Dec 08 - three is the new two.

[Vagolajahooli]

Well it seems appropriate you cheeky breeders.

Hello all,

We are recently returned from a lovely week in the south of France. Lots of swimming, socialising and eating. DD2 was amazing in the pool: taught herself breaststroke and diving! We were with friends whose kids can be a bit naughty and I was concerned it was going to be stressful but it really wasn't.

We have finished uniform shopping today. With DD1 I always just wrote her name on the labels but DD2's school REQUIRES sewed on name tags only! I'm tempted to rebel...

Oops, DS crying, back later.

Right, am back (which is a minor miracle as I am in charge of five children tonight, my three plus two sleepovers, and DH has buggered off to watch QPR despite never having shown interest in football before).

Anyway, DD2 starts fulltime straight away next Wednesday. Because it is a brand new free school it only has the reception classes and I think the staff are desperate to get going. She has a long school day 8.30am-3.30pm and she is required to do at least one after school club a week which will keep her there until 4.30pm (she has chosen gymnastics and cooking so that will be two afternoons until 4.30pm). It seems a little much for a four year old and I hope she will cope.

Beans, I cannot believe how close you are to delivery. Do you have any feeling about whether it is a boy or girl? Do the girls have a preference? Are you settled on names?

Sybs, so glad I have not missed your visit to West London. Do you remember that last autumn I asked you about your DCs' primary school as my oldest friend was thinking of applying for her DS? Well he got in and starts reception there next week so he may well be in your M's class. I have told my friend your name and suggested she introduce herself but not told her we know each other through MN, I just said it was some baby connection as M and N are the same age. Her first name is the same as mine (in RL, not Arti!) and her son's name rhymes with Leo but starts with Th. She is lovely so I hope you get to know one another.

How goes operation No. 3 Lady???? Are you feeling enthusiastic about it? I must say that I have found the adjustment from 2-3 the very easiest so far. DS just fits in and is very amused by the girls. It is great! How did you get on with your DP without the girls around this week?

Did I tell you guys that we are having a triple christening in November? None of the kids are christened and DH has always wanted them to be so we have finally got around to arranging something. The ceremony will be in a chapel at our work which is truly stunning. I am currently browsing the interweb for suitable outfits for 7 and 5 year old girls getting christened. Would you put them in white? And DS, we haven't got a family gown, should I just get smart dungarees or something? I am not good at church etiquette.

I'm in bed at Mum's but I'm wide awake so I thought I'd write a bit more on here.

A triple christening sounds lovely, Arti. You might find some sort of white linen affair for DS. Or does that sound awful?! The girls I would put in pretty pale dresses. Your work chapel will be lovely spot. When are you doing it? A giant christening is what we will prob do as they're still not done and DP is keen but we are hanging on to see whether we have a third or not. We are thinking vaguely about going for it to see what happens. Basically I am still wracked with indecision and doubts but as I can't let it go either, perhaps that's a sign that I'd regret it if we didn't. I have got on better with DP whilst we've been on our own. The stresses and strains we've both been under certainly haven't helped and as you all know, family life can be rather harassing...The fact does remain though that we are significantly dissimilar in approach and basically I think that's going to cause friction forever. At the risk of sounding flippant, though, I don't see that adding another child to the mix is significantly different to having the two we've already got. I could be wrong of course

Wow Arti, is T starting reception already? I thought he was younger than our lot.

Jam and Deids, you are deeply right that iron-on ones being more convenient but DP had ordered about a million sew on tapes for DD1 and the same for DD2. In fact they probably have enough of them to see them right through to retirement, let alone school. Oddly, he still has some of HIS but he has to sew them into his robes etc.

Where are you on hols, Jam? I've forgotten.

Rubes - what on earth's happening about the house? How is everything? So sorry DS came off his bike.

And Kayz - how is your poor DS2's face? When is he back?

Beans, I really cannot believe you are so close to having No. 3! You are very calm and unmoany.

It's so amazing to see the girls, I have missed them soooo much. DD1 is snoring next to me, DD2 is in a cot. If there was a third one in here we'd be like sardines in a can My Mum does have a third bedroom but her DP uses it as a sort of a dressing room.

I can't believe it's the start of the new school year. It will be nice to see my local pals again but man alive, I haven't missed the politics. Maybe it's exacerbated by living in a village, I dunno.

I wonder how Spot's new job is going.

Vag, are you back from Frankfurt?

Right, my eyes are drooping so must try to sleep before DD1 splays over the whole bed.

I can't remember how it feels to go into labour. Am having squits and cramps, but suspect tummy upset, although not much coming out and cramps are period-y. Hmmm. Will give it an hour or so and hope it passes. Am only 36 weeks +2 days. Eek.

Oh my gosh Beans, that sounds labour ish to me. How are you feeling now????

Have been asleep now and think it might be a false alarm. Am still cramping quite regularly but now need another poo and no other symptoms!!

Yup, it was just horrible upset tummy. Kind of wish it had been labour. Now have piles, but no baby. Weep!

Arti, I don't think that you do white dresses unless you are RC. Just nice dresses for them. For young DS I would either start a tradition and buy a christening robe to hand down, or just buy him a lovely outfit. Wish mine were christened. I was very keen but Dh refused. Hey ho.

Very excited about your friend and school too. There are 3 reception classes so he might well be the same as M. Do you know the name of the teacher? Ours is miss conner - who taught dd2 in nursery and is absolutely lovely. Fingers crossed.

I missed a huge chunk there, sorry.

Sorry about your broken night beams. Is all well now? It would have been a trip to Harlow if s/he had come in the night so good job it was a false alarm. I have never gone into labour naturally so I don't really know what I am looking for.

Lady, I know what you mean about being different. I am very different to Dh which works brilliantly some of the time and less well others. He's much more sociable now than he used to be, which is fab, but so grumpy still. For eg, he doesn't want to go to beach today even though it is perfect weather and the kids love it. What else would you do with 3 kids under 8? They don't especially want to go to a gallery which is his choice. I agree that having a. 3 rd child probably wouldn't alter your dynamic. Have noticed here actually there are millions of people with 3 kids. Must be because we are all too poor to go abroad!

It's funny, I don't know why we all just don't marry people who have a more similar attitude to our own. DH and I seem to disagree on almost everything! Honestly, the lack of sympathy this morning for my plight last night is extraordinary! I can hardly walk for sore bottom! Hee hee!

Sybs, would DH go to gallery on his own, while you guys go to the beach??

Need to drink lots of water. Have lost 5lbs since yesterday morning's weigh in. Dodgy gut!

Christening x 3 sounds good Arti, but no help here, as I'm probably the one with the least knowledge of church etiquette.
Lady where does dp sleep at your mums? Good that things are good between you both. I can see the dilemma of the flip side for you too, and what the length of indecision may mean. Are you seeing what nature does then?
Oh dss fall was nothing. He was being silly. I'm more concerned about my aches in my leg. Still hoping its muscular and nothing awful. Was going to see about a physio if no recovery in a few days, however the stupid part is a physio pointless really as the referral would be to DH anyway! his problem is he needs to see imaging and also doesn't see things in such preliminary stages so is rusty. he might be working on pulling a few strings if it doesn't resolve in the next few days. (After i had a mini meltdown last night, and threatened to leave him in another country next time we travel and the flights get full ) the lack of exercise really getting to me since getting back into it! Clearly!
House looks back on track, just. I really don't want to move - yet.

Wow beans. I was on edge of seat then until I realized you often have gut issues and baby wouldn't be here yet! Not long now!
Yes dh and I are SO Opposite. Although at least want similar things
Kids went mental this morning fighting over drinking milk in our bed and who lays nearest to me - I kicked them both out. Now they are happily playing together after literally belting each other up moments ago. Weird.

Men are cocking useless sometimes are t they? I remember Dh being deeply unsympathetic when I was pregnant. I think it would interfere with their precious sleep too much. I suppose too that they have nothing to relate it to. I was just pissed off at the end with being so heavy and slow. My piles started after birth. And I didn't even push! Madness.

Hope feel you feel better soon.

I suppose the differences don't seem to matter - at first. Even seem charming. But then as life wears on, they start to grate or become obstructive. I always used to give in or placate. Nowadays, I tend to shrug and just go my own way. But that's not helpful when you are on holiday, our Sybs. What will you do? Both?

Bean, I am sorry for your bum! [Grin] sounds awful. I wouldn't know labour if it chased me round the table. However, in the night I was thinking about a third section with some terror. Even though I was happy with mine, going into theatre is still terrifying. And the pain is vile for a couple of days after. Bleurgh.

That's a nice idea, to buy a christening robe to start the tradition.

I so enjoyed our trip to Poland. It's such a varied, underrated country. I've been to Krakow before but if anyone's thinking of a break it's a gorgeous city (the 'Prague' of Poland). We went to a fab wedding and then spent time in the mountains (which wwas all strangely Alpine). We also went to the lakes, and one hotel lent guest enormous pedalos to go all over them. The four of us went in one and it was such fun. Then I was keen to go into Ukraine but we couldn't take the hire car, so we parked near the border and walked over (which took well over an hour with all the various checkpoints). Then we got a local bus to L'viv, a UNESCO heritage city, which was £2.50 each to go 90km. It was very hot and rickety but the girls were so good. They were brilliant all holiday and we did so much travelling. Anyway, L'viv was magic and even DP was blown away by it so it was worth the hassle.

I've got to get some more travel commissions when the new term starts. My feet don't get any less itchy...

Right, more later. I'd better get us all dressed and ready.

How are you finding mat leave, Arti? When does the au pair start? Beans, remind me what's happening with your building work?

Rubes, remind me when you are working this month. When does DH change hospitals, is it next month?

I think we will go to beach now and jump some waves, have lunch and a bit of a play then wander into town. Everyone happy. Ish.

I am going yo try not to drink today. Holidays are killers for the liver aren't they? Jeans tight and I feel bloated and a bit second hand. Will be glad yo be home and back on the diet. I've done no swimming for about 4 weeks because of constant child care and feel fat and in attractive. Sorry, self indulgent whine there.

Lady, I love Poland and have been several times. Wroclaw is great and I love Lrakow. The Tatraa are fab too.

Oh dear. Floodgates of unexplained weeping have opened. Bugger. Girls are being SO good and just playing together. I don't know what on earth is wrong with me! Inlaws very sweetly keep inviting me round to theirs for a swim, but they don't see, to get how I appealing half an hour there and back in the car is. Wish they'd just come and get the girls for me! DH is taking them to his sister's this weekend to give me 24hrs off. Hurray!

Poland sounds amazing. I'd love to go one day. Although saying it always reminds me of Hattie off Grange Hill, who used to talk to the boy called Ro-Land and say his name very specifically. Suspect I'm a little childish. Lady, you do take your girls on some smashing adventures!

Can safely say the thought of doing a poo or even a baby with my current issues is filling me with total dread. Think I might even bin the home birth idea!

Meant to say 'unappealing half an hour in car is'. Sorry!

Wow, I am full of self pity today. Sybs, bet you're to looking bloated. X

Meant to say NOT looking bloated. God, predictive text is annoying!

Preggo hormones are the worst beans. I remember it well. Now I just moan about stuff which I shouldn't. Have no reason to.
I have must if the month off shady. An supposed to go away o/n at the weekend but a multitude if reasons (including hamstring) are meaning I prob won't. Then it's the end of Sept next.
Calendar look busy tho. Am feeling quite important!

Sybs did you GBBO buddies show up virtually last night? I'm your deadest reality tv addict but can't find the appeal of that show. Maybe because I just don't get excited about cakes, or baking.

DeadSET nit deadest!!!!! Urgh! Predictive text!!!

NOT not nit!!!!

Ahh beans, I hated pregnancy on general so can sympathise. In fact I'm not pg and generally feel a bit flat, fed up and weepy at the moment anyway.

DH & I don't always agree. I usually stamp my feet like a toddler till he caves in . Seriously though I think pre kids I did bend more on some issues. Now, maybe age, but I just think sod it! And please myself.

Sybs loved the GBBO chat on FB last night. DH hates watching and moans constantly usually about it making him hungry!!

Rubes hope DH can get you seen soon with the leg! I love the fact you threatened to leave him stranded at an airport. Totally reasonable argument I think . I've had 2 days off and feel a grump & a frump from lack of exercise. Think I will do shred tonight as DH not home till late!!

I crossposted with a lot this morning. Beans, the last bit of pregnancy is a horrid slog. It is, as they say, graven on the tablets of my mind. Also, I reckon with each child you have, there is a sense of diminishing interest/sympathy and assistance from the world at large. When really, the more you've got the more help you need! I remember Ro-land. It will be Po-land forevermore Glad you're also a fan Sybs. Oh my, though, the language! Wroclaw is pronounced nothing like the way it looks (Rits- something) and as for Lodz - it's pronounced Woodge!

I echo all the comments about fattening holiday wine and food. I feel like the Graf Zeppelin, but with skin like porridge Talking about skin, I hear amazing things about those Clarisonic machines for your face, but I don't have a spare £150 or whatever they cost. What I really need though is new trainers - ones I can speedwalk but occasionally run in - any tips, ladies? I need to go into a big sports shop but I've been putting it off because some buff 19yr old is just going to make me feel like a 'nana.

DP doesn't tend to stay here, Rubes, even though he loves my Mum and her DP. He just drops us off sometimes. When he has stayed, DD1 gets tipped into a camp bed on the floor but the double bed is a small double (we have a superking at home, quite a difference) and it drives him nuts so at Christmas he opted to sleep on the sofa! Am crossing fingers about the house. I also dislike baking but I got sucked in to Bake Off last year cos DP quite likes it. Sorry about the leg - have you been overdoing it?

Haven't achieved school shoes or haircuts for everyone today. It's too easy to sit around at Mum's (mind you, I certainly don't do it anywhere else). Must try not to drink wine tonight though. Hmm.