Dec 08 Mums - still biffing on

[LadyThompson]

Yes, yes, it's a bit lame. I wanted to say: "Still fucking on!" but wary of causing offence....

I know 'biffing' is a bit PG Wodehouse, as well. You'll just have to humour me

RT oh my that is absolutely rotten. Poor poor you and poor little DD. would you like to borrow a buggy? I've got a spare one and you don't want to be carrying her around all the time. I can't remember where you live exactly but I can pop in around I'm sure. Along with cake! Please do shout if that or anything else would be helpful.

How are you doing RT? Thinking of you XXXX

RT, you poor mare! How are the cramps today? Try not to worry about them as they may wee be the old bedding in cramps. Also, you do sound similar to me. I always worry that I'll over react to something, so end up under reacting, when you should probably trust your instincts. Do NOT beat yourself up about it.

Kiwi - did you hear back from hr about your proposed working hours? I forget.
X

Thanks for all your kind words everyone. I love this thread! Seriously you are all wonderful. I nearly cried when I read Sybs and Kiwi's offers to drive over with prams - just so kind and thoughful - thankfully we borrowed a McLaren from a local friend so we are sorted on that front.

We've all been shattered today. DH, DD2 and I only got three hours sleep on Thurs night and yesterday was manic at the hosp, so today we took it easy and all feel a bit better. My cramps have calmed down too although I'm sure the pregnancy is adding to the tiredness. DD2 still in pain but really cheerful too, bless her. DD1 is being heroic entertaining her.

Rubes, I LOVED your tales of yr DD. She sounds such a character. What did you do with all the loo roll???

Rest up, RT, and let DH take care of you. DOn't forget,too, that early pregnancy symptoms are identical to period ones and so cramps etc (worryingly) are normal. Huge hugs and lots of love XXXX

Oh Rubes, that's hilarious!

RT Poor dd. Now you take it easy this weekend and put your feet up. Hope you rang the police. When you replace the trellis top it with those sharp anti-intruder spike things.

Today we went to Manchester. We were half way there when I realised I still had my slippers on . The only other footwear we had in the car was wellies so I had to walk around in wellies on a sunny day. Idiot!

Omg I'm sat here giggling to myself. Between Rubes DD's toilet roll decorating & Hons slippers I'm going to wet myself.

I'm glad you got to chill today RT. Poor little DS2, but what a trooper. Was the nanny a bit freaked out, DD2 got broken on her watch & someone quite strange was in the back garden while she was there.

Hons, I've done that but not far enough that I couldn't turn back!

RT - I was mortified, as at the same time when DS got into her cubical, he was screaming at her to clean it up and counting her up to five and threatening time out! I basically dispersed it between the tampony, toilety bin thing in there and the change room bins [blush then carried her out kicking and screaming to the car. Oh and her latest is undoing her seat belt in the car seat. No amount of lecturing has worked and I've even had to buy the "Houdini Stop" which I'm hoping will make the novelty of undoing the main part wear off
Well dinner last night turned out rather expensive! Twas a dinner at the boss house as DH leaves and goes to a different location in Oct. 12 months of on-calls at least twice a month and he's never had to go in over night as he's non-resident, until last night....! it dragged on and in hindsight we should have realized the time when he actually went in and I should have gone too but we'd barely even arrived there.... Never mind, I had to cab it home in the end..... a long way!
Sitters have worked out quite well so far - first time DS cried for about 5 min then was fine, but did come out once she said, dd not at all, then 2nd time (last night) I left at 630, she put them to bed by 715pm and not a peep until 8 this morning!! They both really seem to like her so will request her if I can every time. Mil slightly miffed of course.

Rubes and Hons, both of your stories have really made me laugh.

We've just booked a ferry to Bruges. I can not wait! We are only going for 1 day, get the ferry Thurs evening then spend Friday in Bruges and come home Fri evening. But they'll have the christmas market running.

I need to get a passport for me and DD. I was just filling the form in online and they needed all my parents and DHs parents details for DDs passport.

I best practice my French.

Really McKayz I cannot for the life of me remember having to fill in grandparents details on either of the boys passports, with Dual citizenship passports are something we do a lot. I wander if it's new thing. I did the boys Aussie ones last year I don't think we needed mums details except as another next of kin maybe. It is a faff isn't it, & bloody expensive too.

I'm confused Rubes, where did you have to go in, did you have to catch a taxi back yourself? Yay for babysitting going well, you will now have a whole new life. I imagine even if there are different sitters in your area there will probably be a pool of 3-4 so it might be worth getting them used to a couple. The DS's are very used to our sitter now, but when we were in London we had our friends regular sitter look after them for a night and they were fine. Nearly fell over though, it cost £80! She was just a neighbours 18year old too.

On way to Amsterdam for a race, it's only 4 miles but it is a really nice route so looking forward to it.

It is because both DH and me were born after 1982 so we don't automatically become British citizens or something dumb like that. So DDs British citizenship depends on the nationality of our parents. Or I think that's it.

Yeah we've had to do all that parent details for our dcs. Their names, date and location of birth and date of marriage. Fun fun. Daft thing is we did it ds1. Then when I arrived at the post office with all the forms for dd and my extra sheet of paper with all those details on the woman said I didn't need to as both dh and I had included our passport numbers so obviously the citizenship etc could be traced through that. Fastforward to doing ds2's passport and I took the forms to the post office without the details and lo and behold the woman insists I DO need it. I was most pissed off since our local post office doesn't do passports so I had to traipse into Durham again.

Ds2 just had his second 15 min nap of the day. He doesn't seem to agree with sleeping more than 15-20 mins at a time at the moment. Even he is getting grumpy on it.

I must have done it for the boys then, though it is only DH & I who are Bri'ish innit, not out parentals. Blimey born after 1982, you young'ens. I once got asked for ID when I was in my early 30's by a bouncer who was born in 1985 made my day.

Ran my race, I was hoping for 36 minutes for the 4 miles (6.4km) but ended up with 37.46. I am sure I ran fast enough to do less than that I am suspicious of their measurement of the race. But its done & while it felt quite hard most of the way, I enjoyed it. Also I finally rode on the foot ferry behind Amsterdam station over the Ijs. On the way back now on the train & poor DS2 has fallen asleep. So exhausting for him all the mummy running watching.

Who was it with the head lice? I second the recommendation of Hedrin, brilliant stuff. But also you can buy head lice deterrent shampoo & conditioners. They are made with tea tree oil & some other stuff & apparently the lice don't like it. Our boys have very thick hair and the school constantly has head lice problems, everytime DS1 would pick them up. But since we started using the shampoo we haven't had anymore lice, touch wood.

Well done Vag.
DH had to go into work. Sorry it reads a bit confusing. He was on-call while were at the dinner party, and at this job has never had to actually do more than take calls from home so didn't think it would be a problem with the 1 car but this particular case needed sorting so he had to go in.

Hello ladies

RT, I am horrified at your terrible day, and so so sorry for you DP was saying you should definitely have called the police. I am worried about you having to hump DD2 around. We have a rucksack back carrier but that is probably not v practical, though much less strain on your abdomen. (Happy to lend it to you if of use). Morning sickness - someone was telling me the other day that they uttely relied on mint Tictacs. She said there was something about them that helped her nausea and no other mint would do. I know it's a small thing but I wanted to pass it on.

So looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for a pre-birthday lunch, Rubes. Yay! We both have a very very rare child free day. I can't believe it. DP is home and he has had so many gigs on Saturdays and has got more coming up that it's a bit of a sop for me to have some time to myself. But I am grateful. I am glad the sitters are working out, that is smashing. Oh, and I once got a cab from Dartford in Kent to Bayswater W2 It wasn't pretty. That is very funny about DS trying to discipline DD.

Sorry you are disappointed with your time, Vag, it still sounds good to me.

I fear headlice and I know someone's going to get them sooner or later. I am not good with bugs. Still, better than pubic lice Not that I have ever had them, but can you imagine? At least your kids haven't got those, Sybs, though it's scant comfort I know

I had a travel piece in one of the papers today (don't think it's online) and I was pictured by a wild mushroom stand at a food market. The picture editor kindly captioned it: "LT checks out the cakes". I don't even eat effing cakes! And it makes me sound like Billy Bunter! They were big mushrooms! DP laughed so hard I thought he was going to vomit or fall over.

Kayz, Bruges is GORGEOUS.

Indith - I bet you have the fire going today! We don't have the stove going but we have an open fire in the sitting room. It's fab. Trouble is, I had loads to do today and have ended up semi-lazing as it's so nice in here and is such a rare treat. I am still hoping you'll find the lion. So maddening.

Hello all,

J is poorly today. Vomiting and really lethargic. So many changes of clothes and bedding I've hardly any jeans or jumpers left.

Indith I dreamt last night you were pregnant with no 4 . You were worried about the small age gap but your in laws were thrilled!

We've got the fire going. Lovely and toasty. Fingers crossed for a vom free night.

I forgot to say well done vag on the race. Sounds like a brilliant time!

JB, sympathies on the sick. I find spreading towels out helps, and wearing leggings rather than jeans which take ages to dry. Hope J soon better.

Lady T, I see you pubic lice (as 'twere) and raise you threadworms. Effing vile. Makes lice a walk in the park. Enjoy your lunch with Rubes tomorrow.

How are you today Arti? THinking of you.

Right, off to chores pre Downton. DH has spent the ENTIRE DAY making a stew. I can rustle one up between school runs. Honestly. It had better be good.

Hons NO! Just NO! Oh my word no. If you come on next and say you have deja vu and prophetic dreams from time to time I may scream. Best get dh booked in for that snip!

LadyT no fire today. Had it yesterday though :)

Lion was found today! Dd suddenly ran out of ds1's room giggling like mad and brandishing a lion. I refused to believe her that it was the lost one until she ran up to her room and came down with the unlost one. He was squashed into a purse under a pile of stuff in ds1's room.

Congrats on the race Vag even if you would have liked to to better. We all have our off days, tis still a great time.

Sympathy on the vomit. I have a particular hatred of vomit bugs. Urgh.

We have escaped lice so far. I tend to give the dcs a quick nit comb when I wash their hair to keep a check. I hate those texts from school "headlice have been reported, please check ds1's hair". Makes me itch.

Oh Hons, I hope she perks up and you don't have a night of it. O has been ill again today, high temp, but no vomming. Yet.

Indith - hurrah on the lion.

Sybs - yuck. Wormingtons - no words. Just no words. I hope we never get them. Bet we will. So how was the stew?

Oh, and the trip I wrote about was the one our clever ZJ sorted for me.

Sybs what on earth could he be doing to take so long to make stew. I used to love making Veggie stews when DH was away a lot because they took no time and I could throw it on, bath the boys put them to bed & with that done my tea was ready.

Well it turns out they didn't measure the course very well and it was closer to 6.9km so with that time I would have done the 6.4km in 35.15min so I'm very happy with that. Some more sprint training & I should be able to shave more time off that.

I am ignoring all the worm talk, my mum used to make us take worm tablets at regular intervals, in those days they were 6 tablets, bigger than paracetamol, bleurgh.

Sorry LadyT but I did laugh at your cakey mushrooms. Wish I could read the article. Will it be on the line soon.

I've just re jigged our living room as we are going to knock out a devider cupboard thing between the kitchen and the livingroom. I have moved the couches & telly down to one end of the room to make a cosy little square area, & the boys toys etc will be nearer the kitchen. It is so much nicer now and has really opened up the room.

Also DS1 got his next swim diploma, very proud of him. I watched his last lesson, he's inherited his mothers swimming strength, which is nice. Poor DH is still having trouble with treading water bless him.

Sorry about the spew Hons. Hope it settles soon. I really like calling you Hons, its like Huns, short for honey, it's nice.

Morning all, oh rt I can only echo what others say, you've had a hideous few days and coped with it admirably. Allow yourself to fall apart for a bit and have others look after you for a while.

lady I feel I must get hold of that piece for the picture caption alone! It's great that you're managing to get good writing gigs to fund your travels. Sorry to hear O poorly again though.

rubes that is a great story about your DD and also vg on the sitters front. Am thinking of employing them for the sleep aspects alone (B up from 3 - 5 am, T up for the day at 5.30)

Great running time, vag, you have a body of steel! Wel jel.

Am at Playgrou and getting looks for not supervising my child properly so will stop here but back later.

Pfft I thought that was the point of playgroup they are safe and you only need to do something if they biff someone else's child. Was he exhibiting any biffing, or other antisocial behaviour?

Unfortunately, more resembling jelly, rather than steel.

Indith I'm not at all woo with dreams so don't panic! Maybe get the snip booked though!

Lady Hope dd1 feels better today.

Thanks Sybs. I took your towel advice and now have one to hand at all times!

Dd2 is a teeny bit brighter but incredibly sleepy and lathargic. Any illness just literally knocks her off her feet - she only tried walking once yesterday and she fell over like a newborn foal. Is it worth a trip to the GP? She's not dehydrated but is very floppy when she relaxes and heavy - if you see what I mean. I don't want to take her out on a freezing, wet day and make her feel worse.

If she is still feeding ok Hons and keeping it down for at least a minute or two after the feed has finished she is fine. Bugs can be quite exhausting to fight off. As long as she is responsive that is fine, just let her sleep as much as she can & feed little & often. Does she have a temperature? Have your after hours GP number handy just in case but it sounds like she just needs lots of rest.