Jan 2009...'twas the thread before christmas, soon the babies turn one, the years been quite busy, pass the red wine to mum.

[SherryMerryLennipillar]

Merry Christmas babies

hkz, glad to hear biopsy went smoothly, fingers crossed all will continue i nthat line...

lenni at walking! surely ds is too tiny for that...

bad mood here - budget has reduced our family income by another 8%, and the supreme court has this morning reiterated that we do not constitute a family. there has been much muttering here of moving to the uk today... where dp could adopt c. i think we are going to look into it.

but it's a lovely day here, so there is that.

tink, hope you are feeling less anxious today

Thanks tree and Lenni. Needless to say the spell was broken . He is being evicted this weekend and going into DD's room. I. Have. Had. Enough.

Lenni, I'm BF H and still enormous! Ok, so since the birth I've lost 20kgs, but I did put 30 on so only 2/3rds of the way there. Have promised myself some nice sales togs if I lose the weight be Christmas.

I can't believe S is 1! This year has flown. We need to find a link to our birth thread; I'd love to read it all again now! Those late nights on the computer thinking/wishing we were in labour when it was really just overdoing the raspberry leaf tea.

I have had the morning from absolute hell with DD refusing to eat then having an almighty melt down everywhere we went. She pushed over and hit babies and stole their toys. She shouted at the group leader who was doing the songs. She hit me in front of everyone and then refused to get back in the P&T unless it was in the baby bit in the back so she could be in H's sleeping bag. I then shouted at her and she said 'Mummy why are you being mean to me? Are you in a bad mood?' Grrrrr

..and relax... They are both now soundly sleeping and hopefully this afternoon will be another day. .

xpost stripey. sounds grim.

120 - hope dd wakes up all saintly... am aiming for tree's stout heart here - always a bit crap to get two hits in one day. but onwards and upwards, eh? we're not going to starve or anything... (i am still two stone heavier than i was before c, so that'll take quite some time...)

c is squawking in her cot - i feel distinctly unhopeful about the afternoon nap. damn this sitting up lark...

thanks Stripey.. DP is here and he just managed to get H down again when he squawked. Little bugger angel wouldn't have done that for me. . Why do we let them wrap us around their midget pinkies?

Fortunately DP is going to take them both out of earshot for a while when they wake up so I can relax and have a bath. . Or make supper. . So that'll be take-away tonight then.

got antidpressants feel sick now

oh Tink .

Tink sorry you are having a tough time and feeling down and anxious. Is there anyway you can get out of going away for Christmas and having a quiet one at home with DDs and DH? Or plan something nice to do as a family in the new year so there's something to look forward to?

Grrr at toddler DDs 120. Lily's favourite phrase at the moment is (whilst shouting) 'Stop shouting mummy you hurt my feelings' or 'ow you're hurting me' when i haven't laid a finger on her. Jude seems to get pushed over by her a lot at the moment too, she has worked out the formula so she apologises and gives him a kiss straight afterwards and thinks its fine.

Stripey,thats rubbish that Dp can't adopt C and you are not recognised as a family. 8% is a big chunk of income to lose. Could you move to England for enough time so DP could adopt C and then move back? Or is it horrendously complicated and the move would have to be a permanent thing?

Lenni, DS is into peekabo at the moment, he keeps on wrapping himself up int he curtains then peeking out and quickly hiding again.

Hello books, glad the windows are nearly done. We have a builder dong work on my sister's flat upstairs (she rents it out) and he has just boxed in the boiler for us, but not put a door on so you can't actually access it....he's not the brightest spark.

Think I have pretty much lost all the baby weight, have been a 12 again since the summer, which was my pre baby dress size. There is a horrible bit of deflated tummy that just refuses to go though, ruined forever...and my poor boobs....they are a shadow of thier former glory

Had a rubbish evening last night, sister rang up to say she had lost her job , then my Dad's helper/cleaner/friend rang to say he had another really forgetful/muddled spell. Think he is starting to lose his marbles a bit, hes knocking on 85 and his physical health is good, but mentally he is getting very confused. Said if we tried to put him in a home he would throw himself off the roof of the house so thats not an option....need to come up with a plan, luckily I've got Dsis and bro nearish who are all happy to do thier fair share. It has been a stressy few weeks, roll on 2010...

Right, must bath my stinking children

Ummm ok, I will forgive DS as it seems the reward for 3 or 4 very broken nights of sleep are TWO SHINY BACK MOLARS !!!

Also went to get his feet remeasured todaya nd he has gone up from a 3 to a 4 in just over 3 weeks . Got him some new walkers though in the sale and he loves them.

Also had a lovely coffee with my friend this morning who is convalescing from a back op and then a nice local MN meet-up this afternoon, so suddenly feeling much brighter and less down about work.

HKZ- sorry about your dad's turn. Sounds like my DH's gramp, fiercely independent but registered blind and should have really been in home yeasr ago. Hope it all works out. Sorry about sister's job too. at stinking children!!!

Tink- whats up? feeling stressed out about family stuff is a killer at christmas, I think HKZ's suggestion of something to look forward to in the new year sounds good.

120-sounds like an average day when I used to take DD to P&T group!! Hope they sleep ok tonight.

Stripey- I feel the pain of an 8% drop, I am now avoiding thinking of money altogether, its the only way........... On the plus side, you would be able to attend a meet-up if you moved over here (small consolation for the upheaval[grin!!)

Tree- lovely pics, we have just got the cd back from DD's playgroup shot. I will try and upload soon!

Lenni- yay for weight loss and yay for DS walking (although now you know the fun really begins, especially when they are both on the loose in a public place........I seriously considered reins for the first time today as DS was such a pest when I was trying to sit down and enjoy a chat and a cup of tea!)

DH at his xmas do tonight and solo bathtime has just gone really well. Best of the week even if I do say so myself (nobody to witness it but I am proud of myself anyway!)

for Pat's solo bath time!

do you guys take notes on the thread? or have an amazing memory? . Must try harder . Where was I?

Oh HKZ I am so sorry to hear about J's tumor. I remembered about his arm but at the time you were worried it was some kind of palsy. How utterly horrific this must have been for you and I am in tears to think of a little one like S going through such a thing. On a bright note though you sound extremely positive and that life is getting on as normal for you all. Will say a prayer for J at church on Sunday x
Tink so sorry to hear you are feeling so down. Is a trip away at Christmas really worth it? Surely you could talk to your dh and just not go? Hope your dd as the star will give you a smile.
Pat solo bath time is a military operation so well done you. How many days are you at work now? Sounds like its not going well? I love my 2 days but then I leave my boys with their grandparents which makes it much easier for me mentally. I also have a cushy easy job!
The social calendar here is nuts but lots of fun. 3 parties tomorrow (preschool, nct here (argh!) and then work doo). Lots of fun. Also went on a trip to see the dancing bears in Kingston today with 4 other mums. The dcs loved it.
Oh would love to read the baby thread again. DH is at his work party tonight and that was where he was when I was in labour. Good times! Not pregnant yet but seriously considering starting trying after Christmas. Someone tell me I'm not mental!
Oh and finally S had a hospital check today. He is doing really well and they are stopping another med. Hopefully he will be med free within 2 months and we can they introduce dairy. He is sporting a rather fetching balck eye today from walking into a table though...

Thanks dog! Probably just glutten for punishment. A little sleep makes you forget all the long hard months without any. On the plus side 6am has never felt like a lie in before!
How are you dog?

Oh my what a day.

Stripey - that all sounds a pile of crap mate. I can see why you would want to stick 2 fingers up to the place.

Tink - I'm really sorry you feel so bad. Do pour it out if it helps, we can all listen and hold hands. x

120 -have no idea what's goin gon mate

Gumps, that is terrific news. On the trying again [you are not mental ] and the med reduction. What meds is he on, if youa re happpy to say. Though of course do say but out is that's too nosey!

Where is Moosey?

Have had a bad day, feel got at by my mum as I was quiet and tired all day. So obviously I am down, depressed, implication: causing all dd's problems. Apparently I became down and moody as soon as I walked in the house. Fine. Go away then. We had a nativity and a show, and I filmed and clapped and congratulated and did my freaking best. I've had 4 hours sleep and gastroenteritis. Get over it. Whay does it have to be a problem if I am tired?

I hate being judged. Hate it. I just kept saying 'I am doing my best'. But her tone is so accusatory, not 'how are you, are you feeling rough?' more 'whatsthematterwithyouwhyareyousomiserable' in a barked hard way.

Feel like crap.

Will be fine tomorrow. Now, help me. Tomorrow I go away for the night. I booked this ages ago, when feeling flush. Obviously now it is a financial disaster and should never have put deposit on the hotel room. But we have to go, and dh and I could do with the night away. But after hearing about how shit I have been all day, I now feel awful I will only see dd in the am [be gone when she gets in from school] so I don't get a chance to make it up or be not tired mummy with her. Arse! Feeling horribly inadequate. And like this night have waited a year for is spoiled.

Right barrel of laughs aint I. Very selfish post. Apologies.

Tree it sounds like you need some sleep! Nice hot drink, quick bath, bed. Find all the nice things you want to wear and think how nice tomorrow night will be! If you get excited about it all the kiddie stuff will go. We all have good days and bad days with them. If you have a nice break, you will come back being lovely mummy again! Its also good for them to get used to a range of adult emotions .

As someone with a 20 mo gap (found out I was preggers with H on DD's birthday), I can say you are definitely mental. In a good way. Very. Hard. Work. But. Worth. It. I have friends who are only having number two now and I think 2.5 year olds are a lot harder than 20 mo olds... however, they still feel like such babies and suddenly become brash toddlers when the newborn appears, which is very sad. I remember becoming shouty mummy overnight . And haven't changed since!

Gumps you're nuts! In a good way. I really want to try for DC3, but not sure I can face such a short age gap again, so might leave it for a few months.

Tree sorry you are grrr at you mum. How was the nativity? Was DD a good donkey? (she was a donkey wasn't she?)

this should cheer everyone up....the thread from Jan 2009

120 dc 3, already got 2 boys with a 19 month gap. I love the closeness in age hence wanting to do it now rather than later. Know it will be in for a hard year though but thinking short term pain for long term gain!
Tree definitely go, sounds like you massively need the break. I am sure you were ace today and you know what kids are like. You can paint, draw, sing, dance, swim blah blah all day and they will only remember that you didn't let them eat that chocolate biscuit. However there is absolutely no point going if you are just going to be miserable and guilt trip yourself the whole time so get some sexy undies and go and indulge yourself!
Meds S is on are ranitidine but that has stopped as of today and just leaves the losec otherwise known as omeprazole? Thats the one I am scared of stopping as that is the one that made a huge difference to his sleep. Does your dd still have problems? Was it silent reflux too? Sorry memory is terrible.
About to read old thread. Hanky at the ready.

I thought that was your Christmas name Dog!
Just add the notjustforChristmas bit

Gumps I have a 21 month gap between mine, and I love it, but it has been super hard work, especially as DS still doesn't sleep through the night...the thought of having a newborn and then a toddler, both to deal with in the night makes me shudder...but three seems like a good number to me and part of me thinks I should just go for it as, as dog says, in th elong term there are so many benefits. They are already good little playmates (at times)

Hello 120! We must meet up before xmas....end of term next week so will definitely be up for coffee and cake somewhere in the hols.

Taking DD to the Gruffalo tomorrow and a friend is having DS for the day, don't know who is more excited, me or her. DS completely unsettled tonight and has just started crying...

OK old thread a disaster for me. S was a month old and my only post other than congrats on new babies was about what a horro ds1 was being....

cheers ladies what great support

dh wont let me not go i havent been up since last july!! he doesnt want it ruined for the girls. guess we can talk about it and see how i am.
we havent had an xmas up there in 3 years

Just popping in to say 2 words:

boden sale

But not much good stuff left . Bought baby jeans in 18-24mo size and dinosaur tshirt for summer.

Will try to catch up later!