December 2008 - Summertime and the children are easy......

[sybsie]

Ha ha ha ha....we wish!

Here's to a lovely relaxing summer and cheery new thread for us all.

[Artichokes]

Hello!

I think I have been AWOL from the thread for longer than ever before. Life is so manic with three, a full time job, school govenor duties, recruiting a new au pair for Sept and dealing with the fsct DH is always bloody travelling with work. I am not sure it's sustainable actually, but as I can't stuff the baby back inside and as we need my salary I'm rather stuck. I average 5 hours sleep a night, the children all sleep through so it's not their fault, it's just I can't afford to lose any more time.

I am feeling physically better though. And I really shouldn't moan or pretend its all too much as I had a whole weekend in the South of France with six friends and no kids. It was AMAZING. I felt 21 again: getting ready for nights out with a big group of mates and lots of wine, clubbing 'til 4am, coming home and lying about picking over the night's events til we all dropped off, swimming in the Med all day. It was bliss and I felt so blessed that my friends are all women I met through the kids but they are all so fun and are friendship goes so much deeper than shared baby experiences. In fact we hardly spoke of the kids.

Beans - we are going to Lemnos with all of DH's family in August. We're you at the Mark Warner? Was it nice? I'm nervous as I have never done a package before. We are there for 14 nights. Tell me good things!

Rubes - I'm glad the move went well (except for sofa woes and weird vibrating pipes). What is on the short list of places you may settle next year?

Jam - sorry about your house buying situation dragging on. Fingers crossed the mortgage people come through. How are you managing do much exercise with such a little bubba???? You put me to shame.

ZJ, the tantrums sound nightmarish but you are right that 'this too shall pass'. What is top banana and why are you in it?

Veggie, how is the stoned cat?

Lady, good news on the scan. Please tell me next time you are London bound. I'd love to meet and take you for a drink of the terrace at work.

Indith and Kayz - balance bikes are such a great way to get little people riding. Both my girls had them and never needed stabilisers, I just fitted peddles one day and off they went.

Right, got to go and I haven't got round to Sybs or Hons. Hope you are both thriving.

xx

[beans37]

Arti, we did. Neilson rather than MW, but it was fab. So nice to have the kids in clubs (definitely worth paying for DS) to go in as he can come in and out as much as you like! We got evenings to ourselves when wanted too. I've done quite a few Mark Warners and they are great. V easy. But not much culture. Depends what you want from the holiday, but you can go off site as much as you want too. It's smashing. Lemnos airport was one of the easiest airports I've been to. V straightforward.

Rubes, well done with the move. Hurrah!

DDs had a 1914 day at school today. I thought I'd done the worst fancy dress: DD1 in a grey school tunic, with messed up hair and strategically placed dirt, to be a street urchin after being bombed (I know it's a stretch!) and DD2 in DD1's old bridesmaid dress to be a rich child. Ha! Luckily, there was a little girl there in what can only be described as a sexy pink dress up nurse costume! Quite hilarious!! Was relieved not to be the worst!

[beans37]

PS Jam... Pancakes?

[Mckayz]

My Mum is getting DD a balance bike for her birthday. I can't believe she's going to be 2 next week.

Arti sounds like a lovely holiday.

There's Scarlett fever in DS2's class. He had a sore throat this morning but after about 10 minutes he said he was feeling better. So the teachers said they will keep an eye in him.

[JamInMyWellies]

Beans yes!! Next wk?

[beans37]

Next week is good, I'll be in touch on FB.

DD3 is so very unwell. Poor little thing. Temperature of 38.8 for three days now. Am going to get a GP appointment today as she won't take calpol and I'm not sure what to do really. She's just asleep on the floor in the playroom. She only wants to sleep! Poor little thing. Up at 5am every day just for me to go and change her nappy and cuddle her in the bed in her room so she can go back to sleep in my arms. Hurts my heart.

Other two are being roundly ignored, poor things.

[JamInMyWellies]

Beans how is DD3?

Utterly exhausted it looks like fingers crossed, touch wood etc. that we have a mortgage. I bloody hope so the stress is going to kill me.

[JustRubes]

That's great news Jam! Can you get the same house then!?

Hope dd recovers soon Beans.

Balance bikes are the best Kayz- ds had one early then learnt on his pedal bike in about 20 mins.

Not sure Arti. It will be near to wherever he gets a job. Can go anywhere but has vaguely been kept in mind for a job back where he was in West Herts unless something better comes up somewhere else. If not we'd look at relocating up there somewhere like Chesham dh thinks. Altho he did work up there for a year and commute from where we are now. We shall see. Id like to stay local without him having to commute though too as I've made some good friends but I know I can do the sane elsewhere, and I do like the country. Decent post for him is the most important thing.
Must go and get the work threads on - it's a busy flight home and I've been up since 6am Zzzzz

[JamInMyWellies]

Yep same house Rubes.

Next time you have a US flight do you think you could grab me something from CVS/Duane Read? Its cheap as chips and very small.

[JustRubes]

Of course Jam- not a problem! Bummer as I'm in NY now but in lobby waiting for pick up - will let you know next time!

[JamInMyWellies]

Thanks Rubes.

Does anyone know what anti histiman I can take while BF. I have raging hayfever.

[Indith]

cetirizine is a level 2 (safer, limited studies with no adverse effects for infant). Little passes into milk but due to sedative effect on the adult it is suggested to watch for sedation in infant.

loratadine is a level 1 (safest. Taken by large numbers of bf women with no observed adverse effects in the infant. Controlled studies fail to demonstrate a risk). 0.01% of the administered dose passes into the milk. Over 48 hours this translates into 0.029% passing over to the infant from the milk (as will have fed multiple times over the 48 hours). The drug doesn't pass to the central nervous system (of adults) so unlikely to cause sedation. You can get paediatric formulations of loratadine so as a drug it is safe for little ones to take so the tiny dose from teh milk is highly unlikely to cause harm.

They are both second generation antihistamines.

fexofenadine is a third generation which usually have fewer side effects than 2nd generation but more of it passes through to the milk. Estimated an infant would get 0.45% of the maternal dose (weight adjusted) so it is level 2 like cetirizine.

You can also get levocetirizine, another 3rd generation but I don't have the data for it to hand. I'd start with loratadine and see how you go. If that doesn't work for you then contact one of the bf helplines who will have the up to date drug info so you can choose another option.

[Indith]

a quick online read suggests cetirizine better than levocetirizine for bf.

[JamInMyWellies]

Thanks indith

[beans37]

DD3 better thanks. we're sitting in the garden while she eats grass, which is nice.

other DDs leaping in paddling pool.

Rubes! We're 20 mins from Cheshunt! it's where I did my speed awareness course on Tuesday. come and live here, it is glorious!!! x

[beans37]

Aaah, Chesham, not Cheshunt. damn.

[Nolda]

DH did a sportive a few weeks ago that started in Chesham. It was particularly hilly. I'm sure your DH will enjoy cycling round there (it nearly killed mine!)

[Artichokes]

Ugh, hell is going out late for dancing and cocktails, returning home drunkenly at 1am, your husband's inability to keep quiet waking the ill baby , and spending the next four hours rocking/cuddling/shushing said baby in a hot and airless house as your hangover sets in.

[Indith]

see now dh did the sensible thing. He went for work drinks but on account of work being in am entirely different City he stayed in a travel lodge, nursed his hangover with a greasy spoon breakfast the next day and returned home when recovered.

There are no words to express how utterly I feel.

Though ds2 did an amazing sleep stretch and went from 9pm till 4.38am . Sadly he was rather less settled after that, seemed to think it was morning. Humph.

Where is the sun?

I need one of those computer based catch ups so I can respond to more than just the top post. my memory can't cope with the inability to scroll back on the app.

dd and ds1 playing upstairs together workout arguing. ds2 being cute doing his puzzles. He is really rather good at puzzles.

[TheInvisibleHand]

huh, yes, suffering this morning too. went to the town I went to university in to give a talk at a conference then invited to an old school college dinners where they start with fizz and end with port. Unlike indith's husband I did the silly thing and came home. Was a bit of a strange, nostalgic day - the students were finishing finals and I felt like I'd been thrown back in time 20 odd years..

[JumpJockey]

Hello all, so ashamed to be sneaking in like this - it's so long that I didn't even know LadyT is having a third!!! HUGE congrats darling. Am mostly on FB these days, missing you all but staying just about in touch. Work v busy so I daren't sneak on but it's my saturday today and v quiet for once. Girls are doing well but man they've got some attitude at the moment. Do your kids go bonkers around the full moon?

Big hugs to you all lovely basket ladies, glad to hear there is a lot of social life going on! DH and I had a child-free weekend last weekend for second time in 5 years, it were v nice.

[Indith]

My children are always bonkers. dd in particular is batshit mental.

[MonserratCaballe]

Hello to you, JJ (sybil here). Glad all is good in your world. Attitude - surprisingly lacking in my boy. My 9y old DD1, on the other hand, is a sight to behold. I am looking forward immensely to the teenage years. Should coincide with the start of my menopause too which will make things lovely for everyone.

Invis, I can't go back to my Uni town as I just feel soooooooooo old. At least where I live most people seem about my age. There I am an interloper.

Are you over the move now Rubes?

Nice to see lots of going out going on. I am having a rare week in next week. No social events at all. I am quite looking forward to it. I have a lot of work on, DH is out quite a bit so I shall just potter around in my pjs. We have a lot of stuff coming up so a week off will do me good.

I think M has got molluscum. Bugger. DD2 had it in reception and it did take a while to shift. Poor fellow. Still, it's probably better than worms (yuk) or nits (not so bad for DS but awful for the 2 DDs with their waist length hair). I should buy shares in Hedrin.

Right, off out to the park. Happy sunday everyone

Love to you all

[ZuleikaJambiere]

I had to think what Top Banana is! It's the MN cookbook, I got on a recipe testing thread ages ago and made kedgeree - it was yummy and, if I remember rightly, my feedback was 'loved by all and will definitely make this regularly' - I haven't made it since, but maybe will again now I've remembered it. Is the book good? I haven't got it

Arti I thought I was busy, but I have less children and less hours at work, so suddenly my life feels a whole lot easier. I hope your holiday did you good? You deserve it! I may have a short notice trip to London the week after next, but still TBC. I definitely have one in September, so will check my work diary and let you, and everyone else know, as it'd be lovely to squeeze in a coffee again

I'm trying the 30 day ab challenge too Jam, inspired by you and Deids on FB. It takes about half an hour out of my day at the moment, with all the rests I have to take, so by the end of the month I'll just have to miss out sleeping altogether to get it done!

What's molluscum Monserrat? I'm assuming something grim, given you mentioned it alongside nits and worms

[Mckayz]

ZJ, I think it's great book. We've tried a few things from it and they've all been eaten.