June 08 - a Coalition for all (even those with May or July 08 babies).

[DomesticGoddessInTraining]

Abdn liked the title so I just went ahead!

If it's middle of night DTs will stay in bed hopefully - if they wake and get restless either my mum or DH's will come get them (whoever is around!). If it's daytime or labour runs into next day then hopefully my mum or Dh's will be able to take them. With not knowing when it is going to be it's hard to know for sure. SIL and my sister are both PG too so who knows who will be where! My sis due on Aug 1 and SIL is Aug 19 at latest (section booked but could go into labour earlier as it is twins). But it's highly likely at least one set of GPs will be available.

We have booked a holiday in South Wales in October (a caravan on a holiday park), cos we are not getting away for 2wk break this summer cos of the baby. I was a bit reluctant cos I thought caravan in autumn not pleasant but they look pretty plush on the website and they have central heating etc so we thought why not. But I have been PMSL at some of the reviews on tripadvisor. They are either "Brilliant - can't wait to go back" or "Holiday from hell - worst site ever" . Oh well i suppose you just have to take your chance don't you. I didn't think to check tripadvisor before we booked! To be fair most of the other places we looked at were either too far to drive or didn;'t have the facilities we wanted so we would have booked Trecco Bay anyway. It will be pretty quiet when we go (altho it is half term the first week) so hopefully it will be OK. We looked at lodges but they were coming in at about £1,200 for 2wks (in Oct/Nov!) and were usually in secluded forest-type places. We want the pool/entertainment stuff for the kids. Caravan was £600. It was our first taste of how much more expensive it is having 3 kids - even the baby had to be included in the party numbers so couldn't get lodge/caravan for 4 even tho baby doesn't need a bed . It was weird putting the baby down on the booking - we had to give names so I plumped for Miss R Kil len

How exciting Neenz. I bet it will be lovely.

Both girls have woken up . T is pratting around. DD1 is sleepy but no way will she go back to bed whilst T is up. The boys are both awake and each trying to persuade T to get into bed with them. I know it's the holidays but 11pm is ridiculous. I should have gone to bed hours ago. Poor DH is still at work.

Thanks for the party advice and calming words. I'd like to do muffin pizzas, but I think I'd need to do them pretty close to the wire, and that would mean being in the kitchen at the hall when there are guests to look after.

How odd. I posted that at 11pm.

spider and neenz we bought cradle cap shampoo for DS1 when he was two and it cleared it up very quickly. We only bath them twice a week I'd guess - depends how dirty they are!

neenz we stayed at a parkdean resort when DH did his cycle ride. The caravan was great, not luxurious or anything, but totally fine if you're used to camping Some of the other guests were pretty rough around the edges though - about 50% of the people where there for the bike race and the other 50% where obviously not. But it was fine and we enjoyed having the pool. Your place looks much newer and bigger than the one we went to though!

rolf party food sounds good - you are a brave woman!!! I was wondering why you were upset that your kids were all up at 7:15...

biscuits hope her temp has dropped and love the choc ice game!

Biscuits I hate high temperatures. Partly beacuse J is almost completely impossible to get medicine into, but mostly because ds1 had febrile convulsions and I found them terrifying. Poor C, she has had it for a while now too. Lots of cooling baths go down well here. Hope she's feeling better soon.

Neenz the thing we found with three kids was that you need somewhere with a washing machine and tumble dryer! We are now strictly cottage people (I have in fact, turned into my parents!) you do get some good bargains outside school holidays though. This year we stayed in a lovely cottage in Norfolk with its own heated pool and hottub. Bliss! I'll be interested to know how you get on in the caravan, maybe you can convince me for next year.

Last day of school here. As a treat the kids are getting to watch tv before school. But J is incredibly bossy and so everyone is watching pepper pig. If the other two put something on that he doesn't like he stands in front of the tv yelling 'controller, controller' until they give in and change the channel!

Rolf - I'd go for the gingerbread decorating idea or buy cheap ready made fairy cakes to decorate, forget the pizzas! Like you say it's before lunch anyway.Good luck!!!

Have ordered the parts for the car , dh is going by train to collect them today, and then our friend who said he'd fix the car, now hasn't got time so we could have the parts and still a broken car!

That house I loved, and I think all of you liked it too, has sold I knew it would, just by the way this week has been going!

Million things to do, and you're all too chatty, hope wedding plans, parties, holidays, poorly children, wobbly relationships and everything else get sorted soon for you all.

Just marking spot as may not post over weekend- sorry to hear about house and car deb.

Biscuits could it be an ear infection? E had no sign apart from spiky temperature with hers. Hope she is better today.

Bathtime ok here but we do have a lot of toys (incl eddies bathtime crayons) and a toy fish that you fill with water that e helps to tip up. We use halo and horns shampoo
And wash most days which does seem to have cured cradle cap.

for Peppa fans I got one for DS yesterday, there was also a Peppa one but none left online.

debs rubbish news about the car. Ours broke a few weeks ago. It wasn't worth repairing. Got a much nicer car now so am actually quite pleased!

Biscuits One of my dd's had really regular fevers, at least every 10 days lasting for a couple of days between 1 and 2. Didn't relasie at the time that it was related to her ears (she also vomited a lot) as her tubes were so tiny GP's couldn't see far enough down her ears to diagnose her infections. Thankfully she grew out of it.

Neenz Will be waiting for baby news!
We did a caravaning holiday one october and have decided to stick to camping in the summer. Our matresses were plastic so I would recommend taking quilted matress covers or thick fleece blankets to keep the chills away.

Really like hearing that others have eloped to! Very excitied about our trip but it's very hard not telling anyone. CAn't even tell the girls as they know I have always wanted to get married in Vegas, we will tell them the day before we depart! It's booked for this year but not for a few months, I have already bought my dress but a size too small so have put myself underpressure to loose weight.

Hi all!

Luke gets bathed almost every day as he is filthy at nursery and sweaty in this weather. That usually includes a hairwash. He used to love the bath but HATES it at the moment and has a major tantrum. I just let him stand up and pour water over him and carry on regardless. He worst thing is hairwashing though - the rinsing part and he screams blue murder. I even bought one of those special jugs that doesn't get water in his eyes but he's too traumatised already! Luke's hair smells minging if I don't wash it and it's nice when he smells all fresh.

Rolf - your party sounds ace - you are a very brave woman!!

Las Vegas Mark said we should get married in Vegas and I said no 'cos I wanted a big meringue dress and a party with all my friends. I couldn't give a monkey's now but the thought of a flight with three kids has put me off!!

Biscuits - sympathies on the temperature. Hope it all settles soon.

I got my new car!!!!! Mark got it in secret yesterday and it was waiting on the drive with P plates and a pair of pink furry dice in the window!! What a fab surprise. Too scared to drive it though! Any tips? I can't even work out how to put on the windscreen wipers . I should not have started to read the manual.

LOL at the pink furry dice Amber. DP was traumatised when he started driving the new car. Could you ask you instructor for a lesson in your new car, he can give you motorway lessons too. I'm pretty sure DP did this when he got his first car.

Well I have 9 lessons paid for left but I am soooo sick of them. I will wait a while and then have some MW lessons and maybe bay parking lessons too.

Forgot to say Neenz - I also can't believe how fast your due date has come up!!

You could ask your instructor to give you Pass Plus lessons Amber - which covers things like motorway, town centre driving etc. It can bring down your insurance costs too!

Amber. Excuse no. 164 for me is that I don't understand our car's controls! Excuse no. 75 is that I haven't had my eyes tested in 8 years and my prescription has certainly changed. I'm just reaching the tipping point where not driving is bugging me more than facing my demons about driving.

We've got all the party bag stuff now, so I'm spending the rest of the day (and night!) wrapping, packing and baking.

DS2 is in a strop because I won't let him go on his DS. I bloody well hate that machine, and, by extension, my mil for buying it for him without asking me . No, I don't hate her, she's v nice, but she has really pissed me off about this. I put it away as much as I possibly can but if he goes on it at all he gets totally loopy and obsessed about it.

Rolf - I completely understand about the ds, at the moment only I have a ds so the boys have to ask to go on it and I do limit them but it's only a matter of time, ds2 is desperate for the new one and is planning on asking FC for it!!I love them for long journeys though Good luck with tonight, hope you've got some help doing all that.

Going - how exciting,keeping everything secret

Amber - congrats on the driving test and new car complete with dice

Poppy - how are you feeling?

Eddie - hope the nights are improving

ps. Amber I have never read a car manual, just get in it on your drive, and learn by doing it - all the controls, lights, windscreen, bonnet, hazard lights,stereo etc...

The only time I've read my car manual is to try and find out where our rear fog light was. We don't have one! Most crucial things I've needed to know are how to put petrol in, how to put water in for the windscreen, how to clear the windows when they steam up, and how to put air in the tyres.

Rolf, that would annoy me re DS too. I haven't forgiven MIL for buying S a postman pat t-shirt. He's obsessed with Pat and wants to wear it all the time. He had a complete meltdown when helping me load the washing machine this week - guess what t shirt was in the load? Not as bad as the DS issue though obv!

According to ds1 I am the world's most heartless mum as I refuse to let our kids have a ds. Every other kid in his year (allegedly) has one and he is so upset he hasn't. The thing is though, I know he would never be off it, and it would just lead to so many arguments. We have a wii and he is allowed one hour a day on weekends. That is hard enough to police to be honest.

We have a wii but we have played with it probably about 3 times since I got it about a year ago!! Luke's too little to have a clue what it is so hoping it stays that way. Peer pressure is hard though when everyone else has something and you don't. Once upon a time it was a tuppence ha'penny tamagotchi - things have moved on!

Glad to see everyone else is confised by the manual! I am going to drive all weekend with Mark in the car too to give me a start and then I'm on my own next week - eeeeeeeek!!

Sybil that is precisely why I didn't want DS2 to have one. Some children are ok with these toys, but some seem to be predisposed to get a bit loopy over them, and DS2 just gets hooked on them straightaway. We've had more arguments over it than anything else, and he's only had the damn thing about 6 weeks. It MiL had asked me first, I could have told her that it wasn't a good present for him, and tbh I think it's really out of order to buy a 9 year old child a gift like that without the parents' approval.

...breathe....

OK, I've made 48 fairy cakes, a trayful of jelly oranges, the birthday cake is in the oven, I'm about to do the next round of jelly oranges. A friend is wrapping the pass the parcel stuff. I still need to make up the party bags but that's quite fun (it's like doing trial bundles ). And I've arranged the food so it will be a bit like trial bundles.

We've had about 27 acceptances but 23 who haven't replied .

DD1 is so excited she's weepy and bonkers. We'd start chatting about things we were getting for her party, and she'd insist she didn't want them (eg the cake decorating table, which I thought was a great idea)

Sorry, I've lost it haven't I?

Your DD will have a great time Rolf.

RE: the DS - I would agree it's definitely the kind of thing you need parents approval for. S is only 2 but he'd watch stuff on my iphone all day if I let him - def agree that some children are just wired to love that kind of stuff!

Thanks for the encouraging words on the caravan park! We do tend to get lucky with these things, never had a bad holiday ever. And when you are used to camping you are used to adversity I suppose . Abdn, lol at other guests being rough around edges - I thought that might be the case from reading the barely literate reviews on tripadvisor

Interesting DS chat - we saw an ad for them the other day and I said to DH that I am dreading the day they want one. Playstations, wii etc too. I hate seeing kids engrossed in DSs (eg when visiting family) and not being social. And I HATE seeing kids on them at the football - you are there to watch the football and your dad paid £20 for your ticket! I don't have anything against them if they are used sensibly but wouldn't want the kids playing them all day every day, and I think they are the kind of thing that is pretty addictive. Sybil that is hardcore - 1hr only on weekend days! Good on you for not caving in to more under pressure though.

Rolf I agree it is not the sort of present you should buy without asking first.

Hair washing - my friend suggested I do their hair over the sink while DH gave them a really big cuddle in a towel and holding them close. We tried it after bathtime last night (they went in the bath very happily and stayed about 20 mins - I did the bath a bit cooler and think that helped). Anyway it went pretty well! A few tears but not the full-on hysteria we had been getting. I put oil in E's hair as well and gave it a gentle scrub with a toothbrush and the cradle cap is tons better already.

Amber, good luck with the car! I have never read a manual either unless there was something specific I couldn't find, just get in and drive!

Rolf, hope the party goes well!

DG, E got a yellow Upsy Daisy dress for her birthday and wants it on all the time - if she ever sees it in the wash she wants it on, and always looks for it in the wardrobe. She is ok when I say she can't have it on cos it's in the wash tho.

We are off to John Lewis today to spend my £250 gift from work for having a baby. Nice lunch afterwards too

Rolf, I hope you enjoy the party as much as DD1. Sounds great!

Thank you for all of the nice messages. DP and I are going out tonight for the first time in ages, just the two of us, and nothing to do with work for either of us. I also met my BF for lunch yesterday, and we're going to book a night or two away for a spa break in a couple of weeks.

Biscuits, I'd love to see you and Goddess sometime soon if we can - for our annual meet up! I know you're hooking up at ITNG (I've seen some great reviews of it), maybe we could do something then?

Good luck driving Amber.

Neenz, v exciting, not long now.

Rough couple of nights here with B, for no apparent reason - screaming as if in pain during the night, but no temp, no teething, no red cheeks, no stomach bug - no idea! Biscuits, hope C is ok now.

Rolf - how was the party?

AH - thanks for the cradle cap advice. Will look into it the shampoo.

Momentous milestone here today . Took Peter to the barbers for the first time. He was v good, but started sobbing when they got to his neck : big tears rolling down the gown. The barber produced a lolly which had an amazingly calming effect. The cut is really good, so much better than I can manage, but they charged the same as DH's cut because it's the weekend. Got DH to pay for both of them though.

And Bugger - hope you have a good night out together.

Spider - C has still not had a haircut of any description. She still has fluffy baby hair really!

Bugger - sounds like a plan, we're meeting up on 13th for ITNG, it's at 9am though or something like that, would you be able to get some time off work? would be great to meet up.

Neenz - what did you buy?

Rolf - how was the party?

I'm waiting for friends from Edinburgh to arrive, she's due 10 days before me and haven't seen them in a couple of months, so intrigued to compare bumps - I've a feeling she's going to look a lot neater than me...