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

[DomesticGoddessInTraining]

Abdn liked the title so I just went ahead!

Thanks Amber, I knew there was some alternative but couldn't remember the name. AllNew - yes my bp tends to be on the low side. I think I will call the MW and see what she says. I'm not unmanageably tired, just spells of feeling pathetic.

Neenz - well done on getting through your labour. Sounds hard, but you got there. Hope Daniel starts to feed more enthusiastically v soon.

And DGT - yuck re your plane journey.

Straw poll. If you had to express a preference, which toy kitchen would you choose from these:

elc

ikea

letterbox

johnlewis

Deb, this is in no way shape or form related to Christmas

I wanted to get P the John Lewis one last Christmas, but they sold out. I have since seen the Ikea ones and think they are very good. So one of those two would be my choice (we ended up with a random German one which I like because it is double sided so it is easier for multiple children to play on it at the same time).

You sound marvellous Neenz. So pleased for you .

Goddess I like the John Lewis one best.
The upchucking sounds awful. Poor everyone. T is sometimes travel sick and it's pretty gross.

On the sick theme, I've been v tired recently and had a bit too much strong coffee the other day and it prompted a violent vomiting. It was horrible, and no, I'm not pregnant, just knackered.

Spider fluradix and spatone are both v good, ime. My old GP gave me spatone on prescription as it's quite ££. I don't know if all GPs will do that, though.

We've moved out of our house for a few days. We're in a holiday apartment round the corner . I'm here with the children, and DH has the clothes (including T's shoes!) in the car. I have NOTHING to do. I am so excited at the thought of being a bit bored and sleeping a lot! I'm just too too knackered and keep flying off the handle in the manner of a total fruit loop . I'm trying to manage the house being upside down, and no matter what I do DH gets ratty because of something I haven't done, or did wrong. Then goes off to work where it's clean and quiet and he can see a job through without being overrun by children .

Neenz I bet T and E look enormous next to Daniel! I remember when DS2 was born, DS1 seemed so huge, and looking back he was still a baby himself.

Rolf - I am crap - can you remind me what you are having done - is it wooden floors? It'll be lovely being in the holiday apartment - all clean and immaculate and clutter free!!

Neenz - I guess it would be hard to feed if you are all bunged up, I think that's what Luke had (which didnt help!) and we had to cup feed. Congrts - you sound very brave!

Goddess, I didn't look at any prices and just concentrated on the look and how many compartments/gadgets there were and liked the ELC one best followed by John Lewis. What a nightmare in the plane - and at a time when you can't remove the child too. Luke would have gone crazy and there would have been vom everywhere so it's good you have a calmer child! I do feel a bit sorry for the next person to sit next to that seat!!

Oh and you know what sets me off cryng? Those bloody charity ads - you can't get away from them if you are watching daytime telly! I will be financially destitute soon with all the £2 and £3 here and there!!

Rolf, sorry to hear that you've not been feeling brilliant. Hope a few days in the holiday apartment will help!

Neenz, hope today is going well and that Daniel's feeding improves.

Thanks all for the sympathies about the flight incident. It really was horrible. I'm so pleased we've flown a few times before though so I knew it wasn't travel sickness - I think he just had a bug. It was a good 24 hours before he ate properly again. He actually ended up sleeping right through the entire wedding meal/speeches the next day - which was a bonus as we got to enjoy it all in peace! I think he just needed lots of sleep to recuperate. He was really hot and we thought we were going to have to leave, but once we stripped him off a bit and he slept he cooled down again.

Thank you all for your kitchen comments. I think I'm favouring the JL one. I really do like the elc one as it has loads of storage to put any bits and pieces away, but I think it's going to be too big. I will go and see if I can see it in store though before making up my mind. Interesting that I don't think anyone preferred the letterbox one. I've had my eye on that and a bigjigs one for a while (I like they're both two sided) but DH had a look and thought it would be too small. In all honesty, S would probably prefer a £20 plastic one, but it'll probably live in our living room for a quite a while so I want something a bit easier on the eye

Spider, I hope that you're feeling a bit better soon. Good to know that the JL kitchen sold out last year, I think I remember it being mentioned on threads!

The Ikea one sold out too at our local(ish) store, hence the random German one that we bought via ebay.

Rolf you have my every sympathy on the builders. I have had a builder in doing a 3-4 week job since the 21st June. I am hoping it may be finished by the end of this month. Luckily all the work is outside, so he isn't under my feet. However it does mean we can't use the garden at all. He is a nice bloke though and is doing what looks to me like an excellent job. How you cope with 4 children normally is beyond me. 4 kids + a chaotic dusty house would send me into a decline.

Didn't manage to speak to my MW about the iron as she only works 3 days a week and it didn't seem urgent enough to call the GP or the ante-natal ward.

Here is a ridiculous situation. I bought a potty today in Mothercare, mostly so we can start to talk about what a potty is for. Amber P is nowhere near ready either. I persuaded P to sit on the potty at bath time. It only turns out that is bottom is too big for the potty meaning that his willy flaps out the front unless I tuck it in. (Or am I being thick and potties are meant to be a tight squeeze?). It has given me flashbacks to the bumbo seat that wedged itself to his behind, and the woolly hat that I had to get in size 4-12 years last winter. Does anyone make "plus size" potties? Maybe there is an opening in the market for a mumpreneur here?

spider C's bum is too small for the potty, she nearly falls in [disclaimer: C has no bum at all and still wears 9-12 months leggings to stop falling downage]! What about getting him a seat to go on the tiolet instead? he might find that more comfortable! I am also having the tiredness bit light headed, bit too tired after walking up stairs thing, but am avoiding iron prescription as last time it disagreed with me - I have decided to have steak every so often instead! hadn't realised our EDDs were so close together, I'm only 11 days after you!

neenz lovely photos, well done x

rolf yay for holiday apartment, but boo for feeling knackered - surely the summer holidas should come with a health warning. the Scottish schools go back next week, I can't wait until it's safe to go back to soft play and other things that are far too busy during the holidays!

DGIT another vote for the JL one, or IKEA one here. I did think the elc one looked nice, but I have a bit of a thing about elc, so try and aviod if possible! And rotten about the vomiting, but welkl done for being so prepared!

amber I was weeping at Toy Story 3 today. I blame hormones. Took C to the cinema actually, and didn't think she would sit through it, was prepared to have to leave if she got fidgetty etc, but she was utterly spellbound - might try Shrek in a few weeks if we have more rubbish weather. Our local cinema is only £4 a ticket on a Monday, so not too bad!

The ILs are paying a visit tomorrow - we got 24h notice. brilliant. D

Hmmm was going to write more about the impending visit, but message accidently posted. perhaps it's best left unsaid! wish me luck any way...

Thanks for the sympathy . It's actually really nice in this apartment, and it's such a treat not having anything to do. Usually in the evenings I either work till I drop clearing up mess, or give up and have it to wake up to. I really do need to sort out my housekeeping skills, I'm totally crap at it and it doesn't help that I'm full of intellectual pride about not having been educated to this level so I can wash underpants! I feel as though I have screwed up by not staying at home - the apartment is costing a fortune.

Spider - you could start on some fluradix or spatone straightaway, and get advice from your pharmacist so you are reassured about taking it properly rather than on the back of advice from women on tinterweb . They are both very good, and really do help with that sort of exhaustion and dizziness.

Amber sorry about your mad hormones. A twin pregnancy must be very hard work. Yes, we're having floors sanded throughout the house.

DG- we have the ELC one. It takes a good evening of parental bonding to put it together but it's great and looks fairly smart in our sitting room. If in doubt, ask Amber and Essie/Dewin! Your trip truly sucks ((hugs))

Spider- the Totbots potty is quite 'long' so might help with the 'tucking in' issue; it comes apart too so you can use the top as a loo-seat. CJ's 'boyfriend' uses it when he visits- he's fairly large for his age. I think, from recollection, that there is usually some 'tucking in' required with boys though.

Oh, and we are at the very early stages of potty training: we've had the potties (yes, we have more than one- CJ favours the expensive variety and will not sit on a cheap one....) for quite a while and read 'I want my potty' and so on, but the biggest help has been the boyfriend, who is potty trained. You may have seen the tandem wees photo on FB.

Speaking of which, congratulations Neenz. i take my hat off to you because I came as near as I'm ever going to come to 'natural labour' with Bella and was seriously considering throwing myself out of the window.

Hello to everyone, and hugs to Rolf.

It has occurred to me today that if I S went into pants I'd probably have to dig out all his 9-12 month trousers! Although he's a skinny minny, his cloth nappies help keep his trousers up!

Interesting to hear you took C to toy story 3 Biscuits. A friend was over earlier and she'd also taken her DD to see it. S really enjoyed the first toy story when it was on the other week but I wasn't sure whether he was a bit young to go to the cinema.

Thanks for all additional comments on kitchen. Vallium does the ELC one seem quite big? Am concerned that it would dominate a bit! Hopefully they'll have one in the local elc.

Biscuits - are your elc ishoos around the pinkification of the world etc? If so, I share them! Still end up buying all sorts from there though.

Rolf, the 'time off' sounds lovely - enjoy .

on potty training.

Loved Toy Story 3.

Sorry to hear about vom explosion DG but the pics are gorgeous.

Too tired to think straight now. Just got back from PILs (a couple of classic MIL comments I may share with you if I get the time - oh and our wedding photo has been taken down to be replaced by one of the GC . Nothing wrong with pics of the GC but why the removal of the wedding photo and me?! GC photos are all with dh or GPs. Ho hum.)

Hi to eveyone else x

Quick straw poll - any LOs still in cots?

S is in a bed Eddie, but tbh I'd be happier if he was still in a cot! We only changed it because he seemed really keen on beds and he was just about to figure out how to get out of it.

T is still in a cot. She's actually in a travel cot this evening, and thankfully went to sleep quite happily in it. She's not a climber (so far), unlike DS1 and DD1, so I'll keep her in it as long as possible.

I hate the ELC pinkification thing as well.

My other children were well past their 3rd birthdays before they potty trained so I'm not expecting anything here. The odd time she has shown any inclination I've been a bit nonplussed about it - don't know what to do

S has just fallen out of (our) bed with a sickening thud. Keep them contained, I say!

Eddie - Ethan is still in his cot, he hasn't shown any inclination to climb out yet, whereas Stefan did at the 1st opportunity. He will be staying in it for the foreseeable future Shame about the wedding photo, not too many photos of mil on your FB page!!!!

Goddess, I only looked because you promised it wasn't Christmas related - ELC is my fave, Ethan has played on the Ikea one and the top cupboard/microwave was really stiff to open and kept hitting himself on the head!
Oh I sympathise with the sick story, sounds awful. I had a seatbelt issue when flying back too, Ethan had fallen asleep on my knee, it was about 10.00pm so he needed the sleep, and I asked if I could have the lap belt so I could keep him on my knee for the descent but they wouldn't let me....thankfully I managed to move him into his seat and buckle him in and he didn't wake up until down the steps.

Spider - we have a potty that came free when Stefan was a toddler, it's similar to this one, quite basic but with a good splashguard at the font to avoid leakages, as long as they sit on it with willy in the right direction it's usually OK.

Neenz - great to hear from you and impressed by your long post on your 1st day as Mum of 3!

Rolf - sounds like you're doing the best thing for all concerned to be out of the house whilst the work is being done. Have you suggested to your dh that you should swap places one day and you go to do his job?

Biscuits hope the day with the ilaws is OK

sorry got to go, past midnight here, waves to everyone else

GG- if I get a chance I shall do a video of the sitting room and post it to youtube later, if that helps? It's very sweet and every kid who comes immediately homes in and starts playing 'cooking'. I went for it because it wasn't pink, funnily enough.......

That would be brilliant Valium, thank you. The fact that the elc and JL ones are red is definitely a big factor. We wouldn't have gone for one of the girly pink ones anyway, and our living room has touches of red!

Lol Deb, she never does anything with the kids hence the absence of photos!

Good to know I'm not too out of step on the cot/bed thing.

still in a cot here, no inclination to climb out so leaving it as is for now!

DG C was fantastically good at the cinema, she just sat on Dh and then my knee the whole time, and watched the whole film. given that she's ever watched a film at home I was very suprised. we took a bag of apple and grapes and some chocolate buttons as bribes but tbh she didn't even need them!

yes, my elc issues are partly the pink thing, I hate that shade of pink everywhere, but also that they pretend to have 20% off all the time, but then put the prices up before reducing them. like the happyland starter village that they took an item out of and then reduced in price!

penguin how are your relatives today? all better I hope. no diagnosis is often the best thing, as worrying diagnoses are more clear cut and diagnosable IYSWIM?

Still in cots here

We have the elc kitchen which they quite like.

Daniel has started feeding which is a relief. But it meant he was awake most of the night. To be expected with newborns I suppose. He is a bugger though - he doesn't like being put in the moses basket in the night, he kept crying so I kept trying to feed and cuddle him and trying to get him off the sleep. Eventually he went to sleep on the bed at 6am for a couple of hours. Woke at 8.30am, had a good feed and went straight into his moses basket and haven't heard a peep from him since . The twins were exactly the same - very settled in the day but awake a lot of the night. Feeling good so far though!

Trying a longer post - but M playing in the playroom unsupervised so may need to run!

Neenz, your birth story was wonderful - although I'm sorry you found it so painful. I'm with Valium on that one .

Valium, I missed your pics on FB of the weeing together! A's girlfriend is potty trained, he holds her potty for her while she sits herself down, stands with her to keep her company (even played music for her last week ), but shows no interest himself!

As for Daniel's sleeping, we started CC with M last night so can I please ask that D doesn't start sleeping through until at least the weekend so M has a chance of getting there first .

Not much else to say here really, dh on hols for two weeks from this Friday and then I start work. Very very excited about it now .