June 2008-keeping little hands off mummy's creme eggs

[poppy34]

New thread here

How exciting! Please tell : )

although only if he's nice cos I don't want u 2 burst my bubble!

Don't worry - he was lovely! Very engaging. He bought me a pint after a campaign event I was working on in 96. He had to stand in for Tony Blair at the last minute.

I love him even more now ; )

goddess you called? they should come off pretty easily! hope the revision is going well, I have two more exams in Sept, then another big one in a year or two. ho hum.

just back from Cyprus, had an amazing time, my friend described it perfectly as a cross between Mama Mia and My Big Fat Greek Wedding. Managed not to lose Charlotte in the airport, the sea or the swimming pool - no sunburn for any of us despite lovely weather [smug suncream applier extraordinaire emoticon] a nice air steward moved us on the plane on the way home so that we had an empty seat next to us 9thanks nice greek man!) Have eaten so much food - the Greek Cypriots are into proper Meze meals, so the wedding meal had 16 courses - we counted. They also had a big lunch party the following day with all the guests who had travelled from the UK which was a 16 course seafood banquet. yum. (still full)

We also managed to work a babysitting rota with two sets of friends - we had three adjacent rooms in the hotel on the night of the wedding, so the 6 of us took it in turns of 30 mins, once the little ones had gone to bed. worked really well! ( what was less well planned was that the bride and groom were in the room next to the littlest baby, who is A Bad Sleeper (tm) His parents checked out at 630 am because they felt so bad about the noise.)

We had a hen night on Monday, a Stag night on Tuesday (so that all the parents could go to the respective ones!) a big group BBQ on wednesday, Wedding on Thursday, Seafood extravaganza on Friday and then left super early this morning - I'm knackered, I need a holiday!

amber that's great news about your follicles, good luck

Eddie I was amazed by his feat too.

poppy haven't checked your thread, but did anyone suggest contacting the ward to ask for advice on clothing etc? the nurses shold be able to give you some suggestions. GA affects everyone differently. most people feel groggy for a day, but better after that.

politics I tend not to get involved in discussions - I was scared by a young conservative as a teenager and have never quite got over the impression that if someone wants to be a politician, they are probably the last person who should be allowed! I grew up in Tatton though, and now live in Glasgow, neither of which is exactly a swing vote area, I get a bit irritated that my little vote barely makes a dent.

On a lighter note - is anyone watching the dorothy thing? I love it. bit perturbed by the boobtastic gingham outfits though...

Clearly I felt I would make up for my absence with an uber post - sorry!

hello - gorgeous day! I've finished painting the ensuite thanks to the neighbours who've taken DS1 with them to B&Q while Fraser naps. i didn't really want DS1 helping with the final coat - you could sort of see the spots that I'd painted over after the first coat. I'm so lucky with neighbours here though...

biscuits your story about the Bad Sleeper and the bride and groom really made me smile. I hope they have a sense of humour too!

It's been a nice weekend even though DH is away, just having good weather helps so much. I'm off to do some gardening now.

AH - seriously impressed with your decorating efforts and with your DS1's too.

Biscuits - I read your description of the wedding out to DH because I thought it sounded so good and yet full on. What a week.

Just woken up to discover that DH and P have been weeding. Not gone to check the results, but v grateful non the less.

Welcome/welcome back EddieIzzard

Wondering how Amber's weekend has gone

I liked the Bad Sleeper story, too . Well done on your decorating Abdn. Most of our neighbours are lovely save for the man next door to us, Steroid Bob. Bob is cross with our trees (don't ask) so this weekend is being aggressively anti-social. The children don't seem to care. The boys' friend asked where all the smoke was coming from and DS2 piped up "oh, don't worry, that's just Bob. He's trying to torment us" .

I need to get it sorted out. I hate this sort of confrontation and DH is away for a few days.

Thanks Biscuits. Your week sounds fab!

Am intrigued by the annoying trees? My neighbours are incredibly annoying but I'll save that for another day.

Took S's plaster off today with a plan to remove the steristrips and was completely by the length of the scar. It's the length of his eyebrow!!! (it's the first time I'd actually seen it, hence my shock).

Couldn't bear to take the strips off then. But need to get himin the bath cos he's filthy today so will probably take them off then. Fingers crossed it looks worse than it really is. DH was despatched for bio oil earlier!

Hi everyone, apologies for my absence, DH had the week off work and somehow that interferes with my MNing. H has just fallen asleep so I will try to keep this brief as I should be in the shower now.

Amber - hope you had a good weekend! I have a slow cooker and mainly do my own concoctions in it and of course pork with cider and apples, yum yum!

DG - did you get the bio-oil? Amazon usually have it for a good price, I got some to try and tackle my stretch marks.

We have lovely neighbours in the adjoining house (semi) which is a good job really. There are some really dodgy people over the road but so far they haven't bothered us (touch wood).

I'd like to be more interested in politics but am starting to think Labour and the Tories are as bad as each other, so will probably end up voting Lib Dem, simply because we haven't had them yet, not a good reason really.

Biscuits - that wedding sounds great.

H has woken up now and is screaming so I'd better go. My Mum is coming to visit this week so I might not get much chance to post again.

DG we are also having a steri-strip week. Ds1 got hit in the face by a book falling from his sisters (wall attached) bookcase which managed to split the skin under his eye.

It was gaping and really nasty when he first did it so we whipped him off to casulty. Luckily his eye is fine but he has 4 steri-strips and a cracking black eye. I'm hoping his scar will be hidden by the normal creases under his eye, but we will have to wait and see as the strips don't come off until friday.

Biscuit I feel exhausted just reading about your week. I love cyprus though, my parents lived there for 3 years and the people are just fabulous.

Hope the poor wounded children are on the mend soon. I am ridiculously squeamish so dreading those inevitable magic moments.

Most of our neighbours are lovely. We live near the end of a cul-de-sac which is brilliant for the children playing out. I'm in a book group with some of the neighbours, the children play with others, it's all really lovely. There was a slightly scary dodgy woman next door but she's gone now. So just Steroid Bob and his tree fixation. He wants us to trim down some of ours which we don't mind but haven't got round to yet, and he's being really unpleasant about it which is (a) horrid and (b) stupid as we're going to get them cut down at our own expense, when we don't have to, just to help him out. He's turning into a mad litigant in person type and keeps looking things up on tinterweb and telling us that our eucalptus will knock down his house and that our trees are actually a hedge....

Hello everyone - blimey the wounds! I hope Domestic and Sybil's little soldiers get better soon. Domestic - will that be a permanent scar then?

Had our shagging weekend. poor Mark - he's knackered. I bet it hasn't even worked anyway. That means I am yet again on a dreaded two week wait. Might try IUI next time as they take out any bad ones and just make sure the strong healthy ones go in. Not sure if Mark's bad ones affect the good ones - I think it might.

Today I am making coq au vin blanc. I have that book that was recommended and there's another one come out called further slow cooking or something like that. I also bought feather steak (recommended by butcher) and a ham hock which I am very excited about! There's a recipe in the new book for ham hock in cola! I have kind offollowed the recipe but mostly it's me just slinging in what I have in the fridge.

My best news is that Luke is sleeping!!!! from 7.30 till 6.15. I have waited nearly two years for this moment! That means that I might not feel deathly tired all the time once my body clock has stopped me waking at 5am. Way hay!!!

Rolf your neighbour sounds like a royal PITA.

Biscuits I am mega jealous of your holiday. I think we will go but not till September so am gagging for a pretend holiday in my garden when the sun finally comes out.

so, can I plead with people to share slow cooker recipes? I would really appreciate it. To start the ball rolling, this is the pork/cider one I have used:

or rather, here it is!

1 tbsp oil
2 tbsp butter
1 sliced oinion
2 sliced celery sticks (although I exchange this for sliced mushrooms and it works well)
1 large peeled & chopped apple
1 3/4 lbs cubed pork
2 tbsp pl flour
1/2 pt dry cider
salt & pepper
Bouquet garni sachet

Preheat cooker, fry onion/celery/apple in oil for 2/3 mins then transfer to cooker. Brown pork, mix flour/cider until blended then stir until pan with pork and bring to boil. Season well, add bouquet garni and then transfer to cooker. Cook on low for 6-10 hours.

I will share mine once I've tasted it!!

I've been spending the whole day learning how to use this sales database and my brain is bleeding... On top of that, I'm working from home and when I venture out to get a cup of tea the house is a complete disaster (nanny hasn't started yet - it's a daddy day). I need a walk around the block or something... Why did I want to get back to work (and looking at a sales database is not what I wanted to do).

I am really interested in all the slow cooker talk because it sounds so sensible but I just never manage to use mine. Sybil - do you serve it on a bed or rice or anything?

Amber - yeah for Luke's sleeping!

Rolf - your neighbour sounds very difficult. I am not good at confrontation either and I'd find it very stressful. hugs.

neenz rolf etc - did anyone else hear about the westminster2010.org.uk think at church this week? uggh - I wish there was a counterpoint "christians who don't agree with blanket statements and have problems with some of this" thing I could sign...

Oooh - YUMMY Coq au vin blanc. I halved the recipe and changed it a bit but 6 chicken thighs, 250ml white wine, garlic, mushrooms, onions (I used whole shallots), bacon lardons, thyme and a bay leaf plus some plain flour.

Brown the chicken and bacon andput in cooker. Sprinkle on some flour (about 25g they say but I put in more) and stir till everything's covered. Fry up the muchrooms and onions and garlic and then add the wine and let bubble for a couple of mins. Bung in the cooker with salt and pepper to taste for 8 hours on low. Yumbo.

I can't believe my driving test is in two weeks. My driving is getting worse rather than better. My instructor is doing a pretend test tomorrow so we'll see how that goes. Gawd help me!

Who's got a nice Ham Hock recipe?

Hello.

Being terribly bad and have got an entranced P in front of Cbeebies. I really must turn it off and do something with him, but it is just so peaceful like this.

Right, programme is finished, will take P into the garden.

Sorry about all the injuries, what a nightmare! Hope the scar is not as bad as you fear DG or that it doesn't look so shocking with time, I'm sure it will be fine, it will give him character

Adbn, I haven't seen that website but will have a look.

Rolf, your neighbour does sound like a dick, esp as you have agreed to get rid of the trees. One of our neighbours had massive leylandi trees blocking our sun and when we asked them to chop them down they said they 'didn't agree with cutting down trees' but of course you're not 'allowed' to have leylandi that big now (I think 2m is the max) so eventually they got rid of them, but we and another neighbour had to chip in! It was worth it tho to get rid of them.

Amber, praying your shagathon did the trick. I am sure Mark didn't mind too much!

My sister came to stay this weekend with her 3yo and 10wo which was lovely, the baby was really good and made me think yes it is going to be great having one of them again. Then my other sister came today with her three (7,5 and 3) so we went down to the beach which was very enjoyable. The twins are exhausted now though! Theo has got over his croup but has asked to go to bed three times today - every time I take him to his room to change his nappy he says 'bed' and I say 'do you want to go to bed' and he says 'yes'. I don't think he actually does want to go tho - I think he is just enjoying having the language to be able to ask. I put him down at nap time and he chatted for ages so obviously wasn't that tired.

Thanks Neenz and others for sympathy for S. Cut healing nicely so fingers crossed the scar isn't too bad. Not sure if it will be permanent or not (sorry, can't remember who asked that) but fingers crossed not. I did get babyoil already ktpie but I'll remember Amazon for the next batch.

Have a whole new issue today though - S has a really horrible blotchy rash on his face and tiny spots around his neck. I think it's either a combination of heat rash and a bit of sunburn because I didn't reapply sun cream yesterday when I probably should have, a combination of heat rash and teething rash (lots of finger chomping, off his food, awful nappies and came into bed to toss and turn all night for the first time in ages) or he's had a reaction to the sun cream that I did apply. I think/hope it's the middle one. Is it about now the back molars come through? He's got all of his other teeth already.

Been thinking about shoes this week after we took S to get measured at the weekend (was quite miffed that he didn't need new shoes because his current ones are in a right old state and they had lots of luvverly spring/summer shoes). What do toddler boys need for Spring/Summer bearing in mind that we live in Scotland which has particularly changeable weather! I can see a need for normal leather shoes (for cold Spring days), canvas type shoes (think converse) for running around in on mild days, sandals for really warm days, crocs for the garden/nursery and slippers for indoors! That's a lot of shoes - so can someone (especially those of you with older boys) give me a reality check. What do we think of crocs on toddler boys? I've always really hated crocs personally (apologies to any croc wearers) but I can kind of see their appeal for nursery/garden play.

Was just about to cut and run, but just to explain about my very me, me, me post. A friend's husband died this week (he had cancer). They have a child who just turned one last week. Am trying to distract myself with trivia (like thinking about shoes), so although I've read other posts nothing has really sunk in.

Hello! A Random from the past, i used to be fungle, and was on the thread when we where all pregnant! Just thought i'd have a nosey at what you and all the babbys are up to.
My little one Isla is doing grand, talking away, i think maybe due to a big sister tho. Sentances are starting to come now,which is amazing!! 'My want my bag' 'mine beth'Yeay! I think an older sister is a big plus in speech!
Hope all you guys are well, esp the preggers ones!!
Lots of love

Hello, glad someone posted after Amber's last post!
MoooCow great to 'see' you again! I always wonder what the folks from antenatal are up to now.

Sybil I've not got a slow cooker and I'm not much of a cook so no recipes here, I'm afraid! Unless you want the Delia crack cheese biscuits. My parents have a Remoska - that's fun but bizarre!

Amber fingers crossed and keep those legs crossed too, eh?

Spider funny that you mentioned Cbeebies because today I did much the same thing...stopped Iestyn playing outside and made him watch his DVD so that I could cook dinner... (It was just too tricky otherwise, but I still feel bad because often when he gets in from nursery he's tired and will only want to watch the box; tonight he was happy to play and I stopped him.)

The RAF are flying all the time at the moment so Iestyn is dead excited. (Apparently they're training prince William here - Eddie get me a big gun and I'll do us all the favour! ) I've also got his train set out and he's really keen on that but gets frustrated easily. I managed to get a brio compatible one in Lidl for £20 before he was born - it's a good European make (Eicchorn) and there's 81 pieces!!

Speaking of big guns - I have a jackdaw that's made its nest in my chimney. It's got baby birds in there too I think - they wake a bit after Iestyn does - and they're noisy and messy. I am murderous! Apparently I'm not allowed to kill them, DH says I'll get taken to court and I suppose if I want a record, well, really I want an ASBO not a criminal conviction for killing baby birds. My chimney sweep is being extremely unreliable though. Penguin I think about you, but dream about your DH now that I know he's a sweep! (That wasn't meant to sound kinky, sorry.)

DG how many shoes??! Iestyn currently has one pair and wellies. I might buy him sandals and a pair of proper shoes for the summer. Depends if I can get sandals in his size - he's now a 4 and I'm hoping for a move to 5 in the near future. Then I can buy shoes in normal places like Clarks and not have to spend £48 (the cost of his current shoes ).

I think I've responded to almost everyone - hi to everyone else including Rolf and Abdn! Poppy how are you feeling now?

And ktpie, hello!