December 2006- Here's to pre-school newbies, business starters and twin survivers.

[Indith]

Oh go on then.

I'm rubbish at titles though but I bow down to Oli's cakes and supermum.

Brrr, Ma, feel for you (and Indith) and hope it all gets fixed soon. Am in the freezing/monsoon zone with Castles, but our rental house is horribly insulated - if at all - and has a large, plastic roofed conservatory bit at the north-facing back, and we've just had an enormous heating bill. Which, given that the thermostat says it never gets over 15 degrees in here, is annoying to say the least and makes me feel very guilty planet-wise. Thank goodness its only for one winter...

Castles, both dds want one of those ballet-dancer dolls for Xmas, which is odd considering dd1 would rather chop her legs off than do ballet but they're very good at playing together with dolls atm, so am going along with it. One each, no arguments (thats the theory). They're giving each other a DVD. And thats it, from us, 'cos they've both got birthdays around now too.

Which reminds me, Happy Birthday Castles' dd2 and all the other late November/early December small ones! Sorry haven't been keeping up...tis the season to go crazy, and with school fairs, nativities, dm coming to stay, colds and consultants, its been a helluva week.

And I've not even started cards yet, or presents for anyone other than the kids (panic emoticon)

Eli, tell me more about the ballet-dancer dolls!

EV, what playmobil are you getting? I gave DD2 the garden superset for her birthday with fountain (and water) God help me!

Eli, We live in similarly poorly insulated (rented) house. Very cold/damp walls upstairs and similarly enormous fuel bills.

Indith, I was dx with PND but I didn't have it. Just manifested anxiety. Worth mentioning this to your GP as they are very keen to dole out pills imo. CBT is the way to go if you are anything like me. And Relora Good luck with the heating/sleeping and have an un-MNly hug from me.

Sorry about all the heating problems, just as it's getting really bitter (well tis here). Never think about it in July when it's easy to fix, mine is quite dodgy and takes 7 goes to come on but at least it does!
Castles, are you doing some CBT now?
I got ds2 this bear puzzle (amongst playmobil and a scooter) I think it's the best thing I've seen in ages, hope he loves it! Bought another child a smaller version with just 2 bears & they do singles too.

Have tried to read through but haven't really processed anything so bookmarking to come back later.

I have GOT to get serious about Christmas shopping. I have bought nothing

First available appointment with the dr of my choice is in March I'm feeling better anyway so I think I'll just keep on with the Zoloft. Must be a lot of depressed people around...

I hope everyone is warmer today!

I've not done any Xmas shopping either.

Jabber - March??!! x 10

I've baked a cake for the Xmas fair today. dd1 is entering it into a baking competition. She reckons she going to win. I'm preparing her for disappointment!

I'm afraid my baking skills have let her down. my victoria sponge looks more like a victoria biscuit, anyway I've cut it into a shape which vaguely resembles a christmas tree, covered it in gaudy green icing and dd1 has decorated it. As the saying goes... You can't make a silk purse out of a sows ear. lol

Maybe I'll post it on my profile, you can point and laugh

Hola all, just thought I would pop on as it's birthday time . Wishing all the littlies Happy Birthday and hope you are all well. xxxx Lucy5 and Leo

Hi All

Castles - we have gone playmobil vets although alrrady have some fairies and the leisure yacht!

Pre-birthday family party today. Very good but dds are now shattered. DD2 got the ELC dressing table (with toy hairdryer, lights and music) so think she is now in heaven.

Happy Birthday to anyone I've missed.

Hey Lucy

Castles, think she's called Jolina. I get her confused with Angelina, but this one's not a mouse

March...good grief, Jabber, thats worse than my GP. And I thought 4 weeks was outrageous.

Am hoping for less mad week this week, slightly, to get some Xmassy stuff done...dd1's school fair is over, dd2's nativity is over, my mother is going home tomorrow, and I've accepted I'm not going to get much homework done for my writing course (did I mention I've started a 5 saturday mornings course at the maddest time of year?).

dh decided, while I was out this morning, to cut a huge ball of mistletoe from our soon-to-be-new-garden, and swap it with the local greengrocer for a giant Xmas tree (which I've banished outdoors till dd1's party is over next weekend). He now wants to make a Real Cake and has brandy and raisins all over the kitchen. Not quite what I meant when I said 'please could you join in and take some responsibility for Xmas'. Interesting, though

lol at your dh, eli

Yes, March really took me aback. There are others I could go to but I really don't want to. I guess I really should have gotten established with her sooner. Oh, well, I've decided to put my mind to doing better on the meds I have

I have a feeling I will be running around a day or two before Christmas trying to buy toys that are all sold out. I just can't seem to get motivated to shop!

I have lost my motivation too. Life is just too busy, and much as I love DH, he is so unhelpful when it comes to anything domestic. Like a large child he just whines and moans so much so in the end I just do things myself.

I have a crazy week coming up - was meant to be in London having a family break but has been cancelled for the blinking business and I've been landed with a load of work and extended family to look after instead. Will try and pop on when I can.

Eli - your tale about DH made me bless him.

Eli can I borrow your dh? Bartering for a tree sounds great!

Our proper cake is on top of the cupboard, MIL made it ages ago. over the weekend I made more candied peel for the florentines whcih will be made closer to Christmas and I juiced the fruit I used to make cordial.

I need to get some wrapping paper and wrap what I have so far so I can make piles and see what needs to be got. Also losing motivation!

Saw the GP today and she was lovely. I was a bit nervous as I've not seen anyone at this practice before so didn't know how good they were but she was great. I am now on happy pills so we shall see how that goes. The dcs deserve better, I need to give it to them.

I went out on Saturday we had a Durham MN meal out which was great. I stressed so much about it before going, tears, shouting at dh etc and felt do guilty leaving dd but she was ok. She woke at 8 apparently and screamed lots even when dh brought her downstairs but once she calmed down he put her back to bed at 9 and she went straight to sleep no fuss then didn't wake til after I got home. Of course last night we ended up well into double digits with the wakings so maybe she was getting her own back

Afternoon folks

Hello Indith!

Oh hello Ma, I thought I'd killed the thread there!

Yes please do, Indith, it'll get him out from under my feet...

I'm so glad your GP was nice, and hope the ADs work fast. You deserve better too. I am ultra impressed at cordial and florentines, I wouldn't even begin to know how to do that, or have the energy (no matter how many happy pills I took). Festive hats off

Jabber, just about every single present I've bought the girls for birthdays and Xmas I did online . Apparently, our area of London has the highest level of online shoppers int he whole of the UK: dh thinks I'm solely responsible for that small statistic.

We're still paying off the tree, btw, a bag of mistletoe daily....

I love the idea of still paying for the tree by taking a bag of mistletoe in every day, eli!

still here, indith, much like you although can't get to the dr, they never have any appointments here either. Hopefully you'll feel much better by christmas/dd's birthday?

DS3 has been screaming most of the day since Thursday but still couldn't get him an appointment. I think it's reflux-related which he ought to have grown out of anyway. He is ghastly when he's not well, at least dd will just cuddle me all day or drape herself in one of my scarves (found her underneath my discarded cardie this morning) Have been sneakily taking old ad's left from last time I was depressed until I could get a prescription Perhaps you could post some zoloft over, jabber?

Largely not on here because so exhausted from constant screaming in my house I am catatonic on the sofa every night. Or wrapping something, in a catatonic manner. Wld be there now but dp has stolen tv to watch rubbish dvd with friend. Not enjoying motherhood lately and it was ds2's birthday on sunday as well. I think I put on a good show, though. He's happy.How are the other 3yo's, soon to be 3yo's?

Oh AQ, I wish I was close enough to say I'm coming round tomorrow to bring cake and make cups of tea and chat. DD was about 15mo when she finally grew out of her reflux altogether, although she was much better by about 10mo. Maybe there is something else going on with DS3, have you thought about food intolerances?

Think you should go to GP asap though.

Indith, am glad your GP was supportive. Am worried about you, hope you are coping.

Eli - another here loving the idea of trading mistletoe for a tree.

Ma(rgo) - because Ma doesn't feel right - have you finished work now? Anything else lined up or still recovering from the previous employment?

GP asap for you AQ, not DS3, although sounds like you could do with him going too poor mite. Late and tired, night all.

P.S. DS walking only a few metres but so so so so cute.

Aw AQ, it's rotten when you are just "getting through it" rather than enjoying life, I echo Lennied. Indith I'm glad you were able to see your GP as well.

Well done Indith and hope you start to feel better soon and AQ. Go get some help. Am on email if you want to talk xx Am so much better now I'm back on the Relora although walking zombie with tiredness. 'Tis the time of year. Managed to leave my debit card in the machine at M&S this morning

Eli, brilliant re the misletoe/xmas tree trade off especially as I notice that a pretty basic tree at the garden centre on Upper Richmond Road West in Sheen start at £65

Need to upload some photos of my little darlings in their various Xmas performances onto FB. DD2 had hers today and I was totally teary when they sang "I can sing a Rainbow"

How's that for comprehensive use of emoticons?

you were able to get photos, Castles, dd1 had her nativity today and all I could see was the edge of her halo. I could hear though

£65? ours was, in trading terms, 'only' £40 and we thought that was steep! I know far too much about mistletoe now. Apparently there are males and females, and guess who has the berries

dh saw a mistlethrush on our mistletoe yesterday, made his day.

AQ, I wish I could pop over with Lennied and cups of tea and cake...iyswim...cannot imagine exhaustion of this stage of motherhood x 2, and think GP should prescribe you a holiday along with whatever else. Well done for getting through another LO birthday (I have one this Saturday, 10 6 year olds pretending to be 16 or 2, depending on their mood, eek), but is there any way you can plan an AQ-only outing/time? I know its probably impossible at this time of year, but most needed too...

Ma(rgo), I was wondering about work too - are you still there, or is it done?

Castles, couldn't help a sympathetic re the debit card - I took dd1 to school by car one day last week (had an appointment soon after, and thought it would save me walking home to get car). Then walked home to get car and wondered where the car was...

Hi all. dd's birthday today. has been lovely.

hope you arent all to frazzled with run up tto xmas and ad's are working for those that need them. x

lol, eli, the car thing sounds just like something I would do!

If I had any zoloft to spare it would be off to you like a shot AQ I hope today is a better day. It has got to be completely overwhelming to have 4 los.

Kudos to Indith for happy pills! Mine are working better atm but maybe that's b/c I was out of town for 3 days