November 2012- Jingle Bells tantrums smell mummy needs some wine...

[Pikz]

Just to start us off..

Great news Stunt, hope it stays that way!

Wanda how lovely. Hope he comes up with something lovely. I spent all day y'day manically researching holidays and then concluded that I ought to use the cash for more pressing needs. Instead we have a couple of mini breaks and special trips booked and I probably need the rest of leave for DD starting school and dealing with school hols. I'm only just beginning to contemplate the nightmare that will be. Anyhoo, I think hol planning is a key feature of returning to work in the new year as when I emailed my boss with musings over dates he responded immediately to confirm his bookings for the year!

Grim weather today. Think we are going to head for the beach for a bracing walk when DH gets home from work. Which will then justify crashing out in front of a film this arvo.

Happy Subday quiche

I want to go on holiday too but ideally with a man. I have accommodation provided in august next to lake balaton by a friend and we will come to London too to catch up with friends and my brother. A friend of mine wants to go to Italy so considering going with her, a real road trip before I start working in September. I have a job lined up too, they recruited me in November but said no because of my degree course still going on and they hired a temp saying the job is mine in Sept. Fingers cross they keep their word, it would be 6 hours a day, twice in the office than working from home. Salary is shit but can improve after probation.

I am also falling in love with a guy, will do a post on fb as I haven't done this thing since 2004 and I'm so so confused.

I really want a holiday somewhere warm too but we're not willing to get into debt as maternity leave is tight enough without debt repayments. Boo. Next year I'll have weaned Lil so we're going to go somewhere warm and foody - France, Italy or Galicia anywhere with good cheese and wine. It'll be worth the wait. This year it'll be down south to visit friends and family.

Stunt awesome news!

Best news of the day is that my little brother is coming home to visit in March! It will be my dad's 60th so double celebration!!

Yes wanda. You're still in with a chance. Last night I felt the most labourous (if that's even a thing) but this morning, nothing! 2 days overdue now. The longest pregnancy I've had.

Just back from watching DD1 go ice skating at the local garden centre. Bil went on the rink with her and then we had brunch. I think it's going to be a long afternoon. I'm not really up for going anywhere else but toying with going for a long walk to see if I can shift this baby.

Oh and re holidays, ours this year is going to be a week in a caravan in camber sands. Bit of a come down from recent trips abroad but it shouldn't be too bad as we have friends and in laws going in other caravans so will get lots of help with children. Will just have to pray for dry weather.

Just a tad excited now.

First Holiday in 2 1/2 years.

First holiday for O

Got as far as just ordering EHIC thing

DH came up with three options this afternoon. We know our favourite but we just need to cross everything he can get the week off work and it all pans out.

Thermals at the ready.

Ski poles out!

Yipppeeeeeeeeeee.

I have done 21 hours without being on line. My goal was 24 but I cracked.

Yay to holidays. We will hopefully go to the UK, maybe Paris to see people there, maybe, and maybe a trip to the Pyrnees to see DH's grandmother. So far the only most likely one is the UK though.

Hooray hooray for holidays!! That all sounds very exciting wanda!

Good work on the offline status gg.

Last day of a lovely holidays today. Although the cm called earlier sounding awful saying that she feels dreadful and doesn't think she will be up for taking p tomorrow. So much for back to normal! We did manage to get p to bed a full 2 hours earlier than the last week though sk that was a good result

I also dropped my phone yesterday and managed to completely shattered the screen. After a bit of turmoil I found a place in town that did it in an hour for £50 so all in not a bad outcome.

Think I'm just going to quit cooking for my kids. They didn't eat any dinner today. H then ate an orange and yoghurt. So must just be my cooking.

H is also being very fussy about clothes. He wants jeans only. Put on a shirt on Saturday and has gone to bed in it for the 2nd night.
He totally associates PJs with sleep and won't out them on.
Any tips on how to play it. Shall I be stubborn or ignore?

GT we have the same problem only with stripey t-shirts. S loves them. Is v opinionated on what he will and won't wear. Probably copying DD who has swing from tomboy to princess over the last year. Anyway I digress. I let him choose his clothes. I let him wear t- shirts or joggers to bed if needed. Fortunately he's not fussed about jeans as I can't imagine they are great for sleeping but joggers and tshirts v pjs I don't care about.

If you're not keen on jeans, can you offer more comfy clothes? Or give him a choice between outfit 1 and outfit 2, both of which you have pre-approved? S wouldn't be fooled by that, he likes to peruse his entire wardrobe to make sure it is precisely the right tshirt selected. It sounds like he's going to be a dandy but his choices are usually centred on stained stripey tshirts and joggers because he thinks they are the same as daddy's I have even been known to let him go to bed in that day's clothes as if we accidentally don't move the dirty clothes while he is having a bath he is pretty likely to tantrum over wanting the dirty and dribble- wet tshirt over nice clean pjs.

I find giving in over this usually means bath and teeth brushed without a fuss though.

Wow gg I should get back to doing that I used to ave ipad free friday u should start again really.

No one dares about clothes in this house except me. Sigh.

Cares

Penny can get quite upset if what I pull out doesn't meet whatever she had in her head. She doesn't care massively thankfully and even when she does she recovers quickly so no advice I am afraid. I wouldn't get too worried about bedtime clothes though - what about short and t-shirt set that he has chosen?

No don't be stubborn GT, do whatever makes life easiest for you. H is becoming more independent and clothes is how he is choosing to assert his independence. Going along with it, so long as he isn't wearing really dirty stuff, will get through this phase with the minimum of stress to you. In a year's time you will be able to bribe reason with him to get him to wear the clothes you want or need him to wear.

Just catching up here. No sign of baby Eliza?

Eliza Eliza where are you?!?

Thanks for clothes tips. H won't let me take the shirt off at all. He has worn it 2 days straight.
He is wearing grey PJ bottoms to bed tonight as they look like daddy's grey tracky bottoms. So maybe I just need to find more.
His last shirt was on two days, until it got wet... He can't stand wet clothes. But spilling water on his clothes every night seems mean
It's been ok over Xmas break, not sure how I will deal with it when he is at nursery and he goes in wearing same clothes every day.

Morning,
first day of the week, I need to sort out a lot. I have an assignment due on Thursday and need to organise my thoughts too. Nursery drop off went well, she did not shred a tear, i think she was just glad to get rid of me for a couple of hours .

[gt] O does not have jeans, especially for these reasons. She lives in joggings and leggings, they are very comfortable for bedtime as well. Although she loves her pyjamas too, she has ben and holly one and owl one.

We got rid of the xmas tree yesterday, it was nice to have it but i'm glad to see the back of it now.

I'm here and grumpy. very very grumpy. Although DH bought me a cup of tea in bed so that cheered me up for 5 minutes. Now I'm back to being grumpy. Baby Eliza get a bloody shift on! although you now have to wait till after 7pm as I'll be delivering you myself otherwise.

Hugs eliza I know it is so very frustrating but try to enjoy some feet up time because you just know how manic it will be once the baby arrives. Xx

Housework and laundry morning here then studies.

Yay. I have enjoyed the girls being on holiday more than I thought I would but it is lovely to be able to clean the house. And vaccuum without the girls fighting over who gets to help most.

gg my robotic vacuum cleaner is the absolute nuts.

How quiet/noisy is it? Can it cope with dog hair? No carpets here so is it ok on wooden floors and tiles? Our trusty vaccuum is dying - had it for 5 years and it is used a LOT. Would like to keep it for fiddly bits like the chairs and sofa and buy a robot but don't want to invest in something that can't handle dog hair.

I have parquet flooring all throughout down stairs and seems to be coping well. Re noise you wouldn't want to sit in same room as it but it's no noiser than a normal vacumn. You can set it to come on and certain time so can be when you're out. And when it needs charging it takes itself back to its base. Not sure re dog hair I'm afraid as we don't have animals. It doesn't have a huge rubbish container so will need emptying fairly frequently. DH treats it like a pet!

Dyson are bringing out one this year which I bet will be the dogs bollocks but its going to be around £800.

£800!!! Ha ha I'd drink sour milk before spending over a month's rent on a bloody hoover!