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

[DomesticGoddessInTraining]

Abdn liked the title so I just went ahead!

Oh Deb, that's an awful situation to be in - fingers crossed with you.

LOL at Rolf's story!

Abdn - well done on looking after four! We had four toddlers here today for S's birthday party and that was hard enough work - and each of them had a parent attached. 'Twas good fun though.

Happy birthday to S's birthday buddy C, biscuits and for B tomorrow Bugger (unless it was yesterday, in which case apologies for missing it!). Both B and someone I know in RL are one day different from S and I always get mixed up.

S loved his micro scooter - am trying to upload a vid to fb as I type!

Rolf your son has a great imagination!

Neenz fingers crossed it was a one off.
I was really fat so every midwife I saw tried to book me in for a GTT but I really didn't think I needed one. I gave in an had one as an inpatient after a visit revealed I was huge for dates and the scan showed a very big baby and polyhydraminous - the GTT was negative!

That's horrid for you, Deb.

Dewin thanks. What recollection I have of this lady's name has now gone . I think I will have to admit to being hopeless if she calls round again! We are staying at a friend's house and their neighbours have popped over to say hello. One neighbour took me and the children over to look at his railway in the garden. How nice is that?
We were listening to A series of unfortunate events on the way here, and they have the scenario you suggest, with a play that is actually part of a dastardly plan! We'll have to watch our backs.

Debs- how frustrating!

Just popping in to mention my thread

oh debs really sorry to hear about that news, how disappointing after all this time.
Hopefully it is just a delay

sybil that's great news you've exchanged. I'd start packing things you don't need to use/winter clothes/books etc about 2 weeks before, so you're not having to do everything at once. Agree about having a good clear-out while you're at it

spider - no, MIL doesn't get on with her ex-DIL either

neenz - I think often these tests do show a blip and then are fine the next time. Fingers crossed for you

damn deb, i was hoping the deposit had been paid...

Fraser's on a sleep strike here - refusing to nap and now getting up at 5am. He's so tired he's falling down during the day (yesterday and the day before) and not eating well but I can't get him to sleep. It seems almost like insomnia as I lay down with him from 5-7 and he was so shattered he'd lie still but his eyes kept going back and forth and he couldn't settle. I yelled at him and then cried myself at 6:45. He can't nap today anyways because the playgroup I run has organized a trip to a local farm to look at the animals today over lunchtime. DH gets home from Norway tonight which is nice but wont really help me either as his way of dealing is just to get up and turn on the TV and that wont help set Fraser's clock and let him sleep... If he wasn't so tired it'd be okay. Any advice?

Allnew sorry, kept forgetting to post that I'm sorry about your MiL problems. I'm having a few issues with my MiL , too (one of them, I have 2 MiLs) and DH is useless.

Deb what I'd do about the German is buy a card thing so the boys could watch German TV, and get a private tutor (maybe even the German teacher from the school that teaches German) to prepare them for GCSE at a pace that is suitable for them. I imagine they'd find German lessons at school very dull, anyway, as they'd be so far advanced. Maybe a more tailor-made focus on grammar and jumping through the GCSE hoops would suit them better?

Sybil, great news on the house! I would wait as long as I could to start packing (altho throwing out stuff you don't want is a good start) because you could end up packing stuff and then needing it and not knowing where it is. Altho I suppose there must be some rooms with stuff in your hardly ever use so no harm in packing them.

Rolf, that is so funny about your DS's play. Glad you got away on your hols ok and are having a good time.

Deb, sympathies. It's so awful when there's nothing you can do to control/affect the situation. Hope it's just a couple of weeks and not longer. Try to see the positives (if there are any)

Allnew, sounds like your MIL is just a strange'un. Mine seemed really pleased yesterday when I told her I had glucose in my urine . My SIL (MIL's daughter) has had same thing and has to have the GTT next week.

Abdn, sorry you're having a tough/upsetting time with the sleep. Could he be coming down with something? Have you tried Calpol. Or maybe a reaction to DH being away? My sister's husband works at sea and is away for 4-6wks at a time and when her DD was 2-ish she started acting really strange when he went away. Other than that I would be really hard on my two and just put them to bed anyway [cruel]. Or there's always Medised .

Thanks for all your reassuring words on the glucose. I know I am totally overreacting but I think I am most worried that something is wrong with the baby. Which again I know is totally overreacting because its normal for women to have glucose in preg because your hormones make you less able to deal with sugar so it just gets dumped into your urine. I will have my lunch earlier next week and watch my diet this week just in case. I am sure it will be fine. I'm not really bothered about the HB because my hospital birth last time was fab.

T and E are being quite demading/difficult atm. T especially. They have always clashed over toys but now it seems T won't give up. when he wants something he will whinge and whinge and grab and cry. Like yesterday E wanted a story so I got on the sofa and they both got on next to me but T wanted to hold the book. Uusally if I say no he would stop tring to grab it but he just didn't. Then at bathtime she had a toy car he wanted and he cried for about 10 mins because he couldn't have it . (That face is for me btw ). I did time out and tried ignoring him. I am sure these things will work in time but they are exhausting! They are playing nicely together now so I should just be happy for those times, it's easy to focus on the times when they are fighting.

Then when DH got home he found one of the kids had ripped a heather plant out of the rockery and poured sand all over the plants and lawn. He was really annoyed. He overreacted because he'd had a bad day in court but it really upset me because obviously I was wound up about the glucose thing and then DH said 'I am really not looking forward to this baby being born' . He apologised and I know he didn't mean it, he was just wound up about work, the garden, T and E being demanding and then adding a new baby/sleepless nights into the mix too. He has spent a lot of time on the garden this summer and it looks great but he knows he has to accept that it will get ruined by toddlers! He says he wishes he'd never bothered . I think he was just having a bad day - later he put his hand on my bump and said hopefully this baby won't like plants .

Haven't seen Eddie for a while - she had a job interview monday iirc...

Valium, I don't like being called Aunty Neenz either when it's not my actual nieces and nephews. But my best friend refers to me as that to her children. I just let it go cos it is not important. I just get mine to call her by her first name. I think first names for people who are not relatives is fine.

I can't keep up!

Neenz - don't know anything about the glucose thng as that's one thing I never had a problem with but wise words from everyone else. Glad your DH was nice to you in the end. It's horrid when your DH/DP has a bad day and takes it out on you - I have it all the time. 99% get an apology. I think all the LOs are going through a demanding phase at the mo. It's an age thing - luke always cries/tantrums at the slightest thing at the mo ('I don't like this' mummy takes it away, cue massive tantrum 'mine, mine').

Deb - keep your chin up - hopefully everything will be sorted out. And a brilliant idea from Rolf about the German satellite card. Mark's nan has a greek one and watches Greek TV all the time.

Valium - I like being called Aunty Amber by my friend's kids! The other kiddies at nursery call me mummy!! My close friends are Aunty and Uncle, everyone else is first name.

Aberdeen, how awful about the sleep. What about taking him for a car ride, does that knock him out? If Luke won't sleep but is tired, we take him out in the car and he is asleep in 5 mins. We then lift him out and put him to bed.

Rolf - I couldn't stop laughing at your son's play! Scary but what an imagination!!

Sybil - Packing for us when we moved last Nov was the most hideous thing ever. It takes a lot longer than you think and you never anticipate how much stuff you have! We had to put things in storage and hired an area way too small. I also suggest having a massive clear out/charity shop session. Then putting things like your winter clothes, extra bedding you don't need, kitchenware which isn't used often etc etc in boxes. It's amazing how little you can make do with and it's so helpful not to leave everything to the last minute.

Not keeping up very well!

Not wanting to depress anyone with the height thing, sorry. It really is just a rough guide, I was just amazed at Ry's predicted height when DH and I are such short arses. FWIW, I haven't grown any taller since the age of 12, still waiting for my growth spurt.

at MILs! Esp yrs allnew.

Sunscreen should be worn year round here (virtually no ozone layer) - but I don't worry if there's no sun. In summer I work on the basis that I don't re-apply every 2 hrs as suggested so Ry and I get some vit D in purely down to my slackness.

Sybil - Glad you've exchanged! I am always told to get packers in, but never do, so I'd estimate a week for main stuff then another 1-2 days for the stuff you need right up to the end.

Debs - No suggestions on house, school, village except to suggest boys could do GCSE German at evening classes, esp as they would whizz thru it.

Neenz - Due to my weight I convinced myself I was going to getting Gest Diabetes and did far too much research on it , it's actually really rare, so please don't worry until you have to, esp if you are measuring ok. When is the next test?

Rolf- Your post made me LOL, both the idea of "setting fire to the curtains" being a euphamism and your DS's play and your role in it.

Deb - Sorry you're going thru this again. Completely understand what you mean about starting new schools.

Neenz - Eddie got the job (I saw on FB). Yay.

Also this is the age when our LO's start to get possessive over toys from what I have read. We had a playdate here with 2 other toddlers last week and Ry spent the whole time saying "No, no, no" to anyone going near his toys.

Abdn - Sorry no advice, but sympathies. R keeps trying to drop his daytime nap even as his eyelids close. Unfortunately it makes for grumpy afternoons for both of us. I agree that routine definitely helps, but it's not always that easy is it? I try and just leave him in his cot with a book or two so he gets some down time even if no actual sleep.

[Blush] at Neenz and Amber's grumpy DHs, it's me being grumpy and doing the apologising around here ATM.

Off to check Valium's thread....

Who is Valium? I seem to have missed a namechange!

Neenz, Eddie announced the result of her job interview on fb this week. She's just moved so was taking a sabbatical from MN as she had so much to do.

Valium is Puree Allnew.

On Auntie/Uncle (actually, straw poll - Auntie or Aunty?) I have a bit of an irrational dislike of the use of Auntie/Uncle for people who aren't. But I actually do refer to one close friend as Uncle Close Friend to S . He lived for us with a bit and has always been very good to us so I kind of think of him as family. I think it's the presumptions that annoy me rather than the actual use of Auntie/Unclie IYSWIM? Like MIL refers to DH's cousins to S as Auntie Cousin etc, or friends who coo at S, have you got a cuddle for your Auntie Friend etc. My cousin always refers to me as Auntie to her DS, which I wouldn't mind so much if I saw him regularly and had a relationship with him. If one of my close friends who had DC that I had a close relationship with I wouldn't object to being called Auntie DG.

So, in a word, I have very contradictory views!!! Apart from family though, essentially we use first names for everyone. I can't think of anyone where Mr or Mrs would be appropriate and I think everyone S knows would find it really odd. I'm very particular about manners though. S got a round of applause from the family when he said thank you for his presents on Sunday

Abdn I read somewhere (probably a thread on here) advice about trying naps on alternative days to help make the transition from daytime naps. The other idea was to build in some quiet time when they would normally nap e.g. lie quietly on the sofa and watch a dvd or something so they at least get a bit of a rest.

Neenz, sorry about the whinging. S can be really whingy sometimes just now, although it's easier to do the distracting when there is only one. We tell him very firmly not to whinge and that he has to tell us what is wrong. It's not made a jot of difference, but I'm hoping the message gets through eventually.

DG, that's exactly it with the whingeing - I say 'tell me what you want' cos his language is quite good now. But he doesn't . I try distracting but it is difficult when he is desperate for whatever E has. We do have 2 of a lot of things which makes it easier but sometimes I can't find the other one. It is not too bad but I do fear for what it might be like when the new baby comes, I have less time for them and I'm tired too! We'll survive .

How exciting for Eddie! Perfect job, perfect house, perfect family, how does that woman not believe in God

Penguin, thanks . You're right I am getting far too ahead of myself thinking about GD! I have another urine test next Tues. I am not too worried about it now, sure it will be fine. Don't know what I would do if something actually serious happened .

Is it S and C's birthday today or was it yesterday? Happy birthday anyway! And B too . It's my birthday tomorrow, I have booked the day off work, am sending the kids to the CM and going for lunch with my mum .

I think Eddie would say that she and DH have made their own luck and that God didn't do it for them

S & C's bday was yesterday and B today (I think!).

feeling brighter today everyone after a good cry last night!!Thanks for the sympathies

You've got to laugh at my Dad, we're coming over for a week to look at properties/areas , leaving all the boys with mil and my Mum for 2 nights and sil for 2 nights. Well my Dad is put out that he won't be seeing them, "We'd have had all 3" he said, my stepmum hasn't had children and has met Ethan once for 3 hours! I pointed out that there would be plenty of time to have them in the future but I felt a little more comfortable leaving Ethan for 4 nights with mil and sil!!i.e, people he actually knows!

Glad you're feeling better Deb.

My parents are always dropping massive hints for us to leave S overnight with them. They're brilliant with him and I have no qualms about their care. But they'd expect us to take him to them (about an hour away) and then collect the following day. While this is fair enough, that's 4 hours of driving and a load of petrol just so they can 'help us out' by babysitting. Suffice to say, when we've needed an overnight babysitter S goes to the inlaws who are 40 mins away and will either pick him up or drop him off.

I don't have anything particular I need to do tonight. It's strangely liberating! DH is at the pub watching the match (cleverly arranged pass out which means he drives home from a bbq at the weekend while I drink fizzy wine ). I don't know what to do with myself!

DGT I didn't think Labour supporters could believe that you could make your own luck, that's much more of a Tory view isn't it? Implies everyone else is not trying as hard... Shall we leave it at being at the right place at the right time? Plus she was up at 5:30 this morning (posted on my facebook comment in sympathy) so not that lucky...

I should get to bed and try to get some sleep before the morning stint. As grumpy as I was today it's still not like newborn sleep deprivation though - coffee and Cbeebies can get me through.

Happy birthday to B today, I hope it went well whinegums (can't remember your new name) and to Neenz for tomorrow!

Ooh, ouch Abdn! I'm going to take that in good humour , because I'm pretty sure that you don't think that's what I meant! I also don't think that good fortune is necessarily down to being in the right time at the right place either, but that's by the by.

I hope you (and Eddie) get a better night's sleep!

DGT just giving you a hard time for giving neenz one. Although neenz sort of deserved it for bringing up God in the first place. Okay - I just couldn't resist...

I'm not sure about the making your own luck either - I do believe some people are just lucky but most things can be put down to hard work, talent, and circumstance etc... I don't feel lucky so I never play the lottery etc.

(p.s. no offense meant at all)

None taken! (And hope I didn't offend Neenz actually - I'm a believer after all ).

Oh dear, how wrong things can come across on the internet! No didn't take offence, hope no one else did either. When everything falls into place in my life I do thank God. I thank God anyway - or put my faith in Him that everything will work out for the best even if I can't understand how at the time . I find it very liberating and reassuring.

I read somewhere that Christianity and Socialism are mutually exclusive (because Christianity = God is all-powerful and Socialism = the state is all-powerful) but I still have my Marxism & Christianity book to read and am looking forward to that.