May 07 - The Terriffic Twos. (No harm in being optimistic, I say.)

[twelveyeargap]

Morning ladies. Sorry I have been AWOL. You'd think with DH having been at home for a full month that I'd have had time for MN. Actually no, if any of you have ever had a DH at home for a full month you'd know exactly why I haven't had time. Get your mind out of the gutter Gin, it's not that.

Thought I'd start a new thread since MKG's lovely girl arrived such a long time ago!

April, am very sorry about your friend. How sad.

Have only had a skim through I'm afraid, but Scoot; you obviously have the patience of a saint dealing with all those tantrums, so I think you'd make a great driving instructor. Is it really what you want to do or are you trying to think of jobs to fit in with family life? Is it a reaction to the current job do you think?

Congratulations on the wedding plans SKY.

Belated birthday greetings to everyone I've missed and happy birthday in advance to all the rest. Seriously, if I go off to find the birthday thread it might be weeks before I get back!

LG&T, is there any way you can channel B's energy into activity? A gets quite naughty when she's bored or hasn't been "out". "Out" can just mean the garden and "out" means she doesn't sound so loud to me, thus killing two birds with one stone. I'm wondering if you being (understandably) afraid to leave the house with him is actually making things worse? Something like a trampoline in the garden could be great because all the bouncing up and down would use up tons of energy and wear him out, whilst also being "fun" for him and "quiet" for you.
Also, re B's nappy rash. Remember A had a hideous rash that needed anti-biotics etc? Well it went away and then was back a couple of weeks later. I thought it couldn't possibly be teeth again as she seems to have all her teeth. Took her off milk and hey presto, the rash was gone in 18 hours. Plus her soft, foul-smelling poos have turned into normal firm not-awful smelling poos. She's fine with butter or the occasional bit of cheese, but any more lactose sets her off. I wonder could B have a similar problem? A's excema also got worse on milk and is now clearing up. I think it's probably temporary, she had a similar problem last year, but for now she's on rice milk or the Lactofree products when I can get hold of them.

I was at the doctor on Weds to get my Mirena removed and replaced with a copper coil to see if my libido would come back. GP couldn't "find" the Mirena. I have to go for a scan to find it, then to a family planning clinic to have it removed if they do find it. She said it's probably just lost, rather than come out, but it's kind of put me off using coils altogether now.

DH still not redundant yet. It's been a month since he was put "at risk". He's seeing HR today and I suspect this will be the final meeting and they actually sack him. His manager admitted they were hiring new people for the desk, but not for "his role", which is just a load of crap. You can't make a position redundant on the basis you want to hire someone "more senior". That's just a staff upgrade. Hopefully they'll make a settlement offer today, otherwise he'll have to appeal and start sending solicitors letters. However, he's had loads of interviews, lots of callbacks and good feedback.

Bonny Bobby Shafto's coming home. Oh how beautiful. I may pen a short story in celebration. I don't know enough rude words though.

Tilly, fab bump but where's your head?

Charley, you did not come across as shy. Not at all. I understand though, have just stopped dissecting the meet and wondering if I made an utter prat of myself. Probably but there you are.

Hope it's nothing AM. Slightly too early methinks. They do say 3rd labours are the strangest. Will be thinking of you.

I detest potties. Brillig that dd is trained but parading through your abode with a pot of human waste several times a day is not up there on my list of favourite things. Can't mange the toilet yet.

Offered dh sexual favours for R or D shoes. Said no. To the shoes at least. I've sunk to a new low. I need purple shoes to go with my purple hair and purple handcart.

Yes you do and i am pretty sure you could find enough rude words...

AM is in hospital still, she has a UTI and is on antibiotics. They have not ruled out pre twrm labour but hoping it is just the UTI making her uterus irritable.

They will have to transfer her if labour starts, no SCBU beds there She is feeling glum poor thing.

I may have woken her at 245am or thereabouts as i had not heard from her Poor girl.

Dh is home this morning

Right 2 poo nappies to change and a house to hoover before i get really excited

How long is he back for?

Poor April, I will send her a text.

How exciting LG&T.

Was woken at 6.45 by Lewis who then went back to sleep - I am still the only one up! I could not get back to sleep. Bless him!!!

I didn't think you were shy Charly. I thought everyone was very nice and the only hairy handed trucker there was DP!

Enjoy LG&T

Fingers crossed for AM xx

I obviously also meant to add - fingers crossed for AM x

Tell Sailor Joe I said welcome home. Give him an indignant prod in the ribs from me too, big bully that he is. We'll see you back on here in approximately a week then. Think of us won't you. Well, actually, don't. Not at inappropriate moments obv. Although I would be very impressed if you could use 'I beg of you' at a key moment and not snigger.

AM, man up. Get on that phone of yours and get chatting. As discussed, you're wholly capable of letting us know yourself when you're crowning. The day you stop posting is the day we stage an intervention. Let's hope if you've got a UTI and there's no progression or pattern to the pains it's just the infection. Exact same thing happened to a good friend at 35 weeks, thought it was time and it was a UTI. Eventually had her dd at 42 weeks. Please God not that long for you though. About 38/39 weeks should be perfick.

Reading a really fascinating book about thermodynamics (don't tell me I don't know how to live). Entry level obv as am thick, but interesting. Been musing about irreversibility and physics. I've never liked science really, too cloyingly precise, no unanswered questions but there is a sort of poetic beauty in it. Must read some esoteric existentialist text immediately. Also re-reading Jane Eyre and trying to plough through a book on dom/sub relationships and collaring. Which is interesting really from a thermodynamics/existentialism point of view if you wear the right goggles. Sorry, am insomniac atm and thinking out loud. DH in bed and snoring. M is sweeping.

Thinking of you AM, hope all is well and things calm down so you can go home.
LGT - enjoy your time with dh. As RDF says we'll see you in a week's time.
Well it's Day Three in the Big Brother potty training camp, so far so good. Looks like well be inside all day today though as the weather is seriously pants, that means potentially lots more carpet cleaning! I'm going to have a mad housework day today, I have decided.

You do make me laugh RDF - but I also feel I should be more interested in things outside the home - my reading matter is soooo boring - but I did like the Twilight 4!!

I am barely containing my shock . Can you tell. DD1 has just come downstairs dressed in leggings, tshirt and trainers and said she has the urge to go out running! I was pmsl. She is also on a low carbs diet! - I beg of you .

I want to go out at 11 and she wants to come with us and will now need a shower - no hang on - she may not break a sweat

AM chin up love. xx

LG&T whoopee. see you in a week

Been to the dentist again am now on first name terms with them all. The entire left hand side of my face is numb, I sound like a stroke victim, and it might not have even solved the problem next step is root canal work. God damn sensitive teeth and knobby nerve endings.

He slept again last night and for 3 feeds yesterday latched on stayed on and fed beautifully for 10mins each side. I have just given him a bottle as am not sure 3 tubes of local anesthetic are a good thing for him to be sucking down right now and he faffed with that more than boob. So good to know it defo isnt a supply issue he is just a royal pain in the bum about feeding.

Just spoken to AM - she is staying in until tomorrow as things stand, but is in good spirits. She is glad to have her bag and be out of the hospital gown!

Will be thinking of AM and watching for further news.

Wow at CM's post. I'm in Yorkshire at the end of this month but on the wrong side of Leeds from you (Ilkley) and will be dependent on trains (Leeds or Bradford).

Very serious reading RDF. I've just finished a recent Marian Keyes book and have started reading Sarah Waters' latest, courtesy of the library, though I've also just agreed to review a book for a review site run by online friends, and will have to read and write to deadline.

elkie, let me know how you find the latest Sarah Waters. It's on my maybe list atm. I have so much to read but she is good.

at Charley

at SOH and her existentialist musings. Get thee onto Camus and Sartre forthwith. I am reading a book about running by a running novelist.

April, I know you will read this in the morning, so I hope you manage to get some sleep tonight. We are thinking of you.

I really want to read the Sarah Water's one but am trying to wait until its out in paperback. Have you read the 19th Wife ?

I'm hopeless at keeping up to date with hwat I should be reading, I never know what's good. I need a literary advisor - SOH? I have only just read My Sister's Keeper and it made me sob. I knew it was sad but had no idea what happened.
AM, thinking of you tonight in that undoubtedly noisy hospital ward. Hope you get out soon.
Well, I hardly dare say it, but I think we may have cracked the potty training!!
After thinking it was an impossible goal she woke up this morning, asked for the potty aand has done so all day long without a ssingle accident. I am so proud of her and looking forward to a reduced shopping bill now I longer have to buy nappies!

TMAM, Camus perhaps but having written the most tedious essay on La Nausée ever spewed forth from postgraduate boredom I'll give Sartre a miss thanks. Simone de Beauvoir on the other hand. Oh I could read some Borges. Ooh... Foucault, Heidegger (skim over his links to the Nazi party), Derrida.

Dammit, somebody lend me £9,000. I'm still desperately sad that I couldn't afford to continue my PhD. Why does nobody outside of the AHRC fund arts based theses? Buggers. Somebody pay me to waffle. It's the only thing I'm good at.

And apropos of nowt, Alan Duncan, for example, is a twat.

Tilly, I just came across the Sarah Waters in my local library and couldn't resist. I have huge quantities of books to read, library borrowings at the moment alone will take me until I go back to work to read. (I might actually read more at that point).

Abby, what you should be reading? I don't worry much about "should be". I was quite surprised I got through as many books as I did in Conor's first few months - I've slowed down a bit although that may be partly that the books I'm reading now are mostly much longer.

I didn't really mean that how it sounded Elkie. I mean, there are often people talking in the staff room for example, about the books they are reading. It's normally new stuff, and I always feel a bit like - god, I wish I had the time to read!! I have made a concerted effort recently to borrow more from the library and I'm really enjoying it. I'm afraid I'm a bit of a chick-lit girl but I also like the odd thriller type, not too gory though. I am terrible also for remembering authors names. I'll read something, enjoy it, and then forget the write the name of the author down for next time.

YAY i'm home!!

Thanks for all the messages on here, FB and text.

Couldnt get on MN in hospital as battery was failing and had to wait until last night to get my charger.

I do/did have a UTI and am on AB's for the next 5 days. Was causing irritation to the uterus but seems to have died down now. The usual BH's are back to their normal strength and they now have no patter.

Got to see Lucy again on tuesday night as they needed to scan to see which way she was laying and the good news is that she is head down

Watched Ugly Betty on C4 last night and fell asleep shortly after 11. Got woken at 3am by a lady who had been been induced at 8pm and was now in need for transfer to the CDS. Was fairly quiet apart from the lady opposite who snored! Woke again at 7.45

Kids have been booked into nursery this afternoon and tomorrow pm so that i have 2 days to do nothing. Dh is off to Scotland tomorrow morning for the touring cars and my sister is coming to stay to lend a hand which is great.

Thanks to LG&T for 'forcing' me to call CDS and also to Pink for calling and brightening my afternoon.

Off to have a catch up xx

Welcome back to the fold AM!

Glad you're home AM and all is well

So who's up for a north/mids meet up ? Me, PJ and CM are in. Potentially looking at a spa day in Chester - quite a cheapy one (about £45 each) ? Possibly sometime late Sept/early Oct ?

How are you feeling now April?

I would love to meet you northern lasses but you are all far too attractive for me to be seen near you.

Who is Alan Duncan?

Went into town with dh to get lunch, wasnt there an hour and was totally knackered. Got home, fell asleep on sofa and woke up an hour later.

Still dont feel 100% but at least the bh's arent as painful as they were.

Can really tell now that L is head down as i can feel the pressure when i walk. Have all the clothes that were in my hospital bag going round the wash at the mo so they can go straight back in the bag ready for big day. Have added a few little toiletries to the bag after my trial run as well as some snacks.

Have also decided to have a shower and wash hair every night now just in case! I dont usually take my make up off til the morning but am so pleased i did on tuesday otherwise i would have looked a right state!

Kids werent all that bothered to see me more interested in the peppa pig fairy cakes i got them in greggs!

How are you enjoying having dh back, have you let go of him yet???

AM glad to see you back with us and in good spirits.
Today was good - I dared to venture out for the first time since pottytraining started. We met some friends at the park for a picnic and R only had one accident. I think it was only because she was so busy playing. I was so proud of her, she did really well, telling me every time she needed a wee. In a way it makes me a bit sad - she's not my baby any more but a real big girl. Sometimes it's like having a conversation with a much older child. She always amazes me with how well she can communicate.
TSM - I will possibly be in for a north/mids meeting. It will depend on dates for me but also on dh. He starts a gtp teacher training course in a couple of weeks and he's going to be extremely busy in the first few weekends. Leaving the kids at home with him and disappearing would not really be fair. Let me know how plans progress and I'll hopefully be able to join you.