Dec 08 - Nanny Anne's Apprentices.

[daisydora]

Thread started - hope i've done it right!!

I was in the pixies. Loved it, but never really got on in the guides and didn't stay long.

Verso, sorry things are a bit rubbish again. I think it may be jusy thee and me tomorrow. I cd nip over to you and mind both babies in the garden while you rest if you like, or you can have my spare room here while I take both out in the double buggy if that would help.

Kayz, are you thiking trad or modern for this cake? If trad,my mum has some books which I'm sure she would lend you. Let me know.

Girls, my garden is a tip. If anyonr has got anyt hints for making it lovely on minimal effort, I'd love tobknow.

Please excuse rubbish typing. Am pumping (moooooooooooooooo) as i type.

Our night? Again, DS2 slept 7:30-11:30 then was awake every two hours and wouldn't settle after 5 - yawn... Am tempted to bring him into bed with us after his first feed as it means I can get more sleep (we co-slept with DS1 so I'm happy on the safety front). But DS1 ended up not sleeping at all and still being in our bed at 15mo which I was not happy with, so am worried that it might start DS2 off on the same route... I think I will leave it a week, see if his naps settle down during the day (he slept loads yesterday which didn't help) and then try and tweak things.

The good thing about this new pattern is that I could go to bed early and get a few extra hours in, but that would mean no time with DH (he's working frenetically atm and conversations during the day are restricted to grunts).

I'm not really sure Sybil. I did think I'd like to make lots of little cupcakes and decorate them all. But that might become a bit tedios when I have 50 to make. But if I am going to make a fruit cake I really need to make it now.

Thanks, sybil. I am at a loss today to know what to do. I just feel I'm at rock bottom again. Yesterday was an ok day until DH came home and dropped his bombshell. I feel sick with anxiety and yet there is nothing I can do. Am trying to think of everything I can do financially to ease the burden - am writing emails to cancel everythign I can think of.

Onde again I'm totally in awe of those of you with more than one LO. I'm knackered enough with just one, so you really are inspirational and amazing women big hugs to all who had dodgy nights.

Sybil sorry for forgetting who you were now it all makes sense

I did a bit of gardening yesterday - well my gardening is more destructive than constructive, it's all pruning and chopping rather than planting usually - though I did put down some seed at the edge of the grass where it got no light all winter and went yellow and died. Inspire me! What veg is easy to grow in a pot maybe or a little corner of the flower bed? I did tomatoes in a grow bag last year which was great fun but that's as far as my expertise goes

kayz cupcakes are lovely I did some for a friend's birthday last year with a sprinkling of silver food-colouring powder on top of the icing, much easier than complicated decorating but they looked really good (she says modestly) - might be worth a try?

verso you're in such a difficult place at the moment, my heart goes out to you. Is there any way you could get DH's mum to have a word with him about his responsibilities? Sounds like she's the kind of person with good advice that he might listen to. Does she live anywhere nearby? Might she be able to help out every now and then? He really needs to see that being at home, he's got to do some looking after children/household/you rather than expecting you to look after him as well.

My latest thing is to make a small fruit cake and some cupcakes. So I'm going to look for some edible baby decorations.

Morning all!
Loving the name changes!

Verso I hope you get it sorted out with your DH. Is there a chance he is just being dramatic re giving up work and will change his mind again?

Love the gardening talk... I was going to do some yesterday but just managed to mow the lawn before DS got fed up. jj you sound a similar level at gardening as me! Last year for the first time we built a tiny veggie patch and grew lettuce, rocket and carrots. Also have some herbs floating around. Herbs are good I reckon as then you don't have to pay a quid or nearly a time every time you need some. Parsley, rosemary, mint, oregano and thyme all seem to be quite easy. The first time I did coriander it was easy too, but ever since I have managed to kill it!

ladyt don't change your name!

I went for a run this morning. Feeling very virtuous. Though it is the first time I have been runnung in about 4 years so I think I will hurt tomorrow.

Any news on the tests, Syb? As for your garden...I hate bending (not good for gardening) so my only advice is get a BBC crew in to revamp it for you! Or do tiny bits at a time. (Every journey of a thousand miles starts with a single step and all that. I tell myself this all the time re: weight loss. And work. Ha.) I LOVE gardens but do not excel at routine, repetitive physical tasks (this is why I am dreading DIY). I have got some little pots that I want to plant up though. That's my garden.

KMP, perhaps we should have a vote on a new name for you! I ought to change mine but I have decided it just won't work if I am anything else, somehow.

Verso, is there any way that your DH could do a bit of home tuition? I don't know what his special area is but if he could coach some kids for GCSEs or getting through their 11+ or something, there is usually a hign demand for such things in Greater London. Sorry about your rough night. Arti too...and Effie. I wish there was something helpful I could say but all I can do is will it to improve...

Summer, that IS vv virtuous.

Off to the Cotswold Safari Park today, apparently. DP is off again. These lovely days do put a spring in one's step. I have been charged with making up a low calorie picnic. Hmm. This is progress actually because whenever we go out usually, DP insists we have what I call a Fat Boy lunch, and I really don't want to do that at the mo.

We've had a bloody power cut here. We are on a prepayment meter and are useless at checking it and often run out of money. So just thought that had happened but no it was an actual power cut.

So I wandered up to town with DS1, which was fine until he decided he didn't want to walk anymore. So I had to ring DH to come with DS2 as I had too many bags and couldn't carry him too.

Lol LadyT look what you started with your Guide talk I was a Brownie, a Guide, a Young Leader and now a Leader. I think I'm doomed to be in blue for the rest of my days. Love it though.

Name changes are confusing. My brain can't cope with it all.

Verso Hope all works out for you. Must be a huge bombshell for you. I suppose it will just take time to adjust and for him to learn what being at home really entails. There are some amazing stay at home dads though. I know things are difficult for him healthwise, you never know though it may be easier for him as at home you can take things easier if you are having a bad day but kids also keep you going, you don't sit in the same position all day nor do you stand all day etc.

Jolly ds always had excema as a baby but his skin is clear now. He last had a flare up when I didn't wash some clothes from a charity shop that smelled strongly of washing powder. I worried too as I had excema until my teens.

Jam sorry sleep is rubbish. Hope you get your slippers!

Kayz shall from now on be gardening inspiration for the thread I need to get going on mine but never seem to have the time, plus dd won't sleep in the pushchair so it is pretty difficult to do anything with her. Have last years strawberries already in the ground som hopefully dson't have to do anything to them. Have some lettuces sown need ot sow more and the tomatoes and get seed potatoes.

Ds slept all night in his bed last night First night he hasn't lost his doudou or come in to see us and sleep with us. Woke up at 6.20 though but still I hope it continues as I keep finding myself squished into 1/4 of the bed with 2 children while dh snores away in the rest of the bed

well thanks to you guys I now can't get my Brownie song out of my head..."we're the ever helpful gnomes, helping others in their homes"! I was even singing it to Phoebe this morning without realising

Phoebe has become The Snotmeister overnight. Thick green ming. Hence ickle feeds, much snorting, crappy sleep. poor mite.

new names - oh no! I can barely retain the info that's already in my head, never mind try to add new things! cool name though spot!

Inspired by our resident gardening expert (Kayz!) i have mowed the lawns this morning while P sat in her buggy and watched. my plan was for her to fall asleep out there and i would eat lunch and read my book in the garden, like some scene from a lovely book, but alas, P had other plans.

got another freakishly large cornflake this morning. global warming?

We need to buy a lawnmower actually. This is our first garden so don't have a lawnmower. The people that lived here before took the shed so we have to buy one of those too. But they are so expensive, cheapest we've seen is £145. I wasn't expecting them to be that much.

I just fell asleep in the bath. I was in there for an hour and a half. I woke up bloody freezing!!

Just found out a friend has been diagnosed with PND. I told you last week she had lost all her baby weight and her DD is about 3 weeks younger than DS2. She seemed so happy last week when I saw her. She rang to let me know so I've told her she can come round whenever she wants. She's asked if I want to go shopping to Middlesborough one day next week so I said yes. I really feel for her as her mum has told her that women don't get PND and it doesn't exist. Apparently women that get it are just tired and are looking for an excuse to get out of looking after their babies. Never thought her mum would be like that at all as she seems to be lovely.

Hi girls. My turn to pump and post (moo).

Sybil thinking of you, and am anxiously awaiting L's results - do let us know! Also v.sad for your friend, she must be devastated. I'm so sorry to hear you had a bad experience too VV. Glad you've got it behind you now though - and I can't wait to see that wallabies pic!

Turnip I assume center parcs is some sort of big holiday type park where they have lots of activities etc for kids? If so, you should go! My favourite holiday as a child was at a place like that. We had all our family there and it was the best Christmas ever (well - at least until this year - you can't beat having a baby for a Christmas)

Verso did you also say you had a similar experience to Sybil's friend? I hope you didn't mean with your current (D)H. All I can say about your situation, is that I can't tell you how much I wish I was in the UK so that I could come and give you a big hug. I feel so sad when I read your posts as I just so desperately wish I could help you in some way

arti I really enjoyed tiling my bathroom (wierdo). All I can say, is don't forget to line the tiles up with the window as a starting point if you have one and there will be tiles around it. I put up about 6 tiles and was proudly showing DH my work when I realised they would't line up with the window & I'd have to cut a whole heap of small pieces if I didn't start again We just used el-cheapo white B&Q tiles which were something like £3 a mtr sq. Not very fancy but it's an investment property for renting so it just had to look fresh & new. I just tiled over tiles as the old ones were stuck on with some sort of cementy glue rather than tile fix, so taking them off would have meant taking half the wall off with them! Anyway there are some pics in my renovation album on FB if you're interested. Also it's worth getting a decent tile cutter & a pair of tile nibblers.

jump what a relief about your friends' baby. Thanks too for reminding us all about our miracle babies

It seems I can't win with my FB photo so I've changed it again. Hopefully you'll all approve of this one

All the BLW talk is very interesting. How old are they supposed to be when you start putting food in front of them that they can eat? LadyT I was cracking up about the pear story

Thanks for all the reassurance on sleep, and arti that's interesting about the 40min sleep cycle. It's amazing how sometimes they seem to have a little internal clock isn't it? zoejeanne we might try letting him have a nap outside tomorrow to see if it makes a difference. But he seems to be ok and not too grizzly so hopefully he's getting enough sleep. Unlike DH & I

Anyway I should go to bed - work tomorrow, boo.

kayz we got our lawnmower from freecycle - and I've seen sheds on there too. You have to be a bit obsessive if you want a specific thing but I had a real craze for freecycle last year and got (and got rid of) some great stuff. Makes you feel very smug as well as it doesn't cost anything/is better thing for the world.

Am also spending sunshine in the garden. Or at least I was until today when asthma has floored me. I hope Lucy is better Trace. Must be so worrying. Mine was terrible as a small child and then I did grow out of it at 7 - it's only troubled me intermittently since then but is particularly bad this year. Am growing potatoes, salad, raspberries, chard, beans, squash...or at least am starting them all and then will watch them run rampant whilst I don't have time to do anything.

Sybil our garden was a complete wilderness last year. LadyT is right - just doing it a little bit at a time worked for us (that and getting a gardener in to do the last bit ). Actually she's really good - and v cheap - we only got her in for a day and she did wonders. Could pass on her details if you like. Other than that - large bit of grass, big shrubs and that no weed fabric stuff is way forward I think. I usually have fit of enthusiasm after Chelsea Flower show and then it fades away. Also I found Kim Wilde's book for the first time gardener really helpful.

Verso am so sorry for you. You've really got a rough deal. It can't be right that you're the only grown up (from the sounds of things).

JJ am so pleased about baby M.

Was also a brownie and a guide. Although was pretty rubbish at both. I always managed to look scruffy - not least because my Mum made me sew my own badges on and on one infamous occassion make a new bobble for my had rather than buy a new one. Character building I'm sure but not a pretty sight.

Also am loving the cornflake updates trace perhaps there is something we should be told...

Sorry Bisou x-posted. So good to have a DIY expert on here too. Will be picking your brains...we're going to do our bathroom later in the year (she says vaguely).

Yet another of our changing mats has bitten the dust (plastic has split) - think this one was from John Lewis and I know I've had mothercare ones before. Can anyone recommend one that will properly last? I really don't want to have to buy a fourth one if I can help it.

Also had hoped to go to meet up this week but am not well enough - shame as was looking forward to seeing you. Maybe we can try another RFH one?

Just been in the garden and next doors little boy(about 5) just chucked a piece of wood with rusty nails in it over the fence. DS1 picked it up before we could get it. Luckily he picked it up in between the nails. I actually feel really sick. It could have been very bad.

Oh so much going on. Love the gardening stuff I am new to it myself apart from Ag at school and helpif my Dad when I was a kid in the garden beds we had at home. But am going to a big garden center tomorrow with the measurements of how much of our teeny backyard I want to use and I will ask an expert what to do. I'm going for mostly veg, inc the bean teepees (with local Hazel, buy British and all that) but thought I might have a few flowering plants for the bees. Gotta keep them happy. For the lazy gardeners here (until this current venture that described me) I would recommend lavender, daisies and as someone suggested herbs they are all easy to look after and serve a purpose. The herbs are obviously good for cooking, the lavender makes your garden smell lovely and boys & girls alike love picking flowers so that's where the daisies come in. That gardening book sounds good is that the Kim Wilde?

Kayz we have a manual lawn mower, not sure how big your garden is but if it is not too big they are great, they don't need fuel are easy to store and are cheap. I think ours was £25 but also would recommend freecycle.

Also your friends mum is very unhelpful, that is so sad to say that. Unfortunately though it is what a lot of people think about most mental illness, that it is something that they can just control or sort out themselves. Most people believe depression is just being a little sad. I wish they could find another name for it that more accurately describes it. I had a friend who was nearly sectioned with PND as she was very close to psychosis luckily the ADs kicked in just in time. Maybe you could ask Trace for some advice for her. If her mum is being like that she may feel it is her fault or that she is making it up. I have to say if she has lost that much weight it may have become quite serious before it got picked up. I hope she is ok.

Oh just read about the nail kayz poor little Ljundberg very scary.

Trace I sympathize with the song in your head. I can't get the baby Jordan song from 3rd & bird out of my head. But what is annoying me more, is who the hell is baby Jordan anyway. Ds1 insists it is the little pink bird, but they call muffin so I don't understand???? Oh I really need a hobby, maybe I'm getting out into the garden just in time.

Well she had been at the gym every other day since her DD was a week old. She is a gymnast so was desperate to get back into shape.

Her DP is trying to get some time off work so he can be at home with her but she wants to try and keep to the routine she is in as the GP said it would help. Her DD doesn't sleep though, she thinks that may be why she has PND. She told me on the phone that she got an hour's sleep last night.
She has decided to stop BF because she thinks if her DP can do some night feeds it will help. I told her to come round tomorrow if she wants then we can look after her DD and she can either go sleep in our bed or she can go home and we'll babysit.

I almost can't believe it as she seemed so happy last week, I suppose it goes to show how much some people try to hide it.

Veggie this is Baby Jordan He is a baby toucan.

Oh Lady yes great idea about my name change - I was thinking of keeing it similar - either reversing it and having pmk1 or maybe bnk or knb ? thoughts? I just want it to be a bit hard to work out identities etc....
All this gardening talk - we are renting so I don't even try to get into it especially as our dog has her own style of gardening which I can't compete with
JJ I'm with you there on the having two young ones to lok after thing!! Despite the fact I AM going to do it - it is very admirable to those of you with 2 or even 3!!
LadyT lol at your pear story!
B just had some more banana custard and cried when I stopped!! he was actually opening his mouth for the spoon etc!! He didn't have much and had already BF so I'm guessing after a few spoonfuls when he started depositing it back out onto the spoon, and then laughing, that means he's had enough?! Anyway, still only experimenting so won't be giving it too often yet since he's not quite 4 months, but it was interesting - and then he did the worst ever nappy destruction!!

Oh so the Toucan singing it is baby Jordan, oh no now the song is back in my head!

Are you watching the game tonight Kayz.

Hey bizarre thing happened today. DS1 sounded out and read the word Snow. It is on a flash card thing my mum bought him (the flash cards have a Thomas theme that's why she bought them) I nearly cried as I watched him doing it. The ironic thing is I'm actually quite against children learning to read before the age of 7 but I can't help feeling a little bit proud. DH and I aren't sure what to do though we don't know if we should encourage it or not. I will have a chat to nursery to see what they are doing there. Being Montessori they kind of go with what the child wants to do but as they also have to follow national curriculum and early reading skills is on it they may have to push it.

Lady I made low fat savoury muffins today no butter and no oil. Might be good for your little picnic?

I wish, it's on Setanta so I can't

Just a quickie whilst DS isin the bath and DD havng yet another (growth spurt) nap.
Kayz, I am also having the Christening Cake debate. I also want to do fairycakes, but what do you put them on to make them into a pretty tower as I have seen done before?
Veggie, I am also constantly singing the damn Baby Jordan song. He is the little toucan by the way.
Verso, I hope everything works out. Your DH doesn't know what he's letting himself in for!
Loving all the gardening talk. We have a tiny garden which I reserve for looking pretty, but my parents have a huge one (10 mins away) so this year we have commandeered about 50 square metres of their kitchen garden and have been madly digging, rotavating and planting for the last couple of months. Today I dug out all the bean trenches and put manure in and also planted lettuce, carrots, leeks and salsify (no idea!). The radishes and spring onions we planted last week are already making an appearance, very exciting.
Right, better go and get the water baby ready for bed.