Oct 2007; This Little Piggy Rolled & Crawled to Market, This Little Piggy Walked Home

[FloriaTosca]

I hope I manage to do this right...I'll kick everything off with a roll call if it does.

I have been inspired by Apricotle, in posting after a long absence, to do the same. I read the posts often, just don't seem to find the time to write. I find you all a great encouragement in your honesty and good humour . I am struggling to respond with good humour to the fact that the school holidays are being crippled by this dreadful weather. We have just cancelled brief camping trip to Somerset as dh is not well, and camping in the rain with a sick dh is not a good idea. I can't remember if any of you ( other than J20) have older children. Mine are 8 and 6, and I have to say I find it hard to find things to do with them on wet days that are not constantly interrupted by a 10 mth old who can crawl quickly and does not want to be on the sidelines. Any suggestions?
Muppet - I had a similar incident at our local swimming pool so I know just how awful it can make you feel. Just keep hold of the fact that you were in the right throughout, and have no need to feel embarassed in any way. Sounds like your children were behaving very well - you should bring them to play there again soon
Apricotle - trip sounds great. We were invited to a wedding in NZ next Jan, but unfortunately can't go - I'm very . I have flown long haul a few times with children at different ages, but never a 14 mth old ( or thereabouts). Have done USA with 5mth (that was at Easter, and we did 15 hrs in 2 legs, and then 2 and 10, with 3000 mile drive in between !!!)and Australia with 2 yr old and 4 mth old. What airline are you flying with? I'd just say go well prepared, smile a lot, and ask for help when you need it!
Anyway hope the rest of you are fine. Rory is very active, always wanting to crawl, but has just become a bit more "mummy attached" than before, and cries when I'm out of his sight which is a bit wearing, but at least I'm loved.... Another question - for those who are still bf, how often are you feeding? We are about 4 a day, somedays 3,- but at a few of them he is very easily distracted and I'm sure doesn't take much. Is it the same for anyone else?
Best go - kitchen still needs cleared up from dinner .... ( sorry for disjointed post - lack of sleep = lack of concentration )

J20;sorry you had such a bad day yesterday but glad you had Richie to look after you..he sounds like a real sweetie.

We dont have much to report..Dh had 2 days in lieu so did some work on my Mums house and we went visiting his cousins and their gorgeous new baby, Matilda Grace, who at 3 weeks seems soooo tiny..it is hard to believe that she will be in the same school year as Alex, who kept walking up to her and poking her! Sleep is abysmal at the moment, he's not giving me more than 2 hrs at a time (Dh gave me an extra 2hrs lay in both on Mon and Tues when he finally realised how exhausted I was on Sun)but he is a delight and full of mischief during the day so I cant complain...His swimming teacher gave him arm bands for the first time last week and this week I was able to totally let go of him and let him use them to keep afloat for a few seconds at a time what was lovely was Dh was able to see his progress for the first time.
Off to bed now to get some rest...

Katch!!!! Fabulous to see you back. Good to hear Rory is doing well...tell me about the "mummys boy" thing..alex is exactly the same...sometimes wont let me move for clinging to my leg! I'm still bfing 4/5 times a day but like you he's easily distracted ... however at night time he's making up for it by feeding strongly for 20+ mins every 2 hours [exhausted emoticon]...still at least he isnt dropping any further down the centiles with all his activity.
Right, really am off to bed now.

Wow so many messages! I have very much skimmed, apricot and katch- great to see you again
Apricot-am very of you're christmas trip, we've been looking at cottages at christmas, i want to go somewhere magical, where its snowing, one was in france at the bottom of a glacier, but we couldn't afford it, would love to go to lapland, but have no chance of affording that!

Muppet-i would have been Fu**ing furious and would not have been able to keep calm, dd1 would have most likely started aiming the balls at them! ;)

Dal-that's so sweet, hope DH liked it

crochet-i saw one of them trailer tents on Sat night, they look very funky, wish we'd had one then!

just quick news from me then will catch up properly tommorow, I am awaiting delivery of my new pram tommorrow, v. excited and also, we are going to Birmingham on Sun to cadbury world, staying in a travel lodge then going to the waterworld in stoke on trent on the way home, however, i found a site today, where if you sign up, you get £25 off a room for the night, so we have also booked to go to here for £26 for 4 of us inc breakfast, on the Sat night, I am reallylooking forward to it, in fact, i will try and find a link for the £25 off the hotel for you lovely ladies, definately worth doing as you can get some hotel rooms for a couple of pound.

heres the original link so you can see theres no catch. right i'm off to bed, night all xx

morning ladies

can anyone help me out here please

also, is anyone interested in 2 free vouchers for Alton Towers on the 17th Sep before i put them on Ebay?

Sorry not to be of much help on your thread J20...would love Alton Towers but September is booked up totally for us.
wont be on much over the next few days unless we are very lucky and my dogs terrier instincts finally show themselves...My Mum has got an evil little visitor in her garden...a mink...yes a mink!...it has been murdering the fish in the pond so if we are going to save any I'm going to be spending the next few days catching them and transferring them all to tanks in the house and emptying the pond to deprive the vicious little b*s#a!d of its food source because there are no authorities willing to come and trap it...wish me happy paddling in her 12ftx9ftx4ftdeep slimy pond in this delightful weather [not!]

thanks Ft-i can't go to alton towers because dd1s school have said no holidays whatsoever are allowed. A mink! wow, are they very common? can't you put some netting over or something?

Hey all - I have had guests so fallen behind again.

I'm doing well - keeping myself busy which helps the mood.

Dareh is grand - not crawling yet though and he also has no teeth!

His sleep has continued to be awful and I have finally cracked and left him to cry. I never thought I would but I was going demented. I have to say it has not been as bad as I anticipated. He cried half an hour the first time and today it was down to five minutes. I am hoping to cut out some of the night feeds too - has anyone else done that? If so how did it go and what did you do?

Hope everyone is well!

HI All

J20; No, mink are still rare.. decendants from farmed ones that escaped/were liberated by animal rights idiots protesters. What was let loose was a cute looking little critter not unlike a small otter which has no natural predators and is bird, rabbit and fish killing machine..they kill for fun not just food so can wipe out a fish farm etc in days..they are a serious threat to our natural wildlife especially the water vole and this is the time of year their young leave the nest to establish their own territory...What is scary is that they like to live by streams/rivers in woodland and my Mum lives in suburban Manchester so the population must be expanding rapidly for this one to need to come so close to humans...and they are seriously vicious, they can bite right through a finger..yet all the advice we have been given is that we should trap it (but have to buy and bait the trap ourselves) and humanely destroy it (but we have to pay the vet or buy a powerful air gun to do it)....I caught 20 of the biggest fish yesterday but we need more tanks to separate the injured for treatment...only 1 dead so far that we know of...it is going to be a so&so catching the smaller ones today and we need more tanks first! at least the weather isnt as grim today. Did you get your tickets?

Stefka;Great to hear from you.Glad that your feeling good and keeping busy. Well done you for braving out the crying..I still can't do it...and as for dropping night feeds..sorry but I have no advice as I'm still feeding 3 or more times a nightHope you had a nice time with your guests.

Alice;Hope you aren't missing your sis and nephew too much.

Muppet; are you ok after your upset?

My news is that I got a better nights rest last night...not because Alex slept more than usual but because we put the cot by the bed and took the drop side off, raised it to level with our matress and co-slept for the first time I've never been able to sleep with him actually in our bed (too aware of how deeply I sleep and afraid of the consequences) but it was fab with him safe in his own area..not waiting until he was up and screaming,not actually getting out of bed is a defiante improvement for me...he seems more rested this morning too...

..right off to buy big cheap plastic fish tanks and then spend more time up to my waist in slime..oh what joy!

Wow Inzi that's fantastic! 4K!! Drinks are on you girl!

I did one night feed last night at about half 12. He woke up at half three and at half four but I didn't feed him and he went back to sleep after about five to ten minutes of grumping. I didn't ever plan to do the crying it out thing but it hasn't been as bad as I thought it would be and I know I will feel better if I can get more sleep!

Just a quicky to say WOW INZI thats great, it sure will take the pressure off, so happy for you
Be back soon to catch up with everyone else, got to go to the docs as my foot is still sore , i'm ok though, just wanna get it checked out.

Hello lovely ladies! Have read through all I missed but forgive me if I miss anything out as you have all been very chatty!

Dal glad Dylan is better

J2O enjoy your new pram and holiday! Haven't got any vouchers but sounds as though you are pretty sorted...

Crochet congrats on weight loss and on fighting the pnd. Nice one.

LLL enjoy your holiday!

Muppet I would seriously have had one hell of a big pop at that ignorant man and his mates. Can't put it better than Floria - she is spot on about how you are so doing the best thing for your boys by getting them out doing different stuff. If this bloke is too ignorant to see that then his opinion isn't worth worrying about in my opinion

Apricot a real shame about work and how crap they are to have left it so late to tell you. Well done on working out a way round it though. And great news about your holiday! I think the planes will be tough but I second Floria's advice about the bassinet. My sis (who came over with her ds 4 months on her own) found the hugabub was a godsend too - when I have travelled on a plane albeit much shorter journeys I have used a variety of baby carriers as then it means you can still have hands for other things. Good luck!

Well Adam is now a demon crawler! We really need to get on and put stairgates back up! We have one at the top of the stairs but need one at the bottom and the utility room to stop him drinking bleach and eating cat food! He is also pretty good at pulling himself up and is also much more clingy of late - pulls himself up on my legs while crying to be held. Very very cute but also tiring at times esp when Sam needs attention too... I think he is a little bundle of frustration really - just desperate to walk!

As for me I have a horrible infection in the sole of my foot which means it's really painful to walk. Just what I need with 2 little ones! Have antibiotics and crutches and a weekend with dh (who thankfully does seem to have the childcare gene although didn't always so I know what you mean Apricot ) to try and rest it. Have left work early today as not much on so sitting with foot up resting with MN!

Lovely to catch up with you all anyway. Sorry it's been so long and I'll try to get on more regularly now all the visitors have gone. And as always hello and hugs to you all!

Hi everyone, been trying to post since we got back but no chance! Seem to have missed loads, including WWAJC on telly - tell all, WWAJC! - have you reappeared on here since or have you disappeared??? how is Anya?

Apricott, your boss is crap, agreed - many sympathies. Do you actually have to go into work yet though, given it's a university, or can you malinger at home with your lovely DCs for a while longer? I ask cos I work in same sector.

Alicet, OUCH for your foot, and am imagining Adam the manic crawler/grumpy wannabe walker. I know Adam's grumpy sounds so well! And his little smiles.

Crochet, wow on the weight loss and congrats on the trailer!

Inzi, good news on the money front! and hello again.

Dal - did you decide when to start TTC in the end??? I am following your progress!

Muppet, I'd have been pissed off too but unlike the others here, who all seem braver than me, I'd have cried too. So don't feel weak for crying - I think it's a normal reaction. And he was horrible and doesnt deserve to be in a family gym, FFS.

Floria, you are still bf Alex all those times in the night? I wonder when he will wean. Stefka - well done on making an improvement in sleep terms.

LLL, Ben is jumping on and on, isnt he? That's great.

J20, next thing there'll be the first Oct thread wedding!!! can I come?!

Katch, hello! Am still bf but not at night unless at 5 am, which is morning here... as it's when DD gets up... and even then often she doesnt have it then.

Anyone heard from Nellieloula? or Winnie?

OK, so news from here - the plane journey was as easy as can be (the engine is v soporific it would seem!) and the stay away was fine. And - believe it or not, probably not! - DD slept q well the night before we left and then the middle night we were there she slept AMAZINGLY from 10.45 till 6.30!!!!! Never ever been known. So she can do it. Hasnt repeated the feat since and in fact is a mare at the moment, but now I now she is capable of it, it will come again. I've had funny sinuses all week as has DH, caught from FIL who was sick last week.

Oh dear am needed! more soon and take care all! x

just a quickie as packing,
ft, i got some vouchers for cadbury world and waterworld, we're not bothering with the theme park now
choc-glad to see you back and that you had a nice hol

wwajc-where have you gone?

dal-i hope you got sorted out at docs

alice-hope your foot gets better soon

will be back late mon so will catch up on tue prob, sorry it was only brief, have a nice weekend all

xxxx

Have a great time J20. I'll see you in 11 days time, we are off on our hols on sunday for 10 days, can't wait

Gosh, here I am complaining that everyone's gone AWOL then everyone posts at once!

Choc - great to hear from you, you sound realy upbeat, amazing with the amount of sleep you survive on! Good news that Rebecca slept better when you were away, hopefully it'll become a more frequent occurance.

About TTC, we've been discussing it over and over, trying to work out when the best time to do it is and have decided to start in Jan , if we concieve straight away it'll be a 23 month age gap. Obviously I know it's impossible to predict when we will concieve so will just have to wait and see. We thought that way we can get the house sorted and I can still have a drink over christmas

Muppet - Very at the total twats that had a go at you! What a cheek, they were the ones being rude, not you. I would have given them what for although, like you I may have also cried. You did realy well to stand up to them, not sure I would have been quite so eloquent and collected.

Alice - Hi! Sorry you've got a sore foot, me too, although it doesn't sound anywhere near as bad as yours. I saw the doc today and she said i've irritated a nerve?! She said painkillers won't work and i'll just have to wear supportive shoes and it will go away with time . I hope yours heals soon.

Stefka - Glad the sleep is improving and you're feeling better in yourself too.

Inzi - I forgot to say earlier, well done on the weight loss! 3 dress sizes WOW, please tell me your secrets. My weight loss along with my will power seems to have stopped and is slowly creeping back in the wrong direction . Doesn't help that (as lovely as she is) mil's mission in life is to get me to eat as many cream cakes/chocolate bars/pasties as she can.

Floria - Hope you catch that naughty mink! Glad you've found a sleep sollution, hopefully you can catch up on some zzz's now.

J20 - Yeah DH loved the pie . Hope you got your new buggy and have a nice holiday.

Katch - Great to hear how you're getting on. Not many tips on the crawling thing, Dylan is all over the place. If I need to do something I either do it whilst he's having a nap or I put him in his hop n pop which keeps him occupied for a while.

LLL - wow at Ben pulling up to standing, it's like he knew how to do it all and has just decided to show you all at once. Dylan's not pulling himself up yet but he likes to bounce if i hold him

Crochet - Well done on the weight loss, wish I was a size 12! Glad the CBT is going well, I found a website based on cbt called mind gym, it's really good, takes you through exercises and is free

Mine - Yes, I am a soppy fool . How do you make the banana jam? Dylan loves bananas so will have to make him some.
Hope you have been feeling ok lately, I recommend the mindgym website I was telling crochet about, take a look!

I think i've covered just about everything now...

I know it's a little early but I have to confess i've been buying nice maternity clothes in the blooming marvellous sale and off ebay. The reason is that last time I was pregnant I spent 90% of the time in old jogging bottoms and dh's jumper covered in paint as we had just got our house and redecorated the whole thing!
So I made a pact with myself that next time I am preggers I will look at least a little bit stylish and reasonably presentable . I have got some really good bargains so far!
Oh and I also bought a basal thermometer to chart when I ovulate over the next 4 months so i'll have an idea of when it is when we start ttc. Gosh, i'm getting excited just talking about it all.

Well thats my news for now, hope everyone is having a nice evening, hi to everyone I haven't mentioned as usual, chat soon x

oooh sorry FT-i meant to say hope you get rid of the mink, i did look it up actually, horrible rat type creatures.

LLL-have a good time on your hol

Dal- i am strangly envious of you planning another lo but at the same time think you are crazy!

right, i really need to go to sleep.

xxxx

J20 - yes, I think I am crazy too lol

Hi all!

Well, I have an extremely tidy house now! (I clean when I'm stressed -maybe I should hire myself out???) Feeling better now. Did my huge run on tues and came back feeling great as I am doing this fun run which is 6k and before then I hadn't actually run 6k so I'm now up to 7.1 and heading down to 10!!
Henry can roll over which is fab news in this house. We went to check him before bed last night and he was on his tummy which was a bit of a shock at first as I couldn?t find his eyes and then realised he was on his tummy. He had a pirate day at nursery so we squeezed him into Oliver's pirate outfit I made him he looked brill.
Henry can also clap on demand and move his head as if saying no which has Ollie in stitches...He's still way behind Ollie but we do think it's a case of can't be bothered rather than actually can't iyswim.

Have got in touch with some friends I haven't seen for 16 years on facebook -anyone else doing this? It's really strange but lovely at the same time. I've got in touch with people from my music A level course I did and school (memories of one of them moonying to the whole car park singing 'OH BODYFORM, BODYFORM FOR YOU' A la Chris Moyles and remembering the indoor fireworks we let off and then got sent to the principal.....ahh, happy days ) And the girlie from school has found her diaries from when I had a party and was telling me who was snogging who. Fab, put a huge smile on my face

We went to a place called the Shambles in Newent yesterday (crochet do you know it?) it's a Victorian village, scaled down, with original buildings that have been relocated there. It's shutting after 20 years which is a shame so we can't go back but Ollie and his friends loved looking at all the 'Old' things and trying to work out what they were etc. He was fascinated by the policeman writing with a feather and had a great time using the mangle. here

Ollie is practising camping upstairs in the living room and I can hear bumping and jumping around. He's got his sleeping bag out with all his teddies in and dh is going to put his 2 man tent up in there (It only needs pegs to anchor it as it pops up) I'm going to make a pretend fire out of newspapers stuffed in brown tights and the flames will be strips of orange, red and yellow felt. He can have his tea in there and sleep in there tonight. This is good practise as we're going camping at the end of Aug and dh and Ollie are also going to camp out in PIL's back garden when they go and stay for FIL's 70th birthday.

Will go off to read what's been happening love to all
xxxxxx

Oh Inzi and er for you and for you as this was what you wanted.Just asked Dh's advice as he thinks a visit to the CAB would be a good idea to check the legalities of the situation. Are you on your own at the mo or is dh with you?
xxxx

Inzi 4k is a lot to be not getting when you thought you were, I can totally understand why you are both so devastaed. It sounds like someone should have read up on what you were/not entitled to before talking to you about it. I would be crying my eyes out too if I were you!
xxxx
I'm here for a bit if you want a chat x

oh god inzi i know how you feel.
Its devastating because in your own mind that money was yours and you had made plans on how best to spend it.

A similar thing happened to me a few years ago so i know how you feel. I cried for days.

I hope you'll feel better about it soon, and your luck will change. Good things do happen to good people..... eventually.