January 2009 - New year, new buns in various ovens and time for our not so little ones to turn one!

[SherryMerryLennipillar]

Happy 2010 everyone! Cast your mind back to this time last year... [soppy]

Too much wine - excuse for thread title should it be shite rubbish when I read it tomorrow. Thought it was time to wave goodbye to the festive one, although perhaps we should have waited for epiphany?

happy new year - excellent title, lenni, hope you are still in bed recovering from the too much wine... i seem to have drawn the short straw in this house this morning, but thankfully am feeling substantially less poisoned than i was expecting to - only a little nasty around the edges rather than in a full on state of collapse... i have to say, today would be a great day to have a nanny, though. may play lottery...

anyhow, better stop ignoring my offspring.

also, dog, the birth story was lovely. i am sure it is actually tougher to be birth partner in some ways, but yes, an honour

Happy New year!!!!!!

Sadly fell asleep at 11.15pm last night but was awoken by the fireworks

book marking haaaaaaaangooooooooveeeeeeeerrrrrr

Loved the fireworks lenni and great thread title... Christmas is OVER... Had a lovely time but too much running around. And too many presents, of course nice stuff, but just too much stuff full stop - there has to be a different way to have a midwinter party without buying up half of JL.... Well, we have a year to think about it at least.

dog I talked to OH about your horse, and he said def don't just turn her away - she needs exercise! So best bet is to find a keen teenager who will do the work for you as well as exercise her. You could always drive her up to ours and she could work for her keep, but I seem to remember she is a TB, and so wouldn't be hardy enough for our hilly fields I fear! But if she is a TB cross and used to being out, then seriously, consider it!

How lovely that you got to be there for your friend's birth! of her labour though!

Sounds like lots of nice festive fun was had by everyone. books poor DD - that's horrible. Can you give her antihistamine to stop itching and help her sleep? Sorry if bad suggestion... sure you have already thought of everything.

N is still having his afternoon sleep at 6.40pm! Hasn't been going to bed until 10pm and later, but upside is sleeping till 10am... so nice for holidays but will have to change now. Back in London already (drove up today) and work tomorrow. Ahhh! Sort of excited.

Must really go and wake him up now though.

MissJ- I am soooooooooooo excited about your work too

Books-your poor DD, I want to reach out and give her a virtual cuddle. P.s Are you going to fill us in on the in-laws thing??? [nosey emoticon]

Managed to dump DD at GP's tonight for a bit of a rest, she is a MANIAC!!!

Just about getting over my hangover! Been very, very ill today. What is it about drinking that you forget all consequences once you start. Aggghhh. Sooo sick.

Dog, lovely birth story... making me broody... almost.

Books, your poor DD. Second getting her some allerief or calamine, it does seem to help.

Right.. off to try and eat something that will stay down.

Loving the shiny new thread!

Hello all. Thank you for the new thread, I posted on the other one

Poor bubba Books sounds awful.

Gotta go, have baaad headache and no hangover

Bookmarking back tomorrow

Hello all - am just about fit to crawl out of my hole. Am a bit that one of my first thoughts on stroke of NY was we needed a new thread! Ock well.

Lol at you still be up the duff Dog! Labour sounded an amazing experience, think I would be scared too.

Books - both of mine were poorly with it - DS was only a few months old so didn't really notice but DD was really disturbed in the night. The worst was over in a week though so you should be coming out the other end soon.

DH and I had a good talk about having more babies today since he's been quite broody lately. Have decided that we aren't going to - so many reasons not to so going to let my head rule my heart on this one. His parents are getting older now which is main issue, we can't rely on them so much and with 3 kids it would be too much of a burden if either of PILs were unwell or anything. Plus we feel like we are getting back on our feet after DS's arrival, life has resumed iykwim. The last decade of my life (30 in a couple of months ) has been consumed with uni and children and teaching - the next decade I would like to be about my career.

DS is properly properly walking now, walks everywhere. It gets me everytime still though, so amazing.

MissJ - I am really excited about your job too! Why don't you go away somewhere for Christmas next year? N will still be too young to get it all so you could do something different.

everything truly crossed for you dog. why not do a test anyway to reassure? I have no spotting first time, then horrid brown stuff second time and all was still well. do try not to worry! Tis good the little bean knows it is wanted.

Lenni, very mature decision! I'm still struggling with my innate urge to have #3 and the discussion rages on...

Dog- evrything crossed for you and the bean, I would retest anyway. Did you have any sickness before?? I never had ANY pregnancy symptoms whatsoever so was always very relieved when I started getting a rounded belly

Sensible decision Lenni, think ours has been made for us by the financial situation. Shame but I'm more than happy with two (funny as before DS I would never have considered a third, what a difference an easy baby can make!)

Have just ordered all the decs etc for Z's party on thursday, off to get some bits and pieces from sainsburys later. Just hope they get here on time now! I ahve ordered him a little 'name train' for his present, didn't want to get him too much as he got loads of toys for xmas. I may get him one of those plates that you all sign and put in the oven, he won't appreciate it now obviously (or maybe he will if there is food on it).

good luck dog

congrats do was away when you annoucend your exciting news
i would retest

dog, have fingers crossed. a little spotting probably isn't anything to worry about. hope it has stopped now.

have embarked on january regime am feeling a bit glum - not helped by bunged up, aching sinuses. quite sorry for myself, and have no recourse to chocolate. i hate january.

oh, c is yelling. back later.

Hi all

Thought I'd pop in and see you all. Have been horribly absent for a long while now.

Dog, hope all is well, I had very light spotting with dd but all was fine, I think I read somewhere that spotting is more likely, but less serious the more pregnancies you go through iyswim. Just make sure you are resting and taking good care of yourself. Mooses orders - awight!

The house of plague continues here, although its definitely starting to show signs of improvement. Sorry to hear about all the other poorly littlies, hope they are all on the mend now.

Just ordered dd's mattress for her big cot. She still fits in the bedside crib fine but as she keep escaping we can't put her down to bed in the evening and she ends up sleeping in the swing until we go to bed - not ideal for any of us really. She is also a really restless sleeper and we would really like to get some sleep ourselves sometime soon.

Sat up with dh last night planning dd's birthday party. We didn't bother with first birthday parties for the boys, just a small tea with the GPs, but we both feel that not only is it our last chance, it marks the end of one helluva year and we think we'll regret it if we don't celebrate properly. She's actually getting two parties really, a tea on her birthday with the GPs and then a party with all our friends and their dcs the day after. We are making it a rainbow party, as we wanted something cheerful and definitely not pink and cutesy. Am quite getting into the idea now, although in a total panic about getting the house ready as I have been out of action for weeks and the place is an absolute wreck.

We were supposed to be doing her bedroom and painting the bathroom this week but dh has pretty much had to do everything as I have either a cracked rib or torn muscle as a result of coughing! Apparently they don't xray to find out which it is, as the treatment is the same for both - lots of rest and pain relief. Have given up taking codeine though as I was fed up of being away with the fairies. Think it is improving slightly now, but still hurts like hell when I cough and dh is having to sleep on dd's side of the bed as I can't face her or turn over which is a proper pita. Best night's sleep I've had was NYE when the combination of paracetamol/codeine, ibuprofen and red wine worked a treat!

We managed one day out to the museum and art gallery on Wednesday. It was lovely (and cheap ) but I really regretted it when I couldn't move on Thursday.

Right I'd better wend my way, I need to order several different types of vege jelly so I can do rainbow jellies for the party.

Ahh, feels good to be back, have missed you all.

mm - good to have you back

rainbow party sounds lovely

cant believe our babies will be 1 soon
i am just having my parents over for dd2s 1t bday

glad u r all getting better now

Yay for Moose!! Boo for all the stresses you have had. Poor you, I hope the ribs feel better. Very very painful I hear. Ouch!

Dog, everything crossed. I spotted and bled on and off till 20 weeks with dd1 . SO worrying for you, but really really normal.

Ponedering party tea here too. I hate January too. Hate it, always have. But it's dd2 big month, so I have to get my head around it. Have a heavy heart. Off to GO for Ad's I think. I am fed up of not enjoying my blessings.

We have some baby friends age 1-2, and they all have bigger siblings dd1's age. Gives us 5 older, 5 babies. Am I mad for trying to fit those in at home? Have no money for a play area type party, plus I love all the decorating

Well done on the sensible decisions and sensible chats. We can't have another, we have no childcare [we have, but at 75 I think a 3rd is taking the piss!] I really want another though, and I hate that work will stop me having the choice over my family size. What can I do though.

That bums me out, as my lst experience of baby will be, I think you all understand if I say this, bloody awful. DD2 is lovely, I heart her to bits, but her 1st year has been a nightmare. Add into that the redunadancies and all that crappola - I feel like i am going out on a really bad note. Bad taste in my mouth to say the least.

Rant over, and dd2 has a poo bum

Sorry to be on a downer.

Gosgh Books she has had rough deal. Poor lamb. Ice cubes meant to be soothing to suck on.

Am sorry to hear you have had some IL troubles, sounds awful. You know we will listen if you need sympathetic ears to vent to. Hope DH is ok.

Hi Tree, I shan't be far behind you for the ADs - have promised DH I will go next week. That actually has far more to do with my absence than the general poorlies. Been ridiculously low and a not very nice Mummy, which is a shame especially over christmas. I think I've been on the downward slide since my gallstone flare up when dd was 6 months, but things really took a nosedive in the run up to christmas. I have found it really hard to so much as raise a smile for well over a month now. Like you said, I want to be able to enjoy my blessings and not end up looking back thinking they passed me by.

To be honest I think you have done amazingly well to have coped this long, I haven't had half what you have had to deal with and I feel so down that the first year of dd's life seems to have been so hard. You are such a dedicated caring Mum and always really put your girls first all the way, I think its high time you put yourself first and started taking care of you for a while.

Am also with you that January is a horrible month generally speaking, that's why we decided on a bright cheery theme for dd's party. (I love all the decorating and food prep for parties too, but have really had to pull myself up by the bootstraps to make myself do it this time, I was just so low I couldn't even raise an interest if I'm honest.) We also have no money and despite having a tiny house, have invited 25 people including 7 children for the rainbow do! We won't be sitting children down around the table though and will have a fair bit of furniture shifting to do if we are going to fit everyone in. That's why we decided to do 2 parties really, have found in the past that GPs and other 'older' rellies tend to plant themselves in the best seats and not move for the duration thus monopolising the living room for the entire party. So we thought we would do a low key, tea and cakes thing for them on her actual birthday and then have mates and kids round the day after for a general muck in and have fun type day with people who really couldn't care whether or not they get a seat as long as they have plenty to eat and drink and we all get to spend some time together. We're not doing any party games or making a big fuss, just having a general get together and letting the dc's run wild. (I must be mad!) Have ordered little rainbow enamel lapel pins to give as favours to sort of mark the day though, as we don't do christenings and never got around to naming ceremonies with any of them. Children will all get party bags though.

As for the baby thing. Never say never, you are still young and have time. You never know what's around the next corner, life has every chance of taking a huge turn for the better. I said definitely no more after ds1 and then again after ds2 and look at me now with my 3 beautiful babies.

books, sorry about crappiness of ILs, glad dd is a bit better. at least she should never get it again...

tree about work affecting your decision to have another or not. it seems very unfair that it's an external factor rather than your own inclination (of course, i would say that, but still...) and it is a shame that you have had such a fraught year, but maybe h's year 1-2 will be an absolute breeze and a delight to make up [hopeful new year emoticon]

rainbow party sounds like a fab idea, moose - sorry to hear about your broken rib - ouch, ouch, ouch. hope you are well on the mend.

we had no plans to have a party, but it seems c's dad is coming with his whole family (!) on that weekend, so cake and party hats it is... still trying to work out what would be a good present for c, something interactive - although today emptying and refilling a laundry basket with bibs and muslins has been a sufficient activity, so maybe nothing.... what is everybody else doing?