Dec 08 Mums - Happy New Thread, You Beauties!

[beans37]

Come join me....

Beans, I hope the bum cam goes OK. I've had it done with no anaesthetic as was bfing. It was fine but watch out for terrible windage afterwards!

Botty photoshoot!!!! Thinking of you Beans
Still coughing up mountains of green phlegm. dh put Toy Story on when he left so I could sleep, but I only got an extra hour then whined at to build a helicopter.
Now I know we're moving I want to move now and am desperate to get more land around us. We are already eying off a place - who knows why when we have 10 months before moving. DH has been offered extra work post exam which is really good but potentially means quite a few 7 day weeks here and there And I will work loads for him at home otherwise not possible. I am already looking to 2014 as 13 is going to be the year of nothing but work.

Not actually Bfing during procedure! But you know what I mean.

Nolda!

Hope it all goes well Beans!!

Rubes, we are hoping to move next year but I keep looking at houses. I should stop as I find ones I love but can't buy. I found our almost perfect house a few days ago. It has 4 large bedrooms and a big kitchen. It doesn't have a garden though and is about 23 miles from here on the coast. I'd love to move there.

I'm stressing now about ds schools. Have done my app for him but what happens if I move 2 mths after his first year? Do I just drive him if we don't move far and put him in a list for closer one? And at what point would I take him out if they had room at the closer one?

beans Good luck with the bum shoot today!

Rubes Hope you feel better soon, 2013 certainly sounds like its going to be busy for you and DH...do you think you'll have to give up your work at some point this year as a result?

arti My friend has just had a little boy called Arthur, which I thought was rather lovely. I do like Reuben...I found boys names very difficult. In fact we had picked DS's name out when I was pg with DD, and it was still the only real goer when I was pg with DS!!

Kayz Ah ok. I guess loads of people move. I just know ds isn't going to be the easiest to settle in school as all his Pre school mates are going elsewhere. One of which is a school I was considering driving him further too as its much better, and that one is nearest to the house we eyed off! Think ill worry about it when the time comes.

Hi Deids.
The plan is to do less and less of the trolly Dollying. Im using parental leave a lot this year, then they just offered unpaid leave so have applied. Just working the bare min to stay legal for flying so I can see how much time I need for dh's work he has for me. Getting too old to be a cart tart anyway! I love a little break now and then and enjoy it when I'm at lovely places, but I can see more sense in helping dh more and not stressing over childcare for a measly 6 days a month.

Rubes That makes sense...cart tart though that made me giggle!

Oh I best get to work myself. DCs stayed at mums last night so I've had a lie in. I cannot get into the swing of things since the Christmas holidays!!

Rubes, I moved schools and started just after Easter in Year 2. On my very first day I went to play at a girls house. I had only met her that day. She's still a great friend now too. My old head teacher always told new starters that story and apparently they still do now about 20 years later.

I don't think moving children to a different school is that bad when they are still young. DS1 has had 2 new starters and they all get on very well and you'd never now they started after the others.

Thanks Kayz. That makes me feel better. If it was dd starting school first I wouldn't be concerned at all. She's such a little extrovert whereas ds hides behind his friends.
Right have managed to build the chopper. Wondering if I can find strength to go to the farm shop....

Good luck for today darling. Hope your botty rises to the occasion XXX

Right, the girls have got Disney Princess sticker books so I am hoping I can have a bit of p and q to catch up a bit. We are on Disney Princess overload here. It's been said before but even I worry that the stories are a bit enfeebling - all about looking pretty and waiting for handsome princes. Ah well, I suppose I liked all that guff and I don't subscribe to it all now

Good luck Beans! I expect you are just being prepped as I type. Think of it this way, a lot of people would be envious at having a colonic clear out just after Christmas! In fact some people pay good money for it! (Not me, but I wouldn't be averse to it. Some colleagues of DP's go to a spa in Thailand every year and it's all eating veg and giving yourself daily enemas...) I laughed at 'fucking orange'. I must say I had a similar thought on opening my own stocking

Rubes, that is exciting about the move. Which locations are you zoning in on? Sorry about your current house - I like it. So spacious, and quiet. Despite being a fan of period properties I must say that modern houses often have a much better layout (and better storage). Hope you're not too blue after the folks going back. So are you selling Henley? Gosh, an exciting year ahead. I am not deciding re: DC3 until we get some sort of refinancing in place. I really hope we can (not because of another DC so much, but more because without it we will be in the poo). We are considering selling DP's flat. There's not much equity in it (bout £20k tops) and it's just not appreciating. So the plan is to get another flat in London but we need more of a deposit than that so might have to wait a few years....

How did the skating go, Sybs? Oh blow, the girls want the Playdoh now. Hang on.

Lovely to see you back, PD. Yes, I still have two trips left from 2012 to catch up on, both of which I would like to do in Jan but funds permitting. One in Jan and one in Feb is more likely. Ryanair is vv cheap at this time of year. I looked at flights for me and girls to Portugal last night, and return flights for all three of us came to about £120. (Arti, I won't be doing a trip a month in 2013 as even budget trips would bankrupt us! It was just my treat for turning 40). Anyway, since you ask, my Italian is going slowly I am too lazy (and also a bit too busy) to really throw myself into it properly. I'd much rather learn Spanish because of my love affair with Spain...but I must admit that as a language, Italian is incredibly elegant. Have you still got your mysterious gaff in Spain?

ZJ - our last boy on the thread was of course Indith's Arthur though our last baby was Kayz's Rosalie. We do have more girls than boys though, espec as children born after Dec 08...

Indith, it's great that you are doing this course and what a life change for you. What will happen re: DH's job? And of course, at 29 you are a mere whippersnapper

I like your NY resolution, Jam We must resolve to do the same. Although with DP's big trial kicking off next week, he won't be around that much.

I'd love to come and see you, Vag. If we could keep costs down (no offence!) I am also going to look into a weekend UK cottage rental for us...

Nice to see you back, KP. Gosh, so DD2 is walking now! Wow! How is the whole work sitch?

Kayz, I must say cutting down on carbs is the only thing that works for me (but I have insulin resistance issues so I have a reason to cut carbs as a point of general health) but if you love carbs it is very hard at first (though you do get used to it). However, a lot of docs recommend the GI diet. It does push you away from refined carbs and majors on more healthy, complex ones. Dieting is a massive bummer though, you have my every sympathy. How exciting about the move! Looking now is good even if you have to wait a year, cos you can get a handle on what's out there.

Oh, and no anaesthesia for the bum camera, Nolda? Hardcore! But not quite as hardcore as the C19th writer Fanny Burney. She had a masectomy with no anaesthetic, performed by a battlefield surgeon But she did go on to live for another 30 odd years. She wasn't on the battlefield - she was just well connected and he was deemed to be the best due to his vast experience

Vag - any news of your friend??

I finally managed to do DD1's school application last night. Deadline is in a fortnight. Results on April 16 - as previously mentioned, my birthday!

Guy is a nice name, Beans. It's the name of a close friend of DP so I guess names of friends go off one's radar a bit. I still like DP's name, Alistair. Miles is nice as well. I think Pablo is a really cool name as well but probably only if you are Spanish, or similar

I love Fernando. But that's never going to work in North Yorkshire is it?

I think it would raise a few eyebrows in Oxfordshire an' all. But possibly not in Buenos Aires.

Martin Amis called one of his daughters Fernanda. Which is lovely but his wife is of Uruguayan descent.

Hiya Lady, buying this house was only ever to make money and turn it quick as the owner was going to sell it to us about 100K under market value as he just wanted rid of it. Since then it seems his children have stepped in and advised him differently.... Although this one reminds me of home, our ideal house actually would be period, but with the inside gutted as we both prefer open plan, high ceilings, whilst in keeping with the character, and then a good size garden / land around. I'm desperate for a fire / log burner again. But then again that's probably most peoples ideal. I would prefer more land than our view any day. So now, we are def not wanting to move to rent again, so going to try and afford to buy something we want to add value to and stay in awhile. Like the areas between here and Guildford, or similar but need to be not far from a station as dh will be switching to Ch&W before we move and will need to train it in.

Kayz, Fernando I know one, in Spain!
I'm more a traditional names type, clearly. I like Samuel (which ds nearly was) I also like Isaac, Alexander, Oliver, Harry. I don't mind Reubin, though it sounds like my dog a little

I was hoping to lure you to Oxfordshire but from an investment point of view you are obviously better looking where you are looking (or London of course!) DP is in Guildford this week, he is finding the commute a bugger. It's not that far in the car but a total pain on public transport (which he is using as he needs to work on the way and on the way back). Long bus journey, plus two or three train journeys. 2013 is also the Year of Much Work here (not as much as your DH though I guess).

The girls have made Armageddon of the kitchen with the effing Playdoh. Sigh.

I like Guy but DH refuses anything he sees as "posh" and Guy falls into that category for him. In fact he has rejected the following names on those grounds: William, Caspian, Tobias and Charles. We nearly fell out over William which I love and don't see as belonging to any particular class. I also think it's odd that DH, who went to one of the country's top public schools followed by Cambridge, should have such a hang-up about being seen as posh. Sigh.

I hope today's procedure went well Beanio. I can't believe that your DH stayed away!

I'm making aubergine ptarmigan for dinner. No doubt on kid or the other will make a massive fuss. I'm finding mealtimes exhausting as I've spent my 2.5 weeks off trying to extend their palettes by offering a new meal each day. I've only struck on two that they both loved, rather surprisingly one was a cauliflower and chickpea curry and the other was salmon fillets with dressed puy lentils, beetroot and feta! They rejected: fajitas, pumpkin and bacon soup, three types of risotto and fish stew. I'm not sure why I bothered (except DH and I enjoyed everything) they'll be happy when the nanny returns and agrees to a cycle of tuna bake, bolognaise and chicken noodles.

I love Tobias and Caspian. DH said no to both when I was pregnant with DD. He also said no to Reuben and Jasper.

I don't think William is posh really. I agree it doesn't really go into a 'class'.

On the names front I love Robin. I also love Edward but NN of Teddy. I really wanted that for DS2 but DH overruled me so instead we went very Scottish and no bugger can pronounce it correctly.

I am so ready for the boys to go back to school we went bowling this afternoon so thats me bankrupted and the boys and their pals soundly beat me.

Beasn come back and let us know how you got on a close friend ex boss had to have it done and was only allowed to eat jelly after a certain time.

Lady I am not sure either how we are going to our bonkathon as I will hardly see DH for the next 2 months.

We have decided to look into getting our extension done. Am already terrified of the cost as friends had some work done last year and it was vv spenny.But we both still think it would be cheaper than moving.

Must do tea. Oh and arti I tried to do the introduce new meals to the children it lasted about 3 wks before I lost the plot at the amount of food I was chucking so my 2 exist on a very small selection of meals.Its heartbreaking especially as DH and I love our food.

Ok DS2 whinging about wanting to play cbeebies. Back later.

That's such a shame that your DH worries about this stuff, Arti. William is a lovely name - classy, but classless! And timeless. It's like objecting to...John or something. Would he only be happy with Reuben, do you think?

Here is a list of names of random boy kids at pre-school/in the village: Miller, Ned, Wilf, Archie, Tom, Flynn, Hamish, Patrick, Nick, Caleb, Alfie.

Could you find any inspiration in names from history of people you admire? (For instance, I know of a boy who was named Clement, after Atlee).

Wow I don't see 'Guy' as posh at all! Then again, what do I know.
I see Reubin, Caspian, Charles, all of Lady's fave's as posh. DH is William, which I just see as v popular. DH dismissed Georgia for A which I loved, as being too American
Lady, yes Oxfordshire is definitely a favorite area of ours, just with dh going back into London for a bit, we can't be too far out. We love the rural-ish areas around here, but clearly they come with a hefty price tag so would have to find something liveable but we could work on. Didn't know dp was in Guildford so soon! Gosh, so he has to work all the way there and back. Sounds like dh listening to his lectures in the car! You could have visited us if he drove - though we've all been / still are fluey big time and just remembered you've got pox with you! How are they? Any signs on O?
Arti I go through phases of the same. My two still have fairly limited menu's. DS much better than dd as he likes Vegetables, but dd literally pics speccs out of anything I cook if it's green - quite exhausting - [sigh]
Speaking of her, she's really acting up about napping. Do any of yours 2.5 ish not nap at all? If she does eventually nap, then when bedtime rolls around she chats to her dolls forever in between intermittently screaming for me to come up!