Sept 08: The End of an Amazing year

[Pacita]

Here we are: the thread that will see our LO's first birhtday...

[Sunshinemummy]

Agree with Digi - a full day is a lot for a 10m old.

[imoscarsmum]

Thanks for all the comments about the wedding, I'm thinking along those lines too. And I have no problem not being at wedding, agree with ponymum that step-DD's mum takes first dibs!

Think we might ask if C can come just for photos and if I would be allowed to pick her up after, using v discrete handover at hotel entrance so ex doesn't have to see me. If not, maybe see about getting photos done another time and I shall remain dignified, as you say, and arrange a day out at the zoo with C.

In the long run, the ex will look petty in the eyes of all DP's relatives so she's shooting herself in foot.

[Ponymum]

Ooo, so excited! My far-fetched plan to create a garden is all coming together! We have a large stone and gravel courtyard - entirely unsuitable for DD to play in. My plans to turn this into a green lawned sanctuary were blighted when I started digging up the gravel and found a solid concrete base covering the whole yard. But... yesterday had a word to the landlord and he was totally supportive of the plans. In the last 24 hours:

• I have single-handedly dug up several tonnes of gravel and carted it to other places on the farm
• A farm worker turned up this morning and attacked the concrete with a pneumatic drill (very exciting for DD!)
• There is a huge JCB leaning over our fence ready to cart away the rubble
• The landlord is going to dump a JCB full of soil ready for us to spread!!

I am like a woman possessed. I feel at last that I am making a real home for our family. Right! Off to find some recycled bricks and order the turf. I can't wait to play in the garden with DD!!

[digitalgirl]

ponymum that is very exciting. We are also in the midst of turning our wasteland/urban jungle into a lawned garden for DS to play in. We have severely overspent on our budget (new fence, brick walls, circular paving slabs) and there will be no money left for plants, so will have to buy seeds and grow little seedlings. The turf is arriving tomorrow and it will finally be done (bar all the plants).

DS has made a miraculous overnight recovery on his foot and has been walking around (holding my fingers) this morning. Have paid no attention to the time this morning and didn't realise that he'd been up for 4.5 hours before finally dropping off on DH's shoulder. Bad mummy.

[imoscarsmum]

and digi "I hope your DP's ex mellows with time...it's really not fair on your DD or her DD to cause such a fuss."

DP and I have been together now for 6 years - we met when his DD was 13. How much time does the ex need . I keep on hoping though.... [IMO hopes step-DD doesn't get pregnant anytime soon as it'd be the same thing all over again with a christening!]

[digitalgirl]

IOM is ex with anyone? Perhaps she's still pining for your DP. It's such a shame when people can't put their feelings aside just occasionally for the sake of others, makes them look really selfish. I had my (now ex) step-mother at my wedding. My parents got on fine, (ex)step-mother kept a low profile and everyone loved seeing my little half brothers there. I never particularly liked the woman, at one point I really hated her, but you can't let these feelings get the better of you or you just end up bitter.

[Hopefully]

T blinks back at me when I blink at him, and has started trying to clap. Should I contact the Gifted and Talented register yet?

[DebiTheScot]

lol hopefully yes I'm sure he is a genius.

[imoscarsmum]

digi sounds like your parents acted like grown ups.
Ex isn't with anyone else and hasn't been since they split, as far as we know.
She took the break up very badly, as she'd built her whole life around DP and their DD. She didn;t have a job or any savings. DP and I have a massive mortgage as he gave her 95% of the proceeds from the sale of their house so she could get somewhere to live. When we bought our house, we had very little deposit as a result.
Not complaining though, this was nothing to do with me but DP did everything he could to help her move on, so he gets frustrated.

Not sure (and not worried) that she still pines for DP, just don;t tell him as he'll get a big head !!

Sorry if I've gone on a bit, at the end of the day I'm probably just pissed off that I'm missing out on free champers

[imoscarsmum]

All this has made me even more determined to teach C that whilst men are lovely, she doesn't need one to live her life, and she must always make sure she can stand on her own two feet financially.
I am proud that if DP and I ever split, I could provide a home and living for DD and myself without his help. But....not planning on that ever! Just security to know I could.

[ILikeToMoveItMoveIt]

Well done T.

He loves blinking he does

[CarrieBo]

someone's coming back for a second viewing...!

[Pacita]

Aaah, fingers crosssed, Carrie!

And well done Genius T. All I have to report in the crawling front is amazing dexterity at sitting up, lying down, rolling, falling forwards. But as to actually crawling, we are not there yet. And we have NO TEETH. Isn't this a bit late? We have a lovely head of hair though, although it's not very useful for chewing a chicken leg.

Today i had a child seat fitted in my bike, and Diego absolutely loved it. It was a lot harder than I thought riding with him on the back because the bike is a lot heavier. It is also scary how little people in cars care - I did a lot of the cycling in back streets or sidewalks.

Any of you cycles with a child seat in the back and has any tips?

[lollyheart]

It's not late for teeth pacita my friends ds first tooth came at 12 months, i've heard the longer they stay in the gum the stronger they are.

Wonder how meglet is.

[Hopefully]

Has anyone got a trailer thing for babies to tow with their bike? Contemplating getting one if we move out of town next year. Can't decide whether a bike seat or a trailer is safer, but if we have a second with a reasonably small age gap, at least they can both go in the trailer.

[becaroo]

Well done hopefully...great news.

Got so much to do before we go away I feel like my head is going to explode!!!!

Ds1 finishes year 1 tomorrow...I will be all tearful I know it. I am such a hormonal old bag at the mo!!

[becaroo]

Thanks for the tips debs...will try Filey too this time x

[imoscarsmum]

hopefully we are thinking about a trailer. I'm not a hugely confident rider and I'm short, so stretch to reach pedals, so I'd worry about bike falling over with just a seat on back.
Trailers look great, last until they're about 3 and give the bike 2 wheels at the back.

Pacita some car drivers need shooting. I can't believe how many drivers (generally women, can you believe it, or young men) zoom along my streets without a care for the people who live amongst them. I'd never forgive myself if I hit a child of a neighbour (or any child for that matter). Leave the fast driving for the motorways. My latest game is to drive slower on purpose if I have a car tail gating me on a 30mph road, just to make the point. Our local school has a 20 sign outside - so many people ignore it.

[Ponymum]

I have decided. DD is getting a GARDEN for her birthday! I am working like a maniac, and it is going to be amazing when it's finished. Do you think I can get her to cut a ribbon for a grand opening ceremony? (We might need to do this a little before her birhtday otherwise it will be the end of summer, but hey, she'll never know.)

I have been thinking this over for 24 hours. I think I am now going to sneak along the lane and steal salvage and recycle some old bricks which have been dumped in a gateway for months. I think there is a 50/50 chance I'll be doing someone a favour. And I need them for my landscaping project, darlings!

[DebiTheScot]

pacita we're got a seat on the back of my bike for ds2, he loves it too. Just make sure you don't go out for too long just now as they're necks aren't strong enough to hold head + helmet for very long. I do about 20 mins which seems fine.

My childminder has a 2 person trailer and loves it. DS2 was it in the other day and got on fine but was better with ds1 in it too as then there was less room for him to lean over into. She got hers for £100 off Amazon and it has a handle so she can push it like a double buggy too.

Great present idea ponymum.

I've been sneezing and snotting all day, no temp though so must just be a cold. Have had no children today and have spent day trying to get the last things we need for our holiday, food shopping and cleaning. Oh joy!

[Pacita]

Cheers debi. I hadn't thought about the head issue...

Diego is less snotty, but still has a cough. I have learned that there are swine flu cases without a temperature.

Tell me I'm just being paranoid.

[digitalgirl]

Ds also has a cold. And I think I've got a mild dose of it too.

On the other hand he slept through for the last two nights! Unbelievable!!

ponymum that is a good present idea! Our garden now has a lawn it looks sooo good! But it'll be two weeks before ds can play on it (i'll be working then, boo). Just gotta get planting now.

My sis is off to bootcamp this Sunday. Fingers crossed she makes it through!

[DebiTheScot]

I think the official line is that you can't have swine flu without a temp- although I guess you could have a really mild dose of it and your temp only goes up a wee bit.
There are other viruses going around at the moment too- there's a snotty nose, sore throat leading to tonsillitis one here.

Better to get it now than in the winter anyway.

With this new order your prescription online thing they keep saying that they are trusting us not to abuse us. I couldn't help think that I should order a dose of it now before ds2 is 1 so that it's free! Is that bad?

[CarrieBo]

This will be my last post for a while ladies, I'm going to stay with my parents for a much needed break for the next 10 days. I'll have my first night away from ds (sob) as I'm off to a hen party in Notting Hill and will see my bro for the first time since he got engaged, and play with his ex-military vehicles at a truck rally. Can't wait!

Yes, I'm travelling the length of the country with two under-5s during the swine flu...I figure at least my mum will look after us all! Ds is streaming with green snot at the moment anyway.

Ooo ooo ooo ds said his first word today, picked up a toy phone and said 'Hi'. Well that's what I heard anyway . He also had a fair stab at bum shuffling.

I look forward to hearing all about blooming gardens, bikes, teeth, crawling, walking, birthdays and BFPs on my return. Have fun ladies!