JAN 06 - so what's THAT you're eating mummy?

[loomer]

Here we go then... I've also updated my album of photos on the \link{http://health.ph.groups.yahoo.com/group/mumsnetpix/photos\Yahoo site}, it'd be great to see recent pics of all our angels on there!

Off to Boots tomorrow then to get bucket load of Bach Rescue Remedy. Have no idea why am so anxious, but started getting really quite panicy if I'm not doing something. And to add insult to injury, have grown a 'horn' at top of forehead. I kid you not. Bloody great big red, glowing, in yer face lump that cannot cover with foundation, touche eclat or concealer. Been on school run for last 2 days with plaster on head looking like a right plank. Least it was plain plaster and not one of Moo's Scooby Doo ones .

DH is a trader for Barclays Capital in Canary Wharf and heads up with UK Forwards desk. Don't ask me to elaborate as haven't got a clue beyond what it says on his business card. Believe he's a complete hard nut and most people in the industry are scared of him and his temper! He's broken many phones and keyboards and reduced his trainees to jibbery wrecks. Complete softy at home though!

G xx

Well, it's been puking central here since Monday. Very boring gastric flu type-thing which seems to have done the rounds with pretty much everybody in town over the weekend. My suffering only lasted about 24 hours, but Scarlett still seems to be off colour, and DH has been knocked sideways (I suspect due to such long hours at work over the past four months... he's been working like a nutcase, he's a sculptor by the way Tickle).

Georgie - sorry you're feeling so down honey. I have had a few patches like that over the past few months, but fortunately they have all proven to be hormonal (in hindsight). I remember taking Rescue Remedy a lot at university, but I must admit that the cynic in me always suspected that the effectiveness was due to the brandy that the essences are preserved in . Whatever, I hope that it helps you to feel happier about things.

Iris, what a fabulous birthday surprise, sounds like you had a fantastic evening - did you make use of the pole?! I must admit I wouldn't know where to start, beyond running around it like a ten year old loon!

Tickle, what on earth are pressed chocolate cakes? Hope it all goes smoothly for Theo tomorrow.

Lilstarry - I haven't given much thought to Scarlett's birthday celebrations. DH has an exhibition opening two days beforehand, and he's specially requested to go away on holiday immediately afterwards, so we might not be at home for it - which will disappoint the grandparents hugely, but as you say she'll be oblivious to the occasion in any case. I expect we'll toast her good health though!

Goodness, don't the other DH's do important sounding things? I have no idea what most of it means though... glad to hear that you girls are just as bemused!

Sorry Iris, forgot to add, woooooow weeeee great party babe. Sounds like it was just the thing to pick you up out of the doldrums for a couple of hours. Did the pole get much action? .

Loomer - ugh. Poor you, Scarlett and DH. Nothing worse than a house full of pukers. Hope everyone on the mend.

Poor FIL has fallen off ladder (from first floor window) and shattered his ankle. Has had to have orthopedic surgery. 6 months til mended and then 6 months til able to walk again unaided. Poor bloke. DH taken Libs up by train to Lancaster to go visit. Am actually v proud of him doing this as first trip he's done with her.

Just back from our trip to the hosp with Theo. All went fine - they knocked him out at 8am this morning, and made a small surgical adjustment to his anus (apparently it is a mild form of a condition where it is not fully formed at birth). We have to do manual stretching (poor bloke) once a day for a month, then see how it is. But he came round from the anaesthetic fine, and has been pretty chirpy since lunchtime A big relief to get that over with.

Met one couple seeing the same doc with a 12mo who was born with the same condition, but much worse.. he had no anus at all. He is on his 14th op or something like that. Puts everything in a bit of perspective

ooh hope you're all feeling better chez loomer. And a sculptor DH! - does that mean that when he has finished his work for the exhibition, and had a holiday, he will be able to form Scarlett's likeness from some metal or stone??? BTW pressed choc cake is basically a choc mousse, cooked then pressed down in the tin to make it really dense. Heaven-on-a-stick

Georgie you sound a bit more upbeat - maybe your anxiety is working its way out through your forehead, or maybe you have hidden unicorn tendencies? How long will your softy DH be up in Lancaster? Poor FIL.

Chuffed... respect for kiteboarding! Some crazy people do it out here on the bay, and it looks very tough. Do you want to get back into sporty stuff when the kids are bigger? I used to ride, row, sail, kayak - all sorts, but 4 children have taken over a bit . However we are starting to plan moving out to the farm where we have our nature centre, and we will be able to get horses

OK - make up advice required. Georgie's list of possible horn cover ups got me thinking, you see. I have always been a minimal make up person, and have never worn foundation, but my face is starting to look like it needs help. The emoticon is q a good illustration. What is touch eclat? And what would be a good light foundation to go for, to even out a bit, without looking like a pantomime dame?

T xx

glad the op went well Tickle. Sorry no help from me on the makeup front very minimal make up girl myself.

The horse riding thing sounds good I used to do quite a bit of competing when I was younger. I'm not quite so much into extreme water sports, but love my snow stuff and really feel like I need a good snowboard/ski soon, hopefully will get some wakeboarding in when the weather clears up a bit.

Glad you are feeling better Georgie. Sometimes when you have a serious vent it makes you feel so much better.

Hi Tickle - being Lady Make-up herself I thought I'd give you the benefit of my years of cosmetic useage!

Sounds as if you'd be better of with a tinted moisturiser rather than heavy foundation. Would start by priming face with good moisturiser (one that fits your skins needs, dry, combination or oily). Let sink in for a couple of mins then apply tinted moisturiser to even out complexion. Then if you need it add some concealer/brightener (Touche Eclat is a gold pen type thing, available in all department stores that covers imperfections and gives face a slight brightness). Most brands do all of above. Not sure what brands you have over there, but Olay, Clarins, Clinque, Boots No7 (all available on line) some good ones. Would also use cream blusher (kinder and softer on older (ahem) skin) and maybe a slick of mascara and tinted lip balm/gloss to finish off. Shouldn't take you more than 10 mins total.

G xx

Sorry, forgot to say - hooorrrahhh for Theo. So glad op went OK. Poor love, its got to be uncomfortable for him, but at least he's on the mend. G xx

hi all just catching up with all the gossip, firstly T, well teeth no 5 and 6 have burst through top each side of front two, 7 and 8 at the bottom are imminent as well. Crawls like a mad woman and has started pulling herself up and cruising. Can stand by herself for about a minute before she topples over. Loves eating and theres nothing she won't eat. Sleep is still a bit hit and miss, most night she's still up about twice. Just crawls about after A most of the day.

I'm fine think I'm a walking hormone, reducing BFs have meant AF has returned first visit since March 2005!

tickle - glad Theo's op went well, poor little man. On the make up front Touche Eclait is excellent except I'm allergic to it I use a Benefit one instead, I use Clinque foundation (not every day) but it's really good.

mumfun - hi good to see you

Iris - hows the sleeping going miss you on the ncss thread?

georgie - I have the anxiety thing big time too I worry and fret about everything main one is anyone hurting my babies the job is going well ty

loomer - hope you have all recovered those bugs can be really nasty, sculptor sounds fab btw, my DP does something with the Royal Bank of Scotland at their HQ in Edinburgh

well better get back to the ironing see you all soon xx

on quickly, as that D&V bug seems to have made it's way to Denmark...

I had it yesterday from 5am, DH looked after the smalls and I stayed in bed - when I got up I fainted So DH called the doc, but all was ok, and I'm feeling better now. But Theo has it, DH is muttering about nausea, and dd1 has been throwing up since coming home.

So now only ds1 and dd2 to go!!

Thanks girls for the make-up advice... like the sound of the tinted moisturiser Georgie - when everyine is well again I am off shopping!!

xx

Hi Girls,
Not been on much as have had the folks staying for over a week, which for some reason turned Lola into a little witch. Thankfully she seems to have returned to her usual self from within minutes of them leaving! She now has 6 teeth cut-through (5th & 6th only just thru) and wants to walk everywhere, but can't do it unaided yet. Loves her stride-to-ride walker thingy.

Had her photo shoot for the agency just over a week ago, pics are on their website at bubblegummodels.co.uk

3 weeks or so now til A's home. Can't wait!

Georgie - know the feeling well. Absolutely worn out myself, just one of the many reasons I'm desperate for A to get home. Despite being knackered I've hardly slept the last 2 nights, dunno why just keep waking up. Gonna take some serious knock-me-out drugs left-over from my c-section to make sure I get a sleep tonight! I've used Rescue Remedy in the past (student days too) but can't recall if it had much impact I'm afraid.

Tickle - So glad to hear Theo's op went ok!

Foundation - I couldn't live without Estee Lauder Double Wear. Would take a hurricane to shift it once it's on, which I need as I tend to melt all other make up's with my hot sweaty skin. Not what you'd ever call "light" make-up tho.

I've discovered a love of Freixenet Cordon Negro Brut. It's a Cava, 11.5%. I've always been a real wine snob and not much into Cava, but we had a bottle in the house someone had brought for a party months ago and mum and I cracked it open the other night. I coulda drunk bottles of the stuff! Have ordered a couple of cases from Tesco wines website!

Oh and my DH is a vehicle electrician in the Royal Electrical & Mechanical Engineers.

Ahh madam's awake from nap, gotta go!

L x

Sorry to unburden here but I needed to rant and I figure you ladies would be the best place to do it!

I went out to the garage to get my dinner out of the chest freezer, only to discover that its entire contents have defrosted. Waaaaaaah. Why do things like this happen when Andy's away??
It was an old shop style "Magnum" chest freezer we bought on ebay, and Andy had to fiddle with the electrics in the garage a bit to get it running in there, so could have been any number of things that went wrong with it. I guess it's served us pretty well for the last year considering it only cost us £50, but its the hundreds of quids worth of food ruined that's sickening me! Being fairly skint I always pounce on anything reduced in Tesco and stick it in the freezer to save a wee bit. Arrrrggghhhhhhh.

Sorry. Just needed to vent. Feel a bit better now. Just as well we're going up to the folks in Glasgow for our Christmas dinner!

On the plus side, had a text from Andy today to say he's on one of the first flights home, 10th Dec, so should be home by the 11th. Thats about a week earlier than we expected. Woooo.

Aaah poor you with the freezer - nightmare And you have to get it out quickly cos it starts to smell - yuuuk.

Great news on Andy's flight though Don't suppose he can fit a freezer in his kit bag then???

Busy here - baking for our Christmas fair at the weekend. Mince pies tonight

Ho ho ho
T

Hello all

long time no post, I know, but here I am again.

I haven't quite caught up with everyone, but it's nice to hear your voices again (I know I'm reading them really, but it feels like I can hear you talking somehow).

We are doing fine now, pnd gone - hurrah! and just coming off the anti - depressants. I start back to work next week, 3 days a week tt only - I can't believe it's been a whole year I've been off.

Ds is a real joy, very sunny natured, cuddly and communicative. We're still bf on demand, still occasionally waking in the night, last night at 3am, the previous 2 nights slept thru - not all that predictable on that front.

iris
so sorry to read that you've been suffering with pnd. are you having any treatment? it really is a very short time sice your dad passed on tho isn't it, so the bereavement process must still be very active i guess.

well that's it for now, see you all again soon. x

Yay! - Lyra good to see you back (spooky! - I was only thinking of you this morning )
Thanks for the kind words and support. I've got a counselling appointment next week & am trying a load of things for the pnd as I'm terrified of taking ads. DH is away for another 3 weeks & everything that could go wrong has (boiler condemned so no heating/shower broken & parts delayed/DD had food poisoning yesterday & vommed all over the sofa & floor & DS (although wonderful)has been waking screaming,itchy and unsettleable 11-2am for the past 3 nights. No idea why as I thought it would get better if I was out of the equation so I stopped bf last week . Apart from that, all's well - I think?!

Lisa - bad luck about the freezer - law of sod isn't it. So glad you get Andy back early though.

sorry no time to catch up properly...but I'll be back

Oh buggery bollocks Lise. What a nightmare. Know exactly how you feel. Its such a waste of cash when that happens. DH turned opff power supply to our little freezer when he plugged in power pack for drill in. Nearly brained him when I found out .

Lyra - hello stranger! Glad to hear that all well with you. Sounds as if you're back on happy tracks again. So pleased its all passed.

Iris - you're not getting any breaks are you hon. They say that bad luck comes in 3's. So think you've really had it all now. really hope counselling goes well. And you of all people should know what to take that's not synthetic to help you out of PND. But, so saying, maybe you might need to start with something stronger, then go onto natural remedies? But hey, what do I know.

Have had the vom bug here this weekend. It struck me just before M's nativity play and had to rush out twice to be sick in teachers loos. Ugh. Grim. Laid up with it on Fri. V miffed as supposed to be seeing new James Bond film. M came down with it on Sat whilst at her dad's. All better now though.

Nothing else to report.

Will love you and leave you.

G xx

Lyra - lovely to hear from you

Too late at night to post more - back soon!!
T x x

Hi everyone

Not been around for ages, mad busy but lovely to sit and read what everyone's been up to.

Lisa, sorry about the freezer, happened to me once and it's awful.

Iris how are you feeling?

Good to see you again lyra! You sound like you're doing really well.

Me and Dominic doing great. He is crawling and standing all over the place, smiley and cuddly as ever. Eats everything in sight, they often give him seconds at nursery.

My drinking is well and truly under control now. I started Slimming World 4 weeks ago and am hoping to get my stone award tonight. Embarrassed myself by losing 9lbs in the first week - I couldn't believe my ears!! Losing some weight and getting some new clothes has given me a whole new lease of life! Also have found a little gang of friends round here who I can talk to, which has made everything tons easier.

Must go, I'm at work, lovely to hear from you all

hi all

first day back at work today, first full day for baby boy at the child minder's. i'm sure he'll be fine, but i'm missing him tons. he's at toddler group this am, so he'll be well distracted, which is good. not sure how my boobs will go on tho as i'm used to bf on demand through the day. they can manage 11-12 hours at night, so i think it'll be fine.

it's wierd to be back, good to see everyone again, and nice to know it's only for 3 weeks, and then 2 weeks of christmas hols to come.

will catch up more at lunch time, and write more then.

x

Hi everyone!

Sorry have not been on for ages, good excuses though, a fourth ear infection for Finn, poor dab, 3 consecutive trips to Liverpool for work and general xmas activities/prep that you get with 3 kids in junior/comp (DS2 is a caterpillar in Alice in Wonderland and DD is a dancing card!).

Lyra so good to hear from you! I was also thinking about you the other day as I was talking to a language and communication therapist who attended my training last week. How did the first day go? Finn loves his 3 days in nursery and all the girls there seem quite besotted with his gummy grin. I love it when I go to pick him up and all the other kids go ?Hello Finn?s mummy!? It has a lovely homely feel.

Georgie we are going to Center Parc too! Longleat was very full so we are trekking up to the Lake District to Whinfell the weekend after New Year. We got a nice upgrade to a luxury lodge so I?m really looking forward to it.

Tickle so glad Theo?s op went well, what a relief for you.

Hope everyone else is well, I promise to get on more now I have a bit of slack until xmas.

BTW Finn still has very little hair (a fine fair fluff), only 2 teeth (just like Ds2) and is showing no signs of crawling at all (just like his father who never crawled at all and just stood up and walked at 18months ? it certainly doesn?t seemed to have done him any harm ? county long jump champion at 15!). It?s a bit weird for me though as my other 3 were crawling at 8 months and walking by a year. It?s great that he can?t pull at the xmas tree though! He has this tremendous reach (sort of doubles over from the waist) and turns his head through 360 degrees it seems. He does like to stand up holding on and sort of shuffle around a bit.

Just seeing if new nick name works...

Blimey, didn't expect that to work!

Hello everyong. How are you? Went to see James Bond last night. Phwor. He's rather charming, handsome and debonair isn't he?! Made me go all !

We're off to Hampton Court tomorrow to go ice skating. Mollie never been before so should be a giggle. Poor old Libs will have to spectate, unless we put skates on the bottom of her buggy and push her round the rink on those!

Hi Rachey. DH from Lake District and would have loved to go to Centre Parcs up there, but way to much of long journey for us.

Barrel - good on you for losing that weight. Do you just feel on top of the world now? And just in time to treat yourself to a lovely new party frock!

Hey, whats everyone doing for NY? Have just been told that we're off to Cumbria to spend it with FIL and MIL . Jeez, it should be interesting. V small house. V small village. Bit like when the American lads walk into the pub on the Yorkshire dales in American Werewolf in London . They don't like strangers! And to add insult to injury, I'm a soft southern shandy drinking wan$er!!!! Wish me luck!

G xx

Not been around for a little while, busy preparing to move house and return to work in Jan (agghh!). Just wanted to add my agreements about the new James Bond (me and dh had a rare night out this week!!) - have suddenly found a new interest in 007 films!

hi all just catching up with you all, my internet connection is still a bit hit and miss so bear with me.

Teeth numbers 7 and 8 are well and truly through and T is crawling up on anything in site including me oh and she has developed a biting habit too, not for my nipples (that would stop milk flow) oh no just for any other bit of me in range. I have actually woken up with her biting my nose. Her balance is coming along and she can do about 3 steps before toppling now, A was 12 months 2 weeks exactly before she walked but I reckon T will be quicker. She is such a detemined little thing her days are spent crawling after A and attacking anything she is trying to play with, I do feel sorry for A though bless her she will invent little playgames with her little people then T will come along and batter into them. It's lovely though seeing the two of them standing up at the little play table together, not much height difference though. Have been asked twice this week if they are twins mmm they aren't that alike. T's hair is coming in thick and fast now I think she is going to be cursed with her Dad's and A's curls as she has wings now! A does have beautiful blonde ringlet curls, nice just now but she will detest them when she's older no doubt. Still BF pretty much on demand, still eats anything in site (will shriek and attack any food A has), still doesn't sleep through but she's a happy wee sausage so I forgive her (just)

Just found out a friend from toddler group is pregnant again, she has twin DDs the same age as A, and her DD3 is a month older than T and she will have another one in August, utterly insane so she will have 2 just turned 3 year olds, an 18 month old and a newborn!

Georgie - your NY sounds nice though, we're not doing anything much (and we're Scottish the shame) no babysitters kind of puts paid to that.

Rach - good to see you another one going up to the Lake District you will have to tell me what you think of it as it's a potential holiday spot for next year for us.

Lyra- hope your first day back at work went well too

barrelrider- well done on the weight loss, you seem to be really positive now

Iris - hope you are doing OK I haven't been over to the ncss thread in a while

Lisa - great news about A coming home, Lola is a wee darling I checked out her pictures

well hi to anyone else I missed I really should eb in bed now no wonder I'm always complaining I'm tired but at night when you get them to bed you just want some me time on the pc with no one hanging off you (literally) or trying to pull down the xmas decs and telling you they need a pee pee every 5 minutes!

morning girls

well i was supposed to be seeing a private speech therapy client here at home, but they haven't shown up. Grrr, most annoying as I got child care sorted and Alex was picked up at 10 to 9.

work was ok, a bit dull tbh as i'm not seeing my own children until jan, i'm still crossing over with the locum therapist to ensure a good handover. looking forward to getting stuck in properley come jan though. alex is doing fine with his childminder, but falls on me for milk as soon as he sees me when i pick him up.

busy day ahead for us : smear test at 10.30, then meeting with 2 friends for a prayer triplet after that - any prayer requests anyone? - then a christmas party with my nct buddies plus a couple of other mums, we're doing secret santa for the babies and having a few glasses of wine and mince pies. after that (phew!) someone's coming to fix the dryer between 4 and 6, then it's my work xmas do tonight. i feel tired just reading all that! no actually it all sounds like fun, apart from the smear and the dryer stuff.

great to catch up on all your news.

sweetkitty T sounds just angelic with her golden curls, and yes she'll definitely be an early walker by the sounds of things. sorry to hear she's not sleeping well at night for you, alex isn't brilliant either. it was 5.30 this am.

alex is home now so i'll sign off and catch up properley with everyone else later. x

Grrrrr, fourth bloody time this week someone has said, 'oh what a lovely little boy' to Libby. She's got flipping pink shoes on and a bright pink lining in her coat....

Said this to one waiter and he shrugged and said, 'even boys are wearing pink these days'!!!

She's not as angelic looking as Moo was, more cheeky. Has same colour eyes are Moo (green/blue), must be how my genes react with a blue eyed boy cos they have diff dad's. Spitting image of her dad, not a fraction of me in there. Do worry that Moo will be the beauty and Libs will be the brains. Friend of mine said that Moo will be complete 'champagne and charlie' type of girl whilst Libs will be more of a 'beer and spliff' type chick .

Libs is walking around most of the time now. She's covered in bruises. Seem to be going thru tubes of arnica cream. Only 4 teeth. No biting ...yet!

more later. Got to go and (attempt) to make choc truffles. Gulp.

G xx