January 08 Shiny New-Year Babies, not quite so shiny they are nearly one!!

[Lilyloo]

is this ok didn't want to loose everyone courtesy of Lucky!!

Evening all
Should be at a friends xmas party but no sitter

So wrapped all family xmas presents and neighbous kids!

Put them under tree but am sure will be mowing them all tom as Martha is a devil! Our tree has no baubles form half way down she hasbeen pulling at the beads and lights now!!

Braved the Trafford centre today to get my last pressie for my bf! Lot's of sales and ended up getting girls outfit each from Little Rocha and tops from Gap and got ds and dd1 more build a bear things even bought dp a pressie and me something he can wrap! Am getting a rebate for some of dd nursery fees so that should cover it , well almost
Got my friend a lovely candle and holder from the Pier though!

Simpson so sorry about poor little dd she has been through such a lot!

Lucky LOL at your mes last night. Am yet to do my deep clean but have all dc's at home next week so doubt it!

MM glad you getting back into work it's surprising how you feel like you haven't been away!

Gingeme hope bugs passing both me and dp full of a cough and cold but obv he much wors than me am irritated he has used a full box of tissues today so i am using kitchen roll!

LaT at your day!!

JKS how organised wrappng and rewrapping haven't even started the dc's yet and amnow thinking there are going to be lot's can't even remember. Have had to bar myself from ebay still bought more for them last night!

Well the evening is out and I've now wrapped and tagged all presents.

Am just about to put xmas tree up was kinda scared to put xmas lights on it cos there are no plugs where I wanted to put it so I've bought an extention lead and some duct tape and I'm gonna run the lead across the floor then duct tape it so no kids/cats/kittens/DP can pull it up. Then I've decided to put the table in front of it so if any cats decide to climb it or aaliyah tries to pull it it shouldn't go anywhere.

Once I've done that I'm going to clean the kitchen sides and cooker and if I can be arsed I'll clean the fridges but I doubt it.

I'm sure this is nesting kicking in a year too late lol

DD still has a cold and its right on her chest, you can hear it rattling when she's breathing but none of the cough syrups for her age are chesty. Apparently you only get chesty coughs once you are 2

Anyways... hope your all good.

Simpson - I'd seriously complain about that pead!! Poor DD.

Lucky - LOL at nesting a year late

JKS another LOL at wrapping pressies early then unwrapping to see who they are for

Lilyloo - you didn't have sitter. Our Xmas tree seems ok but DS keeps wanting to put Xmas tree lights on himself and is a bit rough on the poor tree as he reaches over it

Madmouse - Don't think i would be good at speaking either...not good at public speaking. Funnily enough we were practicing DD sitting today and she has got good now. Can leave her sitting and leave room etc without worrying about her toppling over. Also the last 2 days she can get from sitting to crawling position (doesn't go anywhere though...just rocks!) and back to sitting again. But today is the first time if she feels herself topple over she will put arms out etc

LaT - at your day!! But you got a plant given in Xmas spirit

Oh ladies I want a BIG brood of kids and DP is now saying he doesn't even want another one I can't tell if he's kidding or not but I always imagined having at least 2 kids and the more DD grows up the more I want 3/4 - I'm not expecting it though but it feels horrid to hear him say none at all.

Lucky - Don't panic...he might be saying it because he thinks A is still a baby iyswim.

What kind of age gap would you like?

It was definately me that pushed to have DD although DH was happy enough but I instigated it iyswim.

I wanted around about an 18 month age gap but would have settled on 2 years.. DP doesn't want another at all (apparently) So if we're to have an 18 month age gap we need to be pregnant already and the 2 year gap is coming up soon too.

Thing is it took 2 years for DD to be made so i'm slightly worried the same will happen again anyway.

I have 2.4 mths gap which i love as DS was old enough to "help" with new born ie get nappies/wipes/nappy sack for me etc.

it took a few mths to get pg with DD (DS total accident ) and think we started trying when DS was about 14mths.

Has DP said why he doesn't want more? Could you stress you don't want A to be an only child?

He thinks A is enough to "cope with" LOL

That doesn't mean that he is saying never iyswim.

I wanted to start trying for another Lo when DS was 10mths old but DH said no because our flat we lived in at the time was tiny, no money etc. In hindsight he was right and we moved into our house from rented flat when DS was 14mths and started trying pretty much straight away.

Things can change drastically in a few mths, you never know...

Yeh I'm hoping on it, Its just horrid to hear him say no more.

I'm doing my xmas tree at the moment - Will post pictures of the whole front room once I'm done.
Cheesey is my middle name

LOL at cheesey!!

DS did our tree "mess" would describe our concoction of baubles/tinsle "thrown" on tree LOL

not a great night, stayed up too late to watch strictly which was silly as we haven't even watched the rest of it!
then ds2 cried at 11ish - dh resettled
cried again from 3 for a bit - calpol and resettled.
both up at 5.30.

after being so knackered yesterday really thought they would go longer this morning.

lucky - don't worry too much, i have days when i would def not have another, then more realistic days when i know i need to at least try (ds1 took a while, ds2 was a few months earlier than we planned, lol!).
though sometimes your dp makes out that it's harder work than it is really, if he could train himself to need less sleep (for the next few years at least) then he would find it all much easier

dh cooking up a storm for a roast today and for stuff to fill the freezer, smells lovely
was 9,9 on the scales this morning - was aiming for 9,7 by Christmas, so not far off
now need to stay below 10stone as much as poss....
anyone else wondering how they'll manage weight gain/loss over the next week or so?

oh and simpson - i CANNOT believe your in-laws with presents would be better if they sent nothing really wouldn't it?

Well terrible night here with me Martha and dp coughing , sneezing etc!

Me and dd ready for church but Martha still in bed so looks ike we are going to miss!

Going to mil later to get reindeer food!

Anyone seen the new Madeleine M video just made me cry can't believe it's coming up to two years

Aaliyah - I'm having the late nesting too! I remember this time last year feeling huge with terrible heartburn, my brain wanting to do things and my body feeling like lead! Should be doing the kitchen at the mo - did the food cupboards yesterday, threw out the old dummies and packed the steriliser for the nearly new sale, Freecycled the breast pump (definitely no more kids here!!!) We're down to the last few scoops of formula (stopped BF totally last month) so will switch to cow's milk a week or two early as not worth spending £8 on a big tub, she only has one bottle a day, she has normal milk on cereal and with breakfast as she only drinks a little then.

Rockdoctor - hope you are doing OK, sorry you got bad news.

Oh, hell, have forgotten what else I was going to say - must come back on later but really need to get back to kitchen - DH just popped out to get me the Nigella book as Waterstones have it for £9 and there are a few recipes I want to try that aren't in her others - think he'll suspect I've been MNing if at least one cupboard isn't done!

Festive greetings to all!!!

Hi all

Sorry to hear some people had bad nights sleep. naughty LOs keeping mummies up!!

DS having a late lunch in front of Roary the racing car and DD munching on biscuit in highchair. Planning a very lazy day today. My brother is coming round later and will take DS out to the local garden centre to look at the fish and Xmas lights etc while i go into Aldi to stock up on nappies...

Well, you all must be visiting family, going to church or last-minute shopping! Have almost finished the kitchen, really can't be a**ed today! Still, the charity shop have a bagful of cups/teapot/napkins/other bits now and my cupboards are a lot lighter!

Next to the bathrooms....

Hello everyone.

Just waiting for MIL to fly in tonight (on her broomstick according to DH, LOL).

So I think will be busy over the next week or 2. Still at work Mon and Tues then off til 5th Jan. MIL is here for a week then we're going down south for NY with friends and on to my folks for a couple of days. Phew.

Have found it harder to keep up with the thread since back at work. With Al's sleep still being rubbish I have developed a little twitch under my left eye which is driving me nuts...

So ... just to take the opportunity to wish all a happy Christmas and holidays, hope you all have a lovely time with your LOs.

May Santa bring us all the gift of sleep.

Lily - did you get to church? and have you got your reindeer food? must mix some up - is yours just oats + glitter?
And yes, seen that video, is so sad at this of year especially Wish they would find out what happened to her, whatever it was...

Housemum - you are doing well with your nesting cleaning
Interested to read about you stopping bf and stopping formula soon.
Was planning to give H cow's milk for his mid-afternoon feed today and see what happened (he's 11mo today) but...he slept from 1-4.30 so kind of missed snack/feed time

Simpson - get your shopping done? your brother sounds cool, wish mine would come and take the boys off my hands for a bit! but one lives abroad and the other (who lives in london) is v. pre-kids and isn't sure what to do with them!

Ange - at least DH said it lol
i have a twitch in the corner of one eye! can't remember when it started but it really gets going when i'm properly sleep-deprived. have watched it in the mirror and it really isn't noticeable but it feels like my whole face is twitching in a horror film type way

Have done loads today, DH cooked up loads of stuff for freezer as well as a yummy roast and we moved lots of furniture round upstairs so the boys are currently asleep sharing a room.....hope it works out ok, but as i said to DH we're having crap sleep atm anyway.

Got lots still to sort out before any visitors arrive (from Tues) but well on the way now.

Missed church st off to MIL and dp car broke down managed to get it off motorway but had to be towed back to mil!
Local garage came and fixed one spark plug which had disintegrated but couldn't fix rest!
So dp had to drive it back at 20mph with me and dc's with fil following.

So there goes our spending money for our ny away or we will have to scrap his car and he have mine!
The thought of doing ds school 8.45,dd1 pre school 9.15-11.45 then school again 3pm all an hour walk away is a nightmare
Will be so glad to see the end of this year i really will!
And my throat , chest is killing me!

Hope everyone else ok have read but feeling sorry for myself so will do catch up post tom!

Lily poor you.

hope you feel better tomorrow.
try and get a good nights sleep!

Lilyloo - Poor you Hope you feel better in the morning. Hope car doesn't cost too much to fix...

JKS - Me and DS are making reindeer food on Xmas Eve and just using oats and glitter.

Angechica - Happy Xmas Hope sleep improves for you soon.

Housemum - well done for doing so much today!! Did your DH manage to get cook book?

All good here. Have started to bath the Dcs together in the evenings now DD sitting up well enough and she loves it. She adores her big brother and chuckles etc as they splash each other. Still saying "duck" lots too

DS is really starting to get excited about Xmas and says he wants lots of "big presents"

teehee housemum church indeed here, 11am family service then carols by candlelight at 5. Sunday lunch in between and Nathan's nap on my shoulder from 2.30-4.30, so that is the day gone. The nap bit is relaxing and cosy though, ending up watching reruns of location location

about to go to bed as working tomorrow and Nathan so unpredictable. only got to sleep midnight again last night and he woke twice after that too.

Lily oh darling that sort of thing would have me sobbing in a corner thinking sod it I am not playing ball I am just going to sit here.

last work day before christmas tomorrow, then shopping and cleaning.

there was a baptism today and we realised that Nathan's is only 4 weeks away. Am doing lunch at home for about 20 people so there will be plenty of work to do. luckily step mum here to help and other vicar's wife doing some cooking.

Dh and I do not bet but are speculating:
*how many seconds until Nathan finds and removes the vicar's radio mic (the little clip on thing)
*how loudly he will howl

• who will get wetter Nathan or vicar

Hope you are have good-ish nights

Hey ladies here to catch up. Well the family have started to descend on us. PIL and my youngest sister arrived on Friday. So far so good except my sis had a go at me for ?trying to change Christmas? because I wanted to introduce some smoked salmon on bread and a soup course into the festivities. Normally, my family eat nothing all day from 8am until 6pm and just drink and then stuff themselves until they cannot move and if they do that this year, with PIL it will be a disaster plus I cannot go that long without food and somehow she has made me feel like I am being unreasonable oh the joys!

JKS ? DS is cute with our cats too. The other day the old one (she?s 10) brought him her ball to play with and the next thing I knew DS was imitating her with it in his mouth talking of junk etc, I tried to do the FLY thing on the housework thread and only got as far as day 1, making my sink shine

LaT ? that was great that your DH went to help your bro, sorry to hear that your Dad doesn?t see what an angel he is. I hope your bro gets the residential care you feel he needs. Sending hugs, it must be so hard for you at this time of year and with losing your Mum too xxx

Madmouse ? you know, it might not be anything to do with you being away during the day that Nathan has started the night waking, Xavier has been doing it for a couple of months now and I am with him all day. Seems like it might be their age, boy it?s hard though. Thanks for setting out your plan re cow?s milk, I?ve been wondering how and when to introduce it, I can?t wait, I am going to save so much money on formula. I am so hoping that I can feed B2 myself until she goes on to cow?s milk, we?ll see. Might be easier this time round as in the heat of the summer she?ll still be too small to get distracted like DS did at 7 months. Here?s hoping! Fantastic news of Nathan standing!

Gingeme ? how exciting it must be in your flat now it has been re-vamped!

Hey Filly always room for you!

Poor you Lily, hope you are feeling better

Simpson ? how are you hon? Great news about your SIL I can?t believe the consultant you stand your ground!! I just can?t believe your MIL?s attitude to your DD!

Lucky ? sorry to hear DD isn?t well DS has never tasted chocolate! Sure your DH will come round on the kidde front

Hello Housemum and Ange

check out the tree will be back in abit to catch up. Just gonna clean the kitchen sides, cooker and fridges while DD is in bed.

Stupid cats have knocked their bowls behind the radiator (we have to keep them on the window sill so that DD can't get to them) and my arms are too big to reach it.

Like the tree! Maybe we should all stick some festive pics on!

Kitchen is sparkling clean, managed to do bathroom as well - and DH did get the Nigella book so big trip to Morrisons first thing for ingredients as i now know where everything is in the kitchen! Mmm, rocky road choccie squares, festive glazed ham, cranberry sauce...

Hope Amelie is less snotty by Christmas - she had tonsilitis at the end of November, was well for about 4 days and came down with it again, was well for a week and had a cold, she now has v sore throat and it's heartbreaking hearing her trying to cry

Madmouse - we were supposed to go to church but I missed it - normally go to a 10am service, but DD2 goes to Rainbows (younger Brownies) so I intended to go to their 4pm Christingle service instead and forgot as I was faffing in the kitchen and she was sat in PJs watching Casper the Friendly Ghost! [Bad mother emoticon]

Night night.