December 2011: The one where DSM gets married...

[LittleMissFlustered]

:o

DSM I read that as a radio 4 card for Darcy... Start 'em early!

Yep mopsy I was rather when he said that... Can't wait to relay the conversation to DH when he gets home. If I can wrestle DDs Off computer I may do a quick internet search to check his actual advertised vs selling prices as I'm sure he was making that bit up!

Aethel Sounds like you made the right decision by not going with him - cocky git!

Makes sense! (to everyone:o)

I'm currently tasking pictures of stuff to put on eBay. The great rambling summer declutter continues!

Sky had a brilliant first day at nursery, only a few tears when tired. Has a good attempt at her lunch & tea which was lamb burger, mash, peas & gravy with jam tart & custard for afters. Pasta salad and yoghurt for tea all freshly made as they have a chef who comes in everyday

Darcie is ready to go back to school tomorrow and I have a sparkly house today and DH sent me a txt when he got home to say house is lovely thank you

I?m here too seven. Just busy and knackered!

Hope the first day back went well aethel

Cherry I have one meal a day batch cooked for the DC?s, it makes life very easy. They are both in bed by 7.15pm, and DH gets home after that, so one or the other of us cooks then. I shower in the morning accompanied by one or two children ? I sit DS with a toy and have CBeebies on while I pop in the shower, then get dressed in my room whilst watching the DC?s. A travel cot with play balls in works well if LO is on the move.

I?ve started getting stocking presents for the DC?s and writing down present ideas, but that?s as far as it goes for now. For Christmas, I just get them a stocking of little bits from ?Father Christmas? and one big present plus some books from us. They end up with loads in total once everyone else is factored in. Not sure what to do for DS bday ? this whole Dec baby thing is all new to me, poor little mite!

Gee hope you manage to get some rest, and more sleep if DD allows, and that you?re feeling better soon.

We had a good weekend and went out for another family bike ride, which was good on the whole. We were mainly riding on tracks and paths but had to do a small stretch on the road where I had the misfortune to come across a car full of idiotic young lads who thought it would be hilarious to swerve in, and for the passenger to lean out and try to grab my arm. Luckily he only got the edge of my sleeve or I dread to think what might have happened to me and DD, who was on the bike with me. It prompted the following conversation:
DD: ?Mummy, what did you say to him??
Me: ?You don?t need to know what Mummy said, it was a rude word?

Fecking stupid idiots!!! Glad you were both unharmed.

Good god Kate, what kind of cretins were they? Shame you didn't get the car reg so you could have reported them to the police. That kind of behaviour could seriously injure or even kill someone. Glad you're okay! You must have got a proper fright.

Whoah Kate, that's shocking! Especially with the DCs on the bikes.

Work was fine, lots of paperwork as usual but I think I'm mostly back up to speed. Systems constantly change so any period of time away means there's a lot of double-checking. This is the third time I've come back from mat leave so at least I know the drill! dS was a bit tearful when I left him but was OK when I came to get him and I got a lovely gummy grin. Tired now though. Bed calls!

Sorry it's tough for you gee and kate, it does get better...at some point....sorry, this is probably not helping.....!!

kate that's unbelievable, glad you were both ok.

Hope the return to work was ok aethel, and glad Sky got on ok DSM.

I've been so unorganised since having Eva, I've normally started Christmas shopping by now and had a list for the rest of it. I'm cheeky that I make notes throughout the year of things people want then Christmas is usually easy! I bought DS main present (a hornby train set) cheap in the January sales, and DH bought him a children's encyclopaedia last week reduced from £20 to £5 so we'll probably just get him a couple more little bits. No idea what to get Eva, especially with her birthday a month before.

Solicitors have still heard nothing, ours is back off holiday and extremely annoyed that it hasn't been chased up by her business partner while she's been away . She told DH that there's no way it'll be completed in time for when my parents need the money, they'll likely lose the house and it will cost them thousands. In a dilemma about what to do, keep quiet and hope it doesn't happen or say something and increase the pressure on us.

Oh no seven, I guess the only thing you can do is explain the urgent need to your solicitor, ask for an early update, say in 48 hours, and then tell your parents at that point if things aren't shifting, so they can pass the info upchain or look into alternatives such as a bridging loan or passing on the delay. Sucky, but lots of fingers crossed that things will magically start to progress (they do occasionally and at least your regula solicitor is motivated).

Am having collywobbles about our potential move: will namechange and start a thread somewhere I think as don't want to have all this hassle of our projected endpoint is an awful place to live!

Ah, in the same boat here, found a hoodie in the sales and bought it for DP. It's in my Mum's wardrobe and I know I'll forget all about it!

Glad your first day back went OK aethel, barring the odd tear, and Sky's first day went well Mrs DSM. I bet it doesn't get any easier aethel, even if you do know the drill... DS has his trial days on Thursday and Friday this week and Monday next, then starts proper on Tuesday. Think DP will have a nervous breakdown, and the idea of getting us all ready in the morning !

DS is currently actually sitting and playing as he's done nothing but move and ferret around during our visit- my back is killing me...and our stairgates have just turned up, 'scuse me!

Soooo...this week, we'll be mainly visiting nursery, getting a builder in, putting up stair gates, DP having his work meeting, and unpacking/getting DS ready for nursery and DP ready for his return for work. Unfortunately, we've got an appointment on each day, so despite us having a week's 'holiday', we're not actually going to get anything holiday-ish done!

I firmly believe Kate that young men (and I suppose young women) should not be let anywhere near a car. I'd increase the driving age to 21, and then have a limit on the size of engine til 25, similar to motorbikes. Quite why, when you're 17 and a raging ball of testosterone and stupidity the government thinks its a good idea to allow you to have a tonne of combustible metal to play with I don't know.

Kate OMG Hope your okay? Stupidity of some people is shocking!

Northern Hope DS has a good time at nursery.

Seven The only thing you can do is explain what's happening. That currently it is out of your control and no good putting extra pressure on you. Chase up with your solicitor again. Can your solicitor put a deadline date in a letter at all?

cherry I'd been having a shower with both DDs in the evening, but the dr has confirmed DD2 has eczema from this basically so having to stop that... so now doing similar to kate and having a mega quick shower and letting them watch raaraa.

Yep, I still can't quite get over the stupidity of them. It was such a shock at the time that they were long gone before I even thought of getting the car reg. DH was further up the road and so didn't realise what had happened. I suppose at least they didn't try swooping in and having another go at him and DS.

Glad it went well aethel. I hope AethelSpawn, MiniChinny and Sky all enjoy their new nursery adventures. I'll be putting DS in for a couple of days a week in the New Year, and that will be proper guilt because I won't be going off to work

Hope the house situation gets resolved soon seven, that's a horrible position to be in

Oh and aethel thanks for the support. To be honest I'm generally finding it fine now that DS is sleeping through, so I'm not going through anything like poor gee is, we just had a couple of rough nights with DD and her dodgy bowels which took their toll. Feeling slightly more human again now

Back to swimming with DS today. We had to change day and time because only two of us re-booked for this course, and the new time of day seems to suit DS much better. He had a lovely splashy time today

Ahhh, I'm back. i hereby declare curried spring roll and chips to be diet food. Honest.

(not looking forward to the work juggle tomorrow! First day of school and DH is taking them off to breakfast club .)

Hope the juggling goes ok tomorrow aethel, I'm sure everyone will be where they're meant to be when they're meant to be there :)

As of tomorrow we're officially home-educating, can't believe my little boy is school-age already. Not back to school picnic on the beach tomorrow to celebrate hopefully with some other HE'rs, then off to London for the wheelchair basketball on Thursday. Can't wait!

Good luck aethel, as long as you don't find a random DC tucked in the back of the car around 11am, you'll be fine! Sure it'll go well, but I bet you'll all be glad to land back at home in the afternoon/evening. How's your other thread going about the move?

DP's work meeting tomorrow, so we'll have a better idea of where we stand- shame that we've got to have it in the middle of our one 'holiday' of the year .

Right, off to bed, can't stay up too late !

seven why will it cost them 000's? has their valuation already happened? - We booked and paid for the valuation on house no2, but it didn't go ahead, so we got a refund. And I downgraded the valuation for house no 3 as it was newer/didn't need such an indepth report. I'd say warn your parents as soon as possible that there is a delay. Then they can stop any further expenditure.
It may not mean that they lose the house they want to buy. Buyers are hard to find, as we know, so their vendors won't necessarily find another buyer so quickly.
In work, so can't chat really, but DH has received a glowing reference from his penultimate workplace, and passed most of his online tests with 98 % grades, so we're hopeful that he'll find a temp placement soon.
Things aren't great between us, TBH. I just feel lied to and spend my workfree time proving to myself - in my head - that I don't need him. Which is not the best attitude! I am now questioning how he lost his last job. Is there something more he isn't telling me? (quite probable)
I told him last night that I was still angry, and didn't trust him. and underlined that I didn't feel it was a dealbreaker/marriage breaker at this point, but should he lie to me again then the situation would be reviewed seriously. I stopped short of telling him that I didn't need him. That wouldn't help him. I'll have to find some way of making him realise that he has to really up his game, and his contribution to the family for me to feel he has any value.
ooooh harsh!!!
(this is what happens when you're financially independent and older and used to being single!)
Thanks be to Bob that the new house is entirely in my name. Deeds and mortgage.
See my bad attitude. I need to try and mend the relationship that has been put under strain since having a baby, this extra dimension/challenge is not helping!!!
I'm sure we'll get through it. we will. Time, patience and a job to empower him... He'd just better not do anything to jeopardise his position further.

Oh dear Oi, hope things improve soon :(

You have my sympathies Oi, I've felt like that, and you're right- it is dangerous, because after a while you really don't need them. You can pull back from the brink, but it is a case of the person in question upping their game: there's not much you can do to change how you feel, they have to start acting in a way that changes how you feel about them. But the first year of a first baby is apparently, statistically, the toughest.
Good luck.

DP had a good meeting at work, and we may be coming to an arrangement that suits- instead of 9.30 am to 3.30 pm, he'd do lunchtime til 6/6.30. Apparently they have a tough time getting people working in the afternoons, as so many people work flexibly and finish early for the school run.
That way DP would get the whole morning with DS, and it would mean we'd have the luxury of DP wrangling DS whilst I got ready for and left for work. Then I'd pick DS up from nursery, take him home, dinner and ready for bed, and DP would be home in time to kiss him goodnight.
If they go for it, it would actually be really, really good. Only issue is if they'll be OK with DP starting at 1.15/30... But say a few prayers/sacrifice a few chickens for us!

Question for the laydeez- is anyone else's DC not having as much milk as is recommended? DS seems to be having 400ish? per day: leaving about 60 ml in all his bottles and turning his nose up at his evening bf (why not the 6am one DS, why?!). I know they're meant to have about 600ml, but also that you're meant to swap some for snacks at some point....

How did your day go aethel?

Northern, minimopsy is defs drinking less milk, she's gone from four 7oz bottles to three and she was fluffing down all four, now age often leaves an ounce or two. Yesterday she had only about 15 or 16 Oz in total and only 1oz of water maybe 2 at most. Today so far she's had 14oz and a few sips of water. She was having 28oz every day until this week...

P.s. Hope it works out for MrNorthern and his hours...

Ugh autocorrect!

Glad to hear other DCs are mopsy; I'm sure someone else said they were starting to give one snack as opposed to milk. That's a big drop for MiniM though, halving in a week...but I guess they're coming up to 9 months and these changes are happening.
I think I've said before, I've read so much on here, and so much of the literature from the NHS, or the GPs, etc, it all about 'introducing', 'how can I make my X do Y', 'tips and techniques' that it seems quite weird that the babies are doing it for themselves!
Cheers re MrNorthern, we'll wait and see...but it would be so good if it worked out for us.

Cook-fest today- did a roast chicken yesterday, so have got the carcass and veg boiling up for a stock, made dough for pizzas tonight, have got the homemade sauce out the freezer for the the pizza and to make up some pasta dish for DS. Will make the minestrone with the stock tomorrow.

I was embarrassingly pleased to find baby pasta in Boots- I'd been looking for it and not seen it, and so when I found it up North when shopping with Mum bought five bags and transported them back down South !