 15mins a day max . I am hopeful that now the job situation is sorted, and that stress that has been hanging over us for nearly 2 years is gone, we might get back on track with the move north. I am v v grateful that I have my job and a wonderful group of mates that are very supportive. I can't give you any advice, except when we are together in the evening, we do try and have some time without phones/laptops etc as it is too easy to be both sat there on the computer and not talking. This development is in its' early days, so we will see.

zhen you ok?? Did the money get sorted? How are big and little Ns?

skillbo how is the return to work? you surviving?

Hi everyone else, hope you are enjoying the summer weather! Finally! We had hours of fun in the garden with a hose and sprinkler today.

[Gauchita]

Have to run, so short post!

Snow, woo hoo to a permanent job!!! Yaaaay!!! You must feel so relieved!!! Congratulations to your DH. And yay for coming oop north! Definitely a meet-up here soon then.

Thanks for tips re. nanny. I'll have a look at that website.

Good luck on the test!!! Do they tell you the results there and then or do you have to wait a bit?

Hope everyone is well.

[June2009]

Wow Snow congrats to dh and nice one on finally knowing where you'll be living x Hope everything works out well from now :)
Did you pass your test? I wanted to take it years ago, bought the book etc then they changed the book (!! History remains right???) and I felt really ripped off and never bothered.

Typically I forgot what everybody else said and can't scroll...

Ninja hope bil and sil are coping ok, do you know if they have complained?

[GauchitaOlimpica]

Evening all!

What a fantastic ceremony yesterday, we really liked it.
Hope everyone's well and enjoying the sunshine (although it was quite chilly today up here).
Snow, any news as to when the move will be? Email sorted now? How grrr for you.
June, hope you had fun today
Ninja, how's BIL? Have they complained with PALS?

Went to the cinema today with DC. M loved it, D slept the whole time Only bad point of the day is DH managed to bust one of the front wheels of the pushchair (lift wasn't working, we had to use the escalator and he wasn't looking properly and wheel got stuck and bent)

Worst part is yesterday we sold the other pushchair we had, the bigger one from birth that we had bought for D. So Monday I'll have to call ML and ask if they can sell another one? I have no idea if that can be done anyway! Grrrr

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

afternoon all

snow, fab fab fab news, big yay for permanent job and move!! Any news on your test, job yet? I was gobsmacked to learn how expensive it is to become British! Does this mean an end to all the visa hassle? I have E's bag packed, when do you want him No shiny new building this year, but possibly in the next couple of years if the plans all work out, they have to be able to prove it's worth first.

june, I wouldn't be surprised if they tried to rewrite history just to squeeze a few extra quid out of people it's not good is it!

gauchita, good name change!! Loved the opening ceremony too, apart from all the athletes coming it, dh had a little snore whilst that bit was going on. Gutted for the British diving duo, fluff one dive slightly and you go from first to end up fourth, that's got to hurt. Any news on the buggy?

skillbo, how's work going?

I'm still very angry for b&sil, not what you expect from a top London hospital! Unfortunately it's not been good news, test results from the op were pretty bad, they reckon he has about another 5 years tops with treatment, he's due to start radio therapy soon and will have 6 months of chemo starting at some point. Not want you want to hear at any stage, let alone when you have a newborn. Dh is devastated for them, first time I've seen him cry for a very long time, even though we sort of saw this coming. We shall see, you never know what may happen in the next 5 years

waves to all

[snowwombat]

Hi girls,apologies if the spelling is worse than normal, trying out mn on the ipad.
Thanks for all your lovely supportive messages. Was really kind of you. dh is looking at some rentals this week, I hope we might find something by the weekend. After all the build up of my little test, I missed the bloody thing after being stuck on a closed motorway for 2 hrs. There was a nasty accident and I was only half a mile behind. There is no flexibility or common sense in the b order agency. So 50 quid down the train plus all 7 hrs in the car and now I am going to Cardiff this sat to try and sit the bloody thing. Couldn't go into another slot that day, despite there being another 6 hrs of testing that day. Grrr

gauchita how you doing with work child care balance? I use Skype babysitting a lot
june I can't bloody scroll but I know I wanted to ask you something. Have you arranged another girls might out? How are things with Dh at the moment
ninja I am so for your family. Who knows what might happen with treatment advances, something fast I hope. Thinking of you and sending a big hug.
Send E here, a would love a visitor. He is v unsettled and has been so difficult with tantrums, regression of TT, etc. we had a better day today, took him to a local farm and he was great. Missing his daddy I think.sooner we get north, the better
Off to watch some Olympics, how great we're the women's gymnastics tonight? I think the British girls did so well

[GauchitaOlimpica]

Flash post

Ninja, I'm so sorry to hear that I have them all in my thoughts and prayers, this must be such a hard time Hope they manage to log a complaint with PALS.

Argh DS awake now.

Back tomorrow

[June2009]

ninja that's awful :( a friend of mine was given a few years and made it through and has been clear for a couple of years now, will facebook you their blog.

gauchita i too am enjoying the olympics, havent manaed to watch anything during the day but i usually catch up in the evening with the diving and weightlifting.

snow good news on the move and job, good luck wirh your test x things with dh the same really I can see that at times he does try a bit harder but i feel like it's not really enough. Over the past month i have spent every evening talking to my friends on facebook instead of him as he is just not listening when i start a conversation, he just doesn't reply. Next night out on monday which I hope will be nice.

Got a henna tattoo yesterday :)

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

evening all

thanks for all your kind thoughts ladies xx

snow, good luck for your test, hope there's no hiccups this time. Any news on your impending move yet? Hope A is a little more settled, E is loving all the extra helicopters we've been having over the house, just commercial mainly where we are, he loves the big army ones. We saw the ones carrying the olympic flame into London, watching on the telly and realised they were overhead so dashed outside!!

gauchita, I see photos of food looks yum! Glad you're enjoying it

june, thanks for that Have fun on your night out.

I'm quite getting into all this olympic stuff, so much better than the usual crap that is day time telly! Just a shame the weather isn't a little drier, it's harder to find cheap things to do with the kids when it's wet.

waves to all

[snowwombat]

I've passed the britishness test this morning.Woohoo! Now I am entitled to give the home office lots more money for my next visa Can't wait .
Not much news on the move,the rentals DH looked st this week were not suitable. Have sort of found a house to buy meeting with the bank next week,fingers crossed we can get a mortgage approval and get an offer in in time.
Sorry for the me me post
Hope you are having a good weekend +how good is team GBs medal haul today.Amazing.

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

excellent news snow, well done!! Happy house hunting, let us know if you need a hand to find your next mansion hope all goes well with the bank. The action in the velodrome and on the lake has been amazing!

[GauchitaOlimpica]

Not being the best at catching up these days

Hope everyone's well. Nice quiet weekend here. We've got a friend visiting us atm. I saw him last year but Tom hadn't seen him for 5 years so it's nice to have him here. Besides, no one comes up north when they come to England They all go to London and then bugger off

Yesterday poor D fell from our bed I felt so so so guilty. I turned around for a couple of seconds and I heard a bang. My heart sank He's ok but has a small bump on his forehead. Such guilt

Snow, woo hoo! Well done, lady. So there's another visa to renew then? The ILR?? Fingers crossed for you for the bank appt and approval Have you had time to read the book? How are you finding it?

Ninja, we're becoming quite addicted to the Olympic broadcast as well Only Olympic related stuff on TV these days here. M loves it! She starts imitating them

June, did you manage to watch the weightlifting today? It was impressive! I was to see the weight they were lifting! Sorry to hear things with DH are still a bit "@$£@£$" When you go out on your own, does he manage to "connect" with you in a conversation, or a simple chat??? Or does he continue in "busy" mode? With DH it's sometimes tricky as he gets calls from our boss at any time, wherever we are, and sometimes it's quite for me, esp if we're in the middle of a meal out or busy with the DC. But my face shows it quite quickly so he's getting better at saying "I'll call you in a bit"

Zhen, Skillbo, how are things?

Watching the athletics now!

[Skillbo]

Evening ladies - i'm so sorry for the lack of posting... Being back at work & the fabulous Olympics don't leave me much time of an evening but still a bit slack!

Work is ok - sadly doesn't feel like i've really been away but that's good in a way as don't want to feel out of my depth. Think i mentioned there's a big review and genuinely think i will be up for redundancy as they're centralising a lot and my role is a bit of an anomaly... Won't find out until October either - the joys of working for a big company!!

Thank goodness for the Olympics - team GB have excelled answer i got very emotional about Andy Murray & Mo Farrah in particular...

snow - yay for a permanent job for dh and i hope you have a good meeting with the bank, fingers crossed! Also, congrats on passing your test - sounds like a great ensure to a crazy few weeks!

ninja - am so soeey to hear about your bil and am so for your dh! I work in healthcare and there are just incredible advances all the time so hope beyond hope something can help him! My thoughts are with your sil - how's your new niece getting on?

june - hope things are ok with you? Tempted to try for the Olympics given your fabulous new fitness - i am just in awe.. One of the gymnasts is older than me and she was 5th in the individual vault - amazing and so inspiring! Really want J to have a love of sport - she is active to the extreme so think we should look into channeling that - she seems a bit small right now but must look into it! O is currently following her footsteps - not crawling yet but desperate to and can get things just out of his grasp... Scary just how quick they grow up

gauchita - don't be too sad about D falling off the bed! J has done it a couple of times given(that sounds so bad!) and once ahead went backwards from sitting and landed on her head/neck - i was terrified she'd really damaged herself! She was fine! O has also fallen out of his blow up ring (on dh's watch i might add!) and ended up with a shiner... Well, red mark but made me a little sad!

Right - going to see how we won our 2 golds today and catch up on the diving and gymnastics... Awesome stuff!

and we landed on mars today - how mad is that!

[Skillbo]

Wow - so many typos... Sorry!

[June2009]

Skillbo sorry to hear about your job, it's so stressfull. Are you going to start looking around just in case? I didn't notice any typos x

The olympics are great :) gauchita we went to see weightlifting at excel and it was brilliant, women 75 Kg+ and they have broken regional national olympic and world records!!!!!

Jut dropped C off to nursery and i am dreadin our holiday to France to be completely honest, she seems to be whingeing from dawn to dusk and it's really grating on me what with things with dh being difficult and work being stressfull I feel like I can't get a grip.
We're going to see family and friends pretty much everyday and if C is not on bet behaviour I know my dad will make comments that will hurt me.
Reading it back I sound just stressed don't I.

I have ha a night out with somw friends which was lovely and went out with my cousin to do some trapeze in regents park which was fun, we're going again in 2 weeks.
My brother is coming to visit and my cousins are also here this weekend so we're hoping the weather holds for a big bbq with everybody on Sunday.

Going to the olympics to see wrestling on saturday!!

ninja was it this time last year you were having your loft done? I bet it's really nice havin the extra room. How's the cat now by the way? and is dd1 on hols from uni? back home for the summer? it is a lot more expensive and hard work when you have to find something to do/go somewhere to keep the kids occupied.

We're movin on with the naps I think so that C goes to bed earlier.
One of the mums from nursery was telling me every now and then she gets to apend a night at a friends house so she doesn't have to worry about her two for a whole night and morning, isnt that great??

Id better send this before i loose it all!

[TheNinjaGooseIsOnAMission]

morning all

gauchita, that photo of M 'walking the beam' was brilliant, I think she scored a 10 across the board

skillbo, sorry to hear about the job! I've found myself shouting at the telly far too often, it's not like the athletes can hear me I saw Andy Murray practising for the olympics a few weeks ago, he was drawing quite a crowd. The baby is doing great thanks, bit of a chunk now and totally gorgeous, they grow up way too quick.

june, how amazing was that video!! New career there for you. You've a good memory, yes it was a year ago we had the loft done, dd2 and ds1 have managed to make their rooms look like a bombsite very quickly definitely worth it though. Dd1 has been back for a while now, she's staying with her boyfriend as she doesn't have to get up at silly oclock there. She's got a summer job with one of those childrens holiday camp places so that's keeping her very busy, it's the same one she did last year but she's in charge of the little ones this time and had ofsted in on her first week! Don't worry about your dad, I'm sure most people understand that 3 yos have their moments, E certainly does! Enjoy your family visits

still enjoying the olympics here, dh is getting a bit fed up with it all though. I'm watching one of the martial arts things atm but am totally distracted by the way the ref is dancing around, I am most amused

waves to all

[snowwombat]

Hello girls, how good is it to see the sunshine a few days on the trot. Glorious, especially as we have had visitors all week+now have family to stay.
ninja prime location, 5 bed min within ten miles of s carboro, property porn galore :) skillbo j would like the several properties with stables available. in fact june the rocking horse would fit too if you are sick of it at your place :).
We have offered on a house bit currently in a bidding war. will see what Monday brings. Horrible wait.
june darling you sound so stressed. we have daily meltdowns andconstsnt whinging here too.it is called being three.
skillbo Bugger about the job stress,thinking of you. is there life outside the nhs?
bettergo, z waking . happy Friday girls

[Skillbo]

Just a quick drop in as watching the diving... one of our divers has just gone out

Thanks for your kind words - work isn't that bad really, posted after a bad day. My manager is great and I know will shout on my behalf. And theres nothing I can do to influence it so shall just wait it out... And Snow, I don't work in the NHS - I work in health insurance.. I really hope you get the house so you can tell us all about it - must be nerve racking to have to wait!

June - J is such a whinger and has proper diva melt downs every day... she just pushes and pushes and pushes... grrrr! Her good still outweighs her bad and I cling to that

Ninja - could never tire of the olympics in this house! Its just incredible and I feel so proud to be British! I am really loving the kit - seeing it on everyones different clothing, really made the team spirit come alive for me...

Right - am going to catch up on days events as we went straight to the common from work as trying to take advantage of the weather - isn't it glorious!! Tomorrows supposed to be fabulous too

Have a great weekend all x

[snowwombat]

gauchita sorry hit post too soon. About an hour fifteen from yours to our new location once we move, you will have more people oop north to visit. Book is good,slowly getting through, need to get DH to read it. On the whole, I am coping better with the two of them by myself week in week out.
Off on holidays early tom so better get the packing finished.

[GauchitaOlimpica]

Marking place!

[GauchitaOlimpica]

I'm swamped in work but I'm taking 10min to catch up, otherwise it might be a few more days!

The "me" part: I started the new "job" two weeks ago and I'm thrilled ha! I love the research side of it and getting to know so much about BR, "chatting" with the followers, etc. Time consuming like mad, though and it's a 24hs job ha! as some people send you messages and ask you things at all hours I was so happy yesterday, we had a prize draw after reaching 1000 followers and after using r a n d o m d o t o r g the winner turned out to be a father of two who's been fighting a disease for a while and is recovering in hospital atm. He was SO happy and excited when we announced he was the winner I convinced DH we should do it every 250 followers

D teething badly. Up tens of times a night and feeding like mad. Can you believe he'll be 1 this month??? I can't. He starts settling in sessions at nursery this Friday (where's my baby!?)

M v well, chatting all day like a radio in a mix of languages... I get quite dizzy.

Today DH and I will go out for dinner (at 5pm!) for the first time in 3.5 years Going early to be back before they go to bed as there's no way in hell D sleeps without a feed (or settles back after waking up) and I like the girl who's babysitting so I can't do that to her

Snow, woo hoo! Definitely a meet-up soon then Glad book seems useful. There's a support thread if you want to join? I'll look it up for you. Any news on the house front?

Skillbo, that sucks When will you know? It's awful to "sit and wait". Will keep everything crossed for you. I was glued to the TV when I was at home watching the Olympics could not stop! Loved the rhythmic gymnastics, and the diving, and the swimming, and the beach volley, and the athletics

Ninja, can't remember if I mentioned this before, but hope your BIL and SIL manage to log a complaint with PALS. How are they all? Keeping them in my thoughts.

June, I should join you on the stressed bench Most days I just tell myself I must get a grip, as you say, but when I think about it, sometimes I don't know how I don't pass out DH v v v stressed atm so I'm also taking things "off" him to avoid adding to his stress, which doesn't help mine but that's another matter. Glad you enjoyed the night out with your friends, and the trapeze sounds like fun! There's a Leeds meetup next week, I'm going but have to take D with me

Zhen, how are you all?

Back to work!

[GauchitaOlimpica]

Anyone there?

[June2009]

Heya I'm still lurking :) glad to hear you like your new job :)
I can't remember any of the things I wanted to say and I can't scroll back. Will catch up again and make an effort to remember who said what!!

[snowwombat]

Hi girls, I have been on holidays and without internet for days. Highly recommend it :). Now on a long drive home, well DH driving.
We continue on the house search. Were out bid on the one we offered on. Amazing the difference from o x f o r d, we can buy a house for the same price as a two bed flat there.
I will sit and join the stressed out bench. DH just speaks to me so rudely or with disdain most of the time, it is horrid. Doesn't seem to care if I pull him up on it. I just keeping hoping it will get better once we live together again+have a home. I really don't mind living apart, which is probably not a good thing, but he can't nbe an arse+I am really enjoying the kids, especially as they are playing together+adore each other.
gauchita have you started the new job?is it the social media /promotions side of things?
june you sound down my dear, what are you up to this weekend?when is your next date night with DH?
Hi to evrryone else. zhen will you let us know if you are ok?