June 08: All we want for Christmas is a good night's sleep!

[bitofasnowqueen]

New thread!

[Essie3]

Hi all, and thanks Ali for noticing my absence. My computer broke! It;'s still broken and I'm using Tim's and I don't like it so won't post much. Will change my name tomorrow (that's if I get to do anything on a computer).

Basically, the screen of the laptop went yellow and fuzzy. So I took it to PC world who fixed it, and charged £70 but said if it goes again - which it might in about a year or so - it would have to be a new laptop. Got it back home, the screen was yellow again. Took it back to PC World, after hunting for the receipt in the bottom of the footmuff of the pram . And discovered that the receipt was for Xerox, £20, so someone else's receipt. They gave me money back anyway, but I didn't have time to buy a new computer and I'm a bit annoyed because the 'old' one was only 18 months anyway (but no longer under guarantee, of course). And new ones are expensive.

Hopefully back tomorrow.

Debs I thought of a great name for you whilst ploughing through the 10 pages (!!) of talk. Something from the sound of music: Snowballs and sleighbells and schnitzel with noodles. (Or part of that.)
Funny, my spellchecker objects to sleighbells, but not schnitzel!!

[EssieAStarInBethlehem]

There we go!

[DreamingOfMincePiesInAustria]

Morning

Essie - I love the name you made up for me, when I have the time later I'll change it.
Nigel is always on the lookout for good deals on laptops so he said tell him what you'll be using the laptop for - internet, research, games etc and he'll give you advice of the best place to look.e-mail me debs at austrianfamilyholidays dot co dot uk.

Morning Poppy - how was your night.

[spongebrainbigpants]

Wow! This thread has been busy!

Agree with the fellow teachers about the magic of Christmas in schools - I use to do the drama club and would write and produce the school play each year. It was absolutely magical - and watching the parents watch their kids would make me cry every time .

Interesting discussion on only children/siblings. I had always set my heart on having four and really don't know how I would come to terms with 'only' having one. To the extent where dh and I have already talked about the possibility of using donor eggs if mine prove no use anymore. But then I suppose it's easier to consider fertility treatment if you're already on that route than if you can conceive naturally.

What I would love to do is buy a big house and foster kids - but I've lost the battle on that one so far as dh is totally against the idea. He doesn't think he'd be able to cope with the attachment and then constantly having to say goodbye, whereas I look at it as being able to give kids the best start in life and then pass them onto parents who will love them as much as I do. I know it's incredibly idealistic and would be bloody hard work but it really appeals to me.

Can you tell I've thought a lot about this?

Btw, snowqueen, having said all the above, I can really relate to your reasons for not wanting anymore. I do wonder whether I'm going to spoil the next few years of A's life (and spend a hell of a lot of money ) chasing an impossible dream - but then how will I know if I don't try.

Don't let anyone else judge your decision though - four of our close friends have one child (ranging from 2 years old to 15) and they are all perfectly happy well-adjusted children, and there are lots of advantages!

Right, off to get ready for the builders!

[bitofasnowqueen]

Morning all - I've just spent 20 minutes laughing myself silly watching S try and figure out the light shapes being thrown around the room by the disco ball on his learn and groove station.

Loving all the christmas chat - it's my favourite time of year! I was very seriously ill many years ago and awoke from a coma on Christmas day so it's very special to me. I get very upset if I don't get an advent calendar and a selection box! Have to say, I'm a bit anal on the tree front - it's usually very co-ordinated with the living room decor. However, this year, I have bought a lot of santa/snowmen type decorations for the tree (all carefull colour co-ordinated though)

I really hope you get the family you hope for sponge - I can only imagine how difficult it must be.

Good to see you back Essie - love the new name.

Right, had a bit of a skivy morning so far so better go do some chores.

[hollyivypoppy34]

essie that is annoyiing re computer - we had same issue with ours and dh spent ages debating whether cheaper to get a new one.

Edie up at 4.20 - (apologies to those who have wakeful los but she used to be godo at going through) ... she was shouting had filled her nappy (nice gift for dh ) and wanted milk... my theory on this sudden early waking is 1. she has had a bit of a tummy bug (now going) 2. she is ready to wean/growth spurt (has been clearing all her feeds plus an extra one having previously been steady n 5 feeds a day) 3. she realises that this is time dh is around (he has been out for a few evenings this week)...

more help on nanny thread - not only is agency useless (which we figured out) but apparently may be pulling a fast one re rates. I'm now completely confused about this....

[neenztwinz]

Can;t believe how busy this thread is.

Puree, I had 5mths of Clomid in the cupboard but chucked it away cos I couldn't trust myself not to use it again! If I need it again is prob best to be under care of a doctor .

I think Theo has a cold bless him, he was up loads last night (three times between 7-10 and then at 11 and 2) which is not like him. But I have been using Ibuprofen which seems to be better than Calpol. Is it just me or does Calpol seem to have no effect?

Spnoge, I would love to foster too - but I think i have a bit of a romantic idea of it ie giving these poor children a better life when actually the reality is that lots of children in care have lots of problems and I don;t know if I could give my all to them while my own kids were still teens themselves. Don't know if it would be fair to them.

I read an article about egg donation the other day and thought I might be able to do it one day - if I decide to you can have my eggs (tho I am already 31 so they might be getting a bit rubbish now )

[spongebrainbigpants]

Neenz, thank you . That's very sweet - you can donate until you're 35 so please consider it even if not for me! I know women who've had children through donated eggs and they have been so grateful for that gift of children that otherwise would have been impossible.

Morning to everyone else - sympathies on sleepless nights. Alex still has a cold so sleep remains elusive and my wonderful nanny (i.e. my mum!) goes home today !

Hey, we have festive emoticons!

[jingleallnewjinglebells]

snowqueen we are also stopping at 1, for all the same reasons as you. I wavered a bit after A was born, but I'm sure now we'll have no more

fostering - neenz you are right, a lot of foster children do indeed have problems and it can seem like a really thankless task (have experience of this from my family). I guess there are some good stories, but I have seen a lot of the other side

essie - what a pain about the computer, especially when it's not very old at all

poppy sympathies about the wake up. Last night we had 1am, 3am, 4.30am and 6am

[NoRoomAtThePenguin]

Thank you all for your kind messages - ended up with a double whammy at the GPs, Carpal Tunnel Syndrom and PND - lucky me...

Leaky face seems to have subsided a little but still feeling a bit self obsessed (hence the egocentric post) and lethargic. It is a relief tho, because I was fed up of pretending everything was fine.

Sorry for not responding individually, one handed trapped under baby posting again.

Oh, xmas emoticons

[sybiltherednosedreindeer]

I love christmas!

Big hugs to you Penguin, I'm glad you are getting something sorted out, and hopefully it will all start to get better from here on in.

I think how many children you have, and when, is totally a personal choice and there is no right or wrong answer. Whatever you do will work simply bacause you will make it work. I'm one of six and trust me if that can work, any other choice can too!

[sybiltherednosedreindeer]

Speaking of christmas presents - I am planning to buy dh (who basically spends his life on the train) a portable multi-media player, something like the Archos 605 or the Ipod touch, but which????????

I am not a techie so am clueless as to which is better, does anyone know?

[jingleallnewjinglebells]

sybil I'll ask DH - he did a lot of research before buying his so he should be able to help (not sure which one he got in the end!)

[pureedchesnutsonanopenfire]

Penguin sending you a hugging Christmas emoticon- they missed that one I think xxxx

Sponge/Neenz- I actually signed up as an egg donor years ago....bizarrely that's how I found out about the PCOS. Sadly they also found out that I am a carrier for Cystic Fibrosis so it was curtains for that idea.

Sitting here waiting again- new TV arrives today thank the good Lord. Similar to the laptop story- less than two years old then the sound goes one day and it'll cost at least £150 to get it repaired. Also waiting for the Christmas tree that didn't arrive yesterday....called the company and they don't know what's happened so are calling me back.....'tis the season of goodwill

[goingfor3]

Good luck to all of those thinking about having more babies. I have to admit I'm really glad I no longer feel broody. I would have happily given it a go when ds was a few weeks old but now I relaise that I'm very content with my three and I couldn't put dp and myself thorugh all of the stress again.

[DingDongAlipalisOnAHigh]

Allnew my night was like yours

Sybil I have an iPod touch. James bought it for me when I was pg and couldn't ski to keep me amused and assuage his guilt. I love it and think it is brilliant. Not used the other one though so can't compare. James has also just replaced his mobile with and iPhone so we now sit in bed surfing the net on our iPods. Its very rock and roll in the DingDong household!

It also makes all ttc talk a bit fanciful for us

[jingleallnewjinglebells]

ali sympathies to you!
Alexander is still sleeping in between us in the bed at night, so absolutely no chance of another lo even if we wanted one!

[neenztwinz]

Puree - did your DH have the CF test before you had your LO then or did you just go with it? My niece has CF but thankfully I don;t carry the gene. Two of my sisters do, obviously the one who has the CF daughter, the other one's DH was tested before they had their DD.

Love the Christmas name PP - so sorry you are feeling down. It must be tough when this should be such a happy time.

Well my CC thread has moved on so much it is getting a little boring now! I am still trying to follow it and it is interesting. I blew my top a little on Fairey's weaning thread I'm afraid. It just gets on my tits when sanctimonious MNers say things like 'I just don;t understand why you would know the guidlines but choose to ignore them' . Er, because my babies would not get off my breast!!!

[hollyivypoppy34]

ipod touches are excellent...
penguin hugs.

right first nanny interview at 2pm so wish me luck - can you believe anotehr agency (who never returned my calls so I'd dismissed them) has sent a CV through. WTF ? - ever heard of talkign to your client before landing someone on them.

[EssieAStarInBethlehem]

Just a check-in - the computer problems are getting worse! I phoned ACER today and got a customer complaints woman who was so rude she actually made me cry! Mind you, I'm a bit of a cry baby anyway at the moment. But still, she was horrible. I just don't think I should be buying a new laptop after 18 months, but I'm being bounced between PC world and Acer here. Will get Tim on the case though, he's quite fierce. (But at an inquest, so fierce and totally unavailable.)

Am now going to seek help on Neenz's weaning thread. Unless anyone can tell me here - Annabel Karmel, I've left the book in Wales, how do you start weaning and what with? Do I give Iestyn a spoonful of carrot puree? I want to start this weekend, the Annabel Karmel route.

[NoRoomAtThePenguin]

Again, thank you all for your support - this thread rocks. I don't feel permanently down, am ok right now, but any little thing that happens (eg: losing my travelpass) can feel like the last straw. It has been pointed out to me that it has been quite a year (baby, new house, back to work, dh quitting his job, 50% chance of redundancy, the ongoing mum issue...), so perhaps some emotional turbulance was to be expected!

My hormones seem to be all over the place again which may not be helping. My milk supply has increased just as I'm planning to cut down. Also my sweat has started to be more pungent again ...

I love my ITouch, music, films, games and the internet. We got it because we knew it would have easy to use software....

I'm pretty sure, if we can, that Ryder will have some siblings, just not yet! I worked out a coouple of days ago that if I was to replicate the age gap btw my brother and sister I'd have to get pregnant now. How my Mum managed I have no idea. (She had no family nearby and as she was running a pub, no mat leave either). I've decided that I don't want two in nappies...

I wonder who out of us all will be the first to get pregnant again though. (I remember Neenz scare - I had one too and was a tiny bit disappointed , but mainly relieved).

Sorry that was really ego centric again...

[EssieAStarInBethlehem]

Hi Penguin! Know what you mean about the littlest thing. I'm a bit like that too.

Second children - well, I had an horrific pregnancy so I'm not going to rush into anything! But Sponge, may I also offer you my eggs? I've been seriously looking into that. I've become all mushy since Iestyn was born and I want everyone in the world to have a lovely baby boy like mine. I wasn't like this before!

Iestyn is having a long nap!!! I'm totally bored but can't do much on the computer because it's Tim's and I can't find the right buttons and keep hitting caps lock by accident.

[goingfor3]

Essie Carrot sounds like a good thing to start with. That's what I did but some people swear by baby rice and milk.

[mulledwhinegums]

Hi all. B is asleep - third snooze of the day!!! - and I should be filling in a job application...

Penguin, adding my good wishes and hugs to everyone else's, and hope you are on the up now.

Barring serious contraceptive failure, B is definitely going to be an only. Well, my only - DP already has two girls. I'm more than happy with just one. My eggs are too old to offer to anyone I'm afraid.

Essie, boo at the customer complaints woman. When I got a hard time when I was working at the Beeb, I used to give such people my work email address and tell them I worked for Watchdog!!! Amazing how quickly any problems got sorted. Surely under the sale of goods act a laptop should last more than 18 months?? Even if it is out of guarantee. Grrrr. I actually would have LOVED to have worked for Watchdog!!!

You can start weaning with baby rice mixed with LO's usual milk, or a single fruit or veg steamed, pureed and mixed with milk - carrot, parsnip, pear or sweet potato I think are recommended by AK. You can use baby rice to thicken the purees if necessary.