Jan '09 'All we are saying is give peas a chance....and carrots and broccoli and cumcumber and........'

[hongkongzoe]

...here we go ladies, right I'm off to catch up!

it's only a phrase, dog, and you can say sorry for using it tomorrow. all the los have to learn that we are human and have bad moods at some point....

Oh, perhaps I would apologise to her for that one. Explain that mummy was stressed and not feeling well and you didn't mean it?? It is most likely she doesn't know what it means anyway I would think?

I would agree that you sound pre-menstrual.
Why fallen out with DP?

I have had a ruck with DH on the phone, over tax credits, believe it or not!!. he really was being such a willy, for no apparent reason.

Pat and HKZ am also a natural history museum geek. I love it there. Am planning to take DD before Christmas, but judging by the state of my bank account I might have to talk DH round first. Looks like my independence has been curbed by draining what was left of my savings! I have only myself to blame!

We went to Tatton Park Flower show today, was lovely day but tired now. DD and DS both behaved pretty well for them but DH said next time we should go on our own as far too stressful - welcome to my existence matey!

Oh and talking of men, can't believe your visitor MissJ, the cheek of it.

lenni, one of my favourite places in the world is the natural history museum in new york, am looking forward to bringing c one day

if it ever re-opens, i recommend the natural history museum in dublin to any of you geeks if you ever visit. not because it's a fab display of dinosaur bones etc but because it's a victorian musuem, smells of formaldehyde, musty things in cases - it's like something out of a novel. totally cool. closed at the moment because the staircase collapsed and god knows when they'll get round to restoring and re-opening it, though, sadly.

sorry about arguments with dps, pat and dog. hope other parties apologise forthwith

Ok, should have used arse and wanker, but was trying to be all polite so said willy! That sounds like my DH, generally fine then gets all het up about nothing!

lenni sorry about losing your dad so young. i do feel quite emotional now and quite lucky that all the GP's have got to know my children. they certainly add a great deal to their lives .
Flower show sounds lovely, LOL at stressful. they always say these things when you are thinking 'well, I've had quite a nice day and that didn't go too badly....'.

stripey they are both now officially on my list, I love the museum smell, big fan of musty. Think i like the polish they use in big libraries and museums, the British museum always smells nice to me. I always tend to visit the local natural history museum wherever I go (double geek alert!!!). Like you i hope DD will have an appreciation of all these things.

pat, i never had any grandparents, all died before i was born except my dad's father who i only met just before he died ( and he was a tosser by all accounts), so it's really odd and also lovely for me to see my mother with c, it's such a lovely, gentle, smiley relationship. it's funny, because i was expecting my mum to love c, obviously, but somehow not that c would so clearly take to my mum... v sweet

Dog I too have been a grumpy mummy this evening and eventually lost it when ds1 had a total meltdown claming that the new 'purple' toothbrush I bought him was in fact 'pink'. Now his brother has the exact same toothbrush actually in 'pink' so his was most definitely 'purple'. He had a full scale tantrum, followed by sobbing and telling me I had made him very sad. I ended up losing it, telling him just how ungrateful and spoilt he sounded and using the 'bloody' word. I wouldn't mind, but I didn't even pick the flippin' toothbrush, it came with the Tesco order and I asked for one pink and one 'other colour'.

To make things worse dh then decided to tell me its my fault because I have spoiled them and that's why they are ungrateful.

Must be something in the air.

On a lighter note, I was just having a nice chat with dd about this and that, she was joining in and smiling, then all of a sudden started to look bored, looked me right in the eye and said "blah, blah" blah" - well really, how rude!

Dog you and I can stand in the naughty corner together - no giggling though or it'll be the dreaded naught step next.

My favourite museum is the Pitt Rivers in Oxford at the back of the Natural History museum there. The shrunken heads are amazing. I have a phobia of pickled things though - bad experience as a child (!) - and they have pickled everything in the natural history bit there which freak me out a bit.

Have never been to the one in New York - will add it to my to do list!

Exactomondo Pat, he should see a bad day total trainwreck sometimes!

x-posts on adding them to our 'lists' Pat grin - spot the science teachers!

Moose LOL at DD. Bless her. Little girls learn fast don't they! Sharp as a knife they are.

Ack, I'm having no luck with emoticons today. even.

Also meant to say Ray we have the same issues with stuff at parents/PILs and have just stopped taking any more than the bare essentials esp to PILs who are local so often visit them. We left a travel cot at my Mums for use by us and my sister and apart from that they don't actually need anything other than nappies/clothes/food. We found that shortly after we took this approach both sets of parents quickly invested in some toys and things especially once DD was old enough to show interest. PILs even have their own change mat, highchair, baby monitors and cot now. And MIL made a lovely cushioned mat for DS to play on there, bless her. We also do as Pat said and leave gifts behind so they have extra bits and pieces. MIL picks up toys from charity shops quite often (which I surrepticiously vet occasionally ) and we use theirs as a bit of a toy library and bring the odd thing home for a while for a bit of variety. I think if you bring everything every time they won't think there is any reason to keep things there - after all most of us prefer not to clutter up our houses if we can avoid it. Perhaps try leaving bare essentials and turn up with nothing else and you might find it only takes one bored baby visit for things to change.

Yeah Lenni, we're the ones in the corner with our giant foreheads and white-coats on. Sneering at the geography teachers in their brown cords and tweed jackets and not even acknowledging those arty types floating around since they don't teach a real subject. Pass me the BMJ will you, or that copy of Nature will do

Just thought I'd add to the cliches there!

Oh dog. Poor you.
And Moose
And me - having hormonal evening too.

Maybe the thread has strangely synched our cycles and we are going to have a 'big mamma of a period?'

She won't remember you know. I don't remember my mum swearing and shouting at me and I can 100% promise you she did.

I just want to sit and cry over my failings as a parent. Join me ladies?

On the dairy - I am pushing the limits all the time. I am hoping if I can get her tolerating dairy second hand through me maybe she will be able to tolerate it first hand in very small amounts. I have to back off though, she isn't pooing often enough this last week and the smell is acidic again. Hurrah more challenges

Just had the demon desert that shall not be given it's name, and mash. Now back to dairy free. Except for tea. I am in noooooo mood to give up my tea.

Dog don't worry it happens. You will be upset for days but she will have forgotten by the morning. I was really upset with myself yesterday as S had been crying for an hour and a half in the pushchair, finally gave in and went to sleep and then ds1 kicked him from the p&t chair underneath, waking him up. Totally lost it and shouted and slapped ds1 across the legs. It was the shock on his face that got me and then I bought him an ice cream as I felt so bad How is that for mixed messages?
I am not geeky I don't think but I do like museums.
Moose lol at blah blah blah!
Night night all.

Tree Oh no... i think Dog Was definately first in the sleeping all night stakes...Isla practically came out sleeping the night! But.... i think i am to blame for the jumperoo madness. I have had Esme's a fair while and i rememeber ranting and raving about it on here!!

Pat Lol at man log poo imagery!

kitty Good luck with the feeding. I think my boobies are slightly different sizes, as i always seem to feed first off my LEFT one. Must not do that!

Tree (again) Have you tried Balm Balm for Ezcema?

sparkle any news on your asst. Op? Poor girl.

Missj You brought tears to my eyes talking of your grandmother. I totally understand you not visiting again, but i think when the day does come for her, at least you will have seen her and told her you loved her, and at least Nye will have met her, albeit her not in the health you would have wished.I never met my mother's father, he died at 50, and i think it really kills my mother as i was a VERY sporty child, and played 3 sports at county level, and he was a real sports mean, so i think she is gutted he didn't live to meet my sister and i.

dog Poor you. you are a brilliant mother, and tomororw is another day!

lenni i think taking a set of things down to leave at MIL is going to be the way forwards, i just don't think they will GET it otherwise!

Ok, so i need someone to let me know if this is physically possible or whether i am barking mad. Esme for the past 2 days has been appearing to shake her head to say no?!? She has done it when offered certain toys, and when she didn't want anymore food/drink from her beaker earlier. Am i totally batty, or is it possible for her to be beginning to communicate?

Ray, keeper of the thread secret weapon.

What do you think?

rray, i don't know about head shaking, but c growls at us when we do something she doesn't like - like, you know, offering her food when she's not hungry, or having the temerity to put clothes on her. it's not sophisticated, but it's certainly communication...

Tree you are a wonderful caring parent, you think over every tiny aspect of your dd's care down to infinitissimle (is that a word?) proportions. No one is perfect and to be honest if perfect parents did exist they would have some seriously messed up kids.

That said, I know just how you feel, I have been to hell and back recently about my relationship with ds1 and how I feel I've let him down over the years. Its not something I talk about much with anyone other than dh, but I give myself a really tough time about things I don't have it in my power to change. Dh is right, I do spoil the boys and it's basically all down to my guilt.

Tree go here before it all inevitably kicks off someone says a thank you to you. Fell across it whilst marvelling at the moldies kicking off again - better than television. I just love the drama!

Oh Moose

We need a bar, a supply of gin and tonic, and after an hour of getting pissed and sobbing, some good music and a dance floor. And possible a nice rugby team or the like to pay us compliments, gently flirt and offer us drinks

I think I am the laziest tart of a parent ever, so your words have cheered me up.

Your boys aren't spoilt I bet, I bet they are protected and that you are child centred. In comparison to the parenting trend and methos we probably experienced in the 70s and 80s, it looks like we are spoiling them. We are not, we are just looking at the world through their eyes. ANd through their eyes the world is totally not child centred.

But we are, so ner ner ner and two fingers to any watching judgey pants.

Stripey Growling... brilliant! Would love to be a fly on the wall. Esme in addition to her head shaking has started a very high pitched Shriek/Whine - its quite clearly the beginnings of being a little madam. Shall be aiming to put a stop to that- sharpish!

Tree Am i being dense... the secret weapon? confused!

moose I hope you are listening to your own advise to Tree..... you haven't let Ds1 down - Us mummies can only do our best, whatever you are referring to- its quite clearly not in your power to change- so you have, done your best!

Right, OH on route home from ANOTHER preseason match, third of the week!!!! Zzzzzz, feeling rather like a single parent/ Footballers WIDOW ( much more apt than that silly WAG stereotype that simply doesn't exist for 99.9% of us...)

Ohhhh, and decided arm pits were FAR too fuzzy, braved HOME wax- Surprisingly Easy. V. pleased!

Nah - you go ahead and stick yer fingers up at him - quite frankly he has well deserved it recently - mardy old git.

Dunno what's up with him at the moment, he's usually really laid back but he's constantly grumpy and tense these days.

Ray - our secret weapon is the jumperoo! Thanks for the words.

Lenni - am in shock ! I daredn't post in case I forget someone or make a faux pas. blush] I've had some serious help from people though - so I should....