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....

CP yes I agree with survival re the toy sale (and clothes too) or see if there is any local selling groups on fb?

survival I'm well happy too by getting some money back (not that we needed it but as they are now spares we might as well try to sell them )

IC how is your DD doing with her treatment? Are you still PT?

DH started making comments on how my mum deals with DS, so my answer was 'do you want to have a MIL conversation?' Funny enough he did not pursuie

I just don't see things selling at this time of year and cba with NCT

bg how do you feel atm?

we survived the ILs once I got used to being there again. They did keep accidentally referring to themselves as mum and dad, but I managed to see the funny side helped by the fact I know they are mine and I control when visits happen now

They did sleep in while their and DD even slept through feels like it's been weeks. We've resorted to just laying in her room with her until she goes to sleep now. Will wait until she feels a bit more secure before attempting to get her to go down by herself. Did anyone with older kids have a stage like this? For the most part we have fun with the monsters, earlier she was concerned she would squash one when jumping on the bed. She is easily made not afraid but guess needs time to do it by herself.

Survival & CP I keep falling asleep without notice which is entertaining for the children . To be honest I would get more rest if dh was at work and the children at school/nursery... but I'm trying to be sensible because I have very little energy. My lungs are coping well because I increased my inhaler on Christmas day when my lips kept turning blue. Quite impressed I am now a statistic! GP was scrolling down to find the code for influenza so I've been counted. Makes me wonder what the unrecorded number of illnesses is though because I only went to the GP to check my lungs because I'm so breathless. Flu never occurred to me.

Dd2 has broken her previous record and just got up at 10.15! She still seems to need the sleep. Sadly her big sister doesn't do lie ins....

My boys are sleeping in until 7.30 or 8, which is about 1-2hrs longer than normal so I guess it's just taking them all an age to get well. Ds2 is still not eating either and then waking hungry at 4.30a.m!

Get well soon bg!
Just dropping in quickly to wish everyone a (belated) Merry Christmas and (not belated!) Happy New Year.
Christmas very quiet our end as we spent it at home with just us, though did meet up with a few friends. Had a run in with a truck a week prior to Xmas so didn't want to drive too far with the courtesy car. DD been delightful though now has the occasional often bout of boundary testing.

May you have a happy and prosperous 2013!

Hi all - so sorry to hear about you beeing poorly BG.

We had a good Christmas - no illness or disasters.

Off to inlaws day after tomorrow for a couple of nights.

We have a plan to fly to Vienna in May, rent an apartment for a few days and tootle around (Alex's obession with clocks continues and they have the biggest clock museum in Europe - he has a DVD of some of the exhibits he watches all the time) then hire a car, go to Venice (stay in Mestre) and then go to my dad's near lake Garda and fly home from there (Verona airport). I really hope we make this happen.

I am going to see the Hobbit at the Imax today with a friend.

My best local mum friend is off to have her elective section today - I can't visit her because the hospital is on lockdown for the Noro, then the family are going straight to their new place down in Kent so I won't see her for a while. Feel a bit sad. I gave her a little care package yesterday with earplugs, baby manicure set, little shower gel, mini electric fan etc. I think she was chuffed.

Baby still not sleeping great/using me as a dummy etc. She did a bit of sleeping just cuddled up to me rather than on me/attached last night.

DS has mainly been sleeping until half 7 or 8.

RW Scary about your accident. Are you ok?

Maybe we should try to have a grand meet-up this year? Plan ahead for spring or summer?

Sigh. dh turned pale over breakfast and said he had to lie down. He's been asleep since and I think he may well have flu now. Only he's the sensible one and will stay in bed for a week. Which leaves me with everything else while having zero energy myself. GP told me I should feel better in a week or two... Coming up to a week and I still need to lie down and sleep every few hours. Not so good with two children on the loose .
Well, never mind. Hope you all have a good start to the new year

BG Sorry to hear that, rest! and hope you will feel better soon.

Talking about children on the loose, DD2 just painted her lips with nail varnish ! I didn't know I had it last time I used it was 4 years ago (sparkly pinky beige not bright red). DH suggested I remove it , I think a tiny amount of varnish is less harmful than the acetone needed to remove it. Or am I wrong?

BC good plans.

Tonight, we are having pizza (the dough is raising), italian salad, ice cream, confettis and dance (will probably be in bed by 21 ),
have a nice NYE.

I don't know, but I share your hesitation about applying acetone to her lips

bg just to echo that I hope you all recover soon. I know I found myself annoyed at DH for getting a chest infection after I did, especially as he just got to take a few days off work and sleep.

DD is currently in her room and not screaming that I am not there with her, this could be progress. Although I am not yet daring to go into the kitchen and make my lunch.

Jealous of these lie-in's although to be fair DD did twice sleep until 7 (the nights we were at the ILs) and to her credit it wasn't until 6:15 this morning, so half an hour later than normal.

Cotton wool and 8h cream rubbed in, did it! (olive oil failed) I hope I made the right choice not getting her checked, I really don't think it warrants it .

Happy New Year

Well I staid up past midnight and I am officially overtired.

I hope the unwell mums, dads and LO are feeling better

xx

Happy New Year! (New year, old name) I stayed up until past 2, just sitting by the fire, because I slept most of the day again (as soon as I do anything mildly energetic eg run up and down stairs, the flu thing catches up with me and I need to lie down. Is getting boring!). Feeling more normal today, too.

So sorry to hear about the Xmas 'flu, SC - really rubbish for all of you. I hope your DH gets better soon and your recovery is quick (and you get a chance of a rest....) How's your DD2 doing?

Hoorah for the Xmas sleep present, Survival! Sorry to hear about more poorliness, though.

Ah, sleep hell CP. You have my sympathies. Here's to a 2013 with more ZZs...

Sounds like an amazing trip Bc! Good luck making it happen.

Not much time to post at the moment because we're going through Sleep Regression/Cot Transition hell with DS which means he's waking every hour. Co-sleeping doesn't help, neither he nor I do better that way. I'm just gritting my teeth and reminding myself TTSP....

Xmas was lovely, though - PILs were great and DD had a wonderful time, as did we. Thankfully, we managed to remain bug-free throughout.

Lots of love and a Happy New Year to all....

Sending love and best wishes for a happy and healthy new year to you all from sunny Warwickshire. We celebrated new year with a game of Rummikub (a Christmas gift), an extra glass of red wine and then DS2 had a night terror just after midnight - presumably as a result of being disturbed by the fireworks locally. This morning, he climbed his huge chest of drawers while dh and I were lying in bed, grabbed the emergency packet of biscuits that have been seeing him and DS1 through the night since they were poorly, and ate four of them! I couldn't understand why he didn't want any breakfast until he said, "But Mummy, I had lots of biscuits: 1, 2, 3, 4!!" The floor is covered in crumbs and small pieces of discarded biscuit!! Think I prefer it to the nail varnish though Mous!!

CP sorry to hear the sleep issues continue. We've had a llittle respite, but I'm not assuming it will last - that always depresses me when it all goes out the window again!

SC glad you are feeling a bit stronger today. How is your dh? Hope you are all well soon.

BC that sounds tough not to see your mum friend's LO but the gif sounds nice. I like the idea of your trip. I have a vague plan to try adn get us to EuroDidney this year (the place turns me cold, but DS1 has been desperate for 18 months). For us, it is all about trying to ascertain how well we can accommodate the diets over there. Think we would have to drive over on the boat or train so that we can carry some supplies. The idea of trying to carry stuff on a plane for all three of them sounds a bit much.

Hi to Stoof and Rainbow. The bump with a ruck doesn't sound good! Hope you are okay.

yep, carry LOTS of supplies!

DH's nan died this morning so trying to make sure he's alright. We had a good night last night which was nice as things had been a bit off between us so glad we had a talk about it before this happened.

CP how is your DH coping?

survival I would agree about taking what you need as I'm not sure French restaurants will cater efficiently with special diets. Regarding Euro Disney it may be worth going on their website to see if any of the food outlets provide special diets options?

Back to work tomorrow and I'm expecting a difficult drop-off at nursery as DS will have to say goodbye to my mum. I know he'll be fine within 5mn but still I'm not looking forward 7.30am

CP thinking of you and DH. Glad you had a good chat first - he'll know he can talk if he wants to.

SB hope the drop off and goodbyes go okay. Taking our supplies would only be possible if we have access to refridgeration. Maybe I need to find a friendly hotel or a cottage? It is all pie in the sky at the mo and I'm sure people on the allergies board will be able to give some advice too.

CP Sorry to hear that

Talking of poor communication, I just asked dh if is he working tomorrow (no) or the rest of the week (no). You would have thought this is something he could maybe share with me... Especially as I was having kittens about coping on my own with the children while still so drained I keep ending up on the sofa sleeping. (He doesn't have flu, just a bad cold and fancied some extra sleep yesterday - he's been fantastic really so I forgive him my concern when he disappeared during breakfast to lie down).

Sorry about that CP

DD has a fever so will be home this afternoon. I think I will resort to a peppa pig dvd (thank you santa) and try and knock out these final figures for the application.

she seems to be more settled and able to handle monsters (and crabs!?) by herself. Last night she was awake 11-1 and we both agreed she should go back to her bed, which she was happy to do. She napped by herself yesterday and today but still needing us at night.

DS is currently kissing the soft toys while DD sleeps.

DD still asleep, DS woke with one eye fully stuck closed but seems happy enough. Is nice to have some time with just him :)

IC sorry to hear about the sleep, really hope it gets better quickly soon and is largely sleep regression based. It's hard when co-sleeping stops working (that's when DH took over). How is his skin, we only recently really got to grips with a plan that works for us. It definitely affected his sleep a lot in the earlier days as he was so itchy.

Currently he is waking twice a night. On the good nights he has two feeds quite close together which is nice as I get longer chunks of sleep either side. DD has had a fair few nights of only waking once as well until she was ill.

DH is mostly alright, just sad. He understands (I think) she had a good innings and went out in a good, albeit sudden, way.

CP I hope your DH and LO get/feel vetter soon

DS had no problems going back to nursery yesterday. It was such a relief.

that's great sb must have been a great weight off your mind.

well DD is still asleep, any bets on waking time? DS is also napping and I am sitting in my PJs as DD is in my bed. I'm eyeing up the alcohol but think I better stick to strepsils even if alcohol works better