Dec 08 - 9 months in, 9 months out!

[jumpjockey]

Hope you don't mind the dodgy thread name but all our babies are 9 months old now or in the next few weeks

Sorry I meant JB not indith.

Just for the day. I will wave to you!!

LadyT you didn't miss me, I'm lurking from our flat in Berlin! You mention your DH's cricket book...? Tell me more! My DH is a sport journo.

JJ snap! Also married 3 years.. 2nd Sep 2006 clearly an auspicious day...

Today I have been running, swimming and walked bloody miles. There's a track near our flat and we've been running three of the last four mornings, I'm so glad to be trying to get fit again. We put DD in the buggy and do alternate laps/sprints while the other looks after her. I think she thinks we're mental...

Hola Ladies! I have returned from the beautiful Minorca, and despite having a fabulous time I am not ashamed to say I have missed you all

DS was a star. It was ridiculously hot but it didn't bother him at all. he had everyone fall in love with him with his big cute grin and now white blond hair! In fact its a wonder he made it home with us, as several people commented on how they wanted to steal him And surprisingly he slept through 4 nights!! I hope he carries it on tonight as i am so tired. Holidays with 2 children are not how I imagined a holiday would be! I am more tired now than before I went away. Early night I think

Not had a proper chance to catch up but Lady at your treatment from work. Hope you get the money you want from them.

trace hope both your little ladies are okay.

Evening all

zj have to agree with you about kiddicare, bargain prices and very very quick delivery, we've had quite a few things from them. Is the doidy cup actually sparkly? want one!

modernlove Happy Birthday! Hope you've been having a fabulous day - 21...?

veggie I think dd and ds2 must be twins, she's such a nosher it's embarrassing. She really just keeps on eating until I stop putting stuff in front of her. Spinach with poached egg today And she just won't sit still - crawling everywhere, standing up all the time. They must slow down at some point...

trace poor P, give her a little kiss from all of us. How did it go with the lovely sounding nursery?

spiggy loving the image of baby pinned down Sounds fascinating about the newspaper, are there any headlines you can tell us? (I work with historical stuff [she says cryptically] so this is really interesting to me!)

WG so glad you've had some better nights, it really is amazing how small improvements can make such a difference to your mood. And three wakings - well, if it's better compared to 5 then stuff anyone who sucks their teeth at three!

Lady what a fabulous word Myrmidons is (she says after dashing to Chambers). Sorry they're still being pants but good for you fighting them to make something worthy of your 12 years dedication. A United Nations themed wedding?? hope you have a fabby time!

daisy welcome back from your hols and hurrah for good nights of sleep!

Well our good news is I think we have a childminder sorted for dd Saw two ladies, lady a: lives a 5 minute walk from work. Has 2 under-2s at the moment. They're in one room, basically just toys all over the place. Outings are to the shops, park, school run for her son. Sleep time is 1-3. She only looks after them til 2 1/2 (didn't want to go through all the admin of early years framework). Has been CM for 24 years. Provides water and nothing else - we'd need to bring food, snacks, milk etc. Husband popped out for a fag while we were there, came back in smelling all smoky and bizarrely there were lots of those crystal animal ornaments on shelves at the right height for a toddler to grab and damage??

Lady b: has been CM for a year. Before that ran a pre-school, was a primary school mentor, a nursery assistant. Works with her husband who's about to be a registered CM. Currently looking after 7 children, at the moment on the days dd would go in there's one 1 year old and 4 3-4s. A big house with garden. Toys in boxes that say things like "colouring books" and "building toys" and "number play". Outings to a different playgroup every morning, sleep time when the kids need it. Provides all meals and snacks. Car to take them further afield to farms, zoo etc. Lives far enough away that my cycle to work will be an extra 3 miles ().

Oh and lady a insists that we'd need to pay to keep the place until November when dd would actually need to start, lady b said she doesn't believe in that and we just give her 2 weeks pay as a deposit.

Can you guess which one we're going for?! Just have to check exactly how long the cycle ride will take, and then all should be sorted. Phew! It really was looking black a few weeks ago.

DS slept through last night! Well, he did end up in our bed at 11pm till 6.30am. But he hasn't had milk in the night for about 10 days now, so that is still progress right?

Jump, any chance you are going to opt for lady b Glad that it is sorted.

BTW I finally got my money from work. Random BACS transfer into my account. No call, no letter nothing Still I got a bit more than i was expecting so I don't want to be one to complain!

hello
ladyT glad you've finally got some kind of prospect of resolution to the whole work mess. I feel sure that whatever you decide you will work to your and dd and dp's advantage. I'm very amused at the thought of a fancy dress wedding
daisy glad you're home from hols and back with us! Well done baby daisy on the big sleeps!
P has gone from her amazing week of only waking once or twice for a quick pat, to now wailing and screaming for hours at a time and having a saggy boob thrust in her mouth at every opportunity She's still unwell so I don't feel I can just pat her when she's putting her arms up for cuddles. Only 2 more sleeps till my new job starts so I hope she gets better soon.
P spent 2.5 hours at the organic nursery on Friday. I was really worried because she had refused her morning nap and was so grotty, but anyway she was amazing, went for a sleep with no fuss there and ate all of her organic dinner! A weight off my mind So I'm happy with both nurseries Not so happy with the indent in our finances though
I rang my new work on Friday and finally spoke to my new boss - who has said it's fine to have every wednesday off (except for the occasional v important meeting), and she asked me what time I want to go in on the first day! I said "don't you tell me that kind of thing?" and she said "we're very flexible - do you want to drop your daughter at school first and then come for 9.30 ish?" (another weight off my mind)
And I have bought some nice trousers from Dorothy Perkins short arse petite, a couple of cardigans from New Look and a plain black cardigan from M+S Back to School range (age 13 - only £7!) - it pays to be a short arse petite

Now I have to admit something...I was watching a My Little Pony DVD the other day (with dd1 of course!) and one of the ponies (Rainbow Dash for those in the know!) reminded me of ladyt! She kept saying 'darling' and was really beautiful and confident and glamorous! Then I couldn't help re-naming all the ponies to match their MN alter-egos!

OOOh I bought 3 new bras today! Now that I'm not feeding in the day I thought I'd get measured and get some new bras for my new job - I got this and this in black and lilac - bargain prices! And if you spend £30 you get £5 off New job, new bra - and I treated myself to a new mug to take to work! I'm wondering whether I'll get my own desk and feeling very excited at the prospect!

spiggy - I tried your pin down technique - it's very effective but P bit my toe!

better go - hopefully back later
hope you're all having a good weekend.

jj congrats on finding LadyB! You must feel really relieved. Hurray!

It just struck my that my new bras are underwired - do you think that's ok as I'm only BF morning and night?

hi all, am now back home & I think we're all happy to be back. Not that it wasn't lovely being at my parents but ds2 seemed to have been a little disturbed by being somewhere new etc so hasn't been sleeping that well. Am hoping that now we're back home it will go back to normal.

ladyt am happy you've finally got closure from work, I know its not your preferred outcome but hopefully you'll find a much better company to work for who will treat you how you deserve. How was the fancy dress wedding?

veggie I hope you've recovered from your migraine. Am interested in the group you're setting up, hope it all goes well

kiwi happy anniversary to you too!

spiggy how lucky dd wasn't in the bedroom , is it all getting sorted quickly?

notquitesobigbird you sound like you've got a lot on your plate, is work a rest for you?!

daisy glad you had a nice holiday! And a big yay to ds on his sleeping & to your redundancy payment coming through!

trace you sound so excited about work, glad they've finally got in touch. How's P today? Ds1 got stung a couple of times in the park when we had the really nice weather, he could at least tell me where it hurt. Ds1 also likes the faces, though the green one is his favourite, apparently its because its a boys colour!

modern sorry you couldn't make the meetup, it doesn't seem like Weds are good days really! And Happy Birthday, did you get lots of nice presents?!

jump thanks for the new thread! And I'm happy you've found what sounds like a lovely childminder. Where we are we only seem to have LadyA types, funnily enough ds1 hasn't been left with one!

I was thinking we haven't heard from artichokes, turniphead, summerlightning or njan lately, hope they're all ok & at least lurking even if they don't have time to post

Right, need to brace myself. We're getting a quote for a new boiler & given that our current system is probably the original that was built with the house I'm not hopeful that its going to be cheap!

Feeling much better, I just find it so frustrating when there are things I want to do.

JJ the childminder sounds. Can't believe ladyA's DH smokes!!! The extra 3 miles is nothing, will be good for you too.

Trace DS2 is still feeding like a child who doesn't take solids (little piggy has 5 feeds a day + solids) and I'm pretty much only in underwires. I got sick of all the unclipping nursing bras and it's easier to pull a bra cup down. The bravissimo catalogue just got delivered so I'm going to have a look.

Daisy welcome back so glad your back.

Tilly the group is a basic kind of mums group which we are setting up and my friend and I will be available for any BF as well as assessing latch if needed. We aren't allowed to give too much advice but can refer on if needed. I think in lots of cases they have found it either a latch problem or sometimes the mums just want someone to talk to who have been through BF as well. Hence training people like me.

Exciting news here DH's brother has just gotten engaged. He lives in Australia but they will be getting married in Taiwan hence the excitement. We had been planning on going to Taiwan at some stage for a holiday and this is a great excuse. Not sure of the date yet, but DH is suddenly trying to get DS1 to speak more Mandarin. He currently understands everything DH says but seems to prefer answering in English. He knows the words and his pronunciation is perfect but he just always answers in English. I'm going to brush off my DSlite Chinese coach and see if I can improve a bit too. Although I seem to have more luck with written rather than spoken. I never seem to be able to make myself understood. But anyway all very exciting. Also onr of my nieces is thinking of coming over to visit for most of October. She is the one whose parents divorced so has had a tough couple of years. She is a lovely girl and she loves DS1 (hasn't met DS2 yet) and she and DH get on really well too. We are quite excited too because she is 16 so is a freebabysitter.
Oh and I'm going to take her to Paris hooray and maybe drive to Dublin I've always wanted to catch the ferry across! Oh all very exciting.

Oh better go DH has made me a cup of tea.

Oh and JJ the poached egg and spinach sounds good for DS2, he has now started showing preferances for food. If I cook him corn on the cob I have to give it to him after the rest of his dinner. If not he will grab it and knaw on it and ignore everything else. Also he seems to not like banana and turned his nose up and butternut squash tonight.

Hello all you gorgeous gals! Just a quick hello - I must confess I haven't been on for a few months and haven't a hope of catching up with everything that's gone on, but I know you all understand! Work has been crazy. I've just finished one show, and am rehearsing another and covering (understudying) in another. Can't wait till November as I have annual leave... although no doubt I'll be having to do other boring stuff then like tax.

To all the Auzzie gals, a very happy Fathers Day to your DHs. Unfortunately I'm a bit unwell today so am going to be a bit rubbish at spoiling DH, but I'll try to manage a big cooked brunch a bit later on. Might have to chuck a sickie from work on Monday if I'm still feeling poorly. The great thing about being a singer is that if you're even slightly unwell they really don't want you to come in and infect everyone else!

Anyway I'd better go and get organised. Huge kisses for you and your beautiful babes (big and small!) xxx

Morning!!

Veggie I waved to you!! On the way home the sat nav actually took us to Derby and round the outskirts.

Tilly I think I might have sent you a blank text. Not sure how it happened(think I must have done it while it was in my pocket. Really sorry.

We had a great time yesterday. I can't wait to take the boys. They had a great day with my Mum.

I am fuming with (D)H. I am sick of having to get up between half 5 and 6 every morning and him not appearing until about 7. Do you think being married to a lazy git is a reason for divorce or murder?

Hope everyone is well.

Hello,
I am also fuming with DH Kayz, Sky man came yesterday and h didn't have a thought in the world, except laying cable. Came downstairs and side gate open, garage door wide open... Omg where's dog? Found her wandering along the wrong side of the front wall along busy road out the front. She has no road sense at ALL, fortunately got her in ok but I completely flipped after I finished crying. I expected the worst and got quite a scare. Springs being put on gate and garage door to house since he obviously needs me to idiot proof the house.
Lady, hope you get a decent payout but on your behalf. Yes will have to have housewarming bbq when we get sorted more!
I have nappy change squirm solution! Got a round ball light thing from ikea that is hanging from his bedroom ceiling and puts stars and moons on the walls at night! He lays there mesmeorized and even falls asleep on his back which is unheard of! Loves it.
Ok must go. It takes forever to type on the phone

Sorry my spelling awful. This BlackBerry is crap to type on

Morning,

Had a lovely night last night! We went to visit my parents and they offered to take the DC's for the night so we could have a rest after our holidays. So we jumped at the chance and went out for a lovely meal on our own. It was fab as the meals on holiday were so stressful; DD was itching to get to the pool/beach/disco so refused to eat much at all and DS spent the whole time throwing bread/chips/melon/spagetti all over the restaurant!

Kayz at your DH. Mine is the same bloody thoughtless and completely useless at getting up with DS.

Bisou HELLLOOOO!!!!!

Oh and on other news DS has finally decided to eat lumpy food!

Waves to Daisy

I know what you mean about lumpy food - DS has this cute but annoying spitting thing going on with anything that is too lumpy. What foods is everyone feeding at the moment? I'm trying to be creative and give him lots of different stuff, but sometimes I get stuck for ideas. Today we had (amongst other things) some nice stewed apples, and it was good because I got to eat some too!

PMK and Kayz sorry about your hubbies. Sometimes it seems like they only think of themselves don't they? Although having said that I must not complain about DH as he is doing a brilliant job as 'mummy'. In this household, I am the lazy one Although I do my fair share of baby time, and I caught two poos today! (because we use cloth nappies we try to read his signals and then we don't have to wash pooey nappies).

I seem to have lost my children. DP sent me back to bed at 9 as DD had been up quite a few times last night and when I woke up the house was eerily quiet. No idea where DP has taken them but I have just had breakfast without DS climbing over me and demanding a share and now I can go on MN without DD wailing as soon as the laptop is turned on

ladyt glad things are getting sorted with work even if it is a crappy end to 12 years you will be getting a fresh start, hopefully with someone who appreciates you.

jj glad you found a childminder you feel comfortable with. The paper we found is a double page from "The Graphic" for 1st May 1875. It has court and foreign news on one side and on the other illustrations of members of the royal family. Will definitely be keeping it.

pmk glad you found your dog, hope DH gets onto fixing the gates immediately.

Kayzr I'd be fuming with DP if he did that. Could you make him take over for a night or so; or at the least hand the baby over to him at 6 so you can have a lie in? If he wouldn't agree in advance just go and do it. Sleep is the most valuable commodity in our house and I think I would go for murder rather than divorce if DP didn't help out but then I do get rather unreasonable without sleep....

trace ouch to the bitten toe, P must be a very reluctant nappy changer!

Right I better go do something more productive with my time. Hope DP gets back soon, we have to go to B&Q to get a bit of drainpipe. After getting the hot wtaer system fixed I noticed last night that everytime we let water out of the bath it doesn't run nicely through the drainpipes, it streams down the side of the house because the cowboy person who set up the drainpipes didn't do it properly [sigh] I think we may have bought a money pit....

Thanks re concern for my dog the dog was only out the front and one might say I possibly over reacted a bit however I was having a bad day and I was just imagining what could have happened if I had been away at work or something. I could have been ugly.after that I took her to the park where she got ran at by another dog, then I came home and she got hit in the head by a flying piece of the house outside as sky were drilling through the wall! Suffice to say I stayed in doors for the remainder of the day!
Nice day today mil came over with gg'ma for the day and arrived with new toys, lunch, pie, veggies from the garden and wine! Then suggested she finish work to mind ds when I return to work! Major stress relief and feel very lucky esp knowing what childcare issues others are having. Hope nice weekends were had.

spiggy lucky you & how lovely of your dh to take them out! Ikwym about buying a money pit, it was only after we moved into ours that we realised what a state it was in!

daisy what a lovely evening for you & dh! Glad you had a nice time

veggie that group sounds lovely, I'm sure you & your friend will help lots of new mums there

kayz your dh sound a bit like mine. If he does get up with them, he's back an hour later saying I need to get up because he's so tired! I've given up now, I just find it easier to get up with them & then I have lie-ins when I go to my parents. And yes, I did get a blank text from you

pmk glad you found your dog ok. Is dh suitably chastised now?!

bisou nice to see you again, you do seem to be very busy, but glad its all going well! Food ideas hmm, I tend to give ds2 a bit of what we're having as long as its suitable, his favourites are pasta with broccoli, any veg or fruit he can pick up off his table, houmous, toast. hth

Does anyone know when you can start giving tuna? Ds1 has just started eating it (yayy!) & I try to feed ds2 what we eat as well but not sure if he should have tuna or not.

Well, this isn't going to get my essay finished, I made a good start yesterday need to keep it going!

evening
Tilly I've given tuna several times so I hope it's ok!
Spiggy how lovely to be family-free for a while
Bisou lovely to hear from you again, you busy bee! As for foods Phoebe has lots of pasta with either bolognese/ tomato/ veg/ cheese sauce, shepherd's pie, salmon with cheesy sauce, fish, veggies in cheese sauce (she likes her cheese!), omlette, scrambled egg, yohgurt, fruit mush, bits of bread/toast to gnaw on (no teeth yet!)...but actually I feel a bit lacking in inspiration too so will be reading other replies with interest!

well it's the Big Day tomorrow. First day of my new job, first day at nursery for P, first day in year 1 for L. I've written lists of what we all need so I don't forget in the morning! I can just see myself leaving Phoebe with Lucy's PE bag and putting mushed veggies in for Lucy's packed lunch and turning up for work with a dummy instead of my purse

I think I need to go an try on some of my new clothes and decide on a 'smart-but-casual-and-approachable-happy-to-be-in-my-new-job-but-not-over-confident-and-want-to-be-l iked-by-my-new-colleagues' outfit!

will be back tomorrow evening - if I survive...
xxx

thanks trace , good luck for tomorrow, am sure you'll be fab & liked

Oh I'd love to be your colleague Trace, oh wouldn't we have a brilliant time if we worked together! We'd be off for coffee all the time. Hope it all goes well tomorrow for all of your first days. Has it really been a year since L started school. DS1 kind of officially starts school but as we are Australian and over there he doesn't start til he is 5 I'm not really considering it him starting. Also at Mobtessori they just have a 3-6 year group rather than the single age classes.

Hey Bisou lovely to hear from you, seriously a hot toddy would do you the world of good. DS2 will basically eat anything he can hold, his particular faves are corn on the cob, penne pasta and strawberries not together though. Trace both my boys would love coming to yours for dinner cheesy sauce is a firm favorite though I have graduated cheesy pasta up to poached salmon and chives in a White sauce with penne pasta, which just sounds a bit healthier. I think salmon is ok just not every night of the week. The fresh stuff has loads of omegas in it. DS1 quite likes fresh tuna is beer batter (though I replace the beer with sparkling water...waste of good beer otherwise).

PMK I don't think you over reacted thank goodness the hound is ok, but it could have been DS! DS2 immediately makes a B line for any door or stair gate left open. The springs are a very good idea.

I sensed your presence Kayz. Glad you had a good time. I have been thinking of taking DS1 on that toddler deal, I would have to pretend he is 3 but I'm sure they don't ask for ID. We went to Cariba creek last year for his birthday, it was brilliant!

Daisy that night out sounds lovely. It's DH's 40th in a couple of weeks we are going to Sardinia the weekend after to celebrate but might have a big night out for the actual day, something posh would be good.

I went to Polarn o pyret today with the dodgy girls shorts my SIL got for DS1's birthday, they were very kind and let me exchange them for a cool long sleeved top. I still can't believe she got them for him, who gets their 4 year old nephew girls shorts, on sale, for his birthday!

I'm currently trying to DS2 to sleep. We went to a classical concert in a local park. It is great but unfortunately traditionally it rains. It is the final part of a week long arts celebration thing called Derby Feste, a friend of ours is one of the arts directors and gets very stressed in the build up to it so is nice it will be over for him now, for another year anyway. Another friend worked as interpretor for a French acrobatics crew who had to employ and English crane driver. She is a SAHM also and she was really scared of the lunch break because she has become quite shy and wasn't sure how she would go having to mingle with 'normal' people. I know WG mentioned this a while back and I definitely find I feel a bit shy when dealing with anyone but my circle of friends. Does anyone else feel this?

Trace hope your first day goes well!!

Tilly so sorry about that message. Still not quite sure how it happened.

I am feeling exhausted now. I am watching Miss Marple but I might have to Sky+ the end of it.

Night all.

A quick post to say lots of luck for trace at your new job tomorrow - I hope there are lots of lovely people to work with (adults and children) and you have fun. Will catch up with all other news very soon, I hope you've all enjoyed the weekend? x