Dec 11: Not tonight dear, I've got a haddock.

[PerilousStiletto]

I liked this one. :)

hop we've got DS so e of ELC's big city stuff to feed his vehicle obsession. For the older children you could look on wicked uncle. It's a v good website, you choose age and gender and it comes up with all sorts of ideas

Happy Birthday Northen!! Hope you have a lovely day & for you!

aethel, I spent two evenings last month cleaning the rug in our living room, it looked better than when it was new....DS1 took great pleasure in returning it to chocolate/sauce covered so no idea what this tidy living room thingy you're on about is!

faffin, hope you're right about it not being CP, he's a dastardly one faking the pox for a night in bed with the 'rents!

Christmas presents; can I recommend this kitchen it's amazing for a toddler, very robust & compact. I bought it from Amazon for £50 last week so that price is rather steep.
Hop, Boots some of the 'My first JCB' toy range in their 3 for 2? They also have a happyland digger set.
What sort of 11/13 yr olds are they?

We've been putting happyland away all year for Christmas, so looking forward to getting my airing cupboard back (until the sales start again).

Also today is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day, so there will be a little candle lit here at 7pm.

Just noticed the witchy smileys too! [hgrin]

11 and 13 year

Aaargh phone ate my reply!

Suggestions: cool board game like Carcassone or card game like Guillotine: both sold here, I've used them lots, they are lovely and if you phone they mail order at cost.

Or head to a TK Maxx and look for a radio control helicopter, or Bop-It, or a 360 puzzle sphere type puzzle.

Faffin yay on it not being Chicken Pox.

All those Xmas pressies sound fab.

DH & I are okay, he said he's glad I opened up to him about how I felt. I just don't know how to bring the defence barrier down...any ideas?

Thanks to whoever it was ( aethel ?) who mentioned the GAP sale. I went this morning and got some more of their excellent socks, also their PJ's for both DC's. I love those but they're just to expensive at full price! And I got an incredibly cute little jumper for my friend's new baby boy who was born on Sunday I love shopping for other people's newborns, you get to buy stuff you'd never shell out on for your own DC's!

I ordered DD a personalised Peppa book from penwizard for Christmas. It just arrived in the post and looks brilliant, she's going to absolutely love it

All those pressies sound great. Some good ideas there, thanks! No shopping here yet though and I need to think about clothes for me too... my colleagues/students will think I only own two dresses

Lecturing fine thanks Northern but do they need to look so bored? I hope it is just general early morning-ness and not my uber boringness!

I don't know what to suggest Queen. Maybe having a weekly opening up chat for five minutes? If you find it hard I guess you'll just have to practise in small manageable bursts and it will gradually feel easier...

Pelmemi for dinner (Russian dumplings). NOM. Plus GBBO. Yay! Will be gutted in two weeks when it's over.

Northern forgot to day happy bday!

Queen, could you write stuff down for him?
I'm a rubbish communicator so find if I need to tell DH something writing him a note helps, like mopys suggestion of small bursts too...If I need to say something I take about 5 mins where he's not allowed to butt in (would lose my train of thought) to say it.

Faffin, good to know that about Penwizard books, will order one for DS!

dobble is another fantastic game I'd recommend if they're that sort of 11 & 13yr old

I was in Tesco earlier and I saw they have the Little Tikes red and yellow car for £35 which I thought was a good price if it helps anyone?

DM suggested Tonka Trucks for DS although they seem to say from 3 years upwards? Apparently DBro had many fun hours with his in the garden!

I'm never sure if the recommended age is for safety eg small parts or developmental age? Some things like plastic toy food seems to be for 3+ but I'm going to get some for DS anyway!

Hop has your DS had a bad experience with dogs or just nervous? DS is scared of dogs although seems to be getting a bit better - no bad experiences so I'm not sure why he's scared?!

Faffin I'm sure I read somewhere that chicken pox is more common in the spring months....glad you have a reprieve anyway!

Mopsy I'm the same, I have the same outfits for work and although they mix and match I'm very bored of them! I'm going to concentrate on getting a casual wardrobe together first though and just try to think of work clothes as a 'uniform'!

Most jigsaws say 3+ but Boi loves them. He does the 20-35pc ones from jumbo (Raa Raa, fireman sam, something special,...) they're 3 for 2 at toys r us.
I have broken.
No more sober 'tober. Tis dh's fault. And anyway, if I want to get pg, a bit if alcohol makes the whole thing easier. IYSWIM.
Excuse excuse excuse.
Whoops.
Cheers.
Hic

Re: work clothes - I have bought quite a few "tunics" (loose dresses) from Phase Eight in their sales. There's not a lot in their current sale. But there's nothing easier than a loose fitting patterned dress over tights. It looks really smart. Also feminine (therefore sexy and powerful). And, as they're loose fitting, they cleverly hide any loose fleshy bits.
(They are the easiest thing in the morning - the clothing equivalent of a one-pot meal!)

This is typical - m.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eightGloria-Stripe-Ponte-Tunic/301438424 - they wear really well, last forever, stay smart. This isn't in a sale yet (it will -patience!) but at £69 for a full outfit, it's not ridiculous.
(You may think this type of thing too old but I likes 'em!, and I am old.)

Oh bugger! just seen this one m.phase-eight.co.uk/fcp/product/phase-eightForest-Flower-Tunic/301414094 £39. Bought!

hop, yes tooth pain can manifest as ear/jaw ache, but if a little un complains of earache (especially two days running) no-one will mind checking in their ear just to see what's going on in there. My star find was a kid with earache due to half a set of lego in there (this was a few years back!!....)

Am now filling our spangly new redecorated recarpeted spare room with lots of boxes of our junk storage stuff . Think we need to get a loft ladder fitted to our attic!

Some great present ideas. Will def look into Penwizard for Sky.

Oi - I love tunics with leggings/tights - all I generally wear. Love the striped Phase Eight one - not to keen on the flowery on tho.

I'll try little bursts and see how that goes thanks.

Nice one Oi, ta. Generally rely on Monsoon/White Stuff for dresses. Will go have a squizz at Phase 8! Doesn't look too old to me. I am a serious academic innit. Well if I want to pretend I am, nice clothes will help.at least

The Penwizard books are lovely i am going to look for something like that too. So far DH is saying that we are not to buy much for Jnr as he will get loads from Inlaws, aunts etc but cant help it - am hiding it in the back of his wardrobe. He loves his Aquadoodle so going to get him a travel one for the car and have a list of the inlaws - Dinosaur train train set, My First JCB remote controlled dumptruck are the main things. When i was PG DH bought a crate load of HAppyland Zoo animals which we have kept back from him so far so that will be his main pressie this year there is about £100 worth of stuff altogether. Am off to Asda and mothercare at weekend for their half price toy sales though.

Am hanging with cold today feeling miserable and tired and have to go to london again tomorrow, DH had a go about the amount am travelling last night i could have said it just as well one of us has a good job and it is that job that is paying for everything at the moment.....but i didnt ....yeah me am not usually that restrained.

I need to book DS bday party 22nd December bdays are bloody awkward especially since this year it is the last sunday before xmas when everyone will be on mad dash panic buying. Was going to book softplay but if lots of people cant go then will be a very empty softplay but cant invite people and find out numbers until i have booked something ......gah!!

Had a phone call that made my day this morning. I was advised by the CAHMs team and parents at the ASD parent group I attend to apply for disability living allowance for Darcie, so I filled in the minefield of a form & sent it off about 10 days ago. I had a phone call this morning saying that they were processing Darcie's claim and that she is entitled to DLA, I'll get a letter within next 7 days confirming her award amount. I was expecting a fight as after speaking to several mums they've had their claims rejected a good couple of times and had to go to appeal so first time lucky here

What are you ladies getting your DH for Xmas?

Hello all! Sorry I've fallen off the thread, an EBF newborn and still trying to work as much as I can has slightly broken me recently.

For all you broody ones, let me just remind you of the LACK OF SLEEP. And the attendant brain mush. And this is with a good sleeper - DS2 sleeps beautifully all day and at night he sleeps for entire blocks of 90 mins or sometimes even 2 hours at a time But even when he sleeps he grunts and mutters and grimaces and squeaks and moans and fusses and holds his breath just to freak me out and then exhales noisily just as I have turned on the light to frantically check he isn't turning blue...how did I forget this with DS1, it wasn't even 2 years ago! I lucked out and got two boys without colic, reflux or allergies...but DH and I still feel like we've been hit by a truck.

Anyway - looks like everyone here is doing well with a remarkable lack of haddocks needed recently, and now I want to go make truffles.

Reading mopsy's dilemma upthread though I have a clothes question too!! I love the tunic and dress combo - I used to wear that to work, though it tended to be a bit more formal eg. a black tailored shift dress topped with a Chanel-alike tweed 3/4 sleeve jacket and a chunky necklace or silk scarf. But you can't breastfeed in a nice dress like that and now I'm staring down the barrel of breastfeeding for another two years probably (given that DS1 is still going strong as well).

I haaaate all my old clothes and want to burn everything and start again but don't know what to get when I'm effectively at home all day and have 34H milktastic boobs that announce my arrival into the room.

Do I: (a) burn everything and buy lots of new clothes that work for breastfeeding, or (b) just get a couple of things to make myself feel better now and hang on at least another year to have the bonfire?

I bought three stripy Frugi breastfeeding tops in pink, green and blue to try and cheer my closet up a bit but they are basically just long sleeved t-shirts. I think I need to shop my closet tbh but what to do when maternity clothes are too big, normal clothes don't quite fit yet, you need boob access (and your boobs are HUGE) and yet you also want to look put together.

First world problem!!

A mug entitled "I'm on the gin diet.....so far I've lost two days..."

Great news queenie!

Am having a work related wibble, thinking of applying for something more permanent. The work's fine, it's just the childcare... DS is doing v well at nursery now and seems to like it but they only do care til 6pm which is a major limiter. And then there's school holidays... Arg... Wouldn't swap the DC for the world, there will be a solution somehow.

And xiao:you need what my mum used to call " the big girl's shop"... Evans has many not-too-grim tops in ahem larger sizes, also try Ulla Popova or M&S per una plus-size section. Buying a clump of size 20 tops is not super glam, but they will cause less of an "announcement" issue and may make you feel better! And get at least one nice jacket: I had a fab navy blue leather blazer in size 22 for DD2's Bfing adventure and got extreme pleasure from freecycling it when I'd done BFing!

Xiao, If I were you I'd buy some decent bf tops & then leave everything else until as & when you need it.
Tried on my wedding dress (and then all my other pre-DS1 dresses), and my ribs have only gone and bloody expanded. Blast. Damn DS2!
I'm not buying anything new until after Christmas, I'm 4lbs away from pre baby weight (having gained 30) so hoping to be toned & luffly by then.

Aethel, good luck in working that one out! If only it weren't for long old summer hols it would probably be an easier decision.

Hurrah for DLA Queenie, glad it wasn't a massive headache (although, I know what a bugger the form is so that's a headache in itself).

DH is getting a new(well new for him) bike shortly after Christmas so unless he needs something for that, it'll be running or geek hobby related.
Don't bother getting him dvds, books or games anymore as we resell all of that once we're finished with it so it's making them as presents less special.
I'm getting a Malcolm in the Middle boxset however, and that would have to be prised from my cold dead hands.