Are your children’s vaccines up to date?

Set a reminder

Please or to access all these features

Post-natal clubs

Join our Postnatal Clubs forum to find parenting advice for newborns.

June 08: I see it, I want it, it's mine!

936 replies

spongebrainmaternitypants · 09/08/2009 19:37

Welcome to our new thread .

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
whinegums · 25/08/2009 10:17

Let's hope he sorts it out in the next 15 mins!

ktpie · 25/08/2009 10:18

Whinegums - it's all go on the house buying, brilliant!

Me and DH went to Manchester and Durham unis but since I've been working I've come across loads of people who went to less traditional types of uni and have found it easier to get jobs as their courses were more vocational and in science practical experience counts for a lot.
One of my most successful school friends left school at 16 and has never returned to education but he works in IT and the 5 years+ working experience he had over us has worked out well for him.

Puree - I wondered where you were! How are you?
I can sympathise on the tough time at uni, my 2nd and 3rd years at uni were hard due to family problems and I had to defer my 3rd year but I'm still glad I went.

Sponge - how is the SPD today?

Debs - hope you get the computer thing working in time. I am currently warming up the sofa in readiness.

To go back to the conversation of weeks ago about gender specific toys, yesterday when my Mum and Nan were visiting my Mum mentioned that she had found one of my old dolls and was going to bring it for J as she thought he should have a doll. My Nan piped up with "You can't give him a doll, you'll turn him gay!" Typical PC response from her!

Hello to everyone I haven't mentioned!

pureeandpearls · 25/08/2009 10:29

There is a technical problem with my itv, very annoying.

spongebrainmaternitypants · 25/08/2009 10:40

ktpie, still sore but having a quiet day today so hopefully will have a chance to heal a little .

Lol at your nan - can kind of excuse it from someone of that generation, but it makes me sooooo when I hear it from people my age. What makes me really cross is that people say it as if it's a really tragic thing to happen - I mean what could be worse than having a child who's gay?

Watching Deb at the moment - your boys are soooo cute Deb, and your life does look idyllic, but I can understand the downsides too.

OP posts:
whinegums · 25/08/2009 10:56

B went to sleep just after 10.30, so I'm watching with coffee and a Hob Nob - get me!

Awww, your boys are lovely Deb.

PiggyPenguin · 25/08/2009 11:02

God, I have just spent the best of an hour having a hideous in Clarks. Jamie was fed up of his pushchair after about 5 minutes and spent the rest of the time trying to hug strange children, and then screaming the place down when I rescued them and pulled him away. Both kids had gone up sizes and needed school shoes and trainers, and ds1 also needed doodles (poor dd has to make do with his old ones!). We got both school shoes and the doodles but only ds1 has trainers. It cost £105 pounds and I still need to spend another £30 on trainers for dd, but now I have to go out of town for the privilege of doing so.

I feel like I have seriously aged about 5 years in the process. The place was packed with gimlet eyed mothers making sure no one took their place in the queue. Given they seem to only have about one pair of shoes left in each size though I can pretty much understand that.

Jamie was so stressed he has now fallen asleep three hours earlier than he normally does.

AND, I have missed the start of Deb's programme so am forced to wait until the end so I can watch it all on sky+. Hope you got your connection working in time Debs!

spongebrainmaternitypants · 25/08/2009 11:10

sybil, that sounds really stressful . Shoes are soooo expensive it's ridiculous!

I had forgotten how unbelievably beautiful Yorkshire is - missing it now, but I know I'd never persuade dh to move back again .

OP posts:
spongebrainmaternitypants · 25/08/2009 11:10

sybil, that sounds really stressful . Shoes are soooo expensive it's ridiculous!

I had forgotten how unbelievably beautiful Yorkshire is - missing it now, but I know I'd never persuade dh to move back again .

OP posts:
whinegums · 25/08/2009 11:15

Wow, I'm impressed that they got Simon May to meet Nigel! Hope he got his phone number!

whinegums · 25/08/2009 11:16

The shoe shopping thing is rubbish. I'm avoiding Clarks in future and taking B to John Lewis - at least they have a bigger range to choose from.

PiggyPenguin · 25/08/2009 11:18

Honestly it was the worst retail experience of my life. Even worse than the time I got a dress stuck halfway off in a Miss Selfridge communal dressing room (shudder emoticon!)

A one point I was holding a screaming Jamie,trying to give an opinion on a pair of frankly ugly girls school shoes and holding conversations with both older kids at the same time. Simultaneously, other mums were elbowing their way into the kids half of the room (and into us) in an attempt to get served this side of next week. I had a sweaty hairline within about five minutes.

spongebrainmaternitypants · 25/08/2009 11:24

Deb, you came across as such a lovely family (which, of course, you are!) - good luck with your move, I hope you find a buyer soon. It must be so frustrating to have made the decision to move then not finding a buyer quickly .

Oh, and I loved the dog getting all excited at the end!

OP posts:
ktpie · 25/08/2009 11:35

Did you manage to watch it live in the end Debs? I had to change a nappy in the middle and our ITV reception kept going funny but managed to watch most of it. Austria and Wensleydale are both such beautiful places, what a hard decision. You all came across very well, I'm very impressed. Loved the bits where you were feeding Ethan!

ktpie · 25/08/2009 11:46

Sybil - shoe shopping sounds horrible, was considering getting J measured in Clarks this afternoon but hadn't thought about the schools going back timing so may delay it a couple of weeks.

Sponge - Glad you are taking it easy.
My Nan never fails to come out with cringe worthy comments, usually in restaurants/pubs in a very loud stage whisper. It is the sort of things that in a younger person would make me very cross. Unfortunately a lot of old people are very stuck in their outdated ignorant views.

DebInAustria · 25/08/2009 12:11

Hello, TV Star here!! My Mum says wow - you were wearing make up!! I thought we came across OK, and Ethan looked so small. It was so weird seeing ourselves though. Bit gutted about the bits they missed out though!

ktpie · 25/08/2009 12:59

I'm surprised you have time to talk to us Debs! Shouldn't you be out signing autographs!

DebInAustria · 25/08/2009 13:00

lol KtPie

PiggyPenguin · 25/08/2009 14:15

You were all fab Debs, although it was a bit odd seeing Ethan as a small baby when we know that he is a toddler now. Your kids are so cute though.

So do you still feel exactly the same? Or has time given you second thoughts? I am completely with you on the cleaning toilets front though,I could very happily live my life without ever cleaning another. You seemed very set on moving back to Yorkshire in the programme or is that just the spin they put on it?

DebInAustria · 25/08/2009 14:28

Thanks Sybil - we're still wanting to come back to the UK but maybe not to Yorkshire.

poppy34 · 25/08/2009 14:55

Wow so many posts- haven't had a chance to see deb yet but have recorded it.

See dss news has made others nostalgic too. Purée sorry to hear about your tough times but as you say it does make you who you are. To quote my mum only Boring people have nothing happen to them. I want Edie to have a good education but I want her to be happy - I had a childhood dominated by academic success or not(with mother as a teacher) so whilst I can't complain it did me any harm as did well academically I do think it coloured my early years with pressure. That said there has to be some kind of compromise between doing sweet fa as dss did for a lot of the time.

Poonamis clearing up although still seems to be a bit mlk sensitive. Sponge how is SPd?

Sybil am shuddering in sympathy at your shoe shop horrors.

Right better go- need to do some farm inspection as the playmobil farmer seems to be going in for some animal cruelty. I am not sure what MAff views are on biting your livestock.

Amberc · 25/08/2009 15:21

Blimey Puree - what a few years you had. I'm surprised you are so normal!

Deb - looking forward to seeing your prog tonight - I hope it's recorded alright.

poppy - glad to hear the poonamis are better - you don't expect them to have them at this age do you?

Sybil - God how awful at the shoe shop. Why don't they get more bloody staff? When we got Luke's shoes there weren't even that many people in the shop (Clarkes) but they only had a couple of people helping so it took us forever. Now I just get trainers from Lillywhites for Luke. Do want some diddy wellingtons for winter - someone had them in their pictures - was it Neenz? Where are they from and how do you manage to get them on???!

We have exchanged contracts on our flat - how exciting - no going back now...Whinegumes and I can have dull conversations about mortgages and solicitors now

neenztwinz · 25/08/2009 16:51

Amber, the kids' wellies were from Asda, they were £4 and £8 (more for the Thomas Tank ones). I just sat the kids on my knee and forced them on! Exciting about the flat!

Sorry if my 'crap A levels' comment was offensive - that's my education snobbery coming out again And when I was trying to apologise for my previous offensive comment about former polys too... sometimes I probably should just shut up

Sybil, nightmare in Clarks! Do you buy all shoes from Clarks? I was thinking maybe I can get away with buying trainers or occasional shoes cheaper. Don't want to spend £30 (£60) x 2/3 every few months and see them not get hardly any wear .

Totally agree with you Sponge on the gay sons! So what!?

bitofadramaqueen · 25/08/2009 20:26

Hi everyone,

quick post, as the sooner I get off the computer, the sooner I can go watch deb on tv.

Viva I forgot to say last time glad to hear that Lottie is feeling better, and Sponge it occurred to me that I can't remember the last time I asked how your SPD was, so sorry to read that its not been the best. It goes without saying I think that I completely agree that wtf is the problem with having a gay son?

Poppy sorry to hear about the milk sensitivity - is she likely to grow out of it.

On loo cleaning, I actually find it quite therapeutic . Mind you, you'd never tell by looking at the en-suite tonight

Deb - Perth would be the perfect central location to hold a Scottish meetup you know

On the shoe front. We still haven't been for the dreaded shoe fitting. I just bought a pair of soft leather shoes from snugglefeet for nursery. They've been trying to bully us into getting him cruiser shoes to help with walking/keep his socks clean/keep his feet dry/protect his feet (*delete as appropriate, depending on what mood they're in) and am quite about it. He doesn't need any shoes at all and I couldn't give two hoots if his socks get dirty. They seem to think that we're very odd in not rushing to buy outdoor shoes the second he can stand up. They even suggested he wear some they had at nursery, the only problem being that they were pink (not that they weren't the right size!!!). Grrrr. Sorry, had to get that off my chest. This all happened before S started walking this weekend btw .

But yes, back to shoe fitting... I've heard very mixed reports about Clarks so I think we'll be taking him to a wee independent place in Edinburgh recommended by a few different people. I think I'd probably stick to properly fitted shoes for everyday wear Neenz until he was a bit older but I don't suppose 'occasion' shoes that won't be worn often are too much of a problem.

Amber very exciting on the house front. V jealous

pleasechange · 25/08/2009 20:31

Debs - just watched the programme. You came across really well, and your children are lovely. Little Ethan in his snowsuit looked so cute. What bits did they miss out?

amber - great news on exchanging, that seems to have been quick

Am I the only one whose lo is not walking yet?? although I think edie also poppy?

pleasechange · 25/08/2009 20:35

bdq - that seems ridiculous about the nursery and the shoes. tbh I've had A without even socks most of the summer and I only put socks on him to go to nursery or if it's cold out. Our nursery managed to lose one of A's (best!) outfits - am annoyed because he's now getting short of summer stuff, am going on holiday soon and it's pointless to get anything new now