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Dec 08 - 9 months in, 9 months out!

999 replies

jumpjockey · 03/09/2009 21:34

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

OP posts:
Are your children’s vaccines up to date?
LadyThompson · 22/10/2009 15:21

Gadzooks, I am so behind! Once again I am putting off my proper catch up as I need to work. NJAN, thanks for asking - no exciting plans coming career-wise except to finish bloomin' novel. I had hoped to finish mid-Nov. Have some telly projects in but things like that are always like buying a lottery ticket...planning to take a couple of BBC courses if they will let me on 'em, though they aren't cheap and I may not fit the criteria. Can't really see beyond finishing the book at the minute, and then I will have the house move!

JJ, I wish I could drive over to help you but even if I could, your DD doesn't know me from Adam. What a shame. I think people get worried about looking after babies - I know I used to, on the rare occasions I did so before having DD.

Kiwi, Vicky is ok, busy as usual. She is actually a former girlfriend of my late DH which is not a conventional beginning to a friendship but we've always seemed to have a lot in common, though she is much more of a worrier than I am. Her brother plays for my cricket team on occasion. Did you work on the words show? What made you leave telly?

Rubes, you are so right about lunch. It is literally on my To Do list...so I will be back to you on that one.

Interested in the Hilary Mantel talk. I have that Gazzah Street one, Invis, I may take it on my next hol.

My aubergine recipe was going to be rather like the one posted by (I think) Mom so I won't bother. Sorry for those aubergine haters. Veggie, your DH's Indonesian one sounds intriguing, but I am not going to ask you for it as I think you have quite enough on your plate at the mo!

Trace, how are you feeling today, lovey? Hope you are settling into work and L is settling down a bit too.

Sorry you had a bad night, Kayz. I am still thinking about Earls Court restaurants. Was it Aubi who mentioned the Troubadour? I had DH's funeral party/reception thing there (I don't know what the right word is for it, but party is more accurate than anything). It's a good place.

Summer - your potential aubergine recipe sounds good as well. Peanut and ginger - mmmm. Wow, so you return to work in a fortnight...

Will anyone watch Nick Griffin on QT tonight? I think he is scum, to be frank, but I am hoping his unpalatable views will inspire even more widespread disgust rather than garnering new followers. It's a tricky one though. On balance I think the BBC did the right thing having him on as freedom of speech is so important. I do also think that the major parties need to stop shrinking from discussing matters such as immigration, because myths, rumour and conjecture tend to flourish in the absence of facts and frank discussion, and this enables toerags like the BNP to thrive. Anyway, just my opinion, of course! I do actually worry that when DD goes to school, there won't be a aingle non-white child there (there isn't at the moment at the school she will probably attend). I feel uncomfortable that she might end up thinking that is normal. However, she will have lots of trips to London with me, I guess.

I watched In Bruges last night. Great film, but jeepers, it was violent!

Right, time for her nap - those creepy big-eyed floaty things are on Cbeebies...

LadyThompson · 22/10/2009 15:24

Hope I didn't offend anyone with fleeting politics chat btw.

Kayzr · 22/10/2009 16:37

LadyT, I totally agree with you. I just can't stand him. He makes my skin crawl. I might watch it but I don't know yet.

I think we'll try the Troubadour. I'll have to look and see if they are open early as we decided to find a cafe to have breakfast instead of having one at the hotel.

daisydora · 22/10/2009 19:35

Just a quickie from me, so apologies to anyone I forget....

kayz kiwi and everyone else with shocking sleepers at the moment. Much love and sympathy from me. DS regularly wide awake at 4.54am Don't know why but when I look at the clock its like groundhog day.....

trace effieBeautiful pictures!!

Yes we have a stairgate top and bottom. Not that I ever remember to close the bottom one. Yesterday I 'lost' DS heard a bang upstairs, and discovered him trying to play DD's toy piano in her bedroom

Love aubergines, but bananas make me feel sick.

My Grandad finds ou tomorrow the outcome of his scan for the cancer on his face. its only been 3 weeks, and has spread a lot since. Am praying tonight that all will be okay. My nan starts chemo in the next few weeks, so i am hoping we all stay germ free so we can continue to visit.

Unfortunately more bad news here...MIL has been generally unwell for a while now, had a few scans last week and they have discovered a tumour on her kidney and liver They haven't said that it is cancer as she needs further tests and an MRI but her GP has expressed the seriousness of it, and its not looking good at all. Dh is distraught. She has emphseyma(sp?) and she nearly died 2 years ago so her helath isn't great at the best of times. I feel like a bit of a bitch for all the choice things I have said about her in recent posts. But I guess I wasn't to know

Will check out the book thread. I love to read and did most of mine on my commute to work, but since DS I barely find time to read the time!!!!!!

sybilfaulty · 22/10/2009 20:00

Hello everyone....

Just popping in to say hello to everyone and see how you all are. I haven't caught up at all, sorry, but am hping I might get an earlyish night so I can have a read before I go to sleep. Alas, 3 children undrer 5, a job and a DH who is never here do not leave much time to read MN alas. I will try to post properly over the weekend, when DH should be around if I am lucky.

Hope you are all well. Love to all XXX

traceface · 22/10/2009 20:26

oh Daisy that's terrible news. You have so much on your plate and so many people to worry about and care for. Do look after yourself. I'll pray for you.
veggie any news? What's the situation now?
Katie sorry about the BFN. It seems you're keeping a level head about it all though. Fingers crossed for next month.
JJ nice to have you back! That's a real shame about you having to miss the concert. How would you feel about paying a babysitter - someone by recommendation? P has only ever been put to bed by me because of BF. I'm assuming she still wouldn't take a bottle although I guess we've not tried for ages, but it would be good if she would start to take milk from a beaker so I was not always on bedtime duty. Having said that I love our pre-bed snuggles
I left P with my MIL yesterday for 2.5 hours while I went to a meeting and it went really well. P refused to go for her nap when I tried her at her usual time, so I left her anyway and MIL put her down about an hour later and she slept for 45 mins then woke up and had lunch, then played happily until I got home, when she promptly cried just to show me how mean I was to leave her!
Our nights are still pretty bad. She usually goes down quite well at 6.30 ish, often wakes again by 9 then usually another 3 times before morning, which I class as anything after 6am. I'm not leaving her to cry because I think it was having a negative effect on me, and although that might be selfish, I couldn't keep it up and stay sane. So I've been feeding whenever she wakes up and getting some sleep inbetween. But last night even after BFs she wouldn't settle. So I'm thinking teeth...will she ever get any?!!!
Well having spent 10 months showing no interest in her legs, P has gone from pulling to standing to taking little steps holding the furniture - all within 3 days! It's so odd to see her upright - like a real person but just really tiny I guess I'll need to get her some shoes soon! I'm hoping she has a wide foot like her big sister, then we'll save a fortune in shoes if she can wear hand-me-downs!
Stairgates - we don't have one up yet because P can't get up any yet but I think it's a matter of days away. Our staircase is wooden and not very uniform, so my dad made us a stairgate when we had Lu because none of the standard ones fitted, so we'll dig that out of the garage. Our upstairs is tiny so we never really do anything other than sleep there (and a few other things ), so we don't need a top one as P will either be safe in her cot or being lifted out and brought straight downstairs.
I won't be watching QT tonight because it's way past my bedtime
Just caught a few minutes of 'inside Britain's fattest man' - I turned it straight off. Ew.
Right I think I want a Lemon Tea and an early night . I have to make a giant jaffa cake tomorrow to take to my friend's wedding on Saturday. I definitely won't be eating any of the chocolate as I make it. Absolutely not. No sneaking a bite at all. None.

Veggiemummy · 22/10/2009 20:29

Just popping to say a quick hello. Thanks of lovely words of support but have to say I have nothing on Lady's limited time and Daisys family illness stress. I think everything is pretty much sorted. They need one final signature on his contract approval and the guy is on holiday for another week. But basically it's all ok he may just be starting a bit later than he thought. Will be nice for DH to have a week off, as he is quite stressed. But we have reminded ourselves that it is a good stress, compared to what many people are having to deal with at the moment. Our boys and ourselves are healthy, we are financially ok and Arsenal are winning.

Loving the recipes. When we are settled down I'll jot down the recipe, it's actually really easy ladyT. I used to cook Aubergine Parmigiana loads in my 20's but my recipe was a bit higher in fat! Might try your one.

JB & Effie your conversations with your DH's made me giggle.

Went to Chatsworth house today with my niece & DS2 really nice. I went 10 years ago and it was not very well kept but much better now.

Hi Syb lovely to see you.

Right must eat dinner. Try to keep up. I can def to a coffee next thurs should we try somewhere central? Whose up for it?

Veggiemummy · 22/10/2009 20:43

Oh cross posted Trace. Always lovely to read your posts partially because P's sleep is similar to J's although he at least has teeth to show for his troubles.

I meant to say Lady, I of course agree with your views. I'm not sure whether to watch or not. I may end upset. Those sorts of views quite upset me. It saddens me to think people hate my DH & and my boys before they have even spoken to them, and I hate to think sometimes what they hatred might lead to. A bit extreme I guess and unlikely to happen but still scares me. Most of all I'm sad that people judge DH and don't like him because of how he looks, because he is just the loveliest man anyone could ever be lucky enough to know.

waitinggirl · 22/10/2009 21:01

Oh, daisy - i?m so sorry. You have so much on your plate now ? thinking of you and your family.

ladyt - i knew VC at school ? she was the year above me and friends with my then boyfriend ? had tea at her house once. she seemed a v tricky person at school from watching from the year below, but when i met her with the then bf, she was charm itself. Have always found her writing v funny and insightful.

Re: QT ? will be watching if i can keep my eyes open. I believe freedom of speech is more important than anything. I don?t think the bbc could have done anything else really ? if our legal system allows this party to exist, then the bbc must give it room to air. And hopefully they will expose themselves for the bigoted bonkers loons they are.

kayz - troubadour is lovely. You?ll have a great time and i?m sure they do breakfast.

jj - i had such a thing about formula, until i kept seeing my expressed milk poured down the sink as we tried and tried to get her to take a bottle. So i went out and bought some follow on powder, tried it and now she?s got the hang of the bottle (and yes, siree, she downed 8 oz today no probs), i simply couldn?t be bothered to go back to expressing. I bf morning and night, and if we?re out and about and i haven?t prepared anything, but tend to give a bottle of formula mid afternoon if we?re at home. Oh, and i?ve given up sterilising as well. indith - my dh has successfully given madam a bottle before bed ? it was only our worry which prevented us from trying ? in the end, she went down no probs.

Well, fil is now back home from hospital and we are going up to n wales on sat. they said the operation would take 2 hours and he?d be back after 5 days. In the end the operation took 8 hours and he was in for 2.5 weeks. i don?t think he?s had an easy run of it. They told him he wouldn?t have a colostomy bag, but now he?s got a ?temporary? one. We just don?t know what?s going on ? whether it is/was cancer, whether the bag will be permanent. And all the way through mil was wanging on about how difficult it was for her. She is contrasting it with her operation for kidney cancer 6 years ago ?i mean, i had open surgery, so it was much harder for me ? d?s had keyhole, so the recovery is much easier? ? honestly, i feel like shouting at her so so much. Don?t worry, i won?t.

Re: stairgates ? we still haven?t put them up (woman who lived here before us left them in the loft for us, although no idea if there are any instructions for them), even though madam made her supervised way to the top yesterday. It was gorgeous to see her triumphant face at the top.

kayz and kiwi - good luck for tonight.

Re: books ? i loved reading, read avidly, did an English degree and now i?ve basically given it up. It?s ridiculous ? i simply can?t concentrate on a book to save my life. I feel dreadful, especially being married to a writer who is the most voracious reader. I know i?ve got to get back into the swing of it, but find it a bit overwhelming. Did anyone else ever go into a bookshop and get panicked thinking ?i?ll never read all of these books, so why bother even starting?? or am i weird?

Madam has had her first proper fever today. She was super grumpy and i couldn?t work out why ? she refused supper, and then she became very cuddly, and nestled into me and we sat and watched cbeebies for 2 hours together. She was so quiet, barely moved, but kept watching the screen. She was so hot, poor lamb, and this was the first time i?d successfully used the ear thermometer on her. So calpol has hopefully done its trick and she is in bed. She went to sleep without a peep, but has grizzled a couple of times since then. If she really is ill tonight, i suppose playing hardball will go out of the window. That?s the problem with playing hardball ? when do you relent and do what your heart says: pick them up, cuddle them and tell them everything is going to be ok. It is so hard. But am so thankful she hasn't been properly ill. counting blessings.

LadyThompson · 22/10/2009 21:29

Daisy, what a bad time you and your family are having. I do hope things go ok for you Grandad tomorrow, and sorry too for your MIL. That is all very tough

Trace, as usual I think you are amazing for sounding so cheerful on so little sleep. And cheering about little P standing up and moving about. I have given up about O moving anywhere. She is just not interested. So stairgates aren't needed chez moi at the mo!

Syb - you seem to spend a lot of time coping with the kids on your tod. I hope you are ok.

Veggie, yes - the fear and ignorance that gives rise to that sort of prejudice actually makes me feel very sad as much as it makes me angry. Certain newspapers do stoke it, though, obviously. Also they roll together matters of race, religion, immigration and the thorny issue of benefits as if they are all one and the same thing instead of distinct issues, and this is precisely what the BNP do too. Anyway, all I can say is, and this is my final word on the matter - if my DD looks down on anyone for their race, background, education or any such thing, I will have failed horribly as a parent...Gosh, I hope your DH has never been on the receiving end of racism.

On a lighter note, I am seeing DP's Mum for lunch on Sunday. She just puts my back up with her silly wittering.

I should be writing tomorrow but I am going up to Birmingham for the day to meet my Mum for a day round the shops. I only saw her last week (Wed to Sat) but when I do see her it makes me realise how much I miss her, if you know what I mean, and I get horrified when I think about her not being here (which of course she won't be one day). Apologies to those on here who have lost their Mums. It must be v painful

Right, watching Kirstie and Phil on C4+1 now.

LadyThompson · 22/10/2009 21:41

Crossposted with you, WG. (I am going to have to put this computer on a HIGH SHELF)...

Gosh, your poor FIL. I do know of a couple of people who have had colostomy reversal ops, including my stepmother. They do try to do it if poss so I bet it will be so for your FIL, even if it takes six months or a year.

As to VC, funnily enough my late DH's dad was talking about her tonight when we were speaking on the phone and he said he thought she was a combination of self-deprecation and superiority - I think that can make you tricky, for sure...Another English degree here and I have posted on our books page but I am looking for easy reads at the moment and don't really know where to start (apart from OK!, Heat and the like, which I do enjoy )

Hope Madam picks up. What did you decide about your job?

daisydora · 23/10/2009 01:38

trace you always sound so positive. I feel very silly for all my moanings. I wish I had your ability to look on the bright side.

wg my nan had a colostomy fitted in April. I believe that a reversal is possible if everything heals well and is usually successful. My nan was due to have her reversal this month, but now has to wait due to her cancer treatment.

DS has been awake and screaming for the past two hours. He has just fallen asleep on my knee but when I try to put him down he just screams. I have given him everything I can think of. DD will be up in less than 5 houts no doubt and I just want to cry. DD woke at 11pm screaming with a nightmare and DH no use has had too much wine worrying over his mum.

daisydora · 23/10/2009 01:56

Going to try and put DS to bed.

sorry for my doom and gloom posts at the moment. I think I will refrain grom posting till I learn to be more positive. There are people in worse situations than me in life.

Kayzr · 23/10/2009 05:54

Morning,

Daisy don't stop posting. We don't mind doom and gloom. It's good to get it out. I hope all goes well with your grandad and MIL. Hope you got DS to sleep.

Trace Daisy us right. You always seem really happy despite what life is throwing at you. Do you think I could order some of your happiness?

On the subject of books I hardly ever read anymore. I just never seem to have the time. I think the last thing I read was a Hercule Poirot book. I love Agatha Christie's books, they are really well written. I also love the classics e.g. Emma, Wuthering Heights etc. I was seeing about getting some audiobooks to put on my ipod. DH reads Clive Cussler books and I sometimes have a quick read of those.

DS2 woke at half 10 when we went to bed and then went to sleep at 12. He then woke at 3 and is still sleeping now. It is just so draining. I'm having my hair cut today and I will have to stop myself falling asleep.

Hope everyone got some sleep last night.

Rubena · 23/10/2009 08:03

will catch up later, but just quickly, for those with wakers in the early hours. ds sometimes wakes between 5-6am, but If I leave him and don't go in it only lasts about 5 or so minutes (which feels like an hour) and then he drops off again... However this is only if his cry at that time is more a grisly one rather than screaming... Worth a try? This morning was one of those mornings and at 0550 he woke and did a bit of a cry for 5-10 mins and then went back to sleep, and is still asleep now!!

Aubergines · 23/10/2009 09:05

I am afraid if you have a determined early waker NOTHING works Rubs. DD2 waks at 6ish which is at least better than the 5.15 wake-up call her sister specialised in at this age. I have left her to cry, put her to bed later, tried the "wake-to-sleep" method (don't ask) but nothing helps. In fact once you have two any crying in the early hours becomes v nerve racking lest the toddler awakes. At least with DD2 I can just bring her into bed and BF while dozing, if DD1 was to wake too I would be hauled out of bed and put in charge of camp construction within 5 mins.

I think I have Swine Flu girls. I was feverish and had a stomach upset Tues/Weds, felt OKish yesterday so went to work and then overnight developed another fever of 39 degrees and a sore throat. I am so sick of my Terrible immune system and worried lest the kids catch this off me. I was also kept awake allnight by the police helicopters circling BBC Television Centre courtesy of Mr Griffin. They are still circling now when surely the protests are over. Argh, my head, my head.

KiwiPanda · 23/10/2009 09:13

Morning all, better night again apart from me having random allergy attack at 5am which felt like asthma (which I do not have, have never had and will never have ) Very strange.

LadyT Yup I worked on the words show, I left TV because I never really meant to get into it, just sort of happened! It was fun at the beginning but once I started thinking about having a family it just became hideous - endless 14 hour days, no job security whatsoever, etc etc. Don't miss it one bit!

I followed the loathesome Griffin and QT on Twitter. Is anyone else on Twitter by the way? I clearly have a social networking site habit.. I'm sure I'd have more time to do stuff like..oo... laundry if I spent less time on Twitter, FB and MN...

WG I have the opposite problem, can't stop buying books and can never leave a bookshop without a pile of the little buggers. Either that or they are breeding in my house. I may have to get an Amazon Kindle, either that or a bigger house...

Aubergines · 23/10/2009 09:14

Sorry Daisy. Can't believe I posted without saying how sorry I am about your news and about your lack of sleep. Please don't even consider stopping pouring your troubles into the basket. It's what we are here for!

Where and when are Veggie and the Londoners mtg for coffee next Weds? If it's near my work and around lunchtime I may drop-in to say hi. But don't make arrangements to suit me as anything could happen at work to change my plans at the last minute.

Rubena · 23/10/2009 09:18

Daisy - sorry about all the bad luck going on in your family, hopefully it will turn a corner soon.

JJ I forgot what a little climbing pro your dd is!
I'm having a real dilemma with this stair gate thing, as if I put it on the bottom as well I think it will be too dangerous / difficult for when anyone is coming down the stairs, let alone carrying ds at the same time since it would be a long way to reach down to open the gate if you know what I mean? I will have to give it some thought. I think ds is a fair way off being able to confidently crawl up the stairs without getting stuck and falling.
WG - your mil - nightmare. Hope dd feels better soon

Rubena · 23/10/2009 09:23

Aub - oh I keep forgetting about the 2nd child thing, bugger, i'm so naieve I will learn when it's me I suppose... I will have to make a soundproofed room for one of them Yes where / when is this meet up???

Rubena · 23/10/2009 09:26

or naive rather

Rubena · 23/10/2009 09:27

bloody hell how do you spell it?

Rubena · 23/10/2009 09:28

...

traceface · 23/10/2009 09:32

daisy don't stop posting - and you have LOADS to deal with and worry about at the moment. There will always be someone worse of than yourself, but that doesn't take away from the enormity of what you are going through. I wish I could give you a hug and go out for a cake with you! L woke up with a nightmare last night too - she dreamt a dinosaur ate her, so we then had to spend a little while thinking of lovely things together to try to get her to forget it (the time we went to the fair, the time she had a huge bag of candy floss, the time she had a dolphin balloon...) - we had a really nice time actually, reminiscing in little whispers about our happy times! Shame we woke P up when L stomped back past her room!
aubi poor you. It does sound like swine flu . You have certainly had more than your fair share of ills lately. do you have any breaks coming up where you can really rest your system? (I know - impossible with kids...)If you do the online flow chart thing you get a code or something for someone to pick up Tamiflu for you I think. Hope you're soon feeling better. I agree with the early waker thing. I remember L going through a 5am phase (can't remember what age she was) and it felt like it would never end - and I could do NOTHING to change it...and it passed, as all these things do, eventually
Syb I was thinking along the lines of LadyT too - are you ok?
and Ladyt I think your dd is very blessed to have you as her mummy, with all your wisdom - and your rock solid stance on what is important in life. Lucky Little O!
WG so good to read your post about feeding and formula...you seem much more relaxed and comfortable with your decisions and trusting your instincts (see you DO have them!). So glad she is sleeping for you at night. How was last night? I would go with your gut when she's poorly. Boobs and cuddles in abundance - although it may well knock her sleep pattern off for a few days, but she'll get it back. Hope she's feeling better.
Well I have welcomed (NOT) Aunt Flo back this morning. Not overly heavy yet but I'm bracing myself.
Also I've woken up desperate for a hair cut. You know how your hair goes from "it's fine" to "yikes what a scary mess I must have it cut immediately" overnight? Or is that just mine? Well I'm now in my usual 'just a tidy up' versus 'radical new style' dilemma! Time to but a hair magazine, find a fab style, then get despondent knowing I'll look rubbish whatever I choose!
must press on...jaffa cake to make

Kayzr · 23/10/2009 10:01

Trace I am having a radical new hairstyle this afternoon. I can not wait!!