March 06 *#* all around the world

[UniS]

sorry couldn;t think of a funny title. but here goes.

Anyone with Dcs born March 06 welcome to come on in and introduce yourselves.

well done Boris' DD on cycling, and Uni's DS on reading. What clever chickens :)

Caddy - I say good work on the school decision. We had DS in Kindy 2 days a week when DD was home schooling and it was great for us all. He loved it and enjoyed being out and about, we got more work done, and I felt less guilty and able to focus on DD. I also felt like a sell out, but reminded myself that most of the objections we have to formal school didn't apply to the lovely interest and play led program they were running at the Kindy. Not sure of all your reasons for HEing, but that might ring true for you too?

DS will start 'real' school in Feb, age almost 6 (so one of the oldest starters). Not sure how I feel about it...DD is happy at school but I wouldn't say shes thriving, and so much of what they do is a waste of time, and some of their teaching methods are in direct conflict with my own educational phylosophies. BUT, I just know I couldn't do a better job with them at home, as well as a toddler and baby at home, so we are sticking with it for now, and enjoying the good things that school offers (of which there are many of course).

Still pregnant. 38 weeks now, so could be any time, but I've had the others late so probably not for 3 weeks. Still considering induction if things look ready to go at my next visit though, although Doc reckons this baby will be about 4kg (which is smaller than my others). Not sure what I'll do. Not keen on a horrible induction (surprisingly!), but then had a pretty horrible birth with DD2 and that was all natural, so obv there are no guarantees. Also I'm really struggling to walk now, so it will depend somewhat on how I manage when the kids go back to school and Kindy next week and I have to do school runs etc in my failing body!

Still have no name decided for this little DD though...short list is Charlotte/Lottie, Francesca/Cesca, and Elisabeth/Elsie.

Lottie is my favourite but DH not sold on Lottie (which I love), and also its the number 6 name here, so a bit more popular that we'd like ideally.

DH says Francesca makes him think of a woman with big hair (!?), plus he thinks people will be confused by the nn Cesca, and so will call her 'Fran' instead (yuck), and we have a good friend who we see almost daily at school etc with a 4 year old Elsie, so it seems a bit copycat (although I know they wouldn't mind).

Hmmmmm. So still scouring the baby name sites!

Astro, are you still hanging in there? I've seen no news on FB so guessing you are

Uni, yay on Red band, dd2 is on those too

Caddy, yep cycling! actually went to go cycling with the eldest this am, but it all went to pot when it started to rain (dd2 was at a party) so instead I got a good hour of sulking out of her, during our quality us time after 3 good months of dry weather here, it appears summer is failing!!

On the plus side, our new half of roof is nearly finished and we have a window in it, ready for when we actually get around to converting the loft (in 50 million years time the way our finances are at the moment)

Car sagas: I've spent a LOT of money on my car (yes the one I got in Feb to replace the heap I got sold in Dec) Oil sump started dripping rapidly, turned out that they'd bodged it and flogged it to me and it was outside of their 3 mth warranty and yes, the warranty I brought didn't cover sumps...so that was the 1st thing.....then it had it's service, which was the usual full service cost, but ok (had to do the full service or I'd break warranty terms), then I pulled up at school and it didn't start....turns out faulty sensor, which is covered under waranty (yay!) but the stuff that Ford had upgraded in the car leading to the sensor was not (WTF?!?!?!) as obv an isshooo that had been addressed by Ford with upgrading all the bits that caused fault so they no longer did.....which is fine if you buy a car with the upgrade installed.....so I've had to pay for the cableing leading to the sensor and some of the labour costs....not a happy bunny, but I guess at least my car is working......arse. I guess the bonus is, at least I've gotten back the money I paid for the warranty and a bit more!

nearly the holidays. nearly teh holidays.....roll on the hols.

Boy is knackered.

hello strangers!

Just finishing another bloody 10 hour working day and thought I'd reward myself with a catch up with you guys. Work is doing my head in at the mo .

Astro...I was hoping for baby news but will settle for names...my best friend is a Fran but I know younger Frankies .

Uni - know what you mean about the end of term..ours don't finish til next Tues but we just took a few days of for Latitude festival so this last week seems a drag. Mind you they are going into Schools Out club 2 days a week for the first 3 weeks of the hols...missing my mum and dad!!

Boris - where, oh where did our summer go indeed...mucho mud brought back from festival!

Caddy - if DD2 enjoys school then don't feel bad - give yourself a break wonderwoman .

Here's my good news/bad news/good news 'shit sandwich':

Kiah has learned to ride her bike, won the end of year prize for her class (I had a little teary moment in the church service!) and has progressed to Level 8 after discovering how to read anything put in front of her !

My friend's breast cancer has returned in her bones, she had her hip taken out and whilst in hospital discovered her teenage son has Lymphoma. DP's boss died of cancer 2 weeks ago and an old school friend died (cancer again) at weekend. I've struggled to cope with it all really.

Tilly has stopped being a complete pain in the bum 7 year old and suggested we have a charity cafe on Sun in aid of the DEC Africa appeal.

WOOO, THAT'S SOME SANDWICH. DON;T SERVE IT IN THE CAFÉ ON SUNDAY....
sorry, I'll take caps lock off now. didn;t mean to shout.

ITs teh holidays - yeeeeeeehaw.

today I woke boy up at 10am, played cars, did some gardening with him, went to teh park and played farms. a real nice kick back and relax day.

Strewth LL, your poor friend, I hope they beat it, my friends mum was operated on today for mouth cancer too much of it about for my liking.....
{{{Hugs}}} for you missing your mum, do you have the urge to move to Scotland too??
Great news about the girls though, dd2 is going great guns with her reading here two, has been sent home for the hols with two yellow level books (apparently next up from Red here?!) dd1 however is trying it on A LOT at the moment......trying to prevent 'madamness' wearing.......

Uni your day sounds lovely! my girls lay in a whole half hour! still it meant I could get up and go for a run before dh left for work then the girls entertained themselves most of today, whilst mum and I continued to tile our roof with my dad! They're at work with me tomorrow, I may well be rocking in a corner by the time I get home....

Astro I've posted on your facebook, as I saw the AWFUL weather you guys have been having, seriously hope you didn't have to go out in that/need to get to hospital in that!

LL, so sorry to hear about your friend, her son, and DP's boss. Has your freiend had any better news?

Lovely re K and T though - how I'd love a 7 year old who isn't a pain in the bum! (lots of whinging, door slamming and tantrums here!) - Think she and Boris' DD1 have read the same instruction book!

No news here re baby - due today. Will be induced on Tuesday 2nd if no baby by then. Its DD2's 2nd birthday on Saturday, so I'm not quite sure what I'm hoping for right now! Will be nice to have the baby out, but I would be sad to miss DD's birthday!

The weeks of rain and wind here seem to have ended, and we have a return to sunny winter days this week. DD1s sports carnival was yesterday, and she was VERY proud to come first in the hopping race (teehee!) and 4th in her 100m age race. DS won the Pre-schoolers race and now has an artificially inflated optomism about his own sports carnival next year. I am gently trying to remind him that many of the pre-schoolers in yesterdays race were 1, 2 and 3 year olds!

Hope the summer is off to a lovely start for you all :)

Oooh I gather from Astro's fb page that Francesca is here!!! Hurrah! Details please Mrs .

The hols are certainly here aren't they. Still managing lie ins (our kids are lazy lumps like us!) even though we're both working part time for the next few weeks. Girls are in Schools Out club Weds and Thurs which they are still finding a novelty. Boris - you are right I am missing having my parents around...feels weird.

Uni - I love the sound of your lazy days with your boy...enjoy them all.

Boris - we did a lovely walk round Padley Gorge at weekend with friends...a circular from Longshaw NT carpark. It's an old fave and you can have a slap up lunch at Grindleford Station cafe at the halfway point before a paddle. Highly recommended.

My friend's son has started chemo but her radiotherapy has been put on hold for a few weeks which is good news. Still haven't managed to get to see her as she is near Lewes which is a heck of a way...

I've been to a meeting this morning and am now having a real go slow...think I might have a cat nap...how decadent eh??

Yay for Astro, congrats to you guys! (must go check out FB page!)

LL yep the hols are truely here, my poor kids are being divided between the folks (which they like) and coming to work (which they're loving NOT!)
I'll take a look at that walk sometime, sounds nice :-) There's a similar one over near Monsall dale :-) anything with a cafe for lunch sounds good to me (or a pub!)

Taking the girls to West Mids Safari Park this Sunday with an old friend 'Auntie' we've not told the girls yet, surprise! they just think we're going for a sleepover

Hello all! Thanks for the congrats, Francesca is indeed here! I wrote a long post about the birth the other night and then deleted it, so will sumarise as I don't have much time (why not!?).

Was induced on Tuesday - gel at 8am, Dr broke my waters at 1pm ish and Francesca arrived at about 3.30pm. It was pretty reasonably paced - I had about 10 contractions where I was really starting to loose the plot about - yelling for more drugs etc (had already had some pethadine) because I thought I must have another few hours to go and it was getting unbearable. Finally the doctor said "you only have an other 2 or 3 pushes to go!" and I calmed right down and got on with it! 3 pushes later...hooray!

Doctor was fab - had a canular put in before labour, so as soon as she was out I had syntocinin drip to stop me having a heamorage as I'd done before - brilliant! Feels great to have all my blood intact! Dr also did the requested episiotimy - also great, no fuss, stitches took 10 mins instead of hours! My olny regret re the birth was that I forgot to ask for a mirror, and then was so sure I had ages to go I was trying to block out the pain by shutting my eyes...and when she was born I had no idea - everyone was saying "open your eyes, look - look!". I guess the local they'd put in to do the epi meant I couldn;t feel so well!? Kind of funny in hindsight, but would have liked to see her!

Cesca is feeding really well, I am recovering well. Kids are thrilled too! Official stats - 4335g, 51cm, hc 36. :)

Astro, great to hear your lovely news! Glad the birth wasn't too bad at all very happy for you all.

Astro, sounds like itwent really welll..what's that weight in pounds and ounces for us luddites??

Girls have gone to the park with a school friend as I am determined to let them go out alone...late back now though!!!

Will go and search....

hope you found them behaving themselves!

Its 9lb 9oz :)

congrats Astro.

Good grief Astro -she's a whopper!! The pics on FB are fab....she looks so grown up eh? Not like my shrivelled newborns.

Girls are at Schools Out Club, DP is at work and I am avoiding getting started. Off to Beacons Festival in the rain tomorrow as one rainy festival is just not enough in one year for this familt!

Boo anyone still around! dunno about you all but I've been all a bit busy to get on here! still cruising FB though!