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

[spongebrainbigpants]

Welcome to our new thread .

I didn't know you were getting kittens Amber - they're soooo cute!

Love the dancing video - was just about the upload one of A too, as he was doing some dancing to his new nursery rhymes CD! His just involves spinning round and round on the spot and touching his toes - just like his dad !

Cold here but guessing not as cold as Scotland .

Afternoon all! I've finally had a chance to sit down at the computer for the first time really this Christmas. Although that's only because the feckin snow has ruined yet another day! My p's were supposed to be coming over yesterday for a few days but my mum isn't a confident driver so didn't want to drive. We'd got loads of lovely food in (to do nigella's yummy ham in cherry coke) so DH did most of the cooking here and then we took it all to them! Thankfully we didn't stay over though - really heavy snow here all morning. We had planned to wrap up and go to the zoo and do a bit of shopping but been stuck indoors all day as we don't really want to get in the car unnecessarily!

So while it's been snowing outside I bought this garden furniture for S with some Christmas money he got! An incredibly generous friend also sent him a substantial gift voucher for Christmas so I think we're going to get him this for the garden too. It may be snowing outside but the longest night has already passed so it will be Spring soon!

Overall, Christmas has been good. S was a bit cranky on Christmas day, but generally he's enjoyed seeing people and playing with his toys. Lots of dancing here too - his 7 year old cousin was putting on a dancing show and he completely stole her thunder . He's also getting quite into the waybuloo yoga!

In other news, S is starting to grow out of his 6-18 month sleeping bags, so we thought we'd try a duvet before buying any bigger ones, and he slept fine under it so I think we'll just carry on with that now.

Oh, I can't remember what else I wanted to post now - will be back in a tick...

sponge yes, it is pretty cold. Interestingly all the severe weather warnings are for the South today though. I couldn't find any mention of the heavy snow we had this morning anywhere. Must be that we're so hardy up here we don't need severe weather warnings

Liked your pics on fb Amber - the blow up thomas looks fab. How come you won't get your kittens till Feb?

Aberdeen - re: the dress, everyone does it! When I worked in retail people used to return something and then say, while the item was still on the counter, 'I'd like to buy it again' (because they knew it was on sale, but that there wasn't any left in their size in store). Now that's cheeky! I think if something is still in stock in your size and on sale then there's no problem so don't feel bad about it.

Viva glad your travels were safe and that you had a good Christmas.

Aberdeen sympathies on the plumbing. We have an intermittent problem with a leak in the kitchen from the bathroom and because it's intermittent it won't be covered under our home assistance policy. Need to get a plumber out and it's so hard to find a decent one that won't rip you off. Mind you, if the repairs are expensive I think we'll just claim on the house insurance. The benefits of not claiming on house insurance are so bloody miserly anyway.

PP are you feeling better now?

Deb glad ethan liked his toys, and that P likes his kitchen Spider. at the 'cheers' though. S has started saying 'cheese' for photo's which is quite cute, maybe you could pretend that's what he's saying .

whinegums sorry that your Christmas was spoiled a bit with weather and your mum. How's your DH's dental pain btw? I was supposed to take S to the dentist for the first time today but cancelled because of the weather. Thankfully they didn't charge me.

Right, going to upload some Christmas pics to fb - if I can find a few nice ones. Don't have any of me though, but that's another story...

Waves to everyone I missed!

Sponge I'm so glad that your DH stuck up for you all and I hope it's not too long before things calm down. Shame about the whizz around mountain. S often comes back to things that he's not shown an interest in first time around so hopefully he'll come around.

Hi All, I bloody hope that snow doesn't come back to the South East - we've had our share!!

Sponge isn't it funny that they are all getting into dancing now?! So cute. Luke copies the dance moves especially on boogie beebies.

We are not getting our kits until 31 Jan or 6 Feb. They have to be 13 weeks when theya re pedigrees so that they are fully innoculated and had all the boosters etc. They are gorgeous but they're nicer when they are a little older as they're just so fragile at the moment. I wonder if cat accessories are in the sales?

BQW - that garden stuff is ace!

Sponge, it's great that your dh stood up to his mum. I remember my mum did it one year to her mil (my gran) and gran went off crying but things did get a bit better after that.

I feel a bit better today cos my cold is clearing up, but still feel a bit quesy at times, trying not to eat crap but it's difficult as there is so much crap around and it makes me feel so much better when I eat it.! Lots of fruit juice too, must be the sugar.

DH's cousin came and fixed the boiler yesterday, he is great and charges peanuts. We had to force £50 into his hand because he only wanted to charge us £20 for coming out on a bank holiday and fitting a new part. He took the £50 eventually

BDQ, where did you get the duvet from? Is it a special kids one, does he have a pillow too? Does it just go in his cot? I was thinking of switching the DTs over soon but have got no idea where to start.

Neenz, Alex has slept with a duvet since September when we moved him into his cot bed - we just got it from Mothercare. We bought the duvet cover from ebay cos they were half the price of the Mothercare ones! And we didn't bother with a pillow cos A never stays in one place in his cot long enough to need one!

I am seriously impressed at the duvet action. Luke moves around so much he would never stay covered. He'll have to have a grobag forever! He's way too big for the 18 month ones now so he's in the ones up to 36 months. Still, hoping that we can reason with him by then so he understands the merits of sleeping in one place!

Neenz - I never got sick when I was preggers so no idea how it feels but much sympathy - mega hoping I feel the same in a couple of months time! Great news about the boiler

Lol at 'duvet action' - that means something else in our house!!

Alex doesn't stay in one place either and we always have to put the duvet back over him before we go to bed and sometimes at various points in the night depending on when we're up anyway.

I wish we could have used grobags but he hated them from the start - I think he's like me and likes to stick his feet out of the duvet at night! I hate sleeping bags with a passion (take a duvet when we go camping!) so can relate to him on that score .

Hi everyone, hope you're all OK.

neenz - sorry to hear about the MS, you have my sympathies, but sorry I have no wonder solutions for you.

Sponge - glad your dh stood up for you, love your Christmas photos on FB

Amber - are the kittens British shorthair?

BDQ - lovely garden toys, lucky boy!

Abdn - Happy Birthday for tomorrow, what happened with the dress?

whinegums - how's your dh's tooth?

Spider - glad to hear that the kitchen was a success

Well I never knew they did grobags up to 36 months - that's good, I will probably stick with them because they sleep really well in them, nice and cosy.

I'm still not feeling great. I tried not to have a sleep yesterday cos I have been napping at lunch but then not sleeping well at night. Well I lasted till 5pm and then I crashed out on the sofa exhausted . Luckily DH was here. I am not looking forward to him going back to work. Hopefully the MS will stop soon. I slept better last night tho.

T just got a kittens book out and said 'Cah!' But then said 'woof woof' - bit confused but getting there!

Both of my older two stayed in the grobags until they moved into proper beds (3ish). Then we had one of those 'gripper' things that held the duvet in place. At least by that age they stayed vaguely at the right end of the bed. J rolls around his cotbed like a whirling dervish!

Mil was meant to visit today but is poorly. She may come tomorrow, or at weekend instead. Which is ok, but we had plans for the weekend which are now going to be shelved so I'm a bit peeved about that. Not that it is her fault, you can't help illness, but I had been looking forward to it.

Afternoon all. Neenz I bought a ridiculously expensive cotbed duvet from mamas and papas that matched the equally ridiculously expensive nursery interiors stuff we bought from S's room (back in the days when I could afford to be so frivolous!) which is the only real reason that we thought we'd try out the duvet just now (before forking out ££££ to buy a couple of new grobags). Mind you, we might have to re-think that strategy - since the initial success S has had a couple of terrible nights. He came into our bed at midnight last night and didn't go to sleep till 4am. He was wide awake the wee monkey! We're supposed to be going out for the day in about half an hour and of course we've had to put him down for a nap, and he'll need lunch, so am a bit grrrr about it.

Sorry about your MIL sybil and your plans for the weekend. It's a bit of a PITA when things out of your control affect you this way.

Neenz sorry that the MS is causing you so much grief. I used those anti-sickness bands when I was pg and they helped a bit. But tbh, if a bit of excess festive chocs help keep the queasiness at bay then I'd tuck in if I were you. On the sleep front, I carry on napping during the day while you can, if you're not sleeping well at night then you should sleep while you can. What do you do before bedtime (no rude answers please . Do you read/watch tv in bed or anything?

Abdn - happy birthday! Are you doing anything nice?

Deb yes he is a very spoiled lucky boy . We're very fortunate that we have a lot of close friends and family who do spoil him. I really should use birthday/christmas money & vouchers etc on practical things that he needs but I've always felt that presents should be about fun things not essentials! Probably because we didn't have too much when I was growing up.

Right, should go and have some lunch while he's napping. I might even get some pics on fb today!

Deb - yes the cats are British Shorthairs. Apparently good temperaments and not too much grooming needed!

After days of Luke not wanting to sleep at all in the day he went for a nap at 11.30 at his great grans today! How weird is that? He went to bed at 7 as well. Joy!!!!!!!!! Much as I love every bone in his body, I am looking forward to nursery I must say. Having him 24/7 is really knackering.

Happy birthday aberdeen!!

FFS it's snowing heavily again. I'm so over it. Bonkers DB and SIL have had to cancel trip to Scotland so won't get to see my DN this weekend.

Hope you get a good night's sleep Amber. I know what you mean about being glad when they're back in nursery

Amber - my Mum breeds them - lovely cats. Will yours be inside cats?

BDQ - sorry to hear about more Christmas plans being ruined by the weather

send the snow here, we need it!

BQW, we'll have the snow in three weeks time please - it's the next time my MIL is due to visit so please ensure it arrives in time to snow her out not in!

Btw, was it S who got a garage for xmas? If so, was it the ELC one? Still may be it for A cos we really didn't buy him v much!

I'd happily share my snow with whoever wanted it!

Yep sponge S got the elc garage. He really likes it. The lift is his favourite part!

that didn't sound right Amber - I meant will they be indoor cats?

I had a lovely birthday thanks for all the good wishes! DH had the day off and it was wonderful to have a real family day. Deb - bought the dress online so have popped the original one back in the post to return it. I still feel horribly guilty about it but I'd have been upset to keep it at that price. It was the only thing discounted by that much in the sale that wasn't already discounted before Xmas so it obviously hadn't sold at the original price. (does this reflect badly on my style sense? probably).

Amber - how often with L be at nursery? you've moved him to a local one haven't you?

DS1 went into growbags when he was about two - after he'd gone into a bed. I'm starting to think about buying another bed so we can move Fraser into D's old one but I'm not sure if I'm ready for him to grow up so quickly - plus I'd rather not spend the money on another bed.

We got our new oven delivered tonight - DH will try to install it this weekend (gulp - home diy always makes me nervous as my dad would tell my mother he could do it himself and then he would - but take weeks in the process).

More snow overnight here too - DH said the roads were a bit slippy on his way to work but hopefully they'll be plowed and salted before he heads home. I don't mind the snow as much - think I'm just used to it after growing up in Canada.

BDQ, toy garage is already on the list for DTs' birthday present. DH took them to see his aunty yesterday and she has one, he said they loved it.

I feel much better today - slept much better last night. My cough is better and I'm not so stuffed up. Getting to sleep is no problem (I try to last till 10pm if I can) I was just waking at about 4am and not being able to get back to sleep. I went through till 6am this morning tho and then dropped back off till 8.45am . Luckily the DTs are obliging at the mo by sleeping in.

My Christmas present was a Sheila Maid (drying rack like this) but I'm not trusting myself or DH to attach it to the ceiling! Will have to find a handyman.

Happy birthday for yesterday Abdn! Glad you had a nice day. I wouldn't feel guilty at all about sending the dress back. You are quite within your rights to send it back for whatever reason. And then buying it again is a completely different transaction!

Sympathies all with the snow. I was thinking of going to see my friend back home yesterday but they have had terrible snow and it started snowing again yesterday. They have to park their cars up on the main rd about 200 yards from their house otherwise they can't get out

Happy birthday for yesterday Abdn . Glad you had such a nice day.

The girls are playing with the duplo T got for Christmas. In fact, all of the things T got for Christmas she must "share"! She got lots of happyland stuff which both girls love. DH was so busy in the run-up to Christmas that i skirted round the plastic embargo .

Yesterday evening my eye got sore and dribbly and this morning it had swollen up horribly. I went to our pharmacist so see if it was something I could treat myself and she thought I should get the GP to look at it. The GP has given me 2 courses of oral antibiotics - 12 tablets a day for a week - and told me that if it is worse tomorrow I must go to the hospital for IV antibiotics so it doesn't get into my brain . I always want to type brian there! I'm very glad I have my lovely Christmas scarf to distract passers by from the alien horror of my eye! We are all so excited by Doctor Who that we are debating whether I look more like a goodie or baddie alien. Not a pretty sight.

We had a couple of days of snow before Christmas but nothing now. It's cold but lovely and sunny.

Neenz glad you're feeling better today. Early pregnancy is the pits isn't it?

Grobags - T is still in one and I'll put her in 18-36 months ones when she outgrows them. I'm not in any rush to have her our of them, or out of a cot. DD1 has started getting T out of bed in the mornings and taking her sleeping bag off but it's still useful to have her imprisoned at naptime.

Where are Puree and Essie?

Rolf at your eye! 12 tablets a day, bloody hell. I hope it clears it up, how scary. I really hope it doesn't go to your brian . Great that they are teaching T early how to share lol

I suppose I'll get the twins out of their cots when the new baby comes, I'll need the bedside cot T sleeps in. Will probably get bunk beds but maybe have them as singles for a while first so we have no falling out.

Rolf - hope your eye gets better soon

Neenz - I think the age for top bunks is 3 isn't it? Using a top bunk as a 1st bed is a good idea as you get the side on it.

Loads of fireworks going off here, boys have finally gone to bed and we're waking the older 2 up for a midnight feast and to watch the fireworks at midnight.

Happy New Year everyone

I completely forgot it was NYE today! How things change eh? I'll be well away before 12. I hate new year anyway. I always find it depressing for some reason.

Deb - the cats will be indoor/outdoor. We're not allowed to let them out until they are 6-9 months anyway (dunno why). I've only had inodor cats before so I don't even know what tyo do about the outdoors. I'm hoping they'll just live in the garden!

Aberdeen, Luke will be at nursery 4 days a week. It was 3 but with the IVF I could be called in at the last minute so I had to change it. Luke is actually bored shitless anyway at the moment and I think he'll be pleased to go. He starts on 11th but next week is 'settling in'

Rolf - the eye sounds dreadful you poor thing. 12 tabs a day? I have never heard that one before! Couldn't they just give you one really big one ?!

\i'd be too scared to put :Luke in a bed. He'd never stay in it. The minute he woke up he'd be out and in my room. Mummy mummy! Luke's talking has gone mad in the past week. I think it's being with me all day and having the one on one time. It's funny 'cos when I talk to him I always talk in a posh accent because I want him to speak nicely! He's learning colours now through his new fave activity - painting (the mess!!!!!). Lellow, gree blue and pi (nk). He's also learnt circle square, triangle and rectangle (although he can't say that properly) from his beloved 'shapes' on Mister maker. Who says kids don't learn from the telly!!!