March 08:Happy Birthday!!! We made it through a whole year!

[turtle23]

new thread.

Oh ffs... here

turtle - which suite, junior or master?

IMO, you can never "waste" a decent hotel room. Even if you're doing other things, you'll still be there at bedtime & it'll make you feel more special. Go for it!

sorry to hear those with potential pigflu. Though when I did the online checker the other night it told me I'd got it, even though my only symptoms were fatigue & achey joints. Think my DH may have had it while I was away the other week, but then again, he may just have had any other of a number of virus-type thingies doing the rounds. It's at LO's nursery & also from his Tiny Talk class. All we've got here is copious snot and a little discomfort, but that's more likely to be teeth again...

In other news, have finally decided to have E go to nursery on Fridays as well as Mondays. DH is knackered from having to do the extra flexi to get his Friday off every 2 wks, & I'm knackered too. Feeling a little guilty about it, but mentally I'll be much happier having 1 day off a week to do things round the house. Will probably get the cleaner back to weekly instead of fortnightly too, but that will only touch the sides of what needs to be done...and the constant clutter just depresses me in a slightly OCD way.

junior. Master suite is lovely but really not worth an extra hundred quid.

Hope you're having a fabulous time turtle! If you went for the normal room I think you deserve to spend the money you saved on treatments in the spa tomorrow

I am indeed having a lovely time. Had room service food in bed while watching the Sex in the City movie and then went to bed. On the less positive side, DH is moving out today for trial seperation.
And yes, I went for the suite.

Have come home to find DH in an angry and horrible state, having been wound up seriously by his parents. They have convinced him that if he moves out even temporarily that I will change the locks and cause problems, etc. Am so fucked off it has just undone all of last night's work. I wish DS was more portable. I would leave.

Oh turtle I am so sorry, have a huge HUG!

I'm on hols from Saturday for ten days so if you need a place to escape to I have a free flat you would be welcome to use. In laws sound like they are being very unfair, do they have pfb syndrome with your DH by any chance?! My ILs have an awful case of it and when I was first pregnant thought it was all a ploy to get there money. Not that they have any.

Much love to you and P x

Turtle sorry you returned to more stress at home. This situation sounds pretty toxic at the moment. Perhaps a separation is what you need. Still, it must be very hard for you right now. Maybe you should camp out at the hotel for a while, rather than DH move out? Do they have child care?

DP - nursery at this stage sounds like a good thing. They aren't so little now and probably will benefit from the social side of it. Plus, you need some time out. I've been thinking about my childcare options for Sept if I do a course. Nursery wouldn't have been my first choice 6 months ago but now he's that much older I think it could be good. Will see.

HQ - love the look of your cake course! It's so cheap, too! But, I'm not sure I can commit a whole year. I'm a bit flakey so a year course may not hold my attention that long.

In other news, I've found a fun dress for the wedding I'm going to. And it was £39! Spending £30 on alterations but I think that's pretty good!

Woohoo...I'm a great Aunt!

Congrats turtle! Is baby nearby? Do you get to go and visit?

Good news on finding a dress JFly - do you have pics/link?

Wonder how evie is getting on, she is due next month IIRC. Bit quiet on here at the moment, must be lots of people holidaying etc.

I am so excited about getting away. I have had a tummy bug today and last night and DD had it over weekend I am so sick of us all being so ill. Think I need to move somewhere sunny or give up work, or both. Just so completely run down all of the time.

Turtle- so sorry to hear about your troubles, ILs soundreally helpful, so concerned about the dgcs wellbeing over their sons money

Ewe- cant believe you got another bug, seems you have had it all, would it be horribly insensitive to ask if you considered dosing up on echinea

HQ-I would def sign up for the cake course looks like so much fun but have nobody to be reliable childcare for a whole year

Is the zoo plan for the next wed still on? hol is cancelled here so could come

Well I AM GOING to the zoo. Am slightly worried they will keep DS though.

Anybody other than me and LD going to come?

Ewe- Poor you...you and T must have had every bug going this year. Baby is in Chiswick, so not a million miles off....just have to wait for invite. (Why haven't they invited me yet...baby is(checks watch)nearly 12 hours old!!!

Hi everyone. How are you all?

Turtle, sorry to hear about all that is going on with you. As before, my offer stands if you want to escape for a bit.

Back from Munich, and am in love with Germany. We spent three days here, so am thoroughly relaxed. Plus, after the initial horror at the 'textile free' rule in the sauna/spa/pool areas, I got really into it, and think I might be a bit of a naturist at heart. Ff was good for her grandparents, so everyone was happy. I missed her loads though, and was pleased to get home.

JFly, have you chosen a course? I am looking at nursery places for Ff at the moment. I have chosen to do the course over two years rather than one, so I should only have to do two days a week at uni. My plan is to stay as late as I can those two days, and get everything I'll need at the library so I won't have to go back into Oxford on my days 'off'. I think at this point, a day or two a week will do her some good.

Singing and dancing a huge thing here at the moment. We are 'row row row'ing our boats about thirty times a day, because Ff loves the actions, and can sing along (to a certain extent).

I should be able to come to the zoo next Wednesday. I am hideously behind in work thanks to our little German trip, but who cares?

Oh, sorry, meant to add, hope you and T are feeling better, Ewe.

Ooh, would really love to do the zoo, but would have to get there early-ish as I've booked a hair appt for 1pm. So, not sure if it's doable for others but I could meet you at 10am or earlier. What do you reckon?

Haven't chosen a course yet, FfFf. But it will def be just a term to start off with. That way I can make sure I like the school, etc. And textile free? That is very brave of you! I couldn't do it, myself.

Ewe - here's the dress. I'm having it altered to wear it on my shoulders, as is more flattering. Have also bought this necklace now just need shoes. I found some round toed black satin ones in Monsoon of all places that might just work. Think they need to be a little flirty, but also might go for funky and find some yellow ones or something.

Loving that dress, jfly - although in the spirit of naturism, I should admit that I have been known to go naked on several beaches in the UK and abroad (including while pregnant, although not since!) and indeed own a book called Bare Beaches to assist in locating suitable places... I do not have the best body in the world (size 14 in Monsoon, 16 elsewhere, and plenty of wobbly bits) but it is surprisingly liberating to just rip those clothes off!

FfFf - glad you had a wonderful break!

LD - oh no, why cancelled holiday?

Ewe - oh poor you and T yet again.

turtle - have you seen your great-nephew/niece yet? Baby must be getting on for 36 hours old by now...

Boring day in the office here ending on a low note with really bloody annoying issues with some IT developers. Dealing with them is a very small bit of my job, but the bit I loathe the most, and I'm having a particularly bad episode with them at the mo. Sigh!

Hello everyone! Just a quick stop to say hello, work has been 'mental' so haven't had time to read/post but hope everyone is well and avoiding oink flu

We're much better now thank you! So sick of us being sick though, the next week or so in France is going to a be a god send, we really need some R&R.

Would have loved to come to the zoo but away, could do the following Thu or Fri if anyone fancied doing something then?

Adore that dress JFly, great website, in favourites and think I will be buying come pay day tomorrow.

Ffreckle, Germany sounds fab! Glad you had a good time and absolutely agree with your sentiments of who cares about work?!

How are things chez Turtle?

Ooh, go HQ! It is liberating, isn't it? I would totally do it again.

JFly, that dress is lovely, and what a bargain. I've been looking at coaches rather than the train, and could get a bus to Victoria and then walk to the zoo, so wouldn't have to arse about on the tube with the enormous Quinny. 10am is doable for us.

Shame you can't make it, Ewe. Where in France are you going?

Jfly- Looove the dress! Did you get it from them or somewhere else...so CHEAP!

Re the zoo, I can do 10 too. Shall we meet at the zoo entrance at 10?

How are things chez turtle? Well, mysteriously my house has been spotless for days and I am eating what I like and going to bed when I like. DS is a teething monster but it isn't upsetting me so much. That's all good. Unfortunately, I keep having panic attacks thinking about how I would cope alone with two under two.

I bought the dress at Oliver Bonas and it was in their sale, down for £60 so not bad for full price, either. I'm pleased you guys like it! Will have to post a pic of final result.

Sounds good about the zoo. Will have to dash by 12 but you guys can carry on with the monkeys and meerkats without me.

Turtle is your DH out of the house at the moment, then? When do you expect him back? Have you been talking while he's away? I have my very ungrateful moments when I feel like I am a single parent. Obviously life would be very different if I didn't have DH, but sometimes when you have no help you wonder how different it really would be.

Jfly- Yes. He has been gone since I got back from hotel. He comes round at 6 to wind up see P for an hour but other than that we haven't seen each other. What concerns me is that I feel strangely liberated and happy and he moans about how much he misses us. He never spent a full hour with us before this week, really, so I dont see how it is different.
Sorry, I shouldn't really be discussing this on our lovely thread.

Before Bloke went to Afghan I was crapping myself wondering if I was up to dealing with Ff and the dogs on my own for four months. Seriously questioning my abilities as a parent and worrying that I wouldn't be able to look after them all.

However...now that he has been back for a fortnight, and my washing basket is overflowing, my beautifully immaculate house is full of clutter, and there are frickin' men's socks EVERYWHERE, I can honestly say that it was easier without him.

I'm still doing the majority of the childcare and dog walking, in addition to the cooking and cleaning - in my head I had convinced myself that he was loads of help when he was here, but the reality is somewhat different.

Basically, turtle, what you need to ask yourself is how different will being alone with two under two be to having your husband at home. Would he be more of a help?

Obviously our situations are entirely different, but the point I am trying to make is that you would cope, because you would have to.