JUNE 2008- tantrums, shrieking and lashings of Gin (and that's just the mums!)

[pureeandpearls]

Thread number 123 or something like that

Oh, that sounds great Going. Glad you have cheered up! Good luck with the Bumgenius, they are supposed to be brilliant. I have to say when we were away camping and using disposables it was so much easier. No flushing poo down the toilet, washing, hanging up or putting nappies on twice (nappy plus wrap), but I still wouldn't switch back. I have found disposables to be quite unreliable in the past but have to say the ones we used this time (Pampers Active Fit) were great, no leaks at all. And I got £2 off with a voucher from Tesco (Essie will appreciate that bit too!)

Just wanted to clarify that I am not disappointed now with my friend who has given up BFing, I was disappointed at first (before I realised that she was struggling to get her to latch on - previously she had told me the baby was latching on fine, so when she told me a day later that she had given her a bottle I was a bit ). Also I think a few posts ago it came across as if I was disappointed when she gave up after 6wks, but I meant this time when she gave up after 2 days. Anyway, it is not my business as you say Ali, it is hers and having twins is not the same as having a newborn and a demanding toddler. It's funny you say about your friend who gave up after 12wks cos me and my friend have another friend who had no problems with BFing and gave up after 12wks, well my friend who gave up after 6wks was really annoyed cos she would have loved to have carried on but it was just too hard and she felt that the other friend just didn't care. I am going to see her tomorrow anyway and everything will be fine cos we are the greatest of mates and she knows what I can be like sometimes .

The DTs have started chatting to each other, it is so cute! When they are in their high chairs they turn to each other and cluck or go da da da, and they reach out to touch each other. They are brilliant . And they slept from 7pm last night till 8 this morning . They wake up earlier than that but just play in their cots till we go get them!

x-posted there Essie! North Wales can be SO windy can't it, we were going to go there for our summer holiday but decided against it for that reason. We are going to Witney near Oxford now, hoping for a bit of milder weather!

I agree that glasses make your eyes go worse, it must do cos your eyes are not 'practising' iyswim, the glasses are doing all the work. I have certainly found that since I started wearing glasses, and the optician even said the reason I needed them in the first place was cos of looking at my computer screen all the time and not looking long distances often enough. But my niece (10yo) has had glasses since she was very young and it has never been a problem, it's just part of her now! A very cute part I have to say.

Right, must go and hang this washing out.

What a morning! I decided to go to the NCT nearly new sale - to see if I could pick up any bargains, and also to see if it would be worth trying to flog some stuff at the next one. Horrific!!! It was packed into a tiny space, soooo busy, and like a jumble sale. Stayed for about 10 minutes, and that was only because that was how long it took me to get in and out. Then I got caught in rotten traffic on the way home - I forgot it was some big football thing at Hampden. (I don't follow Scottish football - can't stand the religious bigotry connected with it here - so no idea what was going on).

Sigh!

Neenz, nice to see you back, glad you had fun camping.

Had some other stuff to say, but the pygmy requires attention so hope to catch up later. Hope you're all having a good weekend.

whinegums I'm going to an NCT sale tommorow so it's interesting to hear it's so awful! The one I'mn going to is in a new bigger location but at the last sale I was told it was very busy.

Going - glad you have had such a morale boosting week, sounds like lots of fun.

Whinegums - I haven't yet been to an nct sale but they are meant to be v popular and people rave about the bargains. Based on your experience though I am glad not to have been able to make one. I find tk maxx hard enough!

I went to an NCT sale once and had a woman snatch a packet of onzies out of my hand. We promptly left. I think I'd rather do without than go through that stressful and experience!

whinegums you could always cheer for the Dons - football in Aberdeen is religion-free

neenz how do you have two kids who sleep for that long in a row? Even DS1 was up last night looking for his pillow .

Going - sounds like you had a fantastic week.

Essie - yes it was me with the wind/ball pool advice!

whinegums - NCT sale sounds horrendous.

Neenz - dt's sound delightful, wonder if they will develop a language of their own! I feel like ds1 and 2 have that when they speak in German to each other!

Ali - will e-mail you shortly re holiday

Had a lovely day here, at Zell am See lake, Ethan went in a sandpit for the 1st time and loved it, enough so that he even ate it too. Will put photos on FB later.

going glad you had a nice week

essie thread here most embarassing thing your child has done - and choice of pushchair sounds good.

neenz agree with the holiday photos being so cute -they are so big...and how cute is the talking thing - dada and wow are all purpose words round here...

Ah and whinegums re NCT sale -altho have heard talk of that from others (plus the best stuff being kept back by organisers).

deb am very inspired as was dh so we are also doing the ball pit idea too but going with the little tent thingy so is easier to clear away .

had failed trip to swimming today - after turning up at wrong time yesterday - basically got there and edie became completely hysterical (which she almost never is ) so had to leave... said we could change and do another course. DH of opinion that she knows /doesn't like this place (it is very hot/strongly stinking of chlorine plus teacher there) -she didnt react that way on holiday as loved swimming. He reckons should just take her ourselves and skip proper lessons til she is older ... this is what he did with the big kids and they are great in the water (dss in particular is practically a fish - no proud emoticon here but wish there was one). What are others doing - I know ali was going swimming I think.

and ali the same thought had crossed my mind re 5...

I got some great bargains at our NCT sale - couldn't believe how cheap people were selling stuff for! Bummer it was crap for you Whinegums.

I think the DTs have been catching up on their sleep after camping which is why we have had two nights of 7pm-8am. They didn't sleep nearly as well in the tent but I am hoping they do better when we're away next weekend (going to Winsford in Cheshire - only 45 mins from DH's work so I'll go pick him up and we'll be there by 5.30 ). Not holding my breath though!

Yeah Deb it will be cool if they have their own language, I am trying to do sign language with them too but they haven't picked anything up yet. This is probably a silly question but do you speak fluent German?

Good luck goingto! I hate crowds, so I was probably being a bit optimistic, but I did think it was very badly organised, and such a stupid space to have it - in a school, but in a couple of small rooms, not in a big hall, clothes all chucked in one room, and then toys and equipment three floors up! V clever eh, as so many folks had buggies! Doh! I'm sure there are bargains to be had, but too stressful for me to search for them.

Aberdeen - I actually should support the Dons - my great uncle, Archie Glen, played for them in the 40s and 50s, and was capped twice (I never knew him though!). Don't know if I ever said, my grandma was from Aberdeen.

Essie, I love the Quinny Zapp, it folds down to nothing, but can't justify buying one.

Poppy - pop up tent and tunnel were some of the best presents Stefan had.

Swimming - I never took the boys to lessons at this age, I think there's too much pressure on you -the parent. Does the teacher smell that bad?

Neenz - I wish! I can speak German but it's pretty bad, especially compared to Stefan!

Just popping my head round the door to say hello- beginning to feel a little better so thanks to those of you who asked.....my day with twins turned out well and Essie looked very glam for her posh wedding. But I am off to bed as we have a house full tomorrow.

There was so much I wanted to say, and I can't remember a one....

thanks deb - I had also seen those tunnel things and thought they looked fun. And nice to hear that i'm not being too precious re swimming. nothing wrong with the teacher but edie seemed to pick up very quickly on what other kids were doing (ie if she was waiting to be dipped under by teacher , knew the words they were using) and kicked off..suspect the teacher didn't want that kind of troublemaker in there - actually the class really reminded me of dog training.

I bet stefan is fab at german - have friends whose dd is of similar age and they are amazed how she can chirrup away in french to pals/their parent adn then turn round to do same in english. essie that'll be iestyn I guess

lol Poppy - you said it smelt of chlorine and teahcer!!

well teacher may well have smelled - but edie took real dislike to the last one and seemed to be going the same way on this one. Bodes well for the future doesn't it ....

Hi all - thought I'd better pop in before you finished another thread! ;0)

Busy week here in Wimbledon, I have seen lots of head shrinkers. It appears I do not have PND (yay) but I do have manic busy periods (I painted our kitchen at 4am...) followed by lows and overall anxiety. Anyway, it finally looks like the head shrinkers have cone up with a solution, so fingers crossed Penguin will be back to normal by June. Does posting at midnight count as manic? :0)

Only read this page, so sorry if I am missing anyone or anything.

Essie/Neenz - I wore glasses for long sightedness until about the age of 12 and it corrected my vision so I haven't needed glasses since. My sister had the same thing, but wouldn't wear her glasses and has needed them ever since.

Neenz - Please post a vid of the twins chatting, that sounds wonderful. Ry and a certain Welsh baby did it for about 5 secs a couple of weekends ago and it was so sweet it nearly made me cry.

Whinegums/Goingto - I was warned to only go to NCT nearly new sales if you are selling, that way you can grab anything you like before the -mad- -hormone- -driven- masses arrive.

AliP - LOL at TKMaxx.

Poppy - We had dadada for a while here but now it's all about Mumumumumumum which is driving DH barmy. :0)

Deb - Was thinking about getting a tunnel, but discovered the box that our garden furniture came in fits the purpose. :0)

A teacher that spends her time in water and still smells, I'm almost impressed...

Missed you all and will try and keep up!

Deb - Pls can you do a link to your place again. If I mention mountain biking, may get DH interested...

OK bedtime now. Night y'all.

Penguin - lovely to hear from you , glad things seem to be turning around for you.

Austrian Family Holidays

Neenz, my twin brothes developed their own language and didn't really communicate/speak properly til they were about two and a half cos they were quite happy just to babble to each other!

PP, that's great news about the PND - and fingers crossed for a full recovery soon. Would be lovely to see you back.

Hi to everyone else .

poppy I was a serious competitive swimmer and I didn't start lessons until I was five. I think as long as they get used to the water, formal lessons don't matter until they're older. I haven't had time to put DS1 in lessons (because I went back to work full time) and he seems very comfortable in the water.

essie I've the quinny zapp and like how small it folds. It is a pain that it doesn't recline but DH is good at propping it up on a slant against a wall.

Penguin glad to see you

DH off on a four hour bike ride this morning and I have to get petrol (is a good chance I'll be stranded on side of road), take boys to church, and dash out for a birthday party, all before 11am. It's worse than a weekday - I was very jealous when he left this morning!

welcome back penguin, glad the docs seem to be getting somewhere!

NCT sales tried one when pg, never again, turned round and came straight home again - how on earth can people who are pregnant or have small children cope with that level of packed crowds????

Swimming - I was desperate to take ds to swimming and we did 2 terms of water babies. He hated it throughout; in hindsight I wish I'd listened to him and given up sooner, I think it was quite traumatic for him. Caitlin would love it I'm sure, she loves baths and having water poured over her head, but life is too complicated to be able to take her! I am going to just start taking them myself as soon as possible - my brother will want to teach them to sail if we go down to norfolk in summers so they need to be able to swim.

Hey all. Essie we are having a ballpool but planning to use it inside primarily. It is very small and should fit nicely inside playpen. We will only use outside as a paddling pool.

We are also not doing swimming lessons but Jamie goes into the pool with dh when the older two have their lesson. They just splash about to get him used to it and we will get him lessons when he is older.

Afternoon - what a lovely day it is (here at least). We walked through some beautiful bluebell woods this morning. Just perfect.

Poppy - we tried swimming in the Autumn and did classes. It was a bit of a mixed bag, and I decided not to continue. However, we are about to try it again this week by ourselves. Fingers crossed. I am not feeling very confident especially as P is now not at all impressed when I lie him back in the bath.

Deb - thanks for the email. DH amd I need to agree on a week and then come back to you.

Penguin - nice to hear from you. Glad that the shrinks are helping you to find a route through this.

Hi all,

I am still around but don't get the chance to catch up any more. Have I missed anything significant?
Life is still as hectic here as usual, although DH has been off work for the last 3 weeks, which is really strange. 1 week at Easter as I couln't get any time off work, and then the last 2 with pneumonia. He's been as weak as a kitten, so I've been having to deal with all three of them.
Hope everyone is alright and the little ones are thriving. Can't believe Luke is 10 months already. He's crawling and pulling himself to stand and it seems he is no longer a baby and I had a little tear in my eye earlier as becase he's my last, I'm going to miss him being dependant on me IYKWIM.

Hi Libra and all the other VIP occasional visitors! Penguin stay well!

Had a v. busy weekend - with a lovely wedding to go to, where a passer by commented on my Puree's hat, and Iestyn was looked after wonderfully by...Puree! He didn't pine (clearly having a better level of care there than he does at home ) and neither did I, so now that I've been away for the first time (somehow work doesn't count) I can do it again! Mind you, we had an horrific night until 1.30, but once he had settled - knowing we weren't leaving him again - he slept through. We're all now back in Wales. Being bilingual, Poppy. Iestyn won't have much English to start with - it's Welsh only at the moment, because English is very dominant - but he will be fully bilingual. Like me! I'm a funny case though (and he will be too) for linguists, as I'm a native speaker of both languages, fluent in both, but English is my second language. (Not that strange, though - but it makes a difference to certain studies.)

Poppy Iestyn goes to Waterbabies, and only started a few weeks back (before Easter). First session was a total mare, and he cried the whole time. Then he sort of got used to it, and he appeared to like it last week. I think at this age they're more aware (like you say - Edie sees the others going under and thinks 'no, not for me, thank you!'). Another girl brought her baby Jack the second week, and Jack is the same age as Iestyn, and has only just got used to it.

Thanks to all on the comments on my new Quinny Zapp - makes me feel better for not buying secondhand, and for spending all that money. (Although it was well reduced, Whinegums, which was my justification!) Abdn you have got to get a photo of this propped up pram! Iestyn went to sleep in it on Saturday, all upright. Is this serious? Social services or just Not Very Good? Or is it ok?

Very of all the NCT stuff. There is no NCT in this area. If I wasn't so unnatural I'd consider starting it.