June 2008: weaning with every flavour baby rice . . . . and loving it!

[spongebrainbigpants]

new home!

BDQ - just go to a chemist and ask for nasal saline. Not even over the counter, they are in Tescos too e.g.nasosal

ali, really sorry about your NCT group - have heard similar stories from others though. There are advantages and disadvantages to hanging out with mums of babies the same age.

The mums I hang out with are, on the whole, lovely but my other ante-natal group (from my Parentcraft classes) are making me feel very crap for not weaning - they are all weaning even though four of their babies are several weeks younger than Alex and think I'm odd for not doing so.

And as for competitive parenting - don't get me started!

(Oh, btw, apologies if I've been moaning too much about A's sleep too. I do know how lucky I am ).

Thanks Sponge, don't worry you haven't annoyed me about the sleep thing at all. It was more the fact that this lo had only been waking for 2 nights that got to me. It was quite an effort to arrange my face into a sympathetic expression and not wade in with a treatise on when I get woken up.

Away from my rant then...

I am v excited both by being friends with a real sleb now that Essie has made a national paper (sort of). I am also excited about the prospect of receiving a My Little Pony for Christmas, hehehe.

I was sorry to miss the London get together this week, although I did see Tom Jones at the Brits a few years ago. We also walked past Mick Hucknall, but that isn't something to brag about. My best ever day for meeting celebrities was when I was employed by a certain national flag carrier airline and I spent a day shadowing the VIP team. I got to push Jackie Collin's luggage trolley through arrivals, and then accompany Ray Charles on the Heathrow Express. The shame of it was that I had no idea who Ray Charles was and was much more impressed to have directed Jackie through the wrong bit of passport control .

alipalli - sympathies with your nct group. Can you slowly drop them? I feel a bit like that with my parent and baby group. I now only go every other week or so. I really have nothing in common with them. One referred to me as 'middle class' the other day, I think they all think that I'm a bit up myself with my cloth nappies, bugaboo and waiting to wean . But I'm not, I'm just really normal!

I found some jeans today that fit my thighs without straining at the seams or making me look like a beached whale

Arrrfternoon all. Ali, I feel the same way about meet ups/mother and baby groups. But will hastily add that I really enjoyed meeting up with the Scottish contingent on this thread! I felt quite down after my first (and last for the forseeable future!) visit to one of the local mother and baby groups.

Ok, ok, I have to join in with the sleb twaddle... I was in Byker Grove many moons ago! Top that! And I have loads of sleb stories - I worked for the Beeb, and in theatre for a long time. I need to be full of gin to spill 'em tho! Oh, I have a TOTP dressing room door sign for - guess who - Tom Jones! that I 'acquired' at tv centre.

your TOTP dressing room door sign whinegums.

Aberdeen [http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2-MUNCHKIN-Safe-Mesh-Baby-Food-Feeders-BPA-free-NEW_W0QQitemZ280285356085QQcm dZViewItemQQptZUKBabyBabyFeedingBreastPadsPumpsLE?hash=item280285356085&trksid=p3286.c0.m14& _trkparms=72%3A1431%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A2%7C240%3A1318 mesh feeder]

oops!! mesh feeder

Whinegums - how cool is that???!!!! Please give us a bit of gossip - just a little snippet...

Essie - tee hee - reminds me of Where's Wally? (no offense!!! )

Thanks for the kind words on me being a mentalist. Already on tablets but they aren't doing owt so they have given me some Diazepam on my request for the bad moments. They'll up me onto the higher dosage for proper nutters in a couple of weeks if there's no improvement. I am already seeing a counsellor but only been twice so far. She's nice though.

Ali -NCT - can't you create a breakaway faction with the ones you like?

Hm, all this celebrity talk means I need to up the ante from the DM might-be-me-but-even-I'm-not-sure thing. I have presented children's television and participated in a gameshow in Welsh, and been interviewed on Woman's Hour. Radio 4, for crying out loud! My aim now is to go on Deal or No Deal...

Although I attend Ali's NCT group every week (I'm Thick but Vocal One), I only go to the bfing group in Wales, and I have no groups here in London but sometimes go for coffee. So I've avoided all the weaning talk - not the topic at the bfing group! - and the bfing groups is also v. middle class, but not competitive. It's great. But I worry because I live in a poorer area, and I have, well, quite a few degrees from a good uni (doesn't make me clever, probably makes me more stupid) and, er, people sort of judge. And I married a barrister. (I'm probably only awkward about it becuase I'm from a working class family myself!)
Also on the sleeping through, with you on that, Ali. Most people on this thread have the good sense to keep quiet about their babies sleeping through - there are several ladies here who have not mentioned sleeping problems which probably means sleeping through, but thank god there's no harping on about it. Sponge said this the other day in RL - Alex slept through to begin with, but she kept it quiet. And now he's not.
Iestyn has never slept through, not once, nowhere near.

I'm in such a bad mood today. I have a gum infection which is really painful, and I'm petulant and snappy. Seeing my inlaws tomorrow!

LOL where's wally... Do you think it's me, Amber? Neenz previous post was not directed at you - I just realised that you posted that the twins slept through. You're a special case - to get two babies sleeping through at the same time...respect! You can brag as much as you like because you have twice the stress and tiredness.

quick skim but I'm not sure I'm worthy to post with essie and Bdqs celeb (and esp whinegums)..although essie that must be very painful re the non cuddling to sleep thing - that is my fail

amber I'm so sorry you're feeling low - do persist with seeing the doctor ... or maybe try counselling - even though there are times I could cheerfully throttle my counsellor I do think it has helped.

alipalli on grounds of your rant -why not trade in NCT and spend money on coffees on a bunch of pretty ponies to talk to -

1. pretty ponies are to the best of my knowledge never weaned

1. they don't answer back

1. there is no pretty pony with a bugaboo and cath kidston bag (apologies to anyone with either)making comments along the lines of have you weaned yet, is your kids name down for sing and sign etc..

And FWIW I'm a slummy formula mummy and edie is not weaned yet either. she is not ready -end of conversation.

And there is soemthing very liberating/nice about this group as we're all from different areas - I like my group but feel a lot closer/more open on here than in rl iyswim.

Perhaps people in my nct group call me the militant one behind my back

Waiting for asda man whilst baby valium einstein is on

Thanks amber, I've ordered some! I couldn't find them on a google search because I wasn't using the words mesh and feeder!

Essie too bad Wales and North-East Scotland are so far apart!

Alipalli - definitely trade in your NCT group! I've got a nice group from my set but I did have some run-ins with competitive mothers at the NCT bumps and babies coffees and it just made me feel very down! It's worth searching out a nice group instead.

Essie - can sympathise re the class (for want of a better word) issues. I have a nice house in a regenerated area (i.e. a bit poor!), went to Uni, etc etc, so the parent and baby lot think I'm a bit 'middle class', but my NCT lot are properly middle class so I feel a bit self conscious. I also come from solid working class stock so it's probably my own insecurities too!

Whinegums surely beats me on the sleb front. Most of the famous people I've met have been politicians anyway so not too exciting.

Amberc glad your counsellor is nice and hope she helps.

Right got some family staying this weekend so got to get on with some chores

Ok, here's a few snippets off the top of my head.

One very luvvie actor who was the star of an eponymous 80s detective series set on an island was somewhat fond of the bottle. He turned up for a matinee one day looking like a tramp, serenaded the box office girls with poetry and then walked into the door as he headed backstage. I have to say that you couldn't tell he was sloshed when he did make it onstage though.

Leslie Phillips really does say 'Hel-lo' in real life.

Johnny Vegas is lovely if a bit strange.

A female actress/comedian who now does little apart from voiceovers is a total cow. She was having an after show drink in the theatre bar, and a fan asked if he could buy her a drink. Her reply was yes - he could buy her a drink, her boyfriend a drink, and then he could f* off. Charming, eh?!

And I got off my face with the lead singer from a v successful 90s Brit Pop band last year.

Essie, I've also been interviewed on R4, and would love to go on Deal or No Deal - although I think I might prefer Millionaire!

Hehe! Liking all the celeb stories far better than mine and OMG whinegu,s I remember watching byker grove!!!

Oooh must dash dinner ready I dont cook anymore!!! Dp tends to do it while i put Fleur to bed!!

MOAN ALERT

Hi everyone - no chance to catch up with all the posts so apologies to those I forget. I've been miserable this week so I just lurked, I think it's the onset of winter. I don't like driving on my own in the snow, so I feel like my independence is taken away from me in the winter months. The snow has started properly now and will probably be here until April. I know, I know we need the snow for skiing and it looks so pretty but day to day living is a pita!

Also I have just noticed that I have lost a very, very tiny diamond in a ring that my Mum bought me when ds1 was born. No chance of finding it, I'd need a magnifying glass, but I'm still sad

Bought sweet potato and butternut squash today as it was cheap - I;m not weaning yet but thought it was saving money to buy it now, cook and freeze. However I forgot the sweet pot in the oven and it v nearly had disintegrated = so much for saving money!!

Been eating like a pig again because when I weighed myself on wed I had put back on the 2lbs I'd lost the week before so I have no self control again.

Missed out on an ebay auction because Nigel and I both forgot about it.

Trying to do decorating when Ethan sleeps in the day - times are few and far between and he's still waking in the night too.I just get myslf up the ladders, brush in hand when he wakes up.

OMG - that's a terrible post - I'm sorry but I do feel better for that.

All of you with your celebrity chat - don't forget that I am almost a celebrity - well, when the programme is shown!!!lol

Whinegums - keep the stories coming

Allip - choose one that you like but doesn't speak and ask her if she fancies just getting together the 2 of you , when there's more opportunity to talk.Reading that back it doesm't sound too good, take care how you phrase it, the way I put it sounds like you'd be asking her out.

Sympathies for the sleep deprived

Amber - sorry to hear you've been down

There is no NCT group here, I have discovered there is 1 group inthe village but the youngest is about 9 months so Ethan would seem very little, I don't feel brave enough at the moment, maybe after Christmas, will have to brush up on some Mother and baby smalltalk in German!

Oh Deb, sorry you are feeling a bit down. I can totally understand about the snow - I feel like that and we get about two days a year of snow! It must be hard.

Essie LOL at the sleeping through stuff!! I was reading that thinking 'oh no, am I not supposed to talk about it?' But yes you all have it easy peasy with one baby so my smugness is OK!!

I am so impressed with the celeb talk!

Talking of sleeping through, the twins were great last night, went down at 7pm and slept till 8am, but this evening they went down at 7pm but then Esther woke and cried for 30 mins till I sent DH to cuddle her and she has been asleep since (felt sorry for her so gave in), and Theo has woke too and I fed him and he has gone back to sleep. Hopefully they have gone till the morning now.

Now must get off MN and spend some time with DH!!

OMG, have missed so much. DH has been working every hour that god sends, DS is in the midst of his third birthday celebrations and both DS and DD have been up at night with colds and teeth.

Anyway can't possibly catch up but I've missed you all and think about you all a lot.

Essie, missed you im the papers and Debs, looking forward to seeing you on TV.

A bit of a sleb-drop from me though. Went to a children's book thing last week and Sandi Toksvig wiped Dorothy's nose for her. Actually Sandi (and girlfriend) were jolly charming, and chatted to us really quite a lot about the perils of bringing up children in London. etc etc.

Forgot to mention NCT groups! I didn't do NCT but can imagine how painful it is with all the competitiveness. Who cares? I love my babies more than anything in the world so couldn't give a toss if they are babbling/rolling over/crawling/geniuses/thickos! And I couldn't care less what anyone else's baby is doing compared to mine! Grrrr

Sorry you've been a bit down this week deb - I've been rubbish at attempts to lose weight this week .

Have I mentioned this week that I collected my resized wedding rings this week? I wasn't happy as they were tighter than I'd expected them to be and the woman commented on my fat fingers .

bdq - hope you stuck your fingers up at her!! Did I really type that?

Thanks Neenz

Want militant poppy to go round to your jewellers bdq?

And sympathies re the being stuck in and losing the diamond (I lost one out of my engagement ring when I was pregnant and nearly cried but found it in bath).

Haven't read all posts (sorry if skimmed them earlier- amber may have missed you were having counselling already) so will post later..I'm watching now thats what I call 1983.. grim fasicnation with the state of heaven 17 after 25 years and howard jones is on next.. there I am showing my age