Dec 08 Ladies welcome to the new Bean, next stop, Summer.

[Veggiemummy]

Sorry very boring had to think quickly, not my best feature

Hello Ladies

How was the meet-up? I hope you all had fun. Sorry I couldn't join you. I have to pick DD1 up from nursery at 12 on Fridays and then DD2 naps 1-3. If she misses that nap she's a frickin nightmare so I am beginning to realise I can't ever make lunch plans.

MoM - You are being very brave waiting for your scan. I am keeping all my fingers crossed for you. The hunger sounds promising. I have been chuckling at the meal lists you and JJ have been describing.

Hi Nolda, I hope the party went well. Don't beat yourself up about it. I agree with others that it will mostly be down to the weather. People are very flaky and I am sure it's nothing personal.

Well we had a lovely day in PiL's garden. We pitched our new tent as we needed to test it before Latitude next weekend. It's HUGE! Seriously the whole thread cld come camping with us. And it's v v easy to put up which is great. The DDs loved it. I am a total wimp and seeing it just reminded me that tents don't have en suites and festival bathrooms are gross. Made me feel all shaky, I am ashamed of my princess like feelings but i can't help it. TMI warning but my AF is due the day before Latitude and my AFs are horrendously heavy and I actually can't imagine dealing with it while camping and with limited shower facilities. Yuck, yuck, yuck. Seriously.

On a bright note I have been browsing the Latitude website and, camping aside, it sounds amazing.

Nolda I really hope you had a good party. I would feel exactly the same, I well up just thinking about it (also because I had a crap 8th birthday when nobody came so I clearly haven't got over it myself ). 8 is a great number, less chance of injury on the bouncy castle and more time to spend with each friend.

Indith, I agree banana cake is not all that great unless the bananas are v sweet (i find it a bit worthy) but would love your macaroon recipe.

Kiwi sorry DD still poorly, you must be knackered. Fingers crossed its a heat thing and it passes soon. teeth?

Had a lovely day at my mum's, T has really enjoyed being with her and playing in the garden. I even got away for a quick swim myself. Not looking forward to driving home in blistering heat tomorrow though, M25 was hideous yesterday (normal 2 and a half hour journey was 4 hours and T didn't sleep for any of it) and apparently due to be the same again tomorrow. Hey ho.

Oh and Avo I am dead impressed by your camping plans. Not In A Month Of Sundays aqui.

Now I adore camping. We last went 2 years ago when ds was 18 months so I am feeling deprived. I will have to drag dh to the coast for a couple of nights in late summer I think, my parents have just bought a new tent so are donating their old family one to us which will have to do until I can persuade dh to buy a bell tent.

Avo at the risk of getting all MN on you, have you considered a mooncup? Much less mess and even with a very heavy period you don't have to empty it all that often. Very useful when camping.

these were the macaroons. It was the first time of baking, very tasty but imptovements need to be made. They were very sweet for me. Having spent so much time around Bordeaux I am very partial to the macarons de St Emilion which are slightly different so they shall be made next I think.

I've been painting blackboard paint in the dc's room and even though the window has been wide open it still stinks. they were very bouncy in bed before they fell asleep too so maybe they are hight . I've been in to check on them and ds has removed his bottom sheet and is just sprawled over his plastic protector sheet and dd is the wrong way round in her cot on top of a pile of duvet. I don't dar put her right, she wakes up enough all by herself!

Oh dear Avo. That will not be nice. Poor you, shame your not on the pil you can skip it then can't you?

Kiwi poor DD, it's good she had your enormous feet to cling into at the naming.

Had a nice day at the beach & at the festival again. I think we all got a bit too much sun but was still nice. A big thunderstorm has passed over us, hopefully it will be clear tomorrow but could be really humid after this. We're going to the beach early in the morning so we can be home before it gets too hot.

Kiwi what is your hubby, the human oracle octopus, saying about tomorrow nights game. We are hoping to get a baby sitter so we can go trial pub to watch it.

Go to a pub not a trial pub.

Veggie I am most disappointed to say that DH the Human Octopus is going with Spain. Damn him! Your post about DD clinging to my feet made me laugh so much I had to explain it to DH and my in-laws too

Oh I have a mooncup (of course being a sandal wearing, vegetarian, homebirther) they are great. Would be good on the no mess front Avo.

I have to admit to being a bit scared of the mooncup. Wld it really be wise to try if you the first time at a festival (where the sinks are not by the loo but in a communal area)?

Hahahaha did they find it as amusing or did it lose something in the telling. Oh I hope he's wrong, I really want the Dutchies to win. Put a smile on their faces. Tell him to reconsider.

I'm waiting up for the Tour highlights. We stayed up last night, but we were both so tired that we fell asleep when they were about 2 km from the finish! DS2 slept through last night so feeling more awake for it tonight.

I found it really easy to use straight away Avo, if I'm out in public with it I take a bottle of water with me so I can give it a little rinse out over the loo. But really it's quite easy, I don't know if it's the stuff they make it with but (sorry to be a bit gross) but it's kind of non stick so nothing stays in once your tipped it in the loo. It really is easy. It takes the same effort and erm...ladygarden touching time that a tampon uses and you kind of just forget about it, I've never had any leakage. Obviously it is a tricky time to be trying it out though.

Thanks for your kind words everyone. The party went very well and DD loved her fairy toadstool cake and said, "today is the best day ever", so it was all worthwhile . Spot poor you on your 8th birthday .

Avo I'm with you on the camping and bathroom thing. Don't know if I could bear to try a mooncup either but don't let me put you off.

Kiwi I hope your DD feels better tomorrow, the heat can't be helping. Poor her and poor you. Take that Veggie [whacks her with supersized flip flop] enough with the smart remarks about Kiwi's feet!

Hello all
Am giggling at Kiwi's huge feet...And actually supposed to be keeping an eye on the vat of strawberry jam I'm making. We went to a pick your own place this afternoon on our way back from the seaside. DD just ate her own, but they didn't seem to mind.

Slightly disastrous trip though - in that yesterday was DS's nursery class trip to broadstairs and we decided to all go and therefore go in the car. Only we were a bit late setting off, and then once we got there we couldn't find them. I had the teacher's mobile but there was no reception so she wasn't answering and we spent 3 hours treking up and down the beach trying to find them . DS was really disappointed and we really let him down by being our usual crap disorganised selves. Am really about and actually more than that cross with me and DH. We really need to grow up. Doesn't help that I now think this is because I'm putting work first (I was at work until 10pm the night before). So basically don't feel that great.

But we tried to make it the most fun possible for DS and had anyway planned to spend the night in Deal to get maximum seaside fun. I'd never been before and totally loved it. Such a beautiful little town, so have decided that is my second home location of choice . Although more likely caravan...
bugger. Jam boiling. Back in a sec.

Urbane don't want to upset you but when we went Strawberry picking with a friend while we lived in Derby, my friends DS1 wee'd all over the strawberry bushes. It turned me off eating them until well after getting them home and thoroughly washed. Actually thinking about it I never went back to pick them. In September Apple picking is on here and we are going to go to one of the farms to pick apples & pears. I told DS1 with great excitement and he looked at me like I was mad.

Urbane it's not your fault there was no mobile reception.

Indith I don't even like bananas and have to breathe through my mouth whilst helping DCs to eat them.

Wow, apple picking! I would love to do that. Hope your jam jelled Urbane.

Glad the party went well Nolda. I would have been doing a mad happy dance at only 8 turning up, the thought of big parties brings me out in hives.

I am also fairly large of hoof (7 1/2) and also walk pretty heavily. DH has told me off on more than one occasion for making the house shake.

Kiwi: sorry DD is still unwell. Do ice lollies help? The DSs are living on orange juice ones - prob v bad for their teeth but it helps in this heat.

Spot: it's meant to be a bit cooler today so hopefully the drive will be more bearable.

Hooray for Summer exchanging!

Rubes: glad your DB's visit is going well

Jam didn't gell. Am pretty rubbish at making jam it turns out. Makes me realise that the only reason I can cook/bake anything else is because I spent so long watching my parents do it/helping out whereas there was a child exclusion zone around jam making. It tastes absolutely lovely (hard not to given the strawberries were so fab) but is v runny. Maybe it's' because I don't have a jam pan.

Anyway. Enough of my jam chat. This is the house I want...

Avo am very impressed you're going to Latitude and camping. Am trying to soften DH to the idea but he is resolutely anti-canvas having spent too much of his adolescence in tents.

Rubes glad the visit is going well.

And Nolda am so pleased the party went well. Banana hater here too - in fact I think it's testament to my love of the DCs that I've ever given bananas to them at all. boak.

Veggie I'm ignoring your comments about little boys peeing on stawberries...dread to think. at least apples probably safe

Indith I absolutely love macaroons but have never managed to make them successfully.

I think I have just seen on my mum's bookshop possibly the most boringly-titled book in the history of boring books. "Medieval flushwork of East Anglia and its symbols". I don't have the first clue what the hell it means but I really hope she was given it as a present rather than choosing it for the kicks...

Spot Sounds like rather a good cure for insomnia..

DD was much better this morning but since she woke up from nap she's been in a stinking mood again. She keeps doing this weird thing where she lies on her back then propels herself around backwards. Really strange. Could it be that something is itching her back or something? She actually ate for the first time in days this morning but now refusing everything again and being really weird.

Aghhhhhhh!

Kiwi - cld she have an ear infection? When DD1 had a bad ear infection she kept putting the top of her head on the floor as if she was trying to do a headstand. It was like she knew something in her head needed rubbing but wasn't sure where.

Tepid bath? Does she have a heat rash maybe? Are her ears ok? Sounds really frustrating .

Spot, your mum has book shop?

Sorry your jam didn't gel Urbane.

Effie my trainers are a 7.5, your feet must be lovely. Speaking of small feet I saw a guy on the beach today who looked like Marcus Brigstock(sp). I pointed him out to DH who started laughing. He recognised the guy as someone he had seen on the tram a week ago and was surprised how tall he was compared to how small his feet are. I had a look at he did have remarkable small. I do wonder how these people stay upright.

I've just sent DH out for macaroons, must make some myself soon.

We have managed to get a baby-sitter tonight. So we'll be off to the pub to watch the game.

Oh Kiwi. Post viral rash aren't usually itchy. The ear infection thing could be right. It's not unusual to get an ear infection after a virus.

Indith I'm very impressed with your macaroons after looking at the recipe, but I'm a little confused I thought macaroons were made of coconut. That's what the ones I'm eating now are like, well I think they are maybe I'd better get another one to check.

Spot did you actually look inside the book, maybe it's actually about something else but hides within a boring jacket?

Hey all - how are you doing?

Kiwi - DD1 had flu last week and came up in a post viral rash. I took her to the doctor as am wimpy Mum and she diagnosed it. But it was clearly itching for DD, which the doctor was surprised by, but she was much better the next day.

How is everyone doing? I have a brief respite from the screams of DD2. DH has taken DD1 to a party at Parsons Green, so I am chilling with DD2. She has got terrible colic and cannot burp for love nor money. I had a bit of a breakdown last night as the screams had been going on for hours and I was so tired and it was grating so much. DH was lovely and whisked her away form me so I could try to have some rest. It was about 10pm. DD2 clearly could smell milk on me, because she settled with him about 10 mins after he took her and I managed to get some sleep. We've already moved her into her own room as I wasn't really sleeping at all with her next to our bed. I can still hear her pretty clearly, so am not worried.

Anyway, think I ought to get some sleep while I can! But just wanted to say, have giggled a lot about Kiwi's enormous flippers! I haven't really kept up with the last few pages, apologies. Just too busy with 2! Sure things will calm down soon!

Got an infected wisdom tooth, so might have to have an operation. Grrr. Off to dentist asap!

Looking forward to big game tonight. Ish. Will support Netherlands for Veggie!

x