December 2006- where they've grown so much we spend more time talking about our lives than our children

[Indith]

Well that and our pregnancies and other non-dec '06 children

Tis a good thing I feel.

Just back home from a weekend of continuing education. Dh decided we should make it a family trip this year so not nearly as much fun as usual But we did get along fairly well so I guess that says something.

AQ still here I just knew I would get home to a birth announcement for the dts! Your mother sounds soooo wonderful.

Indith, is it definitely not ears?

castles, is this another hotel getaway you've got planning?

Thanks for the words of encouragement from you all about counseling. We've agreed to try it for at least 6 weeks going once a week.

lennied and margo, rudeness has abounded around here lately too. Had a very strange encounter while trying to order food while we were on our trip. The clerk was so hateful that another employee came over to apologize before we left!

oli, I'm impressed that you have the energy for a puppy. We've convinced ds1 to wait another year.

I can def understand i tbeing tricky having ILs around the place AQ. On the other hand if they behave themselves and continue helping out rather than getting in the way once the dts arrive it is probably a good thing. Re cots etc I did a lot of traipsing with ds as he was in his own room quite early for going to bed etc (we needed our room for study) and after co sleeping on waking for a while got to like his own cot and wouldn't settle with us so I had to go to him for feeds at least every 2 hours for a fair while! I'd have a good measure up and see if you can fit something in your room as I fell asleep feeding on the sofa in ds' room on a pretty regular basis, much safer to fall asleep feeding in bed!

Oli the arms reach fixes to the side of your bed like an extension for cosleeping. Been looking at bedside and cosleepers since I know perfectly well it is the best way to get sleep but with ds we had a kingsize bed so we all had lots of space. Now we have a pretty small bed and a small boy who lilkes to come in it sometimes!

Jabber, glad you had a good weekend. I don't think it is ears, he doesn't seem to mind you touching themn or pressing on them. Was a bit concerned at one point as he kept messing around with them but then realised he had just discovered that if you put your fingers in your ears or cover them it muffles sound

Still sleeping

Still bloody teething though And refusing calpol....he used to love the stuff!

I think he is just more difficult generally, needs more interaction when he used to happily potter and entertain himself. He still hasn't added anything more to his vocab so gets very frustrated and throws things a lot then throws himself on the floor and tantrums etc. Combined with the teething and cold fiasco he got really bad and the lack of sleep made it much worse. Typical toddler stuff I suppose.

Was nice to see how shocked dh was though at him! this weekend is the first time he has really appreciated how different his son is from a few weeks ago!

Hope tis today AQ and you avoid induction!

Oh yes please Indith, we could start a commune on a Scottish Island. We could be totally self-sufficient and the DCs could go to a Balamory-esque nursery/school. Wouldn't life be bliss? It could be the Dec 06ers get-away-from-it-all-haven.

Indith, DD2 is a handful too so I totally sympathise. She tantrums/whinges/wrecks the place. She's utterly charming about it though iykwim. Her speech isn't great but she understands everything and yday told me she was wearing purple trousers and a mauve top (she was) . So she has DH's lazy gene (he didn't speak until nearly 4) I guess. She has a constant runny nose and wakes up at 5am singing every morning I don't have any suggestions other that hang in there and get DS into nursery asap, like I am trying to do with DD2!!! Have you tried neurofen?

I have a maclaren double buggy if anyone wants it. It is probably a bit dusty from sitting on top of a cupboard for 3 years but otherwise in pretty good nick.

Still not sleeping well. I have early morning insomnia I think. Too much to think about.

Yes Jabber, have booked 3 nights at hotel for half term. Can't wait! Glad to hear you and DH are getting on a bit better. I still don't know how things are here as I haven't seen DH properly for about 5 weeks

Notice, I haven't mentioned AQ at all

Ooops, Happy Birthday Indith

Thank you Castles

Island getaway sounds like a plan. I'm about to apply for a job, 100 hours a year at £12.32 an hour...so it will take me, erm... Many lots of years to save up to buy an island...hmm Tell you what you buy one and I'll grow the veggies. Since we are going to be self sufficient you won't need me to pay you back

early posting as I know I won't have the energy tonight. Just been to hospital, they offered me an induction for weds, turned it down (yikes!) and have agreed I will go for on on my due date which is next Weds October 1st. Consultant seemed happy about it, she said I was an exception having not given birth already and there was a high chance I'd go into labour myself before induction. I feel half brave and half stupid having twins at 40 weeks OMG. But it was the thought of having that horrible hormone drip in that I couldn't face when everything points to labour being imminent if I let nature run its course. IL's here until Weds now and then my family will help out with school runs etc as I can no longer drive or walk. The tension b/t dp & I has already started due to IL's here (even though they're quite lovely!), always does after a couple of days, sigh.

jabber, pleased for you that there is some positive stuff coming from counselling, who knows what 6 weeks will bring?

castles, 5 weeks since seeing dh properly?? Why? Is it family stuff keeping you awake, do you think? I've had insomnia for months on end before, drives me mad. Do the lo's still get up at 5, though? I hope things improve on that score, you were feeling pretty good until everything hit you a month or so ago weren't you?

indith, maybe when ds feels as though he is able to communicate a bit more things might improve, ds2 was a PITA until his speech took off a few weeks ago. Just seemed cross about everything (but then he wasn't ill at all as your ds is). Have you tried those syringe thingies for meds (I'm sure you have, it was just the only way I could get ds1 to take them for a v.long time). I should re-measure re: bed for them although now I'm worried they're going to be 8 pounders when they finally appear. After all ds1 was 9lb and ds2 7lb 8!

lol at the island getaway plan Sounds good to me, too!

v impressed w/ colors castles! Ds2 still calls most colors green

He's throwing some tantrums occasionally too. Ds1 was so ahead verbally that headed off the "I can't communcicate" problems but then ds1 had tantrums over other things so I guess they are a fact of toddler life.

AQ - That bump must really be weighing you down. I think you're very brave! (I'm glad I never put any money on your due date)

Happy birthday Indith!

AQ! x-posts!! Was sure you were in the delivery room

Indith, meant to add that I used the arms reach co-sleeper crib with both of mine and loved it. Just the right amount of having them nearby but not still kicking you in the ribs.

AQ, I think you are brave and not mad, would agree re hormone drip, and am glad to hear they've let you go a while longer! Though actually, when I cast my mind back to the last week of pg with a singleton, you are very very brave . As for tension with dh around ILs, yes, I think its pretty much guaranteed having family around will increase stress levels between dh and I after, oh, about 24 hours

Jabber, you sound more hopeful - hope thats a reflection of the support kicking in! Will still cross all for you re fruitful counselling process. And dd2 takes wild guesses at colours (apart from blue, which she loves) and invariably gets them wrong - whereas dd1 knew silver and gold and grey at 18 mos. Both can do tantrums, though

Lor, Castles, 5am....she's so cute though (actually hard to imagine her stropping, she looked like an angel when I met her) definitely worth it. Its odd how easy it seems to be to not really see dh for ages on end, I do get that, but 5 weeks is long...has he been away? Glad you have a trip planned.

Speaking of dhs, mine is really not well. He had bronchitis following a virus a month ago, that triggered asthma (first time) and in spite of puffers and antibiotics and god knows what else he's just got worse and worse. He saw the third GP today (I shoved) and is now on oral steroids and codeine to stop the inflammation...and his breathing capacity is scarily low. tbh I've been getting scared the last day or two, but his chest x-ray shows no nasties and at today's GP sounded more pro-active, so fingers crossed....

Does all make me realize how much I want him around, at least

And happy birthday Indith! I used to know how to type happy birthday cakes/candles/messages but have lost brain cells....imagine one of Oli's cakes, from me, with balloons tied on in your favourite colour

How scary for you Eli. Do they know what it is? Poor DH. I hope he is better soon.

Good on yer AQ. The bigger the better eh?! ILs or any relations staying is a cause of major stress and in your condition. Well, I'd probably be about to commit murder

The maclaren double buggy is free btw ... in case anyone is interested.

I think I've just got one of those 'live wires' re DD2. She gets up at 5am and goes to bed around 7/8pm and has no daytime sleep. She's extremely active and cute, as Eli says. She wakes everyone up at 5am though DH gets up at 5.30am and does the same.

Haven't seen DH for 5 weeks as he's been working 7 days a week. Leaves house by 6am and rarely home before midnight.

My main worries are re DS. Waiting for a referral to a neurosurgeon which is giving me the heeby-jeebies.

God, I'm a barrel of laughs aren't I? Will try to resist posting until I have only good things to say.

Quickie to say happy birthday to Indith, and wow to AQ - you are brave. Now better go and help DH out with bedtime - sounds from monitor don't suggest it is going to plan. Back later, hopefully, bit snowed under so if not will catch up tomorrow.

How frightening for you and dh, Elibean! I can't believe they haven't managed to get it under control yet (as an asthmatic). I find it v. upsetting when my breathing goes, can understand absolutely how he would feel. And you must be so worried too. (hugs)

Castles, god 7 days a week, you must be shattered looking after the lo's, no wonder you can't sleep. Why is ds seeing neurosurgeon or have you already explained this?? (We have got a lightweight double coming this week or I would have definitely taken you up on your offer!)

I'm sorry you've all lost out on the book .

3rd time and finally remembered to wish indith happy bday!

I think you've done the right thing AQ - inductions aren't great if you're not ready .

Happy Birthday Indith! Here's your cake.

Castles, why's ds got to see a neurologist? That sounds really scary .

Jabber, glad things are going pretty well, I hope it continues that way .

Puppy is very sweet - I think she's still settling in as she's been quite quiet but she seems pretty good at the house training. She was in an outside enclosure at the breeders so she seems to prefer doing her business outside, thank goodness. I reckon in a week I'll be wondering what on earth I've done, though .

Ds2 is beginning to drop his daytime sleep but the payoff is, on the days he doesn't have a sleep he sleeps right through until 6 - 6:30am (wahey!) so it's not all bad. His speech is improving rapidly but doesn't seem to be helping the tantrums - now he just tells me what he's stropping about and carries on .

Oh Eli, your poor dh. I hope he's better soon. @ castles not seeing dh for 5 weeks and yet still seems sane!

I'm placing another bet for thursday.

Hold on AQ, I bet Tuesday - there is still hope

Really can't get across the right things this quickly to all of you, but Eli and Castles - thoughts are with you. Castles, I think you need to give yourself a serious break, actually and metaphorically. You have really been through it lately and sounds like things are worse than we knew previous. Be very very nice to yourself, will be thinking of you.

God Castles, don't please don't post saying only good things ever - we'll all feel inadequate! Neurosurgeon does sound scary, can you tell us more...? You did mention it before, I think, but it somehow sounded sort of routine (at least, in my foggy memory, I may be totally wrong here) then - though that would be scary to me anyway, I think.

Thanks for good thoughts re dh, I think this time the GP he saw is nailing it - but then, I thought that last week. Today's one said she's seen this before, and that inhalers aren't strong enough/take too long - so he's on oral steroids, high dose for 8 days and codeine syrup to stop the cough that irritates lungs further. Stoned and wired, great but at least hopefully this will sort him out - he can't function properly atm. As for me, I'm far less worried now I've seen his x-ray report and can see clearly that masses and effusions are not suspected. He's just never had asthma before, so its been quite worrying.

And lets be honest, my imagination took off a bit, given that my BF's friend's dh has just been given weeks to live, and another friend's dh died of lung cancer two years ago....

On happier note, Oli, I am v v about the pup! Have longed for a dog since mine died (week before dd1 was conceived) and been working on dh and the dds forever...think am winning, but might take another six months or so...give yours a kiss on the snout for me meantime

The Twins Are Here

Ok no they are not

Was at computer when message came....followed by another one saying was a practice!

As you were

I'll get back to updating my CV then