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

[pureeandpearls]

Bring it on!!!

Hello everyone - was supposed to be DS1's birthday party tomorrow but Fraser has chicken pox!! They are mainly on his neck but seem to be spreading over the rest of his body even as we watch. Apparently they can take up to 4 days to all appear which is a bit scary as he's only had it for about 30 hours and he's pretty covered. However so far he's totally happy which is a blessing.

What's not so easy to manage is taking next week off work. DH will have to lose a day's pay as I've a critical meeting on Monday. Unfortunately his day's pay is more than I earn in a month after childcare so it feels really painful. (It's not that he makes so much, it's that I clear so little). Anyways, we're trying to find a way for him to work from 7am-9 and 2pm-6pm to see if we can sort of call that a full day. Everytime I feel like I like my job and I'm glad I'm working something like this happens and I get so frustrated and worn down...

I think my post is more self-centered than Amber's, sorry! I'm off to bed now though as it's past 9pm! Hope everyone's well.

Poor Fraser - and poor you! Better that they get chicken pox young though - get it out of the way. I hope you get your work situation sorted out.

Abdn - poor Fraser and what bad timing - birthday and busy day at work. Hope that your dh can do the revised hours and still get paid.How's he feeling today?

Amber - glad Luke likes his new car

Aggh! Fraser's now got pox all over his bum and scrotum. The poor sweetie! He was up in the night crying and I don't blame him. I was hoping he'd have a mild case (I'm eternally optimistic) but it seems like he doesn't. I know it's just a rite of passage but it still sucks while it's happening.

Oh Ah, that sucks. Bad chicken pox is awful, I hope he feels better soon.

My ds1 has been to camp with the Beavers this weekend. He has returned a bit bashed and bleary-eyed but full of how exciting it was. He commented that he found it hard to sleep away from home and I said, 'oh darling, did you miss me?' Thinking oh good because I missed you, and then he said, 'no, but I really missed Mr Monkey!' I am nowhere NEAR as important as a soft toy obviously.

DramaQ - I have been wondering the same thing about what to get rid of what to keep.

Deb - That is so sweet that Ethan's looking for Peter and Ali.

Whinegums - How did the trial cake turn out?

Amber - V v jealous of Claridges. Glad you had a good night out.

Ryder got a trike from my brother that for now has a handle on the back that we can push and steer but turns into a normal trike when he's older. We could race our boys.

Picnic in Hyde Park was great yesterday, wasn't too sure about the Pretenders but Seasick Steve was great, as always. Survived and actually enjoyed being with family and on/off frenemy.

Abdn - Poor Fraser. Your work situation sounds tough. Hope you are able to sort something out. Would DH's work allow him to work extra hours to make it up? What if he called in and said he couldn't work in case he was infectious? They might be more understanding that way...

Sybil - @ camp.

PMSL Sybil!
Abdn sympathies, and also Amber. I'm wondering whether to try to expose Iestyn to chicken pox - I was a bit older getting it and scarred badly.

Sponge and all other Londoners, the meet up was discussed here (although we mainly whispered so that a certain sponge woman wouldn't hear ) but I'm back again in London next week if you fancy a meet up. We went to a soft play place and it was really good, and Iestyn got really brave and crawled up this gigantic slope! (Penguin must laugh because I thought for a minute you'd described me as cute...!)

Five sorry didn't see you there but there was a blur of colour where there was a superhero building furniture and simultaneously ironing!

BDQ how did the cake go? And Ktpie was it you with the fan oven? I used to make cakes all the time, then moved into a house with a fan oven and it all went a bit Pete Tong. But I got an oven thermometer - get one - and realised that the oven was faulty and actual temperature was more than 10 degrees hotter than the dial said. I now finally have a functioning oven - it's coming up to nine years...!! Rolf we always, always had the same chocolate cake which is a yummy recipe from my godmother, and it's even kosher! Dead easy to make, but it's such a hit. And BDQ my no. 1 cake wasn't brilliant. I hired a tin, but it wasn't a tin, just a shape; I had to put it on a baking tray. I ordered one from Lakeland, but it didn't come, so I had to use my old one, which is warped (I now realised...), and the cake mixture seeped out under the sides of the 1, so I had a sort of o13 effect. I then had to quickly cut the 1 out and very quickly eat the bits. Then my entire family - Mum, Dad, Brother (not my sister, she's gluten free) complained that there was too much buttercream on the cake! First, it had to be so; second, typical - only blood relatives would comment like that!!

Who else have I missed?

I'm back in Wales now, and I will declare that NEVER AGAIN will I travel by train to London with Iestyn! Journey there was ok, but journey back was hideous. In brief: I cried loads so Tim felt he had to come with me to Crewe to help me change trains (no direct ones on a Sunday - well, not till 5.30). No, really, I'm pretending - he actually is that kind, that's why I married him. (No joking.) So we arrived at Euston half an hour early, which is good. Not so good - I was hungry as usual (still bfing, still eating, but now gaining weight...). However, train after ours was cancelled, but there was a train which should have left as we arrived but hadn't gone yet, so we decided to make it for that one. (No BK for me. ) We got on it, decided to upgrade to 1st because of all the people milling around. We then sat on it till the time of departure of our original train (1.35) and stayed seated, at Euston, till past 2pm. Meanwhile, another train was cancelled and everyone got on ours. So over an hour late, and totally crowded, with slum situations in the toilets (peeing out of the window would have been better than the toilet I visited). Iestyn was ok, but for the journey Crewe to Bangor he was really awkward - tired, but wouldn't sleep; wouldn't sit in his little chair for more than 5 minutes; ditto my lap, ditto the train seat. He was fed raisins which worked for 5 minutes, but he basically wanted to crawl around, but with the drunks and stag dos (train goes to Holyhead...) it wasn't really appropriate. Arrived Bangor 20 minutes after his teatime, with no tea for him but my Mum picked me up. Anyhow, the stress was immense. Also immense stress being in London without a car - I went to Sainsburys, bought 1 bag of stuff, but couldn't carry the pram, 1 bag, nappy bag and me onto the bus (it was really hot and I'm made for rain!) and Iestyn started screaming, the pram got stuck under the non-pram-friendly bus, I yanked it onto my toe snapping half my toenail off, and the Sainsburys bag split. Someone said 'are you allright' and I said obscenities in Welsh. And then I kind of saw myself as this sweaty middle aged woman with bad hair and a baby all stressed out and wondered how I got there... But I'm ok now!

Had to rant there - sorry! Back to London next weekend for a whole week, with the car. Should be better!

Oh Essie that sounds hellish!

Haven't made the cake yet - party not till Sunday so plan to do a practice run during the week.

Aberdeen - sorry to hear the pox ruined your weekend, that really sucks.

Too tired to post any more.

Amber, v of GR treat. Have you recovered and hope Luke is better.

Abdn, that sucks. Hope you're all ok. Poor Fraser - but at least it'll be over and done with. Like Essie I got CP when I was older, and have some bad scars.

Penguin, the trial cake was ok, but I think I'm going to try a different cake recipe. The first one is good, but a bit dense and cakey (!), I want something lighter and moister. However, that means is may be more crumbly and difficult to decorate. Still, under a pile of green frosting, who's to know?? Would love to see Seasick Steve, he's fab. Satisfied myself with watching Bruce Springsteen at Glasto on the box, and got quite excited about going to see him for real in a couple of weeks.

Essie, nightmare. I hate public transport. I hate it with a passion with a pram in tow.

Knackered this morning. B only awake once during the night, and not for too long, at around 2am, but up from 5.30am. I fed him, but for the past couple of mornings have given up on trying to get him back to sleep. The upside of this means he conks out for a nap after a couple of hours.

I have started a thread in travel about flying long haul without a bassinet/cot thing or a car seat. Does anyone have any tips? We are on Monarch when we go to the Maldives, and they don't supply anything. We haven't got B's forward facing car seat yet, and would rather not take one anyway. It's an overnight flight going out, so I think he'll sleep ok, but I could do with some suggestions about how to keep him safe and comfortable. Daytime flight coming back, so no doubt he will want to crawl around and annoy charm everyone.

Essie - I'm worn out just reading about your trials with public transport

Ali - where are you? Still recovering from Austria?Ethan is still expecting to find you in the big apartment

PP - picnic sounds good

Abdn - how's Fraser and what happened about work?

Sybil - aah at Mr Monkey

Whinegums - does B have his own seat on the plane? If so, maybe you should invest in a really cheap forward facing seat that will keep him in situ when needed.

Hello to whoever I missed, Five , fancy a holiday in Austria - we'll need kitchen cupboards building next week

Cheers Deb - I did consider it, suggested to DP we could borrow one, but it's just another thing to carry. As we won't need it at the other end (transfer is by speedboat, and apparently you can walk around the entire island where we're staying in 20 mins!) it would be a PITA to take one, along with buggy, luggage, etc.

Would you be able to attach the phil and teds I rave about to a table, do you think? Probably not. Here it is: Me Too

OMG - Essie - what a nightmare - I would have cried the whole journey.

Whinegums - I don't envy you long haul with a baby. My only advice would be to remember when you are on the verge of parachuting out of the plane, it will all be over in a matter of hours and you will soon be relaxing on a beach.

Luke is still ill. He would hardly eat anything all weekend and was all hot and bothered in our greenhouse flat. I was pleased to see him eat some weetabix at nursery this morning though.

PP - Hyde park sounds like fun!

Really want to come to next London meet up but deffo can't do friday as I have the dentists (worse luck)

I love that phil and teds seat Essie, I think I'll get one anyway, but don't think it will work on a plane. I have one of those harness things which fold right down, but B is a complete bag of eels and unless it's so tight it's cutting off his circulation, it doesn't seem to hold him snug enough! The P&T looks like a good replacement.

Ooh, just checking out the phil and teds essie - does it feel really sturdy when you use it? I've been a bit nervous about considering one that attaches to the table rather than the chair.

Essie - I like the look of that highchair but our table has a vertical piece a couple of inches in from the edge, would it still work with that?

Hope Luke is feeling better Amber. This weather is awful when they are well it must be terrible for a poorly chap. I wouldn't too much about the not eating, J doesn't eat at the best of times amd now it is hot he just wants to drink.

Hi, back from a week away in the cotswolds, no time to catch up on everything, but had a lovely week and C pulled up to stand so hoorah all round!

Whinegums, you asked ages ago about where we went in the Maldives, it was herealso, when shall we have our coffee? I'm off on Mondays and Tuesdays now...

will try and keep up better, sorry for those with pox and blisters

Plum stones should pass through OK, 5 minutes is too quick to have passed though, don't think NHS 24 will have much advice other than to give her plenty to eat and drink!

I'm off to find Essie's instructions for bunting as I plan to make some this week - have another week off work but at home...

Essie, that trip sounds like an absolute nightmare! I did laugh at the thought of you shouting obscenities in Welsh tho . I was on a train once back from Holyhead, we'd been to Dublin, and the train was a late one. It was awful - full of drunk people, no seats and even tho we had seats booked we couldn't sit in them cos the conducter refused to enforce it, it was a free for all - an eye-opener actually that that is what our railways are like in the middle of the night.

I have had a yukky day, I think it's the heat but T and E have whinged and whinged. They also screamed every time I put them in their play area. I think maybe they are growing out of it, not liking to be penned in. Not surprising really, even though it is a big space. They just think it is more exciting outside of it and cry when I leave and shut the gate behind me - even though I am still in the same room. I had a lovely morning at playgroup but then we came home, had lunch and then they wouldn't go down for their nap. They both did eventually but I got about 20mins when they were both asleep. E has not been well, she was sick Fri night/Sat morn and has not been right since. Not eating well, and very clingy. Not like her at all. So that was stressful cos I just could not relax. Then we went to Tesco and they were OK but it rained (I'd left the washing out), I forgot to use the vouchers I had (but bought the products the vouchers were for so paid full price) and I bought 4 bottles of wine when they had a promotion on for 25% off when you buy 6 bottles. I could have had 2 more bottles for £4! OK, so these things are not important at all but it just seems to have been one thing after another today winding me up. But actually we came home from Tesco and played out in the garden and they were quite happy, then they both ate OK at tea and then played in their play area happy as anything! So perhaps they have just been hungry or hot today. They both went to sleep OK at 7pm [thank goodness] tho E still whinged for a while. I think my hormones are playing up as well cos since I started my periods again I have felt very up and down. I haven't ever really had proper periods (was on pill for so long) so haven't been at the mercy of my hormones but I just feel so down sometimes now, when before my mood was pretty constant (happy! )

Amber, very jealous of your night out! I love going to good restaurants and feeling spoiled.

DH is out so I have the Andy Murray match on pause on the Sky Plus - can't record it cos it is on BBC1 and not scheduled so when I press R it just says The One Show so not sure if it will work so don't want to turn it over just in case! Will watch it when DH gets back.

Abdn, how is Fraser? And did you sort something out with work today? I know what you mean about not earning anything... I go back in two weeks and I wonder whether it will be worth it. It is very frustrating cos working makes doing the house and kids stuff harder, for very little money, but I don't want to give up in case I regret it and can't get back into it.

Viva - well done C! Anything to do with standing and walking has been the most exciting things from T and E I think. E is walking everywhere now and T took one step today - he let go of the walker, took one step toward me and then fell over. It's a start!

Rolf, did the stone make a reappearance?

Sybil, I really laughed at Mr Monkey!!!

Neenz sounds like a mare of a day - small things like buying stuff with vouchers but not using the vouchers (I did that recently because the vouchers hadn't started!) really gets to me too! I'm quite stingy thrifty, though. Periods - since having Iestyn, I get really depressed around the time of mine too. This is how hormones affect me, and I had to come off the pill because I got too depressed every month, but now I'm having it just with my periods.

Phil&Teds lol at the responses - but I will say it's arguably the best baby item I've bought. BDQ yes, it is sturdy - it's got solid metal clamps on it, and it doesn't budge. (Incidentally, I read somewhere - maybe Tesco baby magazine (!!) that clip on high chairs are a bad idea - but it works for us, although it's not our main one!) Sybil hm, now I think I might need a more detailed description. Does your table top stick out over the square frame, IYKWIM? Or does it have a sort of lower bit like a skirt around the edge? I've measured the clamp, and the bottom bit of the clamp (the one with the screw) is 1 1/2 inches, so you would need that much space below the table top to attach it (with a smidge extra to turn the screw). Or, it needs to clear the lip so that the screw goes on. I'm not sure that makes sense... Everyone - bear in mind that we opted for PFB in small and compact! That's why we have the P&T - he was too small for most highchairs and too short for those squashable ones which go on the chair. Incidentally, he's too short for the Quinny Zapp - mum is making us a booster cushion! Yes, yes, my child is a freak, and I carry him in my pocket.

Amber sorry to hear about the illness...it really gets you down somehow when your baby is ill, doesn't it? Does for me anyway.

Big news - I'm going to Wimbledon to see the tennis on Friday!

Quick tip on the P&T high chair, most wagamamas have them if you want to try a test run. We always ask for one because they are so much better. Can also recommend the kids menu, Ry rarely finishes his mini katsu curry so Mum and Dad get extra.

No time to catch up, but am very proud that I made mayonnaise for the first time today and it was lovely.

Essie - yes it has a square frame that the top sits on. I reckon there is around 2 inches from the edge of the table to the frame. Would this work? Cheers!

DS1 sleep like a log last night thanks to Mr Monkey. I wondered into his room when J woke me up for his 2am feed and he had him tucked under his chin. We have agreed that next time he goes away Mr Monkey will have to go too. Let this be a lesson to you all, buy a second of favourite toys so if, god forbid, they go missing you have a replacement. DH and I agreed last night that Mr Monkey is definitely one of the three things we would take out of our house if it were on fire.

Sybil - ds2 also has a teddy which went everywhere, once he dropped him on the luggage carousel at the airport and we waited but it stopped turning with teddy the other side After a discussion with the airport staff someone from security went and retrieved the grubby teddy!!

Aw, bless Mr Monkey! That is so cute.

Well after my depressed rant yesterday, after putting the kids to bed, I still felt really stressed and uptight last night and I realised it was mainly cos I was so worried about E cos I thought something might have been wrong with her yesterday with all the screaming. She made herself sick as well after I gave her Calpol at bathtime, she proper gagged and gagged until it came back up (in a big gloopy blob). Anyway they both slept all night (put them in just nappies with a light sleeping bag), but E has got up just as whingy this morning . Will try not to let it get me down today tho. Really enjoyed the Andy Murray match, it was a bit touch and go for a while in the last two sets!

Amber, I am also gutted at MJ, more than I thought I would be. I have been watching all the shows and stuff. What a legend, he really pushed bloundaries as a black artist and his songs in the 70s and 80s were fantastic. Very sad what happened to him in later years though. You have to wonder whether it was the stress of doing the London shows that finished him off

Very jealous about you going to Wimbledon Essie!