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.

"aligned with nature"

Good for you and writing eli, keep at it

I'd have loved any of my essays to be well researched, crafted and chosen or whatever it was. They were more usually written as they came into my head for fear of losing thoughs then printed, cut up, rearranged, scribbled all over, rinse and repeat.

Before Christmas is very scary! Just make sure you know exactly where you pack the Christmas decorations and the stockings

Indith you removed any tiny lingering of broodiness that might have been within me. And since two pregnant women were in my class last week I had been feeling a twinge.

eli, before Christmas move But you really are so lucky to have sold so quickly in this market. We still have our other house and I don't see it selling within 6 months even.

AQ, 6 weeks on was still very hard for me with bfing. It does seem like it would be easier in the long run than bottles though (did that with ds1 you know and it was such a pain). I think of you often and how counseling was such a surprise success for you. It's that way for us too. I really didn't believe there was any hope at all but we are doing better now than we have in years

That's great news Jabber (and AQ) about the counselling.

AQ, my friend who had twins in Jan bf one and gave other a bottle (of expressed) at same time or got DH/whoever was around to. She expressed when they were asleep. Might be worth a go? 6 weeks already is fantastic though whatever you do

DS's old speech therapist has just been over with her gorgeous 5 month old. Felt a bit broody. Nearly

She was really encouraging about my own training to become a SALT but it is so full-on she said no way until DD2 is at school.

Good for you Eli. Am impressed. How long does the course last? Do you think you'll really be moving before Xmas? Wow!

Poor Indith. Ouch, ouch, ouch!

AQ - sounds like you are doing well with the feeding. What is it you are struggling with? Is it the fact that it is relentless or is there a technique / tandem type problem.

Jabber - so pleased the counselling is working. You've done well to feed DS this long.

I was almost broody the other day, despite the fact DH and I have decided two is enough. Me 1% broodiness, DH 10 % broodiness . But I think I may have just been cured.

Ooooo, Indith - not nice. My advice FWIW - stop looking! At least that way you can convince yourself you are in possession of perfectly normal if a bit painful ladybits, rather than being aware of the full extent of the problem I don't think I can see mine anyway

AofA, Jabber and Castles... just give it another couple of months when we'll have 4 newborns on the thread and I'm sure any last traces of broodiness will be well and truly incinerated although by then of course AQ's twins will hardly be newborns... 6 weeks already that has flown by.

I'm not sure bottles would help either AQ - not full time anyway - you could probably only feed one at a time with bottles and then there is the sterlising the bottles and mixing/cooling formula which can be stressful when you've got a hungry baby. Is DP still giving formula in the evenings so you are getting a rest? I know you said he wasn't keen at one point.

Oh and baby was head down today at midwife although she described him as 'mobile' still so I'm not to get too excited just yet. If he's still head down in 2 weeks then I don't have to be referred just yet, yay! Unfortunately it has made my SPD a million times worse and now can't really walk very well - oh well, be careful what you wish for as my Grandmother would say. Am sure it will settle down again once body has adjusted.

Oh and Eli - I didn't know about Zantac - thank you. Will get some tomorrow. Gaviscon hopeless. Actually the best thing I've found so far is some Boots own brand stuff but it only works for about 30 minutes and I've usually hit the days dosage by lunch time. I've got some omeprazole in my cupboard from when I was taking my arthritis meds before was pg - I keep thinking about ringing my GP and asking if I can have those, but then I forget they are there. On collecting DH's prescription today I couldn't remember his date of birth! Oh dear.

Huzzah for head down baby! Even if it is causing more problems.

I should stop looking, but it was so bloody sore and horrible I wanted to check....

Dh due back some point late tonight. He hasn't contacted me at all the entire time he has been away. Just one message to ask how I was doing would be nice, especially since ds has been tricky sleepwise recently (dropping his nap and not wanting to go to bed at night, you get him near his cot he complains bitterly). Men.

LenniEd, I ended up on Omeprazole during both pregnancies. But do try Zantac first, its a lot better researched in pregnancy. Yippee for head down, hope he/she settles there (dd1 stayed 'mobile' and bobbed away from cervix during induction, the rat) though also hope the SPD doens't get any worse - ouch, ouch, toss up between that and fanjo piles

Jabber, its great about the counselling - I'm so glad

Agent now says before Xmas might be avoidable...but Jabber is right, we're not in a position to rock the boat if thats what has to happen, we'll cope. THough dd1 has bday party the day after term ends, ie 20th, and twill be mad trying to get any curtains/white goods/other essentials for surviving Xmas the week before festitivies. Not going to worry tonight.

Much.

Indith, I feel for you - but am sure he will have been busy and will have (by now) been apologetic. My DH is being far less supportive this pg, compared to with DD he is positively hopeless. Any free time seems to be his and his alone and any jobs seem to be mine. I would get in a strop over it but there is no point. He'll only make out it is the hormones making me delusional rather than admit that he is shirking any responsibilities. Each evening I spend a couple of hours tidying, cleaning etc. etc. while he sits on his arse watching TV. And if I ask him to do anything he has a grump and then says he's got work to do and goes in his office, so he never actually does anything. Plus he keeps moaning about how he spends his life doing miserable jobs when he should be enjoying himself

Eli - after Xmas sounds much nicer to me. Although you will cope if before is needed - curtains and white goods could be ordered in advance to arrive when you move in and food/household stuff could be ordered from the supermarket to be delivered.

And so to the weekend... football, alcohol (not for me) and vast quantities of moaning in store, what joy

Oh no, I've scared everyone away with my moaning again haven't I?

Well, I collapsed in a heap of hormone driven emotions this morning and had a good cry - DD going "Mummy, get Daddy, Mummy, Mummy...." DH wandered in and was highly apologetic about his uselessness. Think he realises he's being useless, just he's stressed with worrying about whether his business will survive the recession... I guess it must be stressful with a wife, toddler and new baby on the way to pay for. Anyway, he's looked after me today

What a difference a day makes.

And AQ - thanks for you email will reply tomorrow - been helping out DH with some eBay stuff tonight so not got round to it.

Awww, lenniEd, a good cry can help in all kinds of ways. It is a stressful time for everyone job-wise but maybe your dh has realized we all just have to muddle through and keep priorities in order.

Lennied - I think mine and DH were highly strung in the last few weeks of dd2 arriving. Maybe it's because i'm a londoner you know what you're both letting yourself in for as well as financial pressure.

I'd have been moaning if I'd been here Lennied

Got home from Leeds, 3 hours later dh is out the door again for yet another week of travel. Thankfully at one of the things last week he had a good chat with his boss who asked him why he felt like he had to do x,y,z and hopefully after Christmas things will be better, there will still be travel, that is the nature of it but not as much. Good for me and the dcs and good for him, travel is ok when it is the same place for a few days but as an example dh is in Edinburgh tonight/tomorrow, then Nottingham Monday night for Tuesday and then Watford. Anyway his boss pointed out/reinforced that pretty much everyone has a day they work from home or a day they won't accept meetings etc and it is ok to say that you can't be in a different city every night of the week!

I've been having words with the baby. Dh home from his last trip on the day I turn 37 weeks, the baby is to give us that weekend together and then be born. I will not continue in this state of not being able to bend down and needing to wear maternity pads smothered in aloe vera as padding to sit down and longer than that

I'm sure the baby will adhere to your strict schedule, Indith, no doubt about it . All of mine have hee hee. I'm not even thinking about the pads and why they're needed...Really helps if dh can be around more, is he taking some paternity leave?

Lennied, sorry you had to have a meltdown before dh would listen but sometimes it's the way! Poor little dd, ds2 gets the same if there's any yelling (ds1 usually!) or so forth, me sobbing. Thank god he doesn't wake at 4am when I am usually sobbing about being awake since 11.30.

Having said bf was so dreadful, ds3 has suddenly turned a corner and I'm getting more sleep because he's going back to sleep within 90 minutes rather than 3 or 4 hours yay! The other night both only woke once, I felt like a new woman and wore tights & my new flippy grey skirt to celebrate (with newly cropped hair) and went to buy more tights. Apparently there are more skirts (with loose waistbands) in my wardrobe, I was stunned to find. Now all I need is some funky size 9 shoes as I am bigfoot after 4 children.

Oh AQ - I am so glad things are improving with DS3 but am starting to worry about you. Are you sure you are ok? I know sleep deprivation really knocks you about and it must be so much harder with two but make sure you look after yourself all the same.

Thanks for your support everyone. Feel a bit better tonight, still washed out though after another busy day but less stressed.

Yes Margo - I'm certain that is part of it. He is having a final fling of relative independence before DC2 arrives - he did the same last time but earlier on really when I was first pregnant. This time he seems to be getting worse the closer the baby gets.

I seem to be on an emotional tightrope this last few days, am sure its mainly tiredness starting to take its toll. I am definitely in favour of muddling through Jabber .

Glad your DH has sorted things out a bit with work Indith, you'll need him when DC2 arrives - which of course will be at 37+3 and not a moment before or after . When you put your request in with the storks could you put one in for me for about 40+7 to give me a nice gap between their birthdays

Lennied, I'm ok really, things have really turned around and ds3 is going back to sleep really well now. Last night I got 4 hours in one go (and then another 2 later), I feel fab this morning. I had to wake dd at 5.45am (she went to sleep at 9.30pm I think)! Amazingly enough, dp complained this morning about being tired when I hadn't woken him with sobbing or request for help - honestly, men! You are so sweet to think of me when you've hit that awful last stage of pg! Your DH will eventually get the message, dp was waaay better once ds2 born.

Done Lennied

AQ so glad things are gettin better Got your mail, will see you on Saturday! Yay!

Really must go sort my house out while ds is asleep. Def having a love/hate relationship with the nap at the moment, I love the break but I know he won't want to go to bed tonight....

Glad things are going so well AQ

Rather you than me you poor ladies in the final stages of pg. Not long to go though!

Spent all morning trying to take DS to his first consultant's appointment. What a nightmare. Have to go back and see the neurosurgeon on Weds. TOP TIP: Avoid Kings College Hospital at all costs!!

DH off again marketing today. At least he has been here for two weekends in a row. Pity DD2 has had a bug/runny tum and I couldn't go out with them all yesterday: he took the 2 eldest on tourist trip of London. Actually, maybe that should be "fortunately"

Off to supervise writing letters to Santa now ...

LenniEd and Indith, I feel your pain....well, not literally, thank goodness, but I do remember, vividly, the throbbing rear-end phase and even more vividly the exhausted and wrung-out phase. Remember how we all cheered ourselves through it with chocolate and hot drinks and teacakes? Wish I could send you some now! (What was that milky drink thing called? Am tired and can only think of 'Miltons' which I know it isn't...) Hope Indith gets her wish, and Lennied gets some rest!

AQ, d'you know, I think you take after your lovely mother. Listen to you, up half the night feeding twins then looking after two other kids during the day, and somehow sounding relaxed and cheerful and...human

Castles, don't want to jinx by noticing, but 2 weekends in a row? Hurrah

I needn't have panicked about moving house. Whole thing fell through this morning, and dh and I spent the morning in shock (I felt better whilst reading with kids at dd1's school, then went home and felt furious). Looks very likely we won't be moving for a while now, but who knows. All I know is, the man who was financing his very pg daughter to buy our house decided 'he didn't want to invest any further in the property sector at the moment, after all' He's dumped them in it big time.

We'll be ok, though, after a few days to get over the disappointment - we're lucky to be where we are, really.

Other than that, business as usual...dd1 has a chest infection/asthma, dd2 is still coughing and up half the night, but both are cheerful and happy and reading (dd1)/talking (dd2) more each week. Onwards.

AQ, I am continually amazed at how well you are handling the dts Deffo superwoman status!

eli, so sorry about the house deal falling through. Dh is in TN winterizing our other house Have resigned myself to a long wait on selling it.

castles, did you ever get to see anyone? I have wondered how things were going but wasn't sure if I should ask. My ds1 has been graduated from school OT for the moment. We are hoping that his recent behavior challenges are from being fed up with therapy and a little break may help us all. The OT and teacher are both pleased with his progress and say that he is doing well in the classroom.

Ds2 has had watery, stinky, green diarrhea since Friday. I've been wondering if it's teething, weaning, or a tummy bug. Put him on a liquid diet today to see if it helps. He hasn't run a fever and is currently yucking it up with ds1 in the bath.

I really feel like I would be cheating to be eating chocolate and teacakes just yet Eli - I mean I've still 7 1/2 weeks to go to due date and possibly even 9 weeks if I go over I need kicking into shape me thinks this morning otherwise I might never make it to the end. I'll have curled up and died in a puddle of self-pity

Oh no not diarrhoea (is that not the hardest word in the world to spell - I don't think I ever get it right) Jabber. If its any consolation DDs lasted about a week and then went as mytically as it had appeared. I don't know what it was, but like your DS2 she was still running round like a loon and had no temp. I mean if they are going to make you clear up horrid horrid poo the least they could do is sleep a lot in between times . In all seriousness when I phoned NHS direct about it they said to take her in to my GP if it was ongoing after the weekend which would have been 6 days of runny bum, but she was improving by then so I didn't bother. Eli suggested diarolyte to me which we got but never administered but have got in the cupboard now for next time.

AQ - glad you are ok and what a little star DD is! Am sure DS3 will soon catch on once he gains weight. Have you managed the twins group yet?

Thanks Indith - lets hope it works

Oh and sorry to hear about the house Eli. Sounds like a right sod the man who's dropped his daughter in it . In some ways it is nice though that you don't have to worry about it all with Christmas coming, but I would be angry too.

Jabber, ask away and thank you for asking Presume you mean re DS? Appointment with Dental Institute (which we missed ) yesterday and neurosurgeon tomorrow. Feel sick about it all. Will let you know outcome. Re his "SN" the school are hoping to continue the 20 hours a week support the rest of the class he gets but as speech therapist report now says he only has "mild word finding difficulties" (as opposed to severe language disorder of 18 months ago) we shall see. He definitely needs OT work. It is so hard to get in this country. Once more, I shall have to investigate it privately . IKWYM on the behavioural issues at home: these always become more apparent once behaviour improves at home. I guess we have to look at it positively We should talk about this more on our "dreamers" thread. I'm going to pursue Bink's idea of a private PE teacher ... when I can get round to organising it!

Sorry to everyone else who is not interested in this subject!

Eli, so sorry about the house Can understand the reasons for pulling out though on vendor's (father ) part given what is happening in housing market and will continue to happen. You are right: you do have a lovely home and moving is soooooooooooo stressful. Look at it that way!!

Would love to vent chat more on the dreamers thread castles. With dh out of town ds1 has been pushing my buttons more than usual in the mornings getting ready for school. But he did calm down and was a perfect little sweetheart by drop-off time

LeeniEd, not sure I'd ever get the English spelling correct. Can't get my head around those extra "o's" in certain words, lol.

Eli - isn't the drink called Milo? I'm sorry about the house. I feel the same as Castles. When the time comes to sell your house next time there will be a lovely house just waiting to be snapped up by you.

I'd just like to slot in a 3am hug to AQ ready to be used when you need it. I'm hoping it's going to gather dust though.