DEC 08 - Welcome to the house of ill - We're riding a poonami

[MomOrMum]

This was the only thing I could remember some saying should be the next title!

Me too Mom, the poor baby with the inside out tummy, and wow, that water birth looked fantastic.
Having serious non speaks in the Katie household tonight. DS is having trouble with a boy at school, again, DH has told me that I need to sort it out and speak to the teacher. Which is fine, but this is the second time I will have had to talk to the teacher about the same sort of thing, so I'm worried they are going to think that I'm a really interfering Mum. I asked DH if he might think about speaking to the teacher to which he went apeshit and started saying how he would have to take time off work and that he was trying to make sure that we could pay the mortgage and that couldn't I just deal with this as it is a 'family' issue that is really my domain . I don't think he quite meant it how I took it, but I am fed up with having to do everything for the family, he never cooks, cleans, changes a nappy, didn't even come to DS's first parents evening last term. I work as well, ok fewer hours and I work from home so I am on hand to do the domestic stuff, but I don't think he realises that I end up working all evening because my day is so interrupted. I probably do about 5 hours client work a day, as well as everything else, so when do I ever get 5 fucking minutes to myself .
Sorry, rant over, and sorry for the me post.
I can hear him doing the washing up now, so maybe I've made my point!

Oh dear, Katie. Sounds a bit familiar. DP often has days off in the week but I still do all the housework (which I hate) and though he is good with DD I do have to ASK him to feed or change her. I am doing my best to forge a proper writing career but I feel like he doesn't give any credence to the fact that I need a bit more support with household matters. We haven't really worked this one out yet but I just wanted you to know you have my sympathies. And sorry DS is getting hassle from a boy at school, how horrid.

Beans, I hope your DD is ok and it's just a random rash...Oh, and yes,8 weeks is exactly what I thought I was.

Yes, I watched One Born as well, Mom. They had a midwife on who seemed decent for a change. The business about the baby having the op was simply heartrending. Fingers crossed for a better night for you (and DS) tonight.

Syb, I have been puzzling your problem about your DD1 feeling anxious that you love your DD2 more, and I just don't know what to suggest other than more reassurance, which you are obviously already giving. What can have triggered this? Poor little girl

Jolly - ZJ was going on hols for sure so maybe she is just recovering from that! I have just looked at an 8wk foetus online and I don't think there is any way the sex could be guessed Maybe in a month's time. And listen, the steps at nursery don't count - you're the one your DD really wants to impress. Don't be sad!

I am beginning to think I have got the Andy Pipkin of the baby world. I tried to feed DD a tub of chicken and rice at lunch and she wouldn't have it - even said "No," which is becoming a rather unwelcome feature of her feeding routine: shaking her head and saying "No." In the end I produced a pouch of strawberry and apple, of a type she hasn't had before. Bless me if she didn't open her mouth wide (previously clamped shut) in readiness for it. How did she know it was fruit puree and not another chicken meal? Can she read? Is this not walking a ruse, and she can walk perfectly well and probably swallow dive off a diving board behind my back? This Andy and Lou dynamic is not one I want to foster

Right, must go to bed....

Katie, sympathies here too. DH works shifts, and has days off during the week to watch the DC's while I'm at work. However, on these days he does naff all in the home. His response to everything I ask him to do is usually "Well I work full time". Hope things for your DS pick up too.

Syb, poor DD1. No idea what to suggest other than lots of love (which you are doing). Any chance of some QT just you and DD1? Maybe if she thinks you are doing something special just you and her without DD2, she might feel a little better?

LadyT you do make me smile when you talk about O's! She sounds such a character and quite a headstrong little woman. DS can move but is completely mute! He has even abandoned saying Dada and mama now.

Right must get off to work, a few hours peace from the DC's. Bet DH doesn't go near the hoover or the iron!!!!

Morning all,

How are things this morning beans? Mom It is hard work with these teeth isn't it. DD was awake again in the night and I can't imagine it was anything else other than these fangs working their way further out of the gum. Oh and she has 16 not 12 teeth, I can't count. Even more like .

Maybe O can read ladyT, or recognise the fruity colours maybe!

I could join in at length with the housework shy men. It makes my blood boil that I am expected to do almost all the chores on my own and then if DH does so much as lift a broom he tells me he has done "your mopping, tidying etc".

Born every minute, oh that baby that didn't cry and looked all floppy, it felt like ages until he cried.

Beans, the pox is infectious before teh spots appear so you can't really avoid people on the offchance you have caught it. Once you are exposed you never know if it is going to happen or not, so I'd carry on as per until you get a diagnosis. We were exposed to it 3 or 4 times before the kids actually got it. If you are not immune you can get an anti viral injection while pg to try to prevent it appearing. Most damaging to baby just before birth apparently. My neighbour caught it from us at 26 weeks and her daughter is fab, no problems at all. Thinking of you.

LadyT, am loving the idea of O being Andy Pipkin and going diving, horseriding etc while you are not looking. Also reminds me of the penguins in the Kit Kat advert.

Daisy, am ith you on DHs not realising what needs done in the house. My DH tells me when he has done something spontaneous like empy the bin, so rarely does it happen, and I am expected to go into rhapsodies of how well he's done. It's like having a 4th child sometimes.

MOM, sympathieson the teeth and sleep. Have you tried bickiepegs or Ashtons and Parsons powders?

Hello everyone else, hope al well.

Right, must work before I get my hair cut. Need to look less mumsy, more groovy. Feel a paper bag may be the best idea

beans I hope DD is feeling better today and that it's not the pox!
Rubes going back ages sorry the car adapter seems to be a graco/britax one not a maxicosi one. Hope you are ok after your fall.
LadyT you made laugh loads with that description of your DD. just wait until she starts saying "I want that one", while pointing at the chicken and rice . I have suspected all along she's walking behind your back you know...haha. Mine also seems to have a sixth sense of whether he likes food as well, though the widest eagerest mouth is saved for things that he is absolutely sure he likes. He also gets it wrong sometimes, opening his mouth for some savoury food only to pull a disgusted face, or refusing to try cake until he finally twigs what it is.
Oh on the insomnia front, yes I did have it early on but I'm now sleeping pretty well so I hope it gets better for you soon.

I seem to have the only good DH when it comes to housework!! I think he learnt to do housework because I was such a slob when we got together (still totally messy but more house proud now). Or maybe despite my moans about MIL she trained him well. I do moan about him a bit as there are things he doesn't do very often (like cleaning properly) but then there are things I never do too so I'm sure he gets annoyed with me as well.

Quick one to say Katie I feel your pain - as someone who works from home and whose DH can be a bit lax on taking a part of child related matters...It's tough I know. Hope you get the issue sorted with your D.

Sybs - aww I feel for your DD. Not much you can do excpet be there for her. In our house it's poor DS (the middle one, 4.5) who is struggling at the moment. Alas it shows itself in his being thoroughly negative and objectionable (which makes it hard for me to be as patient and loving as I should...) but I do know it's because his Dad is no longer around having been off workfor 7 months. I guess it will pass. Hugs.

Beans some DRs will give you a blood test to check your CP immunity is still there if Whizz has got CP. In some ways better she has it now than when the new baby is a week old for eg. Hope all well.

betterdo some work. Hi to everyone else. Sorry for lack of personals.

• except summer LOVING the idea of a Cambridge meetup! (We could do a summer tour, kind of like the Radio One Roadshow - showing my age here

Hi All - my DH is pretty good at housework, although can feel the resentment coming off him in waves while he's doing it - hee hee! I fake oblivion and carry on with my telly watching. Honestly, I'm pregnant - what does he expect me to do... Help???!

LT - your comments about O made me laugh a lot - what a little sweetie! They're sneaky little devils, these babies!

Re DD - she's fine. As I suspected, it's not CP, although I guess better to know for sure. The nannyshare people are absolutely paranoid about everything and wanted me to go to the doctor about it this morning, so I've been and she's fine. Spot under her eye is just a scratch and the one on her cheek is just a zit! No others have appeared overnight and she slept through and is on corking form this morning!

I genuinely do like the people we do the share with, but if I had my time again, I'd send Whizz to nursery. So much easier and actually, I think she'd enjoy the other children and the group activities and stuff. Never mind!!! When newbie arrives, she'll be off there a couple of mornings a week! But as you said, Syb - once they've got the spots as we wrongly thought Whizz had, it's too late to avoid exposure, so not a lot else you can do! I'd have bunged her in with the other little girl anyway, unless she had a temperature or was otherwise miserable! In some ways, am a little disappointed as was keen to get the pox over with! Better luck next time eh?!

I think I'm going to treat myself to a Twirl! Heaven. Missed out on my morning coffee this morning with various doctor visits.

Syb - I would also recommend spending a bit of time with DD on her own - I know my sister has the same issue with her little girl at times and she took her to The Lion King and for supper beforehand and I think it really helped. But it's such a tough situation, because of course you don't love one more than the other. Big love. x

Oh yes, forgot to say - Cambridge spring meet up sounds good, count me in.

Beans, that's good about your DD. Plenty of time for CP later! But hopefully not when she is 16 and sitting her GCSEs like me. I will stop mentioning that now as I ALWAYS say it when CP is mentioned. I am still cross with my sister for giving it to me

Right, must do some work today - I am on a course at the BBC on the 8th and I have been sent a lot of prep for it. They didn't really want to let me on it and I really had to strop and cajole, and now I have seen the syllabus and the other people taking the course (everyone is an Important BBC person apart from me) I am really scared. Gulp. This could really backfire. Best get on with my prep!

Oh no, did you fail them as a result??! I had an A'level on my 18th birthday - gutted! I fear same fate may befall my new nipper!

Good luck with the course - sounds quite fun - what does it involve?
x

hola
beans glad dd is on good form. How was the Twirl? Hope you ate it slowly and savoured every mouthful...
ladyt you crack me up - your description of O is fab - you should write these things down and in years to come you and o can have a real giggle about it all!
P seems to be having a tantrum She's yelling and keeps throwing herself backwards (thankfully on to carpet) then writhing around, finally sitting back up then chucking herself backwards again. She's been screaming for ages. Not sure if she's tired - she slept in the car just before lunch so I think she's confused! Have put her in her cot but she's not calming down. Part of me is worried she's poorly, because she's still got loads of green snot and she's coughing up some green stuff (which she actually opens her mouth to allow me to remove!) and was holding her ear and screaming last night. But if I go to the GP she will no doubt smile and be World's Happiest Baby and they will suggest it might be teething!
I'm supposed to be out at lunch with 2 friends but haven't the energy. I got a puncture yesterday so have been to get my tyre fixed and really can't be bothered to get to town. it would be rushed too because I'd have to leave to get Lu from school, so I've stayed home instead. Bad feeble pathetic me
Went to Small Talk at the children's centre this morning - little group (only 2 babies today - should be 6!) to encourage verbal stuff. Today was focused on oral stuff like blowing, so used bubbles and blowing feathers and blowing a ball along using a straw. Really fun although P was Jeckyl and Hyde with her misery and her grinning .
Well as the horrendous noise is continuing I ought to go and try to settle her down...
back later x

Beans - it's an advanced script editing course. I have loads of scripts to analyse and with the most important one, I have to have a meeting with the writer and give detailed notes and a critique, whilst other course participants criticise every aspect of my technique, both content and presentation. And that's only part of it. I have many years experience working with writers and assessing scripts but I have never been scrutinised in this way before - and this particular script is extremely strong and at the moment I have nothing but nitpicky points which won't really cut it. So I am afraid the fun quotient will be quite low Oh, I didn't fail my GCSEs but the results weren't quite as they should have been in some subjects, as I had to sit a few at home whilst feeling quite poorly. In fact, the milkman knocked the door during my GCSE Biology, demanding payment.

Trace, Small Talk sounds really good. Oh, poor P with the green goo. Hope she settles.

Hello.

Sorry not been on in a few days. Busy at work and feeling generally boring so didn't want to bore anyone.

Feeling a bit meh here. I feel like I have no idea what I want in my life right now. I am hoping a night out with my friends tomorrow is going to cheer me up.

Hope everyone is ok.

Oh my gosh, that sounds terrifying, Lady - I'm not jealous - sort of thing I would run a mile from doing. not good at criticism! But definitely worth doing for your career, I'm sure - well done you!

Trace - that Small Talk does sound brilliant! But your teary P does sound like hard work. Hope it gets better soon. Whizz occasionally has them and they usually turn out to be sheer exhaustion!

Kayz - I hope you're ok. I know how you feel, if that's any help. Although I tend to sink into neutral and just carry on as if it doesn't matter. But a night out will definitely help to lift the blues. Thinking of you.

xx

Kayz - in what sense do you mean? Career, emotionally, something else? I'm sure the night out will cheer you up but what about trying something different - any nightschool classes in your area or something? I think you need to sit down with a pen and paper and have a long thing about how you might change your life more to your satisfaction. Well, that's what I do. I don't exactly have a glittering career at the moment but it's certainly been interesting. You need to start believing in yourself more. Seriously. You've got a lot to offer!

Everything LadyT I don't enjoy my job as such but I do love the people I work with so I don't know if I want to leave there.

I just sometimes feel a bit trapped. All my friends go on about how they are going to the pub, shopping etc. I used to be able to do all of that. But now I need to find a babysitter to go out or pack a million things to be able to go shopping.

I think I am just going through a boring patch at the minute. I am sure that Friday morning when I have a hangover I will be glad I don't go out that much

Oh my gosh, I'm so excited. And actually, on reflection, so saaaad! I've got a maclaren triumph double buggy for when the next one arrives (currently known as Rocky for its punching action!). The Maclaren says suitable from birth, but is it bollocks as it really doesn't lie flat. However, I have just gone online at Kiddicare.com and found a head support thing, which will go round the new one, so it doesn't get sideways floppy head in the pram - brilliant! So chuffed. and it only cost £14 including delivery. Marv.

Oh kayz I hope you feel better about things soon. I get days like that too. ladyt's idea is good write down the way you would like things to be and see which are actually achieveable right now. For the others explore how you can get there nightschool etc...FWIW I also think this time of year encourages depression. Cold, miserable etc. I find that the first little hint of spring and I feel lots more positive with a bit of sunshine and warmth.

Dearest Kayz, I am so sorry you are feeling a bit low. Daisy is right, this time of year does nothing for most people's spirits. Think the idea of nightschool is a good one. Would taking up driving be a possibility again? This would at least give you freedom to get about.

It must be hard to struggle to find sitters etc when your friends are free of responsibilities. I sometimes have friends over to me in the evening for a drink and a bit of supper if I can't get a sitter as my DH is rarely home before 9. If everyone brings a dish it's not expensive. Is this something you could try?

I have had a new haircut and look a bit like Dusty Springfield . Suffice it to say the hair is gamine but I am not. Oh dear. THank god for hats!

I can't have anymore driving lessons. We can't afford it at all. I'm hoping that if DH gets a new job soon then maybe I can start again.

I also think my weight is making me feel worse than I realised. I've lost half a stone since Xmas and I feel like I should be happy but I'm not at all. I thought that at least half a stone should make me feel better but it doesn't. I need to find some exercises I can do that don't take too long to do but that really work.

I might start going to the gym or swimming. Then I can get out for a bit and it'll help the weight loss.

I am going to Mums tonight so she can dye my hair and I'm taking a bottle of cheerfulness so that will be nice.

Ah, that will be nice to spend the evening with your mum.

It's boring, but I'd recommend running. It's free and if you can do it for 20-30mins a couple of times a week, then it does pay off - it takes a while and you have to persevere with eating less etc, but it does work. I lost 2 stone over the course of a year - although that was pre-baby, so would probably be a bit longer nowadays. But would so recommend it - it's hell at the time, but afterwards, you feel so much better for it. And you can run anywhere really - I even used to go in my lunchbreak at work round the West End!

But you do have to build up slowly to get the core fitness.

I really hope you're ok. I'm sorry, I didn't mean to brush over it so briefly earlier. I just hope you can keep your chin up and close your eyes and pretend it's sunny. I sometimes do that when I'm feeling low and although it sounds silly, I generally feel a bit happier for it.

xxxx

Syb, I bet you look nothing like Dusty. It always takes a while to get used to New Hair.

Oh and Syb - v keen to see the new do - can you pop it up on your profile at all? bet you look lovely.

Oh Kayz, I'm sorry about the weight. It eats away at one, I know. What about powerwalking as a pre-cursor to running? Get some ankle weights and Bob is reputedly your uncle. In fact, I must get some myself.

I'll second the running Kayz. I started probably last Septemner. Building up slowly is key, but I can now just about run 5K without stopping. Plus I think it has recently helped me to boost my weight loss (I had a few weeks of not running and it showed!). But best of all its free Stick on your IPod with some good 'choons' and away you go...