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

[spongebrainbigpants]

Welcome to our new thread .

Happy New Year!

deb and neenz the age for top bunks is normally 5 or 6, I was looking into it for my two. I think 3 would be way too young - or at least my unpredictable 3 yr old is!

amber glad you'll be getting some time for yourself while going through the IVF and will have childcare when you need it. It's such a struggle without GPs. And I agree about the talking, DS1 started to talk in sentences as soon as I went on mat leave with DS2 and he was with me more often (he was in nursery full time before that). Fraser's talking so much earlier than DS1 but I put that down to both 2nd child and being home full time.

Happy New Year everyone. We should have bets on how many new babies will make anappearance this year, my guess is 7.

Sponge - I'm so glad you got to have Xmas just the 4 of you. And that your DH is so clearly on your side. Hope the atmosphere blows over. (In the middle of a huge row at Xmas one year, my cousin walked into the room and said there's no turkey left, but if anyone would like a slice of atmosphere...?)

Amber - I'm so jealous that you're getting kittens! I told DH that all I wanted for Xmas was a kitten, but he's quite rightly pointed out that we don't really know where we'll be in 6 months time. He did say that I could have a kitten if he could have a boat.

Spider - How's DH eyes?

I spent far too much time in chemists over the last few days what with unbelievable sunburn (I gave Ry my shirt as I was worried about him in the sun, thus revealing my un sunblocked back) - it's still a bit red 3 days later. And as usual every mossie within a ten mile radius came to feast on me, the bites then swelling up to the size of 20p pieces! Oh and the sunburn meant I became dehydrated!!! But somehow we still had an amazing time.

Love all the dancing. We bought Ry a toy electric guitar mainly to stop him destroying his Grandads real ones. When he plays with it he sings along.

Neenz - Hope you feel better soon. We've just moved over to a light duvet now too. Ry was getting frustrated by the grobags. It does fall off him, but it's not so bad as it's still warm here. Also no pillow here.

Abdn - Glad you had a good birthday.

Re: in laws in general, mine are pretty good, although my FIL knows everything IYKWIM. However I'm beginning to find it a bit hard as we see them EVERY day. The town is small, so they regularly drop in unannounced and if they haven't done so, DH suggests just 'popping round'. I'm actually finding this to be the biggest culture shock and I'm not really sure what to do about it other than move!

RRolf - ouch at the eye! That sounds pretty scary. How is it today?

Only 21 days until the shipping company delivers my stuff - that is really going to be Xmas for me.

Happy new year everyone!

You sound so happy PP . I've just seen friends who spent a couple of years in NZ and they managed to avoid winter for about 2 years. Sorry about your sunburn and mozzie bites though.

My eye is on the mend, thank goodness. I really didn't fancy a trip to a&e on new years eve to have IV antibiotics. I still look like a mad Ood though . It feels really horrid. I am madly squeamish about eyes and just the sensation at the moment makes me a bit queasy.

pp, I am at seeing your in laws every day - god, that would be my Room 101! It's a difficult one cos NZ is like that isn't it, with smaller communities and everyone living in each others pockets more. Could you not move to one of the big cities?! Lol at you get a kitten and S gets a boat!!

I'm with Amber and not considering a bed for quite some time for our little monkey - he would also never stay in it! As for bunk beds, I have a friend who put her two year old in the top bunk cos it was the only they could stop him from getting out of his bed at night ! Hell of a risk but it worked!

Oh, and we were in bed by 10pm last night!

Happy New Year everyone !

Rolf, good to hear your eye is improving - sounds nasty .

PP, I have ILs like that too - they live a mile away and just think it's ok to pop by without even texting first to say they are on their way . And if DH doesn't see them for a few days he feels he has to go round and see them. When my parent lived an hour away sometimes I would go a month without seeing them! But it seems they can't last a week . Sounds like you are having a great time though. Sorry about the sunburn and bites, that sucks. I lol'd at your DH asking for a boat!

Amber, so is Luke going to nursery four days a week every week, even though you are not working? Is it just until you have the IVF? What will you do with yourself all day?!

My GPs were like that with us when we were growing up - lived about three miles away and came by all the time. We loved it as kids but I do feel for my dad now in hindsight! They had keys and would let themselves in at 8am on a Saturday morning and wake us all up to take us out for breakfast. My dad seems like a saint...

rolf glad your eye is on the mend. I'm that way with fungal infections - i get all upset way out of proportion. I was terrified I'd get DS1's impetigo but fortunately didn't.

Went hiking in the snow today and pulled DS1 on a sledge. It was brilliant. Made me all excited to start the year on the right foot (main resolutions are to get fit and lose five pounds) but now I've a glass of wine and some lovely oat biscuits so I'm already off track...

Evening all, this is a plea to Deb and anyone else who spends alot of time in the cold!

A is great with keeping his gloves on but his gloves are just not warm enough - he ends up with red/blue hands and is obviously in pain too . Can you recommend some really fantastic gloves that will keep his poor little hands warm? I assume we will need to go to a specialist ski shop maybe? Any recommendations gratefully received as we need to sort this out quickly!

Thanks .

x-posted AH, you may be able to help with my plea being the outdoorsy type!

at needing to lose five pounds - I need to lose five stone .

sponge we bought our mitts in Canada - it's really tough to get ones here that are both affordable and warm IMO. They are something like this though but not exactly the same. And I could lose more than five pounds but wouldn't - I'm trying to be realistic.

Happy New Year everyone! I've been working today, and am knackered after one day. Ho hum!

Am looking forward to the last Gavin and Stacey tonight, hope it's a good one to end on!

Will try and catch up properly at some point, there seems to be no time at the moment - too much crap festive telly perhaps?

Rant time - and I can't put in AIBU cos I probably am. PIL's have been laughing (in a nice way) at my little kid like excitement at having a palm tree and a plot ready for planting veggies in my garden. Fair enough. I have been turning the soil in my little plot every day now. However in the 5 days we were away my FIL has come and planted stuff in my plot. Grrrr. I know he was probably trying to be nice,but it's MY plot. I wanted to do it. I didn't even get to choose the plants. I'm livid. DH has pointed out that he probably wasn't meaning to meddle, just to be nice. But I seriously doubt my FIL knows the difference.

Now we'll be eating his lettuces, not mine. Actually I didn't even want lettuces.

Ok, self indulgent childish rant over.

Pssssst....

It is I, vivaglasvegas with a new name for the new year and a new year's resolution! (I figured if I had to type it every time I logged in, I might keep to it!

Awww, PP I totally get why you're cross, and I would be too, but I'm sure he was trying to do a nice thing.

Bunkbeds - ds was 5 when he went in the top bunk.

Sponge - I have still to find the right mitten for Ethan , we have some very warm sheepskin ones which he pulls off, some cosy fleece ones which stay on but aren't waterproof, and some ski ones similar to those AH posted a link to which are OK but not great. At the moment we have no snow to play in anyway and when he's in the pushchair he's covered up anyway. Do Muddy Puddles do mittens?

Happy New Year everyone, we got all the boys in bed, then got the big ones up at 11 ish for a midnight feast and fireworks - it seemed unnatural to wake up sleeping children but the fireworks were worth it. Ethan slept through it. I went to bed about 1.30 am and Ethan was awake at 6, a morning ski with dh and the boys whilst Mil babysat cured my hangover though. Worst day of the week tomorrow for me though - 11 out and 15 in! South Africans and English tomorrow.

Oh PP I'd be cross too, shame it's not summer I could have sent you a family of super slugs from our garden, that would have sorted out his lettuces!!

PP I'd be really annoyed too. How infuriating. Maybe a plague of slugs as Deb suggests?

Donotfeedmebiscuits what a great name, and you might find I refer to you a great deal as typing it is very resolution-affirming!

Abdn 5lbs . Drop in the ocean of this lard-ass, I can tell you . I haven't weighed myself but I know it's bad and in the region of 2 stone. I have tragically made the same resolutions I failed to keep last year.

We are all v sad about the last David Tennant Doctor Who, but it was great watching it together.

PP - I am pretty sure he was trying to do a nice thing but completely undertand why you'd be pissed off. How much of your plot is used up? Hav you got much room left? If not - dig 'em up! Just tell him it's an Olde English custom - thou shalt only reap what thou hast sown from thou's own hand or plague and pestilence will befall all those who eat of etc etc etc...

Neenz - Luke will go 4 days a week during IVF. Dunno what will happen after that we'll see. He absolutely loves nursery and gets bored at home after too long. To start off with I shall mostly be relaxing. I have worked since I was 16 and and now 37. Between those times I have only not been in employment for 6 weeks! I think I deserve a rest. Then I have a 5 bedroomed house to maintain - and that is a lot of work. Then there are loads of things I want to do but never had time to - like baking!Going to the gym, learning a language, lying on the garden with a tall glass of pimms whilst listening to the radio and reading a book - ALONE!!

If anyone has any tips on keeping gloves on let me know. Luke will not allow them within 10 feet.

Biscuits - great name!!! Hope Biscuits for short is OK though!!!

Deb - new year sounds wonderful! What's happening with your move back to the UK by the way? I think I'd rather stay in Austria - sounds amazing.

Viva - LOL at your new name!

Abdn - Also laughing my head off at losing 5lbs, one of my very many chins weighs more than that. But good for you for having the restraint to lose 5lbs now, rather than being like me and ignoring it until you can't fit in airline seats. (Not really got that bad but YKWIM).

FIL turned up mins after my last post, I was feeling really guilty until he started talking. Let's just say that he was so ridiculously over the top and insensitive it made it easy for me to laugh at him (not blatantly in his face obviously) rather than get wound up by him.

I'm looking forward to watching the recent Dr Whos and Top Gears on Iplayer when our PC arrives. I know I will cry at DW though. I LOVE DT!

Got a new nickname myself Donotfeedmebiscuits (it's BDQ/BQW btw!).

Am supposed to be sorting out a bank acount for S so will catch up on the chat later!

Oh BTW - someone asked about Essie and Puree. Hoping Essie is being festive and busy and hasn't abandoned us but Puree has a technical issue with MN. I think it's all her radical posts! Also where is Poppy?

DGIT - good name too!

PS I have 2 stones to lose - my BMI is overweight so not just for aesthetic reasons.

Here I am!
Had a rather busy Christmas with the obligatory row with DH over the PILs, and spent many hours on motorways. (With 5 days and no internet! ) But it was fine - really, fine! My PILs were lovely, and gave me lovely presents too. MIL got me some silicone star shaped cupcake things (my initials spell out 'stars' in Welsh, and I've always had starry things, earrings, clothes etc!) and a book of Primrose Bakery Cupcake recipes. Just made some today.

Sponge sorry to hear about the rows but sometimes these things need to be said... We had a bit of one last Christmas (me and MIL) and I had to handle it alone (argumentative sharp talking barrister won't intervene ) but I do wonder whether things are better because of that.

Rolf hope the eyes are better and the brain is clear. My eyes are all puffy from all the crying - I miss David Tennent as if he was my husband. Oh, I wish he was, actually.

Had a strange new year - old friends came over, who we used to spend new year with (due to me having log fires and lots of alcohol) and they have a 7 month old baby called Peter. But Peter had a cold and wouldn't sleep. It was so upsetting - he cried and cried, just like Iestyn used to (admittedly Peter is normally a good sleeper - they said as they left that it was the worst night they had ever had with him which made me a bit and !!) and only slept in 20 minute bursts. Nothing we could do, but it was so sad and sad that they couldn't enjoy themselves or relax.

I was going to get me a new name, but two of you have got there first. I was considering some Welsh options.

My new year's resolution - I set the bar low but I've already failed. I was going to look after my nails (and be more groomed). But due to cleaning and stuff, I have chipped clear nail varnish today, which suggests failure... (Rather amusing - my SIL, (brother's wife) last year had the resolution of dressing like a French politician. I think it was aiming to look groomed.)

Forgot to say - Neenz I wanted a sheila maid for Christmas but didn't get one! So mega ! But it does mean that we're both in the granny corner.

Hi Essie - glad to hear from you hun!

I have been having a good think about my IVF coming up and I am 90% sure I'm going to postpone it.I am so tired at the moment and feel terribly unhealthy. I am wondering if I postponed it for a month I could get myself into a semblence of normality before starting. What do you think?

Happy New Year!
Got home last night and it has taken me all day to catch up, partly because DH keeps dragging me off to try and help sort out the tip that our house has become. We've just been fairly ruthless with the toy mountain and anything that wasn't a Christmas present or isn't a big favourite is being put away upstairs for now.

Interesting about the duvet discussion, J takes his sleeping bag off almost every night so when we go to bed we have to mess around trying to put him back in it, I hadn't really thought of a duvet but it would be easier to put back over him. I wonder if Dunelm do them?

PP - I'm afraid I would probably go mental if someone planted stuff in my garden, I'm very possessive over it, other than DH no one is allowed to touch it. It's a mess at the moment as well but it's mine!

Neenz- I'm jealous of the sheila maid, I got a cheapo version from Ikea recently, it's good but not as solid as the proper ones.
How is the MS and tiredness? Hope it stops soon for you. I had to eat all the time to stop the MS, it's pretty much stopped now although I still gag when I brush my teeth, and still feel queasy if I get hungry. My way of coping with the tiredness is to cut down on the housework and use the time to sleep instead! I find if I do the cleaning in little bits and bobs as I go along I can pretty much keep on top of it now.

Since Monday my mobility has taken a drastic downturn. My abdominal muscles, back and pelvis all hurt, sometimes they take it in turns but often all at once so I'm hobbling around slowly and feeling like a wreck. Got a MW appointment on Tuesday so I will see what she says. I'm not looking forward to DH going back to work on Monday.

Essie - did you have the irun? What did you think of it? Argos have them half price at the moment. Although the idea of running is laughable right now!

Rolf - the eye thing sounds horrible.

Watched Doctor Who last night, did anyone else think the end of it went on a bit? Going to miss DT, not sure about the new guy.

Debs - it sounds lovely waking the boys up for new year, I bet they loved it.

X posted before Amber, I would say that I wished I had been fitter and healthier before I got pregnant this time if that helps. I would imagine that IVF would take it out of you a fair bit as well.