++March 06 ++Birthdays Ahoy- thread the third++

[UniSarah]

Ok, I think I have spelled everything in teh title correctly. shout at me if i havn't.

Happy St davids day March 06 mums and tots.

Friz, have a good time in Wales if you haven't left already.

Hi Smiley - nice to hear from you again. Do come and keep us company!

Uni, I'm around for a few days before we go on holiday next week so will try and say hello now and again. Sorry the boy is not sleeping well...my girls were up for 2 hours last night so both DP and I are very cranky this morning.

BTW going on ADs has been amazing - I feel so normal and can deal with the kids fine! I've only lost it once in the week since I started on them which is a record. Uni, can you remember the rules with drinking and ADs as we're going to a dinner party on Sat and would like some wine really...

Friz- Have a lovely time in Wales. You will have to tell me which part you went to- inlaws live down there- near Monmouth/Chepstow.

LL- Glad you are finding ADs helpful. DH is a Paramedic so I checked his drugs book- if you are on Prozac (Fluoxetine) alcohol is ok. If you are on Paroxetine (Seroxat) then it says to avoid alcohol. HTH.

Am gobsmacked cos the sun just came out!

Have you had any meet ups lately, or do you have any planned? It was depressing having all that rain a while ago wasn't it? We were drying anppies on airers in the porch and were using dehumidifier alot too. I must pop out cos I have a load sitting in the machine with no space to hang it- I hear the washing line calling me......

Sorry I'm a bit laste LL, IIRC moderation in all things seemed to be a good guide, that and "RTFM", or in drugs land "read the patient information sheet". If it doesn;t high light it as a problem it probadly isn;t.

We had modem problems 0 henece me not around yesterday. back to teh regular round of stuff tomoz, stay n play, Dh being away mid week, social get togethers and a play day then mums and tots on friday, it working out quite wll this holiday I've managed to get involved in a few things that are carrying on or only happening coz it holidays. Still manageing to have a " purpose" for each day. I'm not good at aimless.

Hi,

I rechecked the info and it doesn't say to avoid alcohol so I'm sure the occasional holiday bevvie won't matter.

Dinner party was cancelled anyway as the hosts split up. they had already cancelled their wedding in sept. We went for a huge and quite pricey nosh up with 4 friends instead.

I'm supposed to be working today but my head is full of lists for packing on Weds. Uni, send me your top camping tips for our first foray!!

LL- Oh dear! They split up! Better tahn marrying the wrong person! Have fun packing/daydreaming about hols. How old are your children? I can't remember (Or was it just the one child???. Have been wondering whet would be a suitable age to resume camping. DS is 17months. I only really started camping about 5/6 years ago, with DH. Had not been since childhood. Am keen to start but not sure about the practicalities with a small child.....

Uni- You sound busy. Sounds like I should take a leaf out of your book- I assume you are a fulltime mum?
I struggle with not having a purpose to each day and though I know I need more structure I have not really got my act together yet. I definately work alot better/more efficiently when I have somewhere I need to be or a specific job I must do etc, otherwise the day can sort of drift and you are left wondering what on earth you did all day (other than look after DS and do a few jobs in the house). What kind of structure do you have to your day/week?

I am thinking about doing an "A" level or something as a home study course. I feel I need something to get my teeth into that has nothing to do with babies/housework.

This weather has not helped my motivation- it's not nice going out when it's pouring with rain and gloomy.

Can anyone recommend a good exercise DVD or a specific activity that they find enjoyable/effective? Really want to get a bit more fit. I do a step video and another DVD and am looking to vary my exercise a bit and do someting that might inspire me to stick at it!

CAmping is fun... much of teh time. We camp very light, cycle touring so CAN'T take more than the essentials evenif I wanted to.I quite like teh challenge of improvising things out of basics, I can rig up a resoanble shade area with two camping mats, some string,the tent and trailer.
Top tip- dirt isn't a problem, you can always wash things.
Sub tip- shower gel or washing liquid work just fine on clothes, get things wrung as dry as you dry, then roll items in a towel ( after your shower) and stand on the roll, then unroll and hang out to dry items and towel.

Packing lists are quite handy things, even better if you keep a copy and remember to amaend it after a trip with what you wish you had taken and what never got used.

Smiley- My "purpose" to the day can be pretty pathetic. in term time its along teh lines of - Mon- stay N play in morning maybe invite a friend back for lunch. Tue- parent forum volunteer session in afternoon, buy bread and milk. Wed Activity/lesson with boy (signing this term), thurs activity /lesson with boy ( hueristic play or rhyme time this term) , fri- Mums and tots in morning maybe lunch at friemds house after. NOT exactly high Octane stuff but definate start times to things gets me out of the house.
I am a full time mum execpt when I work , but thats odd days here and there so I just drop boys stuff for those days and he goes to a childminder unless its the weekend when DH has him.

Hello!

Not been here in ages but think of you often. We are back in Vienna after a long break n Canada but...DRUM ROLL, PLEASE: DH has ben offered a promotion and a move to Geneva. I sure wish it had come a month ago since school is back in on Wednesday and I would love nothing more than to withdraw the older two before the whole nightmare starts over.

Once in Geneva, we plan to find a better (could there be worse?!) internet provider and then I could use MN more reliably.

Glad you are all still here!

Hi Caddy- big wave. nic eto hear from you AND withgood news. geneva CAN:T be worse than vienna has been can it?

Hi Caddy,

Nice to hear from you and good to hear that you are saying goodbye to Vienna and hello to Geneva - very posh.

Better go and get the girls from my mum or they'll think I've abandoned them!

Are things still going well with you laundrylover? I was sorry to read that you felt compelled to resort to the ad's but pleased that they have helped so much! It must have been a tough decision.

If I am not out of my 'funk' within a few weeks of moving, I will have to consider that route myself. I am finding it nearly impossible to do the bear minimum on a daily basis.

Jackstini: I am so sorry to read about your loss. How are you feeling?

Caddy, yes the ADs are a revelation and think I should've taken the plunge a long time ago! The ones I'm on are OK for bfing too so haven't been forced to stop. I think I would be really struggling to live with no bathroom etc without them.

Just popping by to say see ya really - off on hols tonight so catch up with the thread when I get back.

Better get on with the cleaning and packing...

So most of us are off on Hols, Hi to teh few left reading. What you been up to this week?
yesterday I helped at a play day at our local community hall ( the one with teh garden) I helped set up,ran a craft session and some games for bigger kids. Was a lovely surprise when I got to mums and tots at teh ahll this morning to be given a bottle of wine and box of chocs as a thank you! AND as there is to be some building work done I got to borrow some big toys for a fortnight! Fab, boy will have fun.
This morning at M&T the kids were taking it in turns to thump each other, always with the same toy...

Hello I'm back, have you missed me? will go and read the thread in a mo, just copying and pasting my life for the last week or so for your delight! lol

So we've been happily running our 11 day event, which started off horribly wet Fri/Sat, Sunday was overcast but dry and the Monday just horrendous, so the girls and I discovered Bridgends outlet mall, after the soft play was in alternate use that day, sigh. Still I got a starbucks! But luckily for us its was heatwave Tue onwards, got to the beach twice, had friends pop by, on the Tue/Wed who stayed at the hotel up the road, which had a pool, so the girls got to splash as opposed to paddling in the sea! Thursday night onwards I had a very happy 3 year old, as the pirates arrived for the bank holiday weekend with their kids, so dd1 went feral and wasn't seen bar bedtime until yesterday!! can proudly report my dd1 is now a faerie allied with pirates who knows how to smite baddies with fireballs and a sword

So this am I've turned down a job interview with Homestart, as dh has decided we're opening a Comic and games shop [nervous grin] and I'm running it for the time being......we have a shop under offer, just firming up the process of funding it all now, hoping to be open by Oct! I think I have a busy month ahead. Catch ya'll later!

LL glad the drugs are working one of my friends is just working her way off them at the mo, but they've helped her out no end

Caddy, nice to see you hon! hurrah for the move to Geneva, have heard its a great place to live, sure you'll love it there hope you do and dh gets stuck there for a long time!
What's dd2 upto these days, being a minx yet?

Hi Smiley, Hi Uni, Hi Jackstini and anyone else out there!! for the prezzie Uni, very nice of them to appreciate you.

Ohhh nearly forgot, dd2 last week, has turned into a right escape artist....can now get out of her sleeping bag, via the zip and also her car seat by doing the arm dislocation thing nice.....

We missed you friz. glad your event went well, sound like teh kids have a right old swallows and amazons essistance during it.
Boy and I are into a week of "days out" , play park today, sea side tomorrow, Gardens on friday , wildlife park sunday, visitor farm tuesday. I'm gonna be worn out with that buggy pushing. He was worn out plaing in t a big sand pit today and fell asleep on my lap on the train home.
In laws with us tomoz- wish me luck ....

Uni for missing me!

You've got a packed week! on at this ungodly hour, as taking dh to the dr's this am, seems they want to see us both re him having the snip!

Hi all!
Lovely to see it busy on here again!

Uni- sounds like you have good structure to your week.

Cadmum- Wow- moving from Vienna to Geneva-what work do you do?

Friz- Great news about opening the shop. How exciting! If you sell 2nd hand comics, DH has some that he has never got round to selling...Wales trip sounded great.

LL- How are you? What are you up to?

I hope that I have now turned the corner. Am feeling really keen about getting fit and getting more of a structure to my weeks. Am going to have a fitness assessment tomorrow at our leisure centre. They will then set the machines to match my ability. Plan going to gym once a week and a class, also now go to two palygroups with DS. Been looking at studying at home/college too. Exercise has really perked me up just lately so I hope I stick to it.

Smiley glad to see the exercise is making you happy which reminds me I really should go to the gym again soon!! tomorrow maybe, still getting into being back at home, yawn, must stay awake for Heroes.....

Blimey friz, do they think Dh might have differnt ideas about future sprogs to you?? I'v had to promise Dh I won;t get him snipped for his 40th B/D . Howver that is probaddly when we will assess the whole issue.

Gym sounds very keen Smiley- hope you can stick with it...

DAys out week going Ok So far, boy was a star at teh sea side with GPs yesterday. he got very wet and cold plaing in a fountain in teh play park. Took warm clothes, a carry by daddy and then lots of fish & chips to warm him up. dis some good grown up drinking from a glass with a straw at the cafe .

Potty training... is it starting to worry any of you yet. Boy is disconsertingly aware of whats going on his nappy, and telling us about it. ho hum, maybe it won;t wait till next summer. We missed teh potty this morning, but he did tell me about the pooh JUST before it landed on his bedroom floor.

Uni I'd say if he's showing awareness you can try going with it, but don't force him, or it ends in retention probs, aka the Dr Tanya Byron article on here the other day! I think LL trained Tilly from about 18mths? LL???? dd1 here wasn't ready until 2ish she got it all just before dd2 was born, then lost it for a while!
dd2 on the otherhand has started pausing for wee's and poo's so may be ready earlier! she already has less of a wet nappy than dd1 does some nights (dd1 is no where near being dry at night, I tried then gave up, will try again when she's 4) ss was dry by the time he was 3!) so they're all different (its based on hormone production too apparently?)

Dr has dh booked in for 2 weeks time dh now crapping himself! they just wanted to ensure we both wanted it, but after taking one look at our 3 kids in tow, they asked no more questions

boo!

decided to continue with no nappy/potty time in morning and lots of praise when he tells us about what hes done. As hes a champion pooher its usefull to be told about them before teh smell reaches me.

you go girl! or should I say go ds
After dd2's trail of poo around the paddling pool the other week, I'll be leaving that one for a bit.

not about to make my life hard..... but have to say as a cloth user even one wee a day in potty makes the nappy washes just a little further apart. HAve joked with Ks mum that we cpould rent teh communityhall for half term week , move in and let the boys go nappyless all week on an easy clean floor.
Off to teh BIG SHEEP tomorrow- ANOTHER day out. I'm looking forward to life getting back to normal.

Just a quickie to say I'm back!
Tilly started pre school today and Kiah is having a settling in session at nursery before she starts tomorrow. Feel like my babies have grown up!!!

Had a fab break, camping was great.

Uni, whereabouts are you in Devon BTW now I am a local.

Friz at shop idea! It sounds very exciting!!! Tell us more....

Smiley, well done on becoming a fitness freak - I'm very !

Should have two full days of childcare Weds and Thurs so catch up more then.