Dec 08 ladies getting re-clackered, with tantrums from toddlers we're sure to be knackered

[traceface]

Loved your title rubs
Never started a thread before so hope this works...can anybody find it?
hello....

sell a kidney? Or a child?!

Hee hee - of course am only joking!

Just a quickie to say to Katie - have you got a helpful bank manager? Banks are being a bit iffy about bridging loans and the like in this climate, but if you give them various assurances I would surprised if they aren't able to do a short term loan or something, but sound them out now and then go back again when you have a buyer for the farm as that will make you into a better bet and they are more likely to help you then. Meantime, you need to look into the law re: tenants who won't move. I wouldn't have thought you'd want to go the forcible eviction route (and it would take a while as it has to go through the courts, and also costs money), but I guess you need to sent them a slightly stronger letter implying you would go that route if necessary.

Avo, I am glad DD2 is a little better. We AREN'T flying BA, no, but I saw the dates for the strike on the tv last time and I cringed. Yikes, I wonder if there's any hope of it being called off? I was watching that bit of the news last night when Nick Robinson was on - didn't see you, though! Will keep looking!

Avo: sorry dd2 is still unwell. It's horrid when they're ill and you can't explain what's going on.

Muttering under my breath here about underhand lib dems Muttley style but will spare the feelings of the thread!

Yes, Effie, I have just had to turn Radio 4 off as it is making me more and more wound up. And on the BBC last night they said that the public voted for a hung parliament How facile, because we didn't, did we? We all voted for whoever we wanted - not this hucking shambles!

Afternoon all, well we're currently in World of Dust and Draughts [tm], the kitchen is being redone and part of the job is replacing a door with a window, and a window with a door. Except that even though the joiner came and measured up, neither one fitted the available space. So instead of a back door we've got a big board screwed into a hole in the wall with gaps round it, and the window has a gap about a foot deep above it with a plank and some plastic bags shoved in. Joy! But dd was fascinated watching the brickie make a new wall, so that was one good thing.

Hurrah again for MoM on your new baby news how exciting!

LadyT how can you only have seen Grease once? Surely it's a film that all teen girls sing along to obsessively? In fact I sing a song to dd that goes Look at me, I'm SD, lovely as a baby can be, I won't go to bed til I'm properly fed, I'm just young SD Other peoples' radiator crap, lordy you're brave. We found some really intriguing stuff down the back of one of ours, including a photo of a girl with the frame inscribed in German Happy 21st birthday Katya and have a lovely time in England - then also a v old and crispy condom, which we took to mean she was indeed having a lovely time! [barf]

Rubena am loving the dyloned baby kit, what a genius idea!

WG really glad to hear that you and DH are trying to sort things out. And as beans said, it's amazing how we sometimes end up doing all the family stuff, plus the baby stuff, and there's never any 'us' time. There was a thread a while ago where someone said they thought the concept of 'me' time was essentially horribly selfish and why would anyone want to have time that wasn't spent with their dcs and/or dp. Struck me as completely mad, it's vital to staying sane frankly. And what veggie says about getting some time for you and DH as a couple again is also spot on.

Avocadoes hope there's been no after-effects of the loo brush encounter. Everyone does something like that - dd ate a snail the other day and seems to be fine.

veggie glad you had a lovely mother's day, sounds perfect! even if we're all a bit of you for your spiffy DH.

turnip hope your head's better after your mammoth Sat night!

trace what did you get up to at the women's weekend? A bit of spiritual renewal would go down well this way as well... good on your DH for bucking the crappy partner trend how are the girls these days, has L's weeing problem got any better?

katie - how did day 1 of new job go?

kiwi - shoe! What a brilliant word - her mother's daughter

Effie hoorah for the walking

oh bugger dd has woken up after 45 mins only - was hoping to get a bit of cleaning up done in House of Filth but maybe if I get her to crawl about in an old pillowcase she can do it for me?

I've got a quick question - DD seems to have stopped eating much. Everyone who was having issues with their DCs not eating - have you got any tips? And has it got any better?

Oh Beans....I have no tips. It's two steps forward and three back half the time here. She has now gone off porridge, so other than formula, blueberries and a few other fruits, raisins, yoghurt and fruit puree, anything else is pot luck. No meat or fish, no pasta, no cheese or eggs...It is a total nightmare. Sometimes she will eat toast and I just try to get as nutritious a spread on that as I can. In fact (and you can tell how desperate I am) I am taking her to the HV tomorrow (whom I dislike and do not rate) as I do not feel I can bypass her and go straight to the GP. If I am not happy with what she says I am seriously contemplating taking her to a private nutritionist. She is only 9kg and looks terrible (emaciated) with her clothes off. Getting food into her is just a three times a day nightmare for all concerned. I doggedly offer a range of foods over and over again and she just won't take the bait. We have tried varying the routine, reducing the amount of formula she has, giving her food before formula (well, we have been doing THAT for ages), letting her feed herself...nothing works. Bet you wish you'd never asked!

Hi everyone,
Off work today as I have a crap cold, and am feeling rubbish. In fact I have been feeling crap and sleeping loads for the past week or so, do you think this is just the cold arriving?? I am so exhuasted and randomly run out of energy all the time, I never had this first time round being up the clacker! Not this bad even right at the end.....please tell me it will get better. DS is at nursery and I took him to nursery and then slept until 12, and it's not like I hadn't had a good nights sleep, I went to bed at 10. If I don't get better I don't know how I am going to manage to work until July...or how the hell I am going to move house if that happens....

beans DS still doesn't eat much. Well he does if he gets what he wants (gog-gog and bana) but he is still super fussy. My only tip would be don't worry about it. Is she fussy or just not hungry in general?? Though I really would like him to eat more variety and I am constantly trying him on stuff only to have to throw it away.
While we are on the subject can anyone tell me if this is a TERRIBLE list of what they agree to eat at this stage, or just bad??

Eats easily:
Fruit
Yoghurt
Cheese
Toast + cream cheese or houmous.
Rice cakes
Organix snacks
Cake (obviously)
Biscuits (obviously)

Might eat on a good day:

Pasta with sauce if whizzed up.
Spag bog
Risotto
Non-toasted bread
Cottage pie
Cous cous

Oh, I had loads I wanted to say but now I am tired so it is bit of a me post now!

But big congratulations to MoM.

Yuk on the toilet brush to avo, hope DD2 is feeling better soon.

very glad to hear from urbane, we were worried about you!!

veggie we have quite random naps here too. Only one a day now though. Any time from 10:30 to 1:30 to start and anything between 45 mins and 2 hrs long. He's always been a bit random with his sleeping though.

jj that is disgusting about the condom behind the radiator!

Oh Lady - I'm so sorry. Sounds like hell for you. But do rest assured, that she will eat enough to be ok. Apparently I was hell child and would never eat anything. At school lunches I used to buy cucumber sandwiches and just eat the cucumber and leave the bread. DD is v keen on the sweet stuff - ie. fruit, raisins, yoghurt as you say. But trying to get other stuff down her has become so hard. Having been quite a good trougher, it's odd for me. Oh and occasionally she'll eat some brioche or cheerios!!! and she seems to like omelettes, but am loathe to give them to her much because they're so binding and she has such issues with constipation.

I don't know how much she weighs these days, but am taking her to be weighed next week once I'm on maternity leave. Dreading it! Last time I weighed her was a few months ago and she was 9kg then, but not sure she'll have put much on since, to be honest!

Poor you, though, sounds much more hellish. x

x-posts ladyt I was going to ask how your DD's eating was going. Sounds a bit of a nightmare. Will she eat rice cakes and biscuits (just thinking of carbs really)? Does she EVER surprise you and eat fish/pasta, normal savoury stuff?? DS does sometimes, I think he goes through growth spurts and will eat normally for a bit - then he goes back to being Mr Fussy again.

Well, she was 25th centile from the start and then for ages, I think she must be about 4th now - if I am lucky. She is bright and alert so I take that as a good sign - but keen to show me that eating and walking are waaaaaaaay down her list of priorities. Ah well, will see what gems the ghastly HV comes out with. Actually it's Thursday I'm going.

How is the move stuff progressing, Beans? I have forgotten - how long will you rent for, are you casting your eye around for places to buy?

Summer, needless to say, the breadth of foods your DS will eat looks almost magical in its variety to me! I hope you feel better soon. I don't feel as super in this pregnancy but I am putting it down to being older, fatter, and less in a position to pamper myself at every opportunity (ie living alone for most of the week with a decent disposable income!) I don't want to sound like your mother but are you eating properly, drinking enough?

JJ - the condom - YUCK. Not found anything that bad but do gag frequently at the awful sticky grime. Do tell us how you are having your kitchen when you have a mo. I take huge pleasure in other people's soon-to-be completed renovations, as ours is such a neverending penny dreadful.

More later as there were posts from earlier I wanted to respond to.

No, she never surprises me and eats normal savoury stuff, though I always think she is going to (I am a relentless optimist, which means I am frequently disappointed ). She does eat biscuits (baby organic ones) but will only eat about two at a time. She gives rice cakes the swerve but I have had some limited success with crackers the last couple of days. Trouble with spreading anything on anything is that she doesn't like getting messy hands (are you building up a picture of the princess here) and will primly hold out her hands if they get too covered with peanut butter or whathaveyou and won't continue until they are thoroughly wiped

I think it's going to be an interesting childhood.

DD has fallen from 75th centile to under 25th, so quite a big tumble! and she is similar re dirty hands. V annoying!

although she has now started pointing to her nappy and saying "poo poo" when she's done a poo. V sweet and hopefully could help when come to potty training (not for ages yet though!). Although I can tell anyway as she strains for so long and stinks!

Thanks for asking, Lady - we're moving on 5th June to Streatham. Got a lovely place to rent - can't wait. And hoping to exchange on our place at the end of this month and maybe even complete on 7th June, which would be too amazing for words. But these things never happen as you hope, so not holding my breath!

Summer - maybe ask your GP about your excessive tiredness. It does seem quite exhausted! How many weeks are you now? I'm definitely a bit more tired this time than last, but think that's because am rushing after DD on my "days off" (DH's words, not mine) and am at work the other 3 days, so actually rarely have time when I'm not busy doing something... But I'm not totally pooped all the time - just tend to be in bed by 9.45-10.00, then sleep as much as I can. To be honest, having said that, I could easily nod off at my desk now, but think that's psychosomatic as am bored of being at work! 2 days left... Phew! But I'd get it looked into a bit if you're worried. x

Am watching the coverage to see if I can spot Avo. Is there some kind of competition re tv coverage?

Haha, I have the opposite thing, DS will wipe the food everywhere, all over himself, and will tease me by putting it in his mouth and then spitting it out again.

Thanks beans yes I think I might go see the doctor if it's not better soon. I am 28 weeks now, and it's just suddenly happened, I was feeling really great until recently. I'm hoping it's just this cold that's doing it. If I don't go to work tomorrow I might go to the docs, otherwise I am seeing the midwife next week and will ask her. I have to do the glucosade test and blood test on Thursday so hopefully that will show any problems. I am feeling a bit better now anyway. Oh LadyT I am eating, maybe not so good on the drinking so will try and up that. I do find i perk up after eating sometimes so maybe I need to try and eat more little and often, as I eat something quite big and then am stuffed for hours.

Lucky you, Summer - I eat loads and am stuffed for about 10 mins, then hungry again! Hee hee! V sensible to ask midwife about it next week. I'm off to doctor on Monday for 34 week check. It's gone too fast!

God, 45 mins til I leave the office. Think I need a coke - dribblingly yawny!

Yep, I think if you aren't getting enough fluids (and remember you need much more when you are preggers) it's a killer for fatigue. And headaches for that matter.

Beans, I know you have a lovely rental in store but I was wondering when you were going to buy again. I love living vicariously through other people's house purchases - I am not going to be buying anywhere for a vv long time! However, at my London flat we are hoping to purchase the freehold soon, which means the lease will be redrawn and I can have the attic above my flat, which no one else has access to anyway, and convert it. 'Cept obviously I have no dough for that so it's a long term plan I also have no money for the freehold but will cross that bridge when I come to it. Someone has been stealing residents' post in our building, it's a huge downer (people have been leaving the front door ajar, idiots). Anyway, Summer - what about your house hunt? And I wonder what JB has decided re: her folks' house?

I might make courgette fritters tonight, with some sort of green veggies on the side and a bit of quinoa. Never really know what to do with quinoa tbh, but I quite like it and furthermore it contains all eight essential amino acids plus a host of other vits and minerals.

Oh right, sorry! Yes, think we'll probably be looking to buy somewhere in about a year's time - so start looking in 6 months! But hopefully will be moving to Bristol, which would be lovely - plus lots more for our wonga!

Ooh, that sounds lovely to have an attic to convert when the funds are raised!

Lasagne for us tonight. I made it yesterday, so 2nd day of eating it. Always better 2nd time.

Ooh and I beat DH at Scrabble last night - 345 / 273. Blinking marvellous. I am a goddess. He even got all his letters out in one go and had a total score of 70 for that go - but I won fair and square. Genius.

Wow, our lives are exciting!

All v exciting this (if you are complete nurd like me).

Just popped in to say that LadyT DD only really eats shreddies, meat and chocolate when she can get it. She had a strawberry the other day and I nearly fell over. She still manages to have a fairly substantial belly though. But she would happily eat a whole chicken breast. She had a lamb steak for dinner this evening, and the other day when MIL was looking after her 6 sausages . Must be very worrying that O isn't putting on weight. Really feel for you because IME anyway there really isn't much you can do. At least she's still getting vits and minerals from formula.

If it makes you feel any better my DH was a beanpole as a kid (in fact he still is now) and only ate carrots, bacon and bread for 5 years. Literally. I assumed this wasn't true until his uncle told me about how awful it was. He turned out ok. Am sure you get lots of stories like this though and it's hard not to worry about it. Would highly recommend getting advice from Dr though. When I was beside myself with anxiety about nutrition DD was getting when I was pregnant and being sick all the time the very wise consultant said that bodies can get what they need in all sorts of ways - and it was fine for me to just eat cocopops when I could. Whereas whole host of midwives etc. had scared the life out of me. There's a big difference between what is medically necessary and recommended to have.

Avo hope your DD2 is feeling better. Poor little thing. So hard because they have no comprehension of what's going on. Will look out for you on coverage. We used to have thing at work where if you got caught on the news you had to buy everyone in the office cake, so I am well versed in dodging cameras.

Also I completely agree about the utter fatuousness of saying we voted for a hung parliament/electoral reform. 1 if we cared that much about electoral reform we'd have all voted lib dem and 2 how would you vote for a hung parliament even if you frickin wanted one. Grrr.

Hmm looks like Cameron is about to come out of No 10...
Do you think I should get headband and pearls out for work tomorrow?

It IS interesting isn't it Urbane? DH and I are glued to our sets. It is v hard on me remaining politically neutral at times like this.

I didn't really want to be on tv but I do get a buzz from watching all the excitement. I used to have a regular slot where I could be seen sitting around and looking bored on BBC Parl channel every Sat night for two hours. Strangely nobody ever seemed to be watching that particular channel at that particular time.

Ooh Camerons just confirmed it's a formal coalition. And with fixed term parliaments too. So no early return to the polls. Gosh.

Well I pop to the gym for an hour and miss all the excitement.

Am sort of pleased although a we bit unsure whether this will work. Although I voted for a blue parliament I am sad to see GB go I do feel that at heart he is a decent man who got a bit of a bum deal.

I had the coverage on News 24 on for ages. Riveting. On an exceedingly trivial note I think Sam Cam is very chic and I loved seeing Gordon Brown's little boys, it was rather touching the way the tiny one was sort of skipping as they walked off. Mmmmmmmmm....interesting times ahead....

Urbane, you are right about O but we had yet another stressful suppertime where she ate no fishfingers (always a long shot) no toast and a few bites of banana before having a tantrum as she was fed up of being in the chair.

I didn't make courgette fritters as DP said the fat content was too high We are both fat and watching what we eat and DD is thin and eats bugger all There's irony there somewhere.

Right, am in a bad mood so going to go before I get whingy.

hi all
Just nipping on. I'm quite intrigued by all this government stuff. A bit bemused that Lib Dems can get so few votes and yet be partly in-charge now. Anyway, i'm renowned (amongst family) for not having much brain when it comes to politics (or most general knowledge come to think of it!) so I'm hoping for an Avocado special summary for dummies in a few days time when the dust has settled!
anyway DH wants the computer so I'm off
big sleep wishes to all xxx

Oh LadyT forgot to say about the eating thing both the DS' used to eat like horses and would quite literally eat whatever I put in front of them.

Then DS1 started to get extremely fussy and for the longest time lived off of pasta and a creme fraiche cheesy sauce and PB&J sandwiches and of course crisps biscuits chocolate. He is now slowly increasing his diet.

Just in time for DS2 to enter the bloody fussy stage. I have found that when they hit nearly 3 you can bribe them with pudding to make them eat brocoli etc.

Chin up my love.

Thanks Jam Oh for a G & flippin' T....