November 2012 - silence used to be golden. Now it is worrying

[Passmethecrisps]

Just so we all feel at home

wow 8 don't think I could do month long meal plans. Unfortunately I don't have the freezer space at the moment. We've saved loads by doing weekly plans though.

Loving the brighter evenings. Girls are still in the garden. Roll on spring.

Every time I have done meal planning it has gone wrong. Either too much leftover from one meal or sometimes just not feeling like what I have planned to cook. Or sometimes not having the time to do what I had planned.

Yes they are issues I have on a regular basis. Last night I really didn't fancy what we were due to have but turned out to really enjoy it. I only meal plan for 5 out of 7 days now as we often go to the in laws for dinner and gives us room for an ad hoc meal. Either a roast on a Sunday, a slow cooker meal or a cheeky takeaway.

We meal plan for 6 days a week as we have lunch out one day on a weekend and fish and chips for tea one evening. I batch cook on Mondays and Wednesdays when Jonas is with his CM and freeze 1/4 of what I cook as dairy free meals for him to take to the CM. We do an aldi shop weekly - which is £50-80, and I top up dairy free and other bits we can't get from aldi every 2-3 weeks and that's usually £30 or so. Not bad for a family of 4 (2 in nappies) with a dog and a cat. I make all of our bread now so that's just pennies.

I meal plan a week ahead and when I think of something I fancy I write it on the calendar for the next week or so as I hate having to think up half a dozen meal ideas at once. I meal plan basically because we were spending £20 a time with little food shops and not getting much to show for it. I'm really chuffed actually - despite only being on Maternity Allowance as I started at the council too preggers to get mat pay - we've managed to save £1700 since December. I'm still deleting every email sent from retailers and eBay before opening them and its saving a FORTUNE. What you don't see you don't miss. I was buying too many 'bargains' I'd seen in emails when actually the biggest saving is not spending money anyway.

I've been doing a February declutter challenge with pals finding stuff to eBay, charity shop, bin or recycle. You find 1 item on the 1st, 2 on the 2nd and so on. I've totted up between old phones, bednests, jumperoos, buggies etc there's nearly £900 of stuff to eBay - so maybe we might be able to go on holiday!

Hey quiche - how are you all?

Had a nice day today, took e swimming this morning, and then went for a walk to the park this afternoon with a couple of the dogs (and e of course) and finished the day with watching the room on the broom on dvd, very kindly sent to us by a lovely quichester :)

no idea stunt but gosh he's doing well!

wow isles that's a massive saving! Well done and hope it works out as planned :) I have never done a month long plan, only weekly, and it does help even then. I dread to think how much i would spend if i didn't plan a weeks worth of meals, i'd be terrible! I am not sure I would manage a month, though - a week I can do because I usually know what appts and things i've got, but over the course of a month i'd get tripped up and end up ordering a takeaway which would defeat the point for us

wow yw you're doing really well too!

This month is our first month without a mid month advance payment, so I am expecting it to be difficult, but fingers crossed it gets better after this one :)

Hi quiche.

Have been reading this past week or two but so busy I haven't had chance to properly post.

Am super impressed with the bugeting and meal plans. We have got really stuck in a rut with meals, trying to think of new, quick & easy ones as it is tough getting in late from work etc etc.

Glad you and E liked room on the broom, kyz. That was one of Fs faves until she started watching the gruffalos child which is current flavour of the week. They are all such lovely animations Dsd did uaed to hide behind the door at the gruffalo though (something she now denies coz she's all old and brave now she's 7 ).

Stunt I am in awe of Js letter skills. F knows M, that is it. Gets v excited when she finds an M! And bedtime, she mostly sings let it go to herself, or happy birthday, or blows raspberries.

Today is day 3 of potty training. She has been at nursery all day, and only had 1 accident. Wees and a poo on the potty, and properly independent - god forbid anyone should help pull her "lickers" down .

Today is also day 3 of reduced omeprazole dose, 75% of her previous dose. Watch this space

BP good luck on the omeprazole reducing! xx

You were lost! I found you all!

Phew

Good luck with the Omeprazole BigPig. The first time we tried it then J's symptoms worsened so he clearly still needed it, the second time worked like a charm. We did 75% for a week, 50% for a week and 25% for a week.

Lrss good night last night, but may just be coincidence. She soon settled in my bed with no wriggling or squirming so may just be bad dreams...will give it a week before deciding.

Miserable grey rainy day here, and am not feeling the love at work. More anyone?

I felt there were consequences of coming off the Omeprazole too as their systems have to adjust the amount of stomach acid they are producing so it's worth giving it a good go. I would say a week or two after the last dose of Omeprazole was when we saw the best results.

I felt there were consequences of coming off the Omeprazole too as their systems have to adjust the amount of stomach acid they are producing so it's worth giving it a good go. I would say a week or two after the last dose of Omeprazole was when we saw the best results.

D'oh sorry for the duplicate post. My CM just phoned to ask whether she can keep J for a bit longer as her DS is desperate to play with him!

Yes we had a temporary acid rebound for 24-48 hours after cutting a dose so had one, rarely two disturbed nights. And by disturbed I mean 1-2 wakings or tossing and turning.

She has gone off tonight fine, so fingers crossed. Today is the 4th day. She did inform me that she is scared of the owl. The owl, from the gruffalo, is all she has talked about, but is now a "scary one mummy, no nice." Oh dear

Potty training has been ok, although arrived to a scene of total chaos at nursery and she had pood in her knickers. She was being changed in the bathroom, with an audience of scantily clad toddlers on their own potties watching on and giving a running commentary . For those who thought twin potty training was ambitious, I present the lone nursery worker with 5 potty trainees!

I find arriving at nursery to various bots on show very amusing!

Fingers crossed all goes well with dose droppage.

We are currently reducing omeprozale dosage too. Down to 50% now and so far so good.

I am currently being weaned off my stomach meds and it is really hard - they are also acid suppressors of some kind and I was on a very high dose for three years and have been gradually coming off them now for over 6 months. It is horrible - despite never having had a problem with acid before my stomach problems it is very uncomfortable when I reduce my dosage, and I also feel nauseous, headachy and quite badtempered too with it - though that is mainly due to the nausea and general stomach pain I think.

I came off completely at one point and had to go back on as it was too much. Am on the lowest dose of the one I take now, and only take it every two days.

So it is normal if they do have some trouble, I assume they will feel some of what I feel to a certain extent.

Evening quiche :)

Gosh today has been a busy one! I am very glad to be sitting down!

bp bless her, she sounds like F is doing really well, and love that she calls them lickers!! Good luck with reducing the meds :)

good luck to you too Eliza with the meds reduction, hope it goes well!

gosh, you too gg!! that doesn't sound like much fun at all!

Hope everyone has a good weekend :) I have rats being collected, and my sister and nephews are here too for the weekend :)

Ahhhh started writing a post but lost it.......

so in brief, i'm not convinced that DS is completely reflux clear. Whilst he is putting on weight and generally sleeps well that reflux curse keeps rearing it's head. I'm not sure if I'm being paranoid or not. Have started him on the odd bit of formula, more so that he'll take a bottle and I really hate expressing so formula it is. And we had a bad night last night. I was wondering whether it is worth me getting some dairy free formula. A lot of it i think is because I've been looking at E's red book so my emotions are running high. Think I'll give it a couple of days and see how it goes. I'm just rambling out loud so feel free to ignore

Sounds like a lovely weekend kyz. A very dull weekend lined up here. DH is going to be either decorating or watching rugby so I suppose I'll just be keeping the kids amused. And weather is looking a bit ropey.

There is dairy full but allergy friendly formula you can try eliza

Aptamil do one which I had for dd1 but hardly used for dd2 and think I should have done. With hindsight

Oh really? Thanks, I'll investigate.

Look for HA (hypo allergenic, i think) on the packaging.

About a week ago I read a blogpost on the benefits of drinking honey and lemon in the morning. I love both and eat both a lot, but for some reason have only ever drunk them when ill.

So I started on Monday and it is amazing. I have become a morning person, and I feel so much more energetic and just better.

In less than a week. Can't wait to see what the long term effects are. Half a lemon's juice and a teaspoon of local honey in hot water. (Local as that helps against hay fever)

I have also been taking propolis supplements since the cold sore nightmare.

I am becoming a bee goodness fanatic in fact. I want bees. I think I will get bees if I ever find a forever home.

I always used to have a honey and lemon in the morning. Might have to go back to that, it was nice.

Day 5 of reduced dosage, and she slept 12.5 hours. Can we say succcess?! We have a simularly quiet weekend planned, ongoing potty ishoos. I can't imagine a time where we will be able to leave the house yet. ...