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

ladies! have come over all warm and fuzzy to be in contact again!
it's nice to have the old threads to look back on from time to time isn't it miss blue?
Excellent ideas for food thanks so much. I whack everything in the freezer too so that my mum who is a pants cook and the nanny can give him quali'y food but then find I can't be arsed to do anything spesh when i am off so i must pull my finger back out again. i have massively fallen out of the cooking zone lately as once g is down i just want to drink booze flop. HTat's why it is good to be in touch with you lot because you all run around like madwomen achieving achieving achieving! I so easily slip back to sluglady. i need you lot to motivate me

G loves his food too and can put away a really quite extraordinary amount, having said that he doesn't like things i haven't done well which is quite funny, discerning at 14 months old, yeesh. DP has been giving him the weirdest things to eat like baked beans with chopped frankfurters for breakfast and he gave him a whole packet of mini cheddars at the pub the other day. mentalist. 'oh he drank loads of water today' 'no shit!!'

skiing and sunshine and fine cuisine in Italy sounds AMAZING you lucky things. We are going to Siciliy in the summer. can't bloody wait. am salivating at the thought of your FILs home cooking...

big squeezy hugs all round must go and watch telly cook some amazing meals.

my one to throw in is risotto. butternut squash and chicken and mushroom. mAkes him smack his lips!

lots of love ladies. a bientot xxxx

Ok, I?m going to do a short summary of the last few weeks which have, in all honesty, been a bit shit. I may well have to do a post today and one tomorrow! As I think you all know my Dad did indeed have lung cancer. Fortunately it was early stage and the evidence indicated that the tumour was localised. Around 10 days after diagnosis he had the lower part of one lung removed and a 5cm tumour with it. Post op biopsy showed all surrounding fluid and tissue clear. Recovered well from surgery and prognosis good. He has to decide now whether to take the offer of a short course of chemo. Whilst there is no spread at the moment they obviously can?t rule out the possibility of the odd cancerous cell still kicking around. They have given Dad the info and a whole load of stuff to look up and he has to decide ? interestingly they don?t recommend one way or another. It?s a very personal decision. I want him to have it but we?ll see.

Two days after my Dads diagnosis my mother collapsed whilst visiting him. We?d made our way to the hospital separately that day and I came in to find my Mum on the floor surrounded by about 20 docs and nurses and my poor Dad standing looking horrified. She just dropped like a stone and the nurse couldn?t find a pulse so did CPR. I spent the rest of the day between A & E resuss and the respiratory ward. After various tests no cause found ? just a faint really. The faint pulse could have been caused by anything but unfortunately in the process she got a rib cracked so was in a lot of pain and unable to drive so she was staying with us all the time my Dad was up at Guys.

It?s all been a big strain and F & C had to go and stay with DH?s parents in Norfolk for a few days so I could get up to London and look after my mum. That was just horrid I missed them desperately. The house was so quiet and I just felt drained and flat. The worry about my Dad was a huge part of that of course but I realised how much energy I get from the kids as well as how much they take from me IYSWIM. To add to the general unhappiness I had a fair bit of work on at the time. My view (and my parents) was that me turning down work wouldn?t get my Dad better any quicker but it was really hard. The first week Dad was in London I was working at night afterwards and the 2nd week when the children were back I was getting up at 5 every morning to try and get a couple of hours in. Now, thank heavens I have a bit of a break and some time to enjoy normality.

God, this reads like a complete misery fest. Here is the good news.
C is walking! Only wobbles for maybe around 10 or so steps so far but is looking less wobbly by the day. She babbles a lot but only discernable words are ?dada,? ?bye bye? (which comes out as ?die die!?) and, bizarrely, ?tickle.? Whenever I touch her little toes she bursts into giggles and says ?tickle, tickle, tickle.? She also has an endearing habit of wobbling up to me and sort of collapsing against me for a cuddle and saying ?aaaahhhh.? She is still generally very happy and chilled and adores her big bro.

She cut about 6 teeth in a month which was scary ? and it barely put her off her food. We all seem to have very foodie babies! You are all clearly giving AK a run for her money. She tends to have whatever is left from the previous night. Hangover stew a particular fave ? although possibly not a brilliantly named dish for a younster. Hangover stew is an old recipe that DH and I always used to have pre-kids when we were hungover! Sausage casserole type thing with mustardy, veg stock liquid, onions, carrots, celery, parsley and lots of mixed beans. It?s lush and just feels full of goodness. We eat it on its own but I tend to add rice or mash for C. She also loves, as does her brother, things like chilli with lots of guacamole and sour cream. Sometimes I do jacket spuds with various bits mixed into the flesh with sour cream and that always goes down a treat. Oh yes, and home-made cheese & potato pies also popular, pasta etc. She will also eat anything provided I chuck some pesto on or in it.

F is a fussy so and so at times. Not keen on meat and fish bar sausages and mince! I have to process all of his food ? I make ?turkeynaise? for example which is just Bolognese with turkey mince. He won?t touch chicken (nope, not even nuggets) so unless I hide stuff in sauces it?s a big no no. He is just resistant to anything new. Eventually he tries it and most of the time he eats some but he just seems to resent actually having to sit still and eat. I?m pretty strict though I have to admit. I don?t get cross but if he doesn?t eat a reasonable amount he doesn?t get pudding or any snacks until next meal. I suppose I should just be grateful he likes veg.

He is lovely though, they both are. There were moments in the last few weeks where I felt pretty bleak but I had to put on a happy face for the children. They kept me going. Even at quite miserable times one of them would say or do something so funny and just for a second I could still feel pure joy even amidst the gloom. That?s what they give you I guess. I got one of F?s nursery reports recently and I could have just burst with pride. Apparently he chats about home all the time and he?s just so chatty and enthusiastic about everything.

Anyway, speaking of chattiness I have mega posted. Will review and do personals either tomorrow or Thursday xx

oh wasabi what an awful and traumatic time for you. you must still be reeling from it all xxx
Big hugs to you and yes thank god for the kids. HAving to keep on going is good but sometimes you just need a big old cry too.hope you have had some for that too xx

Wasabs :( What a crappy time you're having. So sorry to hear about your mum. How blimming frightening, and broken ribs are just rubbish. You can't even laugh, let alone cough, sneeze, poo.... miserable. I hope she gets better soon. Really glad to hear your dad's cancer op was successful. It must be horrible to have to face the prospect of chemo too, but I would be like you, better safe than sorry.

I really feel for you having to be parted from your babies at that time too. Much as they are hard work, it's so nice to be able to cuddle up and kiss a warm soft neck. You're so right, they do give us energy. I know if I didn't have my two around I'd collapse in a heap.

How lovely that C is walking and talking. It's so lovely hearing their little voices isn't it? Francesca has added poo and boo to her lexicon. Hmmm lovely!

That hangover stew sounds fab, might have to pinch try that one out... I've just tried out a fab baked spanish risotto recipe someone posted on here, really yummy and no stirring!

F sounds just like Luca when it comes to food, I'm becoming an expert at hiding meat in things... he has lots of pasta because I can hide things in liquidised sauces. He rarely eats meat, the odd chicken nugget maybe, so I hide it in all sorts of wacky places. I think they sound pretty similar in many other ways actually, Luca never stops talking either. He just doesn't have an off button, even now that his voice is croaky and he finds it difficult to talk!

I'm at work at the moment so I'd better finish up. I hope things perk up soon Wasabi, the sun is shining and it's springtime yipeee :o

Hiya to everyone else, hope all are well and enjoying sunshine and daffodils!

Hi guys

wasabi - Hope you felt better for posting the other night. So very sorry you've had a tough time with your Mum collapsing, that must have been such an awful thing to walk in and see her surrounded by doctors . She was probably so worried about your Dad that she wasn't eating or sleeping. Being away from F and C to so no light relief or distraction..

I really hope things get easier and your Mum and Dad's strength returns. My parents are 74 and 72 and in rude health (touch wood). I have a totally head in sand attitude when I think of them getting ill and frail but its going to happen one day and it will completely floor me.

Your two sound just delightful, well done at the walking and at the cuddling of leg. We get that but its cuddling of cheek to cheek (as he can't toddle over to leg ) when holding B, we go cuddle? and he presses his cheek up against ours. It's quite our party piece .

We've been off all week and up at the family caravan for a few days. Just lovely and hope to create many memories there watching the boys grow. I can see us there is 10 years with Isaac wanting to hang out with the girls and me being a toal to him. he he.

DS's are at nursery today so DH and me have been blitzing the house and garden and we're running out of time to get everyhting done but I wanted to chill for 10 mins so here I am.

I need to up the ante food wise as need to get a better mix of tastes and textures me thinks. I'm a bit if it ain't broke don't fix it but home made pies and hangover stew sound delicious.

Better get back to weedkilling the clover. I swear it would survive a nuclear war - hurumph.

Hope the flows tonight and the sun shines all weekend x

OK, well it took me a week to get back to you but here I am. DH is out with work and I am half watching a program called If Walls Can Talk which is all about the history of various rooms in the house . I love all this social history stuff ? it bores DH to tears but he humours me.

Thank you all for your lovely kind words. I must admit I wondered if I should take a break from the thread as I seem to always have something else I feel like I should be doing but I would miss you all so much. Facebook keeps me vaguely in touch but it can?t beat a more wordy discussion. Did the whole idea of meeting up fizzle out? I would love to meet you all properly I must say. I feel very attached to you all!

Well it?s been a fairly uneventful week chez Peanut which is pretty nice really. I have been concentrating on domestic duties in the absence of work in the last couple of weeks which I have rather enjoyed. Plus this beautiful weather of course. Everything seems easier in the sunshine. I have MIL, FIL, BIL & SIL plus a rather cute nearly 2 year old nephew arriving on Good Friday until the Monday so starting to think about that and what I am going to feed everyone. Can?t wait to see F do his first Easter Egg hunt too! My Dad has a meet with his oncologist tomorrow to make a decision on the chemo. He has a list of questions and depending on the answers he will decide then. We?ll see.

Soooo, personals!

Bella I?m so glad that you are enjoying your work and that they are giving you juicy stuff and not fobbing you off (the latter being the experience of one lawyer mate if mine). I do know what you mean about the difficulty in putting different personalities on for different days of the week. I used to struggle, although working in marketing meant it didn?t matter too much if I was still a bit dreamy Fab that you are in your own place again too. I can?t even begin to imagine how stressful it would be to live with my parents. We do all love each other dearly you understand but struggle under the same roof.

I chuckled at your mention of G rearranging your cupboards. You know he and C really are cyber twins because it is C?s favourite hobby too. I try to encourage her to play with toys and all she wants to do is check out the fridge. This is a lovely in between age ? all that wobbly pottering around is just adorable. I?m afraid the attraction to ?Baby Blackpool? type places will probably remain. Anything with garish colours, flashy lights and loud noises seems to be a winner. F has always loved soft play which I basically hate but tolerate if the weather is bad. I much prefer him hooning around in the great outdoors but sometimes that just doesn?t work.

Oh yes and to answer your question C most definitely does not walk outside. She refuses to wear shoes and screams blue murder whenever I try to put them on. She also hates walking outside bare foot so we are a little challenged on the outdoor front. I was so excited buying her first shoes ? it may be the biggest waste of cash yet.

Rogue How did your driving test go? I couldn?t find a mention on FB sp not sure if that is good or bad! Speaking of FB I love your new profile pic ? so sweet. A is just beautiful. Are you still taking her swimming? DH and I took F a lot at that age and he still loves the water and hopefully always will. DH takes him on a Sunday morning most weeks and he loves it. C was less convinced but we?ll persevere. How is weaning A going? Is she doing that commando crawling yet where she drags herself along with her elbows and a vast degree of determination? I love commando crawling babies ? they just look so cute. I hope your new doggy doesn?t pinch anymore of your biscuits!

Head Your skiing trip looked and sounded fabulous. Are you and DH a whiz on the slopes? How did the boy get on? He looked proper cool in his gear! I have never been skiing I am far too old and scared to try now. DH used to go before he met me with all his posh university friends (they really are posh as well ? bear in mind he did a horticulture course so all his mates were doing farming/land management type courses and between them they seem to own a fair chuck of East Anglia) but despite me saying I didn?t mind he didn?t want to go on holiday without me after our first few months together. I would quite like the kids to ski though. I can?t help feeling that my failure to embrace the concept has limited my middle class credentials .

Loving reading about F?s first words! Especially ?yeah.? To cool for school! Yes, I have thought before that Fred and Luca sound remarkably similar! Both chatterboxes who really resent having to sit still to actually eat a meal. I thought if you had Italian roots you were just born with a desire to have fabulous family meals but I guess it doesn?t always follow! I also laugh when C throws one of her increasingly frequent tantrums. She can be such a madam ? if she can?t get to something she wants she just goes loopy. She has been a delightful baby on the whole but I suspect trouble ahead. She grabbed a fistful of Fred?s hair the other day prompting howls of outrage from Fred. I detached her little fist and said ?Clara NO, we don?t pull hair? in one of those very low but slightly forceful voices you use and she stared me out for about 5 seconds. It was a stare that was full of attitude. I have a feeling she may be a bit of a handful for the next 18 months. My friends with daughters say they are really hard work as toddlers and I am starting to see why.

Blue Congratulations to you and Mr. Blue on your 7th anniversary. Thank you also for interesting info on the origins of the term ?7 year itch!? Your time in St Andrews sounds lovely. After being waist deep in snow a few months ago it must be nice to kick back in the Spring weather. It?s so nice to think of memories being created isn?t it? I?m glad to see I?m not the only one looking forward to embarrassing their teenagers.

Is B still enjoying his music class? C goes to Monkey Music and seems to love it. It?s the only scheduled ?activity? I do with her (poor second baby, Fred got to do loads of stuff) and we go when F is at nursery. B pressing his little cheek against yours on command (!) is just lovely. Those moments are just utterly priceless. Soft, squidgy, heavenly smelling baby soft skin is just the most divine thing ever. Oh Lord, I?m getting broody again. Noooooooooooooooo.

Enjoy the forthcoming bank holiday fest everyone!

Muchos love to all xx

Just a mini sneaky post to say wasabi when I read your line "I feel very attached to you all" I first read it as "I feel very attracted to you all" {grin]

As you were. Back for catch up ra morra.

Well I for one am looking very hot so I couldn't blame ya!
wasabi thanks so much for posting again. I know what you mean about taking a break from posting - but we kind of all did didn't we. That;s what's nice about it I think - we can waft in and out a bit with no hard feelings. I am still hoping sunny and issy and jelly will pop by and give us a quick update one of these days.

blue congratulaziones on 7 years of being marriaged. that is fab. :)

my brief update is a tale of one almighty clusterfuck (not sure that's the right use of it but just like the word!)

On Sunday morning i was home alone with Mr G. I was getting dressed for the day when I heard a sploosh. Yes, twas my iphone down the kazi.
kaput. no insurance .
I then went to finish packing to leave for last minute mini break to Paris and realised that G's passport was nowhere to be found and definitely not in it's specialy allocated spot. To cut a long story short DP therefore had to go alone with his teenage DD and her mate and I had to stay home alone with G. Tried to work out a way of leaving G here for a couple of days but it couldn't be done. Oh my God I was so gutted. The only upside was that I got to spend a few days totally alone with G and we got super super close. It was lovely. but really. rdiculous behaviour on my part to lost your only child's bloody only photo iD. anyway the passport has vanished from the earth so i can only assume it was a casualty of the move. I went in to uber achieving mode on monday as a result. I was ticking off my to do list like there's no tomorrow. DP has still got the slight hump with me though :( Hopefully everything will be back to normal soon. My mum said she would take G for a couple of nights in May so hopefully we will manage something.

head I was very jealous of the skiing trip with ridiculously delicious food too. in fact i still am if i stop to think about it!

oh and DP cut G's hair again. He looks a bit like he did it himself. I love him dearly but

anyway. soz all a bit me and non-child related but had to share.

Irish how are you? thank you for keeping the thread alive!! and yes i saw your profile pic. very very sweet nomnomnom

ugh last thing someone bought their 6 month old baby to work today and i had a proper cuddle and could just feel the eggs popping in my ovaries. I just think my life would be unmanageable with 4 DSC and 2 DC and a job and a DP...
I will have to decide one day but am a bit worried as there is no right answer in this situation. Anyway - discussion for another day that one but it is confusning isn't the should i have any more question? it's not like your hormones ever quite give up on the idea however ridiculous it would be in reality...

too tired to check for typos I am sorry. early early start for me again, \oh and wasabi it was a fluke really with the cool case. It just came in at the right time really. but I am enjoying being the lucky one while it lasts. :)

big group hug

Oh Bella sorry to hear of your various culmative mini debacles and that you feel slightly in the <a class="break-all" href="http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=www.doggiedeliveries.com/images/doghouse400.jpg&imgrefurl=www.doggiedeliveries.com/dog_gifts/dog_house_dog_treat_jar.html&usg=__tjWrml-cT5jUemYubBs2WbFVzIw=&h=427&w=400&sz=25&hl=en&start=7&zoom=1&tbnid=eJsWrsWcNyudgM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=118&ei=-jaoTZehN8Kx8QPW6amnBg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddog%2Bhouse%26hl%3Den%26gbv%3D2%26tbm%3Disch&itbs=1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">here with DP. Keeping those plates spinning is blardy hard, something has to slip occassionally (not down the loo tho'!). My friend's DH works offshore and was three days late for their summer hol last year as his passport was still in the North Sea rather than in his bag. His face when he realised was (quote, unquote) 'A picture of pure undiluted horror'.

I hear you re: the hormones... Mine keep siding up to me and nudging me in a "och, go on" way. My cons list is pages long (emotionally, financially, family harmony, relationship harmony...) my pros list has 'baby, possibly pink in flavour' Slap me, slap me now!

My B is scheduled for his first haircut next week (gulp). Its long enough to get a bobble in the back but his ears and fringe are way too long and straggly so we're off to get it 'neatened up'.

wasabi How did your Dad's appointment go? Lovely to hear you had a nice couple of dometsic days pottering with the DCs . Had to at your DH's friend's owning a huge chunk of East Anglia statement and your lack of skiing skills excluding you from being a fully paid up member of the chattering classes . Yes B goes to 'Musical Minors' is in the 'Baby Band' and loves it. Its a mix of tunes we know, classical instrumental (when we free style round the hall, no really) bubbles, ribbons the whole nine yards.

Have a good weekend everyone and air punch to mucho bank holidays over the coming weeks.. Knew it was a good idea me working mon/Wed/Fri - I hit them all

laters!

Just a quickie to say how much I enjoyed Bella's use of the term clusterfuck.

Love it.

Oh, and Fred chucked my iphone out of his bedroom window from his cot (after I left it on his windowsill when he was around 18 months. I didn't have insurance either.

Just a really quick one from me to say blue am very jealous of the baby band!! That sounds amazinf!

G seems to be really into music (bit pfb of me since apparently, arent' they are all etc ;) ) he moves like stevie wonder from side to side when his favourite choons come on.. i love it. actually he also does a sort of hands in the air rave move which I also ree-speck. He goes to Rhyme Time with his nanny. (yes I do appreciate that makes me sound like I am married to one of wasabi's DH's friends

bon weekend tout le monde xx

psblue result with the hols for you. I am covering for my job share who is on hols so will be working 4 days for two of the weeks. wish i hadn't been such an eager beaver now!

Good morning ladies

Gosh I stop posting for a week and suddenly you are all back. Yay.

Muchos gracias for the compliments on the pic - my friend came home from Seoul and took a few for me - that was the cutest.

Re the driving test - well I left A at my Dad's, drove off to the testing centre, sat there for about ten minutes and then the tester came out and said it was "too foggy" for a driving test. I couldnt' believe it had psyched myself up for it and then it was such a let down. next date is 18th of May will keep you posted.

I have a wedding the 6th of May and my friend has just asked me to do one of the prayers for her. A will be staying with various Sisters for the day/night as it's child free. DH has college the next day though so it will be an early enough start again for us.

Head am also jealous of your skiing/gourmet holiday. DH has been skiing but I never have - it's not something I have very much interest in tbh. When we go en famille (MIL has decreed that she will bring us to Whistler) I will enjoy my pampering in various spas etc. while they all go skiing.

wasabi so glad to hear your Dad came through the op. Let us know how the chat withte honcologist goes- it's so hard isn't it?

Bella Gos that sounded like you had a bit of a mare alright - I know what it's like to have the scramble for passports etc. before going away. Shame aboutr your iphone too. My story about a phone is when DH and I were in Malta for a friend's wedding. He had my phone in his shorts and went to the beach with the guys. Forgot the phoen was in his pcket and that was my phone gone. Luckily I work for a mobile phone company so I get a replacement pretty quicky.

Blue I love the idea of the Baby Band. it would be so cool. Also go you for the bank holiday bonanza. I also read wasabi's line as being attracted to us

Ladies any tips on how to get A to sleep longer in the day - she has about 30 - 40 minutes of a nap twice a day - and the only time she will go longer is if I bring her out when am walking the dogs. At present the only way to get her to nap is to put her in the buggy and push it back and forth - whilst on MN cleaning the house/preparing dinner.
Regarding weaning - the shild seems to eat everything - except Hummus. DH tried her with Marmite the other day (bleugh) and she loved it. Was sucking the toast for all she's worth. I feed her whar twe have so shepherd's pie, chicken pasta bake, fish cakes, she's even had steak, roast dinners etc. It's going quite well.

Right beter go this is a marathon post - will reread later and see what I missed -

talk to you all soon

SO Ladies,

It's now May and I have only got 2 months left at home with little A.

Hope you all enjoyed the RW - wasabi how did the street party go? I sat and watched it with A and she was bopping to the music - I thought it was great.

Have had a stray dog with us since Saturday and will have to put him to the pound tomorrow as there is no one looking for him and it's so sad. I can't take him in because we have taken in another pound a month ago. He is a fab dog though.

We were meant to go to a wedding (child free) on Friday coming but now have to go to a funeral in the UK for DH's gran's funeral. It means that we will get to see his aunt, his father and maybe even a friend or two. We are going to drive over and then be easy enough to have our own plans and not expect other people to drive us around especialy with A.

Anyway no other news - I am so tired as A has regressed seriously with her sleeping - she's 8 months and has completely gone back to waking up for about 2 hours at 3 a.m. - after sleeping through for about a month I was sp disappointed.

I'll talk to you all soon hopefully -

Hey rogue I'm here too

Sorry for belated reply to your napping question... My first question would be is Aoife refreshed and happy when she wakes or grumpy and tired? If the former then 40 mins is all she needs, if the latter then have you tried 'setting the scene' looking out for her tired cues etc? How do you judge when you put her down? Have you tried stretching out her morning so her nap is later but hopefuilly longer as she is really ready for it? Of course your post there also talks about her during the night sleep going a bit to pot so . Could she be teething? Is she hungry when she wakes? How much food/milk are you giving her during the 7am-7pm slot?

Its all a bit trial and error...

Fingers crossed your stray dog gets as lovely an owner as you

LOVED the Royal Wedding. Sat on the couch in my jammies from 9am to 2.30pm (boys are at nursery on a Friday) only pausing for loo breaks! Cried as W and H left Clarence House, again when Kate left and it developed into low grade bubbling all through the service especially when they did the birds eye view of cathedral. I thought Kate was pitch perfect and the Middletons nailed it compeletely. The same cannot be said about some other guests but that's been said a gazzillion times. Note to self hats stuck to ones forehead does not a good look make

All good here in bluetowers. B is now walking pushing his 'hello baby calling' walker. Can't stand yet unadied but can walk with me with one hand. He's ripping up a storm still at the baby band and starting to really interact with his big brother which is a joy to watch.

I'm gearing up for big 4-0 at end of the month - yabba dabba do!

Big waves to wasabi, Head, Bella, jumping and Sunnydale

Hellooooooo. Gosh I haven?t missed much ? I know I am crap at regular posting but I would be so upset if this thread conked out completely! After all I am very attracted to you all Not much to report from the Peanut house. Dad has recovered really well from his op and has decided not to go with chemo for the time being. It was a very considered decision and he will be monitored very closely regardless. Basically he could undergo chemo for 3 months but the evidence is that it only prevents cancer returning in 3% of patients in his situation. So, to put it another way it is 97% likely that a horribly gruelling 3 month course of chemo would be pointless. Not an attractive option so I can see why he plumped for just seeing what happens. He is looking very fit and well actually. He is considerably fitter than he has been for years and is now starting to feel the benefits of having giving up the evil weed last Autumn. I know that my parents won?t last forever but I?m glad that awful day is a bit further in the future than I feared it might be.

Still not got any work on at the moment and haven;t had since before Easter which is both nice and a bit worrying. I need to get off my arse and start chasing people but I?m quite liking playing house. Plus........drum roll........DH has a new job. All v exciting and closer to home. It?s more flexible so he?ll be able to have bathtime with the kids then do some work in the evening instead of trogging to and from London every day. And he starts 3 and a half weeks of garden leave this week ? woohoo!! What with the holiday he has just had in between the bank holidays it will be hellish for him when he goes back but we?re going to enjoy some proper family holiday time. The children will love it ? have promised trips to the beach and have just booked 5 days at Centreparks. Wouldn?t have been my destination of choice a few years ago but now seems quite an attractive option! Then we?re going to see some friends in Dublin for a few days in early June.

Bella I hope you?ve managed to avoid any more expensive phone related accidents or general mishaps! Your DP sounds much too nice to have the hump for you for long and the weekend with just you and G does sound rather lovely. As Blue says, juggling for any length of time is always going to result in the odd dropped ball ? er so to speak. I remember when I was still working in London 3 days a week after Fred was born I clean forgot my Mums birthday ? I was mortified. I always remember that sort of thing and I just didn?t. She was fine about it but I wasn?t. Anyway if it makes you feel better I had a moment of utter prattishness a few weeks ago resulting in me badly scraping a car in a car park ? I have just received the £280 bill. It was a day or two after my Dad got out of hospital so I guess I wasn?t really concentrating but even so. DH was lovely about all the scratches on his motor but I was still so cross with myself.

As for colleagues and their babies, well, I hear ya. I briefly cuddled a friend?s 2 week old on Friday and the sound of my hormones gushing was actually audible. Like Blue I have the list of why I shouldn?t, mainly featuring family harmony and the fact that after having two children in my mid to late thirties I feel like I?m pushing my luck by wanting a third. Buuuuuut that ?mmmmm baby? feeling never really shifts entirely. I do think in your case though that if you can manage one then you can manage two

Rogue Oh dear, I hope by the time I post this that A?s sleep is sorted. It?s hard when they regress and you?ve got used to more shut eye. I remember distinctly that Fred went haywire at around 8 months ? a lot happens developmentally around that time and their little brains just process so much that it can interfere with sleep. Clara didn?t regress so much but then she hadn?t slept through by then anyway! It will pass ? promise. I must admit that I did feed both of mine when they woke at night at that sort of age which I?m sure that you aren?t meant to but it worked for us. The daytime sleep is harder to crack ? some babies just don?t need that much nap time but as Blue says it depends on whether A is waking refreshed or cranky. Pick Up Put Down, Baby Whisperer style does work for extending naps but you have to stick at it and it?s quite hard at first. Most of the time these things seem to sort themselves out IME but any baby manual will say otherwise.

I hope you get the best out of these next 2 months with A ? I do understand your sadness at the thought of the ?return to work? deadline looming. Are you planning on going back full or part time? I saw your FB posts about that poor dog ? they must have doggy radar that directs them to nice potential owners! If he is as lovely as you say he should find a new owner soon hopefully.

Best of luck on 18th!

Blue I?m glad it wasn?t just me who indulged in some serious royal wedding wallowing. I was surprised by your post though ? judging from various MN threads I thought everyone in Scotland was going to ignore it all! Btw thank you also for enlightening me as to the appeal of the SNP on FB the other day. If you are a tragic political geek, the return of the SNP is a very interesting subject. Anyway, back to the RW ? I agree with you that the Middletons all looked fabulous. They are a handsome family for sure. We are just up the road from Bucklebury so it was all Royal Weddingtastic here. I was so glad that Carole looked good ? she has had to put up with so much bitchery from the Daily Wail, which is, of course, the authority on matters of etiquette and class. I actually got a bit misty eyed when Wills and Harry were strolling down the aisle all in their finery. They may have wealth but they also had so much to deal with far too young and seeing them in their finery looking so happy made me a bit teary. The street party kicked off at 1 ? DH and Fred were out helping set up from about 9. It was such good fun ? I got to chat to people I often only say a quick hello to and the whole day just seemed to flow really well. The kids in the street loved it all (especially the bouncy castle) and my kids and adults quizzes (Yep ? I got lumbered with that one) went down really well. Oh yes and DH and a neighbour set a new street record for the egg throwing competition!

Jeez what is it about me ? I am incapable of posting anything than a massive essay. Better sign off now for some supper with DH ? Sunday night cheese & biscuits & a nice Rioja! . Yum yum.
Lots of love to all xxxx

Hi wasabi I'm at work and a tad bored... Just nipped into town at lunch to buy chitted potatoes, carrots, squash and Jamie Oliver compost to kick my veg patch back into life (have strawberries and tomatoes from last year still alive ).

Good news that your Dad's has 97% of being fine without chemo. That's a statistic I would take..

of you playing house especially in this lovely weather and with C at that gorgeous stage of toddlerdom when their personalities really start to shine through.

Well done on your DH and his new job. I've never understood the term 'garden leave'. I used to think it was garding as in garding the ex employee from the employer in case they pinch the client portfolio! Is it a reference to an actual garden and if so in what context ?

Scotland is a funny old country bascially made up of well Scotland and Glasgow! Glasgwegians have never been big on the Royals especially the green half of the city (Celtic) who see themsevles more as Irish. Their counterparts (Rangers) have hijacked the Union Jack to 'prove' their Prodestant status. Both as bad as each other but it leaks into everyday life as you just wouldn't think of buying one of those cute Union Jack cushions/rugs for fear of being thought a Rangers fan! Anyway I digress. Most of the country was well up for the RW and I've spent the weeks since discussing it with everyone I meet . It helps that our caravan is in St Andrews

SNP won because the others are a shambles and their last term was scandal free and successful (free prescription charges, care of elderly, no tuition fees, freeze on council tax). SNP did not win because Scottish people want independence, absolutely not. Scottish yes but British and proud

Man, can you tell I'm bored at work

Benjamin got his first proper shoes last week and his walking has imporived tenfold to the point I feekl a bit bad for not buying them weeks ago . He was the star of nursery on Friday, walking with only one hand held to get his nappy changed etc. His Nursery Nurses were full of praise and There was a definate swagger to his walk when I picked him up

Two new babies born to friends this weekend. Was mega broody...for about five minutes

wasabi - meant to say your street party sounded great fun - buntingtastic in fact . I have a lovely image of you living in a sleepy English village where people still cycle old fashioned bikes - sigh..

Guarding not garding . My spelling is awful these days. To think I used to win the spelling B in Primary 4 .

Rogue - did your fostered abandoned dog get a new owner?

Hi Blue

Looks like it's just me and thee for the time being! So how's the veg gardening going? I did laugh at your facebook stuff last night - who would have realised that the humble spud could give rise to such mirth? We grow a lot of veg here too. Bware veg gardening is addictive and will take up more and more of your garden!

One reason we liked our house was that it had a decent sized garden so can have a proper greenhouse, veg beds etc. The plot used to be even bigger but years ago some land got sold to next door and a builder put two small semi's on it which he rents out. We don't live in the sleepy village of your imagination! The only sleepy villages like that near us (and in fairness we are surrounded by them) are only sleepy because nobody under the age of 65 can afford to love in them. Joking aside, we did look at villages like Yattendon which is just down the road from the Middletons place but they are just hideously expensive and with so few people of our age around we would really struggle to make friends which given that I was soon to be at home with Clara, was really important to me. I also know enough people that live in such villages to know that the locals basically only start speaking to you after you've lived there 20 years. We live in a small market town, I can walk everywhere and we've made loads of friends so was def the right call for us.

Garden leave is just one of those odd terms. Because DH is in sales and going to work for a direct competitor it would have been pointless making im work his notice. EG. Nobody wants him in their forecast meetings! So, he gets paid to sit in his garden for 3 weeks, hence garden leave. Silly really - it could be called "repointing the brickwork" leave, or "repainting that dodgy patch on the snug wall" leave, or any other of the umpteen tasks on DH's to do list! (He made the list - not me, honest). But for some reason it is called garden leave.

BTW, thank you for your comprehensive thoughts re Scottish constitutional and political issues! I can see the attraction of the SNP - it was just Alex Salmond who struck me as a slightly charisma free zone. He seems to have differing thoughts to you about independence! I would think and describe myself as British rather than English but I think the issue of Scottish independence is one that will be staying on the agenda for a while - certainly on Mr. Salmonds anyway.

Glad to hear Bens walking is coming on well. Clara has been a right grump lately as has had a rotton cold which I also have so I totally get why she was in a mood. Luckily DH has very sweetly taken them both to soft play so I can have some time to myself and be pathetic. I HATE having a cold. Obviously one has to keep calm and carry on but I just hate the blocked nose. In this house I get the man flu.

Right I am off to go and steam my head or something.

Later xx

I'm here too - been lurking as don't nkow where my time goes but am here

AOife is crawling, and cruising, and wants to be standing all the time and loves to walk holding my hands. It's so cute and lovely but very sore on the arms.

We've had a funeral in the UK, a communion back here, DH is studyig for his exams, and work have asked me to go back for a handover earlier than agreed because my manager is leaving. I will get the days in lieu and it will be interesting to see how I feel about leaving Aoife before it's completely full time so I am going to - have to organise my sister to look after Aoife for a day or two which is gine

ANyway better go - second attempt at driving test tomorrow - off to learn my rules of the road WIll do personals tomorrow

Good Luck Rogue - beep beep.

wasabi - colds are the pits, hope yours is on it way out. I swear by effervescent Vit C's every morning...

I'm knackered.com , will post properly on Friday whilst at work and child free.

hi gorgeouses
am actually about to START work for the evening zzzzzz
i am just not hardcore enough - oh for an office job on madmen in the sixties eh?!
will be catching up properly very soon.

still lots of chat but nothing in english yet from mister g. he says ooo ooo ahh ahh for monkeys and mmmmm for cows and 'sings' row row row but that's still it. someone was saying how much their baby the same age understood the other day. i was gobsmacked. if i say 'this way' or 'come here' to g then at best i get a chuckle before he continues off in the wrong direction/into someone else's front garden sigh.

i am so besotted with him at the moment i feel sad leaving for work each morning! (ignore me Rogue it's all good really ) he just seems to get more scrumptious each day. especially when he is NOT teething. on those days i practically skip out the door to work.

right must actually doooo my work now. lovely to catch up on your stuff. big squeezey hugs all round xxxxxxxx

Hello ladies
Well I passed - woohoo. No more driving tests for me ever - I think the reason I passed this time is I was running late and didn't have time to think about it beforehand.

Bella working so late - zzz is right. Hope you got through it. I sometimes think it would be nice to have a job where you just left at 5 p.m. and didn't think about that days work ever again. Then I think I might get bored with that too eaisily.
Aoife is also getting more scrumptious every day

• developing her own little personality and OMG she is an impatient little chica just like her Mammy She also gets very frustrated when she can't get to where she wants to go.

wasabi thanks for the advice re the naps - they have settled down on their own now so I suppose it was just a phase Hope your cold has settled down - my sister is an aromatherapist and swears by burning lavender, cypress and eucalyptus in your room before you go to bed. That is if you like aromatherapy and can bear the smell of eucalyptus.
Good news about your Dad too. Re playing houses I emailed my (working) friends the other day to tell them about my test success and one asked if I was doing anything to celebrate. My answer of "Nah just sitting on the floor playing with Aoife" made them all very jealous. I think I've made all my friends broody - their DP's better watch out.

Blue I am going to grow my own when my lovely DH sorts out the back garden. he has had the exuse of exams and revision but that will be gone next week so I'll be back here this time next asking for tips.

Is it nearly your big day - what are your plans?

My stray dog (aka Jimbo - DH had to name him but I persisted in calling him Dog because I knew if I named him that would be it and he would have had a spot on the couch ) anyway he has found a new home with other dogs to play with and some lovely children to play with as well . I would have loved to keep him but we had rehomed Ruby about a month previously so it wasn't going to be an option

Anyway better go - DH has come out of his hole study and I better give him some attention. Talk to you later - Take care x

OH and Aoife has cut her first tooth -it's not up yet but it is definitely through the gum - it's quite sharp (looks ruefully at finger which helped determine what that white thing was )

oooh just seen this pop up on active convos... God I've been rubbish. Lots to catch up on, I will try to over the weekend. I'm at work at the moment and got to actually do something now (tsk). I hope you're all well, congrats on the driving test rogue - I saw that on fb :o