Issy's graduates (Bella, Blue, Head, Jumping, Irish, Wasabi, Girl, Sunny) here to give advice and swap tips

[bluesatinsash]

Ta da!

Hope this shakes a few of us out of where we're languishing these days .

Let this be the one-stop shop into everything that is the crazy, wonderful, sleep and sanity deprived world of bringing up baby

Thanks jumping very touched that you hopped back on to steer me back in to the land of the sane. I woke up this morning a bit embarrassed by my post!

Glad G is not the only unpredictable one with the food. It threw me I spose because he was so good at the beginning. Mind you he was a very easy baby before he got a bad tummy and went all alert on me so perhaps it's natures of way of easing you in the next stage - bit like how the first day of school is fine it;s the second or third day that creates the wobbles...

NOt sure if AF back or not. Did have one bleed but didn't hurt and was pretty light definitely got dull and dry skin and the odd spot on the chin so the fab hormones have left the building. Pretty sure from becoming such an expert on the topic that was not fertile on the day in question and have not taken the MAP. God. Fingers crossed eh!

Gotta dash too but will be back xxxxx

I have found that using the unwanted purees as pasta sauces is one way to make sure they're not wasted.

I like being resourceful.

Oh and news on the job front is that I am currently considering retraining to become a teacher. I have become very soapboxy recently about the proposed reforms and think I might put my money where my mouth is and give something back

It would be a lot of work but it is easier to work hard when you like something n'est ce pas? I dunno. I will probably have to work for another 35 years. THat's a long time...

scuse the diversion away from behbehs!

rogue please make the most of the quiet coffees with new mum chums. The wriggly stage makes it a lot trickier!

God it's all me me me. Will do better personals soon, honestly!

Also I left a few emoticons out
I hope it does read like I am an arrogant twit :D

wasabi - pmsl @ two foot wide bra straps-
my materity bras were nursing bras too so
am having to buy new ones already - no elastic, no support, rubbish.
Shame you've all been sick - the rogue household is currently in the grip of a horrible cold- poor bubs has it too. hope the nights work out for you.
Re the sanding - I would do it myself but
want to get it done for christmas and not sure can fit into Aoife's schedule. DH has exams at end of November so is working and studying for them so time is what we're short of. the guy who's doing it is a friend so mates rates and all that

Blue that's great that Ben is so predictable I'm going to start a routine now with A since she's six weeks now. I love when you talk of your boys - you are so cute and obviously smitten with them both.

jumping yay you got a dishwasher
Hope the sleep training plan works out
for you. Very of you going to sea for
work.

Bella - glad you figured out the timing of
the nooky - I can't imagine what you were feeling Hope the feeding issues wort themselves out very soon for you to give you back peaced of mind.
My sister retrained to be a teacher and just finished she loves it now and like you wanted to make a difference rather than givign out about it
Also the coffees with the mum chums are ina soft play centre for the toddlers- I am being given a first class lesson in what the wriggly stage is like.

So onto me - like I said Aoife has had a cold this week, so we've had a very unsettled time of it. she won't settle very well, is sneezing, snotty and coughing. Then this morning she brought up some bright yellow stuff - quite alarming but doc said it was prob just mucous. Poor babba I hope she kicks it soon.

She had her 6 week check and her BCG vaccination this week as well. All's good her phenomenal weight gain has slowed a little but she's fine apart from that.

We've booked a week away down the country so DH can actually spend some time with his daughter. What with month end, and his exam course he's not been home for the past three weekends, and then this week has been nuts for him with late nights. I did start expressing though so he can give her a bottle - first one last night and he wa sso proud bless. It'll only be one bottle a day -I can't be doing with faffing around with bottles

Right better go and see to A - she's doing mucho mooching

Apols for lack of spell checking

Hello to anyone I may have missed.

Hi guys,

Just marking my page and will be back with big post tomorrow night as DH is on a stag do.

Hot news from me is that I've finally settled on my curtain material John Lewis how I love theee....

Back tomorrow x

Blue what colour? fabric? pencil pleat? ring top? tab top? I have also bought new curtains recently for my bedroom. Now they are teal silk ring tops - only problem is my bedroom was red and cream thus necessitating a whole new bedroom look for me. DH not impressed but I haven't decorated our room since we moved into the house (2 years ago)

Anywya better go - MIL and her DP are due any minute. She's meeting A for the first time - it's going to be great.

I'm knackered now, just waiting for her to get here and I'm off to bed. I'll catch up with you all after the weekend.

XX

Right, boys asleep, DH in the pub, dressing gown on, chocolate and diet coke to hand

About to go to sleep but just wanted to say thanks to blue
Your posts always cheer me up. I logged on specially since you had promised to be here.

I have had a sick bug as has DP and DMum. Yawn.

G drooling like a water monster from Dr Who but has eaten pretty well today. Phew. Now totally gone off the bottle though. Aye Carumba. Does he not realise that HIPP Organic is the posh one??! Must have poured litres of it down the sink.
Will try your eggy bread adaptation tomorrow morning. I have found that I have lost a bit of extra weight by eating his left overs instead of proper meals. I wonder what 'Dr' Gillian McKeith would make of that diet!

IN terms of nearly walking/crawling, er I think I might have bigged up G's advances a bit! everyone is asking about it all the time though. I hadn't realsed how the whole predictable questions thing follows you through life. First you get the are you going to get married? Then, when are you going to start trying? When are you going to have number 2? Then, How is their sleep? And now it's crawling and walking. I don't feel in the least bit concerned about his progress. He is clearly perfect
fine, but parents people do seem to want to hurry it all along.

Thanks for the thumbs up re teaching. Had a bit of a reality check as not sure where to find a sponsor to pay for me to do the course for a year and then pay for me to live in a nice house whilst I go back to square one in terms of salary. Oh for one of those wealthy and very elderly relatives with no children who one never even knew existed...;)

You never know though, my plan to win the lottery whilst on maternity might just come come good

Rogue I hope Aiofe's cold is clearing up. It's so tragic when they get bunged up at that age. Little thing :(
wasabi how are your nights these days? Is Clara (still loving that name) being good with the bottles? I was so nearly there with G but he has been adamant that only the boob will do. I have really tried but he has become quite hysterical a couple of times and if it means that much to him then the bloody dairy has to stay open a bit longer.

OK I am properly pooped. Nighty night all

ps I would love to find out how girlwithacurl and bubble and of course issy are all getting along. shame we didn't get facebook deets from them before they left us. I am going to get on there. Serious fomo going on...

Just popping back one once again to say hi preoprly to wasabi who I missed off my last personals by mistake?

How is the night boob weaning going? are you now off the boob altogether?

G has been great with getting back on to the sippy cup and has pushed his day feed from the boob back and back and back from midday til about 5:30 today which mucked up supper but hey.

Night time is tricky. He has started to confuse my boobs with a dummy I think after this bout of teething and nose blockage. Either that or my resettling methods are wrong...hmmmm

Anyway - I don't wish to turn this into my blog so will once again shut my cake hole!

bugger forgot to do even a Bella cursory check

apologies

ps G did a bit of 'cruising' today. Very sweet but suddenly I am seeing this house in a new light.
Toddler death trap. EEEEEEEEK

Hey, just seen this pop up on active convos... God I'm just rubbish at keeping up with everything. I'm back at work next week and I get soooo bored so just you wait and see, you won't be able to get rid of me.

We've had a bonkers day today, our new nanny has been round getting to know the kids and I've spent all day showing her around the house and going through everything with her, Luca has been to school and back, dh popped out and came back with a new kitten

Actually I knew that last part was going to happen, we sorted it all out a couple of days ago but I didn't quite expect it to happen today. It probably wasn't the best day to bring a new cat home, lots going on etc but he's sleeping peacefully on the sofa so he can't be too traumatised. He's a very sweet teeeny little ginger Tom who Luca has christened Sam in honour of Fireman Sam!

Now dh has gone off on a work trip and I was left this evening trying to put to bed two fractious exhausted children and the amazing weeing cat! I've only just sat down

Anyway, just wanted to say hi and say I haven't forgotten you all, I will do a biiiiiig catch up as soon as I can.

Head - you made me snigger, are you multit'internet tasking on FB, e-bay and Next Directory too by any chance ? Your kitten is gorgeous, bet he wil be the cause of much tom foolery in the years to come!

Bella - LOL at this being your blog . You go girl, I love reading your posts, if we were on twitter I would be a follower So George cruised today, big high five to him! Get thee some socket covers and make sure there are no hanging blind cords ANYWHERE.

Right off to finish instant chat on FB - tally ho!

Well seeing my DH is at the footie. Did Scotland win btw?....

sorry ladies been a bit quiet again...
Head how are things going now you're back at work? How is the nanny managing? Are you still b'feeding Frankie? How's her night sleeping? So many q's...sorry!

Been super busy here at work, and eves just diasppear atm :( Having a few career/work issues- only really about what to do longer term. I'm on short-term contracts which often have a break between them so not a great situation, but the uni want to "retain me" in spite of a freeze on recruitment so are encouraging me to source funding, which is hard to do when you only work 20hrs a week and have no time to write grant proposals etc etc.. So having a wobble about staying in academia. It is so unforgiving for any let up in publishing etc. and right now I find it tough juggling the 3 DCs and work, and not sure if it'll ever get any easier. It really is expected of me to put work in in the eves (mainly to write papers etc.) and I have no energy/brain is mush/and no time. Humph. Wondering about changing careers but have no idea what to! I love research but it just isn't family compatible- certainely not without a lot of support, and especially not with 3 kids...think I may have tipped the balance having 3 but hey! Love it really!!

Sorry rant over .

In a bid to lose some weight and get a bit fitter I joined a gym a month ago (shock, horror- I am not the gym kind of person!!). DH is really supportive and boots me out the door 2-3 times a week as soon as the DCs are in bed But had a health check thingy and my blood pressure is misbehaving again, so went to GP this morn who thinks I may have some lingering damage from the pre-eclampsia :( Booked for kidney scans etc. I feel fine though so I'm hopeful it's just a blip/lack of sleep etc etc. He did though advise me to "work hard" to shift 10lb or so . Cheers. But it's been a bit of a kick up the arse and making me re-evaluate my priorities etc. DH's job still insecure (and not well paid) so we do really still need me to bring in some money but right now there's so little time to keep on top of everything and sleep is always the thing that gets compromised for me, resulting in contant tiredness=snacky eating etc etc. Not helping my health! Arghh.

OK that really has been a me me me saga. Sorry folks.

How is everyone? Bella are you still thinking about teacher training? Blue how are your scrumptious boys? Rogue how is the delectible Aoife? Hope the colic is easing?

Ffion is so so cute at the moment, I wish I could bottle her. Still not great at sleeping and still haven't start the controlled crying, but now have visitors staying next couple of weeks so no opportunity before I go to sea :( Have roped MIL into staying while I am away though as fear for how DH will cope, especially if F does her usual nighttime antics! But only actually away one night, though dept. very early first day and back v. late last day... Still, at nearly 11 months I'm sure Ffion will cope without me...[hopeful but unsure emoticon]

OK, must dash- but thinking of you all xxxxx

oops sorry also meant to say hello to wasabi and sunny- how are you all getting on?
wasabi are you still cutting down/stopping the b'feeding? Hope that's going ok. Are you managing to work in the eves somehow, or have you got some childcare sorted out?

Hope Autumn is being kind to everyone as the temperatures drop...boy does our house lose heat quickly...the joys of old draughty places eh! (talking of which, embarrasingly we still don't have curtains- just thermal blinds- any recommendations for where to buy curtains? I'm after thick ones for the living room and play room/dining rm... Sorry off topic but recall Blue discussing curtains!) x

Hi everyone

Gosh It has got quiet again in here.

jumping trying to work out the right career to fit in with family life is just about the trickiest thing ever I am now realising. Particularly so if you need to being bringing home some bacon. I definitely can't afford to have a year being a full time student and not earning so the teaching idea is on ice. I am still no closer to finding a workable solution. Ironically there are some good jobs out there that I could get and would enjoy more than my current job, however they would invariably require a lot of hard work and, including the commute into the centre of town, a ten hour day at the very least. I had no idea what a strain it all is when I was child free and can see now that that is why there is still relatively little support in the work place for people to fit round family life (outside the public sector). The people running the show, a lot of the time, have never had to consider it.

It makes me frustrated because on the one hand we are told frequently, and I believe correctly, that it is important for the children to spend time with their parents especially in the early years, and yet in reality it is really really difficult to do that and put a roof over your heads and food on the table and a dishwasher in the kitchen and whistles clothes on my back

RANT OVER phew

On the sunnier side of life, Mr G has come out of his period of under the weatherness and has emerged with a hunger to rival, well, a very hungry person :)

GOing down so well that the poos are now shooting out (almost literally) are shreddies for breakfast. His little bottie looks sore from the effort required to expel that level of fibre intake so I think I may give him eggs tomorrow.

Penne with just about anything is the all time favourite at the moment.

I am so pleased I heard about giving finger foods from the off as I would never have had the guts to do it otherwise. I just can't get over how much he chews. It's almost has if he has a full set of teeth rather than none.

We FINALLY have a nice little routine going

Breakfast at 8
Nap at 9/9:30
Lunch at 11-12
Long nap from 12:30/1 ish
Sippy cup bottle thing at 3
Supper at 5
Bedtime boob 7ish

Sadly I am not awaiting to be awarded the order of sir gina because he is locked in to this bloody 4:30 am wake/feed. I have tried LORD KNOWS I have tried to tackle this the kind way but fear that a touch of the old CCs is the only thing that will work and I am not sure I can do it though DP seems to be quite up for it. Not sure they hear the sobs in the same way we do. Mind you he hasn't yet heard a sob. I only have done really once when I hadn't heard him wake early from a nap and he was doing the whole gulping air thing.
ugh.
awful awful awful. Oh well.
Oh and also man for a such a wee one this little guy has some will power. He even wakes himself up if I have settled him to remind me that in fact this is feeding time not sleeping time hatcherly mummy.
I thought once they self settled then it was a couple of jiggles back to sleep and you were done.

He is doing very funny long stridey type steps and is now doing it holding on to me with one hand and the kitchen cupboard handles with the other. He looks so deep in concentration, as if he were mountain climbing which I suppose for him he kind of is. Bless him.

But bless him more if he drops that wake up without intervention

rogue I saw some mums in a cafe all with their little littlies and had such a pang of jealousy. Oh to be at the start again. I am enjoying every minute with G don't get me wrong but there is something so magical about those early weeks and months somehow. I kind of felt like I had some magical spell of protection spun over me...

wasabi updates please! are you still being an amazing domestic goddess? I have got the jamie oliver 20 minute meals app on my phone which is currently changing my life, and DP's for the better, but still haven't worked out how on earth I can bake when G needs to be picked up or walked or jiggled around every 5 minutes.

head I hope your first week back is going well. I will be very interested to hear all about it. How many hours are you doing? including and exlcuding commute? Is it hard to leave F? Is she still boobing? So jealous of your kitten - but not the weeing bit.

blue are you still going to the gym? at 7 all i want to do is drink my beer, make supper and get ready for masterchef the professionals. My energy is all gone by then. Do you have to force yourself to go but then perk up once you are there?

Right. Must go to bed since I will be up again in exactly 6 hours.

nightie night tout le monde xxxx

Apologies for lack of commas. I am to tired to put them in. It's how I speak though. I have to take massive intakes of breath every now and again to cope

HI guys. Shall I just skip the usual apologies about my irregular posting and crack right on?

Well we?re still the sickie house! Poor Clara has been hacking away for the last few days and I have come down with the nastiest cold I?ve had in a long time. It?s an absolute sticker ? having to knock back the old Night Nurse to get any sleep at all. This is combined with the return of AF good and proper. Haven?t bled this heavily since Clara was born so feeling very sorry for myself. I?m also desperately worried about my Dad who has been struggling to shake off a fluey type virus for a month now. The GP has sent him for a load of tests and he?s having a chest xray today. I?m so scared as my Dad has smoked for the last 50 years. Silly bugger. I think it?s fairly obvious what the GP is concerned about but I can?t even bring myself to type it. Anyway, I am trying to keep busy to distract myself.

Our only real news other than the usual day to day stuff and a constant procession of snotty noses, coughs, eye infections etc. is that we have 2 new kittens in the Peanut house. They are both chilling on the sofa next to me and are very cute indeed. We got them from Cats Protection League. Bertie is about 15 weeks now and is basically a needy Labrador trapped in a cats body which is cute when you want kitty cuddles but quite annoying when I?m trying to work  Bree (about 5 months) lived rough for her first 8 weeks so has some serious socialisation issues. She hid in the spare room for her first week and then we thought we?d lost her somehow but she?d found a hidey hole under a kitchen cupboard! She?s getting much better now though and can actually be around people without legging it as soon as someone approaches. She will never really be a lap cat I don?t think but she?s made great strides! We lost our much loved cat a couple of months ago. I didn?t post about it because I was so upset I didn?t want to dwell on it and I was a bit reluctant to get another cat so soon but Freddie persuaded me and then I thought it would be nice to have 2 so they could keep each other company. It is s bit more work (they can?t go out yet ? go figure) but I?m glad we got them.

Oh great, Clara has just woken. Will have to do personals later ? will be back tonight I promise.
Love to all xx

Hello strangers. For the first time in ages I've given in and popped on to read how you're all doing and there's Bella asking how I am. I am on fb. I think I still have a yahoo e-mail account you can message me on to get my real name - it's issy42(dot)mumsnet(at)yahoo(dot)com - hope I can remember the password.

Seems there's lots of bugs going round, hope everyone is better soon. Sounds like you and bubs are all doing wonderfully though.

JJF - Try Dunelm mill for cheapish thick curtains. I have some chenille ones in my downstairs rooms which are great. They were about £100 for the largest size although I got the second pair in Jan sales - a few years ago now but they still have them.

DD is doing well. She's way behind in her development but getting there - she's gone from only being able to sit unaided for a few seconds last week to sitting happily for 10 minutes or more this week - strange how they suddenly get it, but she's not doing any of the 'at 7 months' things on the babycentre website yet. Still tiny - wearing 3-6 month clothes at nearly 11 months old - but was nearly on the 9th percentile at last week's weighing. Must have been a growth spurt though as she's been really sick this week so valve and oesophagus must be out of sync again. Will prob do her usual trick of staying the same weight until she ends up on the 0.4th percentile again. Can't believe I'm already planning her first birthday party.

Not back to work until mid-December. How are you feeling about the CSR? Thankfully my higher pension contributions and a new workplace parking levy will just about keep me under the 40% tax band so will keep minimum tax credits and child benefit. Though with a 40% cut to the uni's teaching budget I might be out of a job anyway - at least I'd get more time with DD and would be ok as long as I got another job after 6 months.

Just realised the time, must go and defrost some ice cubes for dd's dinner. It's lovely to read how you're all doing. Take care, Is x

issy!!!!!!!! I'm so pleased to hear from you. I couldn't remember if I had asked after you on here or not and in fact when I saw your name as the last poster I hoped I had.

No time to post as have a complete state of a kitchen to clear up. How are you feeling about going back to work? Will it be part time? Will you come back on here? Shit man, got to sort out my facebook account.

wasabi so so sorry to hear about all the illness, particularly your dad. Fingers crossed it's just a stubborn bug xxxxxxxxxxxxx 2 new kittens though. That's got to help a bit :) hope they're not weeing outside of the litter tray. That smell is so hard to get rid of. nice.

anyway. i'm so tired after a long day visiting my friend who is about to have twins, first dc, and planning to have people round on NYE. nutter. Must clean the kitchen with my last remaining bar of energy.

Have a great weekend everyone.

oh and have you read the thread about fitting work round your children. Nearly made me throw my computer out the window. [hangry]

Hi All and Issy - lovely to hear from you!!!

Just marking my page, will be back tomorrow for catch up as the couch is calling me xx

Just popping on briefly to wave a huge hello to Issy! So so lovely to hear from you :) Please don't worry at all about DD's developmental milestones- DS was exactly the same, but they get there in the end and usually by the age of 2 or 3 you wouldn't be able to tell such premmies from their term peers- certainly aged 5 DS is just doing great, but it's hard in the first year when people ask how old they are and you constantly have to explain that they're premature...
Glad you've had the full year off work, and hope the cuts don't affect you. Will try emailing soon to get your FB id! x

wasabi sending huge hugs re your Dad. We lost my BIL's father to lung cancer 2 weeks ago. It is utterly devastating for my BIL and my sister, so very untimely :( I really hope it's not that and he starts to get better very soon. We are also the house of horrid cold viruses too, though DD1 was give the wonder antibiotic azithromycin which has some anti-viral action too and so at least she's kicked it. I'm also finally experiencing my first AF (not bad after 11 months- mind you had mirena coil in 4 months after DD2 was born so that has no doubt delayed it too) and man the pain is bad! Coupled with the cold I would happily hibernate but sadly work beckons plus my dear mama is over for a few days so trying to get out and about etc.... Really hope your DCs and you are better v soon.

Bella very much feel for you re the work situation. It sucks. So hard to find something you can happily juggle (if there is such a thing) with DCs- that doesn't involve a long commute, that has some degree of flexibility and doesn't demand working extra hours in eves etc etc.... And that's interesting or worthy in some way and paid at least reasonably?!?
George's routine looks fab! so glad he's eating well again for you. How is the 4am waking? Hopefully he'll grow out of that pretty soon without you having to resort to the controlled crying, but this is a difficult age where the gentler sleep training methods become less effective.. I am absolutely dreading "training" Ffion to settle herself and start to sleep longer stretches, but I really know the time has come to do it as soon as I can sort the logistics of grandparents minding the older DCs....I am just so exhausted I'm finally seeing the end of my tolerance for the endless night wakings/cosleeping etc. But also feel bad that it's my fault she's got into these habits. Motherhood is so tough :(

Right, my mum and dad (who are divorced) have managed to fall out again big time over us so I have to go mediate. Argh.

Love to all x

Hey again and apologies for not posting last night. DH and me ended up watching one of the 'Twilight' films, the first one in fact . Oh to be a 17 year old girl in love with a vampire [henvy]. Have had to stop myself googling 'Robert Pattison' at work (calm down you almost 40 year old [hschock]).

Issy thanks for posting and letting us all know how you and Eira are doing. Hope jumping has reassured you about milestones and developments. Sorry to hear Eira has been sickly... Will email you later to try and hook up on FB, would love to see some photos of you both [hsmile]. Lucky you getting a whole year off and managing to keep your Child Benefit, if only just..

Jumping - sorry you have to mediate over your parents. Can relate as I've been there (and mine are still married, (God knows how...) Feel for you (and Bella) re: work/life balance. It's just a case of trying to make the best of it most of the time and you seem to juggle everything so well. Its just so difficult to as you say have a stimulating and interesting job that ALSO is family friendly and fleixible hours. The modern conundrum . When are you doing your sea trip? We need recent photos of Ffion on FB please! Oh and I joined you in the fringe front, got one cut back in for wedding on Friday, liking it still four days on...

Bella I didn't read that thread, was there lots of people posting that we should all stay at home and write novels a la Jilly Cooper [henvy] [hangry]?

Bella - you keep stirring that cauldron girl and high five for G's routine. My tuppence worth re: his 4am wake up. Benj did similar between 5-6 months, used to wake at 5am and DH went in to settle him. Sometimes all that entailed was him cuddling him until 6.30am but sometimes he did go back over. He can stir now anytime between 5.30-6.30am but doesn't do his "Mummy, I'm UP!" shout until at least 6.30am...

I try and drag my large ar*e to the gym three times a week, normally on a Tue/Thurs after the boys are asleep as I'm with them all day and dont' feel like I'm work/tea/gym. In reality I end up getting there on a Thurs night if I'm lucky as it takes monumental effort to put my gym gear on when my dressing gown is hanging up looking all cosy and the couch ditto. Actually managed a spin classs two Saturdays ago but only becuase DS1's footie class was off due to school hols and DH could man the fort. I will get there and at £50 a bleedin' month, I better

wasabi - so to hear you worrying about your DDad. Keeping my fingers crossed it isn't what you are fearing... You've had a right dose of the lurgy recently, get armed with some Vit.C tablets and ecanacia (Sp?). Your new cats sound adorable, hope the feral one settles soon, what a lovely thing to do getting then from cat protection league.

Head - how is the old BBC? Still there?!

Are any of you doing Halloween? Isaac is dressing as Luke Skywalker (from Return of the Jedi, all black boots and well black everything else) and Ben is going as a spider, not just any spider though, the cutest spider in the world [hsmile]. We have playgroup and nursery parties this week and will be bust with guisers over thw eekend as our street is children-tastic!

Right lunch over at work, back to work x

Just quickly(haha how often have I said that!)
Issy I tried emailing that address and it bounced back with a technical failure message...:(

Blue post a pic of the new haircut! I am still liking my fringe but realise now that I'll have to get a haircut more frequently (rather than my useless 6-12 month haircuts of the past....) as fringe is getting too loong already... I am a v low maintenance style girl (I would say due to my overly hectic life, but the truth is that I'm quite lazy about my appearance regrettably!)

Your gym regime sounds good- I am attempting the same, aiming for 3 times a week but don't ever get in over the weekend (as it's not open in eves and never seem to get a chance before kids are in bed) so not always making that goal! Finding it increasingly hard to drag myself out in the dark/wet/cold.... But must keep going as know it's good for me really!

Had awful night with Ffion coupled with feeling bad about my parenting skills following comments from my dear mum so off to bury myself in the endless pile of work on my desk :(

Hope everyone's ok xxx

quick lurk jumping I think its .co.uk not .com as it bounced back for me but not when I changed to latter.

Off to playgroup x

Oh and Jumping - you are a GREAT I repeat GREAT Mum

And another thing, my hairdresser does free 'fringe trims' between cuts, maybe check it out?

Off this time xx

Thank you Blue that email address works :) and thank you for the moral support too. Enjoy playgroup with your gorgeous boys xx

Ok so I didn?t quite make it back last Friday but I do get there in the end. Thank you for all of your lovely messages about my Dad. You are all just gorgeous and I want to give you all big virtual hugs. Actually I?d quite like to give you all real life hugs but maybe that?s one for another day! The good news is that my Dad looks like he?ll be ok. The xray picked up a partially collapsed lung caused by pneumonia. The GP called him on Monday with the xray result from Friday and told him to get to the hospital pronto. They scanned him again to check it hadn?t got any worse and did loads of other tests to check nothing more sinister was lurking and mercifully nothing was found. He has to go back for a CT scan in a week or so but so far is feeling much better after some turbo charged antibiotics. He has promised never to smoke again. He actually gave up about 3 weeks ago when he started getting the breathlessness but has been given extra resolve by spending a couple of nights in a ward full of people with respiratory illnesses. It?s all a bit late in the day but I guess even giving up at his age can be beneficial.

I?m just so relieved although still concerned about both my parents. They have lost a lot of weight (Mum has had shingles just to top it all off) and I have this urge to look after them. They are coming over at the weekend so at least I can feed them properly. I?m sure they don?t bother at home a lot of the time.

JumpingI?m so sorry to read about your BIL?s father being lost to lung cancer. I can only imagine what your sister and he must have gone though. The whole thing has been a bit of a kick to me as I suspect it has been to my parents. I wonder if this is the start of the tables turning and me starting to care for them when once they cared for me. I?m kind of ok with that as I always knew it would happen one day but my parents seem somewhat less accepting. I hope that your health issues are, as you say, just a blip. God only knows how you fit the gym in. It is important to try and look after ourselves if we spend our lives looking after others but it is so difficult to find the time. When is your kidney scan?

On a happier note I am thrilled that you now have a dishwasher. I hope it makes your exceptionally busy life a lot easier. I?m so glad to hear that Ffion is being such a cutie pie. They are exceptionally scrumptious when the whole ?hey get me, I can stand? thing starts. The night thing is so difficult. As you know my own record on getting tough isn?t exactly great. It may be that the 48 hours at sea are actually a good thing. Clara only started taking bottles when I physically left the house so perhaps the same principle may apply ? if Mummy isn?t available for snuggles perhaps Ffion will decide that she fancies being a bit more independent.

As for the career struggles, well I can totally relate. I have to work in the evenings sometimes and sparking up a lappy at 7.30pm when all I want to do is collapse in a heap is very challenging. Spending long periods of time with children just does something bad to your brain. Having to switch it on again after 13 hours plus of Mummy time is soooo hard. I try to limit evening work to amends and edits but it?s not always possible, deadlines being as they are. Working in academic research sounds fabulous in many ways but I can see how difficult it is.

Boy this is already a mega post and I?ve only done one personal! I think to stop everyone groaning when they see my giant posts I will do one more now and the rest tomorrow! So...........

Bella ! How the devil are you? So is the teaching thing on hold for now? This is a shame I think you would be a lovely teacher. You seem wise but also not the type to take any cr*pola ? key for teaching I think. Your frustration at the difficulty of fitting paid employment and a family together is palpable. I have to get my feminist hat on here and say that women just can?t win. There is pressure to stay at home for the early years and yet we have an economy that is completely geared to dual earning households. Oh yes and people like Siralan of Sugar saying how unreasonable it is to expect companies to employ women because well, they will just go and get pregnant won't they? It?s just bloody impossible.

I have continued working because if I stop completely I?ll have to start at the bottom again with all the 21 year old graduates. IT firms (and it is IT marketing that I specialise in ? my background prior to that was IT sales) don?t employ 40 plus year old women which is what I would be when returning in a few years. If I completely stop working now, even for a couple of years, my career is over.

Basically, every woman compromises in some way. I hope that you can find a way that works for you.

G sounds like he is coming on brilliantly. My little C is still doing what look like yoga moves on the floor but no pulling up or cruising action yet. She doesn?t quite crawl but is sort of creeping ? getting about but not efficiently! I think she might be one of those babies that crawl with one leg sticking out. Is the Bella dairy still open? C has decided she actually prefers bottles now I think as she gets the goods faster! She only has one boob a day now first thing in the morning. She seems to have dropped the mid morning milk ? just isn?t fussed at all. Has about 3oz of formula after her afternoon kip and similar before bedtime and that seems to be taking her through. She eats a lot! Has prob about 50% spoon and 50% self fed although she is starting to get a lot more assertive. She?ll take a spoon if she?s really hungry but I think as soon as she isn?t super hungry anymore she demands control! I am gradually just letting her the lead more and more but my goodness can she make a mess. The cats totally lucked out getting a new house with a weaning baby in it!

Lol at the idea of me being a domestic goddess. If you could see the state of my kitchen half the time you would declare me a slattern of the worst kind.

Right, more tomorrow. Until then........xx