May09 - Christmas is on it's way and Grumpycaaa is comin' to town!!

[essenceofSES]

Hope that works!

Cocktail anyone?!

G has just about given in to sleep again..

good luck with your meeting tomorrow ses I hope O enjoys it too!

OMG how stunned does he look for winning xf

belgian you're doing nothing are you?! men and their tunnel vision arrrgh drives me crazy when dh suggests inane unnecessary stuff imo to add to my work load.

Evening!

belgina - have another grrr for your DH. You, doing nothing? Humph.

Ok day here. DD1 is very determined that she doens't like Christmas, it's hilarious! She's not scared, just decided she doesn't like any of it, including presents.

coraline.. your dc's are not alone.. there was a thread about a month ago about how the op's dc's had just come downstairs ashen faced.. loads of other MNers agreed it was scary.

flippin at your dd1 not liking xmas. Mine are busy counting down the days to their presents arriving. Oh and I meant to say earlier: you don't need to colour your hair. You've got a lovely colour. My natural colour is neither brown nor blond (officially dark blond I think), so that's why I colour it. The other reason is that when I was 16 I thought I'd try to see what I'd look like blond and it sort of stuck, because my mum made me fill in the roots. It's funny how many people say dd1 looks so much like me, even the hair colour

Thanks for the DH comments. It just annoys me. Because even though I'm busy all day, nothing noticeable or exciting happens, IYKWIM. So no one seems to notice. But preparing a meal + all the cleaning up around it can take up an hour at a time, then there's the endless cycle of laundry and continuous picking up bits of the floor. If I stopped doing 'nothing' everything would quickly fall apart and I don't think men realise that.

flippin lol.. well that would make xmas less expensive!

O is asleep (on me!) now. He hasn't slept so well the last 3 nights and I'm hoping it's just teething and not going backwards with sleep. He's had a red cheek, red bum for quite a few days now.

Belgina - will DHs ever get it?
Mine went to bed about an hour ago as he said he was feeling ill. Bet you he'll go to work ok tomorrow.

G fell asleep on me too.. i bought some of the green baby chest rub a few weeks ago after you mentioned it belgina it makes a difference and I love the smell too.

fi Glad to hear the green baby chest rub is working. With C the relief was instant. It's nice that it's made of 100% natural ingredients too.

I'm wondering how Grumpy is getting on...

Bedtime now here. Goodnight everyone.

bookmarking
will hopefully get on mn tomorrow

My word you lot talk so much!

I'll try and catch up properly tomorrow if I can, things gone pearshaped here big time with work and life stress so I've been slapped on antidepressants and have a crisis team intervention thingy going on. Feel like I should have a big sign made for my back saying I'M CRAZY.

Bah.

belgian/fi, I'm going to try the green baby chest rub, H needs it. she was a bit unsettled going down to sleep last night as she's all bunged up. I'm supposing I can find it at health food shops like hobarts?

blotted, I hope you're ok and sending you my virtual support. You're not crazy, just stressed and overwhelmed (?). Glad you're getting support and do come on here to vent if it helps.

belgina, at your dh. how dare he?

ooops gotta cut this short as dd2 is now awake with H and I and dd1 will follow soon. will catch up later and hope you're all well.

morning momino

chest rub.. our local waitrose had it.

blotted sorry to hear everything has gone TU.. you're not crazy.. you've had so much to deal with. good to hear that you've got some help though.

ses, hope your meeting goes well.
morning Fi!

Blotted Hope the ADs are working for you. Thinking of you. Hope you get back on soon to vent.

Ses and Fire I hope your arms got a break last night and those babies went to bed at some stage.

I'm thinking R is definately teething as the night before last I gave him a shot of calpol and teething powders as he was really niggly at bed time and he slept from 7-1pm. Last night I didn't even though he was niggly (didn't think of it) and he woke at 9.30. I gave him powders and calpol and fed him and then he went until 2 so I fed him and he slept with us and feed again at 5 (tired). I think I'm going to buy him a Baby Amber Necklace. I have one for DD and it seems to help with teething and other pains (its hard to tell) Does anyone else use one??

DH made me again this morning. He is working all day today a double shift so won't be home until after midnight so maybe I am being unreasonable. I was going to bore you with the details but really not worth it. Just so sick of his grumpy, selfish attitude at the moment. I know its because we are both tired. I'm looking forward to Christmas as we are going away for 3 nights staying with friends and it will be nice to relax and have some down time.

Hey all,
V tired after a lovely weekend where I stayed up until midnight at the party on Sat (for those interested, I went as an italian flag ) typically A decided that 2.30am was a good time to wake up for the day. I eventually managed to persuade her back to sleep at 5!

Am with you on the inept/annoying DH fronts this week. If I get any time to myself its usually spent trying to sleep or doing all the jobs I haven't had time to do when A is awake. DH just seems to not notice anything that needs doing at all. On top of that DH is obv feeling like we should assume relations but I am so knackered all the time I just don't feel like it I know he's out at work all day but I'd love just once if he could put away some washing or something.

A is really bunged up bless her, saline doesn't seem to be shifting it at all so think I'm going to go have a look for that chest rub too.

Sorry for not namechecking properly and whinging. Hopefully normal service will resume shortly

Just ordered a baby amber necklace for R and 2 blue fitted cot sheets as the white ones I have are old and grey looking. That'll be Rs christmas presents sorted then!!

Fi (resident expert in all things foodie, crafty and fabulous) I am making fudge for Christmas presents for friends. I have lovely bags to gift wrap it in. When do you think I should make it?? Do you think fudge is ok or should I make something else. It has to be easy and ok to put in a bag (as opposed to a jar IYKWIM).

Febes, where did you get the bags to wrap them? I'm thinking of making similar pressies.

I got some lovely organza bags off ebay they have gold snow flakes on them 3 pounds for 30 bags they have a draw string and are v pretty

one hand typing --feeding

febes with all the sugar in the fudge it should keep for a couple of weeks i think.. it'll keep better if kept air tight so although not glamorous.. clingfilm wrapped tight if it's in blocks and then inside your bags. or pop into your local florist like i did one year when i made biscuits and buy some patterned florists cellophane.. that looks a lot swisher

Am feeding too so need to keep it short!

blotted oh dear, lots of hugs to you. So glad you are getting support. Will be thinking of you.

gifts I made apricot and rosemary jam yesterday to give as a gift to our neighbours who gave us lots of veg this year from their garden. I just hope it turns out well. I'm planning to make truffles too.

We've all got colds so sleep was very interrupted last night. Am hoping the boys will nap this evening.

Snow forecast here so intending to stay in!

febes Where did you get your fudge recipe from? I'd love to make fudge, but the recipe I've got says you need a sugar thermometer and I can't find one of those anywhere for the life of me. I love the idea of home made xmas pressies. I might do that next year. You lot have all given me lots of great ideas

blotted So sorry to hear things aren't going well. Hopefully the antiD's will work. There's so much going on in your life at the moment that I'm not surprised it's all become a bit too much. I hope things will only get better from now on . Come on here if ever you need to vent, we're here to listen.

running Sounds like a nice party. What a great idea going like an Italian flag!

momi I've got some small golden organza bags left (around 8) from when I was doing C's baby sugar presents. If you want them I can send them on to you. They're just lying around here now.

ses Yes, good luck with your meeting! Definitely need to get in touch with my own work soon.

Morning all!

blotted - sorry to hear that so much is going on. Hope the ADs help and that you get all the support you need. Thinking of you.

fudge sounds good - anyone want to do a trade? Dodgy brown beetroot chutney for some yummy fudge?!

Beautiful sunny cold day here. DD1 is at the CM, so I'm on my own with A today. DH has gone away with work, should be back late tomorrow night so only two bed times on my own, hopefully won't be too bad. I'm hoping...but realistically it's going to be a nightmare!

I think I forgot to tell you - A is now pulling herself up to standing !

Fire I was thinking that I would need to wrap them in something. What about greaseproof paper with a christmas sticker and then in the organza bag?

I've seen a few recipes not sure which one I'll use yet (ermmmmmmm I've never actually made fudge before) I may try truffles as well I love truffles.
Vanilla Fudge

300ml/1/2 pint milk
800g/1lb 12oz granulated sugar
100g/4oz butter
2 tsp vanilla essence
Pour milk into a pan and bring slowly to the boil, then add sugar and butter, heat slowly stirring all the time until sugar dissolves and butter has melted. Bring back to boil cover with lid and boil for approx 2 mins, uncover and continue to boil steadily , stirring occasionally, for 10/15 mins or (until the mixture, dropped into a cup of cold water forms a soft ball when rolled in fingers)
Remove from heat and add vanilla essence stir and leave for 5 mins
Then beat it till it just begins to lose its gloss and is thick and creamy, then transfer to your buttered tin.