Dec 08 Mums - Terrible twos already? Tears, tantrums, tiaras and tractors - and the rest!

[Beans33]

Hope this is better - sorry all!

Oops of course DS2 wouldn't be explaining about a protest, with his vocal abilities he'd be out protesting! No it was DS1 explaining.

Are you able to research the trailer you are getting online. Friends got a brilliant one for the same price on eBay though it's a bit of a faff to put up and can't be used for jogging. It wasn't a problem for them though as they don't need it for running and they can leave it set up at the front of their house. I'm sure you can secure it to any harness system i've had a look at our sling and it doesn't seem unique to the chariot though it is made by them. For DS1 we had a little seat insert and when we bought the sling for DS2 we gave the seat thing to our friends with the Trailer above and it fit into theirs. Is it a double trailer? If not and it's just for DD then you know you can use a car seat, that's what they do here, if there not slinging or backpacking their bubs on the bike! You could use a car seat much earlier than you could use the Trailer sling. I would sell you ours cheap cheap but we use it still when friends with babies come over.

hello all - honestly you guys, I'm away for a few days and Spot's got a Spot Jr on the way and Katie might be the same You must stop having so much fun

well no chance at all of catching up so just a report from us. Had a lovely afternoon at SL's (for which many thanks ) with some of the ladies I used to see every Friday at bumps and babies, my goodness the babies are all proper little people now, it was so lovely to see them and to catch up with the mums.

Things generally fairly quiet here, we had a lot more DH than usual this week as he had another couple of days leave to do his paperwork which meant meeting for lunch, home for bedtime both days and then he's not at work tomorrow so even more daddy time! Sometimes I wish he'd interact with dd a bit more (eg if she's playing he won't sit with her but will read a book) but then he'll grab her and tickle her and her face will light up. His work meeting about getting a new doctor went well in that everyone agrees its the best thing to do, but they have to wait till after the election to make any decisions. One of the key problems they have is pressure on appointments, but they're not allowed to close their list and hence because they're a popular practice they have more and more people joining, and a higher and higher patient/doctor count. Well they could close the list but their funding would be cut by approx. 30% (!!!!!)

Spoke to my boss about going permanently part time from the end of the year - flexible working application etc. She said she'll think about what might work best for the department, and hopefully we'll be able to work out a way for me to do three days and get someone else permanent for the other two. Problem being however that the uni is so poor at the moment, they may think it's a better deal not to fill the rest of the post and thus the dept will be left short handed - eg we've only just had permission to fill my boss's old job (she got promoted one step up the ladder), it's not as if they don't have the money to pay someone because as she noted, if an external person had got the job she's now in, they'd be paying two people rather than one. Sigh. Alternatively I just get Spotted before November, go back to full time temporarily and then onto mat leave again and put off any decisions for another couple of years!

Hello and a big birthday wave to Nolda! I have been keeping up with the thread, just not posting much as feeling generally rubbish. Period arrived today which could explian that. Completely puzzled as I've had the implant for months (at least6?) and I thought they had stopped. Gah.

Veggie: you have been doing a sterling job and deserve some time off. dS2 has spent the entire day screeching which is a tad wearing. Rainy bank holidays should be banned.

HUGE congrats to Spot on both the baby and the flat! And fingers crossed for Katie... So many babies!

Hi Ladies!
I just want to give veggie a big big hug. You manage so well and seem to give so much to your family, always spending time with your boys, cooking, cycling - and to do that when your dh is away a lot - you're truly fantastic. Hopefully you'll get a chance to focus on yourself for a bit now he's home.
effie sorry you've been feeling rubbish. I'd recommend some chocolate...
happy birthday nolda Good to hear from you again.
jj sounds complicated with the work thing. You should go for the pregnancy option - no idea if it's the best thing for you but I'm getting into all these clackerations now and another one would be fun!
Well I've decided I will go on our church women's weekend next weekend. It means leaving P and L for 2 nights and I've never left P for more than a day's work before - but I think it'll be good for me and we'll survive. I'm driving so can always just come home if i'm missing them too much!
Well I must go now - another flippin' bank holiday tomorrow - what will we do for the day?!!! PLease let it be nice weather...!

and where's Daisy? are you ok?

Clackerations!!! Brilliant! Hello Trace - can I thank-you again for the swimsuit! 2 swimming lessons in a row now - it's very comfortable, and plenty of room for my growing clackeration Thanks so much. I'm desperate for nice weather tomorrow too - fingers x-ed

JJ - def go the up the clacker route if you are wanting another that is Plus it'd be nice to have them not too far apart in age, no? Besides never know how long it's going to take either (Unless you're LadyT )

Vaggie, it's doubles we've been looking at as I guess it'd be handy if it was just one of us with the 2 of them although I think you have a seat on the front and back of your bike don't you? Gosh that must be hard to manage the balance? Will probably look again at the trailers after dd is born as we have enough to buy before then I suppose and perhaps then we can go for the Chariot if we can find a good second hand one or something. Thanks for your advice.

Right Daisy where are you??? And Mom, and I'm really worried about Urbane now....
Kiwi's been on FB so all ok there.

erm, Urbane's last FB update is making me think awful things.... I'm sure I'm just overthinking it

rubes, I know two people who loved our Chariot set up so much that they bought a different (cheaper) trailer and set up one of the Chariot trailer inserts inside it.

One of the trailers was an old Burley but the other one is a Halfords job that might be still around, I can check what it's called if you like? I know some Halfords stuff can be cheap and crap but their trailer actually seemed pretty good for the money and they used it loads with the Chariot insert. A double trailer is handy for the extra storage space anyway, veggies set up sounds good but I worry I'd have nowhere to put stuff (though her custom made one sounds like you can have panniers on it). The big annoyance of my bike seat is that you can't have panniers at the same time and so you need a rucksack that I then feel will get in the kid's way on the back. With the trailer you can use the panniers as well, or a big rucksack. Or you could put one kid on a seat and then a bag in the trailer. But I am rambling now!

jj you should definitely join the clacker club!! Tee hee.

Happy birthday to Nolda!

invis hope your DD had a good day in the park. The weather here wasn't soooo bad, hope it was ok for you. It was cold though. DH and I were meant to be doing a long cycle ride tomorrow (10 miles each way, but v flat) to a local fair. Must check out weather forecast as I'm not going if it's going to rain! (wimp alert). May suggest we cycle to a pub instead.

Am tired after having hundreds of babies round my house for the afternoon. Just had a sleep for 1.5 hrs, nice.

Hurrah for no work tomorrow!

Oh thanks Summer - I've just read your post to dh and he said he's been looking at one on Ebay which is a trek so we might watch that for a bit.

Rubs the double is better in the long run as even if you only have one in it there is loads of room for bits. I think most trailers are pretty good, they can't really make a crap one as it'd be dangerous. We saw a trek one a few years ago at a bike show they are good. I have pannier on the back of mine and there is room between DS1 & I for a rucsack. The balance is fine because it's a longer bike than normal to accomodate the extra seats, that's why they call them the 'moederfiets', mother bike. It also has a thing that locks the front wheel while I'm stopped and a stand which holds it upright and a low front frame so I can stop the bike and just step off it. DS1 can get on & off his own seat so I can stand near DS2. Also the handle bars bend back and it's a Dutch style upright seating bike. It is soooo comfortable. But in winter the chariot is the better option as it is just so cold and wet.

Thanks Trace that was a lovely hug just what I needed. I'm glad you've decided to go away for the weekend.

Hi Summer

JJ get a baby that'll sort it all out. Glad your DH has been home. My DH is very physical with the boys but they expect it from him all the time and that can get a bit tiring for him.

Well of course DS2 didn't have a second sleep but with DH home he was brilliant no screaming nothing. I do wonder if part of it was missing DH esp as he does tend to sit with him at dinner. Both boys, actually all three boys were so happy to see each other. They played all afternoon. The pool was good except poor DH did a Beans and forgot his costume. Luckily they had something more substantial than a thong at the pool for him to borrow.

I told DH the stories of the dead animals and he told me how they used to go the markets and convince their mum to buy them ducklings each. Sadly the ducklings never lasted more than a night because DH & his siblings would take them to bed with them and by morning they were flattened. This happened on more than one occasion.

Gosh those stories were funny I was in tears again looking at them. Aubs the one of you cellotaping the birds is gold.

Syb I forgot to say earlier I think although the place may not have been the best scene for you melting at the news of the ladies son, I think the lady would have appreciated your empathy with her situation. I think it's hard not to imagine & feel the pain of a mothers loss in a situation like that. Personally I think those other parents must be made of stone. But then no one is very good at dealing with crying people are they.

I'm not in the clacker club, AF showed her ugly face at 3am. At least no need to waste money on expensive tests now.
I'm off to the Dr this week to try to get to the bottom of my ever increasing cycles though.
BBQ and picnic Birthday party beckons , best dress up warm I think. Have a good BH everyone.

Oh bad luck, Katie, am very sorry to hear that. Fingers crossed the Dr can sort things out for you so you become more regular.

There was more ottolenghi stuff in the Sunday Tel yesterday, Veg, so I'll post that to you as well.

I must do some chores today. I have a thousand loads of laundry to fold and put away. It's taking over the house!

3am Katie, that's a bit evil. That's two hours earlier than my screaming banshee started howling. Actually a Banshee is female isn't it, ok my howler monkey started his morning chorus! After having a much nicer evening and off to bed he woke at midnight and wriggled and grumbled for a while until he finally worked himself up to a full blown wobbly.

I'm quite excited about the Ottolenghi Sybs. Wouldn't it be lovely for 10 of us to be childless one day and all in London and to meet there for Lunch. We'd probably have to muscle some people out of their seat to get the table to ourselves but I think we could do it.

katie boo to the negative but I do hope the Dr can sort things out re: your cycle.

nolda Hello and hope you had a lovely birthday.

veggie You have my sympathies on the testing DC's. Mine are pushing me to the limit...I really resented DH going to work today!

trace Glad you are going on the church weekend, it will do you good.

Off to mums in a bit for lunch. Thr DC's can 'help' Grandad in the garden, and I am going to go for a run. I really need to lose weight and get fit but it fell apart last night as I drunk too much wine and had a great big chinese take away. Still it was yum

I have a confession and need to know if I have been a bit cheeky. DH works with someone who spends stupid amounts of money on clothes for her DD, she gives some to DH for DD, most of which appear unworn (a few have had tags on). Lots end up in our charity bags, and tbh I think she just can't be bothered to get rid of them herself. Anyway, the other day the bag she gave DH had a pair of 'Lelli Kelly' shoes in. They looked brand new, so I have put them on Ebay, and the are currently up to about £8. DH thinks we should tell her, I personally think if she can't be arsed to get rid of her own stuff its tough. I know we are only taking a few quid....

Hi Daisy - don't think it's necessary at all to be telling her. She doesn't want them and so gave them to you to do what you want with. Just asked dh and he said she gave them to you to make use of - she had the option to sell them herself but couldn't be bothered or not worth her time so you can do what you want with it - a little bit cheeky but not necessary to tell her. We would do the same

Oh sorry to hear katie - hope the doc can sort out the cycles

Daisy crack on and sell them. She clearly didnt want them so only fair you guys should make a bit of money.

God it is only 12.30. My children have been up since the crack of ass. DS1 is on his 2nd movie of the day, DS2 is in bed. FIL is doing diy with DH I am bored have made a chocolate cake but it needs to cool down before I can ice it.

My parents are coming over later to bring my little sisters boxes of clothes and a surfboard and a toboggin for us to put on ebay for her. Am quite looking forward to rooting through the boxes as I am sure there will be a few bits I must rescue for myself. Dont kow if any of you remember but she is the sister who was diagnosed with cervical cancer last year lives in San Fran, she was given the all clear see you in a yr a couple of weeks ago.

Am waffling sorry..

Oh noticed earlier that Veggie you are having screaming paddy's with DS2. DS1 used to be very like that. TBH he is still as demanding spirited now but at least he is able to articulate what is wrong now. Am sure when your DS2 gets a bit of vocab life will become easier. All our friends were amazed when we said we were having a 2nd DC as they said our DS1 would have put them off for life

Right back to it, speak to you all later.

Jam, you have inspired me - am going to bake a cake... Lovely!

x

was just thinking before that perhaps I should cook/bake something as I keep getting all sorted for a bit of gardening and then it pisses with rain so have to come in. So bored. I'm over this stupid weather.

Great news on the San Fran sister Jam

gave me a giggle!

Why no mention of Barbara??!

Gosh that poor women, i'd have to go for Sybil as it makes me think of my lovely friend Syb.

Daisy I'm of two minds about you hawking the stuff on Ebay. On the one hand if it was me and I'd given you the stuff I'd not be at all bothered that you sold them, once they are given to you they are yours. However, your DH knows this women and knows what she is like, and he may feel she needs to know. However, my overwhelming thought is if she is unlikely to find out what does it matter. When does the auction finish, what is the betting up to now.

Oh and Jam that's a good word spirited. I've known since this one was in the womb that he was going to be spirited. He still has DS1's sweetness and a lot of the time is quite layed back, but it doesn't take much to piss him off, and your right once he can tell us what wrong I think it will help. Does your DS1 still yell at you though, just with vocab now?

at the name thread rubes!

Veg I do feel a tad cheeky. But I know that she would never find out. However I only put them on last night and they are already up to £8! Maybe they are a rare design I don't know about.

I am now scanning my house seeing what I can put on Ebay. Its slightly addictive watching those bids go up. Wonder what I could get for the DC's if they don't stop misbehaving.....Right swim lesson now for DD, lets hope that wears her out before bed!!

Hello all! Thanks for asking after me. I'm ok cheers, still getting headaches but Doc tells me that's normal and might last for up to 8 weeks, which I bloody well hope they don't.

Firstly - Spot! Congratulations!!!! Another nutter one up the duff!!!

and secondly, ahh spirited babies. Veggie DD is currently being an absolute little bugger extremely spirited. I've just had to put her in her cot and walk away because she was doing my head in - NOTHING was right, grumps about everything. Has spent the afternoon pointing to things, then when I fetch them for her, acting like i'm trying to kill her.. She's been doing the "lie on floor, act like tortured baby who has taken a bullet" impression aghhhhh. Jam it is SO reassuring to hear you talk about DS2 being different a different kettle of err, babyfish, becuase frankly, another one like this (not that I'm expecting btw!) would give me a nervous breakdown.

THough I suppose I shouldn't complain because she was in a good mood for TWO WHOLE DAYS IN A ROW on Saturday and Sunday, unprecedented . However she's making up for it right now ...