Dec 08 - Nanny Anne's Apprentices.

[daisydora]

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

LadyT when do you go back? Am sure you can lick her into shape then. 12 years experience vs 18months and all that.

Verso glad to read you have a decent HV.

Arti how disappointing for your night out. Agree at the very least have a good dinner/take away and pretend. Had a rubbish night out myself on Monday. Was meeting a friend to go to the cinema-was a real rush to get all three kids settled before going out. Film started at 8pm. At 7.55pm she called to say her husband had just phoned drunk in a pub in the city and so was not home to look after the kids. By this point I had bought the tickets. They offered the money back on both tickets but thought I may as well see the film. So Billy No Mates watched 'The Young Victoria' all alone!

Hello Major, I'm going back in July but she will be in the office and I will be at home, so for that to work I need her to be fully on side.

Sorry people, I am really moaning tonight but my legs really hurt now. It's agony to walk. The pain is comparable to after I had my cs. Bugger. DP thinks I am daft to be surprised as I have had major veins burned out from groin to ankle. I am always too optimistic about everything - that's my trouble!

LadyT drugs drugs and more drugs with a spot of wine, 48hrs and you will feel loads better.

Majormoo going to the picture on you own is fun no need to share the popcorn. I used to go all the time if I had a free afternoon.

Just beat DH at Risk over an Indian takeaway. Not quite the evening I planned but strangely satisfying as have always refused to play Risk before but on my first go I have beaten the enthusiastcin record time.

LadyT - she sounds like a real cow. It's a horrid when someone you have nurtured and mentored shows no loyalty and even worse if they stab you in the back. I have been there and really feel of you. Can you talk to older colleagues in the office who do have loyalty to you?hope the pain settles soon.

Hiya Major. How crap of your friend's DH. Hope she made him pay the next day. was the film good?

Sorry that your colleague has dissappointed you Lady, that is a shame, esp for her. For me I think it is sad that a women feels that you having a baby is an opportunity for her to undermine you somehow, like she thinks you will be of less value now you are a mother. Shame on her.

Oh and sorry the veins hurt but you know it's worth it. Tell DP to be more sympathetic and go pour you a glass of cheerfulness.

I'm loving this amazing weather and this time of year. We do have spring & autumn back home but they aren't as lovely as they are here.

MM lovely to see you. I used to go to the movies alone so much I loved it. I used to love that cinema at the Swiss center. I used to love seeing independent theatre alone too, there is that pub in Camden that as the little space above it, I can't remember what it's called now.

Well, I hope the film was good anyway, Major xx

I suspect i know the answer to this already but once you've given them Calpol, Bonjela and cuddles there's not much you can do when they're awake all night from teething pain, is there?
Feeling v sorry for self as have throat and chest infection and have long drive in the morning and all I can think is that this holiday will be crap because he'll be awake all night with his teeth, we'll be exhausted and I won't be able to get over this infection as quickly. how long does the night waking tend to last? (actually, if it's more than a week at a time please don't tell me).

SuperCat, if things are really bad you can "double dose" them by alternating Calpol (paracetamol) and Calprofen (ibuprofen). Give Calpol, wait 2 hours and then give Calprofen. As they are different ingredients, this is safe for really bad pain or fever. I don't think you can give calprofen before 3 months though, so might not work for some of the younger babies on the thread.

SOme people round here swear by Ashton and Parsons teething powders, or Bickiepegs which are super hard (chaff) biscuits (no sugar but not to eat IYSWIM) for babies to gum down on. I prefer pharmaceuticals myself but anything is worth a try.

Poor you. Hope you feel better soon and the drive is not too bad.

Girls, I was here in the night and thinking ofyou all but could not post as M was lying on my arm. I loved what Verso said about the thread making us less lonely. It's a real comfort to know that other friends are up in the night doing the same feeding / shushing / patting things with their babies.

Happy birthday to your DS1 Kayz. My DD2 was 2 on Thursday and we have her party today. Need to ice my number 2 cake and make some rice crispie cakes, then we're all done. Have enough booze and sausages to sink a ship. Makes the party go with a bang. DH did the pass the parcel and I don't think he put the box of raisins in each layer, so I hope it doesn't go tits up......

HAve a good Sat everyone. Will look in and try to reply to earlier posts later on

Thanks for the advice, Sybil, T passed the 3 month mark last Tues so it's Cal a-go-go! Have a lovely party today, I'd better get my stuff together and get on the road. Have a lovely week everyone,see you next weekend!

Happy birthday to Freddie, Sybil;s DD and PD's DS . Mine next week - we Arieans should stick together

This is my favourite time of year, sun but not too hot, all the lovely spring flowers (DH can always score big points by buying me some daffs), trees blossoming... also hay fever starting up but trying not to think about that!

Teething: DS2 also chomping and dribbling a bit, no other signs as yet. He's not yet 3 months so hoping he'll hang on for a little while. I also do the early bath thing if he's grumpy, seems to work. Another unsettled night last night, but just brought him into bed and refused to look at the clock.

Verso: you are a wonderful mum, glad your HV has the sense to see this

Am up for a Kew Gardens jaunt, we can get the train from Dalston. The only problem is getting back if you pick a popular time and have to rush for places on the train with a buggy.

LadyT: sorry to hear about your legs, I'm sure the end result will be worth it. I have dodgy veins and my dad has varicose veins so will be keeping an eye on mine. I am in no way ready to bare my pins despite the weather - anyone else suffering spring dress anxiety?

Cat: good luck for the drive. No deep thoughts on services, but I did have a nostalgic moment when my parents broke the news that the van on the Scottish border which sold bacon stotties had closed... my family are all firmly of the view that service stations are overpriced works of the Devil (the price of a cuppa in these places can bring my dad out in a cold sweat) so they spend an inordinate amount of time seeking out truckers cafes, fast food vans and other purveyors of orange tea and fried breakfasts for car journeys.

DH and I had an unfeasibly happy evening last night when we discovered all the episodes of Brideshead Revisited on itv iplayer - bot of cheap plonk, cheesy straws, a couple of hours of nostalgia and much talking bollocks about Love and Life and Joyfulness. One of my favourite books (how a grumpy bastard like Evelyn Waugh managed to write it is beyond me) and a great adaptation. Never saw the film but suspect it wasn't up to the same standard.

Anyway, enough waffle, off to enjoy another glorious day

Lurker coming out of obscurity alert!

I started typing a lovely introductory post at 5:00 am this morning (after I had been awake for 5 hours with insomnia) but by the time I got around to trying to post it (in and amongst numerous feeds, whinge fests, rocking the pram with my foot trying to get DS to sleep, etc.) somehow it got lost. Grrr...Is this a sign from the universe that I should continue lurking and not become an official poster? No! I won't believe it!

So an abbreviated re-post. I have been following this thread off and on since I was pregnant but was afraid that I would never be able to keep up with you prolific posters so lurked in the shadows. But now - seeing as DS is already 14 weeks, he has gone from sleeping an 8 hour chunk to waking every 3 hours, he has a cold, I have a sore throat and fever, my DH has gone abroad for work for a week...oh, and did I mention we're in the midst of weaning off the dummy?! - seems a good a time as any to seek some virtual support.

My DS was born 16th December. 10 days late, c-section because he was breech, and he was born with a tooth and a tongue tie no less - this kid likes to challenge the odds. But he is a gorgeous wee man and it has been such an adventure getting to know him.

After a lovely month or so of calm, we have seen a return to frequent night wakings, more unsettled in the day, etc. so I am glad to hear of other December babies going through a tricky phase too (well, not glad that others are having a tough time but hopeful that it might be an age-related phase?!). Also interested to read about the idea of spacing out feeds during the day - I might try to give this a go. He has always fed every two hours on the dot (his routine, nothing I have actively done), but lately has been much more fussy feeding during the day (not so much fussy as too busy looking around and smiling up at me with the nipple lolling in his mouth!) and making up for it at night. Not a welcome development.

We are in South London so keen to join any impending London meet-ups. Though I am scared to go out in public now that we've ditched the dummy - day 3 and counting!

Hope it's okay that I am so late to join the party and that I can manage to post often enough to earn my place in the December club (must perfect one-handed typing).

Happy weekend everyone!

Hello MomorMum! Come on into the light! Same for any other lurkers, biting their lips in the shadows. Don't worry about 'keeping up'. I do wonder if this is why some people don't post any more, that used to. It's not like that. Drop in when you can.

SuperCat, I am sorry I didn't manage to say have a good holiday Feel a bit ashamed that I was so wrapped up in myself last night. I know you won't get this until after but I hope it's a lovely break for you.

Effie, like Kayz's and PD's boys and SYb's DD2 - and now you - I am an Aries as well. Hurrah. I also a huge fan of E. Waugh - did my dissertation on his first three novels (my tutor could hardly hide his yawns).

Syb, I had forgotten that your DD2 is only 2. Wowzers. Have a fab party.

Legs still bad today. Only bright spot is that I have zero appetite so despite not moving around, hoping I will lose some weight

Hi MorM, welcome! Born with a tooth! Wow! See ZJ it's never too early.

Have a lovely holiday Cat. Just invade you are still around I was going to suggest you get T's ears checked if he stays so upset. If you have a throat infection he may have one too and their little ears can be very painful.

Sorry you are still in pain LadyT. What we do for beauty hey.

DD2 started her night with a 7 hour stint last night. I am so happy as such long stretches seem a distant memory. She then went 3 hours and then 2 so not bad at all. Good thing too as DH is off to Cardiff for the day to watch the rugby so I am solo parenting. Going it alone is always so much harder at the weekend...

Morning all. Discovered I can't go on the internet overnight as dh turns it off. I forgot he doesn't like the wireless on all the time as he worries it might be bad for our heads.

Cat sorry you are feeling so crap. Syb is right get into the ibuprofen based drugs I would just like to be an annoying health professional for a minute though and say calpol should be given at least 4 hours apart no more than 4 doses a day so preferrably 6 hours apart. ibuprofen at least 6 hours apart and no more than 3 doses a day so preferably 8 hours apart. Cat ds1 had terrible terrible teething pain as he has a fairly small mouth we ended up going to a homeopath and I have to say they def work but the big difference is they work so much faster than drugs. At one stage when ds1 was getting several teeth at once he was having calpol ibuprofen and 200c chamomilla & pulsitilla. Poor little man he had it really bad. Oh and he used to knaw on a brikki peg. The ashston & parsons will work initially but eventually you will need the stronger stuff. I also tried one of those amber necklaces but not sure if it was that effective.

Oh hi Arti sorry you are alone, does that mean he is away tomorrow for mothers day, that's a bit cheeky. I went mental a few years ago when it was my first mothers day and DH made plans so he has never dared do anything but spoil me since.

Hi MOM glad you have been around and now decided to drop in do come again, don't feel you have to keep up. Hey is the tooth still there? Is he your first?

MoM welcome aboard! Is DS your first? Would be lovely to see you at the next meet-up. Btw arti I think it's a good idea to start a thread - I'd start one myself but there are quite a few dates I can't do, plus Easter hols are coming up for those with school age DCs, so I think I'll just hang back and see what date(s) are good for the majority. I hope I can make it along as I missed the last one and this may well be the last one before I move.

LadyT ooh the op sounds nasty, but it'll all be worth it when you unveil your shiny new pins. Ooh can I pick your brains (and any other Waugh fans)? Have had Sword of Honour sitting on my shelf for aeons - any good? I have so little time for reading these days that I can't afford to read anything mediocre, but need something that can be easily read in short chunks. I'm currently reading a really crap book but am resenting the precious time I'm wasting on it.

Sybil big fan of Ashton & Parsons here - it is like magical fairy dust that seemed to put a screaming DS into some kind of dreamy trance in an instant.

Effie smashing, let's do Kew this week if the weather's good. Can do Tues, Wed or Fri. Any other takers?

Jam the village I'm moving to also has a family of ducks - I doubt it but you've got me wondering if it could be the same one (I think you might be nearer to Chelmsford, but haven't got much grasp of the geography round there yet). Kelvedon will be the nearest station to us ... anywhere near you?

DP & DS are away for the night, so am looking forward to a girls' night in with DD. Have just received my first handmade Mother's Day card from DS [misty eyed]. Have just realised however that I've forgotten to send my own mum a card. Not that she'll be bothered but I don't think I've ever forgotten before.

Well, I finally made it to the Lido yesterday and have been again this morning. Would have to add outdoor swimming to LadyT's list of medicines for the soul. On the subject of one of the others (music), here is my new favourite website (yes, even better than MN if you're that way inclined). Tis nothing short of marvellous.

Hi MomOrMum and welcome! We tried to give up the dummy a week or so back but it wasn't good for my mental health so we're now just keeping it strictly off-limits for sleep but using it judiciously at other times of day if need be. Well done on three days cold turkey!

sybil I hope DD2's party is a roaring success! I second what you said about alternating paracetamol with ibuprofen for severe teething pains - we did that with DD1 from time to time and she never came to any harm.

LadyT sorry to hear you're suffering to be beautiful. I say nuke the pain with codeine - always my painkiller of choice

spot have a huge hug.

arti we had Indian last night as well . I haven't played Risk in YEARS but used to enjoy it ... all those obscure Russian provinces...

On a different note I've just almost had a huge row with DH . I am on such a short fuse at the moment and should try harder.

I just find it really annoying that he has to spend most of each weekend doing his marking. Not his fault - but ten hours does seem excessive. If anyone is free at weekends to meet up in Sarf Lunnen please let me know as it looks like I need to step up my social diary to keep the girls out of the house as much as possible. Really unfair of me to be annoyed, but I just hoped we'd get to do family stuff at weekends, but it just isn't working out that way. Apparently the marking debacle is why he announced last week he was going to resign!

DH had a bad night last night too - so I am being doubly unreasonable today. He offered to look after DD2 (major Brownie points) so I could sleep - and then apparently she was up five times. He's not in the best of humours today as a result . Anyone got any suggestions on how to make a distractible baby feed more during the day than at night?

Gorgeous weather - just wish I wasn't still so low... I think I've turned a corner but I still feel pretty rubbish a lot of the time and have scary mood swings every now and again. At least the GP was reassuring yesterday as well... just have to wait and the tablets should kick in properly in another week (fingers crossed).

Hi momormum . No thoughts re: dummy i'm afrad, neither of mine took to one.

PD: I love spotify, do you still need invites to join? Cos I have a few I haven't used if anyone's interested. Oh, and I haven't read the sword of honour trilogy but DH likes it a LOT ( tho not as much as a handful of dust)

LadyT: your dissertation sounds great - Decline and Fall was the first Waugh novel I read. Wonderfully cruel. My dissertation was on early English riddles. Hum.

Verso: glad you're feelong better, the weather is a great help. Could you make Kew do you think? Friday would be a good day for me, might be nice to go mid-morning and take a picnic.

oh and DH is also working most ofthe weekend - the joys of being self-employed.

Effie - I joined spotify the other day without an invite. It is very nearly a dream come true for me - just need something decent to play it on now. Go on, tell us a riddle! My dissertation was on the political life of Jean-Paul Sartre (spot wanky & pretentious stude). It was rubbish as well - I invented plagiarism.

Yeah Verso, come to Kew! Friday is good for me, although Forecastfox says rain by Wednesday (which is as far as it goes).

Feeling slightly guilty at still being indoors on such a fine afternoon, but the opportunity to gorge myself on the Foods of the Devil (courgettes and olives) whilst DP is out is too much to resist. Is it very wrong that I'm having a glass of red with my pasta?

Am going head out to burn off the calories once DD has had her next feed - nice walk through London Fields, down the canal & to Vicky Park for a slab of their indescribably good Victoria Sponge.

stuff like this

there are some rude one as well [win]

crikey!

so that one wasn't a rude one then?

tbh I remember little about them! As usual, I got distracted part-way through and ended up writing more about something else entirely...

And clearly I spent my university days reading far too much Viz ...