December 2007 - Not Quite Two, Already Terrible ;)

[claraquack]

Just checking that this worked....

Clairey, well done your DD! Boast away - if you can't do it here where can you? I like to sneak in my DD's reading age from time to time

Thx for asking re my friend - she's officially pregnant! And so excited, I just hope it sticks. She had 2 implanted so there's a fair chance of twins. She needs to wait a couple more weeks for the first scan.

2 other people I know gave birth last week, both boys 1 called Oliver and 1 Hugo. Have been clucky via facebook only thus far.

I had a date tonight! But sadly don't think its going to go any further, so no "activity" here either. I suspect I hold the sad record for this thread of no "activity" since the night DD2 was conceived!

Hi skid - tell us more about the house And for your freind. How is she adjusting to the news if she didn't want another?

Fingers crossed on the BP cazzy. I have low BP which means I have a tendency to faint but def think its better that way around. Did end up in hospital once though after knocking myself unconcious and splitting open my eyebrow!

OK you win...

Shame the date was a no go-er.

Good news about your friend

Been meaning to ask you what they suggest to help your dd1 listen in noisy situations...I've always had the same problem of not being able to focus if there is lots of background noise and am noticing ds is the same-he can't tune into what I'm saying if there is other noise.

great news about your friend buzzy - how amazing if she has twins! Shame about the date - did you just not click?

clairey - still no window cleaner action then? Any other possibilities? I had a dream about you last night - we decided to meet up in RL but you had this really unnerving high pitched squeaky voice and I had to repeat everything you said back to myself in a whisper so I could understand what you were saying. Then I told you I preferred you online than in RL and [sorry]!!

New house is actually a tiny flat and it is rented but for some reason we have to carpet it. DH spent today sanding the living room which looks lovely so now we just have to carpet the bedrooms (oh yes and purchase all the furnture etc...) - it'll all be fine [head in the sand emotion]

Hi all! Another long absence but not much happened really! at your DS toilet training himself Clairey, DD woke up dry on Friday so I put her on the potty, she did her first ever wee on it but then after a couple of accidents she asked for her nappy back Not sure she's quite ready as she doesn't recognise the feeling of needing to go and can't stop it once it starts. She also doesn't seem to know how to let it go either. She is interested in it all now and has been telling me every time she wees today so hopefully she'll get more aware of it all soon. I'll try again in a couple of weeks! I've had my thyroid test results back and I have normal thyroid function - yay! That means no medication Will need anual blood tests but that seems a small price to pay TBH.

Clairey, I'm very impressed at your DD and her maths! You should boast when your DCs do well! I just had DS2's parent's evening and he is above average for his reading and maths and right on target for everything else At his school they do the SATs tests but only as a reference for themselves, they don't send the results off. DS2 did so well at the reading test they tried him on the higher level paper too! He didn't do so well on that as there were longer stretches of 'in the head' reading but still I am proud DS1's is next week...(if he ever remembers to give his teacher the form back...)

Buzzy, will keep everything crossed for your friend! I also have very low blood pressure (usually around 85/55), it doesn't usually bother me much but I have been giddy a lot in the heat we've had here lately! It goes lower after general anaesthetic too which worries the doctors, they never believe its always like that.

Skid, DS2 is doing well! Bless him! My DCs have always been up between the 75th and 98th percentile too (apart from DD, who was on the 99.9th when she was born), lovely chunky babies! I'm sure your move will go fine! Why are you moving to a "tiny flat"? (sorry if too nosey) Sanded floors sound lovely!

BT, have you had any more interest in your house with the new ad? Still can't believe you were only in Colchester recently, I'm literally 20 mins away from Aqua Springs! Let me know if you are down this way again as I'd love to meet you, perhaps we could rope Cazzy in too, she's just an hour from me

Cazzy, how are you doing now? Hope the BP has come down a little! Only another 3 weeks and babybabs can be born safely if need be! Oh, and I have total bathroom envy, I saw your pics and was all "oooohhhhhh"

Hi Clara Aren't you due back in the UK soon for a bit? Or am I getting muddled?

No definitely not any window cleaner action. He has moved in with gf and is talking long term with her. Still good friends though and see him once or twice a week. He spent all of fri afternoon here with us, the dc adore him which I think is one of his main attractions! Strangely we are quite tactile now but it is just friendly eg he was leaning back on me on the sofa and it occured to me that although it was very nice to be hugged I didn't want to rip his clothes off Think is the same for hm because I don't think he would let himself be affectionate with me if he did fancy me-there's certainly no tension between us now.

No other possibilities either, not sure where I would meet a man. Unless it was the postman, binman etc!

Excellent news about the thyroid Beckle, really happy for you!

Well done your ds2 as well, don't we all have clever children

My blood pressurs is right down - YEAH for drugs... it is 140/88 .. so Beckle nothing like yours...but for me thats good! But she thinks I am annemic and has asked that I go and get tested, especially because I lost os much blood this time last year when I lost a baby - I hate that term "lost a baby" - I miscarried!

Evie fell over yesterday and has first (of many) scabs on her knee... I wanted to cry too... she was so excited running to Dh when she tripped and fell over...bless her cotton socks! She is completely obsessed with the night garden which is funny because we don't have a tele...she found a doll and thinks it looks like Macka Packa and is carrying it everywhere -bless!

Hello all!

FO wow how clever of your DD

Beckle - yes we should try and meet up! My mum lives in Basildon, so not that far away

Our house is now officially with the new Estate Agents now (yippee) and we have ended our dispute with M&H over the HIP - they wanted to charge us £399+VAT for it, but I had already paid £165+VAT when I registered that I was lead to believe to be towards the HIP Anyway DH wrote and complained to their HO and they agreed to let us just pay the difference between the two. Cheeky twats! New EA says there has been a few people in dispute them so we are not alone....

DS did a poo in the bath - first time ever! He announced it to DH who was bathing him "Oh look, poo!"

His speech is coming on so fast at the moment he is coming out with lots more words and phrases every day

great news about your BP cazzy - thank goodness. DS is also obsessed with ITNG and Ben10 and he has never watched either (at least not in our house)! It's amazing what they pick up from other children

BT - fingers crossed for this estate agent. Also brilliant that DS's language is coming along so well - he must just be a bit of a late bloomer, like myself (and now I am really good at languages [blow my own trumpet emotion] - are we allowed to boast about ourselves too?!)

clairey - sounds like you have a lovely friendship with the WC and I agree you don't lean on someone in a casual manner if you fancy the pants off them! Re meeting other men - could you get a babysitter and enrol in an evening class in something you've always fancied? I have just joined a book club and have met loads of lovely new people (all female I hasten to add!) - you love reading, don't you? Would that appeal? I know the expense of babysitter might be a problem but would a kind friend do it for free?

hi beckle! Great news about your thyroid and well done to your DS . The flat we're moving to is tiny because we live in the most expensive area in Oxford (because of DD's school) so it's all we can afford. I have got out a few books on living in a small space though and am quite excited about coming up with innovative storage soultions etc [sad geek emotion]!!

DS2 is getting a flat head at the back - has anyone else had this? I am putting him on his tummy to play etc but it doesn't seem to be getting any better? Will it right itself once he can roll over and stops leaning on it so much?

DrSkid DD2 had a very flat head and it has evened out a lot. When we saw paed about her kidney when she was 6 mths he said their skulls are still malleable up to about 18 months. Of course when they get more hair its less noticeable too. The only time I notice it now is when I put swim goggles on her as they kind of ride up in a funny way!

We lived in a pretty tiny flat in Pimlico and you do get pretty good at finding innovative storage - things hung over backs of doors etc. Also measuring up spaces to see if you can fit the cot, desk, drawers and spare bed all in that tiny third bedroom! I think Clairey's had to do this too?

Yay Cazzy and Beckle for health improvments!! Must be such a relief.

I know what you mean about scab on knee cazzy. DD2 has yet to do that but every time DD1 has a major spill it takes me right back to my childhood.

Beckle sounds like your DD is pretty close to toilet training herself if she tells you every time. DD tells me sometimes but has never actually done anything much when sitting on the potty.

The date - well it was actually the 4th time we'd met and nothing much was happening TBH so decided to invite him over for dinner. It was pleasant enough but got no vibes at all from him and think it'll just fizzle out. I'm a great believer that if you put yourself in the way of being in places where you meet people naturally then it'll happen eventually. Only problem is finding the right venues to meet people! I go to a book group too, and love it, but also all female!!

I swear ds is a freak of nature, all the trainset is in the drawer under his bed and rather than slide the drawer out to get to it he has just upended his bed Not sure how he did it, it's only a toddler bed but is heavy and he is quite tiny!

Good news on the BP cazzy

BT I found that too with speech, they seem to progress really quickly. DS talks like an actual person now (iykwim)but still has problems with some sounds so (rather unfortunately!) Douggie is guggie, dog is gog, doctor is goctor, duck is guck etc. He can say D in other words though.

Buzzy I know what you mean about having to put yourself in the right places to meet people, the main thing I'm finding is that for the past few years I've only really put myself in places to meet other mums, which is all well and good but I am at the stage of needing friendships that are more than just fellow mummy and as most people have grown up here very few of them are looking for that type of friendship-they already have their non-mummy friends that they socialise with at other times iyswim. There are a few that I see sometimes outside of children but even there they are very much weekends are family time so the weekends can be hard.

I'd love a book group and have looked for one before but not found one locally. Am going to try and find a course that fits in with ds' preschool hours a) to get my brain working again and b) to get out!

Not even looking to meet men especially, just people to hang out with sometimes eg I love having people over for dinner/drinks but people can rarely make it (or maybe they just don't like me much)

Skid I love looking at books like that but the problem is it never looks so good when I try to recreate it (a bit like the ikea room sets that look great instore but somehow more messy IRL)

I have a thing on the back of the kitchen door for the ironing board and iron and lots of boxes under beds and in the bottom of wardrobes, that's about the extent of my "storage solutions". Giving the dc the big bedroom and squashing a double bed into the small one has really worked for me but might not work so well if there are two adults...

Hi everyone - sorry haven't been around for a bit and there is far too much to catch up with so will probably miss out half of what I would otherwise want to say!

We're gearing up for yet another move, when we move house in just over two weeks time. Then a few days later we are home for a month, can't wait

Glad to hear everyone is doing well, Cazzy, your blood pressure news is good!

Clairey - I know what you mean about meeting new, non-mummy friends people. It would be nice to have an identity that isn't just "Emma and Martha's mummy". I did make it to the cinema the other night (with a mummy friend!) for the first time in a year! Book group is a good idea, also a course. That is what I intend to do when I am home permantently.

I'll come to drinks/dinner with you when we're home!

Skid - good luck with your move too. IKEA has loads of GREAT small space solutions. I love their little model homes you get when you walk around the store.

A friend of mine's daughter had a very flat head when she was young. They just left it and it seemed to sort itself out - she is now 4 and appears to have a perfectly normally shaped head!

BT - glad you've got your house sorted out. Do you think you'll get more viewings now? I bet you're loving listening to your ds's words, I love it when they start speaking properly.

Buzzy - even if dating comes to nothing, I still think it's good to "practice". If nothing else, he might introduce you to someone better

Beckle - do you live in Colchester? I lived there for a few years back in the mid 1990's - worked at the Colchester Evening Gazette. Ahhh, great times.....

Blood pressure still Ok (on drugs) ... but all I will say is bloody doctors

Clara - good luck for the move and hope you have a fab trip home!

Clairey I ended up forming my own book group - just text almost everyone in my phone book one day to ask if they were interested and 8 people responded to say yes! We now have about 5 regulars and we meet in a pub or cafe, swap books and gossip.

Have also tried inviting people round for dinner but the problem is that you kind of have to invite 2 couples and I find pairing them up quite tricky, especially when taking into consideration partners.

I'm lucky in that I get plenty of mental stimulation at work but still REALLY miss someone I can moan chat to in the evenings about my day.

Immediately post separation I did a wine tasting evening class and that was fun - although there were lots of couples doing it!

Have also worked long and hard to "train" DD2 so that we can hang out at cafes at the weekend - makes me feel part of the real world. She's really good now at sitting and eating etc.

Ex-H apparently booked tickets for move to the UK at the end of July. All very sudden after months in no activity. I'm guessing he's finally managed to get a job - either that or they've got fed up and decided to catch the tail end of summer. Its been pretty cold and miserable here.

Clara, dd has been asking to go to slimbridge so I will definitely let you know when we are planning to go!

I am going out for a drink with a friend tomorrow

Yesterday at toddler group one of the CM's swooped down on something on the floor that her mindee was headed for(10 months old, crawling, everything in mouth stage) and it was a little nugget of poo, ds had just come up to me and told me he had windypops so he must have followed through I was mortified especially as dd had wet herself not 5 minutes earlier

Have you all deserted me??

Hello! No I am still around. I keep getting drawn into other threads. And really I should be getting on with other stuff - we move a week tomorrow and then fly home the following Tuesday.....

Went to Martinique last weekend, had a lovely time as we stayed with friends and it was so lovely to sit around in the evening chatting and drinking champagne (which is available there at a tenner a bottle!), then the following night we were taken to a local restaurant and had a fabulous meal.

The down side was the ferry journey. An awful lot of queuing, pushing, shoving and rudeness. Never again (at least not with children!)

ha - am now on maternity leave (well technically school holidays - 2 weeks and then maternity leave). Am so not ready to have a baby plus keep reading all the doom and gloom about money .

Am trying to potty train Evie - Tuesday result, Wednesday hopeless, Thursday great...let's see what today brings... am going to see a friend today so am wondering wether to stick to pants or revert to nappies (her house is very tidy and clean!)

We are also having our roof re-done at the mo - cue lots of banging and Evie shouting at roof "Shhh builders you are too noisy". Sadly with all the rain on Thursday very early morning it got under a bit of felt and leaked into our bedroom - am very tired still!!!!

My parents are coming tonight and I have no idea what to cook...

Sorry my mum is up - she is amazed at how much Daniel has progressed with his talking

She last saw him about 6 weeks ago. He has been calling her Nanny, and when he woke up this morning, he said to me "Nanny! Nanny up!" So had to get my mum out of bed!
He has been having a lovely time with her

Oh cazzy, does sound like things are getting you down a bit. Here's hoping you can relax a bit over the next 2 weeks and not worry too much about leaks and money.

Clairey, how was the drink? Was the friend male?!

Clara, ferry trip sounds dreadful. What is it about transport that turns people into monsters? Did you notice a huge diff with the french influence? Am I right in thinking that Martinique is legally part of France?

BT that's great about DS' talking! My DD was a bit of a late talker too but now talks mostly in sentences, often not that well enunciated, but it does seem quite incredible progress ("wes-da-oda-one?" means "where's the other one?" when I'm putting on her socks for example). On Thur we got some takeaway pizza and she grabbed the menu and declared "trim latte"! (trim=skinny milk in NZ) which was rather funny as that's what I always order in a cafe.

I took DD1 skiing last weekend and she did really well. But the really exciting news is that she's been given a place on a therapeutic horse-riding programme for children with disabilities. I just know its going to be really good for her - although a little frightened that she will become horse-obsessed!

Its perfect timing too as he father leaves for the UK wed-week and unsurprisingly she's fragile and easily prone to tears at the moment. I had a nightmare the other night that I had to go away and leave her behind and I became incredibly distressed. I just CANNOT imagine how he can bear to do this by choice!!

Buzzy I can't imagine it either It's not just a man thing though, my ex boss split up with her H, went to SA leaving their dd behind until she got sorted, took her dd down to SA for a few months before deciding she was in the way of her life and awarding custody to her exH. She sees her fairly regularly at the moment but is now thinking of doing an MA either here or in the US.

Drink was good (no, not with a man!)though my friend's dh phoned her 7 or 8 times (we were out for 3 hours) to check we were ok, must admit I was a bit

Cazzy how is potty training going?

Hope there haven't been any more leaks etc, must say I think you are very mad brave to have building work going on whilst pregnant.

Hope the move goes well Clara

I feel a bloody rant coming on!!
DH's ex has allowed DSS to have a Facebook page and DH's idiot Aunty has accepted his friend invite. I am going to have to tell her to defriend him - I don't think she realises there is anything.
God I just want to punch some bloody sense into his mum, the thick cow - does she really want him to know what she gets up to on Saturday night He is 9 FGS!!!!

ARRRRRRRRRRGGGGGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH! And DH won't do anything about it because he says there isn't any point as he is f'ing spineless she won't listen

anything wrong grrrrrrrr.

hello.
been lurking for some time - nothing very exciting to say most of the time so have been just checking in and catching up. don't think i've forgotten you all though. in fact, was only going on and on and on about recommending mnet to one of my lovely lovely mates from home who is about 16wks pg.

anyway, as usual nothing to say apart from general hellos and vague supportive noises. oh, and we're ttc .

Hi dundee, nice to know you're still around and that you are ttc. Let us know when you succeed! Was it you who wasn't sure about having another?