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.

we can't have pets as we rent

DS3 (yes, the 18mo) caught a mouse yesterday. He was wandering around with it in his fist (how? how?) DS1 and a whole gang of children who moved into our garden then 'tended' it until it had to be buried . I keep seeing glimpses of the little buggers when I go into a room, one kept me awake the other week running around my bedroom. Arrgggh. Sincere sympathies, castles. We don't have a cat, no way getting one so no idea. Peanut butter in traps hasn't got us anywhere yet.
EV, fingers crossed you all get better b4 you go (is it CP? or am I confused). Glad to hear ds not only one who likes girly things, ds2's fav colour is pink and he often has on dd's fluffy pink gilet
France sound blissful (aside from no dd sleep) indith.
Um, still putting on weight. Still feel like crying several times a day so turn to chocolate to stifle it. Have tried to go jogging this week not managed it yet.

Good going ds3! Impressive mouse catching

Mice hold no fear for me since the rat incident. Our cat at my parents' loves catching mice and birds but isn't so good at killing them so he lets them go indoors and the mice take up residence under the stairs. I once got petrified by a bird flying into my face as I was watering the plants.

Chocolate spread on traps is good and set them as sensitively as you possibly can. If you can find out where they are living then pop one there but also put them in places youthink they probably go so down the side of the cooker, under the sofa (crumbs), food cupboards etc.

Dd is going to kill herself. Going down stairs backwards is for babies. Real toddlers go down forwards like grown ups.

Thanks for the advice re effing mice. It is not helping my general sanity that they are eating what is on the trap and it ain't snapping Will buy choc spread and peanut butter today but otherwise it's poison I'm afraid. That or sitting up all night with a cricket bat.

Indith, all mine went down stairs feet first on their tums - can you put her in position at top and drag her down that way to give her the idea? That is what I saw a friend of DD1's doing to DD2 when she was about 8 months.

AQ, I need to see GP again but am at a loss. Really don't want to go on ADs again but what else is there? Spent all day yesterday crying. Any bad news/tricky situation just sends me over the edge. I'm not the woman I used to be sadly. Wish I could give you a hug. How is work?

The only issue with poison (apart from children) is that the mice will then slink off back to their nests and die so unless you know where the nest is and can get to it to remove corpses I'd stick to traps as rotting bodies are not the nicest things to have around! Are you using humane traps or snap and the mouse is dead ones? Death inducing tends to be better. If you use a smear of chocolate spread and set the trap really delicately they shouldn't be able to eat it without setting it off.

I've been trying to teach dd to go down backwards ever since she started going up the stairs but she insists on forwards.

I am attempting to get tough with the decluttering. Just had someone pick up some stuff I put on freecycle, there must be more I can get rid of! Need to ebay some stuff too. I'd love to be able to get enough on ebay to replace this ocmputer with a little net book and an external hard drive as it would neaten the room up so much! Trouble is I would need to sell this as part of the money raising and I just don't know about taking that gamble with how much it might go for.

Oh, castles how did it go at the gp? Bollocks you're not the woman you were, you're just having a hard time of it. Panic attacks still about as well? I find them incredibly hard to deal with, it makes me feel quite vulnerable iykwim? Did you get anywhere with CBT? Please mail me if you need to (or use FB).
Indith, my word you are the harbinger of mouse death aren't you? Wow. If I bought choc sauce would there be any left for the mice? Don't know what to say about decluttering except it never stops round here, I have freegled and ebayed a lot of late and house still full of clutter argggh. It does make me feel good everytime I get rid of more stuff tho. Just amassing bag of stuff to pass onto friend 31 weeks pg after 3 m/c, yay for her she looks so happy.
Am quite enjoying work and not feeling guilty about leaving the kids. Brain engaged again, it's a nice feeling.

BTW, I think dd is moving onto the standing at the top of the stairs and throwing herself at anyone in the hope they catch her phase. I hope ds1 is strong enough. She's just started climbing things, whilst ds3 has realised how high he can get if he pushes chair/basket/buggy near bookcase I hope they don't start talking to each other or shall be in real trouble!

I seem to have managed to have far too much experience with them AQ!

The dts sound like trouble

Must be lovely to be using your brain, really glad you are enjoying work

I am going to have a major freegle/charity shop/possible ebay sorting weekend I think this weekend. Dh is going to get chucked out with the dcs and I shall wage war on clutter. I am absolutely useless with clutter.

Oh and would anyone like to venture a guess as to why dd is waking every hour or so at night? Poor dh got home yesterday after a full day at work followed by rowing to find me asleep on the sofa when usually he gets handed his dinner!

So sorry about depression/anxiety. Upping my dosage just a teensy bit made all the difference in the world some months back.

Taxes are fairly under control, still a couple of forms left but I'm feeling much better about it all. Wish I could find someone I trust to just do them for me!

I guess we've been lucky with mice. A few now and then but dh seems to be catch them with traps well enough.

Monty Mouse RIP OMG it was so big I thought it was a rat. Lucky I'm a country girl and know my stuff. Peanut butter did the trick so thanks Indith. Am quite looking forward to setting the traps tonight

Thanks for the sympathy about the 'D' word. I'm usually good at putting on a brave face but lately I've found it hard and notice many of my RL friends are avoiding me as a result Heard that my brother is having his first child in October which is great but as he disowned me 3 years ago, the thought of never knowing it was a trigger for sending me into the 'black hole'. That and the effing mice

Jabber, well done on the tax. Is it you who has an AD that doesn't make you gain weight? I am so scared of piling on the lbs again.

AQ, am very envious of your return to work. It is what I need but have no idea what to do. Can't return to former career as same as DH and then neither of us will ever see the kids. BA in English Lit, equity research/sales background - any ideas? Not teaching.

Sorry AQ, haven't got any further with CBT but do need to investigate. Everything costs so effing much though and we are supposed to be saving for a house next year. Ha ha. Will FB you but hate being a miserable moaner!

Yep, that's me as far as little weight gain on the AD's. I'm on zoloft and I do fight 5 pounds as a general rule but I think that has far more to do with my age and the fact that I haven't exercised since ds2 was born

Well, that and the wine...

Just found out that my friend died today

Aw, sorry Jabber. Hope you are ok.

REally sorry jabber, you had little warning he was v.ill did you?
castles, do fb/email me, don't worry about moaner, I know what you mean about RL friends though, I have to just tell myself to shut up sometimes. CBT for me was free via gp, is there no referral from there for you? Are you using time when dd2 at nursery now for you? Seem to remember you'd arranged to go into ds1's school instead. Still thinking of career for you, but got to be term friendly I suppose? I'm starting to think own business in the end is only thing for me, can only handle the school hols until dts at school as I use unpaid family leave to supplement.

Jabber I'm so sorry x

Been feeling rubbish past couple of weeks. I'm hoping it is more sleep related since dd has been so bad. Seeing the Dr next week so shall have to have a chat to see if it is a dosage fiddle or yet another boot camp we need. Not that I know what else to do with dd we have tried pretty much everything bar knocking her out with a baseball bat.

Thanks everyone. I cried a lot and drank too much wine last night so feeling sad and hungover today. I'm heading out tomorrow for the overnight trip for visitation and funeral. I'm just really, really thankful I went to see him when I did.

BAck from Cotswolds (lovely, apart from dm who was unaccountably horrid to dd1 at times ), first day of term, yeay!

Jabber, I'm so sorry about your friend...hugs to you, and to EV for the migraine (sympathies), and to AQ and Castles.

Well done with engaging brain, AQ, I find that hard enough with 2 LOs over 3 - am impressed!

Castles, I'm wagging a finger from afar (well, few miles anyway) at you even thinking you could be a 'miserable moaner'. Feelings need to come out or they = stress, y'know and I bet you're brave far too much of the time...xxx. Come have coffee with me when term properly under way? We can take it in turns

Mice: peanut butter in traps worked for us (ditto what Indith says about poison and smells under skirting boards) but it took time. We had several small mice per day, then one day we got a Huge Muscly Ballsy Grandpa Mouse and that was that. Touch wood.

Thanks Eli I would love to have coffee. Will email or text (same numbers/address?) to arrange soon Sorry about your DM - anything in particular to cause picking on DD1?

I thought we were the only ones in the whole country back at school today and was feeling rather 'picked on'!! DD2 is miserable without her siblings. And driving me bonkers!

Re mice (I know it's a bit of an obsession): I caught one huge one (had to google to check it wasn't a rat). Do you think he was the grandfather figure you describe Eli, and there won't be any more? Do they eat all the little ones?

Um...same mobile, can't remember if I gave you new number landline when we moved in Ssept? Probably not, too disorganized Text is safe, or email! Be lovely.

dd2 also missing dd1, I thought she'd enjoy the break/space, but noo....seems annoying big sisters are better than none. I do vaguely remember that, when I was small. Not too sure re DM, but suspect variety of factors not least that she's of the dds because I look after them.

Very exciting you caught Grandpa/Grandma Mouse - no, they don't eat the little ones, but I think they probably produce them in the first place??

OMG - Eli - I just got back from the cotswolds. where did you stay?

jabber - so sorry to hear about your friend

My children are luntics.

How are the mice?

Luntics, Indith?

Jabber, so sorry to hear you news, hope you're holding up ok

Been up to Islay on holiday, gorgeous house right on a beach so the dcs and dog were wet and filthy all week, but also shattered every night .

Eek at all the mice stories, we had them in a uni house and used chocolate spread to catch them - great excuse to have extra jars of nutella in the house!