March 2007-Today our babies will mostly be eating.............

[KITTYmaspudding]

ok, new thread, old one full!!

bethoo-nobody is suggesting you 2-time your dp,but theres nothing wrong with waiting untill you get a better offer before dumping him.
i liked being on my own when i got used to it.i mean,i had a year of total slapper-dom after splitting with xh then i didnt go near a man for a long time.i needed that time to get my head together and realise that i didnt need a man,and thus stop attracting bastards/tossers/weirdos with my obvious desperation.
then when i was 100% happy and content to spend the rest of my life a single woman,i met my dream man.

mossy-i meant to reply to you before but dh had started tidying without me.if debts are a problem have you been to the CAB?it shocked me that you may have to give up your internet as most people i know consider it a neccesity rather than a luxury.unless you're on 30MB platinum +++ service and paying over the odds?

i was on cipralex for a week it made me 100x worse.i had no side effects on the effexor but coming off it is a nightmare.i found it easier quitting speed cold turkey after 9 months of taking it every day!

kitty-i had the pleasure of going to tesco with just the youngest 3 today.i lost ds2(a common occurance but scary nonetheless)and finally found him happily going down the travelator.when he saw me he just said 'i went upstairs'.

fox-was it you who asked about holidays?i wish i could go away.ds1 and dd1 will be going to my mothers again in the summer holidays.i would like to go somewhere with the lo's even if its just to morecambe for the weekend,but i doubt dh would go with me.

thanks for reminding me of the No Cry book RTP... I had written down the title when Kate was an ikkle baby. I've ordered it from Amazon - along with a couple of other books that I had wanted but their total didn't reach free postage .

Thanks for reassurance about breast milk. I feel deflated when hubs goes for a bottle (and worse when it works).

The baby show is on in the background. I'm afraid to turn around... are these people for real???

Diva how frustrating is it to lose a child in the supermarket. When MissE was younger, there were a few instances when I was called on the loud speaker at our ASDA.

Bethoo... sticks and stones and all that. You should do what is best for you and your ds.

We are meeting friends at their local swimming pool tomorrow - Kate is going swimming for the first time!!! I've got her a little swimsuit... I can't believe they make them so small .

Kiwi, for finger food, I give Jordi French toast sometimes (eggy bread), which is a good, quick one, although I don't do it too often because of the oil. A great dessert or snack finger food is blueberries if you haven't already given her that. Jordi can snaffle them up really easily. He absolutely loves fruit which I am so pleased about.

As I've said before, my perfect New Year's wish to be granted is another LO too. Am slightly worried about my periods because they're being a bit weird, so may have to pay a visit to the doctors if they continue being so.

Really must go to bed, have had far too little sleep recently. Had my mum, sister and nieces over for NYE, went to town to see a fireshow/circus thing early in the evening, then to the Winter Wonderland icerink and fair, then watched some live music. Home by 10.30 (Dp took DS home about 9), then watched Jules for NY.

Would love to go on holiday sometimes soon. I'm going back to work in two weeks, and I've got a lot of leave to take because of DS's early arrival, so I'm thinking where I could go. Do you think it would be madness to take a young baby to Mozambique? My best friend is working out there for a few years (also with a one-year-old baby) and while I don't have to pay for Jordi to fly, it seems like the ideal time to go. But part of me worries big time that he may catch something horrible. The other thing is not being sure about jabs for me if I were to get pg. However, I spent a few years putting off going places just in case for that reason and not getting pg, so I'm determined not to do that again. Also, the thought of flying to south Africa alone with DS, cos DP wouldn't come, then on to Moz, is quite daunting. It could be a VERY long journey! Any experience? I know Kiwi went to Oz with Kate when she was quite young - have any of you done long distance with a one-plus year old?

Hmm - just been reading all the diseases you can get in Mozambique. Wouldn't worry for myself but not so sure about exposing DS... Or am I being over-cautious?

Really must go to bed!

Callie I went to Pakistan 2 years ago when ds2 was 15 months and dd was 3. They travelled fine. We all got cryptosperidium tummy bug for three weeks and by the time I came back I could see their bones and it took another couple of weeks for them to get healthy again. We are meant to be going this march and I'm dragging my heels.
It is tricky, you can end up doing nothing and going nowhere to avoid problems but also avoiding living life to the full.
But all my instincts want to keep the children wrapped up in cotton wool. They are so precious.

I meant to watch that fake baby programme but I forgot, was it good? I ended up watching Zoolander with ds1.

Bethoo you are more pretty than average and won't have too much competition or trouble attracting people, so don't be afraid to discard the twerps! I spent 3 years with no partner and I'm glad I had that 'me' time now. If you had to be on your own for a while you would be fine I bet!

lol at Foxy calling Mossy polar bear

OMG that fake baby programme.... didn't know whether to laugh or cry... watched up until that lady went to "pick" her fake grandson and also the other lady spent £300 in Harrods on stuff for her fake baby... apparantly it wasn't a "waste of money" because none of it would get ruined or sicked on

... felt like dragging her to my local woman's refuge to show her what her £300 SHOULD be spent on!

Sorry

will get off my soap box now...

i know it's her right to spend her money however she wants...

... just a bit shocked that's all

Muppet/Bethoo - that programme was so spooky wasn't it? I found Harry's grandmother the creepiest - no wonder her daughter moved to NZ!!! How wierd was she? She was talking about Harry as though he was dead and she almost seemed annoyed her daughter survived cancer and took her son back home

And that strange blonde permed woman shocked me when she returned her baby 'cos it wasn't perfick!!!

I actually quite like the dolls but I think the motives of the buyers are highly questionable and unhealthy - slightly unhinged actually!! Thank God they haven't had real babies eh?

Bethoo - agree (again) with Rosy that you are deffo in top 5% of womankind when it comes to looks - you won't be alone for long, so when the times feels right I'm sure you will come out on top and find yourself with someone who cherishes and values you.

Diva [wistful emoticon] at the idea of a year of slapperdom - makes me feel old lol!! Its been many years since I had the chance of slapperdom!!

Callie - Monti loves eggy bread too. I soft boil the egg and dip his soldiers in it - his fave meal apart from M&S rice pudding!

I feel shite today and have taken a sickie. But sitting on internet deffo makes me feel a bit better.

Am excited have ordered 5 copies of Khaled Hosseini's new book - the Thousand Suns one about women in Afghanistan (for my next book club). I haven't read a book for about a year so am determined to read this. The Kite Runner is my all time. New books will be arriving before 1pm sometime

Diva it's not like the debts are insurmountable. Just that they're too much for one salary. The debts we used to have were horrendous, a result of dh not working or receiving the sick while he was depressed and me being on min wage. (And us living beyond our means a bit too ). But with careful planning (and the NatWest payment) we managed to get rid of the worst of them.

Truth is, now dh is being less of an arse about it there's part of me that's actually seeing some of the benefits of going back to work. Dh has agreed to cut back expenditure drastically so we'll see if we can save money in the next six months, pay off debts & then I can request flexible working, or even stop all together.

Foxy pmsl @ polarbear. You know there is actually a poster called stealthpolarbear don't you?

Muppet I didn't see the programme but it sounds hilarious!!

Callie I'm impressed by your holiday plans!!

Rosy the thought of getting a tummy bug like that is really frightening, no wonder you're dragging your heels!!

Saying goodbye to that extra stone (or two or three in my case) made me pmsl too!

Right today I'm getting Bertie weighed for the first time in weeks. This might be the last time I get chance for ages & I need to know his weight for car seats etc. A bit nervous though in case he's put on nowt and I get told off. But will take it in my stride!

Bethoo.... what do you want to do in your ideal scenario?

piff or rosy can i pick your curry brains??

samuel is never more interested in food than when i'm eating curry... today at lunch i was finishing up last nights chicken & lentil curry and that was it... there was no way he was eating his lunch (perfectly passable casserole) - so i end up feeding him quite a bit as he is screaming for it (it was mild!)

so have you any recipes you've used for your lo's... any spices you would or wouldn't use?

cheers me dears

Muppet, Hasan likes hot spicy food too and I have given him naan or chapatis dipped in my curry which is full spicey/salty/chilli but only a smidgen so hopefully not harmfull.

I know dh's brother and wife started making milder curries because their children were getting sore mouths from the chilli but back in Pakistan the family eat really hot food and the children are weaned on it no problems.

My way of doing it has just been to put a tiny bit of the curry we are having into some natural yoghurt with unsalted rice and chapati and that usually goes down well.

we add creme fraiche or yoghurt for Finn and dd although now dd is happier with much spicier dishes. Also we make naan and chapati which he loves. He hates normal bread though...

Piff, when you say make naan and chapati - do you mean make from scratch? If so, have you got a recipe (that I can give DP )? Also on the subject of food, has anyone got any good vegetarian or fish recipes for babies which involve protein other than milk/cheese, and does anyone have any experience of a good vegetarian/fish cookbook for them? I feel my range is a bit limited atm and need inspiration. I gave DS a tiny amount of ground almonds in his lunch and he seemed ok on it, so hopefully that means no nut allergy, not that we had any reason to think he would have one.

My friend had her second son on NYE - on time, home birth as planned, two hours "painful bit" (that's a direct quote) and looked about 16 in the pics after. (She's 20 years older than that I should point out). Now that's what I want if there is a next time!

Diva, so glad you are Diva again .

Rosy, thanks for that. I think I would need a good chat with my friend to see how her son had adapted before making the decision. I'll probably get no further than France tbh, but it's nice to dream.

TheBlonde, are you of Swedish descent then, or actually Swedish even!?

I arranged DS's settling in sessions at nursery. the first is one hour, the second a bit longer and involves him staying for lunch and a few hours. Do you think that's enough? I've left it a bit late really, but then i think it's better to have it right close to when he starts otherwise he won't remember it. They are on Wed and Fri, and he starts on Mon. Because for my first three days I'll be working 9-5, he will actually be in all day, although for most of the time he will only be there part of the day. I still don't really believe I'm going back. I did have a moment the other day when I thought, "I can't do it, I can't leave him". Advice?

Callie - how long your DS needs to settle in depends on the child. Mine only ever needed 2 very short settling in sessions, but I guess kids vary. Is he happy to be with people other than yourself?

IKWYM about feeling daunted about returning to work. He will be fine and will love the new environment with all the toys and fun to be had. I often think its harder for the Mum, as we inevitably feel guilty/analyse everything too much/worry too much. He'll soon settle in though and you will both settle into a new routine [hugs]

Callie - DH is Swedish American but he's in denial about the American half so despite being in the US til 18 in his heart he is Swedish

callie I used Rose Eliots Vegetarian baby and toddler.

My DD had 4 settling in sessions at nursery in December. The first 2 were only an hour each and the last 2 were 2 hours including lunch. I start back next Tuesday and I'm already having nightmares about it. This is my last week with her and I'm so wound up I'm shouting at her non stop

Oh lucky you lot with your hungry babes.

Well I'm supposed to fattening the skinny Ronnie up and he wouldn't eat anything but 2 pots of fromage frais. today, plus lots of boob.
When I hand him a piece of food he wrinkles his nose up in disgust .
Dd2 was such a fab eater ,she still is. When she was a baby and we walked down the veg aisle at the supermarket she would eat raw broccoli and infact got exicited when she saw it
dd3 is also a joy to feed.
Ronnie..........

cant stay on til later as Hayden still on high chair pouring vimto 9sugar free) all over me! just thought i would tell you about my humiliating experience on fb! have bee nchatting to several young men and was on live chat with a bloke from Reading. all going well until he asked if i had any kids, i replied yes and suddenly he was gone! quite funny really. i do not mention having a baby on my dating profile incase i attract a peado, is that wrong of me? anyway back once little man has been played with, cleaned and put to bed.

false alarm, he messaged me saying that the live chat cut off and having a baby is fine by him. how embarrassing, false alarm everyone. must get back to my neglected son!!!

Callie - good luck in trying for another lo. are you still going to Moz wit lo? i am too afraid to fly so i think you are brave.

bethoo-i never mentioned having children in any profiles on any of the sites i used when i was single,as sadly paedos do target single mums.i would drop it into the conversation after a while of chatting to someone(usually when they asked what i did for a living).

i remember when i first started chatting to dh and after a few days he asked that question.he was only 22 then and clearly only afetr one thing so i told him how many kids i had,thinking 'this'll scare him off'.he replied 'dont worry,im used to kids'.and the next day xp said 'he only wants to meet you cos he'll think you're a very easy lay now'.i said 'so?he's 22 and gorgeous,i'm not going to say no!'.

dunno wtf happened

i would advise against the use of vimto,though.that stuff even makes me go hyper,plus it contains evil aspartame.

rosy-i dont have the paul mckenna anti-fat book/cd.does it work?i am putting off starting my 'healthy eating plan' till monday when the kids go back as its getting to that end-of holidays stress time and not a good time to start anything.

kitty-my dd2 is a fussy eater.it started when she was 2 days old and wouldnt drink from the teats i'd got her.now she wont eat anything that resembles fruit,she wont drink milk,and she wont even eat cakes.the only thing she will have for pudding is fromage frais or cadbury chocolate.has to be cadbury.

Elsie will eat owt as long as its been on the floor

oohhh bethoo - show us a photo of him!!! go on...go on...

my naan recipe is striaght from anjum anands book muppet
I'll ping you on facebook