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

[spongebrainbigpants]

Welcome to our new thread .

As we're getting all christmassy I decided to break out my christmas name again. We have the advent calender ready for tomorrow but the tree isn't going up until the weekend. God only knows what Jamie will make of it, it will probably be bare for the first 3 feet after a day or two.

New name for me too .

ILs have gone - so M and me are having some quiet time before A gets up.

A has completely gone off his food but doesn't seem ill? Anyone else had this? I know some of the LOs don't eat much at any time but A normally has an enormous appetite . Today he had about 2 oatabix for breakfast, one bite of a biscuit for morning snack and two tiny squares of cheese for lunch .

Toddlers are a mystery to me too!

Sponge, S goes through random phases of not eating well which always get me in a panic.

He's currently having a major tantrum on the floor. Clenched fists, thumping feet, the works!

Good, glad it isn't just me then. Poppy like you say, P is completely lovely, funny, gorgeous, etc. Despite this, last week I was going a bit spare not being able to get anything done. Even writing a shopping list is impossible because he comes over and steals the pen, and then has a wobbly when I take it back. However he is having a big sleep right now, so I have actually done some jobs, and, we even have a shopping list. Just wondering when he will wake up so that we can go to the supermarket.

Going to have to have a think about a new Spidery Christmas name.

Hi everyone,

I did write a post over the weekend but the internet swallowed it up, don't think it said anything of interest.

We finally got the allotment we have been talking about for ages on Saturday so we made a start on one bed there, J supervised and got to try out his Togz outfit!

I'm sure I had loads of fascinating/relevant stuff to add but it all seems to have vanished from my brain, sorry!

I'm trying to come up with a great idea for dinner which doesn't take long, is easy and most importantly uses stuff we have in but failing miserably.

One thing about having your regular name as your MN name is that it is virtually impossible to come up with a Christmassy version! The only thing I could think of was amberclaus!

Luke is the same as everyone else's little'un. Gorgeous and funny but hard work. Thankfully I only have him home one day a week completely alone plus the weekend with Mark. I'd be run ragged!

I am so over work now knowing tht I am off at Christmas. Have taken off 1.5 days next week which leaves me with 15 days leave to exchange for cash. Mark is off to Tokyo so it'll be the first time I've been alone in the house. Guaranteed i'll be up all night hering non existent noises.

Thanks for the pressie advice. I love that tractor but he already has a ride on fire engine and a sit in car! We have more space but noty unlimited space! He loves those kitchens but again it's a space thing. He does like jigsaws and stickle bricks so perhaps I'll get him something he can put together.

Got an app at the clinic next week on my own. Changed consultants too which is the next best thing to a second opinion. I didn't like my guy at all so have opted for a woman. \been getting the lowdown on my low AMH and it just means they have to give me higher drugs and i'll only get 1-6 eggs instead of 10 plus like 'normal' women. Better than nowt though.

Back from a manuscript trip to Aberystwyth. It was really snowy driving through the mountains!

Spider my comfortableness with Iestyn as a newborn was legendary. But I'm quite enjoying now. Mind you, as Amber says, he's not here all the time. I think I'd find that awful.

Sponge Iestyn has recently started not eating properly. He used to eat like a horse, a massive amount. But some days he won't have anything much. (BTW, I assume with oatibix you mean the mini ones, because if he had more than 1 of the regular sized ones you really have nothing to worry about! )

AH I'm still veering between how lovely, it's advent, and omg, I have so much to do!

Sybil love the festive name! I have a similar problem to Amber - Essie isn't my real name but it is my real initials.

Ktpie isn't it mighty cold to go to an allotment? You must be keen!

Hi all, spider great news that P was having a long nap cos I know that's a rareity and it makes such a difference to your sanity to have a break .

Amber, yep a new consultant is a 2nd opinion - doesn't have to be a new clinic. And as your 1st cons didn't know about the link between smoking and IF I wouldn't personally listen to a word he said! And, as I said before, don't get hung up on egg numbers - Alex was the result of one egg .

Essie, lol at the oatabix - yes, I did mean the mini ones!

ktpie, v at the allotment - there's a 25 year waiting list for one here!

Amber you can get great colouring stuff from
crayola- stuff that makes noise as you colour. Know what you mean re space- I live in dread of what e will get from family lovely tho it is that they buy it. And second consultant sounds good plan -.

Ktpie am impressed re allotment - am rubbish at any gardening related.

Spider, Essie, sponge- eating erratic here - all I know is that spells of not eating are followed by eating us out of house and home and there is no accounting for what causes it.

Right going to try to dream up a Xmas name ..

Now breaksfast is the one meal that S eats lots. Usually 1 1/2 - 2 full size oatibix or weetabix with half a banana sometimes too. Can all go rapidly downhill after that though!

Also very impressed at the allotment ktpie I have a friend who grows lots of stuff - her meals are always v tasty.

Glad you're getting to see another consultant Amber.

Waves to everyone else!

oh, I shouldn't read about what your little ones are doing. I always end up thinking that T isn't doing everything she should. Jigsaws? DD1 has trouble with them and she is 4

I even get bashful posting about what T is doing in case everyone says "oh yes, he did that 6 months ago"! It's silly of me as I know, really, that she is just fine. At the moment she is pointing to her mouth, nose etc so I can name them and points at my face. And she loves nodding her agreement, which is so sweet.

DH is off now until a brief return on Thursday or Friday, then off on Saturday and back on Sunday. I'm clearing out the children's bedrooms and getting ridiculously excited about putting things in boxes

The teacher presents I ordered arrived today. I bought plain white mugs, and porcelain paints and pens so the children can decorate them. DD1 had a go and it now looks like a horrid old mug that you store paintbrushes in . I don't want it to look perfect or anything but it really looks as though it wouldn't sell for 2p at a car boot sale. Only 21 to go (I bought 24!! Thought we'd give them to the lollipop people and the neighbours!)

Bother, I did read everyone's news but have now forgotten it. Amber glad you a seeing a different consultant. I hope this new one is more helpful.

amber glad you are seeing a different consultant, the previous one didn't sound like he inspired much confidence

ktpie jealous of the allotment, and impressed at the team effort.

BDQ we have not only birthday twins, but breakfast twins.

Christmas Lottie is getting a few wee bits and bobs, plus the happyland funfair. We have to buy for my DH's stepbrother's children who we've never met, yet have been told not to buy for Step MIL and FIL. weird. I just do it to keep the peace!

essie a Waitrose opened in the west end of Glasgow a couple of weeks ago. I couldn't have been more excited. they had people giving customers a lift home in rickshaws on the opening day!

AH One of my friends gives all her close friends a christmas decoration each year - it's lovely, I really enjoy hanging them on the tree each year. This year I am making Korknisse for my friends.

All is good here, house full of people all weekend, did lots of cooking, and DH did lots of washing up!

Rolf T sounds fab! mugs are a great idea, much better than M&S smellies that the teacher will put in a drawer to give to a raffle. My sis is a primary school teacher and she still uses a personalised hairbrush she got a couple of years ago x

Just a quickie to say I'm still here

my 17 month old is just the same as everyone else's I think - hard work but lovely.

Advent calendar up, and hopefully some snow soon, you did beat me Essie. Had a strange storm last night with a warm wind - stupid temperatures today, been up since 5 as we had the contents of 2 bags of rubbish, a water barrel and various other object flying round the garden, drive, street etc...I must go to bed but I decided tonight to sort out all Ethan's toys, tipped everything out on the floor then immediately regretted it!!

Happy 1st December tomorrow everyone

Rolf - good luck with the mugs

Amber Glad you have a new consultant and really hope she can help you very quickly.

Rolf Wow at your 24 mugs!!!! DS does very little comapared with some on here - he ends to shake his head and say no a lot, mainly does it as a power thing as he often regrets saying no!

There have been so many posts it's hard to keep up! I think I have sorted all of the kids christamas presents just a few stocking fillers to get. I have even wrapped it all, have finally learnt to do it as I go along rather than screaming I hate christmas on chritmas eve whilst sitting in a mountain of presents and paper! Total show off moment here, if anyone got the Debenhams email today DD is on it!

Just a quickie cos DTs have just woken up...

Amber, good news on your AMH not being as bad as first thought. What is that exactly, I am not sure I have had that tested... I think I had LH, FSH, estradiol something or other and progesterone...?

Love the Christmas name Sponge!

My DTs are both a bit poorly - T has a snotty nose, cough, feels quite hot and has cold hands (any ideas anyone?). He's not eating either which is not like him! Better after Calpol. I am taking him to GP at 6pm. E seems better now, she had it more last week and hasn't hardly eaten anything for a week, she is like skin and bone! But she had a sausage for lunch and a rice cake so she seems to be getting her appetitite back now.

They are running me ragged too - I think it just hammers home how important it is to sleep-train... if they didn't allow me to get a good night's sleep I would not be able to cope with them at all! But as long as I am not tired I am fine.

neenz It's very common when young ones have a temp that their bodies are hot and hands and feet are cold. Hope he feels better soon. DS has just got his appetite back after not eating for nearly two weeks, he was starting to look really thin, hopefully I can help him build up his fat reserves. When DD1 gets ill and stops eating she looks awful as she has no fat stored.

I have another hard work but lovely 17 month old. He is obsessed with my radio (likes to hold it on his knee and put the aerial up and down), pens (for scribbling on everything of course), phones (still, they have been an obsession for ages), glasses (likes to try and drink out of them, and normally tips them over) and keys (tries to open the dresser with them.
He likes going out of the room and closing the door behind him at the moment. The other day he hid from DH, J was in our bedroom with the door closed, DH was in the loo, he heard doors opening and closing and J had come out of our room, closed the door behind him, opened the little room door and gone in shutting the door behind him, when DH found him he was stood there giggling!

The allotment is on an organic farm down the road, it is more expensive than a typical council one but our council doesn't have any anywhere near here, they are about 10 miles away and they have massive waiting lists. It was a tad chilly on Saturday but we weren't there that long and J was lovely and toasty in his Togz outfit, I want one in my size! I don't know how well we will do, I have a lot more enthusiasm for gardening than ability, but at least the worst that can happen is the plant dies, then you just get some more seeds and try again next year.

Amber - sounds good that you are seeing a different consultant.

I'm still failing miserably at sorting out Christmas presents, I like the Korknisse Viva but we don't have any corks.

Me and J cracked open a packet of mince pies at lunch time in honour of it being December, he likes them!

I hope all poorly kids are on the mend, and appetites improve.

viva love the Korknisse!

I'm not finding this a difficult age but I think it's because Fraser plays with his brother so much. I can finally read to both of them at the same time or do crafts etc. Although Fraser's contribution is normally to throw all the crayons on the floor over and over.... We did have a 4:30 start this morning though which was hellish - or will be if it continues. One bad night is do-able, it's when they pile up...

going didn't get the email, would have loved to see it though.

Off to clean my complete tip house.

AH, can't wait til the boys are old enough to play together .

A is already getting really excited about seeing his little bro' when he gets home from nursery - today he came straight in and ran over to M and stroked his head, smiled at me and gabbled away excitedly, pointing at M in an animated fashion! V sweet .

Neenz - hope the twins get better soon. Luke hasn't had more than a sniffle for ages and I think it's because he had every cold going last year and even in summer. I agree with a good nnight's sleep you can tackle a lot more. I never sleep well which is why I struggle a bit. I have him home for all of Christmas and then until 18th January by which point I may have conked out! AMH is what they test for your egg reserves and quality of eggs. It's not less bad than I first thought I have just heard of people with the same or worse getting preggers which gives me hope.

Great to hear all the Christmas ideas especially the mugs. We had a place that gave you a mug and special paints which they then fired and glazed where I used to live but nowt like that now. Getting Mark's gran a locket with a pic of Luke in it and an engravement. She loves every hair on that child's body and will go mad when she sees it. £150 for the locket which looks like it could have been 25 quid down Elizabeth Duke!!

Now can I ask something silly? I have no children to compare Luke to and I want to know if Luke is clever or not Maybe all kiddies his age can do the same thing but...I found an old book of In the Night Garden yesterday. Now we do watch it but it's kind of on in the background. Anyway it had pics of all the characters. I asked Luke where Iggle Piggle was and he pointed at him. I then did the same for every character and he pointed at the correct one - even the Wattingers!!! Is that weird/clever or can all 17 month olds do it? Whatever I was very proud of him!

PS - how cute Alex is Sponge!

Amber I think Luke is very clever, he seems to be doing things very quick (and I really do think that is why he wakes up so early in the morning!), but that doesn't always transfer to later in life - I didn't speak till I was 2.5yrs and was very average at everything else, whereas my older sister was really quick at everything, she even crawled at 5mths because my dad moved some cards away from her so she wouldn't mess with them! But I still did better than her at school, she did well and was obviously clever... and I think it was more to do with confidence than ability (who knows ). They all do things at their own pace but yes I definitely think he is advanced! I think they pick up loads more than we think tho. It's funny cos E picked up a book of ITNG today and said 'iggle'. Like you, we never really watch ITNG, sometimes it is on in the background and they do tend to watch it when it is on. But I was quite shocked that she knew iggle piggle, but there you go!

I took T to the doc's and he has a throat infection... and I thought it was man flu . It was quite scary today actually because he had the cold hands and when his calpol wore off he started shaking/shivering. I was scared he was going to have a convulsion. He was fine after more Calpol and the doc said the shaking was just his body trying to get warm because the infection sets the thermostat higher so your bady feels cold, or something like that . Bot some ABs for him and just dosing him up with calpol/nurofen .

Hi everyone, I've nearly finished buying for the boys so I feel I can justify time on here!

Neenz - poor T, hope he feels better soon

Abdn - don't be that your boys are playing well together, it's great when they have similar interests - although 4.30 starts would be hard work, hope they don't continue tomorrow!!

Amber - what a clever boy

Sponge - A sounds so sweet, I thought about you yesterday as Ethan was dragging a baby doll around by her hair and pushing Tristan off my knee, sounds like A copes extremely well with being a big brother. Stefan was very good too and he is lovely with Ethan!

Ktpie - mmm mince pies sound lovely

Going2 - hope that's the end of illness for your family for a while

off to bed, St Nikolaus visits playgroup tomorrow - wonder what Ethan will make of him?