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

[pureeandpearls]

Bring it on!!!

Whinegums - both SIL and my mother both had problems with ex wives, my brother was refused access to his 3 for 7 years.
When DD was 1 we went for a combination of swimming costume with floats on and floats on the arms which you remove one at a time when they get better at swimming.

I get allmy swim stuff for DC's from here

7 years 5 - that is just awful. Does dd enjoy swimming 5?

When they got back in tyouch, Nephew was kicked out of school, had serious attitude problem, stole drank did drugs, his sister was pregnant at 16 and the youngest was suicidal, drinl problem and self harming, now with alot of hard work from SIL they are 3 lovely young adults.

Loves swimming, both of them do which is good. We are though very lucky in that parents hada awimming pool at their old house and now have a small indoor one at their new house, hopefully fingers crossed we are going to put in a natural swimming pond this winter.

Poppy, yes, Genesis beats Bruce in the dad rock stakes.

Bloomin heck Five, what a nightmare for your bro and SIL. Sounds like his ex did an excellent job of parenting her kids. Why oh why are some people sent into our lives just to fuck it up I wonder?

Ta for tip on swimming floats too.

Hello, things much better here now, more sleep! Although it's taking more than 2 nights to recover from the bad three. Plus I got my period, dammit, so it's made everything worse! Iestyn slept fine last night though, but now I'm really anxious he'll revert again when Tim goes. Silly, but I'm panicking before the event. (As usual! )

Conservation velux Neenz, are a total and utter annoyance! I've no idea why they've been put in here (cheap job lot, knowing the developer) because I don't live in a conservation building. They're black, don't have a wooden frame (not one which shows anyway), and they open like a jack-in-a-box, outwards, with a handle on the side. Which means you can't fit a blind on them, or get shutters, or anything... [grr] I WANT THESE!

I'm undecided on car seats - I'd chosen the Maxi Cosi priorifix for my isofix, but Tim is doubting it and thinks the kiddy infinity would do the job. Any opinions?

Also, advice on train travel gratefully received!

That was a crap post! Five that swimming website looks all professional! Do they do stuff for flabbies like me?
Amber can't believe the walking! He's really cracked it! Deb and Ali have a lovely time - it's raining here. Hello to everyone! It's quiet on here!

Essie

Oh yes pleased to announce that after 8 months on soya products and following dieticians advice we gave Sebastian milk today (not on his birthday just incase he was ill) and no reaction at all, no sickness, no runny poos, no screaming as he as tummy ache, just need to keep an eye out for eczma, so hopefully he has grown out of it.

Five - that's great news

Hope you have a great time with Ali

Hi all, it's just taken me 3/4 hour to catch up and typically I can remember none of it.

Well I can certainly vouch for 5's salmon. It was delicious and the first time I've ever tried salmon. I have an adversion to fish (can't stand the smell) and unless it is Captain Bird's Eye cod, will not entertain the thought of passing anything else past my lips. However, the salmon looked so nice so I tried some (and this was before I knoew it had been cooked in the dishwasher .
There was also home made coleslaw and mayonnaise as well as a variety of other delicious foods.
We had a fantastic time at 5's home and the children had a whale of a time with the sandpit, jenga, playhouse, croquet etc etc down on the bottom lawn.
The adults had a great time with the food, drink and company and the weather was kind to us. Thankyou 5.
I can't believe my little man will be 1 on Tuesday. DH is off work this week and I've taken Tuesday off as well or my normal Wednesday. DH is bulding us a coservatory and we're hoping the shell will be fit for Luke's birthday party on 4th July.
Am a bit pissed off at the moment with DH's family, and so is he to be frank.
We've arranged 2 parties for Luke. One next Sunday for DH's family and the a larger on e on 4th July for my family, godparents and friends (including 5) which will incorporate a surprise 40th birthday party for my SIL who turned the milestone on Friday. Anyhow, contacted all the outlaws last week and PILs said they can't make the 28th because the Bishop is visiting the church to officailly open the extension and then they are going off to the official dinner. WTF? They dodn;t even bother to ask if we were going to do anything for his birthday before deciding to do this. They knew for a fact we wouldn't do anything on the Saturday due to DH's committments to cricket (4th July we have a bye weekend - so that's OK). So no grandparents, the BIL called today (after a message being left last Sunday) saying that they would have a hectic weekend, and that his 2 girls were working and what with dropping them off and picking them up, they wouldn't have time to pop in. FFS they are 19 and 17. Have they not heard of public transport? Nephew and Niece haven't even bothered to respond, so at this moment in time we just have DH's eldest brother and wife calling in.
Well, I'm not going to go to much bother then. They can have sanwiches and cake and just make it a high tea. Bugger if I'm getting the alcohol out.
Sorry about the long me post, I just needed to vent.
Happy birthday to all the babes.
I'm going to crawl back under my rock now........

5 that's great that the intollerance seems to have gone.
Thanks for yesterday, we had a great time

Five, that's great news about the milk. What were his symptoms before? My SIL's little boy vomits as soon as anything with milk in hits his stomach - it is amazing, once at MIL's she gave him some sweet potato of mine that the DTs didn't want, he spewed straight away, then I remembered I'd put a bit of milk in it. She is going to reintroduce it soon but it seems such a severe reaction she's not hopeful.

A bit wiped out here as been to a christening today and birthday party yesterday - a fab weekend tho!

E got a new tooth which has really surprised me, I didn't think she was teething despite the troubles she has been giving us recently . She has another coming through too (on the bottom, the two either side of the middle two). So that probably explains all the crying at bedtime (and maybe we can go back to 2hr lunch sleeps now [please] )

Ktpie, yes a windbreaker round the tent helped us contain the kids, you can't put it right round obviously or you won't be able to get in or out, but we put the pram and a cot in the gaps to contain the kids during the day. It worked quite well. We let them roam about outside of there too tho - we found they didn't go too far so not much running after them really.

Amber, love the vid of Luke. Trainers that light up! How cool. We are going to get E's first pair of shoes on Wed .

Whinegums, lol at learning not to buy her dad any more presents .

Rolf, yeah I know you ham it up - he does sound lovely, I smile at all his idiosyncracies cos I know so many lawyers/barristers and they are all a bit like that I think! I can imagine my DH doing lots of the things your DH does.

This morning I got myself and the DTs up and ready to go to the christening, packed the car and got their food etc ready for 9.30am, bloody raced around as usual, DH just got himself up . It is father's day so I let him get away with it but I dread to think what would happen if he was in charge of getting us out of the door at a certain time in the morning. Tho I suppose he would soon learn, like I've had to. But it takes him about 45 minutes just to get them dressed (and then they look a right state )

Armbands for swimming... we haven't used them. I think they stop kids from learning how to swim properly because it stops their head from going in the water, but if you are just going for a splash about rather than trying to make him into the new Michael Phelps then there's no harm. You can always take them and try them with and without. But it's not like you can let go of them in the water anyway. E has a swimming cossie that has floatation tubes in which someone gave us which is OK but it makes her really unbalanced so again you can't let go of her so what's the point.

x-posted Libralady, happy birthday to Luke for Tuesday! Can't the outlaws come to the 4 July party? Are they coming to see him for his birthday on another day? I can kind of understand the bishop-church thing - that will be a big deal at their church. High tea sounds good anyway!

x-posted Libralady, happy birthday to Luke for Tuesday! Can't the outlaws come to the 4 July party? Are they coming to see him for his birthday on another day? I can kind of understand the bishop-church thing - that will be a big deal at their church. High tea sounds good anyway!

Hi Neenz- god no I can't have the outlaws at the 4th July! Last time we had a get together, MIL fell off my dutailer nursing chair, FIL tried to pick her up, then they lasted about 1/2 hour before he got too cold (he hadn't brought a cardi/coat with him so they went home.
We want a bash where our friends/godparents can let their hair down and have a few drinks without the staring eyes upon them. Don't get me wrong, I love my PILs BUT, they are so much older than my parents, and friends - they are 85, where as my parents are 64 & 70 and our friends/godparents range from 33 - 50.
I know they are churcheys, but even DH commented that they never used to go every week and now it is a source of knowing what is going on. I swear they sit in their dining room and watch who goes past the window and if god forbid they don't do it one the world will end. It's like last week, MIL phoned me to see if the lady opposite her had had her baby! And all because our sons are in the same class, so obviously I'd know! Apparently 'there had been a lot of traffic in the cul-de-sac and a lot visitors going in and out of the house'.
Anyway, what is more important - a church dinner or thir grandson's first birthday?
DH&I know we're not the favoured siblings of the family.
When I called them the other week to invite them over for DH's birthday BBQ - I was told we'll see how Dad is (OK he is in remission but it is now used as an excuse). Whereas obviously they know he'll be 'OK' a fortnight in advance for the bishop. We're always being told, oh we're going to DS1's for dinner today. or we went to DS2's for tea on Sunday. It is so frustrating. Whenever we offer it always seems to be too much trouble and we only live around the corner from them - literally a 3 minute walk.
DH is the youngest son, and obviously a lot of our time is taken up with the children at the weekends (and cricket and golf and DIY), whereas DH's brothers have children aged 30 & 27, and 20 & 17. Maybe it's the kids they don't like

Sorry I'm pissed off

Quick one Neenz vomiting, very nad runny poos, eczma, and windy, crying because of it. I would tell her to take him off milk entirley and see what happens, ask to be referred to a paediatric dietician.

Going to bed now but can help more in the morning.

If she is FF, try a soy formula, also soy milk for cereals making sauces. If she is struggling to cook then can reccommend the 'Plum' range of foods.

whinegums I'm glad you've had a good talk with your DP! We don't have that added complication but I'd never have a negative view of a second partner. No one can understand what happens in a relationship from the outside and it's unreasonable to take a side (unless directly involved).

Rolf I'm relieved that Neenz has reassured you - your stories about your DH reassure me about mine. Have I mentioned that he's forgotten to feed DS1 before (for 8 hours, before DS1 could talk, was wondering why DS1 was so grumpy) and put him to bed without any blankets or sleeping bags. It's just pure absentmindedness.

poppy no idea about the duct but very sorry to hear it's still bothering you. How crap.

DH and DS1 camped in the garden on Saturday night. It was a good practice run as DS1 was so excited it took him two hours to get to sleep. The plan is to do this every weekend until he stops acting up because I'd never get Fraser to sleep if Duncan was climbing all over him and jumping up and down in his sleeping bag (which he thinks turns him into a caterpillar). Neenz I'm very impressed - I hadn't though of the extra challenges of camping with two instead of one before now!

whinegums DS1 loves his armbands as they make him more independent in the pool so I'd recommend them from a fun perspective (the ex-swimming instructor in me hates them as they don't aid the kids learning to swim but I still use them).

deb and ali I'm very jealous!!!

5 what great news about S and milk!

neenz DS1 has a reaction to milk like your SIL's boy. He's just on milk again now (at three) so it'd be worth taking him off dairy for a while.

I'm sure I've forgotten to say loads.. (waves to everyone else)

Great news about the milk 5 and it sounds like you and libralady had fun at the weekend!

essie glad the sleep is better. S still a bit hit and miss but we had a completely undisturbed night last night which was bliss! We have taken to a bit of CC-lite over the last couple if days i.e. Leaving him for 10 mins to see if he stops crying once we put him down or when he wakes in the night and mostly he's been asleep by the end of the 10 mins. Although the other night he cried for a solid hour at 3am.

Poppy, sorry you're still bothered by your duct, that's a major pita.
Sorry for everyone else I've missed but need to go and play chase the giraffe!

Yeah SIL is seeing a dietitian etc about her LO and is using soy milk, she doesn't seem to be struggling too much with it even tho it must be a right pain.

Libra - ooh, some issues there with ILs. As I have said before on here, all bets are off when it comes to PILs, cos what can sound quite normal to an outsider can really rile the DIL/SIL. My MIL does the most innocuous things but they really wind me up, like the other week she looked after the DTs here while I went to vote, when I got back she said 'I would have brought your washing in but it's not dry' I said 'Oh it's been out all day and usually dries in that time'. She said 'I think it is because you haven't stretched the washing out enough' (I had only put the babygros and vests on with one peg each). Grr. It was dry anyway but tea time just as I knew it would be but obviously I just don't know how to hang washing out! Anyway, could they be annoyed that they are not invited to the 'proper' party on the 4th? Do they know you are having two parties?

5 good news re the milk.
Libra sympathies re ILs as do sound painful - and neenz are your ILs coming on holiday with you nex time? Forgot where that got to
thanks for all advice and sympathy re blocked duct.

lol Poppy, funny you should mention that! We are going to Witney (Oxfordshire Cotswolds) in August. PILs haven't asked to come BUT BIL (DH's bro) and his wife live about 30mins drive away, and coincidentally he is having two weeks off work at same time in August (and his wife is a teacher so is also off, but they are not going away). So PILs said yesterday they were going to go down to stay on a site near BIL (so also near to our site) for five days in August to see BIL and said 'we could all meet up for a bbq' Grr! I don't really mind meeting up for one bbq but I think I have made it perfectly clear that when we go for our main 2wk holiday I would really prefer it to be just us four. But obviously they cannot get that into their heads . And I am sure BIL and SIL would rather they didn't hijack their two weeks off together either! They think they are so great they can't think why we wouldn't want them to come on our hol with us . I am really not that bothered but they don't know that do they, they are just so hard-faced, can they not get the hint?! I bet SIL is fuming - five days of having PILs there when her DH takes a precious two weeks off!!!

whinegums meant to say earlier that I'm glad you and DP have opened channel of communication! If he thinks you aren't tidy enough he should get a cleaner .

Lots of sympathy to all of you with step families to contend with. I always think that must be really tough. Elements within my own family give my cousin's wife a really hard time about how she treats his daughter - and that's on top of all the hassle with my ex.

Ali, hope you have lots of fun at deb's place.

Quick q - anyone tried any booster seats yet for feeding? Any recommendations? Am getting a bit fed up fighting for highchairs when out and about! Looking for something that'll do for home as well as out and about.

Neenz I can sympathize with your problem pil. My mil lives in a really nice beach/tourist area and when the kids were younger we used to wait until she had booked her summer holiday and then 'borrow' her bungalow for a fab and cheap holiday while she was away. To be fair, while she was happy to let us stay there, she was never happy about missing her precious son/gkids while she was away. As soon as ds1 was at school she stopped going away in school holiday time so that she would be there when we stayed over. And she spends the whole holiday with us, any attempt to go out without her for a day is firmly refused. As dh works long hours and holidays are the only time the kids and I get to spend any real time with him this quickly bacame too much and we stopped going.

Now that the kids are older she has tried to re-introduce this by asking them if they are going to visit her/the beach for a summer holiday. They of course always say yes and are then very upset with us when we say no. Its a pain in the ass tbh.

Bdq I have a little cloth harness thing you fix to chairs -doesn't boost them though but it is portable.
Neenz am with you- if I was your sil I wouldn't be happy.
Edie suddenly got into teletubbies - chats back to them - whoever thought it up clever as it is clearly one year old fare.

5, Libra - sounds like you had a good party

Sorry to hear about all the in-law/family woes, my parents are divorced and I'm an only child - I have different problems!

Poor Ali has had a very wet day here in Austria, hope it improves tomorrow.

Sybil -nice to see you back, where've you been?

BDQ google inflatable booster seats, you cna get them from argos, plain or we have a winnie the ppoh one, sorr I can't do a link but computer is acting up but we have one and they are great.

When it rains in the mountains, it really rains. Not to worry, DH has -a- -cold- manflu, so isn't feeling up to doing much. I made the most of the inactivity this afternoon by having a long sleep. A few weeks ago we discussed on the thread not being nice to poorly DH's, well I am definitely guilty. He is always poorly on holiday. I do feel sorry for him, but the mean side of me is cross because I think he grinds himself down by working too hard, and then gets ill as soon as he stops.

On the positive side Wimbledon is on the TV and we have opened some wine. Deb - come and have a glass if you fancy it.

Dinner is ready, better go.