March 2013 time for shoes!

[Plonkysaurus]

New thread ladies...

[Cantturnleft]

Hi Stormy, mine is also horizontally laid back and conversationally challenged. We were just arguing about it this week-well actually I complained and he nodded occasionally. It drives me crazy too but as Betty said when it's been necessary, he's definitely got my back and has been a great support. You deserve better.

[Anypants]

Hi all...

stormy - b*gger 'im. If you're managing wuthout him and it's easier/happier for you then just get on with it. If he realises the error of his ways and comes begging then yoy can decide whether it's "worth the hassle". If not, crack on and forget about him.

Chez Babypants has been a hive of activity this week. Dinner party with the neighbours last night (DH cooked so can't complain about anything for about a week) and i'm all about prep for the impending birthday celebrations. Tuesday is the day - this time last year I had no idea what was about to happen! We've got the pn mums over on Weds and a party on Sunday. It's gotten a bit out if hand as it seems the 'small, family gathering' is now going to be an all dayer with 30 or 40 people

I have 2 cakes to make, presents to wrap (clothing and a swing and some megabloks) party bags to make (wtf? All the other mums started it so I have to right?) along with a banner and some balloons. And she's only going to be 1. Good grief.

[Anypants]

Oh no! Did I kill the thread??

[Plonkysaurus]

Bloody hell Any, that's quite an undertaking!

[BettyOff]

Jeez Any, I was worried I was doing too much but you've just reassured me please tell me I'm not expected to do party bags

My attempts at making icing animals are having varying success; the lions are great, the monkeys look like bears and the panda collapsed. It may be a lion only zoo at this rate!

Happy Monday everyone!

[somethingbeginningwith]

I'd still eat 'em betty

any I admire your party planning skills! We're having a swimming party with 5 other babies and a crazy 4 year old nephew. My sister's making a Mickey Mouse cake but that's about the extent of it. A swing is a brilliant idea though!

rainbow adopting is a fab idea. My nephew, FIL and best friend are all adopted so I'm a big advocate. It's a very tough process; my sister was lucky to have to wait 2 years and get DNeph as a baby but it's so worth it.

Is it alright that I've got Toddlers and Tiaras on don't judge and DS is applauding along with the audience? It's a guilty pleasure. It's not alright, is it?

[BettyOff]

Something everyone has to have some guilty viewing pleasures Neighbours since 1988

[yummychocolate]

any i thought this year was the year we didnt have to do party bags. I am losing sleep over his birthday. I just want to make sure I remember everything.

I have ordered ds a trike. Please let spring be here on time so we can use it.

[StormyBrid]

We're being boring. No party. And definitely no party bags. I'll be making a cake just like my mum used to make me though. Chocolate sponge, jam and cream in the middle, chocolate butter icing. Will probably swap the smarties on top for chocolate buttons though. They're probably a choking hazard.

[worsestershiresauce]

I appear to be having a manic monday!!! So much to do... but the worselet is obliging me by having a long nap. I luvs her for that.

Your parties sound great. Stormy we're not doing anything other than having the ILs down for lunch.... which will be a pub lunch if I can swing it. I'm hoping she is too young to care, and won't hold it against me for the next 40 years.

Today Spring would appear to have sprung which is very cheering. The sun is up, the daffodils out, and the dogs asleep under their favourite tree. All is good.

Cross your fingers for me tomorrow as the GP is sending me for an x-ray to 'rule out vertebrae collapse' . Given I'm still walking, I'm working on the basis it is something considerably less worrying than that. Her alternative prognosis was mechanical back ache, which I'm liking the sound of. Infinitely preferable.

Stormy I hope all is well, and happy with you.

[StormyBrid]

Vertebrae collapse sounds like something I really never want. Fingers crossed for you that it's something much less alarming.

The past few days, I've been aware of the intangible taste of spring in the air. The bluebells in the front garden are just green and leafy so far though, and the wind chill's a bit arctic. Doesn't feel like winter really arrived and now it's gone already.

The man's here to see DD. All good and civil so far, but I did have to ask him to empty his coffee thing into the food waste, not the sink, and I had to clean the draining board when he'd finished.

[Plonkysaurus]

Worse I hope it's not a vertebrae collapse. A good friend of mine spent several months on tramadol thanks to that, and couldn't lie down well. She refers to it as The Dark Days. I hope it's all sorted fairly quickly for you.

It's quite springy up here to. Lovely, but am bracing myself for the usual early spring cold snap.

Stormy how on earth can emptying one cup warrant cleaning the draining board? The mind truly boggles.

Ds is having a hopefully nice long nap so I should probably get on with that seating plan. Grrr.

[StormyBrid]

Rinsing coffee grounds out, there was a veneer of them on one side. Takes all of two seconds to wipe it up and make the house look better.

[BettyOff]

Stormy and Worse your birthday celebrations sound perfect! that's exactly what I'd have chosen but as the rude ignorant ILs will be putting in an appearance I thought more people might might less time spent in their company and they're less likely to be arsey to me in front of our friends and their babies and children! I've also planned it so we're leaving early the next morning to go and stay with friends for a few days so we can evict them! If only all this wasn't necessary but at least we'll get to have wine and cake with friends!

[Plonkysaurus]

Worse I saw this and thought of you. You are not alone.

[Gerrythetootallgiraffeswife]

Oh god. Party bags? We're having a party but not really inviting any children, or at least no other babies, just a couple of children belonging to friends of ours! I decided there's plenty of years in the future where I'll have screaming toddlers/children/preteens/teenagers coming up, I'm making the most this year of inviting who I want there! So we'll have about 25, which sounds a lot but when you consider the number of divorces, step/half relatives on my side, that number is basically made up of grandparents, aunts and uncles, and our closest friends. Sandwiches, sausage rolls, maybe a bit of bunting and a bumblebee cake is all anyone here can expect.

DH is currently on a massive grovel. He's fucked up big time. My mum is away for two weeks so he was meant to take those days off to have dd while I am at work. Except he missed half of them, and now it's too late. No one else around so I'm going to have to pull a sicky to stay at home with her. Childminder doesn't have space and everyone else is at work. I've never pulled a sicky in my life. The guilt of not being at work is bad enough when I'm actually ill, let alone having to lie. I'm furious, but don't have time to be so angry. I've brought my marking to bed and am demanding tea be brought up hourly, whilst he cleans the house in rather a guilty manner.

Stormy, as usual I'm late to the party, and everyone else has said it already, but just wanted you to know I'm thinking of you and hope you find happiness.

[ecofreckle]

Any you are queen mother! That's a plaudit for your first birthday mummying skills rather than a comparison to anyone regal. We'll be on our own as dh will be away for new job, so likely very low key but I may try day out at a farm or zoo and I'm going to try and crystallise some primrose flowers for her cake (sorry if I'm so boring I mentioned that already I just find it very exciting). Rainbow may I have your recipe please? I have one from MN that is prune, maple and chocolate but another would be good. Stormy my mum used to make those cakes too! Lovely. One year it was a dome shape and she used the choc buttons to make hedgehog spines :-)

Betty and Something, no guilty TV pleasures in this house except perhaps don't tell the bride Something is your boy better now?

Gerry I'd be climbing the walls livid with that I'm afraid. Hats off to you for being able to communicate your need for tea. That would have made me very stompy, and that wouldn't have helped to solve anything! I've never done sickie before but wouldn't hesitate in these circumstances....no choice. And a boot up the backside to dh from us.

Worse, a baby rolling incident seems most likely to result in mechanical back ache rather than anything worse surely? Fingers crossed.

Plonky, table plans suck. I think you have to remember you're the boss of everyone for one day only so they'll bloody well sit where they're put. We did a plan for our lunch time meal but none for evening meal and the latter was a bit of a disaster on hindsight so a necessary evil I'd say. Bon chance!

(did that make me sound like a Knob? I think it did. I don't usually throw random french into my conversation. honest)

Yummy, tell us what percentage you're at now please? On the up?

Stormy other than coffeegate did it pass without incident? Hoping so.

Our end Friday was night one of night weaning with a plan if place to keep her company in her room when she told us she wasn't happy about it. She told us about her dissatisfaction for one and a half hours so we were poised ready for more of the same Saturday and Sunday night. However! Little monkey slept through from 1915 to 0645 both nights! That's how much she needs milk Delighted. But cautiously so. Tonight might be different. I think our lovely Ann the sleep consultant operates on a witchcraft basis and I told her as much today! This week we are putting her if her cot sitting up and also trying to tackle naps without a cuddle to sleep. She's been so happy for having had the extra sleep so far. Very nice. y

What wasn't so nice is her standing up and then losing balance falling forward and banging head on a glass piece of furniture we have in our bedroom. She has a cut on her eye socket in the same way that boxers do. The sight of your pfb bleeding wrenches your heart doesn't it?

[BettyOff]

Surely he should be the one calling in sick Gerry? not that that would ever happen in this house

[StormyBrid]

Sooooo jealous of ecobaby's weekend sleep. Fartypants woke up at half nine last night, and was quite happy practising her consonants for an hour and a half, at which point I gave in and fed her. Still, it gave me chance to read my book.

Visit was fine. We talked a bit, and for once I think he actually listened. I went and chilled at my brother's for an hour. He did tea and bath and bed, then went home. Back tomorrow to see her again. My emotions are a bit turbulent at the moment, but my brain's still clear. We talked a bit about Our Problems, but there was also a fair bit of general chitchat - about DD, about who that bloke on the telly was, just idle conversation - and it reminded me of when we first got together, and he was on his best behaviour and trying to impress and so on, and he would actually talk. I've missed that.

Really need to get the desktop working and accessible. I feel bad for not namechecking, but I just can't handle it on the phone. Enjoying hearing everyone's birthday plans though.

[BettyOff]

Eco that is amazing sleep! You must be thrilled, I'm green with envy!

Well done for getting through this first visit Stormy

[worsestershiresauce]

Plonky the man is not wrong! With the exception of two possible points. 1. It should never contain salt. Ever. 2. You should never cook with it. Ever. Point 2 has been successfully demonstrated by DH, with his infamous chickpea curry. Should any of you fancy sitting down to a solidifying mass of peanut butter and coconut cream with the odd chickpea floating in it I'll give you the recipe. Actually I won't. I just warn you off.

Gerry negative parenting and partner points for that there DH me thinks. If it were any other time I would have taken her, but right now lifting one is a challenge. Lifting two would be impossible. Do you have any other mum friends you could ask? I'm sure someone would be happy to help, and you could return the favour another time.

Eco that's brilliant sleep! Anne is indeed a witch. We're still struggling to get her anywhere near bed before 9.30pm, and are suffering regular snot related wakes. The musical seahorse is earning its keep though as she has learnt it means sleep. Strangely it doesn't work for the initial settle, just the later wakes.

Stormy sounds like DP is now trying as apposed to being trying. That's something, even if he did sling coffee grounds everywhere. DH does that too. Men. Ugh. Disgusting. All of them.

Night all. Fingers crossed we all get some sleep. Lots of sleep would be better.....

[Aldan]

Can I join this thread please. It's only taken a year

My DS2 will be 1 on the 3rd I can't believe his first year has passed so fast. He's into everything as I'm sure all yours have. He particularly likes to post things- books in the bin, toys in the bath, drinks in the washing machine and this morning I saw that he'd posted my car keys out of the cat flap!

[ecofreckle]

welcome alDan! We had a couple of others join fairly recently, shattered and can'tturn so don't be embarrassed! We like posting the starfish through the bath handle. :-) What are your birthday plans? Well done for getting through the first year when you already had one to start with!

[Plonkysaurus]

Welcome Aldan, now you'll never leave

Eco our afternoon thingamy is a mingle avec canapés. (I can do French too!) the seating plans a real bugger but like you say, a necessary evil. Silly me for inviting my uncle and his wife, as well as his ex! That'll learn me. So glad to hear the sleep training is getting results, long may they continue.

Worse how do you feel about satay? I think peanut butter is a must and have put it in a few curries. I frequently eat it directly off the spoon too (solidarity, sister), but oh so greater is my addiction to meridian almond butter.

Gerry argh I'd hate that. I only pulled a sickie when pregnant because I was so, so tired. But normally no, they're not worth the stress - although I think you'd be justified this time. I hope he's suitably grovelly.

Stormy oh bless you. I'm glad you are communicating but I bet your heads in a right tizz. Stay strong, and remember we're all here to support whatever decision you make.

Birthday here will be celebrated in a restaurant of my choosing - cheerful, family friendly and the most accessible for the further flung relatives. My dads being a selfish get though and trying to persuade us to go to a place of his choosing! Have told him he's welcome to go elsewhere but well be in the planned place. Bloody megalomaniac.

I just watched One Born Every Minute. Bloody hell. Broody AGAIN.

[Aldan]

Thanks for the welcomes

We are having a little party lunch at home with 4 of DS2s friends - the ones he sees regularly. Then when DS1 finishes school we'll probably have a birthday tea with more cake so DS1 can blow the candle out . Trying my hardest not to buy him a present, I'm planning on getting the night garden toys out of the loft for him, my mums bought him a slide and he's got some extra track for his toot toot garage. His favourite thing to play with is DS1 anyway!

I've started giving DS a dream feed just before I go to bed again. He was sleeping ok but we had about a month of bad nights with him waking for a feed at 5-6am last few nights after his dream feed he's slept until after 8 yippee