January 2009- toddlers turning 15mths and all that jazz (really just a new thread so DOG can fit it on her poncey iphone!)

[PatTheHammer]

Good enough for ya dog .

And sorry I do realise some are only turning 14 mths and some are nearly 16mths etc,etc......apologies!

All officially toddlers now though i think (well 120's H and HKZ's J are pulling up/taking steps now I think, think mostly everyone walking of some sort!) Scary thought!

Picture of Elmer cake for moose

Hello all.... am super busy with course work hell this week, so will catch up over the weekend. Hope all is well.

or this link...notsure which

Cool cake

Amazing cake. Link to roundup please tree - or I may have to use my initiative and find it myself

Drive is 3 hours door to door no stopping. He sleeps for most of it if I am lucky. Shifts are either 12 hrs, 14hrs or 10hrs. I would average 36 hours in 3 days. I would do 3 or 4 days, while staying in London with sister, and then drive back to Wales.

Think I have delayed decision until Tuesday.

tree - a well desreved twirl

glad u r feeling better

miss j - what a hard decision

received brackens elc ball activity table and wooden puzzle they r both great

in a great mood so glad it is fri

tom morning getting my mums and dhs bday pressies getting my mumm next gift card and dh a wallet in next
then my mum over in aft going to next to chose loundge ornaments for fireplace for my ealry bday pressy and hopefully picking up curtains and cushions for loundge

MissJ I think you should do it. I remember how bored you got last summer while your OH was working and doing his weeks away and how fed up you got with your ILs and missing your old life. You know N would have fun with your sister and so would you and there may not be another chance. That said the drives would be a killer but you'd only have to do it er... 24? times. Actually that is quite a lot.

DS is teething. Tis a nightmare. We've never had teething before they just appeared but these are the last set, canines and they are giving him hell. He's not in a good mood.

I handed in my thesis yesterday, have officially finished. Got to wait until 23rd June for results though, pah, sooooooo long. I have a little but of teaching left and then am once again unemployed, crossing fingers for funding now.

Hkz, cake is amazing! Very clever, think I might have to have a go at sweety icing.

Any one with older children - can you recommend anywhere online for outdoor sports stuff? We want a few bits to play in garden but have looked round local shops and it is all foam balls and lightweight nets and things which will never stand up to our dogs or the Lancashire weather. Not fussed what sport really just want something a bit more grown up than sandpit and toddler slide for the summer.

lenii - hi

elc do outdoor bits and argos and tesco direct if this helps

dd2 has been suffering with teeth

lenni, how about a trampoline?

hz great cake... tasty too!

MJ think you should do it too. You can always get some books on cd/tape and catch up on your reading. It is a long drive, but I think once you are in the zone, tis ok.

Congrats tree, no email, so yet to see it!

am knackered and need to go and spend evening with my mum (and get some sleep so I can keep up with HZ tomorrow).

hope you are ok moosey and tink and tea.

hope i've covered everyone. time for some vino methinks.

When I was feeding the babies supper, my mum said 'there is some baileys in the cupboard and some ice if you need it'!??? wtf? 5pm. I'm not that close to the edge and haven't had baileys (apart from with ice cream or in a B52) ok, so thinking about it I have had baileys but still.

don't think any of that makes sense. Sorry.

120 lol at baileys on ice - when we were teenagers, my sis and I used to raid my Mum's baileys and call it 'drinkypoos' - we thought we were sooooo sophis .

lenni you speak wisdom. Thanks for reminding me of the reality of my summers, rather than the fantasy picnic in the meadow... Wish you hadn't worked out the drive stats though! You are about right though. Good thinking on the audio books 120 - the leaders debate last night kept me engaged enough for 2 hours. I can get my act together and download podcasts too. I think I am going to do it... 95% there.

tink have fun shopping tomorrow. ELC bits sound fun - I need to check my shed because I think they delivered some stuff on Monday according to my emails. Paddling pool and tent/ tunnel thingy. Lenni we have great fort in our garden that previous tenants kindly built - do you know anyone with good woodwork skills? Also, my Dad once built us an underground tunnel with a camp at the end, it was very cool. But you are looking for more sportif activities... omg, almost forgot to mention.... CONGRATULATIONS! - what a fantastic achievement, you really are an inspiration. Not only have you managed the small matter of an MA and 2 little ones, but you have done some sterling mn-ing too .

dog good luck tomorrow - hope it all goes as smoothly as a house move can...

I think everybody should buy this I believe it to be utterly practical and a source of great amusement to all children.

I just want a garrrrrden! Mums dp is supposed to be paving our yard throughout but nothing has happened. So looks lke I wll have to start the long haul search for a builder who talk sense and doesn't cost the earth. For all it's a terrace type yard, it's actually 60sq metres and therefore about £4000 to pave

lenni - totally echo Missj. You should have a big head because you should be very proud and also to take the brain you must have

MissJ - do it. If you are blessed in havng a job that you find a de-stress and a fulfilling and enjoyable thing - do it. I was away 3 days 2 nights every week from dd1 being 9 months till last year. It's not so unusual. The time will fly and you will feel good.

Audio books are great. I know Poirot sn't exactly Dickens, but if you get one with David Suchet doing the reading it's amazing. Murder on the Orient Express is a masterclass in acting. He actually sounds like a woman when he needs too!

Dog - good luck!

Evening all

Had a crap day, have felt really poorly with this period and have been feeling really headachey, shakey and sick as well. Then ds1 just came downstairs looking decidedly green, said he had a headache and felt shaky and sick the ran into the toilet. He is now upstairs in bed with the sick bowl. So, am now thinking we have got the same thing and in all likelihood I've got a virus as well as my period. On the positive side, at least that means I won't feel this bad every month.

Well done on making the round-up Tree. Haven't read it yet, but will make sure to.

HKZ, the cake is gorgeous. The sweets are really effective. Might have to steal that idea.

Lenni, congratulations on handing in your thesis. Sorry to hear about ds's teething troubles, canines are the pits.

ds2 had, this trampoline for his birthday along with an all weather cover. Its not as big or impressive as some of them, but the boys love it and its safer as its not so high off the ground. They also love their swing, which is just a generic cheap one from Toysrus that our neighbours were throwing away. Other than that they love having a tent up in the garden in the summer so that they can have picnic lunches in it and play at dens. There are some cool cheaper teepee type ones on ebay at the moment here here and here. Wouldn't mind one of them myself to hide from the dcs in.

Dog, how exciting. Hope the move goes smoothly and you are all settled in your lovely new home by this time tomorrow.

I like the look of this and [[http://www.gltc.co.uk/fcp/product/-/great_outdoors_sandpits/Sailing-Ship-Sand-Pit/10000001567 this[[

I also think that a limbo game and a space hopper can go a long way.

oh - this

Hey Moose. Poor poor you, and ds who has so much on rght now! Hope you all get well for the bh weekend.

Roundup only a tiny mention really, but am takng it as a lttle welcome back to mn

We have a big trampoline! Passed on from family who'd outgrown it and since we have big garden (one of the advantages of living in the middle of bleeding nowhere!) we got to 'look after it' until kids get bigger. It is so big though that DD doesn't actually bounce on it yet as she isn't heavy enough! One for the future though.

Swingball is on the list, sounds like DD would manage that. Will move her kitchen outside I think, it doesn't get used in her room as she's only in there to sleep and is plastic so wouldn't come to any harm outside. Thanks for that Dog/tink/120.

Good luck for the move Dog, hope it all goes well.

Pooh, lots of new posts. I always do that, off to read.

Those teepee tents are amazing!

Dog, go and sit down now you here me?! And don't move until Sunday. That's an order! Well you can move once but only to get to new house. Look after yourself and the pup.

*Hear

I just read everything and now it has fallen out of my head again!

MissJ- Jobs sounds exciting, though a lot of commuting. Sounds like you know you want to though....plus you'll be up the road so lots of time for meet ups with the London Massive!

Tree we got our garden paved last year and managed to find someone to do it for about £1200....its only about 35sq metres...and the paving stones are the cheapest ones you can get....and he did it wonky so every time it rains a big puddle forms and drives DH insane

D0G Hope you are all set for the move tomorrow. Sorry you have SPD and Sciatica that must be horrid.

Lenni Congratulations on handing in your thesis, that must be a big sense of relief. I seem to feel permanently guilty for not doing enough MA work at the moment. I am going to finsih the module I am on and do one more in the Autumn and get back to it when I can work paert time cos I feel like I'm not giving it enough attention.
Have you looked on ebay for garden toys? There are sometimes some complete bargains for playhouses etc.

120 I thought we could have an evening of sophistication tomorrow night and maybe get some food prior to having the odd glass of wine?

Moose Sorry for the rubbish day, hope you and DS are feeling better.

Thanks for all the cake compliments, I was a little bit pleased with my self...even though the head fell off and I had to prop it up with a match box!

Not much going on here...DS, after sleeping 7-7 for the last two months has suddenly decided to wake at 11 and 5 again for the last 3 nights so am not too pleased about this development...is it growth spurt time or something?

Am a bit fed up with being super skint as would like to do a few things with the house, but no chance of that at the moment... a kitchen which doesn't have doors that fall off would be nice..one day

DS doing the same HKZ, driving us batty. He has also refused to lie down in his cot the last two nights and bedtime has been an absolute nightmare. He isn't asleep yet tonight, crying again now...

I think the waking thing is developmental rather than growth iyswim.

Dd has just come out the other side of a few weeks of being really unsettled at night, refusing to go down at bedtime etc. She's been sleeping much better the last few days (although she can still be a pita to get down to sleep in the first place on occasion) and all of a sudden seems to be much more aware, speaking more, constructing simple sentences and definitely understanding a lot more. Its like she has suddenly become a full-on toddler, rather than just a toddling baby iykwim.

thought I posted this an hour ago, but just found it when I came to switch the laptop off - doh!

Off to bed. Have lovely weekends everyone.