June 2008: birthdays, bunting and bumps make mummy a little bit tired!

[pureeandpearls]

Bring it on!!!

Ktpie forgot to say - I'll applique the letters, onto squares, then quilt the lot. I'm a quilter...or I was anyway...

Viva - hope your lo feels better soon, apart from the sickness it sounds like teeth. And how many accidents can one family take? Thinking of your cousin's daughter tonight.

BDQ - well done of the pre pregnancy jeans

Poppy - I hope your dd has settled more quickly tonight. Does she settle herself in the day?

Thanks deb. Lottie is sick with absolutely everything, from a runny nose and mucus swallowing to a cough, so could well be down to the teeth [hopeful]

Have now scanned 4 patients, so think I might get a break for a bit... there's pudding waiting at home for me

Bloody hell Viva. Thinking of your cousin's daughter. Your poor cousin, too, what a heavy burden she has.

I bet it's teeth (hopeful too!). Poor Lottie.

BDQ well done on the jeans! Such a great feeling!

Ali sorry you've been feeling down. It's very overwhelming. DD1 went to a childminder 1 day a week from 14 months old. Just for the school day so I got about 5.5 hours to myself once a week, and it was a godsend. Would something like that help, do you think? In fact, this will be the first time I'll have had a 1 year old full-time. I was working part-time when the boys were this age and as I said, DD1 was with a cm once a week.

Deb how is the karaoke going? . What are they singing? That's a nice tankini and I'm impressed that you can wear one. I have an umbilical hernia so have a pregnant-looking pot-belly. Plus various cosmetic delights lower down my tummy. So a tankini isn't really for me. I'm really impressed that you can wear one . Reading your posts (and Five's) has made me resolve to be a top guest from now on. I thought we were pretty good, actually, but I now realise that things I thought weren't a big deal (like arriving really late) are very crap. So, we'll plan to arrive when we said we would, and check out promptly. Anything else we should plan for?

Poppy hope your mlik duct gets sorted out. This has been going on for ages and ages hasn't it?

Amber I don't know what impresses me more, that you can wear a tankini, or that you are so laid back about your c-section tum. I laughed when I read your post about Luke and pens. DD1 likes nothing more than to find hidden pens and draw all over herself, and everything around her.

Whinegums well done on your 2nd interview .

Sybil and everyone else - thanks for the sympathy . DH has already asked if we can leave a day late and I've said that we can't change our ferry tickets. I'm sure once we get there we'll be fine, we just get so stressed about going.

Sponge , ktpie, UDC hello .

Hope I haven't missed anyone!

Rolf - the singing stopped at about 9.30 so it wasn't too bad! As for being perfect guests, these are some of the things I wish our guests had done over the years -
1.definitely leave on time as the owner/cleaner may have a tight schedule to clean it ready for the next guests

1. doesn't matter about arriving early as long as you let the owner/keyholder know so make sure you have their contact details with you and not at home
2. no karaoke after 9.30!!!
3. try not to leave washing up to be done, a full dishwasher turned on is OK but a pile of dirty pots isn't.
4. if any of the party is sick or wets the bed, don't ignore it or try to hide it!!
5. Don't ask for a discount at the end because you didn't use all the rooms in the flat.

I'm sure Five will be able to add more!! Ethan has hear me typing, I must get aquieter keyboard - must go!

debs I shall take note of that list. Can't believe the discount for not using all the rooms

viva - what a lot of things to happen! I'm sure it is just the teeth with Lottie (I say just but poor thing must be in agony)

bdq great news on the jeans!

poppy - sorry to hear it's still hard-going with the sleeping. Still the same here last night, I ended up going to bed early again to get A to sleep. Could feel a tiny spike in his gum though so I hope it's temporary

Ali - I agree with the others, even one morning a week may help enormously

Thanks all for the swimming attire suggestions!

Amber - good luck with the house buying!

J has some pencils and likes to do some scribbling with them. Will have a look for some of the washable pens.

BDQ - J's fork is a little metal and plastic one, I gave it to him to see what would happen (I was a bit worried he would stab himself in the mouth and it would end in tears) and he loved it and knows what to do with it, so far he hasn't hurt himself with it. Takes blooming ages though while he tries to stab things with it but he is so pleased with himself once he gets something and puts it in his mouth, I only get it out of the drawer when I have time to kill! Obviously there is also a lot of general banging on the plate / table / anything else with the fork.

Poppy - good luck with the CC.

Debs- made me laugh about the karaoke, poor you!

BDQ - great news about the jeans!

Poppy - I had it in my head that the nursery voucher was when they were 3, not sure where I got that info from though.
What has your MIL done?

Viva - what a horribe weekend for you and your family, hope nothing else happens and they are all on the mend.

Essie - quilt sounds great, keep seeing lovely quilts and am tempted to give it a go. Stupid question - do you hand sew them or use a machine? How long do they take you to make? Can we see some pics when you are done? I'm getting near the end of the cardigan I've been crocheting forever so going to need another project!
Is it the irun you are going for? Have heard good things about it.

I'm also impressed by all the tankinis being worn, I think I would be going for some high support swimsuit if I had any plans of wearing such things any time soon. No chance then of my belly escaping!

Rolf - good luck with getting on holiday.

Debs- do people really ask for a discount at the end of their holiday for not using all the rooms!

J has his 12 month jabs today (at 13 months ).

Thanks everyone for your support and suggestions. I have been casually thinking about nursery for a day or a couple of mornings a week. A day at nursery here is £56 (half days £36), so one day a week would be over £200 a month. Although we are comfortable, we are also quite frugal with our money, so I don't know whether I could bring myself to pay out alot of money so that I could do the cleaning. I am certainly thinking about it though.

Deb - I read your list of things guests shouldn't do with trepidation. I am hoping that you didn't put the thing about turning the dishwasher on being okay just because that is what we did .

This week my plan was to put Peter in his cot after lunch for a nap. However this morning whilst I was in the shower he fell asleep for 50 mins. He is now looking very perky, so don't know what to do next.

Better go, Peter has done what must be his 4th pooh today

Ali that's really expensive isn't it! I paid £3.50/hour to the childminder, so it was £21 for the 6 hours. Sometimes I used to do jobs (or more often fanny around pretending to do jobs) but quite often I'd go into town or get my hair cut - things that are difficult with a baby.

Hi All, I'm too sad to comment on everyone else's posts. Our offer was turned down on the house we wanted and we put in one other which was our final offer and they turned that down too. I must say it feels like being dumped or being made redundant where you know you did all you could but it wasn't enough. I know it sounds utterly crap when there are other people in hospital with broken vertebrae (how awful by the way and I hope she gets better soon Viva)but I feel so miserable. I need some advice. Mark and I are thinking of putting in another offer for the minimum amount that they would take. The thing is Mark already said he would only go so far as he didn't think it was worth more (dunno what he based that on though). Are we just being silly - should we leave it? There isn't anything else on that we like and house prices may go up. Also we haven't researched other areas. I just felt like I wuld be happy there. Dunno why. Even though it smelled of poo and wee.

Ali - I didn't even think about when you stayed!! No, honestly the dishwasher's fine, I know people can't wait for it to finish before they leave. I would look into a CM too, if you can get one for a short amount of time, maybe there's someone who has time in the school day when the rest of the mindees are at nursery/school? I used to work mornings but one day a week tristan stayed for the afternoon too and it was a godsend.

Viva - how's your cousin's daughter now? Is Lottie better?

Ktpie - how did the jabs go?

Ethan has put on 700 grams in the last month - Yippee, so the Dr is off my back. I did give him an extra banana after breakfast though before his appointment!! MMR ent OK, usual scream, then Dr gave him a lolly, I said Oh that's his 1st - the Dr was most amused that he hadn't had one before. Babies and children here seem to be fed Haribo from a very early age.

amber - sorry to hear that, must be so disappointing.
They may just be hoping that you'll up the offer again. From watching too much tv, I've gathered that sometimes it's worth waiting a day or two before going back to up the offer? (if you really want to that is?). Tbh it's likely as well that if they don't receive any better they may well come back to you (this happened to me before as they'd been greedy, accepted a higher offer which fell through and then came back to me for my original offer). Anyway I'm rambling

lol at the wee & poo though - did it really?

Amber - is there someone else interested in it?

There's nobody else interested in it. They've never had an offer before but they have lived there for so long they have paid off the mortgage and have no real need to vacate. That's why they are holding out for what they want. They don't think that we will up the offer as I said it was our final offer and we couldn't go any higher and pretty much closed off the conversation. I really want to show you the link but people will think I am crass (if they don't already)!

By the way - sorry I can't remember who asked but someone wanted a link to the place in Portugal - here it is Portugal

people won't think you're crass

Does anyone know where 5 is this days? Thought I saw her on another thread, but don't think she's been on here recently?

I won't think you're crass. My nosiness outweighs pretty much anything .

Amber - that is rubbish, the whole house buying / selling malarky is such an emotional rollercoaster. I guess it depends on how happy you would be if you paid the minimum they want, would you always be feeling that you were done? Sometimes letting them think about it for a bit (if you can bear to) works. We've lost out on a few houses and then always ended up with something much better for us in the end. Go on show us the link!

The jab went fine, he hardly flinched as the needle went in and didn't cry. The nurse gave him some chocolate buttons as a reward for his bravery. Have a feeling the one next month won't go so well, he will be wise to it then, although the memory of the buttons may override it all!

Debs- glad to hear about the extra weight!

Ooo the idea of baby free time! Sometimes I feel quite jealous of people back at work for having a lunch break all to themselves (those of you that get a lunch break!). I used to love my lunch breaks. Best bit of the working day, going to town, going for a walk, meeting up with friends, going to the pub etc. Is it a bit strange that that is the main thing I miss about work!

show us the link, I love looking at houses, I think we've been chatting together so long on this thread that everyone knows we all lead different lives, we know it's going to be out of most of our price range but people don't have to click do they.

Hi, quick post as mum and dad here.

Amber, sorry to hear about your house - would second what others have said about giving them a bit of time but, if they are in no hurry to sell, you could be on a hiding to nothing . Fingers crossed. Did you dismiss the idea of renting for 6 mths cos of possible rise in prices? It's a tough one.

ktpie, I don't get lunch breaks so don't feel too jealous!

Ali, you have my sympathy with the childcare thing - we're trying to work out if we can still afford to keep A with his CM one day a week when Bill arrives but it's going to be tight .

Ok Sponge I won't feel jealous of you then!

Viva, hope C is ok, and your cousin - what a nightmare.

Amber, sorry to hear your house news. Let's have a look at it though!

BDQ - pleased for you on the jeans front. I will try not to tempt you with cakes on Monday. Maybe.

I have a couple of tankinis - and I'm certainly on the porky side. I got one recently from Bravissimo, and it didn't ride up thankfully. I dunno, I feel better in them than a one piece. I would NEVER wear a bikini (not before surgery anyhow).

ktpie, glad jab went well. Must remember chocolate buttons for B's next one.

Well ladies, I got the job! I'm very pleased - and relieved. It will be full time, which is going to be knackering I think, but it's well paid, good holidays and conditions, etc. As of tomorrow, I start looking for childcare (I have 6 weeks to find somewhere and get B settled in), so give me all of your tips. I don't have a preference at the moment between nursery and a CM - I just want as good as possible.

Ktpie- I won't lie that best bit about being at work is reading on the train and first latte of day at my desk. So your lunch thing makes sense.

Viva- how are things today? And Sybil?

Sponge- that's tricky re cm - can see benefits of keeping Alex there.

Amber post the link - fwiw we had same thing with offer on house dh loved but they were clearly timewasters ( we offered asking price no chain and they still didn't take it- not a shock as they still live there). Found our place that I love so am sure something will come up.

Deb is your knee better?

Whinegums - congratulations Great news And ktpie don't be surprised If you get some days of bad nappies.

Congratulations Whinegums

Amber I was very flippant in my post and forgot to say that I'm sorry you're stressed about it.