MAY BABIES 2004 GIRLS - LOOK HERE PLEASE!!!!!

[Egypt]

Sorry to do this, but for some reason I can't get into our old thread! Have tried for days, internet explorer bans me and shuts me down!!! Can you all convert to this one please?!! pretty please?

hopefully your company will take your homelife into consideration bozza when repositioning you, or at least redundancy doesn't sound too bad, if you can think of an alternative job.

in the uk, would i have had to wait until september to get nursery vouchers for dd then? does it start the term after they turn 3? didnt realise that. that would be annoying as her school continues through july and august. expensive. however, not sure this company realises that either, so may still be possible.

No they don't get vouchers until the term after their 3rd birthday - September in our case. And yes I know how expensive it will be through July and August - esp because I will also be paying the childminder more for DS! My friend who works Tues-Thurs but only 9-3.30 got her bill for this month - £30 (her DD was 3 in Jan) for lunches. And mine was £345 which is cheaper than normal because we are on holiday Spring Bank so get a week at half price.

Re work - I have not been that concerned about it yet. It seems a bit pointless until I know where I stand a bit more. The MD for UK at DH's work has resigned to open a guest house in France. He (the MD) is recommending that the National Sales Manager take over as MD and that DH becomes Nat. Sales Mgr. So that would mean a fairly hefty payrise for DH, not enough for me to totally give up work but it would lessen the pressure a lot. But again that is totally uncertain.

DS was on a sleepover and didn't get to sleep until 11.15 so I am going to make them both have a nap in a minute. They are "tidying" their bedrooms ATM. I will have to go supervise.

Yay - both asleep! And DH at golf. Pity the sun has gone in but think I will head out into the garden anyway.

that sounds blissful bozza. dd1 currently in the paddling pool - i can see her! and dd2 asleep on my lap. cant put her down - she wakes! think dd1 is trying to hose a rather large snail from her pool. she looks a little annoyed.

dh has work colleagues over 'for a few beers and chicken rice takeaway' this eve. i cant be doing with that tbh. i'll end up running round after them and dd2 is a nightmare in the eves - v unsettled. esp peeved with him, although havent had a chance to tell him as one of colleagues was here and theyve just gone out together - because he also asked another colleague/friend neighbour to join us - which will mean his wife and 7 yr old son too. without asking me first. and they were here last night for the same meal! i need a relaxing night. in bed! we cant even seat that many people. i could cry. does anyone else's dh just arrange things with people, in front of you and therefore make it impossible for you to say no, without looking like a complete miserable cow?

Oh egypt that is so annoying. I hope it wasn't too bad. I think you need to have serious words with him about it TBH. I think I have just about trained DH out of that sort of thing - although it was more with the ILs that he did it than other people. Is DH not quite getting the fact that you have two children including a very small baby? I held a 7lber today. She was so sweet. 3 1/2 weeks old and still only 7lb - lighter than Baby effing Annabel who was also present in my MILs conservatory. DD was entranced, but is going to have to make do with the new cousin she will be getting next month. Anyway I have enough with baby annabel who (according to DD) poos every five minutes so I am forever changing her nappy.

DD and her cousin who is a few months younger both weighed in at 31.6 lbs exactly today - how bizarre is that?

these are the little blighters. agents are coming this pm to discuss gassing the house and the 'relocation of the family and belongings' during it! can u imagine how chilled out i am about the whole thing. not stressed at all.........

great, now we are being re-homed for 4 days...

just to add to matters, dd's toys are crawling with them too. all need cleaning and bagging up before spraying is done.

i want to come home

{{{{{{{{{{{{{{hugs}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}} What a nightmare! I'm worried about you. I'm so sorry to hear you are having such a bad time. So it's going to take about a week? I hope your DH is going to pitch in to get everything sorted. Re. all these visitors, I don't think anyone would see you as a miserable cow for wanting some time to settle in with a new baby. Your DH would be wrong to see it that way if he did.... and his colleagues. You should probably say something to him in a very nice way so he knows how you feel at the moment. just keep chanting. It will get better. It will get better. It will get better. x

Bozza, how is DS? Sorry to hear about your job.

I'm really tired today. I was up about 3 hours last night with DS2 (teeth perhaps) and we ended up settling him in our bed but even that was difficult. I'm just generally tired and in need of a break at the moment. I'm making silly mistakes. Yesterday, we got dressed, went out into our local town, went to the dentists etc, came home, had lunch and played before I noticed at about 3pm that DS had one trouser leg A LOT shorter than the other. He's got these zip off trousers that turn into shorts for the summer. One leg was off and one was on I wonder how many people noticed when we were out!

at the trousers. Ponka can you not get a bit of time to yourself somehow? You normally seem so bright and with it. Although I think the loss of 3 hours sleep does tend to have a bit of an effect. Especially when they are bit older and you have got used to them sleeping.

Egypt it sounds like you are having a very hard time. I am concerned as well. Is there anyone who can help you out? Even if it is just to take DD2 for a walk while you sort out the house stuff? Or preferably to send you out with DD2 while they sort out the house? But it generally doesn't work like that, does it? Are you due any UK visitors at any point? Could DH take a day off and help sort the house out?

oh thank you so much girls. the plan is tomorrow my usual cleaner will wipe down all dd's toys and put them in plastic bags to protect them from the spraying. (dd will be in school tomorrow morning). then at 1230 i am going for lunch at a friends! dh flies to oz sunday night.....on monday am, dd will be at school and the agents will come over to help pack, empty wardrobes and cover tv, etc for spraying. we'll move out that pm. on weds, someone will be sent in to clean the place, then we can move back in thurs/fri.

really i'm fine, its just tomorrow and monday which will be busy. just have a baby that wont settle this eve - as most eves it seems, and a 2 yr old who wont go to sleep!!! vino.............helloooo?

ponka, i do things like that all the time too! don't worry. like forgetting dd has no pants on when she is wearing a summer dress as she always takes them off completely when she has a wee. and isnt at all shy with her parts!!

hmm egypt DS has taken to saying "I have got a scar" and whipping down his pants in front of innocent and unsuspecting adults. I am not sure how acceptable this is at 6. But DS has not yet developed any form of self-consciousness. This came up at the weekend because when we visit family we always get the DC ready for bed before we leave and they usually get undressed downstairs. Well this Sunday there were extra people at my MILs because it was my SILs 30th birthday but DS just carried on as normal despite DH trying to get him to display some modesty. I think that he will develop modesty in his own time and we shouldn't push him, but DH is not convinced.

I am glad you have got it sorted for what is happening next week, but it does seem like quite bad luck with the timing.

Hello??? Where is everyone? Out in the sunshine? Egypt are you moved back in minus the bugs?

ponka I have finally sponsored you. Hope it goes well.

Thank you so much, Bozza. It's getting close now. DS and I are getting quite excited.

I've not been around because it's the first night I've been able to face it tonight. DS1 and I were struck down by very bad tonsillitis. I cannot quite believe how painful it is. Unfortunately this coincided with a lot of gigs for DH's band and a busy time at his work so I've been looking after the kids a lot. The only thing to do to survive was to have the TV on pretty much all day, which of course, I felt guilty about because we generally only watch about an hour a day. We were both given Penicillin on Monday and are turning the corner today, which is great because I had taken your advice and taken a break tomorrow. I have taken annual leave but the boys are still going to Mum and Dad's for the day and I still have vouchers that were given to me for my 30th. Tomorrow, I get to go and spend them. I think I'll be well enough. I'm going to get something a bit different done with my hair, too. Layers I think. It's getting stupidly long. It pretty much reaches the small of my back now.

How was your week?

Oh ponka that sounds pretty awful. I do think one of the worst things about being a Mum is having to carry on when you are poorly and just want to curl up in a corner. So, of course, you use the TV a lot, everyone does. DS had a lot of extra TV and playstation after his operation and I was perfectly well but couldn't face playing top trumps for 12 hours a day. I hope you have a good day today, sounds like you really, really need a break now. So you will be all glamorous for doing your mile.

My week had been OK. DD has moved up into the next room at nursery, which she is very happy about because all her friends had already moved up.

Hello!!!! will you all still be my friends?? We changed internet provider and it all went tits up so we've had no broadband, we still have no Office so can't do anything on word/excel etc and the internet is taking FOREVER to load anything. DH is unconcerned cos he's at work all day but it's driving me batty.
I was beginning to think that Egypt's baby would have left home by the time I discovered she'd even arrived! So, I'll post now I'm in - helloooo everyone.
Egypt - congratulations!!! I know DD2 is probably a month old (I daren't risk scrolling too far...) but well done. Sorry to hear about your bugs and the enforced move - I do hope it's all a bit better now, it's so tough to start with, I remember just concentrating on breathing and remembering to feed everyone till DS2 was 6 weeks old. Literally, that's all I did.and now they play together and it's great and so worth it.
Bozza, glad DS's op went well and hope he's recovered - sounds a very confident little boy!
We've just started potty training. It's awful. Mainly it's peer pressure that's got to me as DS1 gallops towards 3 in his pampers and all around are sporting pants...
And I'm back at work 2 days a week and it's making me soooo happy! I'm a new woman with one days adult conversation in the office and one day working from home and getting all the washing done .
Hope everyone else is well!

It might be my turn to disappear next because we are having virus trouble. I am on DH's work laptop atm. Glad work is going well pepperrabbit. Don't worry too much about the potty training, he will get the hang of it. My Mum was saying today that DD should be able to multitask because she is a girl, and I pointed out that today at dancing she managed to sit on the toilet and do a wee and kick her friend at the same time. DD v. hard work just now, we're at the dropping nap stage.... Will update more later but need to order my veg box or I will forget with it being the bank hol.

whoooooa a few mins to myself. dd1 at school, dd2 asleep.

hi pr, good to hear from you. the potty training will be fine. you might be surprised how quick he takes to it. ponka, hope you are feeling much better now. thats horrid. hope you're not away from us too long bozza.

although i may be disappearing for a while. going to uk for a month from thurs. be great to get some cool air and a haircut! grandmothers can have the kids and let me relax!!

we are back in our place. all is fine. it was, i have to say, one of the most stressful weeks of my life - and tiring - but we got there. i still have a few things to sort, especially because EVERYTHING needed washing. if it could go in the washing machine it did - including clothes we had stored away for colder climates. mould galore. disgusting.

dh got back from oz and the house really didnt look too bad so i dont think he can fully appreciate how hellish it was. at least the agents came to help a bit, rehanging curtains etc. i could not have done it.

right, going to do something else whilst i can. xx

Hi everyone. I'm feeling a lot better now but am still not right. DS seems completely better. I did have a great day off the other day though. I had a brand new hair cut and bought a few new clothes. Now I'll be at least half decent for any photos taken this Saturday that might end up on MN! DS is so excited about doing his "special walk to stop babies getting poorly". Whenever I mention it he starts up doing a really strange John Cleese like walk so I'm not sure what he'll look like on Saturday doing that! I'm currently trying to think of lots of distraction and bribery techniques to keep him going.

DS1 is such an observant chappy. This morning, I was driving him to nursery and we got to the end of our road. He suddenly said, "look Mummy, there's Lukey's Winnie the Pooh" (his favourite teddy). I said, "Don't be silly, Luke's teddy is at home". Then he said, "No Mummy, it's there" and pointed to a railing by the park. I followed where he was pointing and sure enough, sitting in between the spike's was DS2's favourite teddy. We must have dropped it on the way to the local shop the day before and some kind soul had put it up there. I vaguely noticed it was missing at bed time but just got his second favourite teddy and assumed it was somewhere in the house.

Bozza, DS is in the process of moving up to the big boys room at nursery, too. They are so big now.

Hi Pepperrabbit. Nice to hear from you. I'm glad you are happy working again.

Egypt, I'm glad you are all back in your appartment again and sorted.

oh ponka, i havent posted your chq!! i'll be in the uk fri, will it be too late to post it to you over the coming week?

good luck with the walk though.

they are terribly observant aren't they? sometimes annoyingly so. like when you're trying to NOT let them see something.....like sweets at a checkout......a playground on the way to the shops.....those rides outside tescos and mothercare - that are in EVERY shopping centre here on EVERY floor.....

takes about 3 days to go shopping

Thanks, Egypt. That would be great. How long are you going to be in the UK for? You must be really happy about coming back for a visit.

DS loves those rides, too...... but only if I don't put any money in them. He's scared of them when they move! That's fine by me as it saves on a tiny bit of money! He is also obsessed by car washes but again, not going through them because that would be scary. Only standing outside for aaaaages and watching the cars go in. We must go to our local one at least 3 times a week. It's a great way of getting him to go to the shop without a fuss because it's just next door. The only problem is that I think the two blokes who work there think they've got themselves some sort of bunny- boiling stalker. I'm expecting some sort of injunction to be served any time soon

Are you sorted for coming back egypt? Is DH coming too or do you have to manage the flights on your own? On the observant line, DD has managed to find one of her birthday presents - a metal watering can, she is like a dog with a bone, "is that mine", "is that for me" etc etc until I let her have it. DS has never, ever found anything that he shouldn't, and chances are he won't now, since he seems to permanently have his nose stuck in a book or kicking a football round. Ponka we will be looking for pictures of the new glam you after Saturday!

DD has decided that she will not go to bed if she has had a nap. She had about 1 hour in the care on Monday afternoon and was awful Monday night. So I guess that is the end of naps here.

DH and I are going out on Saturday for our wedding anniversary which is next Wednesday and the children are going to my Mum and Dad's. Then the following Friday DH has sprung a black tie dinner in Manchester on me. So we have to be there for 7.30 but DS doesn't finish school for 3.30 and it is 1.5 hour drive to my Mum and Dad's and then another 1.5 hours to Manchester. Fortunately my sister has agreed to meet us in Manchester at 5 and take the children. And among all this we have DD's birthday on Tuesday and her party on the following Sunday. Although fortunately we are going to a little soft play place so I only have to do the cake and the party bags. And the usual thing of chasing replies. Grr.

Hello everyone - birthdays soon! Have any been yet?

Hope you're all ok - Egypt are the bugs gone yet?
Ponka, any chance I could send a cheque/cash to you for the walk? If you can't cat me your address or don't want to, could I send it to you at work? Hope you enjoy your day off - might plan one myself soon. I'm owed about three weeks off from work having worked more than full-time for the last three months (I'm part-time).

Bozza you always sound so BUSY! Hope you enjoy your anniversary and the black tie thingy.

Have booked dd2's birthday party for 20th (she's 3 on 21st) - it's at a local under-8s swimming pool which is great for toddlers - lots of little pools and jacuzzis, and a slide. Left it a bit late to send out invites and some people already can't make it, and we need a minimum of ten.
Whenever I ask her what she wants for her birthday she says "Fifi" - Fifi bike, car, cake, Fifi everything!
Dh had a minor op on his nose a fortnight ago (day surgery) and last week had to go back in for three days as he got a really bad infection as a result of the op and had to have IV antibiotics. He came out on Monday but still isn't right. We were due to go to a family party on Saturday and were doing a car boot at mum's on Bank Holiday Monday, so my mum came and took the girls off for the weekend so they could go to the party and I could visit Dh without worrying about getting people to look after them. It was horrible! Two nights in an empty house - hated every minute. I've never dusted so much in my life.

So will Egypt be on her way by now? That's a major expedition with 2 little one's if she's DH-less!
Good luck on Sat Ponka -sounds hilarious with DS1 practising his Ministry of Funny Walks!
We've been potty training since sat, went cold turkey and just put DS1 in pants on saturday morning - I washed 10 pairs of pants on sat night - fewer trousers but only cos we ran out. But today!! ta da!! he told me every time before he wanted to wee and was only caught out by a poo (sorry tmi) this afternoon! I'm soooo glad I waited till he was nearly 3 and people stared at me for wanting to change the nappy of really quite a big boy.
And tomorrow he's at nursery so they can deal with it and I can relax and not shout "do you need a wee??" every 90 seconds.
Though having said thta, because it is wed and thurs is the ONLY day I have to go to London, DS2 woke up this morning and vomited everywhere - much to my and his surprise it has to be said. He's been absolutely fine ever since so I've no idea what that was all about. More washing probably.