FEB 2010 Two and a half to three...the "contrary age" (no it isn't! yes it is!)

[InmaculadaConcepcion]

Come in, sit down, fresh coffee is brewing, Prosecco's in the fridge for later and there's a bumper box of Lindt chocolates for all....

mous SB Okay, okay, I'm listening to you and have just made an appointment with the out of hours GP for this afternoon. I slept on a tissue last night and my ear leaked so much it soaked through to the pillow... My hearing isn't brilliant to start with so I shouldn't risk something happening to what was my good ear

My ear should heal without AB but I'll see how it goes this week and may get a second opinion from my GP. I have a high pain threshold so tend to downplay how I really feel (pretty awful right now).

BG last year was my 1st ear infection for 15 years. When I saw a doctor dhe gave my AB. 2 weeks later when I saw my GP and explained my ear history she gave me AB ear drop which solved the problem.

BG last year was my 1st ear infection for 15 years. When I saw a doctor dhe gave my AB. 2 weeks later when I saw my GP and explained my ear history she gave me AB ear drop which solved the problem.

Get well soon BG

Likewise the CP crew...

My two both have runny noses, but seem relatively cheerful otherwise. Here's hoping whatever it is is both mild and shortlived.

DS is a lot better though still not eating much in the ways of solids which has led to some interesting nappies. His nappy rash in clearing as well but I think he'll be in disposables for another couple of days.

Even got a nap out of them for the same time today.

BG hope it improves soon. I think earache is a horrid pain. Maybe you should have saged a sit-in until they had given you antibiotics?

CP hope DS picks up further. Good news on the nap though. Your DD sounds very cute.

IC hope the 'thing' is mild and short-lived too.

I've had a truly traumatic day with DS1 today. I am in awe of his bravery and stoicism, especially as the treatment this morning nearly made me pass out!! (And I'm not generally squeamish) I am embarrassed to say I shed a few tears (because I just wanted to be reassuring to him, not because I generally think crying is bad) and more than the one tear that he shed! His wound was horribly contaminated when they got the glue off and was dripping. I will leave it at that as you do not need the mental picture with which I am left. I am so sad and angry that someone's utter incompetance has led to this set of events and I'm not quite sure what to do about it. A letter to the patient experience team and copied to the chief exec of the hospital? If it ends up in him needing a general to put it right, do I actually take legal action? Even the staff at the original hospital were angry on our behalf (when they should have stayed schtumm and towed the party line). The staff at Birmingham, to where we then transferred, said he should have been sent straight to them on the evening of the injury for surgery. I will now attempt to pick myself up and go to work as usual in the morning.

I promise to stop moaning one day! Thanks for listening in the meantime!

Survival I would insist on getting plastics involved in treating it appropriately under GA if necessary. He deserves better than to end up with a horrible scar due to someone's incompetence. And do send those letters of complaint, sounds like someone needs some retraining (or being struck off - I am in that kind of mood!)

Sotu so sorry about your son, it is awful to be infected

Bg how are you today?

CP IC I hope it is better/mild

DD1 loves her advent calendar [pfff], DD2 still just copies her sister... The house (more like a bungalow with a giant attic) is coming on nicely, DH is impressed ! Still lots of work though.
I would not be able to do that if I was working, it is exclusively a morning job while both girls are at school.

Just as we were getting in the car after playgroup, DD vommed up. I weren't quite sure what to do, so went with the 'leg it' option.

CP oh no. Hope it's a one off and not a nasty bug.

IC I blame your ds... dd2 has just asked for a new baby for christmas please . I hope she likes Mr Potato Head instead... Haven't found the 'rainy deer' she wants either.

Oh Survival that is awful, just awful. Definitely complain.
I hope DS1 is doing okay today, poor thing. He has enough to put up with as it is.

BG how are you feeling today? Hahaha at the new baby for Christmas!!

CP eek - FX it isn't a bug.

My two have been fine today. I haven't quite uncrossed my fingers though....

survival I agree you need to complain - if the hospital has a managerial board or standard department that's where I would write. I hope your DS1 is a bit better today

CP fx it was a one off

BG at the baby comment

IC I hope your 2 are on the mend

All here is fine. DS is pushing his boundaries which means a clash of character between him and I but I like to think I win those battles

Thanks again.

CP hope it was a one off.

BG How's your ear today?

Mous did you say it is a playmobil house? We have a castle to construct before February and I'm wondering if we should sart straight after Christmas as it will have to be an evening job!! Glad they like the advent calendar.

Hi SB. I regularly feel outwitted by my two!! DS2 even made it clear that he didn't like me exaggerating something the other day, although I can't remember the phrase he used - maybe 'Oh Mummy, it's not THAT bad!"

Going to contemplate starting the creation of my puppet theatre now - using it as a practise for when the donkey costume material arrives in the next few days!!

oh sotu that's awful :(

BG hope your ear's improving

everyone else with poorly dc's or poorly selves

Sotu We can't afford any playmobile this year. The normal playmobile set shouldn't take that much time to build.
We are recycling card board and building from scratch so it takes time. DD1 only plays with little poneys, playmobile or littelest pet shop, never with dolls, which makes the house proportions easy to build. DD2 will play too as she copies everything so I am trying to make it super strong.
DD2 likes cars too though. She wants "car socks" for Xmas (well "ninah tok"). Wonder if I should look around H&M to get some.

A question for you ladies?
DD2 has a Xmas show with her school, would you let yours be on stage?
My mum think I should because she will feel left over, I don't think she understand what is happening. Her teacher says she knows all the songs and her poem and she is the 1st kid to volunteer to "sing" when it is guitar lessons, so she likes performing.
My thought is she is a baby who doesn't talk yet. It is getting there though but her understanding is very limited compared to what her sister had at the same age (or any your kids for that matter)

Mous Yes I would let your dd2 on stage! Sounds like she is thoroughly enjoying it .

I'm watching the first load of washing in our new washing machine. Ahhhh, quite therepeutic, although it will take me about 7 years to get through the piles of dirty washing

mous I would too let your DD2 go on stage. DS is due to participate in his 1st nativity in 2 weeks time (it would be good to know which character he'll be)

BG how is your ear infection going?

I would let her Mous, if she wants to do it!
Also yes to kicking your DH in the bollocks

DS a bit wakeful last night. I can't decide if he's actually got a slight head cold, or the coldness of our room overnight just makes him snuffly. Either way, a longer gap between wake-up calls would be nice. We're not even at the sleep regression yet either.
Also, I'm wondering if he's got eczma as these dry patches have appeared on his legs. At first I thought they were a bit abraded, either by his nappies or by being rubbed when I have him in the sling, but now they appear to be spreading.

I had a horrible falling out with DD at breakfast this morning which resulted me in pulling her chair out from the table so sharply she fell off it and bumped herself which caused tears and made me feel utterly wretched for losing control. Think I need to re-read my Calmer Easier Happier Parenting book. And a bit more sleep would probably help.

i agree mous. I would let DD do hers if (a) I could be bothered sorting out costumes and (b) be bothered taking her into the session when the play is . You know the stage setting and what, if any, pressure though.

IC I think hope we all have those moments. Mine is that I can plonk DD down a bit forcefully when putting her on the sofa or bed. The other one is with DS occasionally and getting too forceful with rocking. It's not something I admit often and hate myself for it but at least recognise I have to step away from the situation.

Good luck with the skin, I booked DS in for monday to get something else for his one that has spread. Also finally booked his one year jabs

DD ate some beans for dinner which is pretty much the first thing she's eaten more than a mouthful of since yesterday morning. I'm generally fine, it's seems a mild tummy bug. DH is starting to feel it now.

Hi all. I have been reading while feeding, as usual, but really can't bear to post on my phone. And now I have settled myself down with a cup of tea and the laptop and of course DD2 has woken up crying. Grr. Maybe she will give me a few minutes. Not like her to wake crying but she is coming down with her third cold-on-cold-on-cold.

We had sickness too this weekend, DH was sick all Sat night (and kept me awake and I was not very sympathetic at all ) and DD2 was sick first thing Monday morning. FX DD1 and I have escaped.

CP and IC I too have those moments when I 'lose it' either very briefly or not so briefly. Definitely linked to lack of sleep, there are days when I just NEED both girls to have a nap a the same time and they don't, or DD1 senses my mood and presses my buttons. It is terrible when you accidentally cause them hurt but we are only human. Accidents do happen. Not brilliant but.... well, we are only human.

I read an article in the Times magazine about a US baby guru, can't remember his name now, about how to talk to toddlers, basically act like one when they are having a tantrum - shout short, high-pitched sentences back at them. I haven't tried it but what struck me about the article is that he said no-one should be in the sole care of two toddlers/babies, it is almost impossible and that is how I feel most days. I hold it together, but I'm not going to win Mum of the Year any time soon. He says get help from family/friends and, well, that's not an option for most of us living far from families is it. Why do we all live so far from families?!

Ah DD2 is properly crying. Survival I just wanted to say I am in constant admiration for the way you cope with the very hard stuff life throws at you. YOur ordeal with DS1 sounds so traumatic. I really do hope you can get some redress on it. And hope that he is ok.

Gotta go, hope to catch up later.

Scones I just nearly posted to you on fb asking how you are. Nice to hear from you.

I have to admit I took DD to nursery as I have so much work to do hence being on MN. She's not been sick in 48 hours and doesn't have a fever, but is rather sleepy and being still. I told them all this and they were happy to take her and see how things go. She had quite a few wakings last night until 1am, brief get up at 7 for 20 mins then went back to bed until 9:30.

not sure about the high pitched responses, then again still better than some of mine. Although generally I feel like I am more calmer with them. It helps that DS can go to sleep even if she is shouting, so don't feel the need to silence her.

I get those "moments" too

scones I try to "tantrum" DD2 out of hers when they are really really ridiculous

It does usually work, but I always thought it was frown upon. I am not doing it when it might hurt her feelings though.

Sleep is the killer. I am lucky enough to have 2 DDs who sleep through now (school has made DD2 sleeps 20h30-7h ), now all I need is a DH who does and stops snoring .

Get well wishes to all the sickly.

For the show I will let her, I think

mous Nikolaus here too. I have two very excited children right now (and I think Nikolaus may have to pop out to the shops tonight for two small chocolate santas ). They also get a playmobil advent calendar to share.

My ear is annoying me a lot (thanks for asking). It is still leaking but less so, still have a dull ache, can't hear a thing on that side apart from a permanent car alarm sound. The children think it's hilarious when I jump out of my skin because I can't hear people approaching me, and don't like it so much when I cannot understand a word they say to me (they are too low down/I am too tall - have started going down on their level to hear what they are trying to tell me). Will probably go to my GP on Friday to ask for something to treat it because I am not keen on staying deaf and with tinnitus on that side.

BG Please go see your GP, I would have panicked by now if it was me (but then I am already deaf in one ear so... easily scared if anything happens to my good ear, and completely oblivious if it is in my bad ear).