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

Right I am back but now forgotten what I had to say.

ladyt I shall look forward to the book. Hopefully you at least have a fair few contacts to try and help get it published when you finish it? Though I am sure it is very daunting to think about it nonetheless. Must be a bit daunting to think about people reading it with a critical eye as well, but I for one am very impressed with you getting even close to writing a novel!

oh veggie hello, big waves to you in the netherlands, hope you are settling in well! Looking forward to lots of updates.

Right off to get my lunch.

MoM - on the breastfeeding thing, both my DCs pretty quickly gave up the evening feed, but stayed keen on having a morning feed for a while. DS is showing signs of being less interested in his morning feed. He'll have a go for a bit, but he isn't desperate for it and there are so many more interesting things to do. But neither of mine are really milk monsters...

Effie - if it was Melanie Phillips having a go at your DH, that is all to his credit! I'm sure he acquitted himself well and you are rightly proud.

LadyT - as far as I am concerned, just finishing a book will be a huge achievement! I find it hard enough when I have to gear myself up to a big bit of drafting at work that I know will take a few weeks to do and that's not something that I have much personally invested in, by comparison with a book. I know all to well how easy it is to find other distractions and its a lonely business if you don't. Thanks for asking about my work situation. No developments though. My CV is out there and I've spoken to people, but its the kind of market where nothing much will happen for ages and then I guess someone will decide to act and it will all go quickly (I hope). Current work haven't said anything more, so I am lying low. I am sure they are hoping I just find something else, so they don't have to pay me a redundancy package so they will give me some space. In the meantime its much busier here, which makes me happier, even if juggling getting home and seeing the DCs gets a bit tricker.

SL - glad you are enjoying being back at work!

Hello lovelies. Still posting from my phone so it'll be another big long paragraph. The weather here has been horrendous and both boys are a bit under the weather so we were holed up today but for a little trip to the shops. Lucky this flat is lovely and airy. The first place we had was in a much better area but so many things were wrong, one of the gas hob burners would turn off, one of the beds had so many broken slats that DH went write through it. The bath was filthy, and the fridge & microwave were dirty. There were old bottles of soft drink half full in a cupboard and no cable to connect the TV and no sheets or blankets. There was more but i'm over it now. The agents were great and found up something else and were suprised we weren't more annoyed about it. I thing they must deal with some primadonnas. I know my sil would have walked out and demanded a hotel room. But this place is nice and while the area isn't great it will do for a month. Verso if your working in the Hague and get a chance for a coffee let me know, and spot when are you over. We have friends coming for christmas which will be nice not sure what we'll cook but it'll be fun. I've found some english speaking playgroups so will check them out next week. Apart from meeting people for me it will be some stimulation for the boys. Lady i'm nervous for you with the book but also excited for you (and a teeny bit proud of you) that it will soon be finished. Like Kayz said you can a least count on us for a copy each. Maybe we can make it a book club selection on MN. ZJ when is your interview? Glad your enjoying being back at work. Oh and Aub i wish you'd been there and Syb as i wanted to meet you. But we could always do a meet up early december when our babies will be or almost are 1! I can't remember what everyone else said, oh Effie will try to do the listen again.

Well, I hope you are all in bed asleep, like sensible people. Veggie, the weather here has been rubbish too (well, in West Oxfordshire anyway - lots of wind and rain, and there was a tornado in Hampshire today. Wonder if Nolda is ok?) Veggie, that first place sounded like a hovel. I am so glad you've managed to get something else for now, it can't have been fun with two littlies. It is very exciting to think of you rattling around Amsterdam. The English speaking playgroups sound like a good bet. Will you try to learn some Dutch?

I will bid you all goodnight as I feel a bit funny. I have felt really sick all evening and now I feel like I might throw up, and my arms feel all heavy. Ugh. Perhaps I will feel better in the morning.

Morning,

LadyT Hope you are feeling better this morning.

Veggie Thats good that the agents were so good about getting you moved quickly.

Just trying to find some where to eat in London. We're planning on going to the Troubadour for breakfast as they open at 9am. Hoping it wont be too busy. We're going to Westfield Friday evening so will probably grab something there.

Hope everyone is ok.

Hello,

Thanks all ds woke up much better this morning. It was really just a cold, but he kept getting all conjested, hated me wiping his snot, not napping properley, until I discovered Disprol that is and things have been brighter ever since I shoved some in his bottle !
Veggie wow - very resilient! Aussie blood Hope the weather picks up - it's been crap here as Lady said. Windy, rainy and cold.

Oooh there's a new smilie !!

Well I have a stack of books to read and stuff to memorize courtesy of work so no doubt I will look into that a week or two before, then panic just like normal!

Lady, hope you are feeling better this morning?

Well I am thinking about doing a quick trip away - not home as it's way too far for a short time, but NY is so nice around Xmas so will run it by dh. I am dying to stay in the Plaza or the maybe the Peninsula though, (ever since seeing the Peninsula in Hong Kong) and it's waaaaay too much for a night there the week before Christmas

Ok, bye for now, more coffee needed.....

why do I keep spelling congested with a j? Is it the American way or something? Isn't it with a G?

Morning

LadyT - I do hope you were not sick last night and are feeling better. There are some nasty D&V bugs doing the rounds at the moment. On a nicer subject I want to say how imprssed I am that you have written a book. When did you start writing it? What style is it? Are you more of a Marion Keyes or a Rose Tremain? I too would love to meet-up when you are town. It would have to be a Fri/Sat or Sun though due to be blasted job.

Rubena - Glad your DS is better. So jealous of the idea of NY in winter. Do you know the story behind the new smiley you discovered? Its a biscuit to commemorate the media furore when Gordon Brown came on here and did not answer the question about what his fav biscuit was. The media reckoned it was a sign of his evasiveness and indecisiveness and went on and on about it. Therefore we are meant to use it when we are avoiding questions or cannot make up our minds!!! However, MNHQ have admitted Gordon never actually saw the question about biscuits so was neither being indecisive or evasive! The whole thing is a shame as my work has recenty cited MN quite a lot as a good forum for connecting with the public and finding out parents' views on various policies. However, in recent meetings MN has only been referred derisively and the new perception is that all MNers are interested in is politician's fav food. Oh well.

Kayz - There are lots of places to eat at Westfield. A huge food court and then lots of restaurants too. What about eating on the South Bank for your other meal? There are lots of nice restaurants and I think you get a lovely feel for the city when you wonder by the river on the south bank and see all the lit up buildings in the dark. There are usually performing artists and stuff and you can drop into places like Tate Modern. Its easy to get too from Earls Court - just take the District Line to Westminster or Embankment and cross the nearest bridge before wondering east along the river.

I think people were talking about christmas pressies a while back. I am going to get DD2 a wheely-bug (by which I mean a ride on bee or ladybug). DD1 always wanted one when she was little and DD2 loves riding on toys so I know they will both love it. DD1 is easy as she has dictated a letter to Father Christmas. It is very sweet it says:

"Dear Father Christmas,

This year I would be happy if your elves made me:

• Some beads like this (here she has drawn lots of coloured beads);
• Some story books like this (more pictures that apparently represent boos);
• Some teeny-tiny toys like this (lots of dots strewn over page - I have no real idea what she envisages a teeny-tiny toy being);
• My own mobile phone just like Mummy's (hmmm, I have an iPhone so that is not happening);
• A toy cat with nipples (yup, she has drawn a cat with big breasts);
• A sheep outfit with horns
• And a twinkle-twinkle star.

Thank you very much Father, Love DD1"

I guess I better get shopping.

Oh and we need to start thinking of a new thread titles. I was thinking of a rhyme around the word one. However, I am n poet and all I came-up with was: "our babies are turning one, our preggie flab is mostly gone and the last year has really been tres bonne". Clearly that won't do but maybe one of you literary types can have a go?

Right, off to wake DD2 and collect DD1 from nursery. Then we are off to get my back manipulated at the chiropractor. Lugging DD2 around is giving me serious back problems. She is soooo heavy but wants to be carried everywhere. The nanny has a dead arm as a result... (I hope I am not liable for that as her employer).

Bugger - NY in Dec already knowcked on the head. Flights are full oh well... will nut out plan B tonight.

Aub - thanks for the Biscuit story! Didn't know that - no! Loving dd1's Christmas list -Hope you get the toy cat with nipples and the sheep outfit!! hilarious!

Is anyone having major trouble changing nappies these days? Doing my head in... trying to be firm with him but he is strong and does this really quick flip thing and then sprints off if I don't pin him down and listen to him scream!!!

Rubena - nappy changes, yes, a complete nightmare! DS is very expert at zooming off in the middle and hates being on his back. Had relatively recent poo disaster when he wandered off uncovered....

LadyT - do hope a bit of sleep has sorted you out and you are in fine form today.

Kayz - Westfield is fun for eating out - there is a fab choice of all kinds of things.

Aub - Love the Christmas list! Must say that my DD didn't really get on with the wheely bug despite being a very active sort, but I think that may be to do with the fact that she is quite little, so when it might have been developmentally interesting for her to use it she was a bit too short and later she had better things to do. So you might not have that problem. The bee is good as DD had lots of fun twanging its feelers, even if she didn't ride it much.

Evening all. Hope everyone is well. DD and DH have both been ill, later with vomiting bug (lovely) which I'm really hoping he doesn't pass to us. Am knackered due to lack of sleep as DD had two horrendous nights where she seemed to wake every 15 minutes. And then last night DH woke me every 2 hours with his vomiting [yuck emoticon] so I'm really hoping BOTH the big babies sleep better tonight.. LadyT I hope you didn't come down with that. And do we all get signed copies of the book

Aubergines I've asked my mum to get DD a wheelybug for christmas too. I love the lion one, so cute.

Kayzr I was at Westfield today, it's very very baby friendly, really good changing rooms. Nice restaurants on the terrace bit (DD loves Wahaca..)

Mom I'm getting a bit nervous about the whole milk/bf/ childcare thing. DD still feeds SO much, particularly in the morning or when she's ill and wants comforting. I guess if she's ill she won't go to nursery so shouldn't worry too much about that but no idea how much milk to express for her. Have just booked her in for her settling in sessions in December so I suppose it's still a while off. Can't see her dropping any Bfeeds though!
Two questions, firstly, does anyone know where I can buy some plastic balls of the tupe with wholes in for little hands to grip? DD loves the ones at Gymboree where they sell them for £7 for 3 which is outrageous.

Secondly, does anyone have inspiration for me: a dear friend has just moved to Hong Kong with her lovely DS who we miss very much. I'm planning to send a little parcel as I think she's feeling a bit homesick, full of things from home. So far I have got a little present for her son (a top from M&S with Big Ben on it so sort of London-reminder thing) - and I need more ideas! They need to be small, light things. Any clever ideas?

wholes? tupe? err, that will be holes and type. I can hear my mum saying "I put you through all that education for WHAT exactly?"

Hello Hello
Kiwi hope you didn't get the sickness - and also hope that yours LadyT didn't become anything worse. DH was laid up with that bug all last weekend which I'm still irrationally cross about. I had it on Monday. Children seemed to miss it though thank God.

Was lovely to see you all at the meet up -although I completely agree about not having enough time to talk properly. Very lovely to meet Veggie and urbaneboy is still talking about veggieboy and how it will be nice to go to his house . We managed to half inch your Thomas comic so when the next one comes out we'll send one in the post if you give me your temp address - I'm urbanewarrior at gmail dot com. Hope it's going ok.

Hmm DD is going a bit crackers so am not sure this is going to be the long catch up I'd hoped. We've not had broadband for a whole week so though I've been keeping up on my phone I do feel totally deprived. Slight shocker in the urbane household this week was DS didn't get into the ace nursery in the primary school up the road. There were 134 applicants for 33 places. By itself not disaster, but it does mean he probably won't get in when he's 5. Which means we probably do have to move.

Aub I love that Christmas list. Also now I'm back at work maybe we could get a coffee or something? Am sometimes down your way...

Have job interview on Monday. Or more accurately 3 job interviews in a row (same company - crazy system). If I'm successful I'd have another 5 more. And all 8 of them have to say yes. Given I barely know which way is up at the moment am not sure I'll be troubled by the next 5. Anyway. all part of plan b which is if we have to move, I'd have to work and earn more. Boo hiss.

Oh and I think it's a really good idea to do a December/1st birthday meet up. Just same thing as before but with more cake and cheerfulness

Hope you all have lovely weekends.

Urbane That does sound like a great idea. A 1st birthday meet would be really good. Not sure if I could come but I will certainly look at train tickets.

Or we could do a Yorkshire and a London meet up!

Oh a simultaneous North, South meet up good idea. We could do a skype link up using someones iPhones.

Am loving the Netherlands, it's so efficient but still a bit grungy kind of halfway between germany & maybe Italy or Spain. I love it! Unfortunately DS1 has a little cold & DS2 has a Gastro bug (must be the same moving tummy bug MrT had Spot).

I wrote a post last night but the laptop battery ran out without warning and I lost it all. Not sure if I can remember all I wrote but will try.

Lady you sound exhausted, any chance of the occasional nanna nap in the afternoons to help the creative juices. Keep going we will make sure your book is a best seller. Isn't there a book club on the wider MN?

Mom v. Proud of babymom walking so cool, is he the first?

Urbane don't worry about the mag, I'm sure he'll live, but Kiwi that is a good idea for your Hong Kong friends DS the kids magazines like cbeebies or Thomas etc. They are light and kids love them. You can get ones for older kids. For your friend some British choccies that she might be missing would be good or even a ladies mag she used to like. They are really expensive to buy over there and so nice to read.

Sorry I can't remember more and I think Mrveggie wants to talk.

kiwi a friend of mine is abroad for 6 months and I've been sending various things to remind her of home...some good old Cadbury's chocolate, Yorkshire tea bags, local postcards (you never really buy post cards of your home town do you?!!)...and usually a picture done by dd1. All quite light and therefore cheap to send
Aub I love that Christmas list . Lucy has some out with a couple of crackers today...
Lucy - "I spy with my little eye, something begining with c"
me - "car"
Lucy - "no"
me - "clouds"
Lucy - "no"
me - "is it something in the car or outside?"
lucy - "no. it's in my head"
me - "so just something you're thinking of?"
lucy - "yes. but it's not real. it's a cog."
me - "what's a cog?"
lucy - "it's a dog with a cat's face"

i don't think i stood much of a chance of guessing that!!!
Then later....
Lucy - " do you know how to wake a baby up?"
me - "er...go on"
Lucy - " you poke it. Not in the front, just in the side then it doesn't hurt or go right in"
Apart from her hilarious moments she's actually being quite objectionable and I'm getting rather fraught with it all. She is so full of aggression, shouting at me and dh, slamming doors, crying every time she doesn't get her own way, it's just horrible. I ended up in tears over it today. I feel like I don't know who to get advice or help from, because she's 5 so not covered by HV any more. It's really stressing dh and I
P is just as delicious as ever, although she has had really runny poo since Tuesday. She doesn't seem poorly and she's still eating and BFing, but it's just like lumpy water (TMI sorry!) and it's going through her clothes, up her back newborn-style several times a day! I ended up bathing her at 6am today to clean her up as she was covered in poo, then she did more in the bath so the water just turned yellow ! She did it again at IL's this afternoon so ended up having a bath there too! DH and I are so tired. I think the physical tiredness of P and her non-sleeping ways, and the emotional tiredness of L and her psycho behaviour, is just leaving us totally drained.
Anyway ramble ramble. Sorry.
I like the idea of a 1 year meet-up! It's quite near Christmas though so not sure how easy it will be to find a suitable date, but I'd love to catch up with the northern contingent again! I wish I could come to a London one and meet the rest of you. Are the any photos around of the last London meet-up?
I think I'll go to bed now although most nights there seems little point...
night night all xxx

How bizarre Trace, that yellow stuff is exactly what is coming out of poor little DS2's bott bott. I'm currently holding him because he keeps getting woken by tummy pains and I can actually hear his tummys squelchy noises. Poor little thing. Oh there's a bad smell think another nappy change is coming on.

Oh and that ispy is hilarious. Sorry your having such a stessful time though trace. Virtual hugs and yummy bikkies from me. Oh and here have some Dutch pancakes, very yummy.

1 year meet up would be brilliant. Love the idea of the simultaneous North/South ones with link-up.

Loving the new smiley .

And the i-spy (though sorry to hear she's a worry at other times). Don't have any advice as DD1 is only four-and-a-half (well nearer four-and-three-quarters) so I still have it all to come.

And the Christmas list, aubergines. Bless. (Esp like the teeny tiny toys .)

Back to work tomorrow post swine flu. Am remarkably upbeat about this prospect - just nice to wake up today and not feel like the undead!

Morning,

We have no hot water here. It was playing up on Friday so DH rang the housing association who said they would fix it on Thursday. But now it has completely stopped working. I want to do the washing up and the boys need baths. I have just rung them again and they will try to send someone today!!

Verso Glad you are better again. As much as I enjoy to be at home with the boys, I hate being of work ill. I always feel like I have let them down.

Hope everyone is well.

Kayz boo to boiler probs in this weather . Any idea when you can get it fixed?

Veggie Lovely to hear from you, glad the new flat is working out and that you're enjoying Holland. Sounds really interesting for you and the boys. Hope the DSs recover soon and DS1 isn;t too homesick.

Verso: glad to hear the swine flu has abated. How is the new(ish) job going? Are you still pleased that you moved?

Kiwi: re: nappy changes, DS2 is also a terrible wriggler, so I give him something to play with (one of his shoes if I'm desperate, one of DS1's toys if I can get away with it) which keeps him still for long eenough. Once they are steady on their feet you can do standing nappy changes which most babies seem to prefer, pull-ups are also handy (tho more expensive) at that stage. Re: moving gifts, what about a light hobbyish type thing like a cross-stitch? Depends how busy your friend is.

LadyT: hope you're feeling better

Urbane: sorry to hear about the nursery . I'm looking at applying for a f/t job as well, which is a bit scary but I'm finding it hard to justify working just to cover childcare and travel. The alternative would be to take a career break, and I think I'd find it v difficult to get back into things. I can't help feeling guilty about neglecting my children at the same time as wanting to do a job I love - neverending, isn't it?

Hi all - loving the cat with nipples request - hilarious!

one year meet up sounds good - I'm on for the London one, definitely.

Guys - quick question - do you think I should have a swine flu jab? I've been given all the dates and bearing in mind am preggy, am trying to decide whether to go for it or not. Off for early scan this afternoon - all ok, I'm sure, but just want to be certain as have been having some quite sharp pains in my ovary-area! Sure it's just embedding or whatever, but am going to go and be extra-safe!

x

Beans: no idea but would be interested to hear what you decide, as friend having same dilemma.

Just emailed DH stressing about job application and childcare: his repsonse to go for it, good for the boys for me to be doing a job I enjoy and we'll work out the childcare. I knew there was a reason we're still married after over a decade .

What a lovely DH - lucky you! I'm having a slight wobble at moment because DH is determined to do an Ironman next summer in August, which means training every weekend and if all goes according to plan, we'll have a spanking new squeaky addition to the family by then and I'll need all his help at weekends with the newbie and with DD. So am feeling a bit disgruntled with the whole situation. I don't want to stop him doing it as it's an ambition, but was hoping he might consider doing it the following year when things are a bit more normal. Feel like he's not putting his family first on that score. Hmm. Think I'm probably being unfair, but it upsets me that he wants to do that more than spend time with us. Bugger. Sorry, am I being selfish?