Dec 08 mums - from rolling to sitting and everything inbetwean

[waitinggirl]

there i've done it - hope that is ok.

Hi,

Thanks a lot for your thoughts, I really appreciate it. Its horrible and I feel so guilty for feeling glad it wasnt me.

Daisy, sorry about your day, glad things are getting fixed.

Jump, SL, do you fancy a Cambridge meetup ? Was there one planned for next month to coincide with Kayzr's trip down here ? Would be good to have something for me to look forward to, I think I have been getting down stuck here. The place where I work is in the middle of nowhere and my friends mostly dont live locally)or have moved away) so be good to have some social contact.

Trace Hope you are OK. I feel sad a lot at the moment, I dont know if that is circumstances, hormonal, or both.

Tilly: glad you had a nice time at babygroup. I'm inclined to think there are a lot of nice people out there waiting to meet you (and a few grim ones, but hopefully we can spot those in time )

Arti: hooray for the -ve result. DH and I were tgalking about the possibility of DC3 and the consensus is not bloody likely (so far at least). I'm not ruling it out altogether, but 2 is enough for now.

On the same vein, has anyone any experience of the progesterone injections/implants? I get on OK with the mini pill (no side effects that I can see) but I do occasionaly forget to take it which is a faff, so I thought of going for a semi-permanent option.

DS1 still refusing to sit on the potty after our mini-breakthrough and has been v clingy and whiny. I think it's spooked him a little, so will be leaving off mentioning it for a few days and see what happens.

Daisy: glad the plumber's been, what a nightmare! Hope the insurance people get their act together soon.

WG - obviously I am not a doctor but what you describe does not sound like shingles. I have had it twice and it is not itchy, instead it is bloody painful. The nearest sensation I can like it to is being scalded with boiling water. And it looks like a cluster of tiny pin-prick red blisters. I hope that is helpful.

DH has returned to the happy news that we won't have three kids aged three and under. We have always liked the idea of three but right now we are all parented out. I have to say I have found the jump from 1 to 2 much harder than I found 0 to 1. It is just so tiring and unrelenting with two. I love them both dearly, and live seeing them together, but I do feel I have lost sight of any other part of my life. For that reason we will wait a good few years before considering number three. I am 30 so luckily we should have the luxury of a bit of time.

Actually this is quite a funny illustration of many of my friends' feelings about having two kids. I normally have both DDs on a Monday but having been ill all weekend I could not face it today so swapped DD1's days with the nanny so that I just had DD2. I normally take them both to a toddler group on Mon afternoons. It's for 2-3 year olde and DD1 and I have been going for ages. Most of the mums are local mates of mine, most have recently had second babies. Today I decided to go along even though I did not have DD1, basically I just wanted a gossip, but I was slightly embarrassed to go to a todfdler group without a toddler. Anyway I overcame my embarrassment and went and on my arrival found 4 of the 7 mums had palmed their toddlers off fir the day after arduous weekends! We all just sat there revelling in only having one child to care for, and an immobile one at that. Lazy slatterns that we are.

Daisy, I meant to say earlier that I am so sorry about your house. That sounds scarey, stressful and expensive in one horrid package.

Hello everyone,

JJ Those caramel shortcakes are so yummy, I could eat a whole pack . Hope the good night is repeated very soon.

trace LOL at your chat with Lucy! Urgh, about the headlice though. I had them once and shudder to recall how gross it was.

tilly You were right. No way would I allow DH to feed DD in such a drunken state. He has wanted to feed/pick her up when stumbling and drunken. I agree that it isn't fair for them to use drink as a way of avoiding their duties though.

NJAN I'm so sorry to hear your news. That is just dreadful.

daisy Glad you can start clearing up. That must have been a huge shock.

jam We're sticking with the dummy. DD only uses it for naps if she can't settle. It is a pain when they fall out though.

Thanks for the bath seat info veggie. DD loves it! Thanks also for the sunshade recommendations tilly and zoe. I ran out of shopping time as we leave for Germany on Wed. Lets hope it isn't too sunny .

I might not have time to pop in tomorrow so I'll say cheerio now. See you all when I return. Auf wiedersehen .

Evening girls! Bit of a busy weekend (what a surprise) - Saturday was lunch with an old friend of DP and his wife and 3 yr old daughter. The wife was Britain's most Anxious Mother, it was a little alarming. Then yesterday was cricket all day (we won again). Today I have been trying to work, but......

NJAN - sorry about your rotten news. Just awful.

And Daisy - oh my ears and whiskers, how dreadful! But just like when DP totalled the car, you just end up feeling glad that no one was hurt.

Arti - sending big phews your way. How are you feeling now? Hope it isn't still The House of Ill...You must indeed read the Cazalet Chronicles. I love them so and I am such a fusspot with books. Absorbing and yet relaxing at the same time.

Welcome back, young PMK! Listen, don't you be blue, missy. Am I going to have to break my diet, shrug off my exile and march to London to cheer you up? Actually, I am planning to come to London this week if anyone wants to meet up - Weds, Thurs or Fri - towards end of the week better. In fact, Friday most likely.

And welcome back indeed Ms Turnip! Huzzah. Most excellent to hear from you. Was starting to think we'd driven you off! Glad to hear the young 'uns are all ok.

Tilly, I couldn't decide one way or the other about your dilemma so glad you sorted it anyway...

Kayz - sorry young F has been in the wars...

Syb, what was the pub quiz tie break? Dying to know!

Effie, I have started using my Clearblue thingy. Bit like Persona. It's bound to end in tears. Progesterone only doesn't suit me, it makes me incredibly depressed (I had a course of it once).

Modern, hope the own room thing goes a bit better tonight. It is still early days.

WG - hmm, hope the DH is ok...

Veggie - enjoy your time alone. Sometimes it's a luxury, isn't it?

Trace, I don't believe in slapping so I am not going to slap you...

Jam - I can't even think about ditching the dummy. She has it to sleep and if she is grumpy and not in need of something obvious like a cuddle, a clean nappy or grub. But I think she has finally learned to grope around for it herself and shove it back in.

I am sorry not to type more but I feel a bit weary. I do fret so about my work and it's always worse at night (isn't everything). I should stop moaning - DD is such a joy. I noticed there was a programme on tonight about working mothers and having it all. I didn't watch it, because I felt it might be a downer. I do want it all and at the same time I suspect I am on a hiding to nothing as it's not possible! Being a mum who is around a lot and yet who has a career (if not more than one career) and a social life...hmmm. Oh well - onwards and upwards!

Cross posted, Jolly - have a lovely lovely time.

Speaking of working mums, have been looking into the cost of childcare when I go back to work. Eek. It would almost be cheaper for me to stay home and do nowt - what kind of a system is that? (rant rant). DS1 is entitled to some funded childcare once he turns 3 - but only from Jan 2010. So I may end up taking the full year after all. Which would be nice in some ways but mad in others. Had a chat with DH - upshot is he is depressed as hell but has agreed that I could take on reting out the flat as A Project - will start doing me research...

Effie, childcare costs shocked me as well. If I had gone back to work, I'd have made just enough to cover the fees, seems pointless to me! With the potty training, I had a potty in the living room & whenever we were home, would take ds1's nappy & trousers off. He soon started using it himself, especially if I didn't say anything. Maybe this would work with ds1?

Ladyt, sorry you're feeling a bit down, hope a good night's sleep helped. Out of interest, does your cricket team play around West London? Can think of a couple of teams near me & wondered if they'd play there (Kew & Richmond).

Jolly, hope you have a lovely time in Germany

Need to get the house into some sort of shape today, its such a tip .

WG Both my Grandad and my Dad have had shingles since I had DS and Grandad had it while I was preggers. 'Apparently' according to my Dad's GP DS (and any other LO's) will be fine and not catch chicken pox as long as they do not touch/come into contact with the blisters while they are weepy. For us that was fine as it was on Dad's back so easy to keep covered. And as for anyone Pregnant I assume the same applies, plus if the person has had CP then they are 'immune' anyway. But if the pregnant person has not had CP I would ere on the side of caution and perhaps stay clear till the blisters have dried up. Needless to say that neither DS or DD have caught CP of either off my family members.

I was in bed yesterday by 8pm, exhausted.
BUT after DS having only one 20 mins nap yesterday he still woke 3 times in the night!!! He is always out of sorts when he doesn't sleep in the day (and he never sleeps that well on a good day).

Jolly have a great time in Germany!

tillY do you fancy bringing your feather dusters and hoovers over here today?

Morning,

Just been out on the bike[falls over]. OMG I am so bloody unfit!!! I thought my legs were going to fall off!!

Jolly Have a lovely time!!

Tilly When you have finished at Daisy's you can come here if you want.

I'm now going to lie down!!

hi all,
[tired emoticon] I hope this LO get's over the jetlag sooooon - slept 6pm-midnight thirty then fed, then up from 2am every hour or was it every half hour? It was a blur.... He doesn't know if it's day or night hungry or tired poor bugger! Same after last long haul trip but not as bad as this....
Flat is back on the market and hopefully with a viewing today
Lady hi - possibly, you may have to.... actually i'm feeling a little better this morning despite being up all night with jet lagged baby We have a new dishwasher being delivered and installed towards the end of the week but still waiting to find out which day from the landlord... Just reviewed it and apparently it's crap - great.
Speaking of ovulating... I have had wierd dragging period like pains which were too high up so therefore ruled out period return, and we put it down to smooth muscle spasm, but now they have gone down lower to the appropriate place for such - but no period? Did anyone else have the pains for ages without the actual period? Or am I way off the mark? I have my grand plan of trying to concieve at the end of this year but would need the old P before that can happen I suppose..... don't want to get preg right now though, wish I could just press a button!

Girls, I am back at work already (on the payroll but using my holiday up before I go back). Once I am properly back and with the nanny (plus DD2 at nursery waiting for DD1 to go to school and DS to get a nursery place) I'll be spending virtually all my salary on childcare. Great. The nanny is £9 net per hour which, when you add on the tax and NI, is probably more than I'm on. Hey ho!

Cricket - my DH is a huge fan, so we may hook up with some of you over the summer. I can do blanket and picnic, though rest o it is a bit take or leave for me.

Quiz tie breaker (not that there was a tie, as we WON, ha ha) - what is Homer Simpson's greatest fear? Anyone know without googling? Can't believe I knew when Lady Day was, what lives in a formicary and how many symphonies Mozart wrote, but fell down on Homer sodding Simpson....

To horse! Back later.

Ladyt, a feather duster won't cut it here either but am trying to keep on top of it all by just doing a little bit each day!

daisy & kayz as much as I'd love to come & see you both I'm afraid I have to draw the line at cleaning, I struggle to do my own

kayz how are the legs feeling now?!

pmk hope ds gets over the jetlag soon.

I have a favour to ask, I know veggie has just done a sponsor request but I have one too! Its the Race for Life I'm doing in June so anything you can spare would be great: www.raceforlifesponsorme.org/jokeoghsmith. Don't worry if not though!

I'm just watching a documentary on surrogacy, its amazing what some women do for others to enable them to have a family!

sybil sock puppets

ladyt the cricket book sounds interesting (for dh!), will have a look for it.

Lady - that's where I live (border of Wimbledon and Raynes Pk) SW20 for now anyway! perhaps I could pop along!
I was about to venture out for a walk as it was brilliant sunshine, and now it looks grey might do some cleaning of the flat and see if it improves... Pains could be PG? hope not, and also doubt it! That would be a little alarming to say the very least - i need a few more months! My holiday was way too boozy as well
Do any of you know the appropriate time after birth one could still attend a "post natal pilates class"? there is one on a wed near me, but I fear 5.5 months may be pushing it? Perhaps i'm lookihng for an excuse not to try I really want to - i'm just scared... Would it be wrong to just go to the venue for a hot stone massage instead? Just tried B on some Cauliflower and cheese - didn't like it much but perhaps that was as it was a dinner time food the only one he has ever loved that I tried is banana custard, great - what happens if he only wants the sweet stuff?
ok off to get some tidying done.... then a weather check! Wow I totally over used the emoticons in this post!

I don't know, Syb! Great question though. Er...polystyrene? Cockroaches?

Well I tried DD with a little mashed banana yesterday. I thought she'd love it. She acted like I was giving her dog poo on a stick No proper weaning here yet though DD is 6 calendar months on Monday. She just has a taste of something solid once a day.

I think pilates should be fine by now, even after a cs. But have a massage anyway!

Right, I MUST do some work. Aaargh.

I was actually wondering if it had been too long since his birth? They say ok from 6 weeks but I thought they might think the class would be too easy since I'm fully healed? Yeah - dog poo on a stick, that's the response I got from the carrot / potatoe I gave him to try yesterday!

Agree childcare is a quite astonishing amount of money. Hence my working from home part time and looking after DD at the same time...but I am going to have to be a lot more organised than I am now, and I think it's going to be hard: full time mum, doing the equivalent of a full time job, full time housekeeper/cleaner and full time social gadfly don't compute!

Tilly, I need a tv crew to descend and do the full shebang, a feather duster won't quite cut it around here! My team play mainly around Oxfordshire but we have a game at Raynes Park on 14 June (nr Wimbledon, I think, the far side of Barnes.) We always used to have a game in Richmond Pk but that fixture's gone for a burton which is a shame, although I think if we went there it would remind me too painfully of DH. We also have one game in Hampshire, one in Bucks, couple in Bedfordshire, and one at Hindhead in Surrey. If anyone has a DH/P with a love of cricket, my DH wrote a fantastic and hilarious book about the team (which is actually enjoyable even if you don't like cricket)...Indeed if anyone is near said areas on a Sunday, I am to be found frowning by the boundary with a picnic blanket and DD between the hours of about 2 and 7...

PMK - I had that period pain but no period thing, but that was a couple of days before I did a pregnancy test and realised I was pregnant! Not v helpful, sorry. It all takes a while to crank up, doesn't it, particularly if you have been breastfeeding. I hope little B gets over the jetlag soon. I think I am going to come in on Thursday or Friday so I will let you know, in case you can be persuaded out.

Ain't coffee marvellous?

Just realised that because i'd like to have DC3 between june-september, next baby won't be here for over 2 years. Feeling a bit

Syb - is the answer based on the episode 'Homer's Phobia' where we fund out he is homophobic??? (I used to live with the world's most annoying Simpson fan).

PMK - I highly recommend post-natal pilates as it concentrates on the abs and is a good intro to the whole discipline. It may also be a great way to meet other local mums.

ok thanks Arti, so I'm not too "post" natal to take the class? feels like ages ago I had ds
Oh and Tilly, yeah that might be a bit far for the baby group - it's about 10 miles from me, so I probably should go to a closer one..... just gotta get motivated.... right off to look up the water babies info again. Tilly when are you starting the swimmming at Richmond?

Re Simpsons answer see my earlier post - sock puppets!

Pmk, thought it might be a bit too far! Tbh, haven't thought yet about swimming for ds2 but will probably start taking him soon on a Tues or Weds am when ds1 is in nursery. That will just be on my own, not for a lesson. Would you like to meet up & go together?