radical cross stitch, theological debate, Easter bunnies, changing bags,and a baby brother...it must be June 08!

[spongebrainbigpants]

Welcome to our new thread .

Well my one better day (and therefore better mood) descended into disaster last night - both boys up pretty much all night and I feel like I am literally going to pass out with exhaustion.

Dh was fab and came and rescued me at 6am and gave me an hour in the spare room (with A) while he handled M who just wouldn't stop crying .

Dh has been dispatched to buy dentinox. Fingers crossed.

V impressed with xmas shopping - have done nothing and not bothering with cards this year. Bah humbug!

Right, need to get through the next week - mum will be here next Thursday and I'm counting down the seconds.

Cross post there last night Essie, where I failed to respond to you

Viva - work outside work hours that you can't do at home sounds rubbish to me.

Sponge - have you got both of the boys today? Hope you manage to get some rest. I think you have a good reason not to bother with cards.
Fingers crossed that the dentinox works.

Blimey Sponge you poor thing. What a nightmare. My friend who lives in Edinburgh has just had another birth. Her first child is three months older than ours and she's just had twins!! Sounds like you need the magic night nanny even just for a couple of nights to give you a break. I'm having night problems myself at the moment with Luke up at 5-5.30 every morning and crying for about an hour at around midnight. Don't know what's wrong. Nor sure how old Michael is now Sponge but aparently colic peaks at 6 weeks and then gets better.

I have not done ANY Xmas shopping although I have made lists. Don't have any time to do it as I only get 30 mins lunch break and the minute I finish work I have to go to pick up Luke. Will be all from the internet this year. please God no more postal strikes.

Oh and Sponge, our consultant didn't bother telling Mark to do anything to boost sperm production. We asked if cutting out smoking and losing weight would help and he said not really. Hmmm. Not sure what Zita would say. For me they are loking at the little finger bits on the ends of the fallopian tubes as opposed to the tubes themselves as they are fairly sure they are open and fine.

Essie thanks for the run down of what's occuring! Hope the grand fromage grants your wishes!

Got a driving lesson this morning - boy I need to pass and fast. You really need a car out here in the sticks.

Thanks for all the welcome backs everyone!

Amber, I think quitting smoking would definitely help, and taking zinc is meant to be good for sperm. I used to have DH on all sorts of pills when we were ttc the DTs. Perhaps I need to do more of that stuff now.

Sponge, I am so sorry for your bad nights - it sounds exactly like when the DTs were newborns, it's so hard when you are trying to settle one and the other wakes and vice versa . Can your mum come one night a week to do night feeds for you so you can at least get one night's sleep? Or maybe DH can do one night at the weekend? It was a life-saver for me. It must be tough on A with M's arrival but I think you have to be tough on him at night - he responds well to cc, it is understandable that he is playing up a bit but there is no reason for him to be awake in the night is there?

How is Alex Sponge - how is he with Michael taking up so much of your time? Do you manage to have any alone time with him? I just wonder because I know Luke would be a nightmare. He gets insanely jealous when Mark comes near me and even hits him. That's my biggest worry about having another.

ktpie, yes, both boys today - managed to put M down at 11am and he cried then slept for about half an hour. He woke up at 12, which was just when A was going off to sleep! So no sleep for me.

Amber, A is good with M most of the time, although he has his moments, esp when I'm feeding - sometimes lies over my feet and cries . I ignore him and then give him lots of praise when he sits patiently next to me while I feed - the problem is that when I put M down he instantly cries so A is getting less and less of my time.

Neenz, dh does help out loads but he drives for work so I'm not happy about him being too tired cos I worry about his safety. He generally looks after A while I have M, but at the moment that means we're both knackered! He's having both boys in Friday night though cos I'm going out for the day on Saturday with a girlfriend and need to be well slept - can't wait .

We are going to cc A from tonight - just hope he doesn't wake up M!

Amber, not being funny but if your consultant doesn't know the link between smoking and sperm production then I would be looking for a new consultant - you only have to google it and you get dozens of links. I am that he said there was no point in M stopping smoking. Obviously lots of smokers conceive but if you're having problems conceiving then it makes sense to get rid of the obvious blocks. Would M give up?

Bummer about the consultant, Amber. Sounds all very odd. (Mind you, I know a v. heavy smoker, and she conceived on a one night stand. Two one night stands - she has 2 children. But obviously if you're trying, you need to do everything you can - like Sponge wisely put it.)

Sponge can't really suggest anything. I can be sympathetic, though. Thing is, they're so wilful at this age! This morning I was pleased to get to my Mum because Iestyn had been so annoying! He demanded breakfast (fair enough) but refused weetabix and screamed for something else (unknown - he doesn't speak!). I offered yoghurt, but it took a while for him to eat that. He threw his biscuits away in a temper, then wanted them back and proceeded to eat one. He refused to let me undress him and screamed. He then refused to let me dress him again and tried to escape. He arrived at my mum without shoes and socks because that was one battle too far.

Viva hope things get easier at work (here it's mad periods, then quiet, then mad again).

Don't worry about missing me out ktpie!

We have a lot of wilfullness here too Essie - E has not let me put her cardigan on for the last two mornings, previous to that she has screamed her head off if I've tried to take her cardi off (eg at mealtimes).

Yesterday T stole a toy from her (as per usual). She usually just lets him take stuff but this time she screamed in his face. It was so funny, he looked terrified - and promptly handed the toy back!

She won't let me spoonfeed her now. T has been feeding himself for a few months but she has always been happy to let me feed her. She is not very good at it though and holds the spoon upside down so doesn't get much food.

Viva, C sounds very clever, putting two words together. However, E can put THREE words together - 'Here you are', although obviously she says it as one word - 'Hereyar' - so it doesn't actually count . It really makes you realise what phrases you say a lot. I think 'Daddy go' etc is very advanced! We haven't had anything like that yet. Well done C.

Sponge, definitely know what you mean about letting DH sleep - I never liked mine to be up in the night either, even at weekends, which was a bit soft of me I think. A sounds like he is doing well - I get the whole jealousy thing with the twins, but they have just had to learn that sometimes they don't get what they want immediately. They survive! It's good for them IMO. A knows you love him and that's what matters. Enjoy your Friday night sleep - you deserve it .

Amber, I totally agree with Sponge about the consultant - is he quite old? Zita West's book is very good. Patrick Holford does a good Nutrition in pregnancy book too. What did M think when he got the sperm results?

Hi everyone,

Amber that seems surprising about the smoking. I thought that generally, smoking wasn't brilliant for sperm production.

Sponge I really hope that the dentinox helps. Sorry you had a bad night again. I don't miss those foggy sleep deprived days - are you chanting the MN mantra 'this too will pass...'. Is a night nanny an option for you to get a night or two's break?

I think everyone who wanted one got one, but the happyland village set is now half price at the early learning centre! They must have wondered why no-one bought one from them last week

Very impressed to hear about the talking babies. Still not too much in the way of words hear, although S is demonstrating a really good understanding of what we are saying. Last week (apologies if I've posted this before) DH told him to come and give me a kiss goodbye before they went out and he toddled over and gave me a peck. Heart melting stuff!

What he lacks in speech though he makes up in climbing! He's trying to get onto everything. Today he was stood on his bedroom floor and managed to get one leg up, through the bars on his cot, and put his foot on the mattress while trying to pull himself up (he's got a bit of a fascination for getting into his cot to play at the moment). We're having to be really careful in the kitchen. He's busy trying to figure out how to climb up his high chair and is only a lighbulb moment away from figuring it out. He can also reach up to the work tops and the kitchen table, so we need to make sure we dont leave anything near the edge.

On a completely different topic - is anyone else ridiculously excited about the return of Gavin and Stacey tonight? Tidy!

What's occuring?!

Ness and Bryn are my favourite characters - and Baby Neil of course!

Night nanny not an option - have neither finances or room to put her up .

Yes, "this too will pass" is the mantra in our house at the moment!

J has just fallen off one of the kitchen chairs onto the tiled floor and has an egg on his head. Honestly, I am such a crap mother some times. I was trying to sweep up the rice he has thrown (and refused point blank to eat) all over the floor while he was sitting nicely and he suddenly just fell sideways and landed on his temple. He stopped crying within a minute and has since eaten some cheese on toast and seems fine but it looks awful and I feel awful.

Viva - C obviously belongs on the G&T threads too, while I need a G&T...

BDQ - its lovely when they start giving kisses on command isn't it? Sometimes J grabs my head and kisses the top of it (I do this to the others at the school gate so I think he has picked it up from there) Wait until they say, 'I love you mummy' for the first time. Its a sobfest!

Aw sybil, you poor thing - and poor J. I'm sure we've all done this - I misjudged a doorway the other day and hit M's head on the frame . J will be fine.

testing to see if MN towers has fixed me...

Sybil that's awful - I was going to agree with BDQ that Iestyn is a climber and frankly a danger to himself. But if he ate cheese on toast, he's ok - and eating is a result however it is achieved in this house!
Also agree that the only G&T in this house is alcoholic!

Sponge we sacrificed various things to get a night nanny (food, etc...!) but ours didn't need any space - which is good because we don't have any in London. (We have 5 beds and 3 bathrooms but they're split over 2 locations! ) She slept in Iestyn's room, on a (not high quality - the fold out foam type) camp bed.

Yaaaay, Puree is back!

Feeling virtuous here. My sister (wannabe personal trainer - she's v. good, ex-gymnast!) said that the answer for me is an exercise video, and I've just done one! I sweated a bit, which is a bummer because I have no water only strange brown gunk coming from the tap. Let's hope it's fixed by the morning!

Gavin and Stacey - recorded it, but it's bound to be good. What's not to like? Man from Essex meets and marries lovely Welsh girl - since when is that worthy of a TV programme?

Oh poor J sybil. It's a nightmare isn't it. S loves to sit on a regular chair (something to do with the lack of straps I suspect).

Essie about eating being a result. DH and I were dancing in the kitchen with S who was holding a cup of water, a cup of milk and very occasionally taking a spoonful of food. Screamed blue murder if we tried to sit down. You must watch Gavin and Stacey soon so you can e plian the Welsh joke

Welcomeback purée and your invites on fb look fab. Are you entertaining again?!?!?!

Amber - got to agree with everyone else about the smoking, I remember doing at uni about the negative effects of smoking and drinking on sperm production.

Sponge - hope you had a better night last night.

My little boy wants his own way all the time as well, current trick is an ear piercing scream anytime things aren't going quite his way. Along with sitting down putting his head on the floor and sobbing.

Neenz - I am sure E's spoon feeding will quickly improve with practise, and she has T to copy.

BDQ - I think J and S are fairly similar in ages and there is no talking here either, apart from Dada all the time of course. Two little girls we know who are 19 and 20 months are really good at talking now and seem to have been chatting away for months. I'm guessing he will learn at some point.
By the way came across this this morning and thought of you (have a look at the printable forms bit), although to be honest you seem organised enough, it's me who needs to stop messing around making lists and start buying pressies.

I did manage to get a couple of pressies from Denby yesterday, and half a dozen champagne flutes for me but they seem pretty good quality and were only £8 for 6, and we only had 2 before, so we needed them really.
I have a bit of a weakness for the Denby glasses and have a cupboard full. In the factory shop they often have boxes of 6 for £20, when full price they are £10 per glass so it's very tempting.

Sybil - how horrible! J's favourite position is standing on the kitchen chairs, amazingly he has only fallen off and hit the tiles once. This morning he was very pleased with himself as he balanced on the arm of the sofa

Essie - I've used exercise videos in the past and found them good, although I bought Davina's pregnancy one and it is still wrapped in cellophane , probably a bit late in the day now!

Hi Puree!

Not seen G&S yet, have recorded it though.

Essie I second the request for you to watch G & S soon to explain the welsh joke for us....

Essie, yes please explain the Welsh joke on G&S!

And I loved the back carrying sling so Ness could smoke .

CC on A last night - he was awake 12-2.30am and then slept til 8am. M had a better night with dh too, so slight sanity regained in the sponge household for a day.

Ktpie, J sits astride on the arm of the sofa and bounces up and down clicking his tongue in a horsey clip clop way. I blame tumble tots for that!

The bruise this morning is spectacular. I'm not taking him anywhere until it has subsided a little otherwise I shall probably have social services on me.

I was combing dd's hair this morning for a party hairdo (inset day at school) and noticed she has a few live-ins on her head. (sigh). Cue an hour of conditioning, nit-combing and whinging. She has now gone off to party with very tight french plait.

BDQ - ah, the kitchen dancing... Yes we do this too. Its amazing that I never fully realised before what a crap sense of rhythm dh has.

Essie - I am impressed with the exercise regime. I may even some wii fit later in response. Or, I may sit on the sofa, eat chocolate and read the new book I bought in tesco this morning. Guess which one seems most likely

Sybil poor J. Hope his bump subsides quickly. Thea got an awful egg a few weeks ago when she walked into a chair. A couple of days later, she fell over on a gravel path so the egg had a scratch on it, and her sister whacked her a few days on from that . The poor girl looked dreadful. Her forehead actually looks dented, although the bruise has gone.

I'm impressed at your French plaiting skills. I can just about manage a scruffy pony tail for DD1. The children had a friend round the other day who had brought with him a wig so they could disguise themselves. After all of them had tried it on I remembered a conversation I'd had with the child's mother a few days' previously - her children have a terrible headlice problem . So I'm keeping an eye here. DD1 hates having her hair brushed anyway so the thought of doing nit duty really makes me blanch.

ELC have sold out of the Happyland village set! I keep missing the boat...

oooh, hello Amber. Great to have you back!

Hello, just a quickie so that you can reassure me I've done the right thing and Ethan's not going to be emotionally scarred for life...
Nigel is off to London for another meeting in February, turns out it coincides with mil, sil and bil's visit here so they have suggested that I go with Nigel and they will hold the fort and look after all 3 boys - YIPPEE the problem is that they arrive on the Saturday evening after the boys are in bed and we have to go early Sunday morning. So Ethan will wake up to no Mummy and Daddy...I was undecided all day yesterday and then I thought oh hell it will be OK and we booked the flights. Now I'm worrying that he'll cry all the time , that I'm being a bad Mummy, and he'll never forgive me.

Sorry for lurking, but workload is huge, I do think about you lot though and knew you'd help me out .

Thanks

Deb, I'm not exactly an expert but I would have thought he would be fine - I disappeared in the middle of the night to have M and A didn't see me for 5 days. I know it's not the same, but he did forgive me .

Go and enjoy, you deserve a break and it sounds fab .

(Btw, we miss you ).

It will definitely be fine Deb! Go and enjou yourself you lucky thing. When me and Dh went to Pisa the DTs were only 14mo, they went to bed Fri and we went Sat before they got up so same situation. And they were with my parents who they didn;t really know. They were fine - I don't think they realised I was gone till I turned up Monday morning (cue lots of crying). My mum reckons kids quickly switch their affections to whoever is feeding them!

Sponge, I almost had a heart attack when I saw my Aunty Ann had posted on your MSE link about christmas presents. How did she see that and have my other FB friends seen it too(ie the people I said shouldn't have bought T and E birthday presents??? ) I will be gutted if any of them have seen it because I actually was very touched when they bought for T and E, it is just a nightmare trying to remember to buy back for them (not to mention the expense). I would rather we all just agreed not to buy.

Going, I saw your FB status about being sad for someone you'd never met - has something happened to someone you know on mn? I thought it might be someone on our thread, tho after reading since my last post there thankfully doesn't seem to be anything.