June 08 - if your name's not down you're not coming in!

[EddieIzzardismyhero]

Welcome to our new cliquey thread !

Ooh Transport museum sounds good - will look to see if we have one. We will take them to Martin Mere Wildfowl trust too soon cos they love birds. It's so much fun when they grow up and you can take them loads of places they love - if only I could give birth to an 18mo and skip the newborn/no sleep/uninteresting bits

Poppy, hope the bleed turns out to be nothing. Fingers crossed and prayers your way.

Amber, was it the IUI that did the trick in the end then? Fantastic news, I am so so pleased for you!

T just shouts 'milk!' when he thinks it's time to get up . They will play for a while in their cots when they wake though. This morning T kept saying 'Esther!' then babbling, which was sweet. They play so nicely together now - he just follows her around really doing whatever she does and this morn he gave her her drink and she said 'thank you' [cute]

Abdn, sorry i don't know too much about my friend as she is not a close friend, I have only spoken to her once about it as I saw her at a school reunion. She definitely said something about her being more prone to catching it for some reason (can you build up immunity which maybe she didn't have?). It was definitely something specific to her cos I remember thinking 'thank godness that's not something that might happen to me'. (sorry that sounds a bit harsh). If the books say it is a small risk then I am sure for majority people it is not a problem.

We are off to Farmer Ted's this afternoon for a birthday party - should be fun, lots of animals to see and a tractor to ride on [woo]

Did another test this morning - I am still in denial as well as like poppy having a small amount of bleeding (TMI alert but V dark brown so not too worried at present but any bleeding is worring). I'm not going to even vaguely think about things like due dates until I have had my first scan which is in 2.5 weeks at the clinic. Then maybe I might relax a little.

Luke also loves buses but seeing as I can't drive yet he gets to go on them. He's not so impressed with the inside though!

Luke is not close to potty training. He tells me when he has pooed but his just wees on the floor when he has no nappy and looks shocked so I imagine he doesn't have bladder control just yet.

Neenz - I read farmer ted as Father Ted! Have a fab time.

Farmer Ted's is one of the main incentives for me to start driving

Oh, we used to go to martin Mere when I was little. It's great. Not sure exactly where you are Neenz but my Mum highly recommends Stockley Farm here which is in Cheshire, if you're looking for another place to go.

Lovely day here - my next door neighbour is due in 2 weeks though, think she's finding the temperature a bit much!

My neighbour is due in three weeks and has swollen up like anything in the past few days

thanks for the details neenz - I checked with the NHS guidance and the neighbour should be fine plus DS1's rash is fading so it might just be heatstroke and eczema after all.

Happy birthday spider!

is my name on the list?

congratulations Amber and Biscuits

Essie,hope you're ok.

love to all

all fine here - just manic!

x udc

Thanks for the birthday wishes AH and others on FB. Eddie thank-you for the card. impresssed by your levels or iphone organisation. I had a lovely morning on the beach followed by a pub lunch whilst P slept in his pushchair. The fabulous weather made for a very happy day.

Hi UDC, nice to see you. Poppy announced she is expecting last week as well. Three in a week: amazing.

Allnew I missed out saying hello to you last week. Nice to have you pop back in to the thread. (I was Alipalli a long time ago).

Having a bit of trouble keeping P in his pushchair. However much I tighten the staps he can peel them off and stand up. Anyone else having this problem? I am wondering whether it is a design flaw in the pushchair or just an inevitable part of him getting more independent. We are undecided about getting a double later in the year, although I am inclined to get one. Does anyone have a P&T? Can big strong toddlers escape from them?

Been awake since 5.30 when P woke up. Feeling a bit tired. Lots of jobs to do, so better get on.

I've tried to post about 4 times in the past week and have always been disturbed and dragged away so quickly before I get dragged away again, congratulations to Poppy, Biscuits and Amber, brilliant news for all 3 of you. There must be something in the June 08 air! (worrying thought for me as I stopped taking the pill last week because of migraines)

Spider - annoying about the pushchair, J hasn't tried that yet so I have no insight. Glad you had a good birthday.

Hi UDC and Allnew! (and everyone else)

Potty training - we tried a bit of nappy off time last week, I made the mistake of putting some proper pants on him which were just too exciting. He spent ages dancing round the kitchen in his pants but refused to pull them down to sit on the potty and we ended up with a puddle, I don't think he is ready yet.

Weight loss - I could do with losing another stone to get back to my normal pre pregnancy weight, which is still a bit overweight. I had got into a bit of a routine of doing an exercise DVD while the boys had their morning nap and was feeling pretty good about it but having migraines over the past few weeks and the hot weather now have knocked me off track.

I should go and shower before little boys wake up, I just heard some chuntering.

Amber - your news has cheered me up so much! I'm sitting here grumpy with man flu, bu feeling much happier now.

Spider - Your Dad was a bit cheeky IMO, but at least you got lunch out of it! No ideas re: cot, but will you need it for the new arrival in a few months anyway? Could be worth moving P now... Nap idea sounds good, not that R has naps ATM, which helps explain why I am so grumpy. Grrrr.

Eddie - Thank you for the link - in theory I will be a runner in 12 weeks time, if the running made easy book keeps it's promise. I've been out once, so [hmmm] and this is the third time I've started this program...

Bugger - Was the film director also once the US president? Are you really going to meet DT? I am so jealous, I have a huge crush on him in a teenage school girl obsessed kind of way.

Biscuits - Love the bossiness and the speaking, still a bit monosyllabic here, R I mean, not DH, altho DH is winding me up so he'd probably say I was being monosyllabic ATM.

DH has always called his mum and dad by their first names! I find it strange tho.

Neenz - The twins interaction sounds so sweet.

Have any of you discovered Kipper the Dog? It's about ten yrs old I think, but we got an old dvd and it's on utube, Ry loves it! I like the theme tune, worth a look, v sweet and gentle. Considering atttempting this for R's b-day cake: www.coolest-birthday-cakes.com/kipper-the-dog.html#c5 (Been away to long, forgotten how to do links!).

Waves to UDC - how's SW London?

Spider - P seems to be on an escape mission ATM!

Hi- spidere can get out half way from pushchair but not stand in maclaren . Will watch advice on pushchairs with interest as don't want a double and am not sure about a buggy board.

udc nice to hear from you.

penguin kipper is lovely but sadly has not displace the tyranny of tikkabilla (the only thing to
be said for that is it means less wiggles).

Resting up after trip back from France where grumpy hungover bloke complained about noise(after I was yelled at by woman in supermarket on Saturday who barged into e's pushchair with her trolley then told
me to get some manners when I said something - admittedly rude- as had hit e's leg).

And ktpie sorry about migraines- does doc think coming off pill will help and is there anything you can take to
help?

You are right that P is very keen on escaping: cot, pushchair, car seat, shopping trolley.

I have started a new thread about my buggy dilemma in the "pushchairs" section: buggyheadache

Ktpie sorry to hear about the migraines. I have luckily never had them, but don't handle headache's very well. Looking after two feeling awful must be grim.

Poppy what a rude woman! I hope you were rude to her in her native language?

Penguin hello. Sorry that you are feeling grumpy. Having had a lovely birthday yesterday I still chewed DH's head off before he went to work this morning after he left his toast on the side and didn't bother putting his dishes in the dishwasher, If it makes you feel any better, I am generally using the car to get P to sleep in the day at the moment. I feel bad about the petrol, but I am still using alot less then when I was commuting a 50 mile round trip every day. How is your DH's work going? Is he busy?

Can I please write something without getting shot down for boasting/pride etc as it's written in sheer amazement. Last night in the bath Luke was counting his plastic animals in Spanish and got up to 8 (admittedly missing out quattro). I was in total shock as he will only have picked it up from DOra and has neve said it before. Blimey. Maybe he is clever after all.

I just bought my first Boden clothes and feel funny!

ktpie - I have never had a migraine but know lots of people who have and sympathise. Can't be easy with 2 kids.

Penguin - get well soon hun!

Why do you feel funny about the Boden clothes Amber? Where I live is the spiritual home of Boden, so when I do buy the odd thing I try to avoid the loud prints that scream "Boden". I would clash with the other women on the high street.

Impressed with the Spanish counting. P is into the number "6" (in English) but non of the numbers that precede it. I think he likes "s" sounds.

spider, you have to have a P&T in your neck of the woods, it's the law .

penguin, good luck with the running - I'm still at the 'thinking about it' stage!

I know Kipper from my teaching days .

Anyone know the writer Giles Andreae - some lovely children's books, including Giraffes Can't Dance (one of A's favourites!) and The Lion Who Wanted To Love. Really lovely books.

Amber, no one ever gets shouted down for pride in their children - we're all proud of our kids .

Lol x-posted spider! Boden to match your P&T then!

My migraines aren't too bad so far, splitting headache and sometimes sickness and the odd episode of tunnel vision. At the moment I can get through the day when I have one, as long as the boys both have long naps, but they are getting worse. So far I've only had them when taking the pill and the odd one when I've been pregnant. I'm worried that they will get as bad as my Mums, she has to go to bed in a dark room and any smells, light or sounds make her sick. Hers are triggered by alcohol or chocolate how awful would that be!
The doctor gave me the mini pill as it's supposed to have less side effects but the migraines I've had on it have been the worst so far so I don't want to chance it. Haven't been back yet to see if they have any other suggestions. I probably should have gone back and asked them Poppy, I don't think I can take much more than paracetemol while breastfeeding, but again I haven't checked. Paracetemol don't touch the headache though and I'm not sure if taking them correlates with when I've been sick so they are useless.
Thanks for the sympathy though!

Is anyone else looking forward to the weather cooling down this week? Although it looks like it might be going to go too far to the other extreme and we'll be shivering by the end of the week.

Spider - I just have a regular double buggy, it's a pain sometimes to get through doors and round shops. I was too stingy to spend the money on the P&T.

Amber - I'm impressed by the counting!

Eddie - Just looked him up, he does Purple Ronnie as well!

Penguin - I think I have that running book, is it plans where you run for a few minutes then walk? I kept getting stuck on weeks and not progressing for ages. I was more successful when I got a heart rate monitor and set up heart rate zones on it and just tried to keep in the right zone by slowing down/walking when it was getting too high. As a disclaimer I've no idea if that is what you are supposed to do, a doctor / fitness expert would probably be aghast, but it worked for me, back in the olden days when I used to go running.

Amber wow to Luke . And lol at you feeling funny in Boden clothes. I quite like their clothes but they don't fit me well at all. I imagine that Jonnie has them made to fit home counties girlies with small hips, rather than bog Irish fishwives with huge arses

Congratulations Amber, Poppy and Biscuits! Very exciting news for you all.

Very impressed with the Spanish Amber.

DS was two last week and his speech just expolded about 2 weeks beofre his birthday. So many new words everyday - knew he would start talking eventually!

ktpie, the migraines sound grim - my mum used to have them too and like your mum would have to lie down in a darkened room and couldn't tolerate any noise.My poor dad used to have to try and entertain four children quietly which was quite a challenge!

Yes, he's the Purple Ronnie guy. Giraffes Can't Dance is all about celebrating differences and is just so lovely. A is obsessed with books at the moment so I'm trying to find different ones so I don't die of boredom he gets some variety! However, he likes the same eight to ten books read over and over again til he can anticipate the story himself and gets really excited when the fun bits are coming up, or fills in the words for me! It's lovely but can be a bit trying when I'm attempting to change/feed M or get dressed, or do anything basically! Have learnt to read in a variety of strange places!

Oh and the running plan sounds fine btw. I'm no expert but was a keen runner before the boys came along. Just too self conscious to start running again while this size which is a shame, cos if I ran I'd probably lose weight!

T's favourite book is Thomas' snowsuit. I love Robert Munsch's books.
ktpie hope you find a solution to the migraines. Sound horrid.

He's Canadian Rolf - try Mortimer, both my two love that one, and the Paper Bag Princess is iconic where I'm from. But love you forever just makes me cry and cry and cry - not so good when reading to toddlers.

okay I'm supposed to be doing paperwork so I will not start listing other kids books we love...

Evening all, just a quick post to mark my spot before I head off to bed, am knackered after a lovely weekend (pics on fb )so will just wave and go!