The 7th Broadly Gemini Luxury Bus - Now with highchairs!

[AGnu]

Old thread here

Bibs at the ready, things are about to get very messy!

So.... it's currently -23F outside with a "real feel" of -43F with the windchill. DH also decided to crank up the heating to a tropical temperature last night which means that I probably just spent like 80 dollars in gas last night . THANKS DH. Chaos in the house today. Should be a blast.

I couldn't cope with that cold
Pear, we are off to Egypt, should be mid 20's with any luck!
No pammy boobs here, they've not even been full for months, kitten really doesn't seem to want that much, I feed her 7 and one other time in the day and she has 2 bottles but in each of the bottles even though I put 7 she never finishes them only drinking about 4/5 oz, at night she's really funny she drinks it til she's had enough then pushes it out and sits up and that means I'm ready for bed thanks lol is that too little milk do you think?

EGYPT!? OM, please take me with you! Wowza. Have a super fantastic time kitty!

Yes to pammy boobs. Still get engorged from the little monster not making up her mind on whether she would like to sleep through the night or not.

Our excitement for the day: Throwing boiling water outside and watching it instantly turn into steam. Also, my kids have turned my formal dining table into a giant fort. Think I might kick them out and go take a nap under there. It looks awesome.

Oh kitty I'm so envious have a lovely break! I'm sure kitten is drinking the right amount for her. B pear is definitely drinking less. He asks for milk and then gets bored after two sucks. Helpful!

Bring ~ I may join you for a kip under that fort!

bring DH was just telling me about seeing a video of people doing the boiling water thing! I was coming on to suggest it as entertainment for your boys! Sounds fun! I can't even begin to fathom that kind of cold though! Brrr!

kitty 'Runt' I should stop calling him that. He's getting chubby! has 2-3 feeds from me, more if it's 3am & kicking DH doesn't result in him getting up to make a bottle, & 1-2 bottles. He screams if he doesn't get a full 9oz bottle & has recently started grizzling when he finishes it anyway! It's quite a change from Calf. By this stage with him I think he'd been prescribed high energy formula due to his failure to thrive! He was ever so skinny bless him! Runt isn't exactly enormous but he's at least within normal limits!

My SIL announced the other day that her PFB is 'actually a bit underweight'. I queried this, given that she looks perfectly healthy, & eventually uncovered that her weight is just below the 50th centile! I just stared at SIL a bit like: I did point out that my PFB actually had been concerningly underweight, i.e. off the bottom of the chart, & my perfectly healthy baby is somewhere between the 9th & 25th centile & is absolutely not 'underweight' because he's not a tall baby! Grrr. It bothers me when she comes out with stupid things like that! She's planning a 'tea party' for PFB's 1st birthday. I'm dreading it. It'll consist of waaay too many small people being crammed into a small space with no idea of what's going on except that it's all so exciting that they could just cry! Is it wrong to hope that one of my DC does actually cry so I can make up some excuse about them not feeling great & run away? I hate children's parties. Can you tell? [grinch] Oh, & there'll be pink too. Lots of it.

kitty, while I remember... Be a dear & bring the sun back from Egypt won't you?! Preferably take the wind with you when you go & leave it there! Just a little !

Function? Oh, I haven't left the house since last Friday. It's too cold to take M anywhere frostbite in 5 minutes to uncovered areas and trying to get from a car to a building with two boys and a carseat is just trouble even in good weather... so we've been home-bound. We're apparently in a "polar vortex" . Also, the windows in the front of the house are from the original construction 35 years ago and our front room where M plays on the floor feels like an ice box. Even with plastic on the windows and drapes drawn across.

I hate when other mums get all dramatic too angu Don't worry. You're not alone on the kid's birthday party grinchness. I'm the mean mummy who never RSVPs for DSs classmates birthday parties. Glad that the little guy is fattening up a bit!

I'm heading over to turn on the TV babysitter for the DSs so I can take a nap with M!! (one way to pass the time in these parts)

kitty have fun in Egypt! I can't imagine bringing DS on holidays somewhere like that yet (pfb).

bring stay in and stay warm. Sounds horrendous.

I've been terrible at posting lately. I've seen so many of all your posts and had responses practically composed in my head but haven't had a chance to write them. I suppose while DH was off over Christmas I was spending time with him and DS so didn't get a chance.

Now that Christmas is out of the way I'm really feeling like it's a countdown to going back to work. I'm on a mission to sort out a nursery. I have his name down in one place, on a waiting list, but have been visiting two this week and have another two to see in the next week or so. It's so hard though. I just don't know how to choose. They all largely say the same things and promise all sorts. Their Ofsted reports are all good too. There's variations in cost but it's hard to see what you get for your money. Proximity to tube stations is also a factor but I don't want that to be the total over-riding issue as obviously I want it to be the best place for DS. I just don't know what criteria to judge them on. The one I saw yesterday I didn't click with the woman showing me around but the place looks great and on paper it sounded fantastic (loved some of the detail in the Ofsted report). The one I saw this morning is smaller and friendlier but is it better for DS to be somewhere where there are more children to socialise with? It's also closer to tube but much more expensive. Argh!

In other news my nipple infection cleared up eventually but I think I have the same thing developing on the other side. I've had an, eh, injury for over a week and it seems to be getting more painful.

DS is great though. Commando crawling away. We're off to Dublin on Thursday and I'm flying on my own withhim. Scared! DH is flying later that evening with our suitcase so I'll travel light with DS in a sling. Bit scared though.

Thanks frus The ine I saw today has an established preschool class. Looked very organised in that room although the kids were coats and wellies-ed up and on their way out for a run around. Looked so cute running around. I did get a good feeling about it. I didn't about the bigger one I saw yesterday and don't know why, although they did mention students and when I asked about turnover of staff they admitted that they get a lot of Aussies etc working there who move back home or visas run out.

Lore I really wouldn't rely on Ofsted reports too much. I've trained in the 'best' local nursery & it was an absolute nightmare! They deliberately took on children with additional needs to make them look good but what actually happened was that they had an untrained student me supporting a child who should've been in a special school but was waiting for a place in a room full of 30 or so younger children who were all scared of him & 2 other boys who mostly just ran around pushing other children over because they were over stimulated & stressed. I've never been anywhere quite like it. It seemed that there were 3 types of children - those with additional needs, those who copied their aggressive behaviour to get attention & those who were very subdued & mostly ignored. They were trying to be too many different things & I really don't think they were giving any of the children what they needed. Ofsted think they're 'outstanding' though. I should know, I was there on one of their aren't we wonderful, look at the lovely activities we don't do every day inspections. They had a pretty good report but then the HT had a chat with the inspector & the result was 'outstanding'. No idea what she said to him!

Is there any way you could happen to be near the nursery just before pick up time? Would be a good way to chat to some of the parents & get their impressions. I'd definitely base my decision more on personal feel of the place than whether it looks good on paper, or even if it has a good reputation. The super-nursery runs conferences so they can teach the other local nurseries how it should be done.

Students aren't necessarily a bad thing, but I totally agree that there needs to be a core team who are consistent. I'd be wary of anywhere that couldn't say they had that. If turnover is high then chances are they don't treat their staff very well so morale will be low & that will affect how the children are looked after.

I keep meaning to arrange to visit our local nursery. I think I'm putting it off because I don't want Calf to go! We don't need him to as such, but I suspect he'd enjoy it. It would only be 2-3 half-days a week & one family from church with a DD the same age as him send their older girl & she loves it... But he's my baby!

Yes and yes to everything that frusso and agnu said. Trust your gut despite what the "ratings" are. We had a horrible experience with DS1 in his first Montessori school (which ended up not even being a classically trained and certified Montessori!) because we went with it due to price and location rather than going with my gut feeling.

Is DD2 ok Frus?

I've had the best evening. Had a meeting about the toddler group I help at. Running late, nowhere to park in the narrow cul-de-sac, carefully manoeuvre between a car on one side & a poorly parked motorbike on the other, turn around at the end, come back.... Well, I didn't hit the car at least...! I'm usually such a good driver. Stupid motorbike was sticking out between 2 cars so made it difficult to see. Thankfully other people were arriving at the same time & my friend knew who the bike belonged to. He was ever so nice about it but his brake is ruined. He didn't seem to think it was a big deal though thankfully! I've been driving for 4.5 years & never had an incident before. I still feel a bit shaky now!

DH has just cheered me right up though. He was carrying the hoover downstairs while I was out & the big attachment bit fell off & bounced down taking a huge chunk out of the wall. Not really funny but his description was highly amusing! At least my accident doesn't involve us doing anything but providing insurance details. He has to look at his patch on the wall every day!

Thanks everyone for your advice. DH says I'm over-thinking it (me, overthinking things? Oh, yeah I do that) and just to go with my gut and short-list two and then he'll come back and view them with me.

Next thing to do is attempt to get DS self-settling by then. They're not going to be able to bf him to sleep, he won't take bottles and I'm sure nursery staff won't bounce him on a fit ball to sleep. Going to be an uphill struggle though as he doesn't come close to self-settling during the day and doesn't do it much at night either.

Babies just know how to get on with things and adapt. It might be a hairy first week but he'll settle in and will be a happy chappy once the new routine is established. You never know, they may have a fit ball to bounce him on....

So... DH was on the radio this morning talking about our crazy weather. Details on FB if anyone wants a listen.

Nothing exciting much to report. DSs are back at school PARTY TIME! and now I have a quiet messy house with zero motivation to clean it up!