The 11th Gemini bus - Trudging through the terrible twos

[AGnu]

It's been posted on Twitter but someone copied & pasted it to MN so we didn't all have to keep clicking on his website. www.mumsnet.com/Talk/_chat/2452283--THE-LIST-please-dont-post

Hopefully it's only a matter of time until he's caught. He seems determined to bring MN down - apparently he's now posted a list of all of MN's partner companies. I just want someone to put an end to all this! It's been getting to me a lot recently that there's just so much bad stuff going on in the world. I want to sit the entire world down in an enormous school-assembly & tell them all to be nice to each other! I hate all the animosity between countries, individuals, groups of people... What's so awful about "live & let live"?!

How is everyone?

bring I assume you got away ok. Hope your trip is going well.

So in the last few days DS has learned that he can actually get out of bed in the morning and toddle out of his room. Up to now he's been staying in bed if he wakes early until we go into him about 7 but now he's getting up and coming in to us. Yesterday at 6.45 and this morning at 6.20! Need to figure out how to get him to stay in bed and play with his toys again (or is that mean?).

Stair gate, Lor! It's the only thing that's worked for us. DH accidentally left the gate open after putting Calf to bed the other day & we found him playing in a different room with things that were most certainly not toys! His response when discovered was "but Daddy left the gate open!" as if it were therefore perfectly reasonable for him to go into a room he's never allowed in unsupervised & help himself to things he knows he shouldn't touch!

Hi all!

Wow, just saw the emails on the MN troubles. What a jerk-off. Why? I just don't understand some people....

Glad you're still feeling well, Lor Keep us on the alert for any symptoms! We love symptoms

I second the stair-gate. M has one on her door frame when she goes to bed. She manages to wake the boys up who just take it off for her in the mornings, but at least in the middle of the night she has to stay in her room and just shout for one of us to come and help her out when she wakes up. (I am seriously missing that gate at the moment, and my own bedroom for that matter...!)

We have completed leg 1 of the trip. Iceland was absolutely stunning. It was just unbelievable that such a cool place existed and we are SO excited to already start planning a return trip. I mean, our cabin was on the side of a mountain ! It was insane!

We are currently in Lincolnshire with good ol' DIL.... and it's my birfday today Which is how I am able to sit upstairs on my own with no one around because my awesome hubby knows that I would love nothing more than some quality me-time with a cuppa and not have to chase M down to the bottom of the garden so she doesn't try to jump in the fucking koi pond (can you tell I am already quite sick of the koi pond????!!) We are heading out with old friends tonight and I'm so excited to see everyone again! They were all DH's friends to begin with and I knew he wanted nothing more while we were here to have his friends together again, and I just wanted a happy hubby who wasn't stressed out about his mum, so it all works out. I'm feeling very weepy today though. Maybe the lack of sleep since M has been a nightmare during the night, or sentimentality, or the fact that my back is killing me because of a really sucky bed... who knows.

5.51 this morning I hear the patter of little footsteps and a little voice say 'Mummy!'. DH is unconvinced by the stairgate idea but I don't see him getting up with DS at 5.51! I took him back into bed and told him it wasn't time to get up yet and go back to sleep. He wouldn't let me leave though so I got into the single bed in his room but he didn't go back to sleep and therefore neither did I. ZZzzzzzzz.

On the symptom spotting side. I am HUNGRY. I've entered the 'must eat constant small snacks' phase. If I don't eat anything for about a hour I feel really low in energy and just empty inside. Not really queasy as such yet, except a bit during the night. Last three nights I've had to get up and eat a biscuit/cracker in the wee hours of the morning as I felt ill otherwise.

Poor you Lor! Oh boy am I glad that I haven't moved bpear into a cot. I am still enjoying waking up after 7 here ???? 8:20 this morning...whoop ????

Of course, on Saturday he was all set to have a little lie-in. By 7am when my alarm went off he was still fast asleep but we had to get him up so we could catch a train from Waterloo at 9! Typical.

5.50 is really very unusual for him. He usually wakes between 6.30 and 7 (and we're up at 7 on work days) but at least before when he did wake early he was content to stay in bed and talk to his toys or doze a little. Now he wakes up and gets up and comes in to us (to crawl into bed and play).

Ugh. I know the feeling Lor It's a form of torture! M has developed a lovely habit of climbing into our bed now that have been forced to share a room with her on this holiday. I am not looking forward to the fights and screams that will happen when we get home and she's back in her own room with a gate across her bedroom door.

Oh yes, the HUNGRY phase. I remember it well. Here's to eating in the middle of the night!

How you holding up Pear? Been thinking about you a lot!!

I've moved onto the queasy phase now (just for you pear ). Still need to eat constantly but both eating and not-eating make me feel sick.

Bring - I'm so so so but with all the craziness of MN shutting down I didn't get a chance to say happy birthday! I'm glad to hear that DH gave you that one minute to yourself ? The pond sounds like a nightmare! Every time it rains here I think oh poor Bring...I hope it's not raining too much where she is (and I feel a little nutty saying that to myself when I haven't even met you in RL ?).

Lor - Oh ha ha! I'm not really living off your misery you know ? I can't imagine what the sickness feels like because I got really lucky and didn't experience anything last time. My mum was so annoyed with me because she had experienced so much sickness with me lol I hope it doesn't get worse and stays at this manageable level for you!

Bring - thanks for thinking of me ? That's nice. I've sort of given up to be honest ? I've only dtd twice this month and I'm due to OV at the weekend. I'm really really tired of feeling fed up, jealous and also just selfishly consumed by it all really. I think I've been better at being less selfish this month. I've run out of my Agnus Cactus and folic acid and I don't even care. Also, I still feel funny about the possibility of the two children sharing their birthday so I think that is the main reason why I care less this month. Although in my head I've already decided that I'll have bpears 3rd birthday party the month before I'm due because he will not know the difference. It would be like a baby shower for my toddler ???? Anyway, I know what will be will be. It's just a waiting game. Sigh.

I meant I'm "so so sorry"

Ha pear, that's so sweet! We have been getting some very intense rain showers here, but on the whole, it's been lovely weather for at least parts of the day and we've been capitalizing on it and getting the kids outside. We found a lovely pub today that had a little enclosed garden for the kids to play in and met up with some friends. It was FAB! We didn't see the kids for some great long stretches and we could finally just let them get on with it without worrying about one of the jumping in with the fish

I don't blame you one bit on just taking a break from it all. I feel frustrated on your behalf and I do wish there was something I could say or offer to help out.

Bring...just being able to let it out on here is a great help ????

Frus - ginger gummy bears sound yucky!

Just found out today that my bf (before ds arrived) is engaged. Feel so mixed about this news. Really happy for her but also feel awkward because she's been so distant since my son arrived into the picture. I feel like our friendship has changed so much all because I've had a child and that makes me sad because I've put so much effort in but it's always one sided. She was my moh but I really don't think she will ask me to be hers. Also she sent the news by text which is a bit sad...has made me feel even more distant. Anyway, maybe this is all a blessing in disguise considering I'm trying to fall pregnant. Who knows I am truly happy for her though. Being engaged and on cloud 9 is just the best!

Also, I've been texting her congratulations and suggesting I meet with her for a drink to see the ring etc but she hasn't replied. She's had time to announce her news on FB though Sorry I know...really happy for her and not the time to feel sad that our friendship is pants

Oh dear...did I kill the thread

Good luck Frus and Bring with dealing with going back to school!!

Kitty - is Tiger starting primary this year? Good luck if she is

I've finally peaked today on CD25. Hallelujah! I'm back to dangling legs in the afternoon as I dragged DH back from work early today. Interestingly I only had 1 flashing smiley before I peaked. Hopefully that's a good sign?! Who knows!!

Sorry pear you didn't kill the thread. I kept meaning to respond but I've been too tired and nauseous to manage it. In work now though so sneaking a little MN time between work (and eating to stave off nausea).

Sorry to hear your friendship is drifting away. My alleged best friend and I haven't spoken in about a year. Not really. I've known her since Uni in Ireland and she moved to London about a year before me. We hung out together all the time when I did. However, she's really anti-kids (I've seen her refer to another friend's child as 'it' before) and I think she just writes off people who've had children. I know she doesn't want them and frankly, really shouldn't have them, but I don't judge her for that and she should know that. She's having a great time with her DP and friends and so she should. Last few times I've seen her though she's barely said hi, has looked over my head for someone more interesting when I have made the effort to talk to her and she didn't invite me to her 'dinner with friends' for her birthday last Dec. All this while making a total show in front of me of saying hi to people she 'hasn't seen in ages!'. Sucks but I'm over it now. Fuck her. She definitely won't be one of the first people I tell about this pregnancy!

Anyway, glad to hear you've peaked and got DH back to dtd! Fingers crossed for you! Join me in nausea-misery (I really am miserable at the moment).

frus thanks for the ginger gummy tip but I can't find ones that don't have a 'manufactured in a factory that handles nuts' warning on them. Hmph.

Bring How's the holiday?

Kitty how's things with you? and Agnu ?

We're off on holiday on Saturday! Woo hoo. Just hope I'm feeling better. Two days in Somerset staying with DH's Grandparents will be tough if I'm still this queasy.

Boast alert

We had a meeting with C's nursery this morning to do his 2 year development review. He's doing so well, I'm so proud of the silly little thing. His speaking is really great (fave phrases at the moment 'Mummy, where are you taking me?' everytime we leave the house, or when chasing me yesterday 'Sorry, Mummy. I didn't mean to scare you' over and over). Also his social skills are quite advanced because he wants to play with the children in his room as opposed to alongside them and is getting frustrated that they won't do that yet. So, they're talking about moving him up to toddler2/preschool 2 months early so he'll have more to do and interact with up there. I'm sure I had a baby once. Who is this little person???

Aww that's so sweet Lor! He sounds utterly adorable!

Boo to anti-baby friends! It's always horrible when you feel like a friend is drifting away, it must be even worse when you feel it's because you have a child. Friends should be there to celebrate things that are important to you, not ditch you because you have commitments other than them.

I have a sore throat again. I may also have oral thrush - I developed a white tongue when I had a flu-type bug a couple of months ago & it's just not gone away. I'm beginning to think I might have to go to the GP about it sometime.

Calf started back at nursery today. I was a bit nervous given that he cried every morning before he went at the end of last term but when I told him this morning he seemed really excited. He had a bit of a wobble when we were waiting outside & some other children were banging the railings & generally being very loud. He just shrunk a little closer to me & held my hand very tightly. Once the doors opened he was off & I had to drag him back to hang his things up! He ran off to play with his only proper friend & I was just left with a sobbing Runt who didn't want to leave Calf behind. Or he wanted to stay & play with the toys, I'm not entirely sure which. When I picked him up Calf told me all about "helping" his friend with lots of things & even that he "helped" because he doesn't "play" with other children, he'll only say he "helped" them the child he was terrified of at the end of last term! I'm cautiously optimistic that he might get on better this term. It's going to be a tricky term for us though - we don't do Santa & this is the first Christmas where he's going to be around lots of children who do & surrounded by activities & references to it. Not entirely sure how we're going to steer him through it in a way that doesn't end up with us spending loads on stocking presents or him giving other children a look & pointing out it's only a game. It's not something we want to do as a family but we don't want to ruin it for others either!

Hiya, holiday is winding down. Less than a week to go and while I'm sad it's nearly over it feels like we've been gone for far longer than just shy of 3 weeks. I miss my bed and my cats! Also the ability to send the kids to a different end of the house when they drive me crazy (which has been feeling more and more frequent).

I was also hoping to get work done whilst away but the Internet has been shit so I am swamped when I get home.

Just checking in really, I'll addres all the little bits that have been discussed when I get home!

Happy weekend everyone!

Lor - yay for a good meeting at your DS nursery! It's lovely to know when they're doing well. I'm sure you were relieved that all is well and above expectations! May it continue Sorry to hear you're still feeling bllluuurrr! I hope your visit this weekend is manageable but u suspect it will be as everyone will be fussing over DS so you hopefully get a break

Agnu - yay for a successful nursery day! I hope that continues in your household! Just out of curiousity... Why do you not do Santa stockings? My family are Christians but the tradition has always been to do stockings so I am just very curious to hear your reason behind it

Bring - so you're still surviving our weird unpredictable weather then I'm seriously envious of your long holiday...can I come back with you please I'm happy to do all the aisle walks and toilet visits on the plane ha ha!! Boo to having loads of work on your return! You'll have that glass of to look forward to with you're friend

Update from me...it's dpo2 so I'm back on the 2ww. I took bpear for his first blackberry pick yesterday which was lots of fun. I have brought a photo album so at some point this weekend I want to order prints to go inside. Does anyone else do memory photo books? It's so much easier to think about then do! I haven't even got around to doing one when he was a baby I have thousands of photos but they're just sat in the cloud somewhere. Sad really! I've been thinking a lot about Christmas presents and I've come to the conclusion that there isn't really a lot bpear needs which is good for my bank account! Last year because he had nothing we got a lot. This year it will be far more manageable which is quite a relief! Bpear has a cold so today is a very lazy day for us as it feels like autumn outside and when I asked if he wanted to go out I got a big fat no! Peppa Pig, Playdough and puzzle time it is!

Oooo and Agnu...tell me you made that Dr appt!!!!

Ooops sorry about the typos!!

We don't do Santa mostly because DH was brought up without it. He didn't even get Christmas presents most of the time. We feel like Santa is a bit of an unnecessary distraction to what we believe Christmas is about. Add to that the guilt trip of "be good or Santa won't come", the bare-faced lying to children & the grabby materialism of it all for my nieces at least & it's just not something we feel we want to encourage. We tend to buy them presents as & when we find something they'll particularly appreciate so we don't go all out for presents at birthdays or Christmas but prefer to focus on the fun party atmosphere as the main highlight.

Having said that, if the DC said to us that they were feeling left out that everyone else was discussing stockings etc then we'd agree to play along with the game, while emphasising that it is just a game that people play at Christmas time. We don't want to make our children feel left out but also we don't want to just go along with what everyone else does without thinking about it & making a conscious decision ourselves. I don't think it would be very good for Calf if we did it either - he remembers everything he's ever told & I think it would be confusing for him if he realised we weren't telling the truth all the time. He's the sort of child who would feel like it undermined his trust in us. He already struggles to know when we're joking about things so we have to make it clear to him when we're pretending!

Agnu - I admire that you think it through in that way. I think it also sounds sensible to buy what they want at the right time. I've got to admit that there's been a few items that bpear has not touched because it turned out this he doesn't like or have interest. Like the Little Tikes house He won't go near it because of the spiders inside. I really don't blame him!

So, I was going to make a blackberry & apple crumble but after spotting bugs and mould on the blackberries I've become a bit of a wuss and I now want to throw them away I made a apple, plum and nectarine crumble instead! Not sure what to do with the blackberries now!! Just googled how to wash them properly but I know I couldn't eat them without thinking about the bugs!!