April 2009 - Episode 11 - 'There's Something About Teutonic Penises....'

[Guimauve]

05 Mar: Kazkiss: ISABELLE FLORENCE 4lb 6oz & OLIVER THOMAS 3lb 7oz
15 Mar: Cakeforbrains: OSCAR WILLIAM 7lb 2oz
27 Mar: ZuluWarrior: Alexander James 7lb 15oz
28 Mar: FrogmellaMoonbeam: VIOLET ROSE 7lb 9oz

02 Apr: Oddeyes: ELEANOR 9lb 8oz
03 Apr: Bebemoo: MEGAN LILLIAN CONSTANCE
03 Apr: Bumpalump: JACOB 8lb
04 Apr: BabyBolat: KARAHAN 6lb 5oz
04 Apr: Kingbeat23: IRIS
05 Apr: JumeirahJane: MILLICENT ROSE 5lb 15oz
06 Apr: BoffinMum: FELIX DAVID GORDON 7lb 9oz
08 Apr: girlylala0807 JAMES EUAN
11 Apr: SpringySunshine: GEORGE NATHAN 8lb 15oz
11 Apr: RachelinScotland: CLEMENT JAMES 8lb 14oz
11 Apr: Lou031205: ISLA SOPHIA 7lb 9oz
11 Apr: Electra: ISABELLA CAROLINE 6lb 3oz
11 Apr: AuldAlliance: ALEXANDRE 7lb 6oz
12 Apr: Phdlife: Name TBA GIRL 9lb 3oz
13 Apr: MathsMummy27: AMELIA CHARLOTTE
15 Apr: Guimauve: HUGO GEORGE 9lb 2oz
15 Apr: Bronze: ISAAC JOHN 7lb 14oz
15 Apr: Kalikaroo: Name TBA BOY 8lb
16 Apr: PuzzleRocks: HOLLY ELIZABETH 8lb
16 Apr: Brettgirl: HANNAH GRACE 6lb 15oz
16 Apr: ReallyTired: Name TBA GIRL
18 Apr: Staryeyed: Name TBA BOY 7lb 11oz
18 Apr: Dawntigga: SAMUAL 5lb 11oz
20 Apr: Wrigglyfish: SEBASTIAN 9lb
20 Apr: Swaliswan: BETH 7lb 9oz
21 Apr: B52s: SAM MARTIN 7lb 9oz
21 Apr: Feierabend: HAZEL LOIS 7lb 9 oz
21 Apr: Mrsgboring: EDMUND 8lb 12oz
23 Apr: Tristalewjac: LEWIN 8lb 4oz
23 Apr: NuttyTaff: TIAHNA SKYE 8lb 8oz
23 Apr: Purplemonkeydishwasher: ISLA ELIZABETH 8lb 14oz
26 Apr: Carameli: THEO LAURENCE 7lb 6oz
26 Apr: Surprisenumber3: EVIE ANNE 8lb 2oz
26 Apr: Bicnod: OSCAR MATTHEW 8lb 1oz
27 Apr: Loobylaboobs: OLIVER STEPHEN 7lb 7oz
27 Apr: Gingersarah: VERONICA ROISIN 9lb 1oz
30 Apr: MegBusset: ARCHIE 8lb 15oz
30 Apr: Elpis: ISLA JESSICA 8lb 11oz
30 Apr: Ladyofmuswell: SAMUEL
01 May: Satheresitting: Name TBA BOY
03 May: Conkertree: Name ANGUS ANDREW 8lbs 8oz
06 May: Frekkles: HARRIS MERLIN 8lb 5.5oz

Puzzle, that was hilarious!

Now a report on my meal at the Argent Gout as recommended by Auld.

I wandered up there and got the last table because a couple who had booked did not turn up. There were no tourists in there at all, only French people and quite jolly, food appreciating ones at that. So a lovely atmosphere.

I chose braised ham hock, which was incredibly tender and must have been cooked gently all day with bouillon, star anise and so on. It was served with chunks of sweet potato, fennel and special crisps made of ginger. It was a fantastic dish. I had a glass of Cote du Rhone with it, again very nice.

I then had to go for pudding just to make an evening of it. So I chose a bitter chocolate mousse perfumed with coffee, with a couple of rapsberries on the top, and a paper thin vanilla biscuit, and here's the interesting bit - a paste of roasted sweet pink peppercorns underneath. Now that was a gastronomical revelation. I was tempted to start banging the table a la Harry met Sally at that point, but I restrained myself.

I then had the perfect cup of black coffee and a dainty little homemade biscuit with macademia nuts in (I think).

I only felt wierd eating on my own for the first half of it, and was quite happy after that. Various French people were pleasant and chatty and were patient while I practised by schoolgirl French on them.

So full marks to Auld for an excellent choice, and she has now been promoted to be my official restaurant advisor.

I am now back at the hotel and listening to people burp, flush the toilet and shout at each other - ah the joys of cheap hotels, n'est-ce pas. Might watch my new Bill Bailey DVD on my laptop now.

bebe it takes me all my time to leave Sam with somebody I know and trust so I have zero chance of leaving him with a stranger! I just couldn't do it - if you can fab, but I can't because he's my pwecious widdle baaaaaaaby! And frankly I don't care if anyone says pfb I would say I go to pub quizzes but as I fit the clinical definition of altered state I won't bother. I think my life is perfectly normal but nobody else would

Doesn'tGiveAFlyingF*WhatAnyoneElseThinksTiggaxx

Post all about me! Caution there will be capital letters and swearing!

Not so 'd'p just popped into the bathroom to wash the bath out after Sams bath tonight and left him on the bed - again. GUESS WHAT??????? Yup he hit the floor - again!

I AM NOT HAPPY!!!!!!

How many times is that fucking stupid man going to bounce my son on the fucking floor before he realises that he can't leave him alone on the fucking bed?????????????

I am extremely and would very much like to stab him several times.

I know he 'didn't mean to' but I keep bloody well telling him and it's the second time he's done it. He wonders why I won't go out and leave him on his own for the day. I'll be much calmer tomorrow - sorry about swearing.

VeryVeryTiggaxx

Tigga, I think if you stabbed him the jury would let you off as his is a repeat offence

Bebe, I would not leave my baby with any old unknown, unchecked sitter unless his siblings were there too to keep an eye on things. The way around this is to stay in a smallish hotel with a restaurant, or a pub with rooms. Ask for a room as near to the restaurant as possible, and leave the baby sleeping in the room while you both go for a nice meal a few steps away. You then check the baby near courses and also use a baby alarm. That way it's pretty similar to home in terms of standards of surveillance but no strangers are let loose on your baby. Note: eating in a restaurant the other side of a resort hotel grounds a few minutes' walk away is probably a bit too far, if you get my drift, although I would not want to be thought to be judging other people ... but ultimately your thought should always be 'are we practically as near as we would be in a large family house, and if there is a fire, what would we do to get her out'.

Fanjo warriors, I need some reassurance please.

I completely lost it this morning. DD1's car seat was broken again and we were late for nursery anyway and I ended up shouting and screaming at the car seat and pulling and kicking it for several minutes while DD1 watched. This did fix it in the end but I was so furious I was shivering. The frustration, of course, wasn't just caused by the car seat but also by the fact that I had had to listen to Hazel crying for a full hour between 5am and 6am for the third night in a row, and that I am generally completely fed up with the baby thing now and just want to leave her in nursery and go back to work and have some adult time, but it's still over six weeks to go until she starts nursery. I hate having to pull her away from places where she's not allowed to play (such as the fireplace, or under the toilet) ALL day, her constant moaning and screeching when things don't happen quickly enough or she wants to be picked up, or how I can't even make myself a cup of tea without Hazel starting to cry because I've left the room. I'm all babied out now.

I feel a bit better for taking out my frustration on the car seat, but very much ashamed because DD1 witnessed it and I am worried what she'll make of her mummy turning into a screaming banshee. I won't be surprised if she starts wetting her pants again as a reaction to what happened this morning

oh fei a one off like that will do no harm

but get a new carseat and contact manufacturer / trading standards about your existing one

sorry to be brief in a rush

Fei, don't worry about it, we all flip sometimes. I can thoroughly sympathise.

I agree, you need to sort the car seat, and I'd suggest a fireguard too, but that isn't the real point, I know.

Have you any idea why Hazel is so clingy/prone to crying? There isn't an underlying reason for it, is there? I only ask because I was reflecting yesterday that A is very easy (except when tired/ill) compared to DS1 who was very clingy and cried at the drop of a hat. I think it was due to DS1's rather traumatic birth and his reflux. I know you did CC and seem to remember you saying that it worked for a bit and then you had to start over, and you often mention that H cries a lot at night. Maybe there is something troubling her? (Dead helpful, I know. Sorry...)

Boff,
I am v glad the restaurant was such a success. I just looked for a map to see what was around Pl d'Italie, and the one I came across had little symbols to show where hotels, restaurants, etc. were, so I looked at one or two.
L'avant goût looked like a place where it wouldn't be too intimidating to eat alone, and where the food might be good.
Your meal sounds utterly wonderful.
Hope the conference goes well!
(P.S. If you are getting the no14 metro line, it is fully automated, with no drivers and so it's quite fun going into the very front carriage. And check out the gare de lyon stop: there is a tropical forest in there!)

tropical forest in the underground

Feiera I so know what you're feeling.
This past 5/6 weeks seem to be the hardest I've ever had. I've figured out that I'm actually getting less sleep now than when Moo was an itty bitty and I was having trouble feeding her. Plus I'm expected to/have to do more because Moo's older and I should be coping by now. Last night I too had a mini break down and spent about 15min crying and crying and crying because I had just got Moo to relax and stop her blasted wriggling and screeching and the damn cat came in the room shedding light on us and then jumped up on us! I nearly threw him out the window! Instead I burst into tears. And Moo kept saying 'mamamama up mamama up mamama kee up' to me cuz I had plonked her and the stupid animal down on the floor together.
I think the thing is we have to release tension some how and so if it doesn't end up coming out in a more 'grown-up' way we have our tantrums and then need to move on.
If you're worried about DD1 and you think she'll understand you could have a talk with her. Though she might very well have forgotten about it already herself.

I had another port but managed to delete it. Pooey.

I want to be in Paris too and eat chocolate mousse with pink peppercorns

Thanks Auld and MrsG. Do I complain a lot about H crying? I guess I do. And I am being very unfair because she's not a difficult baby, it's just that DD1 was easier in many respects and I have less patience this time because I am more tired. DD1 had a clingy phase too around this time so I think that's just what it is, and I remember well feeling desperate to go back to work when DD1 was 8-9 months old. The early morning crying happens because we're still working on eliminating that 5am feed that she's got used to over months and months and she's a very stubborn baby (well, she IS my daughter!). So in short, I don't think there are any underlying causes. It's me who's got a problem

And I must admit although I have never lost it like this before, I do often over react to little things like a drawer getting jammed and have shouted and sworn in situations when I shouldn't have, so possibly in DD1's eyes this was not a one off but just a particularly bad case of mummy being weird. I feel utterly inadequate when I compare myself to my own mum, who has never ending patience and never ever raised her voice with us. DD1 is a wonderful wonderful happy little thing and I worry that she'll turn into an unhappy weirdo because of me

Another port? I'll have one too please. Or make that a double whisky

Bebe can I come and live in that nice hotel of yours with the men in white coats?

Fei, I didn't mean that you complained about H.
Just that in my mental (and very jumbled) filing cabinet on the FW, I have H filed under the babies who cry and disturb their parents' sleep. Along with my own.
I have not yet found a solution for dropping the night feeds, and am still too tired to fight much with A over it. It is more exhausting hearing them cry than it is feeding them quickly and putting them back to bed.

I often think I am traumatising DS1. I once threw some carrots across the kitchen, during a particularly exhausted and stressful stage in my PG. I felt awful about it, and the stains on the wall reminded me of it until we moved house. But I think kids understand that we blow a fuse sometimes, without it causing them any lasting damage.

Shall I google you a fancy restaurant? Just give me a zone, and I'll get to work?
And I'll have a port as well, since you lot are all boozing before lunch.

I was just thinking that if I had had a port maybe last night wouldn't have been so problematic. (mainly because I probably would have passed out immediately because the alcohol would have pushed my already exhausted body passed the very limits of consciousness and not known about anything until right about now) But I'm much more of a whiskey drinker too.

As for the nice hotel I think I ought to check back in because if nothing else I need a rest...

If we all check in together maybe we'll get a group rate

Count me in, bebe

Fei - you need a break. If you can't get your parents to come and stay or something like that, can you talk to your husband about a night off (spare room with earplugs)?

Bebe - what was the TMI? Looked like far too little information to me. Hope you are ok.

Is everyone finding it hard now? I can't imagine managing 2 children, but it is hard when you still have broken sleep, but you are trying to lead a normal life. We are lucky, V has been sleeping well at night the past few nights - nothing like it, absolutely nothing.

Bicnod - you totally absolutely will find the right childminder, I have no doubt. You were right to get away from that pair, they sound terrible, and this is not the standard you should be expecting - so don't think for one moment they are all like that.
I ran a mile from one that I met, but honestly only one - the others varied from ok to great.
I am back at work next week and V is having her second short settling in day at the CMs today. It was not nice leaving her there today as she had an inkling that she wouldn't be seeing me for hours (which she didn't know yesterday) but the CM was very kind and jolly and cheered her up so she was smiling when I said goodbye.
And much as I miss her, and feel ambivalent about work itself, and much as I hate hate hate the thought of her missing me (which I am sure she doesn't, I hope), it is really amazing not to be responsible for her, for the first time in nearly 9 months - and fit enough to go out as well (I lost my freedom a long time before I had the baby).

Actually this is so great I can't imagine having a new baby. I would far rather have my robust, settled, communicative little girl, and some time to do other things as well.
So selfish.

TT, fingers very very very crossed for your mum.
Nutty, glad to hear things are resolved with your brother.

Hello

Can someone please come and tuck me in and bring me hot chocolate and take my children for a few hours? I feel rotten.

MrsG - They seem to be on the mend. Thanks.
They are both making mischief at the moment. Holly has learned how to climb the first step.

TT - I'm crossing everything I can for your Mum. And wishing you strength today.

Boff - I was mortified at the time. That will teach me to read the opening post and not just the thread title.
Your post has made me really hungry.

The Metro? Pah, you can keep it. This is how I like to travel. Luxe.

There you go, Puzzle.
Get well soon!

(P.S.: Riven has returned)

Fei - I was feeling a bit like that just before Christmas and so was lucky to have that small break to recharge. I don't have any helpful advice but you absolutely have my sympathies. I'm sure a cuddle and a reassuring chat with DD1 will be all she needs.

Thanks Auld.

Ah, you have all cheered me up, thanks lovelies.

Puzzle poor you, have you caught the girls' cold virus?

I just made some cheese sauce for Hazel and realised that the only cheese we had in the house was unpasteurised Emmental, so I used that but made sure the sauce was really hot and gave it an extra blast in the microwave. Do you all think that's okay? Annabel Karmel recommends Gruyere and I think that's also usually unpasteurised?

Ginger am of your day off, what are you doing today?

Ginger having one child may be easier for the first few years, but I think once they are old enough to play together, having two or more means you get more of a break. My nephew, who is an only child, has always needed a lot of attention and input from his parents or grandparents, since there was no-one else to play with.

And it's especially sad because he wasn't meant to be an only child, but his two siblings died