December 08 ers still going strong.

[Vagolajahooli]

Hello ladies, can you believe we will be entering into a 6th year of this thread this year?

Meant to ask how your night was, Jam? But obviously got too wrapped up in myself!!

Entering 95th minute of commute and I'm only two tube stops away from home. I bloody hate the tube workers for striking.

That's a short night Beans, lots of coffee for you.

Veg, Sicily sounds great, if you can do try and get over to the Aolien islands. Magical. I am sort of sad you are leaving Europe which is utterly ridiculous of me as I only "see" you over the Internet so you may as well be in Outer Mongolia but for some reason I like the idea of you being around. Are you excited to go back to Oz?

Wow. Survived in the pool with 30 reception kids in 3 instalments for curriculum swimming lessons! Actually it was fun and I'm glad I was the pool helper not changing room helper. What an eye opener!

Managed to swap my trip for days off. Phew. Mil not necessary.

Arti I have the copper coil as I wanted to get off the hormones all together, so not really sure re Mirena. Maybe worth a try though?

Right, lunch then dd swimming lessons and a little amble on the treadmill while she swims I think is needed!

Hello all,

Jam Sorry to hear about the break. What a brave little guy. Hope he is managing with the cast ok. My brother broke his arm and due to his learning disabilities didn't follow instructions to keep it dry. He had to have it replaced about 4 times and each time denied having got it wet!

ZJ I think you did the right thing taking the map to give yourself more thinking time. I must say I'm happy to stick at two, but pregnancy does not agree with me and dd2 does not have the temperament to be a middle child!

Vag The trip to Italy sounds great! We're planning another rail trip next year so keep us updated on where you prefered. DH wants to go to the top left bit, near France.

Rubes I'd have been hopping mad with my Mil if she did that! Well done for going to visit anyway.

Has anyone had a dc who refused to poo apart from in a nappy? I've read up on past mn threads and the approach seems to be

1. Get them pooing in the bathroom (we've got to this stage)
2. Get them to poo sitting on the toilet with a nappy on.
3. Take nappy off, job done.

I've tried all sorts of bribes but she is so stubborn. She was 3 in Feb (so not too young!) and been weeing on the toilet since January. Anyone got any ideas?

Hi Hons. Have you tried the poo goes to Pooland story? I was a bit but it worked for us - eventually. I had to put DS back in pull ups. I told him the story a lot and asked occasionally if he wished to try again and waited until he did. Good luck!

Sorry, I meant to say that I read about the story on here but I'm not sure if I still have it. Let me know if you're interested and I'll have a hunt.

I haven't Nolda, if you've got it that'd be great! DD always says when she's going to poo so we've no knickers to wash, and she holds it in until she gets home if we're out or she is at nursery. That can't be healthy!

I've just found a pdf online! Trouble is at work the printers are all communal and jam frequently. Can I risk printing off Poo goes to Pooland?!

Phew, all printed ok! Will let you know how I get on.

Hons, good luck.
yoyr comment about your DD not having the temperament to be a middle child rings a bell with me. much though I love all mine, DD2 is really acting up at the moment. driving me bonkers.

PS I read it as poo goes to Poland!

Aargh! I love DH, but I fail to understand how his mind works. He's left before the girls have been up and got back post sleep all week. This weekend, he's very kindly taking us all to Westfield Stratford for shopping, and on Monday it's his Mum's birthday and we're off there for the day. So his comment was, "Great, means I can go for a cycle for the day guilt-free on Saturday". He seems to have forgotten his wife and 3 children. Then he's off to Yorkshire next weekend from Friday night to Sunday night to cycle and then on a piss up the following Saturday and Saturday night until Sunday morning. It's the same old story. We just don't see enough of him. Especially now we have 3 kids. I've decided on 18th that I'm going to piss off for the day and leave him with all 3, hangover or not. I'm a bit bored of the assumption that I'll just do all the childcare.

But then, on the flip side, I fully recognise that sometimes I find it a lot easier when it's just the girls and me. There's no pressure to have to DO stuff and we can have a happy bimble. Is that bad? I think I more just resent that he doesn't seem to WANT to spend more of his downtime with us and sometimes I feel like because we're always around, we're less important than all his various activities. The reason I don't have any of these interests is because I never get a chance because I'm ALWAYS doing the childcare!

Oh well, 2 weekends booked away this year for me. And a couple of midweek days to go and sprinkle Dad's ashes, which won't be a fun break at all. DH was a bit miffed he had to take 2 days off work for it!!!

It just pales into comparison with all his stuff away!

Soz, am whinging.

Beans, I don't think you are whinging. I'm usually in your DH's shoes, often out early, back late, away and not seeing the kids. But that means I feel bad if I don't spend every spare waking minute with them when I am not at work - so weekends are theirs, we choose to not use kids clubs etc on holiday as it is the time we get to spend at as a family. As the DCs get older, they are more vocal about wanting time with me (and it gets more fun to be with them). Also, if I don't do some of the dull stuff, then I'm not properly part of the fabric of their lives. DH is with them almost full time, so its not that.

I know there is a balance somewhere and I do struggle with not getting time to myself - but I wouldn't dream of going for the day guilt free or at all. Maybe its a mum/dad thing, but I'm not sure.

PS - Jam, sorry to hear about the break, hope he's OK. I saw the facebook stuff it looked pretty spectacular.

Also, for those of you with dogs - do do make sure your DCs know how to be careful around them. My lovely niece, who is 3 startled a sleeping dog by trying to pat it and it jumped up and bit her near the eye. Her tearduct is torn, she's had one round of surgery and probably will be more. One of those things, but still pretty horrid for them.

I would be cross in your shoes Beans. Like Invis I make-up for my absence through working by trying to spend all my free time with the kids because I want to and I enjoy it as well as because I know they reserve it. Could you talk to him about his comment and make him reflect on it? Do you ever chat about how absent he is? My DH has, unusually for him, missed bedtime every night this week and as a result DD2 was very unsettled yesterday eve. When he got home I told him about it and he felt awful.

Hons, I have no experience of children withholding poo but have also heard good things about Poo Goes To Pooland/Poland. I hope it helps.

Invis, your poor niece, I do tell the girls not to touch dogs without asking their owners first but they sometimes forget. That dog sounds like it had an unusually dramatic reaction. Was it reported?

How is the leg Jammie?

Rubes, nothing would get me in a cissies in front of teachers and parents. Despite having got myself to a size 10 (yippee!) I'm all the wrong shape and badly toned now.

I just got elected as a parent govenor for DD2's school. I'm so pleased. I've never won anything like an election before and j think the job should be really interesting. Are any of you guys governors?

I kind of wonder if its a Mum thing because we immediately feel guilty about not being with the kids, whether its because of work or anything else. Weirdly, the girls are used to it, so they don't really seem bothered when he's not around. It's just normal. Which is also quite sad. But if I go to get my hair cut or anything, they miss me terribly! Ho hum. When heis there, DH is such a brilliant Dad, so hands on and does all bath and bedtimes at weekends etc, which is such a relief.

He did school run this morning, so am a bit squiffy as not sure what to do with myself. It's lovely. Playing Plants vs Zombies while DD3 sleeps!

Ooh, RT, that's brilliant being a governor. Use be a bit like being picked first for a sports team at school! Only of course more grown up! X

jaysus Rubes, that is the lowest of the low, your MIL goes to the top of the class for manipulative cows 101. Worst of all it worked. And all that stuff about not wanting you to have her brother over. You've got kids FFS it is a lot easier to spend relaxing time with people if they can stay over. Very sad lady.

Beans what does DH think about the fact that the girls don't miss him?

Also I laughed out loud when you mistook pooland for Poland. We are at the beach and it is a bit blowy. I laughed so out loud that I opened my mouth quite wide, just as a big gust of wind blew. it went straight in my mouth & I actually choked on some wind. I didn't know that was possible.

Rubes the cast must be different. We had it removed here and the Dutchies had never seen it before. The plaster technician who had to remove it was very intrigued. The orthopod was slightly intrigued but was more interested in talking about cricket. I find it quite rascist that people assume I'm interested in cricket because I am Australian. It's happens quite often. In India it was a little embarrassing they thought I was a bit thick because I didn't know the names of the entire Australian cricket team.

Sadly I don't think we are going to Sicilly. DH doesn't want to have a driving holiday. I would love to go to the Aoelian islands. I have a dream to spend one night stromboli. Sleeping on an active volcano. Instead we are going to stay close, and go to Morocco in November before we go home. DH has always wanted to go so has put his foot down. Bit sad I'll not go to Italy again.

it is weird to be leaving. Currently I have the potential to see you guys but over there, no chance.

Hons how do you book train trips to Europe?

oh & Arti congrats on the school govenor gig. Can I call you gov'nor

Beans, I think I'd be a bit pissed of if it was my DH. It is a bit of the opposite here. I have to persuade DH to go out and do stuff. I think he worries because he is away for so long.

Well done Arti on becoming a school governor. I was considering joining the PTA type thing here but all the mums that are currently in it do nothing but bitch and moan about it. I can't be bothered with that.

DH has been in Fleetwood all week, should be home about 7ish and then goes back to work very early Thursday morning. At least life will be a little easier this time.

Checking in briefly at hossy.
Finally the lack of pay and dh never home are paying off. Here only for an outpatients apt and the consultant has fast tracked me to ultrasound (baffled but suggesting not sinister) and now having MRI all in the space of 3.5 hours. Had a brief glass of wine and bite to eat with dh round the corner as booked in for 1730, then he had to go with dd to collect ds from after school club.
I'm a case study. The students came in to see the ultrasound. Apparently there's a "mass" about 3x1.5 cm and they haven't a clue what it is.
Anyway, haven't read up at all. Will do later but our housing situ is another interesting read! Oh and managed to swap my trip at the last minute. Really bad time to go to work!!
Right mums the word with location pls... X

Are you still at the hospital Rubes? Hope the army of students and medical bods have more idea what they are dealing with. Was this the suspected hernia?

Vag Look at the man in seat 61. As soon as I read the bit about your dh not wanting to drive I thought TRAIN! The sleeper trains are so much fun, your boys would love it.

Beans I'd be cross at the whole day 'off' thing but to make a massive sweeping sexist statement, I think men find it easier to compartmentalise their work, home, hobbies etc.

No poo has gone to Poland or Pooland as yet but dd2 is enjoying the book very much. She is sitting on the toilet and at least trying to go. Half the trouble is that she poos standing up which doesn't work on the toilet. I'm encouraging her to try to crouch down a bit! It may be a long road..

Where is everyone?

All good here. Been out walking today and had a lovely lunch. Must put kids to bed then a little glass if wine beckons....

I remember poo goes to Poland. M understood it but still pooed in his pants. He got caught short once sitting down to wee when a poo plopped out and he's not missed since. I tried everything but I think they just get it at their own pace. He was 3.4 when this happened having been dry for about 4 months.

Hope you are all well.

Hi y'all
Where have you all gone? Did you have a lovely bank hol? We did. Rubes, how are you doing? Are you ok?

Been mighty busy and am exhausted, but v happy. The sun is OUT! WAHOOOOOOOOO! Having been pissed on on the school run, but that's how it goes? Car currently having 3 bald tyres replaced, then got to be fixed this evening too where DH broke it. Wish he'd do that. Girls at school, DD3 snoozing while I do this. AND I've done a huge poo after 2 days off and I feel considerably better for it! And hopefully lighter.