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?

Tink, you are welcome to come and sort at my house. Just about every room needs sorting upstairs.

Moany rant alert!

Am seething mad. I knew dh was going on a management training course at head office on Thursday and needed to be there really early in the morning. I suggested he called his best friend and arranged to stay at his house because he lives just around the corner, which he did. So I thought he was coming home after work tomorrow, having tea, seeing the dcs then going off to his friends house. Well, he just came home this lunchtime and told me he is actually leaving at 6.00 am tomorrow morning and won't be back before 9.00 on Thursday. He and his friend are ordering a takeaway and going out for a drink apparently. He reckons he told me, but I am 100 percent sure he didn't and I heard them organise what they were doing on the phone, so you'd think I'd remember. All the dcs have a horrible cold and are really grumpy, and I have the same cold and my first AF in 22 months and now I am going to be on my own with all 3 kids for 2 days.

This on top of the news that he is going to the black tie thing and having a weekend in a posh hotel without me has really got me down. It just feels really unfair that I never get to go anywhere or do anything because we can't leave the dc's and dogs, but he goes to several gigs a year, on training courses and to works dos without a second thought. I know he has to go to both of these things, but I really am starting to feel like part of the furniture or a well used implement rather than a person. I can't remember the last time I went anywhere - I think it was Mark Thomas last June fgs! To cap it all he is working with the big bosses daughter at the moment and she is young, bright, attractive, rich and upwardly mobile - in other words, no competition. They get on really well together and it was her that organised his invite for the black tie event. I'm sick of hearing about her quite frankly.

I have honestly never looked or felt worse in my life, my skin is dull and tired, I have huge bags under my eyes, I find a new wrinkle every day and my hair hasn't had a cut since before the Mark Thomas thing. I also have absolutely no clothes that fit and the clothes I do own are all worn out and scruffy. To put it bluntly I feel like shit and have had enough of always being last on the list.

Ignore me, I shouldn't be so selfish there are people with much bigger problems than mine. Its probably my hormones, blummin AF.

No Books, I really can't wait until tomorrow. This is torture! Can't imagine what actually doing it would have been like. I thought my 3 day labour with DD was bad - have thought again!

Books, just read the next installment (sp?). Twas a very welcome distraction for a few minutes. I am full of admiration for both your determination and stamina!

Awwww Moose, I'm not surprised you're fed up, think you need to ask him how he's going to make this up to you and make it possible for you to have a break.

Happy birthdays to all I've missed.

Well done on the threshold pay rise Pat.

Dog, ooh exciting.

Oh moose. I hope when he comes back from his weekend you have time to discuss it and plan some nice things to do together too. Can you get a babysitter/some help in the meantime and have a long soak in the bath/read a book/have a pamper day?

Mine are at nursery today and I'm really enjoying reading the new Sarah Waters book.

books, lol at keeping us waiting.

Thanks folks. The main reason why I never get a passout is that dd just won't go to anyone else. She won't even let me put her down if my Mum visits and screams to epic proportions if anyone dares cross the threshold of our home, so there's little hope of leaving her with anyone. I did start a thread about it over the weekend but only got one reply. Babysitters for the boys are thin on the ground at the moment as well, as my MIL is having quite scary absences that they can't identify the cause of, so isn't safe to be left with them, my Mum has decided to flounce and go off to find herself and my sister, after moving back for 6 weeks, has now moved a hours drive away again.

I was mulling over the idea of doing a sugarcraft course one evening a week to get me out the house and also because I'd quite like to earn some extra money from doing children's birthday cakes at some point in the future. If I'm honest though, I am just too tired to go and would end up not going most weeks and then hating myself for wasting the money/opportunity. Seems easier not to start somehow. I do love reading, but never seem to get the chance these days. If I try, I end up reading the same paragraph ten times over with all the interruptions. I used to read in bed before going to sleep, but I just collapse these days.

Nice idea about planning mothers' day Books, but we were trying to plan my 40th the other day and gave up as there were too many restrictions - and that's not until June! We were initially going to hire a cottage with another couple, but they are having marital problems and spoil everything they go to at the moment. So we decided we'd try and get to see Christy Moore at the Hay Festival, but he's on in the evening at a ticketed event which means we couldn't take the dcs. Same old viscious circle ensued, until we gave it up as hopeless and I just said I didn't want to do anything anyway. I'll probably either end up agreeing to do something that dh wants to do like I did last year, or doing nothing and telling him that's what I want, just to salve his conscience.

God I'm such a misery.

mm - i would feel down too

you definetly need me time

oh moose, that sounds rubbish. Can't you get dh to babysit and go and have a relaxing evening on your own/with a mate...go and catch a film or get yourself a pint in a nice quiet coffee shop/cafe/ pub and read a book for a few hours. Definitely go and do the course.... you need to do somethijng for YOU and its fine once you get there...its just the thought of it iyswim...

Have just aboot caught up, I remember nothing! Books, am enjoying the installments. loved miss j and rays birth stories too.
Just had shopping accident in green baby sale i have an extra 10% discount if anyone wants it.

DD just spent the last half hour melting down and whining , completely ignored her then ended up shouting at her and pushing her out my way...so am feeling super guilty now as she is being all sweetness and light.

120, can't meet up on fri as have work and half day of uni for SENCO training...am so unprepared, have tons to read.

Tree, hows the sleep going?

Sorry for everyone i've missed...my brain is defunct

Hey HKZ. I have just been grotty with dd, and I feel like crap too. Sooooo tired in the evening.

Moose. I dunno what to say mate. Wish was a local, I'd have all the lot of them, and E could join H in a screamathon!
Will she stay with daddy for even an hour?

I advise taking her and taking 3 hours when dh is around - and going an getting hair done/new knickers/choose nice lunch in a cafe anything that is a nice mum and baby thing. It's a start.
You sound fed up mrs, would bring you round a muffin if I could. Would jolly well post one if I knew where you lived!

Fabby birth story Books. Apart form crappy labour ward nastiness.

Ray - your birth story is just brill. It really captured the energy of labour, and of y ou - who I always imagine to be bubbly and zooming about. I can just see you hopping on the bed, then off, then in the water, out and on the bed...and so on. Lovely.

it's good for me readign these stories actually. This is work,a nd I need to get some enthusiasm for it!

OOO on the topic of dull skin. Mine looked like an old grey dishcloth. Seriously I was grey.

Then I met that Spezia bloke in Cornwall and now I glow. That's because he is Italian and utterly charming, and also because of this. The rose and vanilla face oil is the next best thing to a hot water bottle and a slab of cake I tell ya. I have a variation on the theme face cleanser, by same chap [called inlight developed to not clash with homeopathic remedies], and it's amazing. I can't wait for it to run out so I can get the rose version

Moose - if you enter GP09104 you get £5 off a £35 spend. Get some. Or some lovely thing. If you 6had^ time to make the hairdresser it would easily cost that afterall.

Also, do you know a mobile hairdresser? Might be a good plan too.

Today I have done mostly nothing. I'm tired. probably because I got 5 hours for second night in a row. Actually H is sleeping better, and last night was really quite good. In bed with us - but asleep.
Ignored my post party pit that is my house and just played with H. She had a nap in her swing, she fell asleep in there all on her own, and went through a cycle. She woke but doozed back off again

this would really suit the stripelet

What did yo get hkz? Linky?

I agree Moose, you should get something organised for yourself. After all the whole household will stop functioning if you aren't looked after. (Sorry x-posted with you earlier and didn't hang around)

The sugarcraft course sounds a great idea. A friend who I met on my other PN thread makes cakes, she made the DCs birthday cakes and that is how she started out iirc. I will put the photos of their cakes on my profile so you can see them. They were amazing.

Sleep sounds amazing Tree! Is the piriton working then do you think? Brilliant that she is settling herself in the swing.

Books - sorry about rubbish midwives on overnight thing, you were a woman on a mission. Much admiration.

HKZ - Have you heard anything from hospital yet? Good luck for course on Friday, you'll love it I'm sure. Let me know if you need anything, I have tonnes of books and things you are welcome to borrow if needed and have got to know whos who in the field if you need any research papers etc. Make sure you ask them about Athens access to journals as you can then do most things from home without having to trawl into university libraries.

Just a quick one as I am probably going to sleep shortly, DS was up from 3.30 am this morning, on and off, would not be put back down. Hocked up 2 massive balls of mucus this morning at 7.15am and then trots happily off to nursery leaving me and DH hanging and dog-tired at work all day. This.has.got.too.stop!!

Made more annoying by the fact that he always slept well till we moved here, damn this house!!! (don't mean that really but just have to take it out on something!).

for you moose, don't think I have ever heard of someone more in need of a pamper day, get dropping those hints!!

Books- enjoying your updates....what a bloody marathon! Most would have thrown in the towel a long time ago!

Lovely birth stories MissJ and Ray. Ray, that was quick for a first, you ought to be careful with your second, it'll pop out like a pea-shooter! MissJ, so emotional, bought a tear to my eye, as did the thought of that trek in the ambulance at full dilation!

120- LOVE the bear hunt pictures, but I too demand more detail.

LOL at Tree and Moose (and Lenni stirring it up)

Right...........oiepqfhe;g;otjh'ptkbh#k[7iui]k]cic]c2-i796t45lm;hg

Since you asked I got this in brown for DS, these a pair each as both are in need of PJs, and ds seems to break out of all DD's old sleep suits. (I'd make them wear sleep suits til they were 12 if I had my way ) And a couple of these as DS looks super cute in them under his dungarees and they wash amazingly well. Have quite a lot of this stuff from last year for DD, which DS can wear this summer...its quite unisex I think and wears well.

Cripes, on the subject of skin, I currently look like a spotty adolescent (with quite a few unadolescent wrinkles), have had to economise on my skin care routine the last few months and it shows!

Tree that's brilliant news about H, she seems to be slowly getting the hang of gettingherself off to sleep. Hope you get a refreshing sleep tonight.

I am definitely coming down with a cold...got headache, scratchy throat, hot and cold etc...off to dose myself up with echaneacha (I know that is spelt completely wrong but I don't care) and paracetomol and settle down to a bit of holby...rock 'n roll.

We need a thread duvet day me thinks.

Thanks for all the support ladies, its helps just to know that someone understands how I'm feeling.

Unfortunately, I have just had another blow to finish my day off nicely.

I don't think I told you all about getting ripped off my Lilimay.com (a proper baby shop in Brighton with quite a good rep). They failed to supply dd's birthday presents (the lovely walker and one or two other bits) and despite having my money since 5 Jan have failed to refund me despite lots of emails and empty promises. I started a thread about that one too and have found loads of people online in the same boat with the same company.

So I ordered it again from a 100% positive ebay trader and it was duly despatched within 24 hours (yesterday) with tracking details and everything.

Checked the tracking number and it says it was delivered at 5.15 this evening and signed for by someone called Newey. Well I was sat near my front door at 5.15 today and no-one came to the door and there is no-one called Newey in my street! Contacted the seller, she was lovely, double checked my addres and is going to chase the company tomorrow, but in the meantime another UPS driver came to the door to deliver a parcel for dh. He said my parcel had been contracted out and they'd had lots of trouble with the contractors. He gave us a UPS phone number and said they would call the driver direct and ask what the hell was going on. Called them and guess what? "Not our problem mate, you'll have to call the contractors"! Yes, but the contractors phone lines close at 5.00, they supposedly delivered it after that time anyway and my supplier paid for UPS service so it is your problem - she did not pay for UPS service only to get non-service from some dodgy contractor. "Sorry not our problem - phone them".

So am currently over £100 out of pocket for a £50 baby walker that I may never see.

Life just keeps on getting better doesn't it.

Thanks for the offer of books Lenni, I have just bought a copy of the SENCO handbook and thats about as far down the veyr long reading list as I have got. Got an induction on friday so will ask about the ATHENS, sounds good...as I seem to have two 5000 word essays to produce by May eeeek!

Pat...3.30 get up then work sucks! Glad you made it through the day

Still waiting to hear from hospital, the consultant is only at GOSH on Mon and Thurs so am expecting to hear on Thursday, guessing he will have biopsy mark two some time next week.

Forgot to say how utterly amazing my head teacher and line manager have been. They basically took me to one side yesterday and told me not to worry, work would be covered, there owuld be no need to take unpaid leave/sabbatical etc as I shouldn't be worrying about finances at a time like this...I could have snogged them both So that is a massive relief, as was starting to stress about that too.

Moose, did you pay via Paypal/with a credit card? Because if you did I think you are covered by thier insurance, so should be able to claim it back. Its still though, what a complete load of hassle. We had something similar ages ago, when I ordered a pushchair that never turned up...got delivered and signed for somewhere else on my street (I live in hackney...dodgy east London....I have never even met half my neighbours!) The seller was really good and eventually tracked it down for me, bollocked UPS (they have a reputation fo doing htis) and refunded me some money for the inconvenience...so I feel your pain!

Will there be chocolate Tree? I'm only coming if there's chocolate!

Tree, my old hairdresser was mobile, she was lovely, but she only seemed to do one style and she did my mum's hair as well iyswim.

I have some nice skin care products, dh bought me the ones I like for christmas (dermalogica and no & protect and perfect serum) but even they seem to be struggling to deal with all the damage that was done to my skin through all the christmas poorlies. I think I just need to persevere and hopefully it will improve. Of course AF probably isn't helping either.

Pat, hope you manage to catch up on some sleep.

HKZ, sorry about the cold. We seem to pass these things around via our keyboards don't we. Great to hear how supportive your bosses are being. They are right you don't need any extra stress.

Thanks HKZ. I had a brain strain moment and paid by debit card by accident. Thought it would be fine as they are a bricks and mortar bone fide shop with a good reputation. Dh is not impressed. I was really in the doghouse when he found out at the weekend.

As for this delivery, yes it was paypal, but I will have to see what the trader does about it first. She seemed really nice at least and I doubt she'll want to lose her feedback as she has 100% over thousands of sales.

Honestly I have been buying online for years and years and have only ever had trouble in the last 12 months.

I am so angry about it and it makes me so sad when I think about all the dishonest people there are waiting to rip us off.

hkz you have inspired me to take a little green baby shopping trip.... . Great news that you don't need to even think about finances etc, sounds like you have fab bosses. I remember 18 months ago when I fell off a horse at 12 weeks pregnant or whatever it was, and had to have 3 days off - the bastards here wouldn't pay me as we are all freelancers. Along with the chiropracter, that little fall cost me quite a lot of money! But at least it didn't cost me my baby. What an idiot I was!

Great birth story ray, I remember it well as you were just a few days ahead of me I think.

moose if you want to go to Hay festival, I live about 25 mins away and am more than happy to babysit your lot- you could stay the night (bring the van!) and meet us first so you wouldn't be leaving your two with some weirdo you met off the internet ... seriously, if anyone is up for the hay festival, let me know - it's a great day out.

Poor you, it can't be fun not being able to leave DD with anyone else. It will pass though, I'm sure.

120, wow you are reading a book . One of the lovely things about going back to work has been reading on the tube. Can't believe those are the first watercolours you have done. I am coming back to London hopefully late feb, and won't be working, so will look forward to a fri meet up with you and hkz (and elks if you are not working these days?)

tree glad to hear you are getting more sleep. Did you take DD for the cranial oesteopathy? We went last week, just because that's what north london babies seem to do and she said he did have quite a bit of compression, probably from long second stage (that f-ing ambulance!)... so now feeling really guilty that we didn't go sooner. Have a second appt on Friday.

pat 3.30am OUCH... LOL at him happily trotting off to nursery.

Have just about organised the party for Sunday; big waitrose delivery for Sat morning, and just went to tesco for party supplies. Mum is making the cake - her last attempt was the christmas cake, which looked like a comment on global warming, with a polar bear and father christmas struggling to stay on top of a mound of sliding icing.