May 2009 - one year on

[Tummum]

Here you go ladies...

lol at return of sexybuilder!

ses - hope you and your DH can work through the stuff, sounds difficult.

Ses, glad you're both trying to work on it and I hope it gets better. 4 days work and all the rest is stressful and difficult.
Looking forward to the World Cup as well .

Febes, sexybuilder !

flip, forgot to say all best wishes for the house move, a very positive step. you sure you want to loan me your book during a time when you may need it ?

smokey at your kicking babies and how lovely!

Everyone else hello!
Just wanted to say thanks for your comments about DD1 and school. I'm sure she'll adjust at some point.

Hope all are having a good day.

ses sounds like you and your DH are going in the right direction. Hope things improve.

Mini rant. Over nothing really but FFS. Blokes are farking useless. Its DHs 40th birthday next week. A lot of our friends, inc me are turning 40 this year. One of the group, at the instigation of one of the other guys ended up with a fabulous present and each couple contributed a not insubstantial sum towards it. The recipient of this lovely gift has now suggested getting my DH an England shirt for DHs birthday. DH has never worn a football shirt in his life (except to play football in). What a shit idea. And needless to say its about 1/5 of the cost of the fabulous present he got. Its not about the cost, its about the rubbishness of the idea. Mini rant over.

As you were.

smokey - that is a rubbish idea.

momino - no problem about the book, you'll just have to send me appropriate messages to keep me going!

No idea what will happen with the house etc, or how long it will take. We've got three estate agents coming round on Tuesday to value the place and (hopefully!) tell us how to get what we need to move on. We viewed a house this evening; not bad house, right catchment area, but I'm not wild about the estate it's on. Looking at another one tomorrow, I'm expecting to like the house more but the location less (it's still the right catchment area). We are seriously limited by our budget, so I guess I've just got to get over my snob tendencies.

smokey, you're rant reminds me of my 40th last year. one of my close friends A bought me a tub of sparkly powder with a pouf that you pat on your neck, etc before you go out. how useless! when do I go out? why would I wear that? nevertheless, I was a bit but grateful at the time UNTIL this year another friend of ours B turned 40 and the same friend A wanted me to chip in for Fat face vouchers - she bought £50 so I had to contribute £25 (a nice sum) towards the Friend B's.

I love friend B so no probs spending the £ but the fact that Friend A spent a bit more £ and thought on Friend B and for me I got tossed a tub of teenage makeup powder made me a bit cross. I would have loved Fat Face vouchers.

Phew. have I not got over that yet? I am so childish!
.

anyway, I understand!

Flipflop, how exciting to be looking at houses, hope you find the right one.

DH bought me this for my 30th. Still haven't got over it.

Don't get me wrong its the Rolls Royce of hand blenders but REALLY. I cried and he was so confused as he thought I would love it.

oh dear febes. Blokes don't get it sometimes. An ex of mine bought me a cheap, polyester, beige cardigan for Christmas (and beige does not suit me). He said he thought about buying something sparkly and glamorous but that I would get more wear out of the cardigan . One of the many reasons he is an ex.

smokey and momino for some reason that kind of behaviour kind of sticks with you, doesn't it? DH still hasn't forgotten his best friend doing exactly the same thing when they were 14. To be fair, the same friend did help organise a surprise meal for DH for his 40th - although then said he couldn't afford to come so I had to pay towards their meal.

Lovely sunny day here. H and I went to a 2nd hand book sale at the local church hall this morning. I could do with going to Tesco later - might do it while the England match is on so it's nice & quiet.

Hmm okay so the England match isn't on til later - thought it was this afternoon for some reason. Hmph. So Tesco will be full of people buying last minute beer. Hmph again.

Evening all!

Terrible presents talk is funny, sorry! My grandfather was comfortably off, so always bought quite flash presents for my grandmother - top of the range breadmaker, dogs wotsits hoover etc etc...he just didn't get why she threatened to divorce him every time!

Can't remember if I've told you this story, but I've had a glass of wine and I'll tell it anyway. A few years ago, DH and I had agreed to not buy each other big presents for Christmas, so I didn't get much (Christmas is hard anyway, his birthday is a few days later). So, on the day he gave me a small box. Opened it, diamond earrings!!!!First thing I said: 'are they real?' . DH was a bit miffed. We'd had a hard few months - house totally rewired, him working away a lot, got pregnant, topped off with first miscarriage (v stressful, weeks of uncertainty) 2 weeks before Christmas - so he thought I ought to have something special. I felt terrible about it.

Manic day here - viewing the second house, then desperately trying to make this one even slightly presentable. Currently looks worse, but DH assures me that the loft is much better and there's now more space up there for hiding junk.

Hope everyone has had good days, footbally and otherwise. Nice and sunny here.

I do love the funny present stories too.

My mother bought me a butter dish for christmas last year. As I opened it she told me that she'd bought it because she noticed that we had a butter dish already and thought I might like to collect them. Barking. She bought me a letter opener the year before.

Hello all!

LOL at all the presents stories! I think I've always been quite fortunate but my wierdest was also quite thoughtful - my mum decided to get me some little presents to open on the morning of my hen do. The colour scheme for our wedding was purple and she gave me a purple toothbrush, purple pen, purple paper napkin (singular!), purple soap and a large plastic purple paperclip!!

One of my best presents (other than the obviously wonderful jewellery, spa vouchers etc) was from an ex when we were students. We were poor but he knew I loved stationary and got me a plastic folder with my name on the front and filled with a variety of paper, envelopes, pens, etc. I loved it!!

football - was ridiculous !! We made such a good start and then just lost momentum and Green will be haunted by that mistake forever!

Hope everyone's had good weekends. Been ok here. Things still progressing in the right direction with DH, if a bit slow. (Not that I'm impatient at all ) We had another brief but productive chat this morning.

llare oh dear! that sounds like the sort of logic my mum would come up with. She bought me a fondue set one year because she did a fondue for us once and I made the mistake of saying I enjoyed it.

flip I remember you telling us about the earrings. It's a lovely story!

football I don't even know what the score was, but I assume we didn't win.

ses keep at it with your DH. I've had to have a few such conversations with DH. I have always done all the housework because I am a fool as he works 6 days a week. I said I would continue during mat leave and when I went back to work we needed to discuss sharing the load with both childcare and housework. His view was that as I still had more time at home than him I should still do it all (never mind that I deal with all night wakings, my working days I'm out 6.30am - 6.30pm and then have to cook for H, put him to bed, then cook for us). Anyway, we did resolve it - embarassingly, through the use of colour-coded post-it notes for each household task - and we seem to be working more as a team these days.

On the subject of DH, he FINALLY did something I've been nagging him to do for months - put up a stair gate in the living room. I've probably mentioned before that we live in a small cottage with an open plan living area upstairs. It's in a kind of square U shape with the stairs coming up into the living room open on two sides (so a normal stair gate won't fit) and the kitchen round the other side of the U. Ever since H has been crawling it's been a nightmare as if I'm doing something in the kitchen and he crawls off I have to drop whatever it is, race after him and stay within arm's reach if he's anywhere near the stairs. It doesn't help that his absolute favourite place to be is stood up at the sideboard (watching his CD spinning in the CD player) which is at the top of the stairs. For months I've spent half my time at home with H sitting at the top of the stairs singing along to nursery rhymes. It's been a struggle to cook proper meals for him as if he races off I have to either stop, or pick him up and hold him while I'm cooking. We've had to have something bespoke made which I could understand taking ages were it not for the facts that DH is more than capable of designing it himself and has a choice of 3 very talented joiners to commission it from - and a v handy FIL with time on his hands. ANYWAY it is finally made, and fitted and I am so relieved I can spend tomorrow pottering around keeping a general eye on H and not singing along to Wheels on the Bus for the millionth time!

Oops sorry that's a bit of a rant!

football.. dh has been watching but i've been working on my crochet stuff & not really noticing the telly at all!
loving the presents stories & have a recent one to add of mine.. from my MIL for my 40th birthday we celebrated in NS . She told me to open it before we left as she thought it would be great for our holiday.. well it was a 2part present.. an acrylic black/cream/silvery lurex woven fabric wrap for me to wear when we went out at night (fat chance that would happen with 2 young dc's sleeping in strange beds and us with no babysitters) nice idea but the fabric is revoltingly crackly. The other present was a HUGE M&S roll out spongebag crammed with Magnolia fragrance toilletries which I've taken back to marks and spent the £ on some stuff for G.

ses glad things are getting there

spangled yay for peace of mind custom stair gate and being able to cook with 2 hands!
flip good luck with your house.. I hope it sells quick and for a good £.
right off to bed for me sorry to not NC everyone

night night x

Hi all. good weekend?
footy, had some people over to watch the match Sat which prompted DH to get a new tv but as it's a flat screen type so takes up much less room and better picture. we're always last to join in the new technological advances of household appliancs. I'm glad for the score but wish SOME one would have won. I don't even mind who, I'm sort of supporting both US and England.

flip I love the earrings story as well. AND the book has arrived! thank you, thank you! I can't wait to start reading, you are so kind.

spangle, at the colour codes for household tasks. if it works well, you must tell me about it so I can implement here.

Ses, hope you continue to have productive chats with DH. it will get better!

love the gift stories! Febes, yours really made me . DH bought me a bread bin for christmas years ago but it was truly a joke gift.

Hope everyone else is well.
having a quiet moment, 'mummy time' - I've banished dd1&2 to Pocoyo (they're not complaining).

I saw Sex and the City2 last night - diabolical! it was so much worse than I'd expected and will be having nightmares for the next year about Liza Minelli in a black leotard and heavily botoxed face. what a waste of an early night! oh, at least I got out with my friends.

Aaaaaarghhh! How the f*ck do you clean and declutter a house with a big toddler and a little toddler?!

There is still a lot to do. Have until lunch time tomorrow.

Oh, and momino, glad it arrived. Enjoy!

Will hopefully be back later to NC properly.

flip, utterly impossible to do any tidying with a big toddler and a little toddler!

get a big bin bag and just fill. be ruthless.

Flip When we had viewings on our house I decluttered upstairs and made sure that in the morning it was left respectable before we came down and then had a stair gate to keep them downstairs. 20mins before the veiwing chuck all toys and other crap in cupboards, as much as you can and wipe the kitchen down so all looks fairly shiney. Finally strap big toddler and little toddler in buggy and through vacume cleaner around the downstairs and then walk out to the park or whatever and hope the viewing goes well and noone opens too many cupboards. Nightmare! We had 13 viewings before what got an offer!!

Flip When we had viewings on our house I decluttered upstairs and made sure that in the morning it was left respectable before we came down and then had a stair gate to keep them downstairs. 20mins before the veiwing chuck all toys and other crap in cupboards, as much as you can and wipe the kitchen down so all looks fairly shiney. Finally strap big toddler and little toddler in buggy and through vacume cleaner around the downstairs and then walk out to the park or whatever and hope the viewing goes well and noone opens too many cupboards. Nightmare! We had 13 viewings before what got an offer!!

flip tidying for house viewings is a nightmare with big and little toddlers.. i have waited until G went for a nap, bribed DS with PSP playing and flown around the place like a nutter stuffing things in cupboards. if G was not wanting a nap i've popped her in her cot with loads of toys instead works for a short time!
back from the doc's with prescription for AB's.. i've got an UTI.. thought it was touch of cystitus but had it since last thursday and thought i should get it checked out. atm I feel like I need to pee all the time!

Just wanted to bob in and say hello to all. Don't know where the time is going atm and got a DH with man-flu (or a 2 day hangover ) to contend with as well as a v clingy A (development spurt?)

ses glad things are moving in the right direction for you. We have been having v similar conversations here too.

flip good luck with the viewing. I second febes' tip of throwing things in cupboards, I think people are generally understanding of families needing paraphenalia around the place as long as its clean and tidy-ish. Make sure you ask your agent for feedback from the viewing - we found the feedback useful in terms of making the house look nice for future viewings ifyswim.

Hi everyone else, got to go and make a rhubarb crumble, apparently it is guaraunteed to make DH feel better

running I would love some of your rhubarb crumble too please??!!!

flip is it a myth that people have been known to stick washing up in the oven on viewing days too? Hope it goes well.

fi hope the ABs work quickly.

spangle go with whatever works on chore allocation. Maybe DH and I would benefit from a similar system. At least then there is no room for sniping over what needs doing. And remember you are pg (as if you could forget!) and should def be taking it easy especially if you are working too.

LOL at all the useless present stories! Although ses's ex stationary folder made me smile warmly. As well as the purple gift selection! I loved that! I hope DH won't be putting his gifts in the useless category and chortling on line with "guess what my useless wife got me for my 40th". He has a digital video camera, a Nespresso machine and some boxers from Abercrombie and Fitch. I feel slightly guilty that its not a posh watch or something and that I will also benefit hugely from the Nespresso machine, but its too late now. Its tomorrow .

running - sorry you've been having similar conversations. Secret does seem to be having v brief but regular chats before things get too stressful. Another little chat this evening and a bit more progress...

flip - good luck with the viewings. Febes seems to have the tidying down to a fine art!

Spangle - loving the sound of your chore allocation! Do share more if you get chance!

Fi - sorry for UTI. Hope ABs kick in quickly.

Smokey - hmmm.. digital video camera.... I need inspiration as I have our wedding anniversary, Father's Day and DH's birthday all in the next month! I want to try and make him feel special for each of them... So far I have ordered a Fathers Day card from photobox and a subscription to BBC Countryfile magazine. He loves the programme so hopefully will the magazine too!

Momino - new tv sounds good!
What a shame about SATC2. I was meant to go and see it with my cousin last week but we got to the cinema late so went for cake and hot chocolate instead!

Hope everyone's having a good evening. I'd love to be watching the football but DH is not interested (Ireland not playing and wrong shaped ball!) so he's channel hopping instead!

A very sorry-for-myself post here.

DS2 bit me so hard the other day I actually thought he'd bitten off my nipple. Since then, it even hurts when material falls against it. There is pain inside my breast too and obviously feeding hurts. I don't know what to do! I've not experienced nipple pain since I first got pregnant with DS2 and feeding was painful for a while, so this is odd. I posted a thread on it and someone suggested a blocked milk duct. I don't know what that is supposed to feel like though!

Absolutely knackered too, I don't know why I'm up late. We were up last night at 1am, 3am, and then DS2 actually woke up at 4.50am with DS1 following at 5.45am. Sigh.

Will come back and catch-up with you all when I am feeling less sorry for myself!