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

[spongebrainbigpants]

Welcome to our new thread .

Sling arrived today! Thank you so much, will have a look at it tomorrow.

No, the lack of sleep during the day didn't make any difference to his night sleep . Up 11pm, 1am, 3am, 5am. Didn't feed him every time and did manage to resettle him but took a long time. I feel physically sick today I'm so tired - luckily my mum arrived lunch time which is a god send.

Feeling very very low today and have been in tears most of the afternoon . Not sure how much longer I can do this for .

Sorry, that sounded v melodramatic . Feel ill which is not helping.

sponge you're tired and completely worn out but it will get easier. A thought - I had a really tough time with DS1, I was so exhausted I felt sick and miserable. I didn't consider PND though because I had no issues bonding with him - but looking back I think there was something going on. I saw a homeopath before fraser came along and she put together a treatment plan for me that completely worked and there were only a couple days where it was all really too much. Would you consider (not like you have time to, I know) looking into speaking to someone (a GP, a homeopath, your HV...)

And I'm so glad the sling has arrived. It did literally change everything for us - Fraser was so happy in it because he was being held and I could run after DS1... Fingers crossed for you...

Finally - in the this two shall pass sense - my two now will play together for hours and I sit and have a cup of tea and supervise and say things like "don't hit your brother with the tractor Fraser". Two, once you're past the first year, is easier than one.

Agree with Abdn about how easy they are when they have each other to play with. T and E don't take any looking after really, it's just nappy changes, getting dressed in the morning and bathtime which is hard and tiring.

Don't be too down on yourself - of course you are exhausted, I remember it only too well. There were some nights when either one or other of the DTs was awake all night .

Not sure if I have mentioned this already but I used to go to bed in the evening till 1am and DH held the fort, then I would get up and he would go to bed. It was a late night for him but at least he then got 6hrs straight (which is adequate till the weekend) and I got a good kip before the carnage.

Hi UDC , good to see you. Not sure what it says about us that we find the time to post on here. Probably that we neglect our kids and DHs (or is that just me )

p.s. essie I've made Advent bunting - it's even tartan on the back (since you can see it from the living room).

I love your bunting abdn. Am very . I can't wait to get the Christmas decs out. Am going to pop out to Lakeland tomo to get some snowflakes for the window from Lakeland. purée did I see your tree on fb? It looks beautifully decorated.

Hi UDC good to see you!

Did anyone watch Gavin and Stacey tonight? Am wondering what Essie will make of the welsh nationalists! Am off to see Rob Brydon on Sun - can't wait!

Totally recommend the snowflakes BDQ- mine look fab. And thanks- it is my tree. Am very pleased....all decs are 'child friendly' in theory at least.

Have you got the Lakeland ones purée? Do they stick on quite easily?

I thought G&S was fab tonight.

Did we ever get to the bottom of the Owain Hughes joke? i don;t get it.

no effort at all BDQ. At most they just need dampening. Harder to get them off the backing paper!!

Ooh, it's quiet today, where is everyone?

I have got no news... DH on works do tonight so looking forward to getting the kids in bed and then getting a pizza. Oh how life has changed...

I also loved G&S last night I'm particularly fond of Neil, the baby!

I'm also loving Miranda - is anyone else watching this? it's what I would call funny

right, going to name change for the festive period now that it's after my birthday. Christmas starts on Dec 3rd in our family - mind you from Dec 2nd -Jan 3rd inclusive we have 6 birthdays in our family - me, my Gran, my Step-gran, my SIL, BIL and niece.

waves at everyone, particularly UDC

lol at 'Neil, the baby'

Not seen Miranda, what channel is that on?

I am famous quoted in Independent after Ed Miliband webchat yesterday

And this is the funniest thread I have read in ages! Rhubarb getting ready to host some Australians for tea

Miranda is on BBC2, I watch it on Iplayer though as always forget what day it's on. It's that Miranda Hart woman in a semi-autobiographical sit-com.

Viva, I love Miranda! I thought it was going to be really crap but it is actually really funny in a 'gentle' way.

I have now finished the christmas shopping for the kids and dh. Just need to buy a handbag for my mum and I am done! Dh still has to buy something fabulous for me though... I have bought him a day's hawking lesson which I know he will really like. Thoughtful and fairly expensive, I'm really proud of it!

Hi all, lurking but having a personal crisis.
Have been offered the job at Aberystwyth, but Bangor are not committing to all of my demands. No idea where to turn to now - Aber would be disastrous from a personal point of view. Haven't accepted, but hate letting people down. It's also a good dept at Aber and would love to work with the head of department.

Aw Essie I'm sorry you're having such a mare. No advice really but couldn't not respond. When do you need to decide by?

AH, thank you for your lovely post. I think I am going to speak to the HV next week cos I am struggling on my own . Neenz, we do something like your sleeping arrangements on some days - depends on whether dh has to drive or not.

Dh and I are going to practise with the sling this weekend. We'll let you know how we got on .

I have had a much better day today - partly cos my mum is here and partly cos the sun is shining. Went into town this morning and bought Alex some new shoes, then went to the park for a walk.

Had a funny experience in the park - A and I were playing a game across the bridge where I would stand at one end and encourage him to run across the bridge to avoid the trolls, and he would run towards me laughing his head off . . . while I was shouting "quick, avoid the trolls!" at him, this little boy who couldn't have been more than about three, cycled across the bridge, stopped and looked at me and said, "trolls don't live under this bridge"! I smiled at him and said, "oh silly me, why not?" and he replied "because this bridge is over water and trolls don't live in water"!!!!!!

One very precocious bright spark!

Neenz, well done on giving EM a hard time -that study on nappies was a pile of crap!

Essie, I'm so sorry I can't advise - in what way would Aber be disastrous?

Right, off to bed - at a wedding tomorrow and leaving both the boys with my parents .

[twirls round to show off her new festive name]

I am a creature of habit, turns out that I changed to my Christmas name on the 4th December last year too!

Glad you had a better day today sponge, I hope the sling makes a big difference to you. enjoy the wedding. I'm glad you are going to speak to your HV, even if she can just keep a wee eye on you to make sure you are coping x

Essie sounds very stressful, I hope you have plenty of time to discuss it with your DH and can come to a solution that will suit you personally and professionally.

Sybil glad it's not just me, that would be what I call embarrassing!

I have nearly finished my shopping too, was really pleased with my present for my Grandad, thought I'd share with you guys - He used to be a really keen gardener, and was a farmer for most of his working life, but he's now very frail and barely moves out of his seat. Sweets and Chocs are a pointless as my stepgran is an ace cook and he eats too much of them anyway, his eyesight and hearing are going so books and DVDs are a bit pointless. It's usually really difficult to think of anything, so this year I've bought him an allotment from Help the aged. I think he'll find it amusing and be pleased that it's gardening related!

Unfortunately, since finishing my own shopping (nearly) I've been landed with buying a present from my Dad to my Mum! (he forgot her birthday this year, panicked and bought her an ipod at the last minute, which she'll hardly use!) I anticipated this though, and I know what she wants after some Columbo type detection!

quick post as Dh is waiting for me to go to sleep (and just sleep). Essie shit - sorry to hear you've got this horrible choice. I think you need to have a cuddle with your DH while you talk about it - it's going to be very hard whichever way you decide. If you need to turn the job down, don't feel bad about it though. You've given it serious consideration and appreciate the offer.

sponge I'm glad you're a bit more positive. It is very hard with two little ones but they are so gorgeous and you'll have so much fun. We just brought DS1's christmas pedal bike home and tucked it up in the loft. I can't wait to give it to him, I'm at least as excited as he is. Family bike rides!!!! And camping and hiking and all these things are going to be so wonderful as soon as they start sleeping

As always, I've been lurking and trying to keep up. Thought I'd better give myself a festive nickname (shame on those of you reusing last year's!! You know who you are!) a whirl and post.

Glasvegas, I think that's a lovely idea for your Grandad. I've bought some Christmas presents now, but still have tons to get. Any suggestions for pressies for B's nursery nurses? They are so lovely and I want to get them something other than a box of choccies. But as there are three of them it can't be too expensive, or time consuming - no way I could do the mugs thing that someone else (Rolf?) is doing.

Essie, sorry to hear the work situation is not resolving itself satisfactorily.

Neenz that thread about the Aussies for tea was hilarious. Doesn't beat the one where some woman's (smallships?) DH shat himself when he was dressed as an elf. That one actually brought tears to my eyes.

Still surrounded by boxes here. And I cannot believe the amount of shite stuff that DP has. I opened the one storage cupboard the other day to put a few towels away and it's packed with fishing gear. The garage is full of tools and more crap. He's suddenly produced boxes of books, and we have tonnes between us anyway. I didn't realise he was this bad. I had a huge clearout before we moved, and sent bags and bags of stuff to charity/recycle/bin - I think he shredded two bank statements. Sigh.

He's gone out for a drink with some work pals tonight, but he'd better not get wankered, because we're going to get our Christmas tree tomorrow. There's a Christmas tree farm not too far away, so we're going there to get a container grown one - and then we'll plant it in the garden afterwards.

Better go - nearly bathtime.

I haven't actually used last years yet whinegums - am just failing miserably, yet again, to think if one . Any suggestions for me?

Bitofapantomimedame?

Can I come and vent please even though I've not been around?

Situation is that my Dad and dh don't get on, they are complete opposites - Dad's a man's man - iykwim, enjoys a drink down the pub, etc.. dh is definitely not. Anyway today he obviously decided that it was time to get at dh again so all because dh hasn't finished tiling our kitchen yet he really let rip on the phone. These are just some of his comments - he's lazy(no), he's never had a fulltime job(yes he has) , sits all day at that bloody computer(yes he does but he is working),he doesn't communicate(he does with the people he wants to), he doesn't speak,if it was me I'd have worked through he night to get those tiles up, and all this talk of going part time when you come back here - that's bloody ridiculous, I wouldn't let you live in that state etc etc etc.....

Now I'm an only child and it's clear that my Dad still thinks of me as his little girl who needs protecting but he just doesn't get that Nigel makes me happy, he loves me and is a fantastic Dad to our 3 boys. He's not perfect - who is, but he's my husband and it's none of my Dad's business is it? At one point I shouted down the phone - what do you think I should do then dad. leave him and find myself a real man? His reply - you do what you want.

I kept it together and managed not to slam the phone down - but please tell me what you think, am I being unreasonable to be so angry and upset. My Dad is the only person I know who upsets me this much.

quick post to say no - deb YANBU and I'd be yelling down the phone too. He's your dad and for him to not be willing to look at your relationship and see that it makes you happy is not okay. It must be really upsetting that your dad can't make the effort to get on with your DH. You love them both (even if you're mad at one of them).

And of course your DH isn't perfect - can you imagine how hellish it would be to be married to someone who was? Everytime we slipped up the guilt would be amazing. I need DH to do lots of very small rubbish things so I don't feel bad when I steal the blankets, use the last of the toothpaste etc.