June '07...and they're off!

[deckthehallswithboughsofholly]

Coooeeee!!!

Bumper and jammy, have a great meet up.

Daisy . Are you going up again soon?

Double yay for sleeping babies. All DCs in bed and DH out for the night. I feel a night of crappy tv and chocolate coming up.

Sounds like you are well shot of shitty childminder Fury.

Am a bit of you working ladies. Escape is sounding quite nice at the moment. Well, not RIGHT now as they are all in bed and house is quite, but it has been a tough few days.

Sorry, just realised that my last email makes it sound as though work is easier than staying at home. Not what i meant at all and wouldn't actually change things but sometimes I do fantasize about a child-free life.

quiet, not quite

After today I too fantasize about a child free life! I hate to say it, but my dd has been a little bitch!

Welcome back daisy, hope you are ok. About your mum, but it's great that she is still in good spirits. Hope you can have a lovely christmas together.

Annobal - believe me, working full time is easier than being a SAHM!!

I am less tired atm now I am home - but a damn site more frazzled and irritable!!

I start new job on the 3rd Jan... hopefully the new nursery is better

I hope you are happy with the nursery fury. TBH if I were to go back to work I would be so much happier putting the dcs in a nursery rather than a childminder. At least you know in a nursery they have a set daily structure and they write everything down, so you know exactly what has happened during the day. Also there are lots of other people there. I would worry so much more about my dcs being around just one adult than lots IYSWIM.

At least you are going to be able to have a nice christmas without having to worry about work! Hope you can relax and enjoy yourself x

yes Holly you are totally right. I know a few very bad CM's (mentioning no names) who I have seen give a 9 year old a BACARDI BREEZER!

The nursery seems good but I think I am going to have to make it very clear to them that I want DS MADE to sleep and eat etc because if they rely on hints from him they will be waiting all day! He would quite happily stay awake all day if I would let him.

It is very hard surrendering the control though IYSWIM.

But yes am loving having time off!

hi guys. It was a really nice visit, and thankfully we'll all be back up there on 22nd until after New Year. We are waiting for a hospice bed at the moment, which will take a load off my sister. Hopefully she will still be with us for Christmas, but it's by no means certain; although she said it's her aim to get Christmas over with, then Dad can come for her . /She is such a love. I've got some p[hotos with me, her and DD which I'll try to get on fb soon.

mhc...it was me that mentioned the joint pain re thyroid problems. I had blood tests last week and will get the results at the end of this week.

DD is still up , but she did sleep for nearly five hours in the car today, so it's a bit optimistic of me to hope she'd go down at her usual time. DS keeps coming downstairs as well, and my lovely DH (well, the bloke who I've seen for about four hours since last Sunday) has buggered off again.

fury...i hope ds does better in the nursery. It'll be good for him to socialise with other kiddies.

Right, off to try and settle this little imp (who is nearly crawling; she can get around on her tummy by shuffling....she looks like a wee turtle bless her )

and my word the teething.....big spotty red cheeks and major drool, plus she is constantly rubbing her face against people.
I'll catch up tomorrow.....gordon ramsay night tonight!

Daisy, your mum sounds very much at peace. Hope she gets a place in a hospice soon.

Bless your wee turtle dd!

Can anyone help me decide what I want for christmas? I would love a new handbag, but I do have loads and all I can see myself using for the next 2 years is a changing bag. I don't go anywhere nice enough to use a lovely bag! TBH all I want is a bit of a rest! My dp keeps on at me to decide what I want and I just don't have a clue. Also it's my birthday on Monday and I haven't the foggiest about that either!

Hellooooooo. I'm glad you had a nice time with your Mum but that she's so unwell.

I can't comment on nurseries as have never used one but I do have a very good cm for DD. The difference is though that she didn;t start until after she could talk so I do always know what she does there and would know if she wasn't happy. I think you need to 110% trust them especially as they are on their own with no other adults watching what they do.

Holly, how about a spa day - time to yourself to sit/read/sleep/be pampered. Or, how about DP promising to have the DCs for a whole day and give you some cash/vouchers to go and have a nice shop and lunch with a friend? BTW, i sympathise with nightmare DD, mine is being a right little Madam at the moment, and is driving me to drink, seriously . In fact she's even driving me to consider going back to work!

BTW, the helloooooo was for everyone but the first sentence was for Daisy (obviously!)

Daisy, your Mum sounds like a lovely person and, like Holly said, very much at peace.

Well, after all dcs in bed at 6, ds3 woke up at 7.30 and is now sat up with us. He's also teething with the red cheeks and drool - he's even got sores on his fingers from chewing them so much.

Holly, did you ever get the Kath Kidston changing bag? I have to admit that I haven't used a changing bag for 3 years as I love my handbags. What about the platforms you saw the other day.

Top of my list this year is a digital camera.

Holly, totally agree with not knowing what I want for myself. I don't have much time to read books, or watch DVDs, or soak in bath/slather on beauty products. I don't go anywhere nice to want a nice bag/scarf/whatever. My figure is such a state I definitely don't want anyone buying me clothes. Have so far asked for soap, a puzzle book, chocolate (fblush) and a couple of DVDs that I might just watch before next Xmas.

Why-oh-why do I press Post before I'm finished?

I also wanted to say that Daisy's Mum sounds like a sound woman, who's got things sorted so she can be at peace with the world.

Interesting to hear about face rubbing linked to teething - DD has been doing that LOADS just recently, but hadn't made the connection. Had picked up on the drooling, constant chewing, and red, red, cheeks.

hello again...cheers guys

holly, I don't know what to get for crimbo either. I thought about a spa thing, but no-one to go with me and don't want to feel like a saddo

I saw a knee length suede coat in Next, but I already have a suede jacket, so not too sure about it. As I've said to DH countless number of times, the only thing I really need is a diamond trilogy. He just rolls his eyes heavenward and sighs. One day, though, one day!

We caved and got DS a PS2 . We couldn't really think what to get him as our house is awash with lego and transformers and power rangers and hot wheels as it is. (Of course, I'll also get to play with it fter he's in bed. I'm gonna get a dance mat and dance myself fit )

Daisy, PMSL at the 'dance myself fit' comment, the 'play myself fit' argument was how I justified buying a wiiiiiii yesterday

jammy, I'm not sure if it's teething, or a bunged up nose, or her spotty face that's itchy causing her to rub her face, but I'm fed up being covered in snot and drool......

I'm sure this is TMI as well, but the other day she had something to eat (homemade cottage pie) and she always like a BF after food. When I took my bra off at night, there was some cottage pie smeared over the inside of the cup

It's Ok Daisy. After DD's parsnip & pea lunch today I gave her a BF and later noticed my right nip was green!

LOL jammy.....is it any wonder we don't feel sexy when we have to ask "Do I have spinach on my tit?" rather than teeth

off to see Gordon....

Daisy, personally I think the PS2 for ds is fine. You can get some great kids games and you can sensor what he plays more than you can sensor what he watches on tv.

I do really need a winter coat (atm I am wearing a scabby long cardi), but I don't really plan on being this fat next winter, so it would be a bit of a waste of money! I am also such a tight wad that I cringe at buying clothes before christmas as I know it will all be half price in the sales!

I have the Cath Kidston changing bag annobal and I use it all the time. There is a Radley one on ebay, but dp says I'm not allowed it as it is not really for me!

Well I'm off. Will see Bumper and Fury tomorrow morning, and catch the rest of you online tomorrow night.

Welcome back Daisy, for your Mum, she really sounds like a woman of courage and good sense. I hope you can have a great xmas together.

Holly, I think Fairy had a good idea about him taking over the kids and letting you go shopping, that's what I'd like anyway!

While we're on the subject of teething, is anyone using those Nelson's teething powders? I have some and they seem quite good, but it might be my immagination. If I decide they're good I can stock up in the UK. The baby opens hiis mouth when he sees the packet coming so he likes them anyway

My dd loves those sputnik! They do seem to make a difference, I've tried them with ds a few times and they do shut him up! I don't know whether it is the ingredients making him feel better or the fact it is something different in his mouth that makes him stop crying! Either way it is much better than resorting to calpol every 5 mins!

Dp has taken friday and monday off work, so we have a long weekend for my birthday, which is going to be lovely! I think I might leave the dcs with him on monday and take myself out somewhere on my own. Even just a walk to the shop on my own would be nice! In fact I may make him take them to the soft play centre and I can stay at home on my own and chill!

sputnik...Boots do their own version of the Nelson's powders which are 50p cheaper!

I used them all the time with DS and they do work. DD loves them too and gets all giddy when she sees the packet coming! I think the fact that they have something to grate between their gums helps too, and much as I think bonjela is really good painwise, it just doesn't stick to wet mouths...I always end up with this big glob on my finger, that won't transfer to gob, no matter what!