Dec 08 - The One where they take on the world (school)

[DeidreBarlow]

New thread

oh no the pubes talk! Keep thinking you are talking about me!!!

Gosh middle aged stuff..... I have many many grey hairs, in fact my hairdresser said my hair is starting to get less noticeable roots as early a polite way of calling me a silver top, last Summer I wanted one of those garden kneeling things, I've caught myself putting my hand over my wine glass as dh attempts to refill it as I "have to get up for the school run", got annoyed at the pub the other day as someone was at my "favourite table" oh and ds actually wanted me to kiss him goodbye at the gate of the outdoor play area attached to his classroom, and not walk him the (all of) 6 foot to the door and kiss him - however that may have been due to wearing lycra and not actually the uncool kiss at the door in front of his 12 year old teacher so I'm going with the fact gym clothes (hopefully) cancel out that one.

Arti I agree with Rubes make out you were going to go out but hadn't got DS off to sleep yet and maybe AP got confused. I think it is important to let her off the hook. You could also say that you no longer want to go out because the cupcakes look so yummy. DD2 is like my DS2 he doesn't give his love away as easily as DS1, you definitely have to earn his love and showing him with affection and attention is the last thing that will work. He seems to go after people when they pretty give up on him. My poor niece who is very affectionate and was devastated that DS2 wasn't over the moon to be with her. So I told her to ignore him and it worked a treat. He also found it annoying that my niece takes my attention (when we get started the two of us could converse for Australia). So maybe she also doesn't like the AP taking DD1's attention.

I have just bought a thermomix and already I have made an amazing onion soup and I am about to put a plaited milk bread in the oven after it's final rise. I love, it's really expensive but I think it might change my life forever.

Oh and PD I seem to remember from my nursing degree, way back deep in my past that OCD can actually be an almost normal reaction for under 12's when they feel there life is out if their control. Albeit an over the top reaction. They carry out these activities to give themselves some sense of control. I think letting the habits go along but see if you can find (with professional help) the root of the problem and help him find some control over the situation. I hate to sound all lentil weaving but maybe he literally doesn't feel in control of his time and education. Not being allowed to go out and play at break times means that he can't do anything of his own choosing. DS1's teacher did try keeping DS1 in at break time for ten minutes to make him finish his work but she was loath to do it and it was more an incentive to try to get him to finish his work in class time. When it didn't work she stopped doing it. That's why she has started wanting to explore how he learns rather than resort to incentives because she feels he might just need to work at a different pace. However, I do think giving him some more time to himself at home has improved things. He has finished all his work this week. We asked him what he does to increase his chances of getting all his work done. He said he just doesn't look up he looks at his work constantly. Sounds a good plan.

How did it go Artiiiiii? What happened in the end?

Have finally made a decision about the nursery days. Going to just cut the Tues to a half day, and keep Monday as dh pointed out if he doesn't use the tax free vouchers, which are £124 / month, it's only £90 in our pockets, plus there are several Monday bank holidays which fortunately this nursery doesn't charge for, unlike the last one. And it least I've got a full day up my sleeve if it does work out that i can collect them, as I can still use the after school club that day for ds.

Deids, I reckon it is the carb cutting. I've been a bit the opposite and not as strict with carbs, and noticing it, but want to get back to my strictness since I managed the gym today. The foot will be better in no time. My knee / leg seems fine, but I seem to nurse it a bit - guess it's psychological? I'm scared though of doing it again, mainly as I don't know what I did in the first place! Did you feel like that? Sorry meant to keep it to twitter, but obviously hard to ramble with the character cap

Must get dd soon

No idea how I did the foot. Reading up it would seem it was probably a combo of longer distance and quicker times at once that was just too much. No danger of that if I ever gt back out there! I'll be lucky if I can manage a mile. I know what you mean about twitter 140 characters limits the chat a little

Artii how did you get on with the AP?

that's how I feel deids. What I was doing pre injury still wasn't much, although now my effort is a joke. I'm worried I'm a bit nervous of pushing it, but perhaps that's a good thing.

Vag - do you have any family / friends affected by the fires? Hope not. It's not looking great on the news.

Rubes we've had a couple of friends evacuated from their homes and some put on prepare to evac status but none have lost their homes thank goodness. So sad 200 homes gone. But thanks to a co-ordinated evac effort by emergency services I think so far only one man has died of a suspected heart attack.

Artii how did things go with the au pair?

Deids sorry about the foot, it's very frustrating.

Dh and I had a date night tonight to go to a cross fit session because the boys are on holidays I can't go during the day. We did lots of power up thingies which are like a pull up but with your hands around the other way. I did so many I actually pulled some skin off my hand. Ouch. I'd better get some buff arms soon. We are going to do another session on Friday and get the babysitter then too. We also have a night out booked for Saturday night as we have a holloween tour booked at 10pm for the Den Haag prison gate museum which is a bit like the London dungeons but a bit more hardcore and less cheesy.

I've just made a cocktail with the Thermomix, I love it!

What is this thermomix you speak of?

Google it jam. Looks cool.

I have one stroppy toddler this morning. She's a disaster.

A friend has described it as a food processor, hand mixer, wok, steamer, saucepans, bread maker, rice and slow cooker all rolled into one. Plus it makes cocktails. Basically you cut up ingredients or have them close by, it weighs them out whizzes them up, sautes in necessary, mixes stuff together and cooks, all in one machine. It is huge in Australia and top chefs are using them in their restaurants now. They are a german design and you can tell, it is the perfect cooking appliance. Even down to how easy it is to clean. You can get someone to come to your house and demo it, but be warned you will want to buy it. You can only buy it through a rep, but it's not really a tupperware sales type system it is more that they want to give support after the sale and make sure people can use it to its full potential. It's not cheap but we got it through DHs work VAT no. so it cost a bit less. But it is half the price here than in the UK.

Where is everyone? I though I was the only one on half term.

Not the only one Veg, DD2 has two weeks: this week and next. I'm exhausted already, haven't recovered from a big night out at the weekend, can't pretend I'm up to big nights out anymore. To add to exhaustion I went three time last week before the weekend, then to the theatre last night And im due at an art class tonight. A live in au pair providing free baby sitting is a great incentive to going out but it turns out my body can't keep up!

Au pair thing yesterday was fine, I just fudged it, but the au pair had left a hot cake tin in front if DD2 who grabbed it and blistered her hand. Not great.

Crikey, is this her first experience at the job Arti?? I'd be livid with that.

Crikey Arti poor DD2. And two wks for half term.

Just checked out your thermomix thing vag. Vv swish.

DH and I were chatting earlier and trying to decide whether or not to have a wkend away with the boys before No.3 arrives. Would you at 36wks go to Bruges for the wkend. Am thinking that's loads of time before the baby arrives.

I went to Spain at 36 jam but it was to be support crew for a bike race booked well before plus had a doc present. Would you be more comfortable staying in the uk for a weekend? Dunno I'd prob say its be fine but not sure for myself again, only as I wanted CS and nothing else so was worried. but different with natural birth. You can pop em out anywhere!

or maybe it was 34.....

anywho dh not home till at least half 7.... again....
Baths now and a dance party to host.... all before 7

a fight broke out during the dance party. DS wanted ACDC, DD wanted Taylor Swift. Dance party cut short. Milk then bedtime imminent

I see I've bored everyone to death tonight. I've bored myself, just reading back my rambles! Night night all. Over & out.

I'm with DS Pubes!! That's class!

DD3 was horrid last night. But all better now. Vag, loving the Thermomix. Lucky girl!

Ugh, I've been up since 3.10am and about to try and survive the Natural History Museum with DD2 and a new classmate of hers. The mother of this classmate, who is coming too, is effortlessly beautiful and shiny and tiggerish.

Rubes, this is the au pairs first job but au pairs are always inexperienced as they tend to be late teens wanting a year abroad. Ours is very sweet but far from intuitive with kids, she tries but some of her fails are pretty spectacular (baking raw spaghetti to cook it, unliading the dirty dishwasher back into the cupboards seemingly blind to all the dirt, believing the kids that they are allowed ice cream for breakfast etc etc etc). I'm impressed that your iPod contains ACDC, ours is total pap pop from the 80s/90s.

Arti, I would be fuming about the cake pan!! Hope DD2's hand is ok.

Vag, I want a Thermomix, I saw them at the Good Food show last year and they looked great.

You're having a laugh about the spaghetti right!!!??
Wow so don't you feel like you sort of have a 4th child? I know There's probably a lot more to her but I didn't know they were that incompetent! Couldn't bare it myself (control freak that I am! )
Aca/daca not on my iPhone / pod but dh has our (mainly his) entire music collection from way back all on the home network. He's a fan of them from way back. Taylor swift somehow wound up on my cheesy running playlist as my nieces were doing routines to it when they were visiting honest!
Hope you lot get some better sleeps in - 3am that's harsh.

Sorry I haven't been back but last night was my book group (too much wine on a weeknight - you see I do do it occasionally) and then I have Italian tonight and am madly trying to catch up as usual.

So I'll be back tomorrow once Italian is out of the way. Rubes, DP is a big AC/DC fan but he is of that age...

Arti - two weeks for half term is mad though I wish they all had it. The au pair will settle - it's a steep learning curve isn't it?

The Thermonix sounds like an amazing gadget, Vag. What are you planning to do in it next?

Have got to dash into Oxford today to have lunch with DH's Dad, and his auntie and her other half. The two fellas are 80 and she is a whippersnapper of 75. They're all quite deaf. They're lovely but I really need DD2 to be a paragon of virtue and it's going to be a bit stressful on that front.

Dear Lord! Spaghetti baking! Genius. Arti, I'm so sorry you've been up since 3am. That's horrific. I was doing a feed then, but got back to sleep from 4-6, so not too bad. Poor you. Miserable. I hope today is ok. I get through on caffeine and a strange sort of hysterical high most days.

DD3 is being a devil child. Actually, poor thing is clearly on some pain and can't seem to latch on properly and screams and screams and gulps in more air. I can't seem to get a burp out of her, until its a sudden violent puke. Then she's exhausted and cries because of that. Then finally collapses and then wakes up hungry and windy again and the cycle starts again. Think I may have to do her the odd bottle as my boobs seem to be causing her some pain. Poor little beast. Sure it'll get better.

And I'm so hungry all the time! What's going on with me???

Beans she's def not tongue tied right? Similar sounding to dd who was. Hope it settles soon.