Dec 2011 - Do that again, and you're getting sold on Ebay.....

[Aethelfleda]

Shiny new thread with no listing fees!

Congratulations Seven x

Congratulations seven!!! Hope you get your newborn snuggles with your gorgeous girl soon!

Anyone else get a bit teary because they've just realised how old their 'baby' is? They'll be moving out & driving cars soon.

Oi, good luck at the GP's, sending positive vibes over to you, sounds like he's willing to work at it.

Air, Jiggle, sorry things are tough for you two atm, hope the end is in sight for your issues with OH's. x
Air, hope Aaron sleeps ok & the headteacher is helpful tomorrow.

Queen, glad you've had a diagnosis & hurrah for DD1's good behaviour!

OMG! Congratulations Seven & Welcome Beatrice. Hoping she will be out of SCBU soon.

Oi good to see you've chatted with DH and he's been honest. Lets hope your GP goes well.

Air - poor Aaron. Hoping the HT will have good answers on what to do.

Xiao - gorgeous video. Gorgeous! Isn't he doing well with his speech?! fantastic! BOi chatters all the time, but there's not a lot of sense in it yet.
But he can drive a car, Gary. ;) - At least, he loves to play in the car and push all the buttons. he also loves to play in the utility room and the kitchen, and is very good at starting the dishwasher in the 0.3secs when I'm not looking and unfortunately, when it's just finished or empty. ...He just needs a bit more training...
Have a fabulous time in majorca QoC, and I hope Darcie keeps up the good behaviour.
Sorry about Aaron. Hope it's all OK.

Another night and morning of good behaviour from DD1 and DD2 slept thru the night - Yay!

Xiao - Fab video. Good speech coming along.

Sky babbles all the time and says some good and clear words such as who's that, hiya, bye bye, ta, Tigger, Piglet, Bruce (our hamsters name), shoes, fishes...list goes on :)

Thanks Oi, I think we are packed and ready to go...if I have forgotten something it can't be important.

Hope it goes ok today oi

figgy I still don't know how we'll cope with 3 tbh! But remember if you want another baby you'll somehow just manage because you have to, and you know it'll be worth it. And I second looking into a nanny/au pair, it may work out cheaper or at least around the same as two lots of CM fees.

air Christ, maybe its my post-pregnancy hormones but I'd go bloody ballistic of that happened to DS. Really hope he's ok and not too traumatised by it all, give him lots of hugs today.

I've been and had a cuddle already this morning, her breathing seems much better this morning and they're talking about started feeds today.

Ah, seven that's lovely.

air I am totally .... make sure you're happy with the HT's response, it's vital that as well as being safe at school Air feels safe too. School should have a robust anti-bullying strategy in place already (I hope). Good luck.

Oh air, hugs for (((aaron))). It's not just your hormones seven I would be going ballistic too!! So pleased beatrice is having cuddles with you and breathing is better - fingers crossed for feeding going brilliantly

queen have a wonderful time!!

Oi glad to see your positive post about DH - are you still going to the GP this afternoon? And aren't most cars of the future just going to be push-button self-piloting anyway...probably our grandchildren really will be able to drive cars at this age!!

Glad DS's "see ya, bah byeeee" made you all smile

I'm working out in the garden today. It was worth leaving private practice and my salary just for days like today. Sadly the school bagpipe troupe appear to be having today's practice on the meadow behind the house but they can only play Scotland the Brave so many hundred times before they have to go to some other activity...right??

Thanks for the support ladies. Appt is at 17:50. Deep breaths....!

We are on our way to Gatwick

Fingers x for you Oi and hope the GP gives you some help and clarity.

Good luck oi....

Can I just ask what books everyone's DCs are enjoying right now? We've got some great ones but I feel like I've read them all a million times already...

Any that he can rip the pages out of/chew the corners off.

huge congrats to seven - hope you are both doing well and lovely name.

oi hope all went well - well done for having a proactive discussion about it before you went.

queenie have a lovely holiday - not jealous - much!

air - sorry to hear about that - definitely arrange to speak to the head. Not sure if he is in preschool or reception as I know it is different in Wales but I would take him in tomorrow and speak to his teacher or the headteacher first but IMHO (and ignore me at your will!!) he needs to know it is ok to go to school every day whatever has happened the day before as it will always be sorted (or certainly should be), otherwise you might find it hard to get him to school the day after tomorrow as it will have grown into an even bigger issue in his head. As I said just my opinion.

We are taking Freya on her first camping trip this weekend - half looking forward to it, half dreading the risk of no sleep and all the packing and unpacking. DS is very much looking forward to it though.

DH and I are better this week - he is making more effort to help and I am making more effort to be nice. he is in the process of setting up a business whilst still working full time so I must try and give him some slack - is hard though!

Hope it all went OK Oi, and that your DH can access some help through the GP.

Been a late one at work, so just a brief post- I'll do a ten minute de-clutter and make tomorrow's butties, but that's the extent of my evening work.

Glad to hear B's making progress seven, and fingers crossed you'll be home soon. Hope the shock of it all starts to subside.

Xiao, DS is loving anything 'lift the flap'- there's a series of four done by the Gruffalo person (Rabbit's nap is one, Fox's socks another) and DS really enjoys those. Good ol' Hungry Caterpillar's another.

Right, off to wrestle with bread then slump on the settee...

Therebisnlove foe books with ducksnin. Anything with a quach available.

Seven massive congratulations, hope you are both doing well and enjoy scrummy newborn cuddles!

So DP and I have had lots of serious talks. We are still living together. The contract on our house is up in 3 months, we are giving it untill then to see if things get better. We have both agreed on what needs to change. I think he knows its serious this time. I have got some money put aside to move if its needed. DP is looking into counselling to try and move forward from his issues. Things really aren't wonderful, but they are ok.

We had a bit of a moment the other day when DS woke up (in our bed as usual) sat up, leaned over gave DP a big slobbery kiss then leaned over gave me a kiss then lay back down all content. It made us both realise that neither of us are ready to give up on our relationship and our family yet.

Hope all you other pregant ladies are doing well, can't believe we will have so many new thread babies soon. Figgy glad DH was ok when you spoke to him, so will offer my congrats and hope the shock is starting to wear off!

Oi sorry things with DH are difficult and hope the GP appointment went ok.

Xiao DS's current favorite books for me to read to him are Monkey Puzzle and Giraffes can't dance. He has loads but he gets very cross at me if I don't read these two before bed. We need new book recommendations too, I think I can read most of them by memory now.

Air Hope Aaron is doing ok, must have been very scary for him

Mopsy I agree with all the good advice you've already been given. When i'm at home I find routine helps keep me going and I have to leave the house everyday even if its only for a quick walk.

Like the rest of you i'm also finding this a lovely age with DS, he is a very funny fiesty toddler. His current favorite word is car. He is obsessed with the handset for the baby monitor, so much so that I have no idea where it is tonight as he wandered off with it while I was getting ready for work.

Anyway that was my long overdue update!

Hi bjr

Some of the favourite books this end:

Fuzzy Fuzzy Fuzzy and But Not The Hippopotamus (both by Sandra Boynton: works best with silly voices)
Dear Zoo (very simple flaps but they luffs it)
Not Now Bernard (classic and very funny)
Are You My Mother? (cute little birdy looks for his mum)
My Cat Likes to Hide in Boxes (love this one)
Bizzy Bear (very chunky robust moving parts book)

Wow of all the books mentioned we only have the hungry caterpillar! So lots to check out for sure. Thanks everyone!

I think it's really just the thomas the fracking tank engine books that are getting me down. I would happily take them outside and burn them tomorrow but they were a gift from DH's auntie. DS utterly adores them. She brought him a really great wooden train set on Saturday too, I can just tell that trains are going to be her thing with him.

Hey bjr thanks for the update and I'm glad it's such a positive one. Sounds like counselling would be a good move for your DP as well, I hope he finds someone he clicks with.

Missed that you wanted book recommendations - in heavy rotation here are:
the Maisy books
Not last night but the night before
Mama do you love me
My dad
Anything by the Ahlbergs, mainly Peepo, Each peach pear plum and the baby catalogue
This lovely wordless book about Spring - we have all four seasons and he adores them all.

We love the Mr Men books here. We've read them lots, and BOi will now "read" them himself. For example, with Mr Noisy he shouts through every page, and then puts his hands to his mouth and squeaks quietly for the last page. Just like Mr Noisy does.
But he loves anything bookish. Lovin the books.
The dr was ok... He said he doesn't see many gambling cases but had come across the cnlc CBT something. During the surgery, he spoke about DH self-referring, and using COgnitive behaviour therapy to understand and treat the problem.
When we got home and DH looked it up, the cnl bit - or similar, was Central London. DH immediately decided it was hopeless. I asked if trains no longer ran to London? And we don't know for sure that any appt would be in London,... And that following appts would also be in London - I seriously doubt it .
Anyway the referral form is filled in. Step 1 complete. We'll see what happens next.
The GP said that DH was not depressed. (So just a miserable bugger then?!) which disappointed me a little, tbh. I think I was hoping he'd get some happy pills to cheer him up. Ah if only life was that simple!
Glad things are stable for you bjr and jiggle.

Congratulations seven!!!

Favourite books are an in the night garden tomliboo one (the episode of it was on a couple of days ago and he went crazzzzy), One about a car going surfing, beep beep goes the traffic and a picture book of different vehicles which he points to and does actions!

Monkey is not very happy the weather being nice means less buses! Everytime he sees one he points, shouts and his 'wheels go round and round' motion. Past 3 visits to the doctors (urg so this week) he's been pointing at the duck picture, shouting 'uckie' and then doing his bus action, definitely a hint to get on the bus to go see the ducks haha!

He also managed to get his jacket on one arm yesterday while demanding to go a walk at 8pm, giving me his shoes, my shoes, my cardi, banging the door, commence worlds longest tantrum finally ended in a snooze at 9.40.

Oi glad you got somewhere with GP. It definitely sounds as though the GP has sent you in the right direction. gamcare.org.uk could also be a good one to look into. They offer free counselling across the country. although quality will change dependant on the local provider so I wouldn't know how good it will be where you are.

What a fab day! sun at last!