March 2013 time for shoes!

[Plonkysaurus]

New thread ladies...

Yep, broodiness waxes and wanes here too. Second babies have to sleep anywhere or not sleep at all - you'll have first baby to run around after and take to places, and number two has to fit in with that.

MMR was a bit horrid. DD screamed blue murder. Fine now though. And she's currently trying to brush her hair - first time she's ever tried to copy an adult activity.

plonky the broodiness does come ago. Ds night wakings is the main reason for not wanting anymore children at the moment. I blame this age for making me broody. They are just too cute and funny.

Ds does not sleep when we have other people round too. My family make a joke of it now saying this is their cue to leave.

stormy poor dd. I have a feeling the 15month jabs may be worse. They may start to clock on what that needle is for.

gerry enjoy your easter holidays, you deserve it. My friend is a teacher and shes very stressed. Shes full time with a 15month dd. She brings lots of work home with her most of the time. I don't know you do it.

And go not ago.

A fifteen month one? Whaaat?! Please tell me it's not true! I thought our next jabs were at 3 and a half years old!

I asked when we were there today. Three years and four months, I was told, for the next one.

I grated my knuckle while cooking tea. It's still bleeding two hours on. Ow ow buggery bollocking ow.

We were told 3 yrs 4 months as well (or at least we we're told there should be a letter before that but if not to call at 3yr4m. They're the pre school boosters. Yummy how many did you have this time round? Did you have 3? Maybe they spread them out more where you are?

Yep we had 3 injections. Health visitor wrote the next one in the red book. Unless its 15months in london? But dont know why it would be different compared to the rest of the England. My friends dd had her 15month one today.

Hmmm just checked nhs website and there is no mention of 15months vaccine. Will look at red book again again tomorrow.

MMR used to be 15 m (18m before it)

It's not the TB one is it? They don't do that everywhere.

Morning all, and what a lovely sunny morning it is too, so I am in a good mood. This mood is assisted by the fact toddleworse did not get up at 5.30am for her customary early snack. Thank f*k for that! Whether or not this is related to her having been totally wiped out by the excitement of having ToddleGerry, and of course Gerry round to play is up for debate, but Gerry, if you'd care to come back, like every day, I'd be very grateful

So sorry your friend isn't enjoying Aus Gerry. Could you talk to her about it? Women may have fought for equality, but the fact is, day to day we are our own worst enemies at standing up for it. I see it so many times and am guilty of it myself. Educated women with good careers give it all up for their partners only to find that when they either want or need to get it back in the future the market has moved and they can't.

Yummy my back is fine thanks, not crumbling at all. Which is obviously a relief. I put it down to an overly cautious rooky GP, technically young enough to be my daughter, having me pegged as 'of that age'. I was tempted at the time to have a minor strop along the lines of 'I may have lines, but I sure as h*ll am not menopausal or osteoporotic', but she had me running scared and convinced that I might be!

Oh, time's up.... someone is cross.

Come to your gorgeous house every day, play with toddleworse and chat to you? Sounds great to me!

I have tried to talk to her in the past, but I know that what I would be saying is basically 'why don't you split up and come and live back here?'. They are the best couple in the world, been together since they were 15, the kind of couple that gives everyone faith IYKWIM. I don't think it's a male/female career thing, I just think she knows he's the stubborn one. One of them has to make a sacrifice if they want to stay together, and she's the one willing to do that. If I spoke to her about it it would be for selfish reasons. Basically I'd rather they were back here and he was unhappy, rather than over there with her unhappy, because that's better for me. They have to make that decision, they're still only 26/27. I just miss them both. I love him almost as much as I love her. Rubbish.

I met them because he's my ex's oldest friend. When I callously dumped my ex then made him drive 170 miles home split up with the ex, the first phone call I got was his best friend saying 'I just wanted you to know we still all love you'. When I was pregnant with dd, I got presents sent monthly to cheer me up, and god knows how much they've spent on air mail since I had her. They're the best people I know, I just want them close by all the time.

Ah gerry they sound lovely, you must miss them.

yummy am with you on the insomnia- it's a b*tch isn't it?! I won't say what I do but will PM you if you're interested!

worse glad the back ok. Have you tried Pilates ? Worked wonders for me some years ago.

We haven't heard about MMR. Still. Was thinking that because we got sent appointments for the others the same would happen. I should check...when the latest bug has passed of course!

Hope everyone enjoys the sun today

Our letter came about ten days before jabs were dye, Shattered, but I suppose it varies by area.

Gerry, your friends sound lovely. I want them to be my friends too!

Anyone know what we're meant to do about dentists? When do the small people start needing to see them?

I'm sorry, but there's sun down south? Well blow me. It's pleasant here, temperature wise. I've got the washing on the line and there's a bird in the tree, but it's as grey as a badger on a hot wash.

Worse I love it when they sleep. It's the BEST isn't it? DS has a sniffle at the moment and is feeling very sorry for himself. Twice last night he stirred and moaned, and I got up to see to him but by the time I was at his door he was asleep again. I could see that as two needless interruptions, or, seeing as it's a birds-are-in-the-trees kind of day, I'll take it as a parenting victory.

Gerry your friends sound wonderful! It's awful to know one of them is unhappy with their lot, but as you say, there's very little you can really do. Keep writing to her, facetiming, whatever way you choose to stay in touch. They don't have to live on the other side of the planet forever, but if they do she'll find her feet at some stage.

Eco not sure if you're about but I wanted to thank you for mentioning the What Mothers Do book. I've been reading bits of it at bedtime and thinking 'yes...yes...YES!' all the way through. I feel so lucky we have this little band of mothers here on MN, you lot have already gone a long way to validating how I feel but this book absolutely consolidates it. I've also got my sister reading it.

A good friend from university is coming to stay tonight. It's a lovely excuse to make cake, pulled pork and drink chardonnay. I'm really excited about it. I've managed to blaze through the workload this week which means I get to spend an hour or two ironing this afternoon probably while watching OBEM so we can relax later, and we can even fetch DS early today as a result. Add to that my wedding ring's ready to fetch (tomorrow's job), there's birds in the trees, and I'm in a pretty good mood.

On reflection, I may have had too much coffee.

There's sun up north too. Lovely day here. We're going for a walk after this cuppa.

I get woken by DD multiple times a night, but only maybe once or twice a week I actually have to go and sort her out. Counting it as a win too, but by god I miss her pre-Christmas sleeping pattern. 7pm to 6am without a peep.

Just because I know you're all interested. Not. I can hardly contain my excitement as the girdle has arrived. It's well, hmmmm, put it this way had I got my hands on one of these a while back I very much doubt either Toddleworse or my mum tum would be in existence now. It's that attractive . It's also complicated. I may have to google to work out how to put the wretched thing on.

Gerry your friends sound lovely. If I were you I would be tempted to think up cunning plans to lure them back to the UK! But if Aus is where they want to stay, well I guess you can do nothing more than be supportive and encourage your friend to look at it in a glass half full rather than empty kind of way. Life is what we make it after all.

And on that philosophical note I am off to chill out with a trashy book and a cup of as she who was cross earlier is now asleep and if the dog wakes her I really will kill him

Mystery solved. Red book said 15month jabs are 2nd dose of mmr.

Will catch up with all the posts later.

2nd MMR is pre school boosters here?

Hello ladies. It was good to hear the upbeatness and sunny stuff. April and May are the most delicious months in my opinion. FFS, even LUTON looks look in April :-)

Plonk I'm glad that you got that book. I think my mother eyes would appreciate it more than my mother-to-be eyes. DH asks did you get anywhere with your house (that sounds weird, like we read this thread together, we don't, I just mentioned it to him as we are house hunting too). And, thanks for asking after me. I am avidly reading always, but sometimes am a bit too sad feeling at present to post because I don't want to be the one you guys refer to as 'moanfreckle'. I'll get my pecker up soon and be back more regularly in a evident type of way.

Worse. Tweet-whoooo. That wasn't an owl. That was a wolf whistle. ;-)

Shattered, I think you are either a writer for Heat magazine or an MI5 agent. you're probably something lovely like a primary teacher

Yummy I feel your pain with my 'cot please mummy' dd. I have created a great napping monster. She'll sleep in her lie flat buggy or in the car but certainly not for longer than 35 minutes. Oh no. Rod. Back. Blerghhh...

Gerry welcome to the holidays. Other than waving off your friends, do you have any plans? With regards the friends, might their mind be made up if and when they start a family of their own? Being so into your delicious girl it sounds as if they quite like children?

Stormy ecotod brushed her hair today too. Poor love, she's not really got enough to warrant a brush but she thought it extremely amusing. She also said 'doggy' perfectly and in context but despite having the doggy within arms reach for the last two days has refused to repeat the feat.

You all know that I have not this far shied away from adventures with my babe but I really think that I have lost the plot with that now and become some weird baby-mother-wimp. I tried to explain this to DH earlier and he suggested that lots of mothers probably feel the same way so I'm going to ask you guys. Do you find it super hard work taking your baby with you (not with partner, just you) on overnights away from home? I am finding it super stressful at present. At home I know where she's safe and where I can be confident of leaving her whilst I perform necessary tasks that are impossible whilst holding her. In other people's houses the unguarded stairs, unguarded fires, dog, dog bowls, sharp hearths, steps, fire lighters, blah blah blah make it impossible to do anything other than keep your eye on the baby AT ALL TIMES. That means making dinner for the aforementioned baby/clearing up the supreme effort they did on splattering the dining room with food/transporting stinky nappy to outdoor bin/erecting travel cot almost impossible. I'm all for multi-tasking and I'm not generally a wimp about these things but really, I feel my days of every spending nights away from home are numbered. Is it just me?

I have been away at my best friend's new house in a beautiful spot. She was my birth partner (alongside DH) and her DH is away overseas so it was a good chance to do the utterly 'us' focussed chat that doesn't happen when the men are around. Her new house is blissful. It's down a track in the middle of rolling fields on the edge of the downs. The set up is windows flung open, doors open, child running free, spaniel running over to the nearby woods, harvesting dinner from the veggie patch, listen to the skylarks type arrangement. I share that with you in the spirit of your sun inspired optimism to make up for my earlier grumpiness.

Eco your friend's house sounds blissful. I would like to be there right now. Don't be sad though- is it just house/Bedfordshire rubbish? It's thirsty Thursday so have some

I'm with you when it comes to being anywhere other than home or mum's. My sister has just moved into her new flat. Open plan, maisonette so staircase which opens straight into the main room. We're meant to be going round for lunch on Sunday, add in the flatpack lying everywhere, and I just know I'm not going to enjoy it, but then I feel the pressure to be all cool and relaxed!

Urgh I've taken the opportunity over the last week to try to get to the gym most days. Which I've really enjoyed, and I'm feeling great for it. But it's making me CRAVE sugar like nothing else should probably turn off masterchef

I'm off to make myself a green tea and pretend it's a chocolate cake

NEWSFLASH!!!!!!!!

Green tea is NOT the same as chocolate cake

On reflection, that's probably not much of a news flash.

It's also probably a good thing DH is coming back tomorrow. I may be spending too much time in my own company

Green tea is most certainly not chocolate cake Gerry! I think your expectations may need managing! with your hard core gym ways I'd say that a wafer thin slice of chocolate cake is perfectly reasonable

Green tea isn't just 'not chocolate cake' Gerry. It is also vile. And pointless. That said it isn't quite as vile as the supposedly healthy raw food version of chocolate. Maybe you should try that. It would put you off all things chocolate for if not life, quite some considerable time. It did me.

Eco over-nights alone with the tiddly toddler? Are you serious? I get the fear over lunch out without a second pair of hands. A whole night would have me quaking. Unless I was staying with someone happy to be hands on and help, like MIL.

Speaking of hands on help, the lovely old guy who helps with the garden (of all people) suggested a baby sitting pool idea to me that struck me as genius. His wife ran one, 50 years ago. You need to get a group of about 6 mums, and give each 10 tokens, each worth 1 hour baby sitting. That gives you a pool of people to ask at any time, and the bonus is if someone has an evening out coming up and is low on tokens they tend to call round and encourage someone else to have a night out so they can earn baby sitting credits. He said it saved his sanity.

DH is at home today so I am having lunch out with a childless friend and he is in charge of toddleworse. I can't quite believe it. A whole meal and I won't end up wearing any of it. Hopefully.