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!

Thank yiu for asking beans. He is okay, most of the time. He has his moments and at times he still has very odd behaviour but it is still early days. He is out on Friday night with some work mates. But I have rung his BF as I am a little concerned that with too many pints in him he might get upset/get mad or whatever. Anyway, he has cuningly invited himself on the night out to keep an eye on him for me

I love my hairdresser I have just had my hair cut, DD and DS's all for....£14!!! She used to work in the shop i went to but went 'mobile' after she had her second baby. Lucky me though

That sounds really sensible, Daisy. Well done you and DH's BF. It is early days, so great to be keeping an eye on him. I hope you're taking care of yourself as well as him and your littles.

Off to watch Forgetting Sarah Marshall now. Quite looking forward to it.

Disappointingly, I can't eat even half of my chinese. Bawl.

xxxx

I've been having a right laugh reading through tonight!
I just remembered that P is supposed to go to nursery tomorrow dressed as a character from her favourite book as it's World Book Day. The concept is quite hilarious, seeing as P's response to me trying to sit down with a book with her is to whack the book then fling it across the room. I don't think I could say she has a favourite . I'll have to have a think...
daisy that's a bargain family hair cut! Will she come to York?! Your DH's BF (best friend not breast feed) is fab isn't he? I'm so glad you both have people around who can help you guys through these tricky times.
Oh and on heels - I guess I ought to wear them as I'm a mere 5ft, but I live in flats. I'm just all for comfort and have very little style Every now and then I wish I could go on some make-over show and get styled and pampered, but I think I'd just look like me again within a few days
Anyway, where's urbane?

Hello everyone,

effie Hope things work out OK with your mum. It must be a difficult thing to deal with.

zoe On the sleep front we were having similar problems a little while ago. We would also bring her into our bed . I was happy with that until she started hitting me in the face and shouting, obviously wanting some playtime. Now, at the moment she is ill so of course I've been attending to her in the night - however, I had started to go in, check all was ok, reapply dummy if necessary, wind up her lullaby toy and then leave. I felt horrible doing it but she stopped waking after two nights and never cried for very long.

katie You don't need heels! I am 5ft 8 and have never worn a pair in my life. I just don't understand why anyone would want to squeeze their foot into such a hideously uncomfortable position - I must be missing the female shoe gene .

Daisy Clever idea to get DH's BF to go out too!

There has been no vomiting here for 24 hours, hurray! She is still doing hideous poos but at least one end seems to have stopped. She is much more cheerful too. Sorry to hear whizz has started with it now beans, it is an epidemic on here!

Oh, I badly need a hair cut but I haven't got time at the mo.

So glad your DH is doing ok, Daisy, as you say it is the earliest of early days so from what you say I think he is doing well.

How is your Chinese takeaway going down, Beans?

Rubes, I watched the epi and spinal on One Born with considerable interest. I think it looks worse than it feels. It totally freaks DP out, all that, he is very squeamish and it was hard for him being in theatre with me and so he was very brave. (If indeed that's where I was - it was like the inside of a scruffy garden shed!) As you know, my epi didn't really work, just the spinal block did) but I don't blame the anaesthetist one jot, it was just a freak occurrence. In fact, I'd quite like to have him again, as my consultant said she reckoned he was the best one in the hospital

Right, need to have a big moan so feel free to skip. Chased the agent about the rewrites I'd done on my book (he still hadn't told me if they are ok) and to ask WHEN he is sending out the flaming manuscript to publishers. He got back to me and said the rewrites were good but then seemed to come up with some other vague, rather musing but quite serious criticisms (such as, "Mmm, I wonder if it isn't two separate books rather than one ") When we met a few weeks ago he was falling over himself to tell me how much he liked it and how it just needed tweaking. The thing is, though, because I did his job for years I have a view on dealing with writers and you need to be very clear with them about what you want, and how you think this can be achieved. Vague criticisms are just demoralising and impractical. However, if he thinks I need to do more before he can submit it, I need him to be clearer. It's scary. My book is Plan A, and I don't have a Plan B. By the time I have DC2, I will have no savings and no income, and won't be able to afford childcare for two kids so working isn't possible. Even if I rent out my beloved London flat, it won't cover my outgoings and DP's finances are in a pickle. I have spent my working life urging people not to rely on an unpublished book and here I am, doing just that The irony is breathtaking. I am on tenterhooks until I hear from him tomorrow (another sleepless night beckons) and also I am nervous wreck because of Monday's course. As the only external candidate I need to be better than everyone else and, no false modesty here, I feel like I am going to be the worst. Right, rant over - sorry!

X-posted with you JB, glad DD is on the improve.

Ooh, cross posted with Trace and Beans too.

Beans, that is a tragedy about the Chinese after all the build up! You'll have to eat it for breakfast

Trace, I must admit I am horrified by all this dressing up lark for World Book Day that all the mums have to organise these days, it seems such a hassle! And nursery tots too?

Yes, I was wondering where Urbane was.

That's difficult trace. Have you got any props you can borrow from L so P can be a princess or something? You could you dress her all in pink and say she is a piglet! I'm rather looking forward to doing all this all this sort of thing for DD. I love fancy dress .

Oh ladyT, don't panic. It must be frustrating to have the goalposts moved. Try not to work yourself into a frenzy before you know exactly what he has in mind. Re the course, you should be confident about your own abilities. You got a place on the course, and therefore are just as good as everyone else.

Thanks JB. He is very laid back, which is one of the reasons I like him (agents can be so hugely painful) but I just need him to be a bit gung ho at the moment. I don't want to indicate to him how high the stakes are because it wouldn't be helpful, but the fact is...they are. As for the course, I just have to be brave.

Hello everyone, sorry not been on in a bit, am so fed up about moaning about illness and teeth (both of which we still have in serious amounts and I'm now getting ill I'm so run down from lack of sleep). IT WILL BLOODY PASS. It better had .

LadyT, that must be soooo annoying, especially as you can decode agent speak. However it might make it more tricky as you could be speaking different dialects of the same language (IKSWIM) and you're projecting what you would mean onto his words? At any rate it sounds a bit woolly to me and he needs to express himself much better.
Good luck on Monday, you'll be grand .

Kayz, I have been lurking for a few days and just wanted to say I am thinking of you and hope things work out. One day at a time.

Trace, I am at P's nursery requiring dressing up. T's nursery is amazed if he arrives a) dressed and b) in not too obviously odd socks. But I am already an Embarrassing Mother.

I have to say I'm struggling a bit at the moment with T's new found willfullness. He is tantruming at every possible opportunity, and I know he's under the weather feeling ill and teething, but I find it really hard not to get angry and rise to the bait. I also find myself comparing him to other children who are more adventurous and sociable than he is and wonder why he's so clingy, that I've traumatised him already. . Intellectually I know it's not the case but I'm finding it hard to be as patient as I'd like.

Hi All

Try not to fret, LadyT - I'm sure y ou'll be ok - you won't have got on the course as the only outsider unless you were good enough. Do NOT put yourself down before you get there - believe in yourself - you are more than good enough.

Re your agent - I'm so sorry he's being woolly. I'm afraid I don't know much about that side of things, but ask him to clarify every point he makes and thrash it out with him. It is your future and so you must push him to help you as much as possible.

Spot - I think your lack of sleep it probably contributing to your lack of patience at the moment - but I bet it's not half as bad as you think it is. Try to get an early night tonight in case of disturbed sleep - ie. go to bed now!!! I know you won't have traumatised him - DD is v clingy as well - it's just that they love us so much - it's not a bad thing!! We are just too good at mothering! That's what I tell myself anyway!

Effie - thank you for clarifying about your Mum. I don't really have any experience of that, but you sound very capable of looking after her and you seem to know how it goes. I hope you're ok - and so is she.

Oh, DD weeping - I must go. Film was v funny. I loved it.

xx

I think you might be right, Spot - I am projecting what I would mean onto what he's said. I am probably being a neurotic writer, of the kind who would elicit deep sighs from me when I was at work. Given that the book itself deals with that very subject, the whole situation is like holding a mirror up to a mirror and gazing into an eternity of mirrors and reflections of my doleful face

So sorry you are run down. Lack of sleep is so horribly debilitating and just, well, leaves one fit for nothing. I also think it causes illness, depression...all sorts of grotties. I hope you can get some proper rest soon. It WILL pass, you know it will. As for patience, well, don't be hard on yourself. Give them lots of love and the inevitable exasperation which they sometimes inspire won't matter a jot. I actually think it's good for DD to see me get annoyed sometimes. I think they need to know that parents are humans and have limits! And if he prefers Mum to other kids, well, he has good taste

Evening all

Am sorry for all the poorlies on the thread - mummies and babies. Hope all quiet tonight. I too take them into bed when the time demands, which may explain how I have a nearly 5 year old lying next to me as I type. I need to sort that out, but I don't really have a problem with M getting in and having a snuggle if he is whining for whatver reason. I am lucky as he i on the whole a good baby, but sleep is very much at a premium here so I'll do whatever it takes.

Am loving the talk of Chinese food. We had a brill takeaway which we treated ourselves to very rarely, but las time I called it the bloody thing had folded! Need another one. My fantasy take out dinner - salt and chilli squid, Singapore noodles and some water chestnut mushroom thing.

Alas there has been no supper in our house tonight though. We have had a Siberian hamster invasion and as a result the kitchen is out of bounds as I am too scared to go in there. I had bravely ventured in to grab a packet of crisps and stick some toast on but heard a crash so had to call a friend to come over and help me to investigate. She came down the road with her hair in rollers and brandishing a tennis racket to defeat the swine, so the kitchen is sealed off but I am down to eating tomatoes as that's the only thing I can get at. REntokil coming tomorrow to put down poison. Hope none of them keels over in the house as I would completely freak out....

Veg what are your movements this weekend? I would love to hook up if at all possible.

Kayz, I am so glad that you and your DH have decided to try to sort thing out. I am sure that there will be difficult converations to be had but it is definitely worth a shot at sorting out.

Epidurals etc - I've had 3 and they were all fine. THe last one was a combined spinal / epidural as it was a 3rd baby so they needed to have the option of more time in case there were complications. I just felt the sting of the local, a bit of pushing when they put the catheter in and then the warm leg as they got heavy and I went numb. Clearly with the firt one I was in the throe of labour so they could have stuc it in my eye and I would not have cared, but with 2 and 3 I wass totally sober. I am a great big wuss about pain etc and honestly it was fine.

LadyT, I am so orry about your agent. I hope he i able to give you some proper guidance as to what he thinks you hould do, and a time frame a well. I think it i wonderful that you have got this far when you have been slotting it in around O, so don't be too hard on yourself. I am also sure that you will more than hold your own at the course. It i a bit hard on the old confidence i think when you have to return to a former working life after a while doing omething completely different but I am sure you will get back into the swing quickly and complete the course with great aplomb.

I can't remember anything else, sorry. Also apologie for the poor tying but my S key keeps sticking.

Just crashing in to say I have done a bit of lurking and see some of you lovelies are with child again. Congratulations. Good luck with all the pregnancies and I look forward to seeing some birth announcements in the coming months.

Hello Jam! How nice to see you! And congratulations to you on your wedding. Yes, there are four of us up the duff. Hope the boys are well.

Sybs, that sounds awful! I have gone off rodents as I have grown older (loved them as a kid) - I think it's since I had the mice in London when I was pregnant. It really freaked me out for some reason.

Spot, at this age clingy is normal and a socially adept child is not. Hooray if a child is quite social already but generally they tend to play beside other children rather than with. DS2 kind of looks at other kids at the okay cafe thing I go to and either steals there biscuits or runs after them up the slide stairs. He doesn't actually interact with them except to smile or roar (DS1 was similar at this age except he used to mioaw)

lady I have to admit to being a little excited to hear how you get along in your course. I think your going to
do well, and i think you will thrive under the pressure. I really enjoy your posts and this will be more interesting Reading from you.

Trace, we had to dress DS1 as a pirate for Halloween once when he was 1 was very funny, most kids went as pumpkins. Get L to help you choose a character.

Right I should go to bed our train isnt til 10.30 tomorrow but we aren't completely packed yet so need to get up tomorrow and finish.

Oh and DS1's old midwife had a baby today, I
mentioned her a while back because she had problems from 26 weeks, she was still have probs but it was safely delivered by c-section at 34weeks. Unfortunately they haven't set eyes on each other yet or had a cuddle as she had to go to ICU & her baby girl to NICU but so far they are both doing ok.

Siberian Hamsters!!! Aren't they pets, what are the cheeky beggers doing in your kitchen Syb.

Syb I've been very silly and over subscribed myself big time. Poor DS2 is going to be dragged fro
pillar to post and is going to get quite cross about it. Mostly it is friends who have kids so DS1 will be happy and he gets to ride on Underground Ernie but DS2 will be in the pushchair a lot which he won't be happy about. The best I could maybe do is a quick drink on Saturday night but I realise this is all a bit short notice for everyone, so didn't suggest it before.

Oh I have laughed at you lot tonight! I was lurking from my phone earlier, whilst bathing DD and I laughed out loud at various things, and DD started laughing too ? such a cutie! She does love to copy at the moment; her favourite things to mimic me doing are talking on the phone, singing and getting a bowl and spoon and pretending to feed me ? that game can actually last an hour or so, I don?t know why she thinks I like to eat so much ?

Anyway, to make myself giggle again ? this is my list of the very amusing highlights from you all: crows, Rubes typing [green], Sybil?s friend with the rollers and the tennis racket and Veggie?s boys roaring and miaowing and again

Kayz I am pleased that you and your DH have decided its worth fighting for. Good luck with all the talking

And good news from Effie about your Mum too

LadyT does your agent know you used to be an agent? If so, is he maybe being a tad lazy and assuming you can do the job yourself? In which case, maybe worth a prompt that its almost impossible to be constructive about yourself and that?s why you?ve employed him? (hope I?ve not offended by suggesting he?s not doing his job, obviously I don?t know him from Adam so don?t have a clue, its just an idea ? I?ll stop digging that big hole now)

Beans leftover Chinese means a yummy lunch tomorrow. And I too dream of being tall. I?m 5? 4.5 (that .5 being v important!) If I ever have plastic surgery, growing is number one on my list

Spot DD is becoming rather too wilful at the moment, hovering somewhere between a terrible two and a hormonal teenager. When she?s happy she?s a delight, but when she wants her own way ? uh oh. I suppose (hope) it just her learning about personalities (hers and mine)

Hi Jam , I loved your wedding pics on fb

On epidurals, I found the sitting still whilst contracting horrific, but hardly felt the needle going in at all (and I?m pretty squeamish). I?m more upset by the fact that in trying so hard to not move whilst contracting I did a big poo on the bed for the anaesthetist

Which links nicely into my next point, does anyone else?s LO?s get constipated with Calpol? I?ve only just spotted a link between me dosing her up and her getting solid and painful poos. Is there an alternative, or do I have to be a bit less free with the Calpol?

Are you using the sugary or sugar free version? May be worth switching from one to the other. I try to find the one with sugar but all own-brand versions seem to gave sweeteners in.

Sybs I did laugh at your hamster scenario (though had to suppress a slight scream if as I suspect they are the scary big vermin rather than the small disgusting kind). Was very impressed by your friend. I wouldn't have ventured in with anything less than a shotgun. She must be a brave woman.

Spot: sorry to hear you're all still lurgified and sleepless. DS2 is certainly expressing his personality as well. Now he's at the table with us (on a booster) be spends all his time demanding other people's food (or just nicking DS1's) and throwing his bowl about if thwarted.

Veggie: the DSs spent much of yesterday being dogs and chasing each other about. DS2 has developed a pretty good bark.

Gah, ticket inspectors again. You'd think with automatic barriers at both ends they'd find smething better to spend their money on. Like trains.

Lady T: your agent needs a bit of a kick. Am sure you will be fabulous on the course, you'll have the advantage of not being entrenched in a particular way of doing things.

Daisy: good to hear your DH is doing well and yay for his friend . Do you get to go out at some point?

morning all! will try to catch up later but just a quickie to say, any ideas for stopping mountaineering babies? DD has now worked out how to climb up into the seat of her tripp trapp and a minute ago was stood in the seat attempting to fling herself onto the dining table I shoved it under the table, she pushed it out again and carried in so beyond putting barbed wire all over it I can't think of any ways to stop her! No more being able to leave her safely in the room while I make tea

Ladyt, I cannot imagine you being short of anything less than brilliant on your course!

JJ, no idea about the high chair. Does the tripp trapp have a harness on it? If not can you fit one to it maybe? I admit I am very slack about strapping DS into his highchair, and have found him standing in it on several occasions. I always try to remember to strap him down now!

effie, I have not been out or seen my friends, on a social outing since the beginning of December. I have seen my BF at a couple of kids parties and for a quick coffee once but thats it. I am supposed to be out next weekend with my friend (and others) who is getting married, so we can chat wedding and hen do. But we'll see....I have cancelled twice on her due to MIL situation and not wanting to leave DH by himself. Gosh i make him sound like a new puppy or something don't I?

Forgot to say hello to Jam and congrats and the wedding! I have been checking your FB pics, they are lovely

Lady good luck on the course - don't stress -all will be fine - more than fine in fact! And the book / finances etc - it will all work out. Our outgoings are horrific at the moment! I just let our council tax slide (well half forgot about it and half didn't have the cashola at the time, and we got a summons and a £65 fine plus they want it all now at once to cancel the court date - luckily I didn't have to pay for the hotels in Spain or the ferry up front! And lucky we didn't book the whole country! Plus we recently had to pay a US income tax bill of mine from 2007 - I was worried they wouldn't let me back in the country if I didn't! I bet there's is a big black mark or my passort number is highlighted next time I'm am at arrivals

Veggie hope you are heading for the train at the moment! Too bad you are leaving on Sunday as from Monday I'd be free.

Katie - sorry to hear about your 2nd epidural but I did big time at your dh!! So did dh when I read that out!! Dh said you were just very very unlucky in that instance as the chances of that happeneing are there, but very low Thanks for all the other stories. I am content now that my first one (good experience) wasn't just fluke so thanks for sharing

Beans, I almost felt like I was sharing that Chinese with you. Hope you are finishing it today for lunch!
I loved that movie too! Oh and thanks I feel better about my trashy TV choices now But Vampire Diaries - think that's Kayz sort of thing?!!

Hello Spot, we have some afternoon tantrums here, but I'm learning how to manage them better now! ds is very clingy though and Veggie's description of typical babies was spot on for this one - pardon the pun.

Hello Jam - yes congrats on the wedding - lovely! (I lurked a little at your Face book photos

Kayz, how are things?

Sybs - and !! Hope it's all under control!! V funny though!!

Right must do house wifey type things today as I'm back to work tomorrow

Not sure what is happening with my ££££ key but I think ds turned something on