Nov 05 Babies, cryin', talkin', sleepin', walkin', livin' dolls

[babyonboard]

Ladies, babies, and bumps, welcome to the new thread!

Should we start this off with an update from us all like last time? I thought that was nice, especially for those who get little chance to catch up.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO NATALIE , one today . Hoping you have a lovely day!

Well, the Bear in the Blue house videos have been dusted off and are proving a hit with Liberty this morning . Hoping to get to the museum of acience and indistry this afternoon, as the weather is pretty grim.
Hope everyone's having a good weekend

Well, it all got a bit too much and noo is currently back in bed after dissolving into lots of tears. Should never try to surprise a one year old I suppose.

Thanks Jess and Sean for the cards . DH opened the one from Sean and eyed me suspiciously saying 'who's Sean?'. I had to rapidly explain that Sean was a MN friend.

Will have to tell the GP's to tone down the excitement when they come, lest we get more tears.

love nova and noo

Natalie! Happy 1st Birthday Darling! Have a lovely lunch with your grandparents
Ah Jen, thanks for indulging me! Fin sound gorge and perfectly looked after too as Diege said. We also have an ironing board wedged next to the fridge freezer - baby magnets obviously! As are stairgates, cables, plugs, cupboard doors, and shutting drawers - I trapped Jess's fingers in one yesterday
Hope Beks dh and GG's dp have lovely birthdays too
Diege, oooh what 'little extras' did you get?!
Anyway, we've got a 'only 1 nappy left in the bag' situation so better get dressed and get down to Tesco and keyboard is under attack from a certain young mistress - the same one who thinks it's a brilliant idea to start getting up at 6am. It's still dark for goodness sake!
Bye! x

Happy birthday Natalie

Hope you all have a fab day and that Noo manages to enjoy her role as birthday girl!

What did she get for her birthday?

I did shopping for S birthday yesterday hes not got much from us as he's really got everything he needs.
Hope you have a lovely day Diege.

xx

Awwwwww Noo! Crossed posts, have a lovely day
Have a lovely day too Diege - sounds like fun!

Another one - I must type quicker! Hi L&S!

Happy Birthday Natalie!

Hope she has a lovely day.

Hi everyone! Hope you're all enjoying the weekend.

Happy Birthday Noo

Possible strains of 'Its my party and I'll cry if I want too'??!!

Nova - hope you all have a lovely rest of the day

Happy Birthday Natalie Hope you've had a lovely day sweetheart, grr sounds like Tom's card didn't arrive on time it will be there tomorrow promise! How comes I can send Jess's the day before her b'day to the other end of the country and get it there on time but not one across London

GG Hope your dp had a nice day today, my dh has has had a good b'day, we've been out for Tapas as planned and the kids played beautifully - helped along by some bribery from me via a quick trip to Woolworths toy department - best fiver each I've ever spent

Tried to go to the Battle of Hastings re-enactment yesterday and it was absolute chaos, too many people and not enough space so ended up going to Hastings instead, my friends were not amused after my dh got called into work first so we sent them on ahead, they sat in traffic for 2.5 hours for the show, we took a detour and met them in Hastings 10 minutes after they eventually got to the seaside - the friends dh was not amused as he doesn't do days out becasue of traffic and he doesn't do public places because of people

Hope you've all had a good weekends, best go and help with the bedtime routine. Beks

Happy Birthday Natalie Hope the tears dried and you've all had a lovely day. The excitement can be a bit overwhelming when they're little. This year was the first year that Tobes didn't throw up on his birthday!

Beks, good to hear from you. That day out sounds so stressful. Sounds like you coped well.

JenJam, Finn sounds like a normal almost-one year old to me. They're so mobile now and think they can do more than they actually can. Rosie's shins and knees are covered in bruises from trying to stand and then falling to her knees and she has a bruise on her head from rolling into the wardrobe last night. They're tough little things though. I know just what you mean about trying to buy a family place in London. We're in the same boat. The flat we have now is fine but has no garden and is badly organised for entertaining. I know it can only last another year or two. What part of London are you in? I'm sure you've said but I have a terrible memory. As for the ads, I think there is a hormonal element but it's also just letting too many things get on top of me. Moving two weeks before Rosie was born, dealing with her allergies, Toby's adjustment to having a sibling. I've been trying to take it all in my stride and I guess I tripped.

OK, back to Strictly Come Dancing!

Happy Birthday Noo!

Hope you've had a fab day, and that it was everything you hoped for Nova (hope the MS isn't too bad now, and that you managed to enjoy Nats 1st birthday, and only birthday as an "only one"! - gosh how cool!)

I've still not fully decided on the changing bag! Am def going for a Skip-Hop Duo (I think!), but am now ditherng over the colour! Do I go blue camouflage (which would go with the snuggly toes I bought last year) or do I go with plain red, which will be £5 cheaper from Jojo-Maman..?
Oh, the dilemma!

Still not got round to posting the photos yet - sorry, not sure why - no excuse!

HAve now realised we are busy every weekend between now and Christmas (although sometimes, just with a Saturday night out!) but even so, that's mad isn't it!

Right, hope all others are doing well, Thomas is fast asleep (I hope!) We succombed and have now got him a Humidifier thingy - hopefully it will help him to breathe when/if he gets croupy again, or perhaps with his stuffy nose, which he has a lot of!

Must go, want to check out a bargain make-up website, before Prime Suspect 100!

Hope you all had fab weekends, will catch up more later

Brownie
xx

Happy 1st birthday natalie x

What did you get up to today? lunch with the grandparents? did you get any new toys?

I had a manic impulse moment in john lewis this afternoon and bought F a ride on fire engine. he was glued to it, trying to push it with a two year old sat on it. then he tried to get the two year old off it. I felt he had to have it really. james thinks it's really ugly and said 'oh i wanted to get him one of those cute looking little wheelie bugs. i've spent all of ten minutes scratching my head wondering why I didn't get one of those instead of the hunk of red plastic, bubble blowing, walky talky talking, light flashing, stickery thing i've got 'parked' in the hall. hope you got some tasteful gifts noo!

Tex i live in highbury, hoping to stay here if we can find something

right night night all better go and help out with dinner. who's next on the birthday roll call Jen x

forgot to say...also i'm thinking about changing jobs. am i mad to do this after only 4 weeks back at work? DP says i should stick it out until at least christmas but my hearts not really into it (didn'#t think i'd feel like this).It just doesn't seem as important as it did before F. Is it just me, how are those who are working getting on with it, finding it okay, rewarding? btw i don't expect answers to this tonight, feel free to trickle back to me with your thoughts/how it is for you. i can't remember who returned to their old job and who did not?

Had hoped to post sooner, only just back..Happy Birthday Noo Noo!!!
Hope you all had a great day xx

Hello all,

Tex, I'm so sorry to hear this last year has been so tough, typically I could never have told how you were feeling. Quite often you don't even know yourself until you're deeply entrenched in depression yourself do you? Well done for recongnising it and getting some help, is your dp supportive? Would love to meet up with you again, BEKs and newbie KiwiCath and Bob are up for a local jaunt in the park or going to toddler gym if you're interested.......

Nova, so lovely to hear about Noo on her birthday, lol at "it's my party and I'll cry if I want to". Did you cry in the end? You expected you would in your post last week. Bet you feel really proud to be mum of a 1 year old. So sweet!

Brownie, sorry no help on the shopper front, I just use whatever big old bag is hanging around in the house..

JenJam, lovely to read your posts again. Sorry to hear your job is feeling dull. D'you think it's the job or that you'd rather be with F? Only ask as you talked about how much being a mother fulfilled you at the meet and you posted about how you really weren't sure you wanted to return at all and seemed keen on the idea of having another baby? So have you been back just four weeks? How is F getting on at nursery? Are you still baking?(yum!)

Right must go and bake a cake for ds2 b.day today, will have 7 friends over for tea and doing on my own, so what was I thinking coming on here to post, byeeeee!

BEKs, what a toe curler!

.... it's all in the past now, you can forget it ever happened.........

Morning .Happy birthday to ds2 LONDONER!!!; bet you're a dab hand at the cake making! Hope you have a lovely day . JENAJAM: know exactly what you mean about work, as I'm going through it a bit at the moment with my job. It is difficult to know what you want sometimes I know, as I've sometimes thought how nice it would be to be at home (if finances permitted!), though when work is really going well, can't imagine being without it . At the moment I am pretty much reaching walking out point at the hours I'm working, but I'd say in your case why not start investigating other more flexible options (if that's what you want) while you have the safety of an existing job/wage packet to fall back on? I think what you're going through is similar to what every working mum goes through, when you realise that 'having it all' really means 'doing it all', and you crave something different!
Ok, feel better for that, and in work time too Hope everyone is OK, and had good weekends!! We had a great time at the museum, with lots for dds to do, although I left my bag, with purse & cards etc in the cafe so will have to ring up when they open to see if it's there!! Argh!!!!!

Thanks again for the birthday wishes everyone - BEKS the card and present arrived this morning, thank you

Well, it was much better after the nap, Noo was a little wary of the GP's as she doesn't see them that much, but thankfully they arrived an hour apart so Noo wasn't too overwhelmed. Once she'd got her confidence up actually she was very vocal and cheeky, entertaining everyone. Lunch was very successful, more than I could have hoped actually, she was very well behaved even though it went into her nap time. She had some ice-cream with a candle in it for dessert and we all sang happy birthday. I didn't cry!

The day has all been caught on film/pictures although I'm slightly worried there will be lots of shots of my clevage as I was wearing a V-neck top and was cuddling Noo towards the end of lunch as she was getting sleepy.

From us she got a big wooden toy chest, a wooden walker with bricks in it, and two princess soft toys from the disney store. From my family she got a gold engraved bracelet, clothes, and a teddy. From DH's family/clients she got an abacus, a cinderella house, some clothes, and a very cute pull along dog. We also ended up with 5 helium balloons which she loved.

All in all, a lovely day

Jen, good to hear from you. Work lost importance for me with noo, but I get the feeling thats very normal. I'm lucky to be in the position where I don't have to work, but once this baby is here and both are at school, I do intend to re-train and go back to some form of work. I hope it will get easier for you, 4 weeks is not that long back there considering how long you were away for.

Brownie, I'm a big fan of matching accessories, so I'd say stuff the fiver and go for the one that goes with your buggy snuggle

Evening!
Happy Birthday Londoner's ds2! Hope he had a fab day and his party was brill! How was the cake?
Nova, glad you all enjoyed yesterday - It sound's like the birthday girl was very well behaved at lunch Unlike Jess who has developed the habit of spreading lunch through her hair so it dries into a crispy shredded wheat type do ..... And can't believe on her next birthday Nat will have a 6 month old little brother or sister!!
Diege, glad I'm not the only one who leaves their bag and all valubles wherever it gets laid down (and then gets that horrid sicky feeling when you realse you've not got it)! I've had to cancel my cards so many times......Hope you managed to track it down today!
Jen PMSL at the fire engine Tip from me - buy the tasteful stuff now! When they get to 3 plus they'll want the most tacky plasticky thing in the shop with the most lights/sounds/stickers/guns! Just appreciate your GLTC catalogue while you can, because you'll have to just bin them in a year or 2
Brownie, did you watch DCS Tennison last night? It was brill, can't wait for next Sunday! And have you ordered your bag yet?!
Beks, don't you know Derby is the postal epicentre of the universe?! (No, it actually is!) Ooh how's your friend's dh? Has he got over the trauma of yesterday?!
Right going to post this before it disappears again (blooming computer..grrr)
Speak tomorrow, bye! x x x

HI,

Thanks for ds b.day wishes Diege & Rodeo, it never fails to completely level me every time they have a birthday, I find them being a whole year older so awesome and feel all nostalgic and full of wonder. YES cake was fantastic! It started off as a complete failure when I forgot to add baking powder - I was too busy 'being Nigella' or 'on Blue Peter' and chatting to Elizabeth lol - so I made 2, 1 choc 1 vanilla, and alternated them in a massive tower with butter icing - this is gripping isn't it -and the candles were strung together with touch fuse paper so the whole thing lit up like a rocket, was great! Mo was so thrilled and can't believe he is now 11.
Diege - hope your purse was at the shop, am with you and Rodeo on losing the damn things every day.... good advice on the work front from you to Jen, sounds really hard for you at the moment. I always disappear into a movie when the going gets tough, at the moment you seem to be in that 80's classic '9 to 5' where they drug and kidnap the boss in a tea trolley (quality stuff this) - although don't quite see you as either Dolly Parton or Sheena Easton.
Rodeo, love your description of J's hair lol, so true!
Nova - Noo's pressies sound great, so glad it all went well.
Right, off to check there's no more loo roll on floor round my house from 'wrap the mummy' party game... it's v. embarassing when you answer the door with it stuck to bottom of your shoelol!

Hey, just a quick post from me, as am at work!
Actually feel quite pants at the moment - had flu jab on Saturdya and now have a right corker of a cold! (So am trying to alternate between feeling sorry for myself and trying to force myself to feel well!!)

Rodeo - have not been able to order the bag yet as DH is currently bidding for one on ebay! He def wants me to get the blue camou one and as they were out of stock on the website I was looking, he got miffed and decided to trawl through ebay for me! HE is currently winning the bid, but there is ages to go before we know if we finally won it! So am on hold till then
Yes, did watch DCS Tennison, didn't realise it was a 2 parter - kept thinking gosh they need to hurry up and work all this out! I too am looking forward to next weeks episode! I thought the guy that got shot at the end, of the programme looked really poorly and old! (I vaguely remembered him from the last series, but he appears to have gone down hill big style - or was this just my fluey eyesight playing tricks on me!? )

Anyway, sorry for short / me post, I doubt I will get on tonight as hope to get an early night after Brownies, may even have to video CSI - that's how poorly/tired I feel !

Hello [waves] to all I have not specifically mentioned,

Brownie
xx

Just a quickie to say that your card arrived today Diege - Thank you

Just checking in, having got back from work about 20 mins ago. Of course now I've got my second wind after lecturing for 3 hours solid, but need to convince my mind that I really am tired!! Yes, I got my bag back thank goodness, and hadn't realised that my phone was in there too ; shows how much I use it! RODEO, know what you mean about that horrible sinking feeling...almost worth it though for the relief felt when the item turns up (if it does!)
LONDONER - your cake sounds amazing!! Wow, you are so creative, bet the kids loved it!! I'm trying to find my creative side again, and have started a new 'hobby' (don't laugh..) KNITTING!!! I used to do it as a child, and thought I'd have another go. Have to say I've spent a fortune on the 'starting up' costs, lol, lots of new shopping opportunities on the horizon me thinks!!
NOVA: glad the card (finally) arrived!! and that you had a lovely day .
Hi to all!!!
Diege

Morning! Day at home today, so just taking it easy. I'd forgotten I'd invited friends over at 10.30, and now wish I hadn't (awful I know!! , just because it's such hard work having 6 toddlers in the house (and 3 babies!!). Whinge whinge . Going to see Jasmine's class performance with a travelling tuba band this afternoon, which should be good.
Right, better tidy up, though no point really...
Speak later!

Morning!
Hi Diege! How's the mad house?! Wow, 6 toddlers and 3 babies! Do you let them upstairs for the peace and quiet and run the risk of the bedrooms/bathrooms being demolished or are upstairs out of bounds? I can never decide which is the better option! Probably the garden! So glad you got your bag back - hurray! Enjoy the tuba performance later
Londoner, I agree - cake sounds fantastic! Sounds like a good day was had by all - esp ds
Brownie, hope you're getting better, damn those horrid colds! I've just got over mine, my throat and tonsils felt awful! Good luck on getting your bag!
Right, just heard Jess wake up - she's only been up there half an hour. Her naptimes are getting increasingly irregular, think she doesn't quite need 2 naps now but can't handle just having the one! Is anyone else finding this?
Better go and bring her down Speak later x